CAPTURING THE BEAUTY OF BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT
Bears Ears National Monument is one of several landscapes currently threatened by efforts to open them for extractive industries to exploit. Photo by Dave Showalter.
Nothing beats the aerial perspective for showing the public the majesty of untouched landscapes across the country. One challenge, though, is that it’s hard to get millions of people into a small plane for a low-level flight over those areas. That’s why LightHawk regularly flies photographers! Their ability to capture the beauty of the landscapes we fly over allows us to share those views with the world.
Earlier this year, LightHawk volunteer pilot Lee Gerstein took to the skies with longtime conservation partner and photographer Dave Showalter. Dave has flown with LightHawk many times in the past and has published books with stunning imagery—including photos captured during LightHawk flights.
For this flight, Lee flew from his home airport in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Blanding, Utah, the night before the scheduled mission. Showalter had requested an early start, and Lee was happy to accommodate, with the simple condition that takeoff wait until there was enough ambient light to see the outlines of the mountains, providing a better level of safety for the mission.
Before takeoff, Lee cleaned the windows to provide the best photography environment. LightHawk receives many photography flight requests, often involving open windows or even an open door. Lee has found that, with a few simple adjustments, photographers can get remarkable results shooting through the windows of his Beechcraft B36TC. He always cleans the windows and asks photographers to use a rubber lens hood, which prevents reflections and protects the windows.
Volunteer pilot Lee Gerstein. Photo by Dave Showalter.
They took off on the preplanned route, flying at about 1,500 feet throughout the mission. Lee explained:
“We started in Blanding. Dave chose the route to pick up the southern aspect of Combs Ridge, which has Native American significance. It was striking because it was sidelit with the sun coming up from the east. It was really striking to see early morning shadows begin to form along there.”
Once they had traversed the ridge, they turned west to overfly Bears Ears National Monument. They adjusted course to find the right distance from various landscapes, while Lee dipped his wing to allow Dave to capture images of the terrain in the beautiful morning light.
After photographing Bears Ears, Lee shared, “The next leg allowed Showalter to get long, landscape images that covered miles and miles and miles. It was not a clear blue sky but had dappled clouds, which gave spots of sunshine.”
First designated by President Obama, Bears Ears National Monument has been a source of controversy as President Trump tried to reduce its size during his first term and is currently attempting to remove protections against drilling and mining. Photo by Dave Showalter.
Bears Ears National Monument is home to stunning landscapes that bear cultural significance to several Native American tribes in the region. Photo by Dave Showalter
They then flew along the San Juan River and through its canyon, where the river flows into Lake Powell. Though they encountered some glare, they repositioned from the south side to the north side of the canyon to get the best shots.
After the flight, Showalter expressed his happiness with the mission and his appreciation for Lee’s skill. Lee also shared how much he enjoyed the time with Dave and that he would gladly fly with him again.
Lee has been flying with LightHawk since 2012. When asked why, he said, “It’s a great use of a small aircraft. You add something to understanding that really isn’t achievable in any other way. You don’t get it hiking the area. You don’t get it driving a truck. You get a sense of scope, scale, relationships. You can show people survey maps, but it’s not the same. I enjoy doing it. It’s terrific to hear people ‘ooh and ah’ and how much they appreciate the new understanding of the issue they’re addressing with the flight.”
We couldn’t agree more. Thank you, Lee, for providing this flight and for sharing your experience with us!
Photos by Dave Showalter.