View allAll Photos Tagged snowmachine
Yes .. Literally .... It isn't particularly easy maintaining one's equilibrium when you are spending hours stretching your neck to look up at a dazzlingly brilliant example of one of the most amazing spectacles to be seen anywhere in the Solar System.
It was a very dark, moonless night, although the Aurora was bright enough to cast shadows, and difficult to tell where the narrow, hard-packed snowmachine trails ended and where the soft, meter-deep snow began.
When at it's most wildly active, this Aurora whipped violently back and forth across the heavens, erupting in all corners of the sky, so that you really couldn't decide which direction to point your camera in. As I struggled to aim myself at the sky's most dazzling quadrant at any given time, I several times stumbled comically backwards into soft deep snow, taking a few minutes to recover and losing valuable imaging time in the process.
Following a snowmachine track across a section of frozen lake in southern Yukon, Canada.
This is a 24 exposure panoramic HDR. There are 8 seperate HDR images stiched into a panorama to make the finished photo. Each HDR is itself composed of three stacked and bracketed exposures. All the original photos were taken with the Canon EIS R and RF 24-105mm f/4.0 L mounted to a tripod and triggered by a wired remote.
Downtown Fairbanks, AK
"We have everything from a vintage 1940s hand-tatted lace bridal jacket to a Larry Enticer style 1980s Arctic Cat snowmachining jacket to Christian Dior that nobody notices because people in Fairbanks don’t really care about labels,” ~co-owner Trista Crass
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
Seen from Mt. Heuberg. Skiing area crazyness. Snow machines giving their best to amass some snow, before it all melts again a week later in the rain that follows.
I would guess that I shot this at 200mm, maybe even at 300mm from the grass summit of Mt. Heuberg (ok, not so much grass right now :-)).
The mountain in the back is Birkkarspitze (2749m), which rises to about 9000ft. above sea level.
Few days ago I posted my latest diorama Into the Wild from the movie of the same name written, co-produced, and directed by Sean Penn. Main subject of the diorama was the Magic Bus, here in plain sight.
The bus, found out by the main charcter of the story Chris Mccandless in the Alaska wilderness, became his home for almost 4 months.
After hiking along the snow-covered ‘Stampede Trail’, McCandless discovered the old Fairbanks Bus 142, a 1946 International Harvester K-5 that was one of several that had been outfitted as shelters for a construction crew repairing the trail in the early 1960s.
When the mine that used the trail closed in the 1970s the buses were removed, all apart from Bus 142 which – thanks to a broken axle – was left behind in the wilderness. Already fitted with beds and a wood burning stove, it became McCandless’s new home. Unluckily Chris' story ended in that bus.
Rght in these days they talk about the Bus again, due to the fact five Italian tourists were rescued last Saturday from Stampede Trail as they made their way back from visiting the bus. Alaska State Troopers and volunteers from the Tri-Valley Fire Department were called to an area about 2 miles from the bus Saturday around 8 a.m. First responders reached the group by snowmachine.
Thanks for stopping by.
Norton74 | Facebook | Instagram | LEGO Ideas
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
This is one of the most unusual vehicles I've ever seen. A 1929 Fordson tractor was converted to a screw-driven snowmobile. A chain drive in the rear revolved the screws, pushing it through the snow. I wouldn't want to fall off while they were turning.
My good neighbors across the street are incredibly talented people who have transformed an old barn into the nicest workshop / man-cave I have seen. Among his many hobbies, Frank restores old snowmobiles including several 60's era ski-doos similar to some he used on a ranch when he was a kid. He and his wife, Heidi, have had relatives visiting who have been riding the old machines in a field next door. Obviously, they have been having a lot of fun.
Overlapping snowmobile tracks in fresh snow out on Kirtley Creek Road just outside of Salmon, Idaho.
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.
Mount McKinley or Denali , the highest peak in North America, stands tall at 20,237 feet. A lone young caribou and a Denali bus are seen moving along a single road in this one of the most photographed places of Denali National Park.
Denali National Park and Preserve is a national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered on Denali (Mount McKinley), 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 federally owned 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. They view wildlife, climb mountains, and backpack. Wintertime activities includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmachining. SOURCE: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali_National_Park_and_Preserve
While out hiking across Lake Laberge, in southern Yukon, we were passed by a snowmachine hauling what looked like bales of hay. Go figure... It was about minus twenty Celcius at the time, which was a fair bit warmer than the minus thirty temperature that we woke up to in the morning.
Photo taken with the Canon EOS R and RF 24-105mm f/4.0 L hand held. Image processed from raw in Adobe Lightroom.
One more for the Tops of 2018 folder. This is a special image that makes me a bit sad and wistful for another life...but the beauty of the past remains in my minds eye and here on the screen. This is a little unconventional and barely could be called a railroad photograph but I do very much love it. This is what I posted at the time when I shared it on my FB page:
How about one live from Alaska! No interlude here.
It's an hour past sunset at 4:50 PM in the Last Frontier north of Talkeetna.
I took a stroll out the Chase trail in the blue hour to watch the southbound winter Aurora passenger train cross Billion Slough as it approached MP 227.
The tail light of a snow machine (snowmobile to you east coasters) glows as a young kid races north on the Chase Trail into the wilderness while the headlights of the approaching SD70MACs pierce the gathering darkness.
The road ends at Talkeetna so in the winter these are among your only options....the rails, a snowmachine, or on foot.
Talkeetna, Alaska
December 28, 2018
Bethel Alaska. May 1988.
Kodachrome 64 Transparency. Minolta SRT 101 or 100.
Text from previous post:
Swanson's, a Bethel retail institution, had groceries, dry-goods, hardware, clothing, electronics, lumber, fishing gear, Native arts and crafts; you name it. Sort of a Bush Walmart before the latter ever existed. One of two such places in Bethel, the other being the ACC (Alaska Commercial Company).
Much more than shopping places, also cultural institutions and gathering places for locals and relatives traveling in from the villages. Bethel is a regional hub serving at least 56 Yup'ik (Eskimo) villages covering an area larger than most US states (I'm guessing). People arrive by boat, by small commuter airplane and in the wintertime by ice road and snowmachine. It's an extremely dynamic and interesting place.
As a tourist destination it is not for the timid and would shatter many a perception or stereotype one might have about a fantasy world called "Alaska."
The Susitna River Bridge was built in 1956 and is found on the Denali Highway's western side. The bridge is 1039 feet long and 20 feet wide and the deck is made of wood. The Denali Highway is 135 miles long and the term "highway" is not used in the same sense as the lower 48. The highway is 135 miles long with only 25 to 30 miles paved. The remaining 100 miles is gravel and very rough in spots. It is highly recommended to bring more than one spare tire if one plans on driving across the highway. The Denali Highway is closed to automobile traffic during winter but is used by both dogsled and snowmachines during the winter.
The village street crew has a tough job. They have to maintain the streets for both snowmachines and wheeled vehicles.
This means keeping the snow at a depth that is safe for traction, turning and braking for all vehicles.
First a blade, then a plow, then remove the excess. Good on 'em.
Denali is the highest mountain in North America, 20,320 feet (6194 meters). I snowmachined out to a lake at dawn (10:30 am!) to watch the sun hit the southern side.
Just ten days ago, I was watching the participants in the "2017 Trek Over the Top" as they prepared to embark on their journey. It is a 400 mile round trip from Tok Alaska, to Dawson City Yukon, and back again. While checking out the snow machines - the one second from the left caught my eye. It was a wide body machine - which made me think of a side car on a motorcycle. Which in turn made me think of Barney Fife, and the old Mayberry RFD show. Yup - that's how my mind thinks - a little weird - but that's just me. ;-)
Thanks Stephan for the fast ride on the Chena River getting ahead of a few mushers allowing me to get their photo during the Yukon Quest.
Fairbanks, Alaska @ -40
January 24th
Originally I planned to "cheat" today, that is to say, I was going to use one of the snowmachine photos for today (they were taken around 11pm yesterday) but then Freydís www.flickr.com/photos/freydish/ and I took another phototrip so all is well. (btw, the reason I put the quotation marks around cheat is because the point of this project is to have a nice photo for every day of the year, not necessarily take the photo on the exact day, although that's what I've done so far and plan to do my best to do:)
Anyways, today we went to Svalbarðseyri (a tiny little village not far from Akureyri) and shot up a storm. I think this is the best one because the sun was really strong and a lot of the pictures were just burned out and buttugly:D This one www.flickr.com/photos/jodiseva/2217521720/in/set-72157600... was my second choice:D
Few days ago I posted my latest diorama Into the Wild from the movie of the same name written, co-produced, and directed by Sean Penn. Main subject of the diorama was the Magic Bus, here in plain sight.
The bus, found out by the main charcter of the story Chris Mccandless in the Alaska wilderness, became his home for almost 4 months.
After hiking along the snow-covered ‘Stampede Trail’, McCandless discovered the old Fairbanks Bus 142, a 1946 International Harvester K-5 that was one of several that had been outfitted as shelters for a construction crew repairing the trail in the early 1960s.
When the mine that used the trail closed in the 1970s the buses were removed, all apart from Bus 142 which – thanks to a broken axle – was left behind in the wilderness. Already fitted with beds and a wood burning stove, it became McCandless’s new home. Unluckily Chris' story ended in that bus.
Rght in these days they talk about the Bus again, due to the fact five Italian tourists were rescued last Saturday from Stampede Trail as they made their way back from visiting the bus. Alaska State Troopers and volunteers from the Tri-Valley Fire Department were called to an area about 2 miles from the bus Saturday around 8 a.m. First responders reached the group by snowmachine.
Thanks for stopping by.
Norton74 | Facebook | Instagram | LEGO Ideas
Here's another photo of fun on a vintage Ski-doo snowmobile. My neighbor restored several of these and they are obviously a good ride.
See the Alaska 2019 set.
Found out that in Alaska these conveyances are referred to as 'snow machines'. It was explained to me that they are 'machines' not 'mobiles'. Good point.
This is my 'poster shot' for the snow machine outing that I took while on my recent trip to Fairbanks to photograph the Aurora Borealis. The ride took me and my guide through a spruce forest and over a frozen lake. Incredibly beautiful vistas and as exciting as you might expect.
This is a test. This is only a test. The purpose of posting this photo is simply to determine if the average viewer prefers to view winter scenes in the winter, or to view late summer scenes, such as the following images. There's no way to predict what the preference will be.
Yea, right.
When the moon is waxing, the sunlit part we can see is growing. During a waxing crescent, we can see only a small section on the right that is shaped like a crescent.
I think the Confederation Trail in PEI is a provincial treasure. At some point in the past, the province decided to decommission the railway, but rather than let it rot, or dig it all up and sell the land, the powers that be manicured it and converted the entire thing into a province wide system of connected walking and cycling trails. It was a brilliant idea and has preserved the right of ways for everyone. Spring, summer, and fall, any motorized traffic other than electric bicycles, are prohibited while in the winter, the trail is reserved for snowmachines and ATV use. Super!
Just back from cross country skiing near the crazy hills ski area. Or it may have been Coldwater Creek or off of the Green River along the logging roads near Mt Saint Helens. Takes forever to remove all the yellow burn marks and developer dirt and hairs from 36 year old negatives. Taken from an old 35mm negative scan.
Jodie rides floe edge snow machine shotgun behind expedition lead hand Elisha. That's Bylot Island and Sirmilik National Park just behind them, with our ice camp being up next to the land just out of frame to the left.
Snow machines replaced sled dogs in the north in the 1960s. There seems to have been a successful segue between intimate knowledge of, and extreme dependence on, the two modes of transportation. My sense was our guides could tear down and reassemble the machines blind-folded, and implement a mind-boggling array of improvised field repairs.
Towed behind is a komatik (coma-tic), still based on the traditional arctic design but now much larger and featuring an enclosed shelter. We understood intellectually that the snow machine/komatik combination was how we would be moving around on the ice, but didn't realize how much fun it would be - a really great and integral part of the trip.
Disclaimer: This photo is a little bit staged as my wife and I always rode in the komatik, not on the snow machine itself.
A fairly routine event for our guides, but for me a dramatic moment.
Our convoy of snow machines and komatiks was heading east from Pond Inlet in a long straight line, moving quickly across the thick shore fast ice between Baffin and Bylot Islands. Suddenly our sled started to slow and I looked ahead to see a couple of the snow machines in front break formation and curve away in graceful arcs. After a few minutes of what I took to be (but wasn't) confusion, our convey regrouped and stopped at a single point.
We had encountered a lead, a narrow, linear crack formed by masses of ice shearing against each other. The lead did not appear to be very wide, but was at least several kilometres long. The snow machine ballet I had just witnessed was the guides searching for the best place to cross the open water.
As noted, the actual crossing seemed quite dramatic. My wife Jodie, who was hunkered down in the komatik's box and couldn't really see what was going on, did a classic double take when she looked out the window to see another sled being pulled across the barrier. We were quickly across as well, and on our way.
After maybe four hours of travel we reached our camp just off Button Point on Bylot Island - a pretty good run, as depending on ice conditions the journey can sometimes take seven or eight hours.
