Once again, a scenic vista defines the presence of man within nature’s domain. The road is the focal point here. It begins at our feet with that bold white line winding away from us. Eventually, it carries us to the headlights of a distant car, which provides important scale contrast to this scene. The mountains – including the 9,500 foot high Druid Peak at the top of this image, seem much closer to us than they really are due to the 230mm focal length I use to make this image. The Lamar Valley does not look very much like the other sections of Yellowstone. We saw no geysers or smoldering hot springs up here. Somewhat off the beaten path in the far Northeast section of the vast National Park, it seems more open and less wild. However appearances can be deceiving. The Lamar Valley is home to the wolf, bison, and grizzly bear. This image, with its pinkish sky and purple hills, give us not only a sense of place, but also a sense of what it feels like to be here in the morning cold before the sun can warm us.