View allAll Photos Tagged snowmachine
A nice warm spring day causes the snow to be quite soft. Which causes your sled to be stuck as is the case here. Happy new week to all!
Alaska is deep in snow, and that is all I see in the weather forecast for the next couple of weeks.
Most remote cabins are reachable by snowmachine in the winter, but too much snow makes it difficult for even the toughest Alaskans to get to them now. I hope the snow melts slowly come breakup. If not, we will all float away.
The outside temperature at our cabin this morning is eight degrees above zero, and cloudy - and it looks pretty much like you see in this photo.
Snowmachining (snowmobiling) on the Denali Highway. In winter, the road is not maintained and is closed to cars. However, it is open to snowmachines.
It's been a while since I went out shooting during the daytime. I decided to drive down Seward Highway. I didn't have a destination or composition in mind. Instread I chose to stop at almost every pull out and look for a creative compositon. This particular shot is a 15 shot panorama. It was taken just south of Girdwood, Alaska.
Surprisingly, this is actually not a black and white image. Here in Alaska, in the winter time the landscape often looks like a monochromatic photo. When the blue skies are covered with gray clouds a photo can look kind of colorless.
During a clear sky, the snow in the shade or at night radiates a tremendous amount of heat away and the snow surface becomes very cold. Warm air holds more water vapor than cold air. The vapor from the warmer air above the snow will condense onto the surface of the snow. Surface hoar (frost) is simply the winter equivalent of dew.
Our weather has changed directions, and now we will drop down to temperatures more befitting Alaska. When we drop down to subzero temperatures, the world becomes surreal - as you can see in this photo. Exhaust of any kind, be it from human breath or vehicles, hangs in the air like fog. It can make for some interesting photography.
This morning in Tolsona Alaska it is -13 °F and clear.
Feels Like: -13 °F
Forecast for today: - 4 / Tonight: - 25 °F
No wind
The next few days will be even colder - so Doc and I will cozy in beside the woodstove.
It doesn't matter how cold it is outside - Alaskans love to participate in winter sports events. Snow machines are widely used throughout our state for racing, as well as running into town for groceries and other supplies. They're not just a toy - but a necessary mode of transportation.
This totally impromptu scene reminded me of Alaska as a snowmachine...err snowmobile...in these parts cruised down Main St. / Route 61 and over the crossing just after the Batten Kill crew had punched through the four foot berm. This view looks south as SNEX 5012 (Alco RS-36 blt. Dec. 1959 for the Atlantic and Danville)
in its D&H-esque paint pauses beside another Alco paying homage in paint to the much beloved home road whose rails these once were. Snow covered 3021 at left is a privately owned Alco S-2 switcher built Jul. 1943 originally for the US Army).
This is about MP A132 on the old Delaware and Hudson Washington branch measured to Albany by way of Castleton on the Rutland branch, then west to Whitehall and south on the Mainline to Mechanicville via Round Lake and on to Albany Union Station.
Shushan, New York
Saturday December 19, 2020
On a snowmachine (snowmobile) trip in Alaska, we found an enormous ice cave inside the MacLaren Glacier. There had been a lake or river within the glacier. A few years ago, the face of the glacier receded and the water spilled out, leaving this enormous cave lined by glacial ice.
South Sister and Brokentop over Sparks lake, Central Oregon.
Horizon corrected. Thanks for pointing it out. This is a difficult image for horizon level because the shoreline on the right is coming towards the front more than on the left.
This year, the weather provided a unique opportunity. The Cascade Lakes Highway is closed every winter until spring. The unseasonably warm weather provided a relatively snow and ice free surface recently which allowed us to mountain bike in with the highway to ourselves. It was a ton of fun flying down the substantial hills pre-sunrise with headlamps on and a great workout coming back up and out.
It may still be possible to bike in there before the snow comes and the snowmachines take over the road. If you go, watch out for Deer, Elk, and ice and have a blast.
Never know who or what will show up when you go out to take some shots. Snowmachiner going for it across the river.
This fellow was zooming at top speed alongside the main street in Glenallen, Alaska, with his snow machine (snowmobile), here on one only runner.
In Explore 14 Nov 2020. Best position: #470
Pausing the dog team waiting for the snowmachiners to clear the trail. They were buzzing all over the lake like a swarm of annoying mosquitos. But they are polite and respectful of our dog teams.
Chena Lakes, North Pole, Alaska, April 8, 2017.
Panorama of Gile Flowage in far northern Wisconsin, next to the town of Montreal. I wanted to take a panorama, but unfortunately there wasn't much in terms of foreground--that is, until the guy on the snowmobile happened by. Panorama is made up of 5 images.
There’s an incredible amount to take in from this image I captured on November 15, 2025, near Willow, Alaska. The most striking features are, of course, the northern lights and the meteor streaking across the top half of the frame. But look closer, and you’ll find details that reveal even more about the scene: the faint silhouette of Denali rising on the horizon just above the warm pink and orange glow of house lights, and the frozen lake beneath my feet, crisscrossed with tracks from snowmachines and ATVs.
Denali National Park and Preserve is a national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered on Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The park and contiguous preserve encompasses more than 6 million acres (24,500 km2), of which 4,724,735.16 acres (19,120 km2) are not federally owned by the national park. The national preserve is 1,334,200 acres (5,430 km2), of which 1,304,132 acres (5,278 km2) are federally owned. On December 2, 1980, a 2,146,580 acre (8,687 km2) Denali Wilderness was established within the park. Denali's landscape is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga. The preserve is also home to tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, rock, and snow at the highest elevations. The longest glacier is the Kahiltna Glacier. Today, 400,000 people visit the park annually. Wintertime activities includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmachining.
(Wikipedia)
A snowmachiner's dream. Turnagain Pass Is covered in snow that is 15 to 20 feet deep. For some perspective, the two small dots at the base of the mountain, on the right, are snowmachiner's. This is a 19 verticle image panorama.
Robertson River Alaska.
Spring 1986(?).
Minolta SRT camera, Kodak Tri X film.
Scan of 8x10" test print.
We went skiing at the big Lenzerheide/Arosa ski resort in the Grison region of the Swiss Alps. We skied slowly after the last lift to witness the sunset on the way down. The backlit snow cloud from the snow machine looked interesting.
I processed a balanced, a paintery, and a photographic HDR photo from three RAW exposures, blended them, and carefully adjusted the color balance and curves. I welcome and appreciate constructive comments.
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-- CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, © Peter Thoeny, Quality HDR Photography
In our minds, black fertile land is the wealth of the earth, and the land after the snow is covered in white dress. Praise you, earth, your spacious mind, inclusive of war and catastrophe, nurtured humanity, and made us see holiness and beauty.
Snow refers to forms of ice crystals that precipitate from the atmosphere (usually from clouds) and undergo changes on the Earth's surface. It pertains to frozen crystalline water throughout its life cycle, starting when, under suitable conditions, the ice crystals form in the atmosphere, increase to millimeter size, precipitate and accumulate on surfaces, then metamorphose in place, and ultimately melt, slide or sublimate away. Snowstorms organize and develop by feeding on sources of atmospheric moisture and cold air. Snowflakes nucleate around particles in the atmosphere by attracting supercooled water droplets, which freeze in hexagonal-shaped crystals. Snowflakes take on a variety of shapes, basic among these are platelets, needles, columns and rime. As snow accumulates into a snowpack, it may blow into drifts. Over time, accumulated snow metamorphoses, by sintering, sublimation and freeze-thaw. Where the climate is cold enough for year-to-year accumulation, a glacier may form. Otherwise, snow typically melts seasonally, causing runoff into streams and rivers and recharging groundwater.
Major snow-prone areas include the polar regions, the upper half of the Northern Hemisphere and mountainous regions worldwide with sufficient moisture and cold temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, snow is confined primarily to mountainous areas, apart from Antarctica.
Snow affects such human activities as transportation: creating the need for keeping roadways, wings, and windows clear; agriculture: providing water to crops and safeguarding livestock; sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmachine travel; and warfare. Snow affects ecosystems, as well, by providing an insulating layer during winter under which plants and animals are able to survive the cold.
from Wikipedia
Eight O'clock in the morning - temperature about 35 degrees below zero, and the smoke and vehicle exhaust are going straight up. That means it is going to be a beautiful day in the far north.
Please press L (or simply click the image) to view on black.
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Early morning view from our Edmonton condo, taken just days before leaving for Brazil.
Hope you are all enjoying your Friday. Thanks for visiting.
This was taken near Cantwell, Alaska. The tracks are from snowmachines. Every rest stop that I came across was packed with weekend snowmachiners.
We're not yet half way through Fall but Winter has already started pushing itself in. Last week we had quite a cold snap - I think it went down to -9 C one night - and with that, the lake effect snow machine fired up for a test run. This image was taken yesterday, when the weather had settled down a bit. I'm guessing the farmer (just outside the frame to the left) driving this harvester was late in getting the corn off his fields. From where I stood, it looked like he was taking just as much snow as he was corn.
On 5 August each year, during the celebration of the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Our Lady of the Snows), a custom that commemorates the story of the miraculous snowfall is still maintained.
In our minds, black fertile land is the wealth of the earth, and the land after the snow is covered in white dress. Praise you, earth, your spacious mind, inclusive of war and catastrophe, nurtured humanity, and made us see holiness and beauty.
Snow refers to forms of ice crystals that precipitate from the atmosphere (usually from clouds) and undergo changes on the Earth's surface. It pertains to frozen crystalline water throughout its life cycle, starting when, under suitable conditions, the ice crystals form in the atmosphere, increase to millimeter size, precipitate and accumulate on surfaces, then metamorphose in place, and ultimately melt, slide or sublimate away. Snowstorms organize and develop by feeding on sources of atmospheric moisture and cold air. Snowflakes nucleate around particles in the atmosphere by attracting supercooled water droplets, which freeze in hexagonal-shaped crystals. Snowflakes take on a variety of shapes, basic among these are platelets, needles, columns and rime. As snow accumulates into a snowpack, it may blow into drifts. Over time, accumulated snow metamorphoses, by sintering, sublimation and freeze-thaw. Where the climate is cold enough for year-to-year accumulation, a glacier may form. Otherwise, snow typically melts seasonally, causing runoff into streams and rivers and recharging groundwater.
Major snow-prone areas include the polar regions, the upper half of the Northern Hemisphere and mountainous regions worldwide with sufficient moisture and cold temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, snow is confined primarily to mountainous areas, apart from Antarctica.
Snow affects such human activities as transportation: creating the need for keeping roadways, wings, and windows clear; agriculture: providing water to crops and safeguarding livestock; sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmachine travel; and warfare. Snow affects ecosystems, as well, by providing an insulating layer during winter under which plants and animals are able to survive the cold.
from Wikipedia
One of the clearer days during our sojourn. This was taken while engaged in the 6-hour snowmachine adventure from Borealis Basecamp. The starting temperature was -17F that day. At one point in a valley I'm sure the temperature was below -30F. This is about as high in the sky as the sun rises since we are only a week away from the winter solstice.
Most Rights Reserved: 2023 Steven Christenson
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See the Alaske 2019
Because of the permafrost, these Black Spruce trees cannot put down deep roots. They therefore tend to grow only 15 -25 feet tall. They make a good backdrop for the larger and hardier Blue Spruce trees. This shot was taken during my snow machine tour.
Man, I really haven't been motivated or inspired to go out and shoot for over a month. The weather's getting warmer, and I was going to go out this weekend, but the forecast is for rain on both Saturday and Sunday. So I guess I won't be going out.
This shot is from about a month ago, during a trip up north.
9exp HDRI
(Top Explore Position 2 -- May 28th, 2008)
Taken during a brief respite during a winter storm on the Keewenaw Peninsula (which juts out into Lake Superior) of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. One thing about the folks in Calumet--they either know how to move snow, or get around it (as evidenced by the snowmobiles outside the Michigan House Cafe).
Flickr Explore: Mar 3, 2009 - Thanks everyone!
(This has a drop shadow instead of my standard border. Please let me know what you think.)
This is not HDR, but it is a Vertorama.
You can't plan things like this. Sometimes you just have to have luck on your side. We were a bit late leaving Bear Lake on Sunday night and knew that we'd be driving in Logan Canyon as it was getting dark. As we headed out of Garden City, Utah and up to the summit, the entire sky began to change. Unfortunately we had a mountain range in our way and could only see parts of the sunset. I hoped that we would get to the summit in time to see at least part of the rest of the sky.
Just as we made it to the summit and pulled off the road, this is what we saw. The colors lasted for about five minutes and then disappeared. Luckily we had two cameras and lots of eyes. This was just one of those skies that you never forget, and this shot does it little justice. Had we left on time, or a few minutes later, we would have missed this entirely. The only place that this was visible was in this one small spot at the summit. What a wonderful spot to find ourselves in.
This is a handheld vertorama - no time to dig out the tripod. One exposure on top, one on bottom. The snow road that you see is a snowmobile trail that travels under the main road and then heads in both directions to hundreds (thousands?) of acres of wide open spaces.
The Voting Continues
I think voting continues until Friday. You can vote for my shot on KSL. If you'd like to vote for me, you can go here:
www.ksl.com/?sid=901157&nid=461
The monthly winner will be featured on the 2010 calendar. Proceeds benefit charity.
Thanks!
My wife and I have always wanted a cabin on a lake with a view of the mountains. We camped by a lake and when we walked to a bluff, this is the view we saw.
It is almost heaven, a cabin a lake and the Alaska Range, the only downfall, the Denali Highway is right behind the cabin.
As far as highways go, the Denali Highway is not the typical highway found in the lower 48. It is 122 miles long, 80 plus miles are gravel. Not many vehicles drive the highway even during the peak summer months. The highway is closed from October through April, as there is no road maintenance. Snowmachines, (snowmobiles) traverse the highway during the winter months.
Even with the highway so close, it would still be an awesome place to call "home."
Breaking my trail open to Lost Cabin Lake yesterday was a great way to spend an afternoon. It was a beautiful day, warming up to three degrees below zero. As I made my way down the trail, I was mindful of tree branches and snow-heavy trees that lay across the trail. On this particular tree I had to duck so I didn't bump my snow machine helmet on it. I felt a personal responsibility to ensure this trail hazard disappeared and didn't cause a problem for anyone returning to the lake. I will likely take a saw and remove it tomorrow. Today, I simply hiked back to the tree with my fearless dog, Dozer, to grab a photo and enjoy today's above-zero temperature.
So how to clear the snow that fell in the night on the viewing deck of the Hurtigruten ship Sptizbergen. Just use a mini snow machine and blow it off into the sea !!
The deck needs to be kept clear for the photographers and passengers to wander around the deck at all hours taking in the wide views.
This was taken at sunrise - about 08:10 am.