White Sands National Park: December 2020

My second day in New Mexico had the most scheduled stops.  Being just 30 miles from White Sands National Park after my sunrise shoot, that had to be one of them.

I didn't want to spend a long time in the park, having just been there a couple of years ago and with at least three hours of driving still ahead of me.  I decided to hike the Dune Life Nature Trail since it's only a mile loop and I hadn't done it during my 2018 visit.

Not surprisingly, the landscape didn't look much different in winter from how I remembered it in summer: stark, striking, and beautiful.

I liked being able to isolate this Soaptree Yucca from its surroundings.

Reaching the top of a small dune wasn't exactly the same as climbing a 14er, but it still offered a nice view.

Still fond of dead wood, especially when it provides a solid foreground element.

This dormant Fremont Cottonwood looked almost metallic, with its coppery leaves.

Dead wood really wasn't that hard to find along the loop.

The weather was completely calm, without even the hint of a breeze.  Given all the footprints in the sand it hadn't been windy for a while.

The visit and the hike were short, but completely worth it.  The landscape here is so unique it's always a good decision a stop!

White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Morning

One final mile remained on my epic summer road trip. Well, one final mile on foot anyway. Then a LOT of miles left in the car between White Sands and home. But one final mile that mattered -- one mile outside, in the fresh air, with my camera.

And oh, what a mile it was.

The white sands were pink-and-blue sands in the early morning light.  Completely otherworldly.

My favorite cloud conditions, too.  Partly cloudy always means that the sky is nearly as interesting as the landscape.

When the color in the sky had left, the show still wasn't over.  The textures in the sand were gorgeous, and the occasional plant served as a wonderful reminder that life always finds a way.

Same plant, composition just shifted slightly to the right. :)

I don't incorporate people into my landscape shots very well.  I'd like to get better at doing so to help establish scale and tone.  I got a lucky opportunity when another camper strolled through, and his presence definitely added something to the scene.

I was blessed to get to take this trip, and I knew it.  And the splendor of this final hike only confirmed it.

A final shot.  A final look.  A contented sigh, a weary smile.  Then a long drive home.

When my children were young, I dreamed of taking them on a road trip like this one.  I was admittedly disappointed when neither of them wanted to come.  But in hindsight, I think it was best that I went alone.  I did things and went places that they wouldn't have wanted to, and I would have regretted missing them.

As it turned out, I didn't regret a thing.

Related Links:

• White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Afternoon
• White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Dusk & Dawn

White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Dusk & Dawn

White Sands was as spectacular as I'd hoped. Arriving in midafternoon gave me some great light in which to shoot it, too. After hiking to my campsite and setting up my tent, I waited to see what sort of show the sunset would provide.

Honestly, I didn't get the color I'd hoped for.  But that didn't mean I didn't get beauty.

The "blue hour" definitely lived up to its name.  And with that, it was off to a windy night's sleep.

In the morning I scaled the dune near my tent and turned my attention to the east, where a splash of crimson greeted me.

Just as the sun began to peek over the horizon, I swiftly but carefully put together an 18-image HDR panoramic of the scene.  It was a perfect way to start my final day of the trip.

One of the great things about sunrises is that they aren't just a single amazing moment.  They're a series of amazing moments, each special in its own way.

One last change of composition, and it was time to pack up the tent, hike back to the car, and start the long drive home.

But of course, a one-mile hike does provide plenty of opportunities for more pictures...

Related Links:

• White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Afternoon

White Sands National Monument, July 2018: Afternoon

The final stop on my Summer 2018 road trip was White Sands National Monument. It was also going to be my first solo backcountry camping experience, though in the interest of complete disclosure my campsite was only a mile from where I parked. It had been a great trip, and I was looking forward to visiting this place I'd heard and seen so much about.

I couldn't have asked for better weather.  After Death Valley, any temperature below 100 degrees seemed comfortable.  Winds were light, and the skies were filled with just enough clouds to be interesting.

I headed straight for the Alkali Flat Trail for a late afternoon hike.  My goal was to be at my campsite an hour before sunset, and I was pretty sure if I spent no more than two hours on the trail that would be easy to accomplish.

The name of this place is no lie -- 275 square miles of white gypsum sand.

The dunes here didn't seem as tall as those at Great Sand Dunes National Park, but they did appear to stretch much farther.

The trail was well established with lots of helpful signage and markers.  Footprints were also a big help, but I'm sure they only last as long as the next heavy rain or wind.

As much as I like the vibrant blue sky in the color version of this scene, I feel the texture in both the sand and sky is more apparent in the black-and-white version.  If you have an opinion on which you prefer, please leave it below in the comments!

It might be a little strong to call the vegetated areas in the dunes "oases."  But the contrast between them and the barrenness of the dunes themselves was striking.

I did reach my campsite on schedule, where I proceeded to nervously watch this storm to the southeast and try and figure out in what direction it was moving.  Eventually I decided it was not, in fact, headed my way.  So I was able to relax and wait to see what sort of spectacle the sunset would bring.

More to come!