The MMT

The MMT Observatory sits atop Mt. Hopkins. It was originally called the "Multiple Mirror Telescope" when it was built and it had 6 - 1.8-m mirrors in a building that rotated with the telescope. Recently, it was overhauled so that it only has a single mirror, so I suspect MMT means something like "Mega-Mirror Telescope" or "Mono-Mirror Telescope". This image was taken from the summit of Mt. Wrightson with my 300mm lens with an exposure of 1/640 seconds at f/8, ISO 200.

On the summit of Old Baldy

There used to be a fire lookout atop Mt. Wrightson. Frank and Andy stand in the remains of the lookout in this westward view towards Mt. Hopkins. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/320 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

The view west from the summit

As the trail crests the summit of Mt. Wrightson from the southwest, one is treated to this great view of Mt. Hopkins and the MMT observatory at its summit. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/250 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Rocky Switchbacks

As we approach the summit, the trail switchbacks up the rocky peak. Here, Frank looks out toward the south. We're almost there! This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/400 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Northern view

After the better part of half a mile in the mostly burnt out trees, we started climbing the rocky face of Old Baldy. This view is northward towards Baldy Saddle and beyond. The Florida fire started by lightning at the top of Florida Canyon that is probably about a mile or two along the ridgeline north of Baldy Saddle. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/125 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Were'd the shady pine forest go?

This used to be a shady pine forest before the Florida fire devistated it. I don't remember ever seeing the rocky hill in front of us before as it was always hidden behind the trees. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/125 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Fire devastation

As we started our climb to the summit, we had to hike through an area that used to be a beautiful pine forest which was reduced to this burnt out moonscape during the Florida fire in 2005. This image was taken at 70mm focal length with an exposure of 1/100 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Our mornings goal

The view of "Old Baldy" from Baldy Saddle. It's about 1.0 miles of trail and about 1,000 feet of elevation and took us around an hour to climb. Happily, we stowed our packs so we didn't have to carry all the weight all the way to the summit. This image was taken at 70mm focal length with an exposure of 1/200 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Lenticular clouds over Baboquivari

It was windy in southern Arizona on summit day. This view looks west towards Baboquivari which lies due south of Kitt Peak. These lenticular clouds are formed in the high winds. This image was then at 70mm focal length with an exposure of 1/500 seconds at f/8, ISO 100.

Around the campfire

Part of the reason I chose the Sigma 10mm f/2.8 lens was for shots like this one. This was handheld with an exposure of 1/25 seconds with the lens wide open at f/2.8 and ISO 800. Here, my 3 hiking companions enjoy the campfire at our campsite at Baldy Saddle.

On the corner of Old Baldy and Super trail

Andy stands on a rock outcrop at the intersection of the Old Baldy Trail and the Super Trail. We camped close to this location. The Old Baldy trail is shorter but steeper (and includes 32 Switchbacks) while the Super Trail is longer and gentler. From this point, it is close to a mile to the summit of Mt. Wrightson. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/50 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Baldy Saddle at last

If Andy and Fred look exhausted, it is with good reason as we all sat down with packs still on as we arrived at Baldy Saddle after completed our climb through 32 Switchbacks. Frank had doffed his pack and scouted out to the north of Baldy Saddle while he waited for the rest of us to catch up. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/80 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Climbing 32 Switchbacks

We knicknamed this tretch of trail 32 Switchbacks the first time we climbed through it about 30 years ago for obvious reasons. Frank didn't trust his memory, so he was surprised when he counted to 32 as he got to Baldy Saddle at the top of 32 Switchbacks. It never seems fun at the bottom of 32 Switchbacks as the first few are long. You get to 3 and it seems like its taken forever. But they get shorter near the top and it's always nice when the count gets to 30. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/50 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Rockslide on 32 Switchbacks

This view west as we crossed a rockslide at the base of 32 Switchbacks looks out over Mt. Hopkins where the MMT is located. You can see the trail below as it passes through the area of the last 2 days picture posts that has suffered some burn damage during the Florida Fire in 2005. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye with an exposure of 1/60 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Burn damage below Bellows Spring

As we approached the switchbacks that lead to Bellows Spring just below 32 switchbacks, I caught this view generally to the northwest which shows considerable fire damage from the Florida fire. This image was captured with my 10mm fisheye lens with an exposure of 1/125 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

The view towards 32 switchbacks

This view of the trail shows a bit of the damage from the Florida fire that burned around Mt. Wrightson in the summer of 2005. I was expecting more damage on the west side of the summit ridge after seeing and photographing a number of burning areas such as the ones seen in this image - we saw many much worse areas later. Old Baldy is visible above the trail behind the trees and a section of the Old Baldy trail that we call "32 Switchbacks" for reasons that are obvious as you hike through it is just below the ridge line just left of the trail. This image was taken with my 10mm fishey lens with an exposure of 1/60 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Old Baldy

This view of Mt. Wrightson from Josephine Saddle gives you a good idea of why the mountain is also called "Old Baldy". The top part of the mountain is mostly rock with few trees and bushes. This image was taken at 70mm focal length with an exposure of 1/100 seconds at f/11, ISO 100. Converted to B&W with a red filter in Picasa.

Solar Halo

Our first day started with partly cloudy skies that gave us a very pretty halo around the sun. Old Baldy - an alternate name for Mt. Wrightson is silhouetted at lower left. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye lens with an exposure of 1/1000 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

The trail to Josephine Saddle

My friend Frank leads our group of 4 towards Mt. Wrightson. Frank is on the trail at right as we climb to our intermediate destination of Josephine Saddle. Mt. Wrightson is the tallest point on the right near the tree above Frank. This image was taken with my 10mm fisheye lens with an exposure of 1/60 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Mexican Jay

I took my friend Frank and some new friends he brought to Arizona up to Kitt Peak to show them around. While we ate our lunch (Eegees sandwiches) at one fo the picnic tables, a couple of Mexican Jays played around in the tree over our table and mugged for the camera when I pulled it out after finishing lunch. This image was taken at 190mm focal length with an exposure of 1/160 seconds at f/11, ISO 400.

Curving Arcades

This piece of artwork is on the east end of the UofA mall. It looks more interesting with my 10mm fisheye lens. I cropped this to square format - the field of view is too wide with the fisheye. This image was taken at 1/60 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Arizona Wildcats

The University is just finishing up a new Basketball practice facility and a gymnastics center next to McHale Center. This view was taken with my new 10mm fisheye lens with an exposure of 1/100 seconds at f/11, ISO 100.

Steward Observatory and Sundial

Another great thing about my new 10mm fisheye is the great deapth of field you get. In this shot, the nearby sundial and the dome that houses the 21 inch reflector of Steward Observatory on campus are both brought into focus at the same time. This image was exposed at 1/30 seconds at f/10, ISO 400. Converted to black and white in Picasa.

Campus palm trees

I decided to take a picture of these palm trees and thought to myself: "I might have to step back a little" before looking through the viewfinder with my fisheye lens. I was surprised that I had room to spare above and below the palms! Still getting used to my fisheye lens! This image was taken at 10mm focal length with an exposure of 1/100 seconds at f/16, ISO 400.

Upsun at the train tracks

Another shot form my first photo expedition with my new fisheye. I walked from the UofA to downtown before catching my bus home there. As I crossed the train tracks I snapped a couple of shots. The foreground was a bit underexposed here, but the glare from the sun made for an interesting shot. This image was taken at 1/400 seconds at f/11, ISO 100 with my 10mm fisheye.