PJ In Snow

I decided after being snow/ice-bound for a couple of days, it was time to venture forth into the unknown and see what other parts of the park looked like. As I had to attend to some business at Headquarters at Panther Junction (PJ) -- and check my long-overdue mail -- I thought that ought to do. The road down was pretty much okay, until just about five miles there, then it turned to a slush/ice mixture which became total ice in the parking lot. You could've used it for the US Hockey Team's training camp.


Attempts at close-ups of the fine ice crystals on just about everything met with less than favorable results, but I had to give it a go anyway. Here is a collection on a sotol plant in the Panther Path nature walk.


I wasn't the only one out with a camera trying their luck. Here's Angelina Yost, our Volunteer Coordinator, digitally shooting away and grumbling mightily as one after the other shot doesn't come out right. Don't take it personally, Angelina.


I decided to join Angelina in her endeavors to shoot this tree, but this is the best I could come up with. Not too bad, I guess, there's just no oomph to it. I do love the crystalline structures, though. Contrary to what you might think, the crystals are not pointing away from the wind, but into it -- almost straight north. Icicles would've pointed away from it.


On the road back home. As I shot away and got more and more nervous about the mist -- and temperature -- falling, finally the Post Office opened up and I could check mail and head home. I just had to stop and shoot this scene, as the contrast in color was amazing. Without the sun, it was hard to get definition in the landscape, but this area made up for it, with the Deadhorse Mountains in the background.