Lee Petersen

Photographer and writer in Alaska. Field notes on landscape, science, and a changing North. Lots of stuff here: http://lwpetersen.com/links

SUBSTACK: Field Notes From The North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/
WEBSITE ARTICLES AND GUIDES: https://www.lwpetersen.com/
PHOTOGRAPHY: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/

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Last Notes

2026-09-05 20:09:19 GMT

Descending toward College Creek in the Alaska Range. The delineation of rough texture on the valley side displays the glacier trimline and the historic elevation of the surface of College Glacier that once filled this valley, whose terminus is now 4 miles higher up the valley. More photos and story in my Field Notes from the North on Substack: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/weekend-in-the-deltas
#alaska #mountains #glacier #hiking #climatechange
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/220/207/939/304/418/original/0f50d4ac941a4804.jpg

2026-09-05 18:50:33 GMT

Hiking in the Hoodoos region in the Alaska Range with views of the Gulkana and College Glaciers.
#hiking #alaska #summer #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/219/890/904/283/896/original/5c0d126c9bf85f74.mp4

2026-09-04 14:51:52 GMT

A large active moulin on the Canwell Glacier in the eastern Alaska Range.
#alaska #hiking #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/213/314/310/413/045/original/dc2075c264997ec7.mp4

2026-08-31 17:14:25 GMT

A small arch in the seracs of the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier, eastern Alaska Range. Photos and story in my Field Notes From the North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/incredible-day-on-the-gulkana
#alaska #glacier #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/191/224/115/734/399/original/77b5d5ff55029322.jpg

2026-08-30 22:29:25 GMT

I went out to take mushroom photos today, but only managed to get two before the rain started falling pretty hard. Baeospora myosura (conifercone cap) and Tricholoma virgatum.
All my recent photos: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#alaska #fairbanks #mushrooms #fungi #macro
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/186/804/250/195/432/original/92c9ae85e8419c80.jpg
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/186/804/646/316/898/original/536a2be892ae257b.jpg

2026-08-28 14:54:25 GMT

Out in the Gabriel Icefall of the Gulkana Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range. More photos and story with some repeat photography showing glacier changes: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/gulkana-ice
#alaska #glacier #climatechange #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/173/683/145/268/031/original/fb3b3e6c2b021b4b.jpg

2026-08-27 18:25:34 GMT

Anchor Point, Alaska sunset from late June. Photos and story from the trip in my Field Notes from the North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/homer-sunsets-eagles-and-flowers
#sunset #alaska #homer #beach
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/168/857/046/493/096/original/b7fd9102bc2aba1c.mp4

2026-08-26 08:20:25 GMT

My latest post on Field Notes from the North. Late-season flowers, caribou, and tundra. Fall is coming fast in the Alaska Interior. Read it here: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/evening-on-mt-margaret
#alaska #hiking #denali
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/160/818/966/089/861/original/fc67233cc14e9d74.jpg

2026-08-24 18:47:55 GMT

Five bull caribou on Mt. Margaret last night in Denali National Park. I've got a lot of photos to share from this quick trip, but I'll have to wait til tonight to edit and post them, as I'm dealing with some camera issues at the moment.
#alaska #wildlife #denali #hiking #caribou
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/151/954/326/093/819/original/2b23e7a2ec150ff7.jpg

2026-08-23 17:37:58 GMT

Compilation of video from my trip with @cassidy_meyer16 to the glacier caves on the Canwell moraine in early June.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MZXpA9_5lBc
#alaska #glacier #glaciercave #hiking

2026-08-22 07:45:18 GMT

Sunset over Ballaine Lake in Fairbanks, Alaska. https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#alaska #sunset #fairbanks
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/138/025/379/519/743/original/edd95e2541aafdfb.jpg

2026-08-20 20:12:23 GMT

My latest 3 wildflower posts and an update on my Alaska Wildflower Guide on my Field Notes from the North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/latest-three-wildflower-posts
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/129/651/243/254/961/original/ecaf3adc29357241.jpeg

2026-08-20 15:52:21 GMT

Tufted vetch, more commonly called bird vetch in Alaska (Vicia cracca). Native to most of Eurasia, it's pretty, but it's also a highly invasive weed in North America. Introduced as a forage crop in the Fairbanks and Palmer areas.
The latest addition to my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/vicia-cracca-tufted-vetch/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling #flora
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/128/600/214/489/758/original/ad63fba0f997aa02.jpg

2026-08-18 18:57:20 GMT

Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris). With my backlog of trip reports complete, I'm finally spending some time refocusing on my Alaska Wildflower Guide. This has been one of my largest ongoing projects, check it out here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/
#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflowers #flora
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/118/012/729/688/591/original/3101ae30b72a898f.jpg

2026-08-17 17:40:59 GMT

A Dall sheep ewe watches as we pass her by bike on the Park Road in Denali in early spring, before the buses start to run.
In my wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#alaska #wildlife #denali #bikepacking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/112/030/222/507/099/original/2317f847c2b3e02c.jpg

2026-08-17 04:22:13 GMT

Arctic gentian (Gentiana algida) in Nome Creek, taken on the way to Mt. Prindle in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Alaska. The latest addition to my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/gentiana-algida-arctic-gentian/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling #flora
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/108/913/573/519/638/original/86854bcbf84d0a0a.jpg

2026-08-16 18:32:55 GMT

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Haha, it was actually borderline uncomfortably warm in this spot, especially since we couldn't get out of the sun and a ridge to our north blocked the cooler katabatic wind.

2026-08-16 01:51:12 GMT

Hiking through some of the coolest glacier views I've been on, in a place I frequent multiple times a year. One of my longest posts yet, with tons of media in my newest Field Notes: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/gulkana-ice
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/102/673/600/368/019/original/883fcf9d5fe31b20.mp4

2026-08-14 08:18:23 GMT

Lots of photos and story from Mt. Prindle in early August on my Field notes from the north: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/late-hike-on-mt-prindle
#alaska #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/092/830/379/489/420/original/40b864ace5d07a22.jpg

2026-08-13 20:52:54 GMT

Boulders over a glacier stream on the Castner Glacier in the Alaska Range, with the O'Brien Icefall in the background.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/castner-glacier-hiking-guide/
#alaska #glacier #hiking #backpacking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/090/154/155/138/582/original/641418309081b3cd.jpg

2026-08-11 17:46:34 GMT

Mt. Iliamna over the Cook Inlet at sunset from the beach at Anchor Point near Homer, Alaska. Read about the trip on Field Notes from the North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/homer-sunsets-eagles-and-flowers
#alaska #sunset #beach #homer
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/078/063/347/629/831/original/5bd8be1a33c8f132.jpg

2026-08-05 15:25:20 GMT

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https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis

2026-08-05 15:21:19 GMT

Some rare aurora from last November. The high red is atomic oxygen glowing far up in the atmosphere, which only fills the sky like this during a strong geomagnetic storm. Summer's going too fast, but we're only a couple weeks from aurora season.
How it works: https://www.lwpetersen.com/science-and-nature/what-causes-the-aurora/
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/043/577/984/981/934/original/3c6a53b7ea379747.jpg

2026-08-04 18:17:26 GMT

Summer day on the Black Rapids Glacier in the Alaska Range, McGinnis Peak on the right. This is known as the "Galloping Glacier," a surge-type glacier that last surged in 1936-1937, advancing 4 miles in just 4 months.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #glacier #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/038/275/343/818/341/original/fe9062706525c4a5.jpg

2026-08-02 15:27:35 GMT

The front face of the Columbia Glacier, a wall of ice rising straight out of Prince William Sound. The Columbia has retreated more than 12 miles since the early 1980s, one of the fastest tidewater retreats on the planet.
#alaska #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/026/607/797/805/971/original/d74c822f7746b33f.jpg

2026-08-02 07:43:35 GMT

Missing glaciers in the Rainbow Basin near the Canwell Glacier in the Alaska Range. I’ve been increasingly documenting the effects of climate change on our natural landscapes and have some ongoing projects in this area, which is my most visited spot in the Alaska Range. I’ll be talking more about that soon. If you’d like to read about this trip, check out my latest post: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/just-going-along
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/024/790/245/100/340/original/3d51a8ccee18dc72.mp4

2026-08-01 17:44:12 GMT

A bull caribou tearing across the tundra in Denali, antlers still in velvet.
My wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#alaska #wildlife #denali #caribou
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/019/419/704/982/076/original/5f579580df9ad3d4.jpg

2026-08-01 02:09:49 GMT

The downward-facing flower of one-flowered wintergreen (Moneses uniflora), seen from below. The angle shows the star-shaped stigma most flowers hide. Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/moneses-uniflora-one-flowered-wintergreen/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/017/793/652/844/442/original/ccc0124639914dad.jpg

2026-07-31 09:14:21 GMT

My latest Field Notes story from Hatcher Pass earlier this month. One of the most incredible, short, and difficult day hikes I've ever done. Read it here: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/getting-steep
#hiking #alaska #climbing
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/013/800/057/463/764/original/97aef54f0067bf3d.jpg

2026-07-30 17:51:31 GMT

Extreme close-up of a female willow catkin blooming in Fairbanks in early spring, its dichotomous stigmas catching pollen. Part of a post I wrote a couple of years ago when I was getting more into macro photography: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/willow-macros-getting-closer
#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflowers
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/010/189/025/329/544/original/29fa3b0fd802160c.jpg

2026-07-29 16:00:32 GMT

New on Field Notes from the North: a day of wandering Denali's tundra in peak fall color, from Sable Pass toward the Teklanika. Bull moose, bears, and one very strange shuttle driver. (The back half is for paid subscribers)
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/late-summer-hiking-and-more-part
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/004/064/703/910/515/original/3941c2a7569df9dc.jpg

2026-07-29 03:55:37 GMT

A partially snow-covered crevasse on the Worthington Glacier at Thompson Pass in the Chugach Mountains. This is exactly why lingering summer snow on a glacier is so dangerous. It bridges over open crevasses like this one and sometimes hides them completely.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/definitions/glaciers/crevasse-glacier/
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/001/242/220/105/625/original/4fd7f522e20acd19.jpg

2026-07-28 16:01:09 GMT

Richardson's Brookfoam (Boykinia richardsonii) in the Rainbow Basin, Alaska Range. Also known as bear flower because it is a favorite food of grizzlies. It grows almost nowhere outside of Alaska and the Yukon.
Info in my wildflower guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/alaska-boykinia-boykinia-richardsonii/
#alaska #wildflowers #flora #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/995/971/239/414/584/original/c819f38fef25051f.jpg

2026-07-27 23:23:30 GMT

A double rainbow at sunset near Donnelly Creek Campground, on the north side of the Alaska Range. We spent the weekend hiking in the Deltas; this is what greeted us on the drive in Friday night. More photos to come.
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/994/490/035/709/179/original/085c178e9c18ca05.jpg

2026-07-24 19:41:50 GMT

More glacier caves in my latest on Field Notes from the North. This one was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, and it likely won't last the summer. https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/late-summer-trips-part-2d-glaciers
#alaska #hiking #glacier #glaciercave
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/976/552/965/563/398/original/08caffa9aff848bd.jpg

2026-07-20 15:12:17 GMT

Light on the mountains of the Alaska Range from the Loket Tributary to the Black Rapids Glacier. A small icefall pokes out from the snow on the mountains.
Info about this surge-type glacier on my site: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/952/917/617/709/234/original/24860a7ce5d8f032.jpg

2026-07-20 08:04:44 GMT

Sierra larkspur (Delphinium glaucum) - taken earlier tonight at Smith Lake in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/larkspur-delphinium-glaucum/
#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflowers
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/951/246/132/015/483/original/5686cd3940a5e7d3.jpg

2026-07-19 21:47:42 GMT

My latest Substack post touching on my passions of hiking and climbing and a forever struggle with depression and anxiety.
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/day-one-in-hatcher-pass
#hiking #alaska #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

2026-07-19 16:33:05 GMT

Bog wintergreen, also commonly known as liverleaf wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia).
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/liverleaf-wintergreen-pyrola-asarifolia/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/947/596/900/713/534/original/da86de83c1cf6fd1.jpg

2026-07-18 23:44:21 GMT

Hiking to the end of the Harding Icefield Trail. In my latest post in Field Notes From The North: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/seward-and-harding-icefield-trail
#hiking #glacier #alaska
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/943/623/277/033/715/original/f7950f05c210379d.mp4

2026-07-18 18:31:40 GMT

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Trip post here: https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/homer-sunsets-eagles-and-flowers

2026-07-18 18:26:38 GMT

A bit of pink variation on an arctic starflower (Lysimachia europaea) in Homer, Alaska.
Info in my wildflower guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/lysimachia-europaea-arctic-starflower/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/942/368/109/462/940/original/abff42578574b42f.jpg

2026-07-18 16:15:28 GMT

Moulin on the College Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range.
#glacier #alaska #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/941/849/136/195/186/original/f24a953826378961.mp4

2026-07-18 07:07:01 GMT

Narrow-leaved arnica (Arnica angustifolia). The latest addition to my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/arnica-angustifolia-narrow-leaved-arnica/
#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflowers
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/939/700/982/669/860/original/9fe5d6930c04cfa2.jpg

2026-07-17 07:02:50 GMT

Woolly lousewort (Pedicularis lanata) along Nome Creek on the way to Mt. Prindle in early June.
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/overnight-to-the-chimes
#wildflowers #alaska #bloomscrolling #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/934/011/082/295/665/original/f233b66f8a840f40.jpg

2026-07-13 15:19:12 GMT

Seracs on the Gabriel Icefall, Eastern Alaska Range. The ice fractures into blades where the glacier bends over steeper ground. Taken yesterday.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/gulkana-glacier-hike/
#alaska #glacier #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/913/328/569/467/210/original/8ed099c849051100.jpg

2026-07-09 19:29:49 GMT

I'm finishing up some writing today. Here's some aurora from autumn, 11 years ago in Fairbanks. It's still over a month away from it getting dark enough at night to see the northern lights again here.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #aurora
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/891/648/533/488/956/original/aa2c72e7d2e05c9d.jpg

2026-07-06 15:47:25 GMT

Just a beach sunset. Homer, Alaska. Low tide, so the whole beach was a mirror.
Prints and Wall Art: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos/i-rn9GFGP/buy
#alaska #sunset #beach
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/873/786/619/855/457/original/99e2daec2166cab6.jpg

2026-06-26 20:14:47 GMT

Day one of three in the Alaska Range. We followed the Gulkana moraine past where I'd been before, found the season's first saxifrage, and let the trip have no plan at all.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lwpetersen/p/three-days-in-the-alaska-range
#alaska #hiking #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/818/231/535/190/401/original/cb808782d09bf78d.jpg

2026-06-22 15:23:16 GMT

Tall Jacob's ladder (Polemonium acutiflorum), Fairbanks, yesterday.
Info in my wildflower guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/tall-jacobs-ladder-polemonium-acutiflorum/
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/794/421/686/318/842/original/5bac83c2547eeb0a.jpg

2026-06-22 01:19:05 GMT

Saw a sleepy boi at UAF today. Silver fox, a melanistic morph of the red fox, same species, different pigment expression. He rolled around in the grass for a while.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#alaska #wildlife #fox
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/791/109/512/440/676/original/a8b8edd7600df78f.jpg
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2026-06-15 08:41:19 GMT

I'm still sifting through 3 days of photos from hiking in the Alaska Range, but this had to be one of the coolest glacier caves I've explored yet, so I had to share it first.
#alaska #glacier #hiking
7m
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/753/224/729/585/877/original/43244936b44646f2.jpg

2026-06-11 22:46:09 GMT

Aurora borealis with a bit of corona in the upper bands - Taken in late February of 2023
#alaska #auroraborealis #fairbanks #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/733/848/060/609/107/original/a3a5357f98bfd849.jpg

2026-05-07 16:38:35 GMT

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Wildflower info in my guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/alaska-boykinia-boykinia-richardsonii/

2026-05-07 16:36:50 GMT

A stream above the Canwell Glacier in the Alaska Range, lined with Alaska boykinia (Boykinia richardsonii) in full bloom in mid-July.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#Alaska #hiking #wildflowers #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/534/245/895/107/445/original/8aa924e186e62f4f.jpg

2026-05-05 17:12:16 GMT

A little aurora on a starry and very windy night along the Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs Trail in the Chena River State Recreation Area.
Prints and wall art available in my aurora gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #aurora #auroraborealis #fairbanks #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/523/048/378/333/055/original/82e643bd0a5261ac.jpg

2026-03-30 05:42:24 GMT

It's been a busy month...
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/staying-busy-my-march-summary

2026-03-24 21:12:53 GMT

A small icefall on a mountain glacier flowing into the Loket Tributary of the Black Rapids Glacier, Eastern Alaska Range. The crevassing where the ice flows over the steeper terrain is visible at the center; ice fractures under tension when the bed topography forces it to accelerate.
More on the Black Rapids, one of Alaska's most studied surge glaciers: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#Alaska #glacier #alaskarange #mountains
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2026-01-13 07:28:43 GMT

It was my birthday, so after running a few errands, I stopped by the lake near work to take some photos. It had dropped to about -35°F, but the light and the sundogs were too good to pass up.
#alaska #sunlight #winter
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2026-01-05 17:57:24 GMT

Aurora borealis forming layered bands with a brief corona directly overhead, overpowering the light of the moon.
More of my aurora photography here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights #fairbanks
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/843/772/414/904/117/original/b3714d3fd8c46c4c.jpg

2026-01-04 19:15:45 GMT

Some clips from this summer on the Gulkana Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range. Such a beautiful area!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L4q43FoZ6u0
Info about the area in my Alaska Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/gulkana-glacier-hike/
#Alaska #hiking #glacier

2026-01-03 22:36:46 GMT

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Kinda feels like Middle Earth from LOTR

2026-01-03 21:29:35 GMT

The Windchimes rock formations on a ridge near Mount Prindle in the White Mountains of Alaska, with low clouds moving through the spires.
Hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/mt-prindle-via-nome-creek/
#alaska #hiking #mountains
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/833/255/394/616/683/original/47aaa96a37a01413.jpg

2026-01-02 16:01:27 GMT

A midwinter sunset over a boreal forest near Fairbanks, Alaska, with low clouds catching warm light.
#alaska #sunset #winter
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2025-12-30 17:43:35 GMT

A bright aurora over the boreal forest north of Fairbanks in mid-February. The display was strong enough to soften the stars and light the snow-covered trees below.
Prints and Wall Art in my Aurora Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/809/743/895/406/879/original/155b07940c87c145.jpg

2025-12-29 18:17:40 GMT

A meltwater channel on the Black Rapids Glacier, divided by a narrow ice island and a balanced boulder. In the early melt season with limited englacial drainage, much of the water flows on the surface, making foot travel difficult at times.
Prints and Wall Art here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-7P723g7/A
#alaska #glacier #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/804/218/833/009/991/original/67e4df783e7a49c2.jpg

2025-12-29 04:46:00 GMT

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They're equal at -40

2025-12-29 03:58:36 GMT

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It's dropping...
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2025-12-29 02:49:16 GMT

Went for a long walk this afternoon with the temperature around −48°F. I only had my phone with me, since I left my mirrorless camera at work, and the cold can be brutal on shutter and mirror assemblies in DSLRs.
#alaska #fairbanks #winter #cold
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2025-12-27 18:48:53 GMT

Aurora looping over Angel Rocks in late April.
Taken after 1 a.m., with the last trace of sunlight still lingering along the horizon.
Prints and wall art available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-PPmLt2n/A
#alaska #aurora #northernlights #landscapephotography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/793/014/035/647/327/original/801b6b75d219c474.jpg

2025-12-27 17:48:11 GMT

Late August above Gakona Glacier during a solo backpacking trip in the Eastern Alaska Range in 2023.
From the western marginal moraine, the glacier’s movement is visible in looping moraines, while active icefalls continue to feed the upper basin.
Trip report and more photos here:
https://www.lwpetersen.com/trip-reports/gakona-glacier-hike-info-and-august-2023-trip-report/
Prints and wall art:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-3Rchh3Q/A
#alaska #glacier #mountains #hiking #backpacking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/792/755/014/493/972/original/ccabce35bb27a57f.jpg

2025-12-26 16:25:17 GMT

A few photos from the trails at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, taken yesterday after fresh snowfall.
The quiet and stillness are always a little surprising. There’s no movement, no wind, no sound, except the crunch of snow underfoot and the low, hollow guttural calls of ravens passing overhead.
#alaska #winter #snow #fairbanks
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2025-12-25 05:00:48 GMT

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I also have a short article on the formation of light pillars here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/atmospheric-optics/light-pillars/

2025-12-25 05:00:39 GMT

Some of the most intense and vivid light pillars I've seen on the south side of Fairbanks tonight! I took a few more photos: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#alaska #lightpillar #atmosphericoptics #fairbanks #nightsky
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2025-12-24 17:57:03 GMT

Thunderbird Falls in Chugiak, Alaska.
A long exposure turns the rushing water into a soft, continuous flow as it spreads out at the base of the falls. Early autumn color is just starting to show along the canyon walls, with moss, rock, and fading leaves catching what little light reaches down here.
Prints and Wall Art in my Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#alaska #waterfall #hiking #landscapephotography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/775/800/359/232/583/original/1443f55a9fc24135.jpg

2025-12-21 20:15:49 GMT

Happy Winter Solstice from Fairbanks, Alaska.
This was the view from my front porch this morning at 11 a.m., right at sunrise (it's -40° outside).
#fairbanks #alaska #wintersolstice #winterlight
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2025-12-20 17:58:49 GMT

A narrow ribbon of green aurora cutting through a clear winter sky over a snow-covered boreal forest in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Prints, wall art, and digital downloads available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-rzqsdf4/A
#alaska #auroraborealis #winterlight #borealforest #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/753/127/576/396/400/original/c037bb457e668c34.jpg

2025-12-19 17:59:23 GMT

Fall has always been my favorite season in Alaska. The light, the color, the brief intensity of it all before winter settles in.
This photo was taken 12 years ago along a trail at UAF, and it still stops me every time I come back to it. Hard to believe how quickly time moves, and how some moments manage to feel just as close as the day they were made.
Prints and wall art are available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-BN3CtJw/A
#alaska #fall #autumn
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/747/503/250/341/310/original/ff23afee03f62cf4.jpg

2025-12-16 18:18:59 GMT

The light in Fairbanks around the winter solstice.
It’s cold, dark, and some days it’s hard to get moving at all. Some winters are harder than others, and I don’t always know why. What I do know is that getting outside helps.
Even on the shortest days, there’s a brief stretch of low sun, long shadows, and quiet color. It’s subtle, short-lived, and always worth stepping out for.
This image is available as a fine art print or wall piece:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-MW5rhXN/A
#alaska #fairbanks #winterlight
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/730/527/777/456/807/original/c13da87d966a6d08.jpg

2025-12-15 18:02:44 GMT

My favorite thing about Fairbanks this time of year is the light. Long sunrises stretch into sunset on the shortest days of the year, turning even brief mornings into something worth stopping for.
Prints and wall art available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-tBQR4LV/A
#alaska #sunrise #sunset #winter
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/724/853/560/548/626/original/ee0ed9b0a4634b2a.jpg

2025-12-14 18:19:20 GMT

A small run of my 2026 Alaska wall calendars is now available locally.
If you’re in the Fairbanks area, you can pick one up at Ascension Rock Club. A portion of local sales supports our youth climbing team.
If you’re not local, calendars are available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Calendars/2026-Alaska-Wall-Calendar
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2025-12-14 17:22:07 GMT

High peaks of the Hayes Range in the Alaska Range, seen from the Loket, a broad tributary of the Black Rapids Glacier, photographed in April. A cold, clear view of scale and distance deep in the Alaska Range.
Prints, wall art, and digital images available here:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-fxQ36NF/A
#alaska #landscape #mountains
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/719/011/202/551/552/original/ab607ae6d905e17c.jpg

2025-12-05 18:11:41 GMT

Long winter nights — a band of aurora in January stretches over a moonlit boreal forest in Fairbanks, Alaska. The snow was bright enough to feel like daylight in places.
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-12-04 18:45:10 GMT

Late winter shadows - We still have 17 days of it getting darker. This was taken in February when the sunlight was quickly returning, and long, deep shadows were appearing on the ground again. I’m always glad when those first signs show up, I'm feeling the darkness now.
#alaska #winter #snow
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2025-11-26 18:34:23 GMT

Green aurora rising above snow-covered spruce trees near Fairbanks, Alaska. The lights stretched overhead in shifting ribbons just a few yards from my cabin on a calm winter night.
In my portfolio: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-3Rq8DKD/A
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-11-19 16:54:41 GMT

Jagged seracs where the ice pulls away from the cliffside on the Gabriel Icefall of the Gulkana Glacier.
My hiking guide to the area: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/gulkana-glacier-hike/
#alaska #hiking #glacier
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2025-11-14 19:14:22 GMT

I'm behind in my writing. Shocking, I know. Here's a quick one with some aurora photos I've taken since the start of the season.
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/aurora-intermissions
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights

2025-11-14 18:25:30 GMT

Golden morning light filters through mist and spruce trees along the UAF trail system in early autumn.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#fairbanks #alaska #forest
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2025-11-13 16:20:28 GMT

The flower of Cypripedium guttatum, commonly known as the spotted lady's slipper, blooming in Fairbanks in mid-June.
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/cypripedium-guttatum-spotted-ladys-slipper/
#alaska #wildflower #bloomscrolling
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2025-11-12 07:23:54 GMT

Gorgeous red auroras tonight over the Goldstream Valley in Fairbanks, Alaska. A rare show, strong enough for the red emission to be clearly visible to the eye.
More in my Recent Photos Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#fairbanks #alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-11-05 17:49:56 GMT

Inside a now collapsed ice cave at the terminus of Canwell Glacier, Alaska. Daylight filters through openings in the ice, revealing the blue glow of the glacier’s interior.
Area info in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#alaska #glacier #hiking
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2025-11-04 17:23:55 GMT

Granite towers beneath a deep blue sky on the shoulder of Mt. Prindle, along a ridge known as the Windchimes in the White Mountain National Recreation Area, Alaska.
Info on the area in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/mt-prindle-via-nome-creek/
#alaska #hiking #tundra
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2025-11-02 18:02:56 GMT

Sunset on the winter solstice in Fairbanks, Alaska, taken around 2:30 p.m., when the sun barely clears the horizon.
#alaska #wintersolstice #fairbanks #sunset
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2025-11-01 17:43:33 GMT

Asgard Tor in the Chena River State Recreation Area near Fairbanks, Alaska, lit by the evening sun around 10 p.m. in mid-May.
Trail info in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/granite-tors-trail/
#alaska #hiking #backpacking #fairbanks #springlight
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2025-10-30 16:48:52 GMT

Autumn colors across the tundra in Denali National Park, Alaska. The brief season when the hills turn red and gold before winter sets in.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/
#alaska #denali #autumn #mountains
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2025-10-28 17:18:22 GMT

Long exposure of Falls Creek near Turnagain Arm, Alaska. Moss-covered rocks and fallen autumn leaves along the creek’s edge.
#alaska #hiking #autumn #creek
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2025-10-24 15:52:26 GMT

I've been really busy the last few month, prepping and putting on our own competition, and today I travel to Anchorage with our youth team for another tomorrow. My life the last few months has been nothing but climbing and the gym. Not bad, but I hope to get back out and take some photos again soon. Here's a quick video of me on a route I set yesterday.
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/429/936/936/701/640/original/6d843e81b0c6943a.mp4

2025-10-23 18:40:56 GMT

Aurora behind moonlit clouds in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Alaska.
More aurora photos: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-10-20 15:27:13 GMT

A Dall sheep at Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park, photographed in mid-spring.
More wildlife photos: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#alaska #wildlife #denalinationalpark #bikepacking
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2025-10-19 16:28:50 GMT

A snowshoe hare in its white winter coat, photographed in late winter in Fairbanks, Alaska.
#alaska #wildlife
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