Glacier Park Winter Photography - What Polar Vortex - in Montana we call it life!

We have been blessed this winter in Glacier National Park with moderate temperatures, and a modest amount of snow. The wind has been mostly relentless however, with gust's to over 100 mph several times this winter. But, what the wind brings, the wind take-ith away!  This is a photograph of what Glacier National Park, and Highway 2 looks like when the wind is blowing 80 miles per hour.

Driving west, toward Glacier National Park following a snow storm. The wind is blowing 80 miles per hour across Highway 2 west of Browning, Montana. Summit Mountain is in the far left frame. © Tony Bynum Photography A few years ago i posted this video showing how I drove though a ground blizzard much worse than this - check out the video of a ground blizzard near Glacier National Park. 

After living and photographing Glacier National Park, year around, for the past 10 years, I have learned a lot about when and where to be to capture unique Glacier Park Photographs. Photographing Glacier National Park in the winter is, it's highly variable, from day-to-day. You can count on things being different almost anytime you go!  

For example, if you want great snow covered peaks, arrive the day after a fresh snow fall. . .  Sometimes it's the afternoon after the significant snow event, but most of the time it's the following day that's best for snow covered mountains and trees. Seems like a no-brainier right, we'll there's more. . .   

Glacier National Park winter photograph. This cabin is located just west of the Glacier Park Boundary. Notice the snow covered roof, and mountains in the background. This is before the wind blows. © Tony Bynum Photography

More often, you'll find that the wind blows the snow off the mountains and as it settles it forms deep drifts and fills in the crevices and ravines. In this photograph of the south end of Glacier National Park, taken a couple days after a significant snow fall (the week of January 15, 2014) shows how the snow blows off the mountains and the adjacent prairie. 

This photograph of Summit Mountain, Little Dog Mountain, and the entire south end of Glacier National Park was taken after the snow was blown off the mountains.

Glacier National Park Winter Photograph. Colorful sky over the south end of Glacier National Park, Summit Mountain in the far left.  Notice the snow has blown off the open faces and into the ravines.  ©Tony Bynum Photography

In this image you see what the mountains and trees look like when you catch a new snow fall the day after it snows. Within two or three days, if you get a snow fall, you can capture completely different looking winter photographs of Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park Winter Photograph. Horses graze on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the snow covered prairie and mountains of Glacier National Park in the background. © Tony Bynum Photography

The forecast is for 10 inches of new snow in the mountains starting tomorrow. I'm ready to get out there and photograph winter scenes in Glacier National Park, are you? 

Thank you for taking the time to read my Glacier Park Photographer blog. If you're interested in photography more broadly, or the business of photography, follow my (Tony Bynum) photography blog, or head over to the Tony Bynum Photography facebook page.  

Cheers, 

Tony Bynum 

Montana Photography

This is slight departure for the Glacier Park Photography blog. Although there are many photographs of Glacier National Park in this slideshow, it's really a compilation of photographs from around the big sky state coupled with a sound track provided by Montana musician David Walburn.

I though since the wind is blowing, and the snow is piling up, it would be nice to share the rest of Montana with all of you and share some insights into what is a Montana Photographer.

If you choose to watch this slideshow of photographs of big sky's in Montana you can click on this link. If you'd prefer to watch it on directly on youtube, it's here at: Montana under the big sky.


Keep warm out there!


Tony Bynum

Glacier National Park Winter Photographs

Glacier National Park winter photography. This glacier park winter photograph is an example of the type of image you can expect to capture during the winter months. This image of Lake McDonald, is from Glacier Parks West side. Lake McDonald is a few miles north of the town of West Glacier, and about 20 miles north of Kalispell, Montana.

In the photograph of Lake Mcdonald, in Glacier National Park, steam gently rises off the lake indicating very cold air and relatively warm water. In the distance, the mountains are snow capped and reflecting afternoon light. During the winter months very low sun angle makes for fantastic afternoon and evening sunset images.

Glacier National Park - Lake Mcdonald. Steam rises off Lake McDonald with snow covered peaks in the background. ©tonybynum.com - Tony Bynum  

Lake McDonald, on Glacier Parks west side, is one of the few locations that can easily be photographed. The west side of the park has far less direct access in the winter than the east side of Glacier Park.

That said, if you plan to access Glacier National Park in the winter, be sure to contact glacier park to check on area and seasonal closures.  In the last few years, Glacier Park administrators have close several very popular winter access areas in response to resource concerns.

In particular the entire area around Saint Mary's Lake, on Glacier National Park's east side has been closed to protect wintering elk. This closure was in response to an elk poaching incident.

It's too bad the Park keeps closing more and more of the Park to visitors.  Glacier National Park is wonderful area to visit during the winter. I hope that if you want to visit the park in the winter you do it!  Contact +Tony Bynum , or @tonybynum or find him on facebook at Tony Bynum Photography on Facebook.

  

Glacier National Park Photography 2013 summed up - be in the moment

Posting a series of new Glacier National Park photographs from 2013. This is a photograph of a storm on Saint Mary Lake from 2013, one of my favorite places and one I have photographed literally hundreds of times. 2001 was the fist time I photographed the lake. At that time I saw huge waves crashing on the shore of Saint Mary Lake, so I decided to figure out how best to photograph it. . .  It is challenging.  I'll give you a warring, and some advise, you're going to get wet if that bothers you, stay off the shore when the wind is blowing. If you don't have gear that you can get wet, forget shooting this lake-shore when the wind is blowing - your stuff is going to get wet!!!  That's just a fact. 

Waves crashing down on the shore of Saint Mary Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana. A stunning perspective from Glacier National Park. Nikon d4, Nikon 14-24 f2.8 lens, Really Right Stuff legs, and ball head, several filters . . .  ©tonybynum.com all rights reserved. 

For 2013, Glacier National Park was average to above average to outstanding depending one when and where you were. In some places the summer weather helped produce some of one of the best alpine wild flowers I have ever seen. The lower to mid elevations in several drainage's, were fantastic as well. 

Fall conditions, well, lets not talk about the fall colors on the east side this year - basically I can say this, "what fall colors." As is par for Glacier, the leaves along the east side (Saint Mary, Babb) turned brown and never produced the fabulous colors some of you may have seen in the past or in photographs.  The fact is, it's about every 5 years that we get a fall to remember on the east side of the park. 

The west-side was another story, it was great. Lots of nice color and a long warm fall weather. 

One of the great things about photographing Glacier Park, and being a Montana outdoor photographer is the extreme variability. There's always some place new or un-explored or in the very least, different, to photograph.  

Living and operating an outdoor photography business in Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park, is any outdoor photographers dream. I've been here for over a decade now and love it everyday! A benefit of living here is that I see Glacier National Park every day - well, when I'm home or in the office. Seeing the same place over and over again has taught me to have more patience. Light is the key to photography Glacier National Park. Anyone can take photos of the park, but if you want to create something new and or unique, it's all about the light.  On the bright side, if you stick around long enough, you'll get dramatic light!  

Perhaps something else that tempers my view and allows me to become a better Montana and Glacier National Park photographer, is that I see it so often I'm not "star-stuck" by a beautiful scene. It's my assertion that most photographers arriving in Glacier National Park are spellbound the moment they see it. Being spellbound or starstruck almost forces you to start taking photographs just because your're there, and just because you think the scene is stunning . . .  

Sun rise on Sinopah, Two Medicine Lake waves crash on the shore, and into a dead log with stump. Two Medicine Valley, Glacier National Park, Montana. Nikon d4, Nikon 14-24 2.8, Really Right Stuff legs, and ball head. ©tonybynum.com all rights reserved

I'm not saying it's not, I'm saying our minds might be calibrated a little differently. Just as a New-York'er will say that tall buildings are stunning, when I step out of the train station in downtown Manhattan, the top of my head snaps back and my eyes are on the tops of towers and man made canyons . . . I'm star struck and might even snap a few spontaneous photos. Will they be as good as someone that knows the city intimately, maybe, but most likely they wont. . .     

I must admit, sometimes fresh eyes are often more of an asset than time and experience - maybe we begin to take some things for granted if we see it everyday. The bottom line is, be in the moment no matter what you're photographing. Being in the moment, and letting go of all that's in your world, at least for a morning will improve your photography more than two hours of reading Outdoor Photography Magazine (no offence OP) or studying the latest gadgets and buying a new camera.

Connecting at the root level of your being will help calm you down and set your perspective in the direction of balance and solitude which will allow you to relax, enjoy yourself, and capture unique photos. 

Backlit, sun glowing valley, hikers moving along a ridge, near the Scenic Overlook Trail in the Two Medicine Valley, Glacier National Park, Montana.  Nikon d700, Nikon 24-120 handheld. ©tonybynum.com 

I hope you have a nice holiday season and if you have any questions or comments, we hope you'll not be too afraid to share them with us!  Tony Bynum 

Logan Pass East Side Access from Going to the Sun Road Closes on September 23

This is directly from the National Park Service - Glacier National Park. 

Going-to-the-Sun Road Construction Notice – Beginning September 23, 7 a.m. the road will be closed to vehicular traffic between Logan Pass and the foot of St. Mary Lake (adjacent the St. Mary Campground entrance) for the remainder of the season to facilitate accelerated road rehabilitation. Logan Pass will only be accessible from the west side beginning September 23.

 

Fall hiker-biker access will be allowed between the vehicular closure at St. Mary and Rising Sun and between Logan Pass and Siyeh Bend. There is no pedestrian or biking beyond Siyeh Bend or Rising Sun. Restroom facilities are only available at Logan Pass and the Rising Sun Picnic Area. There are no facilities at Siyeh Bend.

 

Backcountry trail users should be aware that the east-side road work precludes roadway access and specific trail segments may be closed.

 

Please visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm or contact (406) 888 7800 for trail access information.

 

View the latest travel and construction information and mapping on the Western Federal Lands Highway website at http://www.wfl.fhwa.dot.gov/projects/gtsr/