Kristen Westlake Nature and Wildlife Photography

Angel

2012-09-25T07:50:00.001-07:00

Angel
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Abstract Images - shape and texture are the subjects

2011-12-16T16:58:00.001-08:00

Rather than words such as winter or summer, abstract images challenge the spaces in the mind that tangle with the heart. Ethereal imagery defies the dictionary definition of what is and enters into its own realm of what is not. The dreamy scenes transcend the world of logic and entice, tease, and beckon with their awe and mystique. We can't stop to go, we can't ponder quickly and pass. Cloaked in gentle frailty of that which it is not, the abstract boldly entertains - - reminding the viewer of something somewhere ... Always on the tip of the tongue with no where to go..

Owl Print Special featuring snowy owls, great horned owls and short eared owls. Get 8x10 inch and 16x20 inch prints on photo luster paper at reduced prices

2011-11-29T13:36:00.000-08:00

Please Select Number of Prints Below

Place Image Choices Below (please list prints by their numbers)

All Images are created with a black border so that the image size is exact. Exact size of 8x10 or 16x20 is the image plus its black border. Images are intended to be framed with the black borders showing.

60
Snowy Owl

61
Snowy Owl in Flight

62
Male Snowy Owl Landing in tree

63
Snowy Owl Taking Off

64
Snowy Owl in Flight

65
Short Eared Owl in Foliage

66
Short Eared Owl Abstract

67
Short Eared Owl on Wildlife Refuge sign

68
Snowy Owl on Muskrat House - Horicon Marsh

69
Great Horned Owl in Nest with young

70
Male Snowy Owl

Below are the rest of the images that belong to this special promotion ..

1
Winters Ice on Lake Geneva

2
Winters Ice on Lake Geneva

4
Coyote

8
Coyote

10
Lake Superior Shoreline

11
Seasons

18
Bald Eagle landing on Ice - Mississippi River

19
Lake Geneva

20
Winter Peace

21
Seasons

22
Waterfall

23
Winter Pheasant

24
Lake Geneva

25
Lake Geneva

26
Trees and Snow - Abstract

27
Male Cardinal

28
Levis Mounds

29
Lake Geneva Ice

31
Winter Wonderland - Multiple Exposure Scene 2

32
Pheasant

33
Woods and Snow - Multiple Exposure Scene1

35
Winter Farm

36
Layers - Multiple Exposure

37
Barn and Silo in Snow - Multiple Exposure

38
Lake Geneva

39
Yellowstone Bobcat

39
Corn Field in Snow - Multiple Exposure

40
Trumpeter Swans

41
Snow and Sumac - Multiple Exposure

42
Seasons

43
Seasons

44
Pheasant

45
Pheasant

46
Frost Sunrise Badlands

47
Badlands Winter

48
Bison Portrait in the Snow 2

49
Bison Portrait in the Snow 1

50
Yellowstone Mammoth Falls

51
Pronghorn running the range

52
Badlands Winter Sunrise

Special Prices on Nature Photo Luster Prints Today through December 5

2011-11-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

Please Select Number of Prints Below

Place Image Choices Below (please list the numbers of the prints)

1
Winters Ice on Lake Geneva

2
Winters Ice on Lake Geneva

4
Coyote

8
Coyote

10
Lake Superior Shoreline

11
Seasons

18
Bald Eagle landing on Ice - Mississippi River

19
Lake Geneva

20
Winter Peace

21
Seasons

22
Waterfall

23
Winter Pheasant

24
Lake Geneva

25
Lake Geneva

26
Trees and Snow - Abstract

27
Male Cardinal

28
Levis Mounds

29
Lake Geneva Ice

31
Winter Wonderland - Multiple Exposure Scene 2

32
Pheasant

33
Woods and Snow - Multiple Exposure Scene1

35
Winter Farm

36
Layers - Multiple Exposure

37
Barn and Silo in Snow - Multiple Exposure

38
Lake Geneva

39
Yellowstone Bobcat

39
Corn Field in Snow - Multiple Exposure

40
Trumpeter Swans

41
Snow and Sumac - Multiple Exposure

42
Seasons

43
Seasons

44
Pheasant

45
Pheasant

46
Frost Sunrise Badlands

47
Badlands Winter

48
Bison Portrait in the Snow 2

49
Bison Portrait in the Snow 1

50
Yellowstone Mammoth Falls

51
Pronghorn running the range

52
Badlands Winter Sunrise

Test

2011-11-29T10:56:00.001-08:00

Special Prices on Nature Photo Luster Prints Today through December 1

2011-11-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Coronado

2011-01-15T11:31:00.003-08:00

Coronado
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado

2011-01-15T11:31:00.001-08:00

Coronado
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado

2011-01-15T11:30:00.001-08:00

Coronado
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net

2011-01-15T09:35:00.005-08:00

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net

2011-01-15T09:35:00.003-08:00

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net

2011-01-15T09:35:00.001-08:00

Coronado. http://www.kristenwestlake.net
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Coronado

2011-01-15T09:11:00.001-08:00

Coronado
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Test

2011-01-15T09:05:00.003-08:00

Test
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Test

2011-01-15T09:05:00.001-08:00

Test
Originally uploaded by westlake_wildlife_photography

Kristen Westlake
Wildlife and Landscape Photography
www.Kristenwestlake.com
Blog: www.Kristenwestlake.net

Unique Wedding Gifts & Registry

2010-01-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

When a bride and groom register for wedding gifts there are large number of stores that they can register with. Those looking to buy a gift for a soon to be married couple will find that the majority of the gifts a couple is asking for are your standard run of the mill items. Everything from toasters, to trashcans, and even furniture frequently appear on registry lists. While every couple appreciated the gifts they receive it's always nice to surprise a couple with something they didn't quite expect. It is the gifts that a couple doesn't see coming that they become most fond of. Appliances and general household items are easy but a gift that's heartfelt goes a lot further in terms of memories, surprise, and appeasement.

Give the gift that will last a lifetime, fine art for your home.

These days it's not uncommon for couples to register with multiple stores and many, in order to help friends and family choose more meaningful gifts have begun registering with art vendors of all types. Perhaps the most popular however are those vendors who sell nature images for the home. Images of nature add personality and atmosphere to the rooms they are placed in and help liven any room they're found in. As the popularity of nature photography and imagery continues to grow more and more vendors allow couples to register with them via the Internet.

View the Kristen Westlake Fine Art Photography Gallery

A great many of these vendors don't simply offer animal or landscape images for a home but rather offer those in addition to many other types. Couples who are looking to register with such a vendor should spend a bit of time on the site of interest in order to determine if a specific vendor carries or produces they types of nature photography they want. If they look hard enough online couples will find that vendors often offer nature photographs that range from the abstract to panorama's, and even wildlife. Registering with Kristen Westlake Photography offers many different types of art prints will give their friends and family a bigger list to choose from.

Kristen Westlake has many fine prints to choose from, finding the right gift is easy.

Those buying gifts will find these sites useful and the art prints enchanting. In fact many of the people who buy nature photography for a couples home end up returning at a later time to buy prints for their home as well. If you or someone you know will be buying a wedding gift consider going a different route and buying a gift that they don't expect. If you are a couple registering for wedding gifts consider registering with an online vendor who sells nature prints for homes.

Ready to Get Started?? Register for your Wedding Today!

New Images Today – Southern CA Beachfront

2009-11-11T02:22:00.000-08:00

No, I am not yet in So Cal but just went through some of the images I had not yet worked on when I was there in January! .. So far behind in some of the image culling and processing which is the bad news.. The GOOD news is that there are LOTS of images that have not yet been worked on or published from many trips and many months! ! so don’t stop checking in on me!

Please click my images to go to my website and read more about them and to buy them!

Coastal_Sunset-6821
I caught the sunset north of Malibu and El Matador as I drove up the 1 to explore the beach front. The rocks here with the cormorants were amazing as I softened the water with a slow shutter speed. This image is composited which is something I normally do not do a lot of. I combined two images to get the effect you see here.


shorebird_dream-1277 A softly blurred image on top of a sharp image created this effect with the shorebird. The colors and the lines in the waves were what drew my attention to the peice but the shorebird is what gives strength to the composition.

Woodstock Illinois art Exhibition

2009-11-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

Send free ecards with your own personalized message

2009-10-16T10:52:00.001-07:00

Select and download these free ecards to personalize and send to your
friends and family.

To PERSONALIZE, Simply replace the text you see in the highlighted
area and save your changes.

To SEND your ecard go to FILE - ATTACH to Email - and send! http://www.wisconsinphotos.com/ecards/

Sending 4 photos using ePhotos!

2009-10-12T09:19:00.001-07:00

I just spent four days in the north woods of WI and MIchigan's Upper
Peninsula. The trip turned out to be shorter than originally planned
due to a situation that I needed to return for.
However, as always I take advantage of my halfway point, Levis Mounds,
near Hatfield to take a running break. Yesterday was a hike rather
than a run, and as usual I got lost in the trails.

I used my Trails app on the iPhone which helped me dramatically as I
seem to be "directionally challenged" LOL. The app helped me to
literally see the track from which I had come. I compared that to the
trail maps that appear along the single track every now and then.
There are still however many tracks that come out of nowhere and do
not appear on the map markers on the trail.
My biggest issue was in finding "Dead Turkey" trail which was
"scheduled" to jut out from "Lower Glen". But trails do not always fit
into one another as neatly as a trail runner might like. They are
indeed "put here" for adventurous spirits and I, being of adventurous
heart finally found good ole DT after doing a few back and forths on
"Swampcut", carefully scrutinizing the trail map I found to recognize
that DT was not to be found neatly marked as it appeared on the map.
An unmarked trail jutted to the left off of Lower Glen took me to an
opening and there was Dead Turkey. There was also Lowere Hermosa and
as near as I can figure, somehow I wound up on that trail instead of
DT. As I made my way to the next opening where multiple trails
converged once again the map made no sense. I was supposed to be to
the left of where I was and further south. I took the trail that led
me in the south and to the left direction and saw Dead Turkey, where I
would have come out to meet "Toad Road" and the rest of the hike is
historically correct.
If you look at the trail here on EVERYTRAIL you can click to see my
actual trek, even the slightly embarrassing back and forths I did on
"Swampgrass" to find "Dead Turkey" which I unknowingly did not even
take! LOL ... Maybe someone came in and changed the trail markers?!

<a href="http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=387146">Levis
at EveryTrail</a><br><iframe src="http://www.everytrail.com/iframe2.php?trip_id=387146&width=415&height=300
" marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 frameborder=0 scrolling=no width=415
height=300></iframe><br>Map created by EveryTrail: <a href="http://www.everytrail.com
">Share GPS Tracks</a>

newest images from Badlands National Park

2009-09-30T09:58:00.001-07:00

The experiences are what create my images. Like a child being born, the nurturing of the resulting infant or image is vital.

I am in the infancy stages of working the art from my most recent trip west. Starting and ending my photographic journey in the Badlands I covered 7000 miles in just under four weeks.

Traveling through many of our national parks I experienced the joys of exploring our Best American idea first hand! Stay tuned for more images! I create them as huge canvases and they are available to you as special limited edition pieces.

Kristen Westlake
Nature and Wildlife Photography on Canvas
WEBSITE: http://www.Kristenwestlake.com
PHONE: (262) 374-0869
EMAIL: kristenwestlake2@gmail.com

Rocky Mountain National Park

2009-09-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

> The next day however made Ridge Road and me great friends. The sunny
> morning gave way to moody storm clouds and gave me brilliant
> photography as I made my way back to the East side of the park and
> observed what I was unable to see the night before.
> Of course I must hike or run in every place that I make images.
> Whether I am making images from the hike itself or simply
> experiencing Nature as she is it seems essential to me anymore to
> immerse myself in the knowledge of the land. Ute Trail was
> recommended to me by a volunteer at the visitor center.
> I had become quite accustomed to the high altitude of over 2 miles
> up and really revel in that thin air! Workouts are better and I can
> breathe so easy! So many have difficulties up here so I swear on the
> possibility of having been a mountain goat in a previous life! LOL..
> You can see by the GPS route that I was at around 2 miles altitude
> and you can also see the tell tale signs of where and when I went
> off course and did my own trail blazing.
>

Great Sand Dunes National Park

2009-09-07T07:37:00.001-07:00

Sept 6 - Great Sands National Park Evening Photo shoot

The light was extremely dramatic on the drive over to this wonderful park. A rainbow blessed my drive into the park and for just a few moments even treated me to a double rainbow!

I arrived just in time for the dramatic light on the dunes and on the distant mountains. There were quite a few people on the dunes but they faded away just before the best light show of the evening... Of course they leave when the sun sets and I hang out for the afterglow.
The only problem with that is that it is quite easy to turn around to come back to the dunes parking lot and not be able to find it! Darkness sets in and the vastness of the dunes, though I had not wandered in all that far, makes it nearly impossible! Luckily I did spot someone with a very white shirt who had a flashlight and I followed him directly back.

The moon gave me a constant show through a pitch black night as I wandered with my Honda up to a little town called Salita for the night.

Kristen Westlake
Nature and Wildlife Photography on Canvas
WEBSITE: http://www.Kristenwestlake.com
PHONE: (262) 374-0869
EMAIL: kristenwestlake2@gmail.com

hiking the Continental Divide trail

2009-09-07T07:33:00.001-07:00

Sept 6 Hiking a part of the Continental Divide Trail

I got out of Durango and finally into really beautiful mountain regions of Colorado.
Though several times I have driven by areas that crossed the Continental Divide I had not seen the trail that extends from the North Region of Montana in Glacier National Park to Mexico. Today I did. So I hit the trail for just a 6 mile hike up to Alberta Peak. I imagined myself through hiking the entire 3600 miles and wondered what that might be like with a huge pack on my back and getting through some of these narrow single track that edged the side of the mountain that I was on.
It was breathtakingly beautiful and I could hear a thunderstorm brewing in the distance. If I had been at home it might have been more cause for alarm to get back to the trail head. Here everything is so huge that I could see and hear the storm from my vantage point and it was really quite far away.
Pictures here from the trail and from where I sat at Alberta Point.

Kristen Westlake
Nature and Wildlife Photography on Canvas
WEBSITE: http://www.Kristenwestlake.com
PHONE: (262) 374-0869
EMAIL: kristenwestlake2@gmail.com

Monument Valley Sept 4

2009-09-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Later that day I made my way down to Monument Valley and stayed in a
little town called Bluff. Storms were moving in which gave much drama
to the monuments landscape.

Sept 4 Canyonlands

2009-09-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

While Arches was a neat park I find a bit more solitude to be
preferable when I am composing pictures. Getting off the beaten path
heightens the atmosphere for creativity and bond with the land.
All the hiking I am doing makes me a part of rather than separate from
my subjects.
This morning I met the canyon for a pre-dawn display and watched as
the canyon bloomed with color as the sun peaked up and over the first
cliff.
A challenging hike called Wihite Trail took me down inside the canyon.
It was hot and I was really really solo on this trek. I wondered how
many, if any, hike this each day. The cairns were there but I really
had to look for them. The trail was sometimes but not often visible as
I made my way down the rocky edge of the canyon, looking always for
the next cairn.
I loved the challenge and had enough water but often wondered if I
should really be doing this alone. ... I am glad I did.

Arches National Park Sept 2

2009-09-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

I got here early afternoon and went first to Delicate Arch. I loved
the 1.5 mile climb up the slick rock. It's exhilarating and a great
workout!
For me, Arches is full of too many people.. but I love the slick rock
climbs!

Sept 1 - Bryce Canyon

2009-09-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sept 1 - Bryce Canyon

I most often enjoy getting into the land in order to really experience
the art of making images. My 8 mile hike took me into this eye candy
world where I felt sheer bliss. The colors, shapes and formations were
amazing in every direction, changing 360 degrees with every step I
took. I was constantly looking in all directions as well as behind me,
seeing images and art everywhere.

August 31

2009-09-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

August 31 - Sunday

I dropped Kimberli off at the Salt Lake City Airport early in the
morning. We stayed with my High School Track and CC coaches in SLC the
night before. I returned back and enjoyed the morning hiking with
SarAndyand catching up. It was great to see Sarah and Bill. They were
the biggest influences on me at Wayland Academy and kindled my love
for running, trails which has lead into who I am today and how I live
life in the moment!

Off I went after lunch onwards to Bryce Canyon where I stayed.

Kristen Westlake
Nature and Wildlife Photography on Canvas
WEBSITE: http://www.Kristenwestlake.com
PHONE: (262) 374-0869
EMAIL: kristenwestlake2@gmail.com

August 29, Saturday Tetons

2009-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

August 29, Saturday Tetons

Today was an exciting one. Along our 14 - 15 mile hike between Teton
Mountains we were surrounded by beauty and encountered several bull
moose!

Kimberli spotted the first one by his huge rack as he laid in the
grasses sleeping. He was acting similar to the mountain goat I
photographed in Glacier - nodding off and trying so hard to stay
awake. We stayed for about an hour and a half watching and hoping that
with every move he made that perhaps he would stand up. We had a long
trek ahead of us and were debating leaving and checking on Mr. Moose
on the return ( it looked as if he was planted in slumberland for the
day). Suddenly he was up! .. so we photographed and were amazed at the
grandeur of this beautiful creature.

We made it up with an elevation gain of 2300 feet. I revel in the
higher altitudes. The first day in Montana Mountains gave me a
headache as I adjusted but I get a high from running at altitude and
hiking in it. Anyway, we made it to the lake at the end and sat on a
rock for some grub. We didn't have much food left so we brought mozz
cheese sticks and I think we had a little peanut butter and carrots.
It was food and that was all that mattered.

We made it down and encountered two bull moose. One was the big boy
from the morning and the other was a new one, pictured here. The high
of the day! We watched his behavior and were able to get about 20 feet
from him as he blissed out eating grasses, ignoring us. I wouldn't
recommend getting that close - you have to really know how to read
animal behavior, warning signs, etc..

The end of the day celebrated at the Jackson Lodge near our
campground. We love the hummus plate and I love their chardonnay!

August 26 Yellowstone

2009-09-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

August 26 Yellowstone

We entered Yellowstone through the North and began in Mammoth Hot
Springs. The photos I made look as if there is snow behind the trees
but in fact it hotter than you would care to know!

We were hoping to see wolves but never heard or saw a single one. We
camped in a small campground called Slough Creek. I went for a great
8.5 mile run along a back country trail. I made a lot of noise along
the way to alert the bears and not surprise them. Their surprise to a
small human must be akin to a human's surprise when encountering a
snake. Of course its not scary but its startling! Along the trail I
met a group of people doing a back country hike/camp with lamas
carrying their gear. Kip let me take his picture with his lamas. He
comes here in the summers from Bozman for this great summer job.
And away I went back to my run.

So we didn't encounter any wolves but the bison were phenomenal! I
felt Yellowstone to be more touristy after being in Glacier which was
hiker's paradise ... but the bison made it so worth it. Here you don't
have to go far for pictures where as in Glacier a day's hike is where
the photography gems are (same with the Tetons and Bryce so far .. you
can see I am writing backwards from Bryce to catch up!).
So the bison... the cows are in estrus and the bulls are fully aware..
Need I say more? They are so intent on the cows that I could get out
and walk amongst them. Well, I did so to photograph them as they made
their trek up towards the road and then along the road and to the
other side.
The bulls kick dirt up often and then roll and roll. The image here
depicts this bull content as can be.. legs up, eyes closed... he
actually looked cute and cuddly, though I am sure that is not so much
the case.

Grizzly bear on Swiftcurrent Trail Glacier National Park

2009-09-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

When I posted my blog on August 23 I had not yet gotten to my images.
Here is the grizzly bear we saw along the way, blissfully eating grass
and huckleberries!

August 23, Monday

2009-08-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

After camping last night at St Mary's where we thought the wind was
going to blow our tent away, we woke up and got on the road to hike at
Many Glacier.

We took the Swiftcurrent Trail, which was very much bear country. We
were not disappointed when some hikers coming towards us told us that
there was a grizzly bear ahead. A ranger was up ahead on the trail and
the bear was gone but we scampered up the switchback trail to a spot
that was higher. There he was, peaceful as could be, munching out on
grass and huckleberries. This huge animal had no interest in anything
other than eating his vegetation. We were about 200 yards from him,
too far for any good photo opportunities, but close enough to observe
his beauty and power.

On the way back to home base (we picked a campsite in Many Glacier) we
paused at the river along the end of a waterfall and sat for awhile. I
did a tabata workout, using all the rocks to train with. Kimberli
meditated and did some yoga. There is no feeling of rush or hurry ...
no point A or B , just wherever the road wants to take us...
More great fruit along the journey...

August 23 Sunday

2009-08-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

After a blissful night of sleep under a big cedar tree we drove along
"Going to the Sun" Road to get to the trail head at Hidden Lake. The
view was spectacular as it winded and zigged along the mountain side.

Our first gift of the day was a mountain goat mama with her baby along
Going to the Sun Road. She was one of many that we saw. I fell in
love with mountain goats here. The babies are absolutely darling - one
mama we saw along the way had twins and they let us get quite close to
them. One goat was on a cliff trying so hard to keep himself awake but
kept nodding off. It was the cutest thing ... do I have pictures? you
bet! The yawning was adorable as well. The mama with the twins got up
and walked right over to where I was , in the bushes now (after all
they do have horns), and just looked into my eyes calmly, connecting.
Marmots and babies are so chunky and cute. They ran through the
wildflowers, which lace the mountainside here. One again, came right
up under me and just looked up at me with a blade of grass in his
little mouth.

Another steep up and down, switchback hike. Hiking here with the sun
on your cheeks and the wind in your hair is bliss. Though its crazy
how the temperatures change from feeling brutally hot to brutally cold
depending upon where you are on your climb or descent.
That cold/hot gave both Kimberly and I brutal headaches afterwards. I
was sound asleep early and raring to go again the next day.

Glacier National Park Aug 22

2009-08-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 21 - Tuesday August 25

We are just now back into cell phone range after spending Friday -
this morning (Tuesday) in Glacier National Park. One could easily
spend a decade here and never really see the whole place. The trail
system here really allows a person to be in touch with nature, to sink
herself into the earth and be at peace with the land and with oneself.

We got into the East side of Glacier late afternoon and continued a
drive that took us along the southern border of the park and up into
the west entrance. We camped our first night at Sprague Creek
campground. The whole time here was filled with one wonderful unknown
becoming known after another.

So Saturday we hiked Avalanche Creek Trail to the lake. The adventure
began where we left the end of the trail. We met Rob and his 10 year
old son Kegan in a remote spot along the lake and chatted a bit. We
could see Sperry Falls in the distance and Rob made a comment about
having tried one year to get to them but could never find his way in.
Rob has been coming to Glacier for 35 years, as old as he is, and we
knew he might be a good person to adventure with. Kegan, his 10 year
old son, was a great sport having hiked 14 miles at a time with no
complaining - a kid being indoctrinated to nature from birth. :)
So ... off we went, past the sign that said, "End of Trail" to blaze
our own. Four people, common goal of reaching the falls through the
bush, different reasons for doing it.

It was a great journey of freedom, feeling every core of my body, mind
and spirit nourished and void of the restlessness that I had been
feeling being in one place for too long. I was alive and back home,
immersed in nature, and amongst new friends that will always be close
with this shared adventure.
We made our way to a spot part ways up the waterfall where our own
trail left us. The four of us determined from where we were now that
there was a pool up the falls a bit. Little is one able to comprehend
distance perspective to the top while standing at a 60 - 70 degree
angle. Up we hiked, then we crawled and scrambled using both hands to
grab and pull and legs to push up the rocky mountain side.
Rob checked out a few places where we might reach the pool, but there
was so much brush in the way that it was not going to be navigable. We
shimmied up some rocky spots that were a bit harrowing if you thought
about it too long, so I didn't. I just concentrated on my foot and
hand placement, where I was going to put the next foot and hand
placements and on trying to not knock down loose rock on my companions
following me ..
We had lunch on a grassy ledge where Rob took out his camp stove and
shared his ration with his two extra visitors. We ate a hot lunch of
alfredo, sardines and fresh picked huckleberries atop the knoll and
reveled in knowing that not many had been here before.
Kegan asked me if Kimberly and I would have made this trek if we had
not met them. I said we wouldn't have. I asked him the same, "Would
you and Rob have done this adventure if you hadn't met us?" He said no
as well. I love how nature brings people together.
The night of sleep was pleasant with the fruit of the day's journey...

Glacier National Park

2009-08-25T11:39:00.001-07:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxG3NwblcRk

Kristen Westlake
Nature and Wildlife Photography on Canvas
WEBSITE: http://www.Kristenwestlake.com
PHONE: (262) 374-0869
EMAIL: kristenwestlake2@gmail.com

Big Sky Country

2009-08-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Test

2009-08-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Day 3 - Badlands

2009-08-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Badlands

We drove about 10 hours out of Minneapolis and across Minnesota which
became really flat, really fast! And we drove and we sang at the top
of our lungs, laughed a lot, chatted up a storm as well! We stopped
long enough to take a few snap shots, as posted, along the long drive.

Scattered heavy rainstorms pummeled us from time to time and the sky
opened up to show it's magic and drama. By the time we arrived at the
Badlands it downpoured and then as we drove the magic show of light
began again.

I got out to roam and feel the colors, texture and spirit of the
land .... And soon the camera became my paint brush, and I expressed
nature flowing through me .

I'm looking forward of coarse to the production of these images and
most will wait for viewing until I return to home base. I'm on the road!

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2009-08-14T12:15:00.001-07:00

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Snowy Owl

2009-08-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

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2009-08-14T12:07:00.001-07:00

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test four

2009-08-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

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2009-08-14T12:04:00.001-07:00

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Woodstock Show

2009-08-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Male Cardinal Fine Art Image

2009-08-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

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