Alabama Hills, Eastern Sierra, California

As viewed through Mobius Arch, the morning sun lights up the peaks on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada range, including Lone Pine Peak and Mount Whitney.

Explored May 2, 2020

Tags:   Alabama HIlls California Eastern Sierra Inyo County Lone Pine Peak Mobius Arch Mount Whitney Mt Whitney Owens Valley Sierra Nevada Sierras USA United States alpenglow arch landscape morning mountain non-orientable

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Bajada Loop, Saguaro National Park, Arizona

What surprised me during my first visit to the Sonoran desert in southern Arizona was how green it was compared to the Mojave desert in southern California.

Here on the left are the iconic saguaro cacti, found only in the Sonoran desert. Most of these are relatively mature saguaros with arms, although there is short, armless younger saguaro in the foreground.

An ocotillo (pronounced o-kuh-TEE-yo) dominates the center with its slender, whiplike, thorny branches. Whenever it rains enough, the ocotillos grow small leaves and red flowers, both of which then drop off as the memory of that rain fades. An ocotillo can go through several of these deciduous cycles during a year, depending on rain patterns.

Smaller cacti in this image include prickly pear with their flat round, thorny pads and buckthorn cholla (pronounced CHOY-yuh) with their cylindical thorny segments.

Tags:   Arizona Carnegiea gigantea Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa Fouquieria splendens Opuntia Pima County Saguaro Saguaro National Park Saguaro West Sonoran Desert Tucson Mountain District USA United States buckhorn cholla cactus cholla desert landscape national park ocotillo outdoor plant prickly pear sonoran

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Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

I was on my way to somewhere else and running out of daylight, when I paused in this alcove below the rim to catch the glowing sunset light on the high cliffs surrounding Island in the Sky. Candlestick Tower stands by itself in the distance on the upper center right.

Tags:   Candlestick Tower Canyonlands Canyonlands National Park Colorado Plateau Island in the Sky USA United States Utah canyon cliff landscape national park outdoor rim sunset

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Grand Canyon, Arizona

Morning light falls on a portion of the canyon known as the Tonto platform, just above the inner gorge. A tiny portion of the Colorado River is visible in the upper center right of the photo.

Tags:   Arizona Colorado Plateau Colorado River Grand Canyon Grand Canyon National Park South Rim USA United States Yaki Point canyon landscape national park park rim river summer

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Grand Canyon, Arizona

Sunrise over the canyon, moments before the sun itself puts in an appearance.

Explored August 14, 2022

Tags:   Arizona Colorado Plateau Grand Canyon Grand Canyon National Park Mather Point South Rim Temple of Vishnu USA United States Vishnu Temple Wotan's Throne canyon dawn landscape national park park rim summer sunrise

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