The Host Substrate

“Rocky Ridge BW” - The ruggedness of terrain, particularly in the mountains, is endlessly fascinating due to the multifarious and corrugated features that break up the image. This is a shot of a ridge enroute to the summit of Mt. Langley, in the Sierra Nevada range.

"Striated Hills" - Last Chance mountain range in Death Valley National Park, in first light of the morning.

"St. Helens in Shades" - Mount St. Helens in the glow of first light, overlayed by sheets of morning fog.

"Mt. Langley Peak profile" - Profile of the summit of Mt. Langley, looking below nascent and rapidly forming storm clouds.

“Desiccated Contour” - A windblown and desiccated juniper tree accentuating the arid land in Joshua Tree National Park.

“Blue Shaded Desert” - Cool shades of blue tint the Death Valley sand dunes on a cloudless evening.

"Mountain way" - Closer view of corrugations on the rocky and rugged bluff on Mt. Langley

“Rocky Ridge” - The ruggedness of terrain, particularly in the mountains, is endlessly fascinating due to the multifarious and corrugated features that break up the image. This is a shot of a ridge en route to the summit of Mt. Langley, in the Sierra Nevada range.

“Crimson Falls” - This glancing view of Yosemite’s Horsetail fall on a late February evening shows the waterfalls illuminated red by the setting sun. The color and spray give an appearance of fire falling, which was an actual historical activity at this site, from which the falls derives its namesake.

"The Plunge" - Lower Yosemite falls plunging to its final destination. This intimate view of the waterfalls was accessible by scaling an off-trail ridge along the side wall of the mountain.

“Dune Treader” - A friend blazing a skyward trail up a Death Valley sand dune.

'Cathedral Columns' - Generated by cooling lava, the columnar basalt forms a cathedral like framework for Abiqua Falls in Oregon

Lonely and defoliated juniper tree on Mt. Baldy framed against Catalina Island, peaking out of a carpet of fog, in the backdrop.

"Mountain way" - Rocky and rugged bluff on Mt. Langley, seen to the left of the image, under nascent storm clouds.

'Thunderstorm over the City' - Composite image of a thunderstorm over Portland, Oregon, as seen from a high vantage point from Mt. Hood.

This glancing view of Yosemite’s Horsetail fall on a late February evening shows the spray from the waterfalls rendered incarnadine. The color and spray give an appearance of fire falling, and hence its namesake "Firefalls".

Joshua Trees pointing towards a half moon in the namesake National Park.

'Golden Hour Glacier' - Receded glaciers on the Northwest face of Mt. Hood. Close inspection of these glaciers reveals their nature as ice-rock blende, flowing together.

'Moss and Basalt' - Generated by cooling lava, the columnar basalt undergirds many of the rock structures. With time a sheath of lichen and moss accentuates the formation.

Generated by cooling lava, the columnar basalt formation forms a cathedral like framework for Abiqua Falls in Oregon

'Falls and Forest' - Radiant green moss carpets the basaltic channel for Bridal Veil Falls, in Oregon.

Horsetail Falls, which drains into the Columbia River, supplements the bright green carpet of moss to make for a lush scene of the forest.

This glancing view of Yosemite’s Horsetail fall on a late February evening shows the spray from the waterfalls rendered incarnadine. The color and spray give an appearance of fire falling, and hence its namesake "Firefalls".

The scene over Yosemite Valley, accessible by bush whacking through an untrailed mountainside, depicting Firefalls on a late February evening.

Portrait of a section of Latourell Falls, in Oregon, juxtaposing the gush of water against the sturdy columnar basalt formations supporting the flow.

Pony Falls draining into the Columbia River, in the backdrop, as seen from under a naturally formed cave shelter whose ceiling is composed of volcanically formed columnar hexagonal basalt.

"Mountain Valley" - Sandy River carves its way into the Columbia River on a cloudy evening

"Sunshine over Mountains and Valley" - Sun rays shine through clouds over Sandy River Valley.

"Glacial Ice cave" - Natural ice cave formed within a glacier on Mt. Hood, also serving as one mouth of Sandy River.

'Rugged Spur' - Rocky spur and a mountain glacier spotlighted in the golden hour at Mt. Hood.

'Obscured by clouds' - The Northwest face of Mt. Hood illuminated at the golden hour. The peak is obscured by clouds.

"Desert outcrop" - The Grandstand is a natural rock monolith that outcrops from Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park.

"River Overlook" - Landmark Smith Rock monument overlooking Crooked River, a tributary of Deschutes River.

"Rugged Bristlecones" - The bristlecone pine is a rugged and long-lived species whose individuals have some of the longest recorded lifespans on Earth

"Road passing into Mountains" - View of the highway California 190 looking into the mountains.

"Mt. Langley Peak profile" - Profile of the summit of Mt. Langley, looking below nascent and rapidly forming storm clouds.

"Mt. Hood Peak profile" - Profile of the Southwest face of Mount Hood, with spurs casting long shadows on snow and rocks on the surface of the mountain

Southwest face of Mt. Hood illuminated crimson by the Sun at the brink of setting, casting long shadows of the spurs on the mountain surface.

"Alpenglow" - After the sun has set below the horizon, the 'alpenglow' illuminates rocks of volcanic origin in deep red and pink hues. In the backdrop is seen Mt. Hood.

Group of rocky monuments at Smith Rock State Park.

Smith Rock against a dramatic evening clouds.

"View over the River Valley" - View from Smith Rock ranging from adjacent rocky surfaces in the foreground, through an iconic rocky natural monument overlooking Crooked River, to snow-capped mountains in the distance. The range is covered by dark cloud formations, on the verge of breaking into rain.

Sunset on Smith Rock, reflected on Crooked River

"Skyward Monuments" - natural rock formations in Smith Rock State Park provide variegated platforms for rock climbers and enthusiasts.

Silhouette of a pine tree bathed in yellow-orange in a post-sunset glow.

Astrophotography

The Journey is the Destination