Sea Smoke Season

 

It's that time of year again when the temperature dips below zero and we are treated to one of Lake Superior's most fascinating and mesmerizing moods: steam or "sea smoke" rising off the surface of the lake. I love these days in early winter where the air is so much colder than the water that we get the privilege of witnessing this beautiful phenomenon. Ice is my most favorite thing to photograph in winter but a close second has to be the sea smoke. No matter how many times I get to see it I always look forward to when I can see it again. 

Minnesota Mountains

 

A common comment that I hear when people visit Grand Portage and see the dramatic hills that we have is "Wow, we didn't know Minnesota had mountains!" Indeed, we do.  Not by western standards, of course, but our mountains are ancient and at one time were a lot more dramatic than they are today. Of course, in some places, they are still quite dramatic such as the view shown here, of Highway 61 on the east side of the Mt. Josephine pass. The hills and bays of Lake Superior in the background are actually in Ontario, Canada where the landscape gets even more dramatic. 

In this photo, Dean Berglund's 2007 Peterbilt Model 379 transport truck is heading south on Highway 61 as it climbs to the summit of the Mt. Josephine pass. Dean (of Grand Marais, MN) makes the run from Hedstrom Lumber to Thunder Bay twice a day hauling wood chips. Mt. Josephine is big enough that it has its own local weather patterns. Its not uncommon for it to be shrouded in fog in the summer or experiencing more dramatic snowfall in winter than the immediate areas surrounding it. 

The John G. Munson passing by Hat Point

 

One of the most interesting things about this time of year is how close the ships hug the north shore.  It gives us great views and perspectives that we don't get at other times of the year. Yesterday my dad alerted me that the Stewart J. Cort and John G. Munson were passing by our area in fairly close proximity to each other. As I was heading home from work I was lucky enough to catch them as they were passing by Hat Point in Grand Portage. 

A December Winter Wonderland

We certainly have had our fair share of snow already this winter!  It's been a little hard to comprehend after having a winter of almost no snow last year. Just this past weekend we received anywhere from 12 to 16 inches of wet, heavy snow in Grand Portage. Because it was so wet and sticky, the entire landscape was covered in a blanket of white. The drive to work this morning was especially beautiful with the morning sun lighting up the road ahead of me. 


 

The End of Autumn

 

Well, it may not "officially" be winter yet, but I feel like its okay to say that autumn is over. We got our first snowfall and the temps the last couple of days have gotten down into the teens so it sure feels like winter. I captured this photo a few weeks ago while exploring the forest roads of northwest Ontario. I felt the lack of leaves and ominous sky clearly evoked the feeling of autumn ending and winter beginning. I hope you all are enjoying a nice Thanksgiving holiday, wherever you are and whatever you might be doing!

Winter Maple At Night

 

It's that time of year again, where we can wander out in the woods at night and see incredible views of the night sky above the forest canopy. While these images were made in March of this year, you can see similar views right now. If you are willing and able, take the time to go lay under a maple tree at night. You won't regret it. 

What an amazing journey

 

I just finished up presenting for the closing keynote of Dark Sky International's "Under One Sky" Global Conference... what an honor to be invited to participate in such an awesome event! If anyone had told me 35+ years ago where my photography would one day take me and how many people it would influence... I never would have believed you. It has been an incredible journey so far and I feel like this is just the beginning. I could never fully express in words the amount of gratitude I have for all of the supporters of my work and all of the wonderful people I've had a chance to collaborate with. Its been quite a journey so far and I'm looking forward to seeing where it continues to take me. 

Here is a photo from last night, of a surprise showing of the northern lights. I was driving home from Thunder Bay, Ontario and noticed a glow on the northern horizon. After I crossed the border back into the U.S. I stopped at one of my favorite spots to watch and photograph the northern sky. The air and the water were unbelievably calm, which is not the norm for November. Standing there taking in this view really helped put me in the right mindset for today's presentation. Thank you to all those that participated in the conference and listened in on my presentation.  I appreciate you all.

With Respect and Gratitude,

-Travis