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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
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
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
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.
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...

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.
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.


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Trip Report for July 2, 2023 – Gulkana Glacier
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.

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...

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.

Wickersham One Week Later
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.
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
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!
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...

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.

Valentine’s Day Aurora – 2023
Valentine’s Day Aurora – 2023

Valentine's Day Aurora - February 14, 2023 Great show with lots of photos of the northern lights from Fairbanks, Alaska and information on potential displays over the next few days!

2022 Photo Highlights
2022 Photo Highlights

My 2022 photo highlights from Alaska - wildlife, aurora borealis, snowflakes, wild landscapes, and more!

Breaking The Block – When inspiration isn’t there
Breaking The Block – Things to do when inspiration isn’t there

Everyone involved in creative arts has suffered from "writer's block." These are some methods for breaking the block, including some that have worked for me.

Leaning Trees
Leaning Trees

Leaning trees in Fairbanks, Alaska I've come across a lot of drunken forests in Alaska, but something different is happening this winter. For those that don't know, drunken forests refer to areas of collapsed or...

Aurora Borealis – November 28-29, 2022
Aurora Borealis – November 28-29, 2022

Aurora Borealis - November 28-29, 2022 from Fairbanks, Alaska. Photos, stories, and potential up-coming northern lights on my aurora blog.

2023 Aurora Borealis Wall Calendar

2023 Aurora Borealis Wall Calendar with photos by Lee Petersen. The calendar is 8.5"x11" and spiral bound for sale on lulu.com.

Stream on the Canwell Glacier
Spring and Summer Updates 2022

Some spring and summer updates for 2022. Hiking photos and video from Granite Tors, the Canwell Glacier, McManus Mountain and more.

Alaska Photocache

The Alaska Photocache is meant to be a fun, photo-sharing page about exploring Alaska in a responsible way. It's kind of like geocaching, but with photos instead. The idea is simple: 1. I post a...

2023 Wall Calendar

My 2023 Wall Calendar is ready for order. Photos of wildlife, aurora borealis, landscape, and glaciers. All photos were taken by Fairbanks local photographer Lee Petersen.

Snowy Spring Hikes and More
Snowy Spring Hikes and More

Photos and stories from some snowy spring hikes, bouldering, and birding around Fairbanks, Alaska. Backpacking at Granite Tors, hiking Angel Rocks, climbing at the Tatlanika Boulders and more.

2022 Photo Highlights
Getting Started With Snowflake Macro Photography

My somewhat frustrating process of snowflake macro photography. Difficult but gorgeous snowflake photos from Fairbanks, Alaska.

2021 Photo Highlights
2021 Photo Highlights

A small collection of my 2021 photo highlights from Alaska. Lot's of wildlife, glaciers and glacier caves, and gorgeous landscapes!

Surgery, Cascades, Frost, and Bubbles
Surgery, Cascades, Frost, and Bubbles

An update on Cat's ankle surgery in Anchorage, some cascades photos from Falls Creek, and ice bubbles and hoarfrost on Smith Lake in Fairbanks.

Quick Trip to Anchorage
Quick Trip to Anchorage

Photos from a trip to Anchorage from Fairbanks. A quick visit during a trip to meet with a surgeon. Stops at Byers Lake, McHugh Creek, and Thunderbird Falls.

Wrapping up the 2021 wildflower season
2021 Wildflower Season

As I'm wrapping up photos and info from the 2021 wildflower season, I wanted to write a post on the work that goes into my Alaska Wildflower Guide and some hopes for the future.

Glacier Ice Ice Baby
Glacier Ice Ice Baby

Gorgeous blue glacier ice from ice caves in the Canwell Glacier as well as in moulins and the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier. Great hikes in the Alaska Range last week!

Arctic Lightning Air Show
Arctic Lightning Air Show

The Blue Angels performing over Eielson Air Force Base near North Pole, Alaska | Purchase Print This weekend, the Arctic Lightning Air Show at Eielson Air Force Base is going on. Cat and I spent...

Ice towers on the Gabriel Icefall
Exploring the Gabriel Icefall – Round 2 (Good Weather)

Lots of photos of the Gabriel Icefall and Gulkana Glacier. I made a second trip to the area after getting caught in a snowstorm the week before. Had much better weather this time around!

Exploring the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier
Exploring the Gabriel Icefall

Photos and story from a rainy and snowy summer day spent hiking and exploring the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range.

Getting My Legs Back – Day Hike on the Canwell Glacier
Getting My Legs Back – Day Hike on the Canwell Glacier

After nearly 1.5 years of dealing with a plethora of health problems, I set out on a 15-mile hike up the Canwell Glacier in the Alaska Range. Photos and story . . .

The view to the east from Mt. Margaret in Denali National Park
Savage River to Mt. Margaret loop

Photos and description of a hike in Denali National Park from the Savage River, over Mt. Margaret and back down to the Park Road at the Primrose rest area.

Fairbanks Birding Spring 2021
Fairbanks Birding Spring 2021

Fairbanks Birding Spring 2021 - Every year in April, we welcome our winged friends back to the Alaska interior. After our long, cold, dark winters, they are a sure sign that change is here.

2022 Wall Calendar

2022 Wall Calendar by Lee Petersen. Alaska natural scenery including aurora borealis, glaciers, landscapes, and wildlife!

Looking across the Black Rapids Glacier
Black Rapids Glacier

The Black Rapids Glacier is a 40 km long surge-type glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range.

Wild and Trailless – Denali National Park
Wild and Trailless – Denali National Park

It wasn't easy to decide to post some route info and GPS data from my backcountry trips in Denali National Park. The National Park Service asks specifically not to share GPS tracks socially. It's probably...

Our Alaska – Indiegogo Campaign
Our Alaska – Indiegogo Campaign

Today I launched an Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for this website.

Winter Sights – Fairbanks
Winter Sights – Fairbanks

Auroral band behind the trees | Purchase Print We've had some wonderful winter sights, and a handful of light shows so far this winter. This is my 11th full winter in Fairbanks, marking a full...

Project 365: 2021
Project 365: 2021

Project 365: I'm taking a photo a day throughout 2021.

Shoot in RAW

When and why you should (or shouldn't) shoot in raw. Photography and aurora photography tutorials.

aurora borealis over fairbanks alaska
What Causes the Aurora

A basic, yet comprehensive explanation of what causes the aurora. Tying together the solar wind, geomagnetic field, Van Allen belts, atomic energy states, and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Mountain death camas – Anticlea elegans
Mountain death camas – Anticlea elegans

Mountain death camas is a lily-like white flowering plant in moist grasslands. The whole plant is very toxic to humans and livestock.

A hiker on the Gulkana Glacier
Late summer day hikes around Fairbanks

Late summer day hikes around Fairbanks in 2020. Photos from the Gulkana Glacier, Nome Creek, Creamer's Field, and Angel Rocks.