El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico, August 2013 A wider view of the pine tree standing sentinel with the meandering storm in the distance. An hour later, that storm was unleashing lightning on these cliffs. Fortunately, I had already retreated to safer ground.
Bryce Canyon, Utah Those hoodoos in the foreground are amazing, glowing in the reflected light of this early April sunrise. The snow had arrived the day before and made the brilliant orange colors even brighter. This is really an amphitheater rather than a canyon, but who cares? The colors were vibrant and the air clear and crisp.
The Watchman At Sunset, From The Virgin River, Zion National Park I think this beautiful sandstone peak is to Zion what Half Dome is to Yosemite. It stands watch over lower Zion canyon. I love the peacefulness of this stretch of the Pa'rus trail along the Virgin River. The trees add a lot of character to the foreground views of the Watchman.