Featured Pages

Alaska Guide

Hiking and travel guide to Alaska. Mostly in the Fairbanks and interior region of Alaska, but always expanding to new areas!

Blog

Stories of adventures and living in Alaska. Science related to atmospheric optics and aurora. Photography, cooking, gear reviews, whatever I feel like.

Alaska Wildflowers

Alaska wildflower guide with many photos and galleries of photos with identifying information, nomenclature and taxonomy, uses, and links to more references.

Learn

Tutorials on general and aurora photography. How to shoot the northern lights, how to edit photos in post-processing with a focus on FOSS software programs.

Photography

My Photography Page – Featuring wildlife, aurora borealis, landscapes, glaciers, and locations around Alaska and the US.

My Gear

Reviews of camera and outdoor gear I use in the field as well as information on brands I’ve come to know and trust.

Science and Nature

Articles on science-related topics, especially (but not always) related to Alaska. Things like how the aurora works, space physics, glaciers, geology, various atmospheric optics phenomena, and the physics of photography.

Aurora Borealis Info

Articles on the northern lights, photographing the northern lights, editing aurora photos, and my aurora viewing blog

Latest Posts

08 26 2023
Gakona Glacier – Hike Info and August 2023 Trip Report

Trip report from my 3-day backpacking trip to the Gakona Glacier in the Alaska Range. Lots of photos, including some historical, a bit of route information, and a very interesting glacial feature.

Trip Report for July 23, 2023 – Angel Rocks Plus Some
07 27 2023
Trip Report for July 23, 2023 – Angel Rocks Plus Some

A hot day hike on the Angel Rocks loop trail and out-and back along part of the Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs Trail. An evening thunderstorm cut the trip a little short.

Trip Report for July 21, 2023 – Table Top Mountain Trail
07 23 2023
Trip Report for July 21, 2023 – Table Top Mountain Trail

Trip report from the Table Top Mountain Trail day hike on July 21, 2023 in the White Mountain National Recreation Area, Alaska. Lots of photos, trail conditions, flora, and links to my hiking guide and...

Trip Report for July 20, 2023 – Summit Trail to Wickersham Dome
07 22 2023
Trip Report for July 20, 2023 – Summit Trail to Wickersham Dome

Quick day hike on the Summit Trail to Wickersham Dome on July 20, 2023. Great trail conditions, relatively dry trail despite recent rain. Info on the hike with photos and a link to the trail...

Hikers resting on the top of a cliff overlooking the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range with some fog in the air.
07 16 2023
Trip Report for July 14, 2023 – Gulkana Glacier to Gabriel Icefall

Trip report for a hike to the Gulkana Glacier on July 14, 2023, to the cliffs above the Gabriel Icefall. The snowline was at approximately 5,300 feet, a bit low still for this time of...

A hiker on the Sugarloaf Ridge Trail outside of Denali National Park in Alaska
07 13 2023
Sugarloaf Ridge Trail

Sugarloaf Ridge Trail is a very steep, 4.5-mile round-trip hike up Sugarloaf Mountain, beginning at the Grand Denali Lodge outside of Denali National Park. Photos, map, weather, and trail info.

07 13 2023
Lost in the Midnight Sun: Misreporting The Aurora and Science (Il)Literacy in Journalism

You may have seen some sensational reporting about the possibility of seeing the aurora in Alaska and other parts of the US last night and tonight. You're probably not going to; here's why.

Looking out a glacier cave under the Canwell Moraine. Blue glowing ice.
07 09 2023
Trip Report for July 6, 2023 – Canwell Glacier Caves

July 6, 2023 trip report from a 5-mile hike to the Canwell Glacier caves with families from Team Ascension (Fairbanks youth climbing team). Lots of photos and info from the hike.

Trip Report for July 2, 2023 – Gulkana Glacier
07 08 2023
Trip Report for July 2, 2023 – Gulkana Glacier

Trip report on trail and route conditions with photos for the Gulkana Glacier to near the Gabriel Icefall on July 2, 2023.

06 20 2023
Physics & Photography Entwined

Unravel the intricate science behind the art of photography in this introductory piece, 'Physics & Photography Entwined.' Discover the basic principles that govern light capture and exposure, setting the stage for a deeper exploration into...

06 17 2023
The Physics of Photography: An Integrated Approach

The Physics of Photography: An Integrated Approach is an introduction to the series and my philosophy behind it, how physics and photography inform each other.

Ermine Hill Trail to Kesugi Ridge
06 09 2023
Ermine Hill Trail to K’esugi Ridge

Ermine Hill trail guide with trail and weather information, trail map, and detailed information on hiking this 7.6-mile out-and-back hike that connects to the K'esugi Ridge.

Wickersham One Week Later
06 03 2023
Wickersham One Week Later

Explore the stunning landscape of Wickersham Dome via the Summit Trail in this riveting account of a spring hike in Alaska. Experience the unpredictable weather, witness the season's first wildflowers, and see how rime ice...

The view from Wickersham Dome in the White Mountain National Recreation Area near Fairbanks, Alaska. Seemingly endless green hills and a bit of the Elliott Highway winding around them.
05 29 2023
Wickersham Hike and Early Season Wildflowers

Wildflower and landscape photos from a spring hike on Wickersham Dome in the White Mountain National Recreation Area.

A bumblebee pollinating a female willow catkin in Fairbanks, Alaska
05 14 2023
Spring’s Early Bloomers: A Close-Up Look at Willow Catkins in Alaska’s Taiga

Explore the mysterious world of Alaskan willow catkins through the lens of macro photography. Learn about their ecological significance and the joys of springtime wildlife observation. Dive into the unique journey of identifying two potential...

Spring is Springing!
04 30 2023
Spring is Springing!

A fox kit appears from its den in Fairbanks, Alaska, in late May | Prints The long-awaited return of spring is finally upon us, bringing warmth and renewed life to both the people and animals...

04 08 2023
Writing an (accurate) wildflower guide is a pain in the …

Some frustrations and insight into my work on writing an online and hopefully soon a printed field guide to Alaska Wildflowers. Sometimes, it's not as simple as it seems on the surface.

Aurora Borealis – February 26, 2023
02 27 2023
Aurora Borealis – February 26, 2023

Beautiful layers of aurora dancing in the moonlight on February 26, 2023 It's safe to say the Sun has been incredibly active the last few weeks. On February 24 and 25, the Sun spit out...