This morning I started it early with a drive up to the Dolly Sods area from our cabin we are staying for a long weekend in West Virginia. It was well worth getting the sleep out of the eyes and venturing out in the near freezing temperatures. There was no breeze there so in the end it was actually quite comfortable for the hike among the rocks in the dark as the skies lightened and brightened.

Here is one of the many captures taken there in the Bear Rocks area of the Dolly Sods.

Good for the Soul ...

I woke up with about three hours of sleep after the shooting the Milky Way until 2am and was laying there thinking with the clear skies overnight it would be good to skip the cloudless sunrise and get a few more minutes of sleep ... but then I looked out the window of the car and saw pink clouds overhead.

It took tons of effort to get my shoes on and gather the camera to get out quickly for the sunrise there at Bear Rocks. Everything ached ... but the pretty sunrise was calling to me and my camera.

Very cool weather and clouds late in the day at the Dolly Sods in West Virginia.

Nearing sunset yesterday along the Eastern Continental Divide in West Virginia. I have been to the Dolly Sods area many times now in Autumn, and this is my first time there in Spring. So it was a pleasant surprise to the pink blossoms all over the place.

There was some great clouds around in the afternoon, and luckily they dissipated as the day ended and clear skies as it darkened as I mainly went to capture the night sky heading towards new moon. These clouds and the blossoms were a great treat as well.

View there heading up to the Dolly Sods in West Virginia.

Stormy weather at sunset in the Dolly Sods ... great time to be there in the Fall. In this direction the rain was hitting my back, so the lens was easy to keep the glass dry.

Late day light in the Dolly Sods, West Virginia.

Late hour up in the highlands ... the Dolly Sods

Liked this scene in the woods in the West Virginia highlands. Dolly Sods is a great place to explore at elevation 4,000 feet.

Along the ridge at 4,100 feet in West Virginia.

These rock formations are pretty cool to explore. Just need to really watch your step, especially when dusk takes over.

Once of the challenges within the Dolly Sods and the bog like areas, the trails become brooks in the wet season. Makes hiking more challenging.

Liked the view here and the spring colors on display under the sky as captured with the CPL filter.

Setting sunlight shines into the eastern sky here in the highlands of West Virginia.

Sometimes its the small views in nature that catch your eye and focus ... Capture made in the Dolly Sods area of West Virginia.

A vos peignoirs - To your bathrobes

Some light painting done there in the highlands of West Virginia at night.

Long exposure there among the Fall colors in West Virginia.

DOLLY SODS WEST VIRGINIA

The Mountain Laurels were reaching peak bloom during our visit. Here, the laurels exhibit a deeper pink coloration than their lowland cousins which are mostly white. Several sources state the pink coloration is the result of the unique climate and soil conditions at Dolly Sods.

Early morning view from the Dolly Sods in West Virginia. Taken at the edge of the rocky cliffs.

Light painting by bouncing the light off of some green bushes back on to the white rocks. Made for some neat contrast against the light pollution hitting the low clouds there in the highlands of West Virginia.

Bear Rocks in the Dolly Sods

Neat sunset colors and tones filled the sky and land there in the Dolly Sods of West Virginia. Liked this view that I took with the other photographer there in the frame taking his photos too :)

View there in the late evening over Dolly Sods in West Virginia.

Cloudy end to the day up in the Dolly Sods area of West Virginia.

Early morning view from Bear Rocks in the Dolly Sods.

Late into the evening there in the highlands of West Virginia.

Late morning view there among the bushes in the Dolly Sods of West Virginia.

Warm sunrise there on a cold Fall crisp morning in the Dolly Sods.

Moonlight bathes these rocks in the Dolly Sods, making for some nice foreground in this very early morning capture.

After composing the 30 second high ISO capture ... then switched to BULB and ISO 100 ... and let the sensor open for nearly 30 minutes.

This is SOC with no processing other than slight removal of a plane trail. White Balance was set at Cloudy when capturing the RAW photo.

This was captured using the 14mm Rokinon Prime lens at f/2.8

The bushes, lichen and several trees were quite pretty there under the late day clouds.

Night with clouds and stars over the Dolly Sods

Blend of this morning capture in Dolly Sods and the Milky Way captured in Arizona creating a magical blend of realities.

Hope you enjoy the slide on this Sunday.