Ward Charcoal Ovens

Ward Charcaol Ovens

 

I visited this stunning place in June. It is not only a nice place for nightscapes, but it also serves as a reminder of how much impact mankind has on nature.

 

The Ward Charcoal Ovens operated from 1876 through 1879, the silver boom years of the Ward mines. The charcoal was needed to extract the silver from the ore. A single filling of one of the 6 ovens, needed wood from 6 acres of forest. After the 3 years of operation, the area in a 30 mile radius around the ovens was totally deforested and mostly remains so until today.

 

The Ward Charcoal Ovens served diverse purposes after their function as charcoal ovens ended. They sheltered stockmen and prospectors during foul weather and had a reputation as a hideout for stagecoach bandits. Lately another breed had rediscovered the ovens - nightscapers.

 

EXIF

Canon EOS 6D, astro modified

Samyang 24mm f/2.8

iOptron SkyTracker Pro

Low Level Lighting

 

18 panel panorama

Foreground

9 x stack of 3 x 15s @ISO 6400

Sky

9 x stack of 6 x 15s @ISO 6400

Done