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  • Saint Nicholas Anapafsa Monastery (Agio Nikolaou Anapafsa) was built in the 1500s on a rock pinnacle at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-09_Anapafsa-Monastery.jpg
  • Varlaam Monastery was founded on a rock pinnacle in 1517 AD at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-43-27_Varlaam-Monastery.jpg
  • Varlaam Monastery was founded on a rock pinnacle in 1517 AD at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-06_Varlaam-Monastery-_rock-...jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted.
    1410VT-006-p1_Mt-Philo-SP.jpg
  • Views atop Le Brévent lift. Chamonix, France, Europe. Our Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 10: starting from atop the Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz lift, we hiked from La Flégère to Planpraz (3.6 miles, 940 feet ascent, 600 ft descent) to catch Le Brévent cable car for sightseeing above, then took the Télécabine Planpraz lift down to Chamonix. This routing covers the main highlights of "Stage 11" (Étape 11) of the standard counterclockwise Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) but with much less effort. Multiple images were stitched to make this panorama picture, showing the same cable car in two different positions. This hiking day on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-06593-Pano-Edit.jpg
  • Views atop Le Brévent lift. Chamonix, France, Europe. Our Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 10: starting from atop the Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz lift, we hiked from La Flégère to Planpraz (3.6 miles, 940 feet ascent, 600 ft descent) to catch Le Brévent cable car for sightseeing above, then took the Télécabine Planpraz lift down to Chamonix. This routing covers the main highlights of "Stage 11" (Étape 11) of the standard counterclockwise Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) but with much less effort. This hiking day on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-06588.jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted. The panorama was stitched from 16 overlapping photos.
    1410VT-028-043pan_Mt-Philo-SP.jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted.
    1410VT-052_Lake-Champlain.jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted. The panorama was stitched from 7 overlapping photos.
    1410VT-044-050pan_Lake-Champlain.jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted. The panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    1410VT-006-008pan_Mt-Philo-SP.jpg
  • See the sun set over the Adirondacks from atop Mount Philo State Park (established 1924), in Charlotte, Vermont, USA. From atop Mount Philo (968 feet elevation), see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east and south. Ascend via steep narrow car road (not suitable for RVs longer than 25 feet) or by trail. Mt. Philo is comprised of hard sedimentary rocks (Cambrian Monkton Quartzites) that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. Its Cambrian rocks were deposited 500 million years ago on a warm shallow marine shelf along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America) then tectonically uplifted. The panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    1410VT-017-018pan_Lake-Champlain.jpg
  • Peaks rise high above Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park, as seen from atop Conical Hill, on the Routeburn Track, South Island, New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area. Panorama stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    07NZ_3078-79pan_Hollyford-Valley.jpg
  • See the South Pacific Ocean from atop the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    07NZ_2122_Hump-Ridge-Track.jpg
  • A snowplow repacks the surface of a fast-melting snow walkway atop Mt. Titlis, above Engelberg, in Switzerland, Europe. Along both sides, insulating fabric attempts to preserve snow banks for the next ski season. In Engelberg, we rode the Titlis lift, the world's first rotating cable car. The Titlis cable car system connects Engelberg (996 m or 3,268 ft) to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m or 9,934 ft) via stations at Trübsee and Stand. At Klein Titlis, we visited the illuminated Glacier Cave and Titlis Cliff Walk, the highest elevation suspension bridge in Europe, opened in December 2012, giving views across the Alps. We enjoyed walking 2 miles around scenic Trübsee, a circuit where six play stations for kids make an ideal family excursion, suitable for strollers. Scheduling 3 nights in Engelberg provided a well-needed rest break in the middle of hiking the first ten stages of the Swiss Via Alpina (National Route 1).
    22ALP-08650.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04175.jpg
  • Scientific Observatories far atop Mauna Kea can be seen from Akaka Falls State Park. Kolekole Stream flows from Mauna Kea to form the impressive 422-foot-high Akaka Falls near Honomu, on the Big Island, Hawaii, USA. Walk a short loop trail of 0.4 miles to see several waterfalls in a beautiful tropical landscape.
    1701HAW-2363-close-focus.jpg
  • Hikers explore atop Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-125_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • Scenes from atop Männlichen gondola station in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    22ALP-11602-708-Pano.jpg
  • Swiss Via Alpina 1: sharp blue ridges of the Alps seen from atop Mt. Titlis, near Engelberg, Switzerland, Europe. In Engelberg, we rode the Titlis lift, the world's first rotating cable car. The Titlis cable car system connects Engelberg (996 m or 3,268 ft) to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m or 9,934 ft) via stations at Trübsee and Stand. At Klein Titlis, we visited the illuminated Glacier Cave and Titlis Cliff Walk, the highest elevation suspension bridge in Europe, opened in December 2012, giving views across the Alps. We enjoyed walking 2 miles around scenic Trübsee, a circuit where six play stations for kids make an ideal family excursion, suitable for strollers. Scheduling 3 nights in Engelberg provided a well-needed rest break in the middle of hiking the first ten stages of the Swiss Via Alpina (National Route 1).
    22ALP-08598.jpg
  • Swiss Via Alpina 1: sharp blue ridges of the Alps seen from atop Mt. Titlis, near Engelberg, Switzerland, Europe. In Engelberg, we rode the Titlis lift, the world's first rotating cable car. The Titlis cable car system connects Engelberg (996 m or 3,268 ft) to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m or 9,934 ft) via stations at Trübsee and Stand. At Klein Titlis, we visited the illuminated Glacier Cave and Titlis Cliff Walk, the highest elevation suspension bridge in Europe, opened in December 2012, giving views across the Alps. We enjoyed walking 2 miles around scenic Trübsee, a circuit where six play stations for kids make an ideal family excursion, suitable for strollers. Scheduling 3 nights in Engelberg provided a well-needed rest break in the middle of hiking the first ten stages of the Swiss Via Alpina (National Route 1).
    22ALP-08596.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04220-21-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04100-105-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04112.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04084-85-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04050.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04057.jpg
  • Jumbled rocks atop the High Peaks loop (hike 5.4 miles, 1650 ft gain). Pinnacles National Park, California, USA. This panorama was stitched from multiple images.
    2203CA-0245-50-Pano.jpg
  • Atop Pinnacles National Park on the High Peaks loop (5.4 miles, 1650 ft gain). California, USA
    2203CA-0198.jpg
  • Jumbled rocks atop the High Peaks loop (hike 5.4 miles, 1650 ft gain). Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0191.jpg
  • Wash hands atop toilets after flushing. Lodging in Kyoto, Japan.
    1810JPN-7439.jpg
  • A tree grows atop a rock over Barclay Creek Trail near Baring, US Highway 2, Washington, USA.
    1606BAR-084.jpg
  • View overlooking the Rhine River bordering Eastern Switzerland, looking into Austria and Lichtenstein, from atop Hoher Kasten mountain in the Alpstein limestone range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Hoher Kasten (1795 m) is on the border between the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and St. Gallen. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area). This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    16SWI-1013-19pan.jpg
  • Lichen forms polygons on a rock atop Copper Butte, Marcus Trail, Colville National Forest, Kettle Range, Washington, USA
    1406WA-017.jpg
  • Atop Enchanted Rock, looking towards Little Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    1403TX-191-203pan_Enchanted-Rock_Tex...jpg
  • Hikers explore atop a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-154_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • View a snow enrusted alpine lake from atop Whistler Peak in the Coast Range, British Columbia, Canada.
    1208WHI-094.jpg
  • See Jasper townsite and the Colin Range from viewpoints atop The Whistlers peak, above Jasper Tramway station, in Jasper National Park, Canada. Jasper is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in 1984.
    08CAN-2398_Jasper.jpg
  • Snowy peaks rise high above Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park, as seen from atop Conical Hill, on the Routeburn Track, South Island, New Zealand. Panorama stitched from 14 overlapping photos.
    07NZ_3061-74pan-mod-Hollyford-Valley...jpg
  • See the sun rise through orange, pink, and magenta clouds over the South Pacific Ocean, from a boardwalk atop the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    07NZ_2202_sunrise_Ta-Waewae-Bay.jpg
  • A gull perches atop a statue of Lewis and Clark, which commemorates the end of their trail across America, 1805-1806, at the present-day Prom at Seaside, Oregon, USA.
    08ORC-735_Lewis-Clark-statue_Seaside.jpg
  • A gull perches atop a statue of Lewis and Clark, which commemorates the end of their trail across America, 1805-1806, at the present-day Prom at Seaside, Oregon, USA.
    08ORC-734_Lewis-Clark-statue_Seaside.jpg
  • From atop Sauk Mountain can be seen the North Cascades from Mount Baker southwards to Glacier Peak and Three Fingers. (Panorama stitched from 11 images). On the right, far below the hikers is the Sauk River at its confluence with the Skagit River, Washington, USA.
    05SAU_52-62pan_Sauk-Mt_Baker-Glacier...jpg
  • Scenes from atop Männlichen gondola station in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    22ALP-11774.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04166-70-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04177-78-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04100-109-Pano.jpg
  • Mont Blanc Massif seen from atop Aiguille du Midi, France, Europe. We reached Aiguille du Midi via the "Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc" cable car, which crosses 5 kilometers of the Mont Blanc Massif in France from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. To reach Pointe Helbronner, we used Skyway Monte Bianco cable car, where the top platform splits the border between Italy & France, and the bottom station is in La Palud village just north of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley.
    22ALP-04047.jpg
  • From atop the Quiraing, look south to Bioda Buidhe mountain and Trotternish Ridge, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. We hiked a muddy loop on the Quiraing, 4.5 miles with 1200 feet gain. The Trotternish Ridge escarpment was formed by a great series of landslips, of which the Quiraing portion is still moving, causing the road at its base, near Flodigarry, to require repairs each year.
    17SC1-3957_Scotland.jpg
  • Mount Adams rises above blue mountains and valley mist seen from atop Mount Rainier, Washington, USA. In the distance on right is Mount Hood in Oregon.
    82RAI-01-25_Mt-Adams+Hood-from-Raini...jpg
  • A family with children explores boulders atop Enchanted Rock. Boulders erode and split from the top of Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-180_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • Cactus and grass grow in a bowl atop Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    1403TX-159-160pan_Enchanted-Rock_Tex...jpg
  • See the South Pacific Ocean from atop the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area. Panorama stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    07NZ_2133-38pan-Te-Waewae-Bay.jpg
  • A gull perches atop a statue of Lewis and Clark, which commemorates the end of their trail across America, 1805-1806, at the present-day Prom at Seaside, Oregon, USA.
    08ORC-733_Lewis-Clark-statue_Seaside.jpg
  • From atop Mount Pilchuck , view a large swath of Central Cascades peaks including mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Three Fingers, Mount Pugh, Glacier Peak, and Mount Rainier. Hike 6 miles round trip and 2300 feet vertical gain to Mount Pilchuck (5324 feet) in Mount Pilchuck State Park, Washington, USA. Driving directions: Go from Granite Falls on Mountain Loop Highway to Verlot Visitor Center, drive 1 mile east and turn right on Mount Pilchuck Road (#20) and drive 7 miles to the road end and trailhead. Panorama stitched from 15 images.
    0708PIL-016-30pan_Central-Cascades.jpg
  • From atop the Quiraing, look south to Bioda Buidhe mountain and Trotternish Ridge, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. We hiked a muddy loop on the Quiraing, 4.5 miles with 1200 feet gain. The Trotternish Ridge escarpment was formed by a great series of landslips, of which the Quiraing portion is still moving, causing the road at its base, near Flodigarry, to require repairs each year.
    17SC1-3955_Scotland.jpg
  • Hikers view the Coast Range from atop Whistler Peak, British Columbia, Canada. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is popular for year-round  outdoor sports aided by gondolas and chair lifts.
    1208WHI-086.jpg
  • From Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point, view an urban panorama crowned by the mountains of its North Shore, in British Columbia, Canada. A former rock quarry on Little Mountain (501 feet) has been converted into the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls, and Bloedel Conservatory (address: 4600 Cambie Street).
    1402VAN-154.jpg
  • From Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point, view an urban panorama crowned by the mountains of its North Shore, in British Columbia, Canada. A former rock quarry on Little Mountain (501 feet) has been converted into the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls, and Bloedel Conservatory (address: 4600 Cambie Street). This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping images.
    1402VAN-146-149pan_Vancouver-BC.jpg
  • From Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point, view an urban panorama crowned by the mountains of its North Shore, in British Columbia, Canada. A former rock quarry on Little Mountain (501 feet) has been converted into the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls, and Bloedel Conservatory (address: 4600 Cambie Street).
    1402VAN-147-p2.jpg
  • View of larch trees from atop the Panorama Course trail, above our entry hike along Azusa River. The karamatsu, or Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi or Larix leptolepis) is a tree native to Japan, in the mountains of Chubu and Kanto regions in central Honshu. Its needle-like leaves are light glaucous green, turning bright yellow to orange before falling in autumn. The scientific name honours Engelbert Kaempfer. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1437.jpg
  • View towards Churfirsten group (center) in St. Gallen canton, from atop Säntis (2502 m / 8218 feet), the highest peak of the Alpstein range and the Appenzell Alps, in Switzerland, Europe. Shared by three cantons, Säntis can be reached easily via cable car (Luftseilbahn) from Schwägalp, or with effort via wonderful trails, to see vast mountain views across six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy. We highly recommend staying overnight on top as we did at Berggasthaus Alter Säntis, a fifth-generation family-run mountain inn since 1850, offering modern private double and dormitory lodging with good food and magnificent views. From where we joined it at Rotsteinpass, the spectacular, rocky Lisengrat trail to Säntis is rigged with safety cables in case of icy or wet conditions (and can be scary for those with fear of heights). In rainy weather the next day, we took the easy aerial tramway down instead of hiking to Ebenalp. The Appenzell Alps rise between Lake Walen and Lake Constance. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    16SWI-2324-30pan.jpg
  • Boulders erode and split from the top of Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-175_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • This view is from Gokyo Ri (17,575 feet / 5357 meters above sea level), a peak, in the Khumbu region of the Nepal Himalaya, in Sagarmatha National Park. Gokyo Ri is located on the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier, which is the largest glacier in Nepal, and reputed to be the largest in the whole Himalayas. From Gokyo Ri it is possible to see four 8,000 meter peaks - Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. At the base of Gokyo Ri is the village of Gokyo (15,583 feet / 4750 meters), a small cluster of teahouses for trekkers and climbers. Sagarmatha National Park was created in 1976 and honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
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  • Krummholz (dwarfed subalpine trees) colonize the moonscape of Akamina Ridge, in Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. The loop hike to Forum and Wall Lakes via Akamina Ridge is 12 miles with 3440 feet ascent & descent. The trailhead is in Alberta, accessible by road from Waterton Park.
    2209RV-1091.jpg
  • The summit of Mount Kitahotaka, 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Right here is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) 4km round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down). This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1612-15-Pano.jpg
  • Kita-hotaka Mountain Hut perches near the summit of Mount Kitahotaka, which reaches 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) 4km round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down).
    1810JPN-1617.jpg
  • Boulders erode and split from the top of Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-174_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • Our guide Chhatra stands on the peak of Gokyo Ri (17,580 feet) above Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest glacier in Nepal. On the upper left is Mount Everest (29,035 feet / 8850 meters elevation above sea level, from 1999 GPS measurement). On the right is the peak of Arakam Tse (21,000 feet) and Cholatse. Sagarmatha National Park was created in 1976 and honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
    07NEP-4427-p4.jpg
  • Hike 6 miles round trip and 2300 feet vertical gain to Mount Pilchuck (5324 feet) in Mount Pilchuck State Park, Washington, USA. View a large swath of Central Cascades peaks. Driving directions: Go from Granite Falls on Mountain Loop Highway to Verlot Visitor Center, drive 1 mile east and turn right on Mount Pilchuck Road (#20) and drive 7 miles to the road end and trailhead.
    0708PIL-014.jpg
  • Kita-hotaka Mountain Hut perches near the summit of Mount Kitahotaka, which reaches 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down).
    1810JPN-1607.jpg
  • Boulders erode and split from the top of Enchanted Rock. Explore a large pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas, USA. Enchanted Rock is a fascinating exfoliation dome (with layers like an onion), rising 425 feet (130 m) above its surroundings to elevation of 1825 feet (556 m) above sea level, in the Llano Uplift. Geologically, the exposed rock (monadnock or inselberg, "island mountain") is part of a pluton (bubble of rock slowly crystallized from magma) within the billion-year-old igneous batholith, Town Mountain Granite (covering 62 square miles mostly underground), which intruded from a deep pool of hot magma 7 miles upwards into the older metamorphic Packsaddle Schist. The overlying sedimentary rock (Cretaceous Edwards limestone) eroded away to expose the prominent domes seen today: Enchanted Rock, Little Rock, Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, and Buzzard's Roost.
    1403TX-168_Enchanted-Rock_Texas.jpg
  • A long stairway ascends to Buddhist Swayambhunath, the "Monkey Temple", which was founded about 500 AD, one of the oldest and holiest Buddhist sites in the Kathmandu Valley. It sits on a hill in the west of Kathmandu overlooking the city in Nepal, Asia.
    07NEP-5381.jpg
  • Our Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 10: starting from atop the Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz lift, we hiked from La Flégère to Planpraz (3.6 miles, 940 feet ascent, 600 ft descent) to catch Le Brévent cable car for sightseeing above, then took the Télécabine Planpraz lift down to Chamonix, in France, Europe. This routing covers the main highlights of "Stage 11" (Étape 11) of the standard counterclockwise Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) but with much less effort. This hiking day on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-06542.jpg
  • Lac Blanc. We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent) above Chamonix, in France, Europe. This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02412-14-Pano.jpg
  • Backlit evergreen trees atop the headland at Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area, Otter Rock city, Oregon coast, USA.
    2102OR2-396-397-Pano.jpg
  • Medieval street in Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling is visually dominated by Stirling Castle, in the United Kingdom, Europe. Historically, Stirling controlled a strategic position (until the 1890s) as the lowest bridging point of the River Forth before it broadens towards the Firth of Forth, making it the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. One of the principal royal strongholds of the Kingdom of Scotland, Stirling was created a royal burgh by King David I in 1130. Stirling Castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. Most of the stronghold's main buildings date from the 1400s and 1500s, when it peaked in importance. The outer defences fronting the town date from the early 1700s. Before the union with England, Stirling Castle was also one of the most used of the many Scottish royal residences, serving as both a palace and a fortress. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542, and others were born or died there. Stirling Castle has suffered at least eight sieges, including several during the Wars of Scottish Independence, with the last being in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle.
    17SC1-2034_Scotland.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For licensing options, please inquire.
    16SWI-5055.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-5051.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4941.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For licensing options, please inquire.
    16SWI-4936.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4930.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4922.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For licensing options, please inquire.
    16SWI-4794.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4760-p2.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4723.jpg
  • Berggasthaus Alter Säntis is perched dramatically atop Säntis (2502 m / 8218 feet), the highest peak of the Alpstein range and the Appenzell Alps, located in northeast Switzerland, Europe. Shared by three cantons, Säntis can be reached easily via aerial tramway (Luftseilbahn) from Schwägalp, or with effort via wonderful trails, to see vast mountain views across six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy. We highly recommend staying overnight on top of Säntis as we did at Berggasthaus Alter Säntis, a fifth-generation family-run mountain inn since 1850, offering modern private double and dormitory lodging with good food and magnificent views. From where we joined it at Rotsteinpass, the spectacular, rocky Lisengrat trail to Säntis is rigged with safety cables in case of icy or wet conditions (and can be scary for those with fear of heights). In rainy weather the next day, we took the easy tram down to Schwägalp instead of hiking to Ebenalp. The Appenzell Alps rise between Lake Walen and Lake Constance.
    16SWI-2390-p1.jpg
  • Beacon Heights is a scenic half-mile round trip walk with 130 feet gain from Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 305.2 in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, USA. Enjoy brilliant fall leaf colors in mid October atop an outcropping of quartzite rock. Local trees release hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, creating a characteristic blue haze over the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a subset of the Appalachian Mountains. Beacon Heights Parking Area (elevation 4220 feet) is near the intersection with Hwy 221 (near Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road). This trail also connects with the Tanawha Trail (13.5 miles to Price Lake) and the Mountains to the Sea Trail. The scenic 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway was built 1935-1987 to aesthetically connect Shenandoah National Park (in Virginia) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, following crestlines and the Appalachian Trail. This panorama was stitched from 11 overlapping photos taken October 12, 2015.
    1510SE-1309-19pan_Beacon-Heights_NC.jpg
  • Beacon Heights is a scenic half-mile round trip walk with 130 feet gain from Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 305.2 in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, USA. Enjoy fall leaf colors in mid October atop an outcropping of quartzite rock. Beacon Heights Parking Area (elevation 4220 feet) is near the intersection with Hwy 221 (near Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road). This trail also connects with the Tanawha Trail (13.5 miles to Price Lake) and the Mountains to the Sea Trail. The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway was built 1935-1987 to aesthetically connect Shenandoah National Park (in Virginia) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, following crestlines and the Appalachian Trail. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a subset of the Appalachian Mountains. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos taken October 12, 2015.
    1510SE-1324-27pan_Grandfather-Mounta...jpg
  • The Princess Parrot is native Central and West Australia but today is rarely seen in the wild. It's also known as a Princess of Wales Parrot, Queen Alexandra parakeet, Spinifex parrot, Rose-Throated Parrot, or Splendor Parrot. Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Address: 4600 Cambie St. Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise where you can experience the colors and scents of the tropics year-round, within Queen Elizabeth Park, atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. A former rock quarry has been converted into beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls. In Bloedel Conservatory, more than 200 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within a temperature-controlled environment. A donation from Prentice Bloedel built the domed structure, which was dedicated in 1969 "to a better appreciation and understanding of the world of plants," and is jointly operated by Vancouver Park Board and VanDusen Botanical Garden Association.
    1402VAN-054.jpg
  • The Blue and Gold Macaw is native to South America and is  in the Psittacidae family of true parrots. Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Address: 4600 Cambie St. Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise where you can experience the colors and scents of the tropics year-round, within Queen Elizabeth Park, atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. From Little Mountain (501 feet), see panoramic views over the city crowned by the mountains of the North Shore. A former rock quarry has been converted into beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls. In Bloedel Conservatory, more than 200 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within a temperature-controlled environment. A donation from Prentice Bloedel built the domed structure, which was dedicated in 1969 "to a better appreciation and understanding of the world of plants," and is jointly operated by Vancouver Park Board and VanDusen Botanical Garden Association.
    1402VAN-030.jpg
  • See Glacier Peak (elevation 10,541 feet) from atop Beckler Peak Trail, 7.4 miles round trip with 2200 feet gain, in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA. Glacier Peak, located in Glacier Peak Wilderness, is the most isolated of the five major stratovolcanoes (composite volcanoes) of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in Washington. See vistas of  the town of Skykomish, Skykomish Valley, and Alpine Lakes, Wild Sky, and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. Directions: Drive US Highway 2 to near Milepost 52, and turn north onto Forest Service Road 6066. Drive 6.6 miles on a gravel road to the Jennifer Dunn Trailhead.
    1208BEC-020_Glacier-Peak.jpg
  • From atop from Mount Wellington (1271 meters or 4170 ft), see the estuary of Derwent River and Hobart, capital of the state of Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. Hobart is home port for both Australian and French Antarctic operations.
    04AUS-30145_Hobart-Mt-Wellington.jpg
  • Glaciers cling to the schist peaks of the Darran Mountains high above Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park, as seen from atop Conical Hill, on the Routeburn Track, South Island, New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area. Panorama stitched from 5 overlapping photos.
    07NZ_3090-94pan_Hollyford-Fiordland.jpg
  • See Agassiz Glacier, Kintla Peak, Kinnerly Peak (left) in Glacier National Park, Montana, from atop Akamina Ridge in Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. The loop hike to Forum and Wall Lakes via Akamina Ridge is 12 miles with 3440 feet ascent & descent. The trailhead is in Alberta, accessible by road from Waterton Park.
    2209RV-1039-Pano.jpg
  • Views of Sefinenfurgge Pass (or Sefinafurgga) from the Schilthorn, in Berner Oberland, Switzerland, Europe. We rode the Schilthornbahn cable car from Stechelberg via Gimmelwald and Mürren villages to Birg station and the Schilthorn (2,970 metres or 9,744 ft), which overlooks Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Bernese Alps. The panoramic revolving restaurant at the summit, Piz Gloria, was featured in the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," the first and only Bond film starring George Lazenby. After considering a number of locations, the stalled construction of the sports bar atop the Schilthorn was chosen when the film's producer financed the completion of the now-famous revolving platform for the right to use it for his film.
    22ALP-11469.jpg
  • Le Brevent cable car. Our Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 10: starting from atop the Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz lift, we hiked from La Flégère to Planpraz (3.6 miles, 940 feet ascent, 600 ft descent) to catch Le Brévent cable car for sightseeing above, then took the Télécabine Planpraz lift down to Chamonix, in France, Europe. This routing covers the main highlights of "Stage 11" (Étape 11) of the standard counterclockwise Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) but with much less effort. This hiking day on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-06547.jpg
  • Our Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 10: starting from atop the Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz lift, we hiked from La Flégère to Planpraz (3.6 miles, 940 feet ascent, 600 ft descent) to catch Le Brévent cable car for sightseeing above, then took the Télécabine Planpraz lift down to Chamonix, in France, Europe. This routing covers the main highlights of "Stage 11" (Étape 11) of the standard counterclockwise Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) but with much less effort. This hiking day on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-06544.jpg
  • We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent) above Chamonix, in France, Europe. This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02644-46-Pano.jpg
  • We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent) above Chamonix, in France, Europe. This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02590.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin near Lac de Chéserys, Chamonix, France, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent). This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02585.jpg
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