This image was taken on a frosty early winter day out to go look for some wildlife. Fresh snow had fallen the night prior, so I thought I'd go and see if I could get on the tracks of some critters up in the mountains. I had no luck on that aspect, but I did get this image just before the mid morning fog lifted.
For such a small little state park, Smith Rock certainly packs some punch when it comes tot he WOW factor. From the distance, this unsuspecting area doesn’t look much more than a typical foothill rising up in the grasslands. However, once you gain access into the park, thats when you see how special it really is. This is just one of Oregon’s many tucked away gems that begs to be explored.
Just before heading to bed I received an email alert forecasting aurora activity expected throughout the night. After much debate, I decided to head out in spite of the fact I had to work in the morning. As I left the lights of the city, I knew I made the right choice. The northern lights had fully lit the sky to the north. I was rather unprepared for the event and did not have any ideal locations to capture the full extent of the aurora. By the time I made it to my location, the aurora was lighting up the entire sky in the most brilliant display I have ever experienced. Just before I packed it in for the night I was walking back to my car through a pine forest and took one last look up and was able to capture this image.
