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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 19h

A musher and dog team on the frozen Tanana River at sunset, at 3 pm in early February. The mist surrounding them is their breath rising in the -40°F air.

#Alaska #sunset #winter

A musher and dog team move across a frozen river at sunset, silhouetted against a glowing orange and yellow sky. Mist rises around them in the extreme cold, softening the outlines of the distant trees. Another person walks nearby on the snow-covered riverbank. The sunlight reflects faintly off the snowy surface.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 1d

A spiral-shaped aurora over snow-covered spruce trees in Fairbanks, Alaska, in January. This one seemed to stay motionless for several minutes.
More aurora photos in my portfolio:
photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Im...

#alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights #aurora

A night scene in Fairbanks, Alaska, showing a bright green aurora forming a wide spiral across the sky above tall, snow-covered spruce trees. The aurora’s glow dominates the upper part of the image, blending from deep to light green, while the stars, including the Big Dipper, are faintly visible in the clear winter sky.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 2d

Rugged terrain and a hanging glacier near Peak 8100 above College Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range.
More from this area in my Alaska Hiking Guide:
www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#alaska #hiking #glacier

A rugged mountain face in the Eastern Alaska Range with dark, rocky slopes streaked with snow. Near the center, a hanging glacier clings to the cliffs, its lower edge broken into deep crevasses and jagged blue ice. Above, sharp peaks rise into a partly cloudy sky.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 3d

Methane bubbles frozen in the ice on Smith Lake in Fairbanks, Alaska, taken in late October. Part of my Water and Ice series exploring the forms and transformations of water in Alaska’s landscapes: photos.lwpetersen.com/Blogs/Lwpete...

#alaska #ice #water #nature #abstract

Black-and-white photo of methane bubbles trapped under the surface of a frozen lake. Layers of circular and oval bubbles overlap and cluster together in intricate patterns, with one large central group surrounded by smaller rings and chains of bubbles. The dark ice provides a stark background that highlights the pale, translucent shapes.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 4d

I’ve been creating a dedicated page for Alaska Wildflowers, featuring photos, identification details, taxonomy notes, plant uses, and habitat information. It already includes dozens of species, each with its own page and gallery.

Explore the collection here: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildf...

Alaska Wildflower Guide with Photos

Alaska wildflower guide with many photos and galleries with identifying information, nomenclature and taxonomy, uses, and links to more references.

www.lwpetersen.com

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 4d

Common fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) is one of Alaska’s most recognizable summer wildflowers.

#Alaska #wildflowers #bloomscrolling #botany #photography

Close-up of bright magenta-pink fireweed flowers in full bloom. The image focuses on several blossoms and buds on a single stem against a blurred green background, revealing details of the petals, stamens, and curled pistils.

A field of fireweed in soft focus, showing tall, slender stalks topped with clusters of pinkish-purple flowers. The foreground plants are in sharper focus, while the dense field of blossoms fades into a pastel blur in the distance.

Dense field of blooming fireweed with hundreds of vertical stems covered in pink flowers. The entire frame is filled with blossoms in various stages of bloom, creating a textured gradient of pinks and greens throughout the image.

Three tall fireweed stalks in sharp focus rise from a sea of pink blossoms. Each stem shows alternating buds and open flowers, with narrow green leaves along the stems and a soft, green-and-pink bokeh background.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 5d

An early June snowfall along the Summit Trail near Wickersham Dome in the White Mountains National Recreation Area.

photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Im...

#alaska #hiking #snow #landscape

Snow-covered spruce trees and tundra under a partly cloudy sky near Wickersham Dome in Alaska’s White Mountains National Recreation Area. The scene shows a light early-summer snowfall, with patches of snow on the ground and distant mountains visible beneath a mix of dark and bright clouds.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 6d

Fiery winter sunset over a spruce forest in Fairbanks, Alaska.
In my gallery: photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Im...

#sunset #alaska #photography

Dark silhouettes of tall spruce trees stand against a vivid winter sunset in Fairbanks, Alaska. The sky is filled with glowing orange and yellow clouds, with streaks of deep purple and patches of blue breaking through, creating a fiery contrast above the snowy forest below.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 7d

Sea stacks rising from Spire Cove in Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska, on a misty day with low clouds moving through the fjords.

Prints available here: photos.lwpetersen.com/Date/2025/Se...

#alaska #landscapephotography #nature

A rugged sea stack rises steeply from turquoise water in Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska. The rock formation is topped with tall evergreen trees, while its base is fringed with golden-brown seaweed. Behind it, the bay is shrouded in fog, with forested cliffs and mountains fading into mist. The water in the foreground is rippled and reflects a muted teal under the overcast sky.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 9d

Aurora over Smith Lake (Athabascan: Tr'exwghodegi Troth Yeddha' Bena') in Fairbanks tonight at 10:30 pm. I had to sprint to get there before they faded, running through knee-deep water along the way. Worth it, even at 28°F (-2°C).

#Alaska #auroraborealis #northernlights

The aurora borealis glows in bands of green with faint pink edges over Smith Lake in Fairbanks, Alaska. The lights stretch across the dark sky and reflect on the calm surface of the lake. The foreground is mostly in shadow, with silhouettes of grasses and a spruce tree to the right.

A curtain-like band of green aurora with streaks of pink rises across the night sky, reflected in the still waters of Smith Lake. A spruce tree on the right edge of the frame reaches into the sky, balancing the composition against the low horizon of black spruce forest.

Bright green aurora arcs across the sky over Smith Lake, with hints of pink along its lower edge. The reflection shimmers in the dark water, with foreground grasses visible in silhouette. A faint red light from a distant hill glows on the horizon beneath the aurora.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 9d

A few cool moulins this summer on the Gulkana Glacier and on the College Glacier, both in the Eastern Alaska Range.

Gulkana: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

College: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#Alaska #hiking #glacier

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 9d

The alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis asiatica), Alaska’s state flower, blooming along the Harding Icefield Trail in Kenai Fjords National Park.

Flower info: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-wildf...

Trail info: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#alaska #bloomscrolling #wildflower #hiking

Close-up of a cluster of alpine forget-me-not flowers (Myosotis asiatica) with vivid blue petals and yellow centers, each bloom about the size of a fingernail. Tiny droplets of water rest on the petals and nearby green leaves, suggesting recent rain. The background is a blur of green foliage, keeping focus on the delicate flowers in the center.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 10d

Frost on glass.

Prints and wall art available here:
photos.lwpetersen.com/Macro/Macro-...

#photography #alaska #macrophotography #frost #snowflake

Close-up macro photograph of frost crystals forming on glass. The ice has grown into intricate hexagonal plates, layered and stacked with sharp geometric edges. The background is softly blurred, emphasizing the clarity and detail of the crystal structures.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 10d

Here’s a second set of photos from my 2026 Alaska Wall Calendar:
– The Asgard Tor in the White Mountains
– A red fox in Fairbanks
– Inside an ice cave at Canwell Glacier
– Aurora above the forest in midwinter

More about the calendar and photos here:
www.lwpetersen.com/featured/202...

A massive granite tor stands on a ridge in the White Mountains. Sunlight breaks briefly through the clouds, highlighting the rock before rain showers return.

A red fox stands alert at the edge of a boreal forest near Fairbanks, Alaska. Its fur is full and reddish-brown, and it gazes forward with pointed ears and bushy tail visible.

Inside a glacier cave formed in the moraine of the Canwell Glacier, the walls glow blue and green where sunlight filters through the ice. Water drips at the entrance, and the sculpted ice walls curve overhead.

Green curtains of aurora borealis stretch across a dark winter sky. Snow-covered spruce trees stand silhouetted in the foreground near Fairbanks, Alaska.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 11d

Or you can preview all the photos and order prints on my site:
www.lwpetersen.com/featured/202...

2026 Alaska Wall Calendar - Lee Petersen

The 2026 Alaska Wall Calendar features photographs by Lee Petersen, showcasing glaciers, aurora borealis, wildlife, and landscapes from across Alaska. Each month highlights a different scene, from Den...

www.lwpetersen.com

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 11d

My 2026 Alaska Wall Calendar is here!
Glaciers, aurora, wildlife, and landscapes from across Alaska — 14 of my favorite images from the past few years.

Order the calendar directly here:
www.lulu.com/shop/lee-pet...

#Alaska #photography #aurora #glacier #wildlife

A late-season storm left spruce trees along the Summit Trail blanketed in snow, with Wickersham Dome rising in the background of the White Mountain National Recreation Area

Bright green aurora borealis arching above the treeline and reflecting in Ballaine Lake, Fairbanks, Alaska.

A pair of sea otters float close together in the calm, glacially fed waters of Port Valdez, Alaska.

Autumn colors surround a small pond in the backcountry of Denali National Park, seen along a hike from Igloo Creek toward the Teklanika River drainage

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 12d

Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier. Four views of late summer ice — from the icefall itself to moulins and crevasses.

Full blog post with more images:
www.lwpetersen.com/photo-blog/l...

#alaska #glacier #mountains #photography #hiking

Jagged ridge of dark rock rises steeply under a blue sky with low clouds. Below the cliffs, the Gabriel Icefall flows diagonally across the frame, a broken river of white and blue ice with deep crevasses and pinnacles.

A person in a bright green jacket, red backpack, and teal hat steps across a narrow crevasse in glacier ice. The ice is gray-white with cracks running through it, and the background shows a wide glacier stretching toward dark, cloud-covered mountains.

A vertical shaft carved into glacier ice, glowing vivid blue inside. The walls are smooth and curved, narrowing to a dark, water-filled hole at the bottom where meltwater disappears into the glacier. The ice surface around the opening is pale white with scattered grit.

$A dense jumble of glacier ice with ridges, crevasses, and pinnacles. The ice glows in shades of blue and white, with darker streaks of embedded rock and sediment. The fractured surface shows sharp textures and vertical walls of ice.$

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 13d

I’ve started a new late-summer photo series. From quiet forests and mushrooms close to home, to long glacier hikes with my best friend — these posts reflect some of my favorite moments outdoors this season.
👉 lwpetersen.substack.com/p/new-photo-...

#alaska #hiking #glacier #macrophotography

Selfie of two hikers standing on rocky ground beside the Gulkana Glacier in Alaska. The man on the left wears a bright orange cap, black jacket, and backpack with camera gear attached. The woman on the right wears a green jacket, blue knit hat, and glasses, smiling at the camera. Behind them, the glacier stretches across the valley, with dark, steep mountain slopes rising on both sides under a cloudy gray sky.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 13d

Long exposure of Falls Creek in Turnagain Arm, Anchorage, Alaska. The stream cuts through moss-covered rocks, framed by autumn leaves.

Prints, Wall Art, and Digital Downloads in my portfolio gallery:
photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Im...

#alaska #hiking #fall #waterfall #autumn

A narrow cascade of water flows down moss-covered rocks in a shaded forested ravine. The long exposure creates a silky, white blur of the water as it descends over several short drops. Bright green moss covers the boulders on both sides of the stream, contrasting with the yellow autumn leaves scattered across the rocks and ground. Thin brown branches and dried grasses frame the upper part of the image.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 14d

Brown bear sow and cub among the autumn colors in Denali National Park near Igloo Creek a few weeks ago.

#Alaska #wildlife #denali #hiking

Two brown bears in Denali National Park in autumn. The cub in the foreground stands upright on its hind legs among red, yellow, and orange shrubs, while the sow forages on all fours further uphill. Dense fall foliage covers the hillside, with a small green spruce tree visible to the left.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 14d

Patterns in the blue ice of a cave at Canwell Glacier, Alaska Range. Featured in my portfolio here: photos.lwpetersen.com/Portfolio-Images

#Alaska #glacier #ice

Close-up view of the interior wall of a glacier cave, showing smooth, curved blue ice with streaks of trapped sediment and scattered small rocks embedded in the surface. Flecks of white frost and fine air bubbles create a speckled texture across the ice. Light falls unevenly across the wall, leaving the left side darker and the right side brighter, highlighting the sculpted, wave-like forms.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 15d

Moonrise over the Alaska Range in early September, seen near the park headquarters in Denali National Park. A calm evening with autumn colors in the valley below.

My guide to the entrance area trails: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#alaska #autumn #fallcolors #denali

A nearly full moon rising between two mountain peaks in Denali National Park. The sky is dusky blue with scattered purple-gray clouds. The foreground shows dense spruce forest and a band of bright yellow autumn foliage, framed at the edges by silhouetted tree branches.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 16d

Blue sky and rocky slopes in Denali National Park near Igloo Creek and Sable Pass.

#hiking #alaska #denali

A steep, rocky mountain slope rises under a clear blue sky with scattered white clouds in Denali National Park. In the foreground, autumn tundra vegetation shows green, yellow, and orange hues, with a small tree leaning to the right.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 17d

At the glacier's edge - a supraglacial stream at the terminus of College Glacier in the Eastern Alaska Range, with the braided College Creek winding down the valley.

Hiking info in my guide: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#alaska #glacier #hiking

A close-up view of a supraglacial stream at the edge of College Glacier. Meltwater fills bright turquoise pools carved into the white and gray ice, with narrow channels winding through the glacier’s rough surface. Beyond the ice, the braided channels of College Creek stretch across a rocky valley floor, with dark ridges rising into the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

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Lee Petersen @leepetersen.bsky.social · 18d

Hiking up to the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier in the Alaska Range.

Hiking info in my guide: www.lwpetersen.com/alaska-guide...

#Alaska #hiking #glacier

A hiker wearing a green jacket, brown pants, orange crampons, gloves, and a blue hat walks uphill across the gray, debris-streaked surface of the Gulkana Glacier. A large angular boulder rests nearby, surrounded by small rocks and meltwater. In the distance, the glacier stretches toward steep, dark mountains partially obscured by low clouds.

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