Maligne Lake

Sometimes you just have to stop, catch your breath, and mumble wow. Standing on a set of snowshoes in the middle of a very frozen Maligne Lake is one of those moments. Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Crater Bluff Dawn

Soft pre-dawn light bathes Crater Bluff with Tonduron Spire just a distant peak in the background. Taken from the Grand High Tops of the Warrumbungles after night hike to reach this spot. The first European to sight and explore the area was John Oxley in 1818 who named the range the Arbuthnot Range. The Aboriginal name 'Warrumbungles' from the Gamilaroi tribe meaning 'crooked mountains', soon took over as the most frequently used name. Lieben, on Crater Bluff, was the most difficult rock climb in Australia for many years after its first ascent by Bryden Allen and Ted Batty in 1962. Warrumbungle National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Uluru / Ayers Rock from Heli

It is a surreal experience the first time you see Uluru up close. It just seems so improbably large, a feeling which is amplified by the juxtaposition of the rock with the seemingly endless flatness of the Australian outback. I had a similar experience seeing the pyramids of Giza many years ago, regardless of how many times you have seen photos of them, the impact the real experience has on you is beyond expectations. After two decades travelling over six continents, it was quite special to finally get to the red centre of my home country for the first time. It was particularly special to be able to see it from the air at sunset. Big shout out to @ayersrockhelicopters for agreeing to my special request to take the doors off for the flight (along with Deb and Peter, who were the other guests in the heli, for agreeing to put up with the almost 200km winds rushing past their faces so I could get some photos). Sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area, the rock has a circumference of 9.4 km (5.8 miles) and stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high above the surrounding plain. At its peak it sits at 863 m (2,831 feet) above sea level with most of its bulk thought to be underground. Considered an inselberg (literally "island mountain"), or monolith, it has incredible homogeneity and is almost without jointing or parting across its surface. This has allowed the rock to remain solid though the avoidance of scree and soil slopes while the rest of the landscapes around it eroded. In a landmark native title settlement the area surrounding Uluru and nearby Kata Tjuṯa was handed back to the indigenous Pitjantjatjara Anangu in 1985. Named by British colonists in 1873 as Ayres Rock after the Chief Secretary of South Australia, it is now officially gazetted as Uluru / Ayers Rock under a dual naming policy.

Ama Dablam

If you get to spend a bit of time in the high altitude Himalayas you soon start to appreciate the old Nepalese pilots adage that “we don't fly when there are clouds, because the clouds have rocks in them”. Peeking though the clouds here is the incredible spire of Ama Dablam at 6,812 metres (22,349 ft). Ama Dablam translates to "Mother's necklace" as the long ridges on each side are said to resemble the arms of a mother (ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of the gods, worn by Sherpa women. Shot on Fuji Velvia slide film. Nepalese Himalaya, Nepal

Dreams of Rain

The sun penetrates through thick clouds as the parched red soil dreams of rain. Taken in the arid lands at the foot of Mt Grenfell in central west New South Wales. Mount Grenfell is a spiritually important place for its Aboriginal owners, the Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people. Outback New South Wales, Australia

Devils Thumb Alpenglow

“Like the Sirens who lured Ulysses to a blissful yet certain death, the northwest face of the Devil’s Thumb continues to tempt the alpinist onto her flanks" Dieter Klose. Late night alpenglow adds a soft touch, however few peaks inspire the same mix of fear and respect as the Devil's Thumb. A relatively low altitude peak at 2,767 m (9,077 ft) the notorious northwest face rises 2,042 m (6,700 ft) from its base. With an average angle of 67 degrees it is considered the steepest wall of that magnitude in all of North America. While the peak itself was first climbed by Fred Becky in 1946, the northwest face remains unclimbed after five decades of attempts by scores of climbers including some of the world’s top mountaineers. Most never even made it to the start of the face, while at least three teams have perished in the process. Dieter Klose who in 1982 made it halfway up the route, higher than anybody else alive, commented in the American Alpine journal that ‘as a rock climb it’s a perfect place to commit suicide”. The warm coastal winds, extreme Alaskan precipitation levels, and Patagonian style variability in weather all combine to make the conditions on the face notoriously slippery and prone to avalanche. A small theoretical climbing window is possible during the spring transition when storms can create thaw-freeze conditions and stabilise the face however many believe the level of weather variability is so extreme that it will never be climbed. No one has attempted the face since 2003 when two Canadian climbers perished. The mountain was known as Taalkhunaxhkʼu Shaa in native Tlingit, which translates to the "the Mountain That Never Flooded". The thumb is located in the Stikine Icecap region of the Alaska–British Columbia border, near Petersburg, and is often simply identified as Boundary Peak 71 on survey maps.

Grose Valley Sunset

Charles Darwin described the Grose Valley as "stupendous… magnificent" when he visited in 1836. The rugged valley started forming about 50 million years ago after the uplift of the Great Dividing Range when the Grose River started flowing gently down towards the sea. The surrounding plateau sits at an elevation between 1000 and 1200m with the river descending 952 metres (3,123 ft) over its 54-kilometre (34 mi) course. The exposed cliffs along its banks range between 200 metres (660 ft) and up to 510 metres (1,670 ft) in height. This shot was taken from Pearces Lookdown slightly west of Anvil Rock. The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area covers 10,300 square kilometres (4,000 sq mi) of wilderness. The area obtained its name from the blue tinge visible in the deep valleys, which is thought to be caused by eucalyptus oil that evaporates and disperse in the air under elevated temperatures. Under these conditions the visible blue spectrum of sunlight propagates more than other colours causing the mountains to seem slightly bluish by human eyes. Blue Mouintains National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Southern Patagonian Icefield

After over a thousand years, deep blue glacial ice, tortured and stress fractured comes close to finishing its journey from the Southern Patagonin Ice field to Argentino Lake. Hard to comprehend the scale here but at its terminus the Perito Moreno Glacier has an average thickness of 170m (558ft); the contorted ripples on the surface are between 30 and 60 m (98 and 195 ft) high. This shot was taken at the peak of the midday sun. The extreme brightness of the ice, capable of causing snow blindness in a short period of time, has silhouetted out the sky. With a total area of 12,363 km2 (4,773 sq mi) of ice the Southern Patagonian Icefield is the third largest body of fresh water in the world (after the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets). With the planet warming up, the ice sheet is melting at an alarming rate and has retreated over 10km since the late 19th century. Argentina

Mt Robson Sunset

Seven out of ten times that we drive past Robson, it is covered in cloud. But when it’s out, it has to be one of the most scenic stretches of road in the world. The highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Robson towers above everything around it a 3,954 m (12,972 ft). Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.

Spirit Island

Stillness descends over Maligne Lake and Spirit Island after a stormy day of canoeing in which we had a mix of rain, hail, sunshine, and snow. Kodak used a picture of Spirit Island taken by Peter Gales as part of a showcase for Kodack Colorama, that was displayed prominently in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal in 1960. Kodack Colorama was leading the new phenomenon of consumer colour film at the time and since then the island has become one of the iconic vistas of the Canadian Rockies. The ‘island’ is in fact a small peninsula which is only cut off by water briefly after large spring snowmelts. We spent three days canoe camping around the lake, and the colour of the water in the southern end of the lake really needs to be seen to be believed. Being one of the most popular back country trips in the Rockies, it can be notoriously difficult to book a camping spot on the lake. We were lucky that the ice melted off the lake a couple of weeks early this year and Parks Canada released an extra week of bookings which were previously withheld. We quickly booked at the last minute, and were amazingly the only people in the campsite near Spirit Island on the first night we camped. With the ice having only been off the lake for a week, we were able experience Spirit Island all to ourselves. The next morning as we paddled to explore the southern end of the lake we did not see another vessel. Maligne Lake sits at an elevation of 1,675 metres (5,495 feet), and has a maximum depth of 97 metres (318 feet). The deep water temperatures in the lake never rise above 4°C (39°F) even at the peak of summer; so it’s not a lake you can afford to capsize your canoe in. This shot was taken just after sunset. Jasper National Park. Alberta, Canada

Mt Assiniboine and Sunburst Peak Sunset

“Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms, you’ll be able to use them better when you’re older.” Seneca One of the most iconic scenes in the Canadian rockies. Mt Assiniboine (the pyramid shaped mountain in the back left) and Sunburst Peak tower over Sunburst Lake and Cerulean Lake. It is hard to convey how big this vista actually is with a simple photograph. At 3,618 m (11,870 ft), Mt Assiniboine is the highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies and rises over 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above the lakes at its base. Clear skies in this region have been a rarity these last two seasons with the smoke from the wildfires which have raged BC. I was fortunate to be able to get an opportunity to explore the remote areas around Assiniboine this summer during a small window after the smoke had cleared but before the snow came. Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.

Providence Canyon

Sunset at at Providence Canyon in Southern Georgia. The canyon formation, made up of a kaleidoscope of coloured sands and clays, owes its existence to destructive early farming practices in the 19th century as is was unknown at the time that the undulating hills were made up of deep sand deposits below a very thin crust of clayey topsoil. Once the topsoil had been disturbed the natural elements did the rest with the canyon progressively deepening over the subsequent 150 years. The dramatic pinnacles which remain are sections of clay which the sand has eroded around. The erosion gullies reach depths of 150 feet (or 46m) and are referred to by the locals as Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". Providence Canyon State Park, Georgia, United States of America.

Uluru and Kata Tjuta (aka Ayers Rock and the Olgas)

It is something quite special to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta (aka Ayers Rock and the Olgas) lined up at sunset. Thanks again to Deb and Peter, who were the other guests in the heli, for agreeing to my request to take all the doors off and put up with the almost 200km winds rushing past their faces so I could get some photos. Also a shoutout to @ayersrockhelicopters for keeping us all up in the sky. If you are not familiar with the area you might think there is too much red in this shot; but that’s just how it is. Red rocks, red earth, and red dust in the sky. Uluru has a circumference of 9.4 km (5.8 miles) and stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high above the surrounding plain. I was fortunate enough to able to ride a mountain bike around it with my boys (6 and 4) which is an experience I will never forget. At its peak it sits at 863 m (2,831 ft) above sea level with most of its bulk thought to be underground. The peaks of Kuta Tjuta in the foreground sit just a little higher at 1066m (3,497 ft) and rise 546 m (1,791 ft) above the plain. Northern Territory, Australia.

Gimli Peak

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” J.R.R. Tolkien Looking across at the incredible chunk of rock which makes up Gimili peak. The high quality of the rock at Gimili makes it an amazing location for scrambling and climbing, particularly compared to the crumbling sedimentary strata of the Rocky Mountains. Hard to get an idea of scale here; can you see my 3 friends sitting and having lunch on the other side of the ridge? This was a complex shot to get as Gimili towers above you even after scrambling high onto the ridge next to it. This shot was formed using 36 hand held shots stitched into a single panorama. I then edited the sky with a radial filter to achieve a long exposure look. I did have a 10 stop ND filter with me up on the ridge; but 36 long exposure shots even at 5 minutes each per shot would represent 3 hours of shooting time and the clouds would have long moved on. In Norse (or Scandinavian) mythology Gimlé or Gimili is described as the most beautiful place in Asgard, the realm of the gods. It is represented in the old stories as a kind of heaven, a golden-roofed building where righteous men go when they die. Geologically Gimili is part of the Valhalla Gneiss Complex. The complex consists of lower grade metamorphic sediments interspersed with massive high grade granitic and granodiorite intrusions such as Gimili. It sits at 2774m (9100 ft ) in the Selkirk Mountains of Valhalla Provincial Park. British Columbia, Canada.

Peyto Lake in the Snow

After a couple of days of mixed snow and rain with stormy and overcast skies we were finally greeted by this frosty pink fox! It was a little chilly for sunrise at -14 C (6.8F); it seems winter has arrived in the Canadian Rockies. There is such a short time window to catch Peyto with snow on the ground before the lake freezes over so we were super fortunate to have the chance to experience it like this. The lake was named after Bill Peyto, who was an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area. It sits at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft) in the Waputik Range of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park. The shot was taken near Bow Summit at 2132m (or 6994ft).

Og Lake

I took this shot as part of a multi-day trek through Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. It is a sunset reflection of Mount Assiniboine (3,618m or 11,870ft) over Og Lake. We camped there for the night; a truly spectacular little camp. British Columbia, Canada.

Stormy Ramparts

“There is peace even in the storm” Vincent van Gogh The Tonquin valley is like a throwback in time. It gives you an idea of what it must have felt like to see Banff or Jasper before there was any development other than a few horse trails. The trail here is infamous for its mud; and it did not disappoint. Over the course of the hike we had our fair share of particularly cold rain, and it often felt more like wading through a swamp than hiking. Despite this there were numerous moments of serene beauty where the mountains cleared and we had spectacular light. This shot was a 30 second exposure (f7.1, ISO 100) of the Ramparts from Amethyst Lake. Rising to a height of 3,313m (10,869ft) and straddling the continental divide they fall partly within Jasper National Park in Alberta and Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia. Amethyst lake sits at height of 1,975m (6,479ft) so the wall rises dramatically over 1,300m (4,265ft) in front of you. On the third day with the temperatures continuing to drop the rain started turning to snow on the pass; so we hiked out in a single day and skipped our planned forth day. We were extremely lucky to be able to see some endangered mountain Caribou bulls; but I will save that for another post. Jasper National Park. Alberta, Canada

Frederick Sound Iceberg

Sometimes, if only for a moment, time seems to stand still. It’s amazing to think that 91% of the iceberg is hidden under the water. The shot was taken near the entrance to LeConte Bay in Frederick Sound. It’s a single hand held exposure taken from a moving boat. Alaska, USA.

Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks

A crisp sunrise at Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Moraine Lake sits at an elevation of 1,885 m (6,183 ft) in Banff National Park. The iconic colour of the lake is due to light scattering from fine particles of glacial rock flour.

Mt St Helens

Mt St. Helens and Mt Adams seen from the air while flying over the Cascade Ranges in the US Pacific Northwest. Mt St. Helens (also known as Lawetlat'la to Cowlitz people, and Loowit to the Klickitat people) is a stratovolcano that erupted spectacularly in 1980 after a century of dormancy. The collapse of its northern flank after an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale sent the explosion out from the north rather than the typical eruption from the top and created the 1.6km (1 mile) wide horseshoe-shaped crater that you see in this photo. The eruption killed fifty-seven people, destroyed 250 homes, 47 bridges, 24km (15 miles) of railways, and 298km (185 miles) of highway, and reduced the elevation of the mountain's summit from 2,950m (9,677 ft) to 2,549m (8,363 ft). Mt Adams 3,743 m (12,281 ft), seen in the background, has not erupted in more than 1,000 years however is not considered extinct. Cascade Volcanic Arc, Washington State, USA.

One Tree Hill

A full Easter moon rises at sunset over a lonely tree perched atop one of the salty hills the make up the Lake Mungo Lunette. Known as the Walls of China, the lunette is formed by wind blowing over the dry lakebed for thousands of years. It is found on the eastern edge of Lake Mungo which dried up some 14,000 years ago. Outback NSW, Australia

Red Borax River

“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” Salvador Dalí . Sometimes what we perceive as real is actually surreal, while what we see as surreal is actually real. A red river runs past white islands of borax salt (sodium borate) in Laguna Colorada. The red and orange colours in the lake are from pigmentation in algae which grows in the borax rich water. The lake sits high (4278m or 14035ft) in the Bolivian Altiplano in the Andes. Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve. Bolivia.

Mt Assiniboine Dawn Reflection

Dawn reflection of Mount Assiniboine (3,618m or 11,870ft) over Magog Lake. I took this shot after spending most of the night up on Nub Peak and descending with head torches. Somehow still awake thanks to a delirious mix of caffeine and adrenalin. The landscapes around Mt Assiniboine have to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world I have shot in. Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.

Lake O'Hara

A 20 shot panorama looking down over Lake O'Hara and Mary Lake. I would normally not shoot photos in the middle of the day however you really can’t appreciate the spectacular colours of these lakes unless you have overhead sun. Ten minutes before I took these shots the family sheltered in a small rock cave while a hail storm passed over. We experienced the full gamut of Canadian alpine summer weather on this trip with rain, hail, snow, wind and sunshine at various times. Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada