After a frigid night camping at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, I awoke early Tuesday morning to catch the sunrise. It was not super spectacular, but I was able to capture some of the color as the sun rose over the mountains.
When the sun was a little higher in the sky, I was able to get a better view of the spectacular landscape with incredible rock formations, as you can see in the final photo. I encourage you to click on that photo to get an enlarged view of the details of the landscape. In this part of the country, these terrain features are referred to as “buttes,” though it is not always clear exactly what make a “butte” a “butte,” rather than a “hill” or “mountain.” No matter what you call them, these terrain features are breath-taking.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
You don’t think the first one is spectacular? I disagree. That fiery orange is amazing!
I am a tough critic sometimes of my own work. 🙂 The orange is definitely amazing and I was happy to be able to capture it in the limited light that was available at that moment.
I enjoy the layers of buttes. Mike, I returned from camping at Big Bend in Texas with my oldest son and family. Surprisingly, it “gifted” unexpected magnificent terrains! I’m a mountain fan…always going through North Dakota when I’d go to Montana, then Idaho (when my sons were stationed in both places). I didn’t know what to expect from Big Bend. The time of day, the casting of light, colors, and shadows are nature’s gifts and you’ve captured them beautifully!
Thanks so much for your thoughtful memories and comments. I grew up in Massachusetts, so the terrain in places like North Dakota and Montana are utterly foreign to me. I first drove through South Dakota on a coast-to-coast trip almost 30 years ago, but my strongest memories are of a drive two years ago. I took pretty much the same route again going westward, but on my return I went a bit further south through Iowa and Indiana. I love the light of the early morning sun and was thrilled that I was able to capture it that well with my iPhone.
You’re welcome, Mike. Your experiences put a smile on my face. I know exactly how you feel!