Picture Notes

The trek continues. Now in Montana and this was something interesting that I photographed along the way. Like Mt. Rushmore, I didn’t pay to enter the park but I photographed this, unlike Mt. Rushmore which you can’t see unless you pay, at least I don’t think you can. Ok, so everyone is undecided as to how this was created but there are many climbers that are glad that it happened and so am I because I like interesting rock formations that are sticking out of the ground that attract foreign tourists who have loads of cash.  I hope this will be my last cliche that I put up here, but I can’t guarantee it.

It’s where we all begin the hike.

Mt. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine, 1986

When I made this photograph (4×5” sheet film), I thought at the time the light was terrific and I was standing at the perfect spot at the perfect time of day. That’s the west branch of the Penobscot River in the foreground. I was with 9 friends from a summer camp I’d been photographing and we climbed this mountain the next day. On the way to the top there is a sign that reads, “do not hike this trail in bad weather.”

Later I learned that for 300 days out of the year Mt. Katahdin (the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail) is in clouds and rain, that I had had a very lucky day. I also have a color photograph of this scene on istockphoto.com that anyone can buy a digital copy of for a few dollars.

I like this black and white version and wish I still owned that camera.