Trekking in the Gates of the Arctic National Park

I’ve been working on a series of handstand photos in wild and beautiful places, and this is one for that collection. I took it using a wireless remote, about 5,500 feet on a rocky slope along the Reed River.

I just finished a week long solo photography trek in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. In summary, neither the best collection of superlatives, nor photographs seem to adequately convey the overall experience. Especially on solo trips when trekking in the rugged Brooks Range, a lot happens inside your head and inside your body. The anticipation of unseen country, of what awaits you when your round a bend, cross a mountain pass, or climb a rocky ridge is all part of the adventure and discovery process. This part of the experience does not always translate into a photograph. But, I worked hard to convey that place visually, and I was climbing up and down mountains trying to get a lay of the land and a perspective to properly capture some mountain images. Specifically, I was targeting the summit of Mt. Igikpak, the tallest mountain in the Brooks Range. I had some opportunities, but that is one extremely shy mountain!  Based on my topo maps, I knew where the summit was, but it was obscured by clouds most of the time, and foreground mountains required a high climb to get a good viewpoint. I kept moving my camp higher and higher as the days progressed.

The granite-spired summit of Mt. Igikpak, the tallest mountain in the Brooks Range (8,500 ft.), was enshrouded in clouds most of the time. But for a slight moment, the clouds parted and this was the first time I saw the peak. I immediately grabbed my camera and literally raced about 1000 feet upward through boulder rubble to get a better view and grab this shot of a very ephemeral moment!