The explosion of color that happens quickly and brilliantly, is now underway in Alaska’s arctic. The reds of the dwarf birch and blueberry bush leaves brighten first and the yellows of the willow and balsam poplar trail a bit behind. Eating ripe blueberries while photographing demands participation, which I did often while hiking along this ridge. The mountain visible is from a distinct hunk of rock known as Mount Snowden of the Brooks range. It is visible from the Dalton Highway, and although a vigorous vertical climb, is accessible. My plans were to focus on a shot later in the evening when the angle of light proved more favorable for a certain part of the mountain, but the low lying clouds forming in the west precluded the vibrant light of the late evening. The hike was filled with radical views and rewarding discoveries, and a few colorful landscapes.
Blueberry and autumn tundra at the base of Snowden mountain, Brooks range mountains, arctic, Alaska.
Autumn tundra at the base of Snowden mountain, Brooks range mountains, arctic, Alaska.
