Lee Petersen

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

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Last Notes

2026-10-03 17:51:56 GMT

Another shot of the sunset over Cushman Lake at the Tanana Lakes Rec Area, taken a couple of weeks ago. Check out all of my most recent photos here: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#alaska #sunset #reflection
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/117/378/224/731/164/680/original/ba7f51fa3023380f.jpg

2026-05-05 08:24:06 GMT

Anthers opening, revealing pollen on a male willow catkin. Taken yesterday in Fairbanks, Alaska.
#macro #fairbanks #flora #bloomscrolling
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/520/996/593/536/273/original/b73de870d722c770.jpg

2026-04-19 16:43:39 GMT

Rainbow over the Donnelly Flats, just north of the Alaska Range in July.
Prints available: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-GjJDQcL/buy
#alaska #rainbow #landscape
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/432/341/037/601/709/original/7a4e26f3ae312c42.jpg

2026-03-21 15:53:56 GMT

Twenty minutes of aurora compressed to 17 seconds. Goldstream Valley, Fairbanks, March 20, 2026. Not a huge display, but a lot of color.
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights #timelapse
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/267/949/937/332/634/original/60db5f3a94245611.mp4

2026-03-08 16:23:22 GMT

The Windchimes, enormous granite tors on the shoulder of Mt. Prindle, in the White Mountains northeast of Fairbanks. Tors like these form when subsurface granite weathers along natural fractures over millions of years, then the softer surrounding rock erodes away, leaving the resistant core standing.
My hiking guide to the area: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/mt-prindle-via-nome-creek/
#alaska #hiking #mountains
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/194/449/189/373/372/original/120c958445af9658.jpg

2026-03-03 18:12:34 GMT

A cow moose grazing on willows in late August in Denali National Park.
In my Wildlife Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife/i-qpVJ2Wd/A
#alaska #wildlife #moose #denali
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/166/552/209/342/142/original/b720a4e385c42873.jpg

2026-02-27 20:31:22 GMT

- reply

What a difference 9 years makes...
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/144/479/854/224/015/original/f373c1c8516ddbf4.jpg
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2026-02-27 20:27:53 GMT

Here's an expanded post on my hike out to the Harding Icefield in late-August. We also walked out to the popular Exit Glacier overlook, where I got a good comparison of images from 2016.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/late-summer-part-2b-glaciers-and-ice-harding-icefield-and-exit-glaciers/
#alaska #hiking #glacier #climatechange

2026-02-24 18:59:42 GMT

Bright moonlight changes how you photograph the aurora.
With a snow-covered foreground, exposure becomes a balancing act. Too long and the snow blows out. Too short and the auroral structure is lost.
Aurora ribbons over Fairbanks, photographed under a bright moon.
I wrote more about camera settings for aurora photography here:
https://www.lwpetersen.com/learn/camera-settings-aurora-photography/
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/116/127/125/897/552/058/original/95e9b629ee20537d.jpg

2026-02-05 20:28:16 GMT

A few photos from our Sunday trip up Miller Creek to a cave in the terminus of the Canwell Glacier and some phenomenal ice crystals.
I've got a post up now with a lot more photos from the trip here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/blue-sky-glacier-caves-and-ice-crystals/
#alaska #hiking #winter #glacier #icecave
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2026-01-31 21:13:22 GMT

Cotton candy skies over a spruce forest in Fairbanks, Alaska.
#alaska #sunset #sky
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/991/749/276/665/091/original/88ee6299e7bedcb0.jpg

2026-01-21 08:42:37 GMT

Yeeeeeeah. Turns out the aurora is pretty good tonight, too. I took quite a few photos and some time-lapse footage, too. Might take me a while to get through all of it. I've decided to turn in for the night (and warm up after 3 hours wandering trails in the Goldstream Valley).
More of my Recent Photos here: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Recent-Photos
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/932/166/017/728/605/original/46d93c55d4411034.jpg

2026-01-19 05:41:54 GMT

Aurora over the trees - Fairbanks, Alaska
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/920/158/133/019/024/original/b61b4f1d26353e05.jpg

2026-01-08 18:50:30 GMT

A supraglacial stream cutting through the surface of Canwell Glacier in late spring, shortly after a fresh dusting of snow.
My hiking guide to the area:
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#alaska #glacier #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/860/964/307/950/173/original/5cc57c84ee750a03.jpg

2026-01-07 21:03:09 GMT

A short update on the recent cold snap in Fairbanks, how it slowed everything down, and why I’m finally starting to work back through some long-overdue summer posts.
https://lwpetersen.substack.com/p/cold-snap-ends-knock-on-wood
Photo: Ice fog on University Ave in Fairbanks on NYD
#alaska #fairbanks #cold
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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

2025-12-21 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
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/759/370/001/814/841/original/1ca80943d82bfc91.jpg

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

2025-11-14 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
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/549/424/228/624/754/original/12828aac9552f01d.jpg

2025-10-10 16:17:54 GMT

A peregrine falcon perched on a granite tower at Angel Rocks in the Chena River State Recreation Area, Alaska.
More wildlife photos: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#Alaska #wildlife #birding
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/350/739/335/414/421/original/e9a60e6c858e74d6.jpg

2025-10-08 17:26:24 GMT

A spiral-shaped aurora over snow-covered spruce trees in Fairbanks, Alaska, in January. This one seemed to stay motionless for several minutes.
More aurora photos in my portfolio:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights #aurora
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/339/697/861/090/921/original/b03697daef9c91e8.jpg

2025-10-03 18:15:18 GMT

Fiery winter sunset over a spruce forest in Fairbanks, Alaska.
In my gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#sunset #alaska #photography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/311/578/781/632/671/original/899b837886f9c4a0.jpg

2025-09-09 07:27:26 GMT

Another big bull moose in Denali National Park on Saturday. This one was letting out calls as it moved through the fall foliage.
#alaska #wildlife #moose #denali
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2025-08-20 17:13:25 GMT

Two juvenile bald eagles clash over salmon scraps on the shoreline at Solomon Gulch Hatchery in Valdez. The afternoon light caught their wings just as they landed near a fish.
More about the hatchery on my site: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/solomon-gulch-hatchery/
#alaska #valdez #wildlife #birding #wildlifewednesday
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/062/167/692/471/619/original/d1926022e01225e2.jpg

2025-08-16 18:06:14 GMT

A red fox kit peeking out from the forest floor in late May near Fairbanks, Alaska.
In my Wildlife Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#alaska #wildlife #fairbanks #fox
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/039/746/538/937/281/original/b59bd7eacb4f0950.jpg

2025-08-14 18:13:59 GMT

An absolute monster of a moulin on the Black Rapids Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range.
Area info: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #glacier #mountains
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/028/338/781/634/182/original/ca7cf2c6e9dbb102.jpg

2025-08-12 08:16:05 GMT

Very tiny fungi growing out of the moss. I only saw it because I already had my face in the dirt, photographing some lichen.
#alaska #macrophotography #fungi #mushroom
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/014/795/905/968/655/original/69698deb4ac5e771.jpg

2025-08-10 00:31:08 GMT

Shortly before the sun drops below the trees on Smith Lake (Athabascan: Tr'exwghodegi Troth Yeddha' Bena').
#alaska #reflection #photography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/115/001/625/654/128/430/original/ebe7ea0a1df629bb.jpg

2025-08-09 08:49:38 GMT

Took a lot of photos tonight, but this red fox had the most striking color I’ve ever seen in Fairbanks, and such a gorgeous face. For some reason, I’m beyond tired now. I could barely keep my eyes open editing these, and I know the second I lie down, I’ll be wide awake.
#wildlife #landscapes #fairbanks #alaska
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2025-08-02 23:08:44 GMT

The Windchimes - A few hours apart from opposite sides of the ridge. I just finished posting about this hike from last Friday, with a lot of photo and video content. Check it out here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/mt-prindle-with-some-weather-and-wind/
#Alaska #hiking #photography
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2025-08-02 17:25:44 GMT

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), the only member of the cat family native to Alaska, in Denali National Park.
In my Wildlife Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#Alaska #wildlife #hiking #wildlifephotography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/960/325/679/417/554/original/d4f596808e2e41a4.jpg

2025-08-01 17:38:13 GMT

A little evening light on the mountains above the Loket Tributary to the Black Rapids Glacier.
More photos from the area: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Explore/Explore-Alaska/Interior/Galleries/Black-Rapids-Glacier
#Alaska #glacier #mountains
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/954/710/584/275/400/original/35b20fad4bb55301.jpg

2025-07-29 02:22:04 GMT

The weather on Mt. Prindle Friday night was really cool to watch, in so many different ways. Here, the wind was rotating around a long, mostly linear ridge. Still going through photos and videos from the night...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j0RNAwkntSo

2025-07-28 15:11:22 GMT

A small island and distant waterfalls in Prince William Sound on a rainy summer day near Valdez, Alaska.
#Alaska #waterfalls #summer
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2025-07-27 20:58:00 GMT

Dall sheep in early May while biking the Park Road - Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
#Alaska #wildlife #biking
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2025-07-26 19:15:50 GMT

Last night, I encountered a wide range of summer weather. This was on the descent from the summit of Mt. Prindle through the giant granite tors known as the Windchimes. The entire ridgewalk was in the clouds for the descent.
Hiking info in my guide:
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/mt-prindle-via-nome-creek/
#alaska #hiking #summer
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2025-07-25 02:24:18 GMT

Snow arnica (Arnica griscomii) at Murphy Dome in mid-June.
In my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/snow-arnica-arnica-griscomii/
#bloomscrolling #wildflowers #Alaska
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/911/477/979/277/225/original/08e2c823c783ada4.jpg

2025-07-24 18:22:54 GMT

Meteor Peak towers over the Black Rapids Glacier in the Hayes Range, Eastern Alaska Range. A fresh dusting of snow brought out the dramatic textures and intricate details of the terrain; crevasses, icefalls, bergschrunds, as well as all the details in the rock, are all sharply defined in the afternoon light.
Prints and Wall Art: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Glaciers/i-QjmN2Vm/buy
Region Information: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #mountains #glacier
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2025-07-22 02:02:16 GMT

A bluet damselfly (likely boreal or taiga) perched on Port Clarence Indian-paintbrush (Castilleja pallida var. caudata) in Fairbanks, Alaska.
In my Macro Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Macro/Macro-Portfolio
#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflowers #macro #insect
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2025-07-19 23:47:07 GMT

Evening light sweeps across the rugged peaks of the Alaska Range above Black Rapids Glacier in late June.
#Alaska #landscapephotography #mountains
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2025-07-19 21:09:13 GMT

A macro view of a female willow catkin in late April, showing the forked stigmas just starting to emerge. Willows are among the first plants to bloom in spring here in Fairbanks, flowering before their leaves appear. These early bloomers are crucial for pollinators emerging from dormancy.
In my Wildflowers as Art Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildflowers-as-Art
#alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling #macrophotography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/881/895/113/247/267/original/c2754eaffe6ed72b.jpg

2025-07-18 18:06:34 GMT

A break in the clouds cast a sharp band of light across the rock wall where a tributary glacier meets Black Rapids Glacier, exposing the deep textures of fractured ice and steep stone. Even in flat light, this valley feels massive.
More landscapes: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Landscapes
#Alaska #landscapephotography #blackandwhite #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/875/520/098/250/849/original/97109e0403f26784.jpg

2025-06-29 16:20:51 GMT

Snow blows off McGinnis Peak in the Alaska Range on a windy April day.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #mountains
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2025-06-08 21:07:00 GMT

Jupiter and Venus above the snowy tundra at Murphy Dome during winter twilight in 2012. The light lingered—one of those blue hours that never really ends. I’ve been photographing this stand of trees for over a decade now.
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/649/740/182/998/120/original/b827cec9b4e713fe.jpg

2025-06-06 16:29:48 GMT

Had a cool little noisy pika watching us climb last weekend in Denali National Park!
#wildlife #alaska #denalinationalpark
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/637/350/721/398/508/original/7172bbbd4b3ac8db.jpg

2025-05-25 18:55:58 GMT

Last night I took an impromptu late hike up to the Granite Tors. There was a lot of postholing, but the light was absolutely incredible, especially with some rain and storms moving through the area. Also got to see a double rainbow over the tors. Really cool. I'll post photos in the next couple of days!
#hiking #alaska
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2025-05-09 17:14:43 GMT

Boulders perch on thin columns of ice on the Black Rapids Glacier in the Alaska Range. The larger rocks insulate the ice beneath them while the surrounding ice melts in the summer.
Area info on my site: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #glacier #hiking
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2025-05-05 17:23:42 GMT

The impressive South Face of Mt. Shand (12,660 feet, 3,859 meters) in the Eastern Alaska Range, bathed in early spring light.
In my Landscapes Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Landscapes
#alaska #mountain #landscape
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2025-04-14 17:40:18 GMT

Early melt season (June) on the Black Rapids Glacier, when surface streams carve through the ice before moulins form.
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#Alaska #glacier #hiking #photography
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/337/522/275/724/951/original/13f41fa82b331dc0.jpg

2025-04-10 18:12:17 GMT

Aurora over the Granite Tors Trail, captured during a solo 3-day snowshoe trip in deep, untouched snow. Two nights of hauling a sled full of camera gear paid off.
More in my aurora borealis gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#auroraborealis #alaska #hiking
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/314/981/279/839/809/original/d800300432eb3882.jpg

2025-04-09 17:39:05 GMT

A bull caribou shedding its winter coat in the Primrose area of Denali National Park. Its antlers are just beginning to grow, still covered in velvet, and tufts of fur cling to its side as it moves through spring tundra brush.
My wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#alaska #wildlife #wildlifewednesday
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2025-04-08 16:31:53 GMT

A meltwater channel emerging from a patch of soft, isothermal snow on College Glacier, with Peak 8100 rising in the background. This is exactly the kind of thing you don’t want to step into unaware—these channels can be deep and hidden beneath surface snow until they open up.
More about hike here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/college-glacier-hiking-guide/
#hiking #alaska #glacier
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/303/249/218/852/685/original/ead84f63327051ba.jpg

2025-04-03 15:53:28 GMT

Just a few weeks away! In late April, the willows start to bloom and their catkins open up. This is an extreme macro of a male willow catkin—showing the bright red anthers and yellow-green filaments surrounded by fine white hairs.
In my Wildflowers as Art Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildflowers-as-Art
#bloomscrolling #wildflowers #alaska
https://alaskansocial.files.fedi.monster/media_attachments/files/114/274/816/663/595/238/original/75ebb25082d9cf6d.jpg

2025-04-01 17:14:25 GMT

A few favorite non-glacier photos from the Worthington Glacier area near Valdez, Alaska. The landscape here is full of motion and texture — and if you look closely, there are a lot of small, surprising details tucked into the cracks and edges of the terrain.
More info and hikes here:
https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/worthington-glacier-hikes/
#alaska #hiking #glacier #landscapephotography
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2025-03-27 23:43:54 GMT

Claytonia sarmentose, also called spring beauty, is one of the early wildflowers I start looking for each year. The curled stigma is one of its most distinctive features.
More photos and ID details in the wildflower guide: lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/spring-beauty-claytonia-sarmentosa
#wildflowers #bloomscrolling #alaska
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2025-03-27 18:08:18 GMT

Iceberg in Prince William Sound, photographed near Columbia Glacier on a rainy day. Low visibility, scattered bergs, and a muted horizon made everything feel suspended.
#alaska #glacier #iceberg #photography
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2025-03-26 17:24:23 GMT

Moose grazing in the water--July in the Chena River State Recreation Area. I watched from a distance for a while, just listening to the sounds of water and wind. Alaska has a way of slowing you down if you let it.
I’ve collected some of my favorite wildlife photos here: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#wildlife #alaska #wildlifewednesday
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2025-03-25 17:33:50 GMT

I’ve spent hundreds of nights watching the aurora in Alaska, but this night at Angel Rocks is still burned into my memory. I hiked up at sunset, found a spot on a rocky outcrop, and waited — and when the lights came, they came fast. One of the brightest, most intense aurora I’ve ever seen, racing across the sky and lighting up the whole valley below.
See more aurora in my gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#auroraborealis #northernlights #alaska #hiking
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2025-03-24 20:10:40 GMT

Pedicularis lanata (Woolly Lousewort) blooming near Nome Creek in the White Mountains, Alaska, in late May. The edible roots taste somewhat like carrots.
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/woolly-lousewort-pedicularis-lanata/
#wildflowers #bloomscrolling #alaska
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2025-03-24 17:25:16 GMT

The best part of a long day out is standing still for those last few minutes of light. I took this on a cold April evening in the Alaska Range — the final alpenglow on the summit before everything fades into shadow and quiet.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/
#Alaska #mountains #landscapephotography
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2025-03-24 02:08:35 GMT

Frost on glass was taken in December after a night of -20 °C in Fairbanks, Alaska.
A part of my macro gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Macro/Macro-Portfolio
#ice #macrophotography
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2025-03-22 19:38:14 GMT

The northern lights twist into a spiral above a snow-covered spruce forest near Fairbanks, Alaska.
My aurora gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#auroraborealis #northernlights #alaska
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2025-03-21 16:24:55 GMT

Willow ptarmigan, Alaska’s state bird, in its patchy spring plumage. Photographed at Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park in early May.
More in my wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#wildlife #birding #alaska
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2025-03-20 22:54:46 GMT

The alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis asiatica), the State flower of Alaska. Photographed in the White Mountain National Recreation Area in late June.
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/alpine-forget-me-not-myosotis-asiatica/
#wildflowers #bloomscrolling #alaska #hiking
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2025-03-20 16:58:42 GMT

A brilliant aurora display over the ridge near Angel Rocks, just outside Fairbanks, Alaska. This was taken in late April, with the last light of twilight still glowing on the horizon around 1 a.m.
My Aurora Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #northernlights #auroraborealis
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2025-03-19 18:30:17 GMT

An unnamed peak in the Alaska Range, with small glaciers and cascading icefalls feeding into the Loket Tributary. This ice eventually joins the massive Black Rapids Glacier further downstream.
Glacier info: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-information/black-rapids-glacier/
#alaska #glacier
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2025-03-17 22:06:59 GMT

The Asgard Tor at the Granite Tors in the Chena River State Recreation Area near Fairbanks, Alaska. One of my favorite places to hike (or snowshoe) year-round.
Info in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/granite-tors-trail/
#alaska #hiking #backpacking #fairbanks
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2025-03-17 18:08:26 GMT

A winter night in the boreal forest near Fairbanks, Alaska. The full moon lights up the snow-covered ground, casting deep shadows from the spruce and willows. Ice crystals on the surface catch the light, sparkling in the still, cold air. This is easily one of my favorite (non-aurora) night images!
#alaska #night #photography
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2025-03-15 16:04:26 GMT

A quiet sunset over a snow-covered boreal forest in Fairbanks, Alaska. The shortest day of the year, wrapped in soft light and deep winter stillness. The only sounds were the crunch of the snow under my feet as I walked.
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2025-03-11 00:16:03 GMT

A quiet summer evening at Ballaine Lake in Fairbanks, Alaska. The sky fades into soft pastels as the still water perfectly mirrors the silhouette of spruce trees along the shore.
Prints and downloads available: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images/i-TKvvCTK/buy
#LandscapePhotography #Fairbanks #Sunset
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2025-03-10 19:07:25 GMT

A waterfall cascades over the ice of the Gulkana Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range. In the foreground, you can see patches of watermelon snow—a reddish-pink algae (Chlamydomonas nivalis) that thrives in glacial environments.
More about the area in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/gulkana-glacier-hike/
#Alaska #Glacier #hiking #landscape
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2025-03-09 20:53:53 GMT

Looking over the Canwell Glacier after a fresh dusting of snow on the last day of August. Winter creeps up early in the Alaska Range.
More details in my Alaska Hiking Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#alaska #hiking #glacier
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2025-03-08 18:37:26 GMT

A starry night over the Chena River along the Angel Rocks Trail - Chena River State Recreation Area, Alaska.
Trail info in my Alaska Hiking Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/angel-rocks/
#alaska #hiking #nightphotography
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2025-03-07 19:05:30 GMT

A vibrant blue, water-filled moulin on the Gakona Glacier, Alaska Range – August 2023. One of the most fascinating backpacking trips I’ve done in Alaska. Read more about the hike and trip details here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/trip-reports/gakona-glacier-hike-info-and-august-2023-trip-report/
#alaska #hiking #glacier
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2025-03-05 17:57:28 GMT

A blonde grizzly moving through the willows and dwarf birch in Denali National Park, mid-summer.
More wildlife photos, prints, and downloads in my gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#wildlife #wildlifewednesday #alaska
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2025-03-01 20:18:18 GMT

Just cause sea otters are adorable . . .
July in Port Valdez, Alaska
Prints, downloads, and wall Art:https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Date/2019/July/2019-07-04/i-R7nNt8B/buy
#wildlife #alaska #seaotter
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2025-03-01 17:11:08 GMT

A view from the top of the Ermine Hill Trail, where it meets Kesugi Ridge in the Alaska Range. Winter still clings to the landscape, even in early June. Mt. Mather, Eldridge, and Sunset Peak rise over the ridgeline. Two arctic loons float in the partially frozen pond.
More about this hike: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/ermine-hill-trail-to-kesugi-ridge/
#alaska #hiking #landscape
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2025-02-28 17:40:31 GMT

A moment of near-whiteout in the Rainbow Basin of the Alaska Range. Just enough visibility to catch a glimpse of the mountainside through the shifting fog.
More about this area in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
See more of my work: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images
#Alaska #MinimalistPhotography #hiking
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2025-02-27 16:59:11 GMT

Minimal landscapes under the moon along the Summit Trail near Wickersham Dome in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Alaska.
More about the trail in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/wickersham-dome-trail/
#Alaska #MinimalistPhotography #Hiking
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2025-02-24 16:57:17 GMT

Aurora seems to twist across the sky over the Chena River Valley. Taken from the Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs Trail in March of 2016.
More in my Aurora Borealis Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-02-22 17:01:37 GMT

Spring in the Alaska Range. As the snow melts and the creeks begin to flow, the golden light of a long sunset stretches across the landscape. Here, the waters of Miller Creek reflect the colors of the sky, with Mt. Shand and Mt. Moffit rising in the distance. This spot, near the Canwell Glacier, is one of my favorite places to explore in the spring and summer.
More from this area in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#Alaska #LandscapePhotography #Sunset
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2025-02-21 18:25:45 GMT

In February 2015, this massive ice arch stood at the Castner Glacier terminus, a partially collapsed glacier cave remnant. The view from the west side perfectly framed White Princess in the distance. Later that summer, the arch came down completely.
More info in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/castner-glacier-hiking-guide/
#Alaska #Glacier #Photography #Hiking
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2025-02-20 17:42:45 GMT

A single snowflake captured in Fairbanks, Alaska. It’s always incredible to see just how much detail is packed into something so small. This was taken with a Nikon D850 and a Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro lens.
Here's a write-up on the process: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/getting-started-with-snowflake-macro-photography/
More of my macro photography: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Macro/Macro-Portfolio
#macrophotography #snowflake #winter #alaska #photography
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2025-02-17 17:57:33 GMT

This is still one of my favorite aurora photos. The way the bands of light wrapped around the spruce trees that night was incredible. Taken in January 2015—one of the most unforgettable weeks of northern lights I’ve ever seen.
Read about it in my blogpost: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/week-northern-lights-wouldnt-quit/
Prints, Downloads & Wall Art: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights
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2025-02-15 17:20:25 GMT

Close-up of a snowshoe hare in Fairbanks, Alaska, in its white winter coat.
More Alaska wildlife in my gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#Alaska #wildlife #naturephotography
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2025-02-14 17:54:46 GMT

Capitate valerian (Valeriana capitata)—a delicate wildflower found in Alaska’s bogs and meadows. It’s easy to spot by its dense, single cluster of tiny blossoms with deep purple buds that lighten as they open.
Learn more: lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/capitate-valerian-valeriana-capitata
Prints & Wall Art: photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildflowers-as-Art
#Alaska #wildflowers #macro #bloomscrolling #naturephotography
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2025-02-12 16:56:47 GMT

A few summer views of the Worthington Glacier in the Chugach Mountains near Valdez, Alaska.
More info & trails in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/worthington-glacier-hikes/
More photos in my Glaciers Gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Glaciers
#alaska #hiking #glacier #photography
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2025-02-09 17:33:52 GMT

Inside a glacier cave under the Canwell Glacier in the Alaska Range, looking out through a small entrance framed by deep blue ice. This incredible cave collapsed a couple of years ago, but new ones are always forming in the lower moraine of the glacier.
My hiking guide to the area: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/canwell-glacier-and-rainbow-basin/
#alaska #glacier #photography
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2025-02-09 05:10:20 GMT

It was kind of a stupidly gorgeous day today in Fairbanks, Alaska. Really nice to finally feel like the light is coming back, most of these taken around or after 4 pm.
A few more from today: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Date/2025/February/2025-02-08
#alaska #fairbanks #photography
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2025-02-08 17:17:19 GMT

An unforgettable aurora display over Fairbanks, Alaska on January 14, 2023. The sky erupted in swirling green waves, stretching directly overhead in a breathtaking show of motion and light. This might have been one of the most incredible displays I've ever seen.
Prints, digital downloads, and wall art in my aurora gallery:
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Aurora-Borealis
#alaska #auroraborealis
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2025-01-19 19:21:59 GMT

Calypso bulbosa, commonly known as calypso, or fairy slipper - taken in Fairbanks, Alaska in late May.
Info in my Alaska Wildflower Guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/calypso-bulbosa-fairy-slipper/
Prints and Wall Art in my wildflower gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildflowers-as-Art
#bloomscrolling #wildflowers #alaska
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2025-01-13 17:16:57 GMT

A young Dall Sheep at Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park in early May.
In my wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
#wildlife #alaska
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2025-01-11 22:11:52 GMT

Winter light and heavy snow on the solstice in 2021 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/
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2025-01-10 18:19:07 GMT

Tall Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium acutiflorum) on Murphy Dome in Fairbanks, Alaska, in mid-June. Flower info in my guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildflowers/tall-jacobs-ladder-polemonium-acutiflorum/
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2025-01-09 18:37:29 GMT

Working back into a rhythm. A project I had been working on that is close to my heart and I hope to bring back to life soon was my "Water and Ice" gallery. You can read more about it on my website here: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/water-and-ice/
#photography #alaska #ice #water
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2024-12-05 18:58:23 GMT

Autumn foliage in Denali National Park. It's still one of my favorite photos that I've ever taken.
https://photos.lwpetersen.com/
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2024-09-11 16:15:05 GMT

Dall ram on Mt. Margaret, above the Savage River in Denali National Park and Preserve.
In my wildlife gallery: https://photos.lwpetersen.com/Galleries/Alaska-Photos/Wildlife
More photos from this area in my blog and hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/savage-river-to-mt-margaret-loop/
#Alaska #hiking #wildlife
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2024-09-07 17:13:41 GMT

Red tundra and blue skies over the Nome Creek Valley in the White Mountain National Recreation Area. My hiking guide to the area: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/mt-prindle-via-nome-creek/
#Alaska #hiking #fallfoliage
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2024-09-02 16:34:25 GMT

Silhouetted Granite Tors in the Chena River State Recreation Area, Alaska. Info in my hiking guide: https://www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide/granite-tors-trail/
#Alaska #hiking #photography
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