Juniper Ridge-Honeycombs

Its not to late to visit the trails into the Owyhee Canyonlands. In fact with the cool overnight temperatures and the highs being in the high 70's to low 80's, right now is the perfect time. Last weekend I took advantage of the weather and dropped into the Honeycombs, a short canyon that drops into the Owyhee Reservoir from a rugged outcroppings of  colorful ash formations.

Juniper Ridge Camp at the top of  the Honeycombs

 Normally this is an easy one day out and one day back round trip but with heavy camera equipment and having to carry water I opted to have freinds drop me off at the trail head and then pick me up by boat on the Reservoir at Bensley Flat two days latter. 
Two miles in from the trail head is a nice camp on Juniper Ridge with stunning views of the Owyhee Desert and the craggy Honeycomb canyon below.

In mid canyon there are several overhangs that provide shade to hikers. This is a good spot to make camp to explore and photograph the canyons unique ash formations.

Mid-Canyon Camp

Looking down canyon from Mid-Canyon Camp

View from mid-canyon up to Juniper Ridge.

From mid canyon it is a short 1.5 mile walk to the Reservoir.  There are many good options for camping with a ton of cottonwood trees for shade. I choose a different option and traveled out via boat.

Low Water on Owyhee Reservoir at Bensley Flat.

This hike: Juniper Ridge-Honeycombs (hike 27), from our latest guide, "The Owyhee Canyonlands, an outdoor adventure"


 By Steve Stuebner an Mark Lisk

New Gallery in My Old Space

Many of you my remember my old studio space at 518 Americana. In this was the space I started my photography career in 1987. A long time ago. Now I am coming full circle and moving back into the building with 18 other talented artists. Gallery Five 18
 
 

An ensemble of nineteen artists for an opening exhibit at our new Gallery in Boise. Gallery Five18 features a large exhibition space, an outdoor sculpture area, and a beer and wine bar. This is no ordinary gallery, owned by a single proprietor with contracts with individual artists. Gallery Five18 is a collaborative of several well know Idaho artists, including long time downtown gallery owners, painter Jerri Lisk and photographer Mark Lisk.

Kickstarter-Owyhee Canyonlands Guidebook

Steve Stuebner and Mark Lisk are asking for your support to fund the printing of their latest book, "The Owyhee Canyonlands - an outdoor adventure guide". Please follow the link to support our project. The guidebook will feature a complete guide to the 100 mile Owyhee Scenic Back Country Byway, 55 hiking and biking routes in Owyhee County, Idaho and E. Oregon, as well as hiking and backpacking in the new Owyhee Wilderness.

I am excited to have the new Idaho calendars at the Gallery and available for purchase. Please contact Ashley, our gallery manager, for information.  

Hand coloring the West

The short cold days of winter have left me with time to rediscover a old art, hand colored black and white photographs. It has been a few years since I have broken out the prisma colors and this seemed like a good time to add a little color to the present season.

 New work:  Hand colored and burnished prisma color on original photographs by Mark Lisk
These images will be on exhibit at the Lisk Gallery, February 7th - March 8th

Cascade Corner

In an isolated corner of Yellowstone National Park, right on the Idaho and Wyoming border, is a place referred to as Cascade Corner. It is here that I began my latest photography expedition, the Fall River in the Fall. 

Then moved on to three other spectacular areas in East Idaho, Mesa Falls, Harriman State Park, and SF Snake River near Swan Valley. With the unseasonably warm afternoon and crisp mornings this years fall colors have been nothing short of amazing. (Click the above link to view the entire shoot.)

Alvord Desert

Smoke rolls over the 10,000 foot high desert peaks of the Steen's Mountains to the west and settles into the low flat playa of the Alvord Desert. The unusually thick air blankets the desert with a warm toned fog reinforcing a wild landscape that seems like Mars.

There is so much smoke in the west that photographing the usual clear blue skies of summer is out of the question. Hiking is also a bit rough on the lungs so the Alvord Desert in eastern Oregon seemed like a great place to get creative.


There is plenty of dramatic and inspirational areas on the lake surface to photograph. My favorite area on the playa is the eastern edge. The light remains on the east side a bit longer the western (Steen's) side.

 

The Alvord Desert is a sub desert of the Great Basin, sitting quietly at the base of the Steen's Mountains. The flat hard pan playa is 7 miles wide by 12 miles long makes for easy hiking, biking, or even driving on its surface. This desert is truly unique for this part of the Great Basin.

 

Thousand Springs

Many times I have driven passed the Malad Gorge, just one of the spectacular units of Thousand Springs State Park, and glanced at the silvery ribbon of water that cuts through its basalt cliffs. Even from the freeway at 65 the view is amazing. But, as you may have guessed, the view is better if you get off the freeway and look at the canyon from the foot bridge at the east edge of the park.

Thousand Springs State Park is composed of five beautiful units along the Snake River in the Magic Valley. Malad Gorge, Billingsley Creek, Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon, Niagara Springs,  and Ritter Island units. Each unit is unique providing different views of this high desert landscape. 
The cold spring water helps produce cool moist air that encourages a large variety of plant life.