The Falls at Idaho Falls - Snake River

A year ago the Mountain West of the United States received a good amount of snow, and much rain and snow in the Spring. Because of all the water there was much run off and muddy high water. This panorama in in Idaho Falls, ID taken of the falls on the Snake River. You can see the muddy colored water and the water flowing over everything.

Idaho Falls on the Snake River. High Water Panorama - May 30, 2011

If I were near Idaho Falls I would take a panorama now to let you see the stark difference between now and last year at this time.

Solar Eclipse, 2012 May 20

Solar Eclipse near its highest point in Salt Lake City May 20, 2012.

A solar eclipse is an awe-inspiring thing to witness. For those of you who don't know it is when the moon passes between the earth and the sun. The moon casts its shadow on the earth and if you are in the right place with the right conditions you can see and amazing thing. The sun will appear first as a crescent and then as a "ring of fire" if you are in the right spot at the right time. 

When the solar eclipse happened Sunday I was a four to five hour drive from where the Ring of Fire could be seen. I was unable to go witness the Ring of Fire but I got to see the moon cover about 90% of the sun. It was spectacular! I did have to travel about 10 - 15 miles though because a giant cloud obscured my view of the event. 

The following images are photos I took of the eclipse over about an hour period. Some are seen through clouds and others are not. Some I adjusted the white balance too to make them a little more interesting. The lens flares are the way they were taken. The only think I might have adjusted are contrast and white balance. Enjoy the view I had.

Beginning of Solar Eclipse

Blue Crystal Solar Eclipse - with lens flare

Crystal Solar Eclipse - with lens flare

Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse in Purple

Tron Solar Eclipse... It just reminds me of "Tron" - with lens flare

Crystal Cheshire Solar Eclipse - with lens flare

A "Wicked" Solar Eclipse.

Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

Lens flare of a Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse with some lens flare

Solar Eclipse with lens flare

Solar Eclipse through some light cloud cover.

Solar Eclipse with some could

Solar Eclipse and bird among high thin clouds

Blown out Solar Eclipse with light cloud cover

Solar Eclipse that could be used by DreamWorks

Solar Eclipse

 

Arches National Park

I have been to Arches National Park a few times now. The first time I went It was just for a quick stop. I also had forgotten the battery to my camera. I still took some photos with wife's (I was dating her then) point-and-shoot camera. I think it might have been the most frustrated that she ever saw me. It was frustrating. I was going to arches National Park for my first time and I was unable to use my camera! When we went to visit Delicate Arch we took the short trail because we were traveling to Idaho. If you take the short trail you end up quite far from the arch with a chasm between you and it which dwarfs the arch. It is breathtaking but taking the trail to the arch is well work it.

Delicate Arch at sundown - Arches National Park

The second time I went to Arches National Park It was extremely windy and a bit cold. We took the trail right up to Delicate Arch. The wind had gust of 60-80 mph! Many people lost hats, sunglasses, and jackets. It was quite frightening to get right up near the arch because you were afraid you would fall into the giant chasm (or get blown horizontally against a rock wall). The wind was constantly changing intensity and directions in a wreak less manner. We made it through and the whole way back to the trailhead we warned people of wind and to hold onto clothes and small children. I have some of the images from this visit on my blog HERE on the Panoramas page.

This last time we went to Arches National Park the weather was perfect. There was only the slightest breeze, it was sunny, and it was the perfect warmth! It was marvelous!

We didn't get here till the middle of the day. We had some things we had to get done and we were traveling from the direction of Bluff, Utah. 

We got ourselves a National Park Pass and we hope to use it throughout the year. A Year National Park Pass is $80. But a day pass to Arches is only $5! Other national parks cost more to get in (i.e. Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon cost $25 for a one time entrance). However there are other options that fall between a year pass and a one day entrance.

NOW BACK TO ARCHES! 

Delicate Arch with flexible girls posing for photo. I was waiting for the girls to move but it was a great subject so I took a shot. - Arches National Park

Delicate Arch is the iconic arch for the park. We did visit it but we also visited Landscape Arch, Devil's Garden, Double O Arch, and the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint (among other places). Below are the photos I took on that day.

Fiery Furnace - Arches National Park

 10 photo panorama (57.1" x 15.8") - Fiery Furnace - Arches National Park

Rock formations near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Rock formation near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Trail near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Tree near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Rock Texture near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

7 photo panorama (40.0" x 17.5") - Rock formation East of Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

5 photo panorama (31.3" x 14.0") - Landscape Arch and Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Devil's Garden Trail (La Sal Mountains in background) - Arches National Park

6 photo panorama (55.6" x 17.0") - Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Flowers along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Flowers along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Flowers along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

7 photo panorama (53.0" x 17.3") - Devil's Garden - Arches National Park

Devil's Garden - Arches National Park

Devil's Garden and Devil's Garden Trail along rock formation - Arches National Park

Double O Arch - Arches National Park

My lovely wife near Double O Arch - Arches National Park

Double O Arch (and my lovely wife) - Arches National Park

5 photo panorama (30.6" x 16.8") - Devil's Garden - Arches National Park

Rock formations of Devil's Garden - Arches National Park

3 photo panorama (30.4" x 11.8") - Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail with La Sal Mountains in background - Arches National Park

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail near Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park. (I would call this Jello Mold Rock)

Rock formation along Devil's Garden Trail - Arches National Park

Rock formation near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Rock formation near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

Rock formation near Devil's Garden Trailhead - Arches National Park

7 photo panorama (42.1" x 17.4") - Small gully just north of Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

Texture of rock (ground) near Delicate Arch. Also one photo from the panorama above. - Arches National Park

6 photo panorama (39.2" x 17.3") - Small gully just north of Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

22 photo panorama (47.2" x 38.9") - Delicate Arch with people - Arches National Park

Moon coming up over rocks near Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

Moon coming up over rocks near Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

9 photo panorama (23.6" x 25.1") - Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

33 photo panorama (46.7" x 36.6") - Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

One single photo from the 33 photo panorama above of Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

9 photo panorama (52.3" x 16.7") - Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

13 photo panorama (57.1" x 16.8") - Delicate Arch - Arches National Park

 Delicate Arch Trail looking away from Delicate Arch - Arches National Park