A landscape photograph of the Judith River valley near Winifred, Montana.

I drove two hours to Sunburst, Montana in the wee hours last Saturday morning to visit a strange geological formation and landscape known to some as Jerusalem Rocks. Not many have seen this part of Montana; it is only a stone’s throw from the Canadian border out in the middle of no where. And since the land is privately owned, most travel brochures mentioned it at all.

I had never seen anything like it in my life. Of course, I haven’t been to Arizona yet either. Strange rock formations weathered over time. A landscape that surely took many thousands of years to create. About the only people that frequent this place, it seems, are the local high school. Evidence of past parties (i.e. broken beer bottles) litter the surroundings and foolishly they have etched their names into stone at places. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful site and I wish more people had an opportunity to see it.

This was just a scouting trip on my part. I will return to Jerusalem Rocks again over the next several months. If I can fit it into my schedule I will camp there for a weekend yet this fall so I can explore every nook and cranny. Then I hope to return again this winter when the strange rock formations are covered with snow. And a spring trip would be nice when the field in the valley below becomes green and perhaps with a model or two in tow.

A field of waving wheat south of Chinook, Montana.

Almost all of the wheat has been cut from the fields here in north central Montana, but there is still some that remains. This is some of the summer’s last wheat here in these parts.

Stop sign that has been riddled with a shotgun outside of Havre, Montana.

There aren’t too many road signs here in Montana that don’t have bullet holes in them. At first I didn’t understand why. But then I realized it was for the same reasons I have so many photographs of utility poles. On the stark eastern Montana landscape often there is little else.

I captured this image south and east of Havre early in the morning as the sun was just rising above the horizon. I’ve been waiting to find a good sign with bullet holes to photograph with the sun coming through. The utilty poles in the background were a nice addition.

A billboard advertising all there is to see and do in Havre, Montana.

This is a really neat sign…sorely in need of a paint job, but might neat nonetheless. It can be found on the eastern entrance to Havre right on U.S. Highway 2.

I’m not a big fan of billboard, especially here in Big Sky country, but I think I can make an exception for those pitching the virtues of one’s town.

And national parks.

But that’s it.

A beautiful old church sits on an open plain in what is Lennep, Montana.

A beautiful dead tree sits high atop a jagged peak outside of Lennep, Montana.

Summer is quickly coming to a close here in Montana. It was 101 degrees yesterday in Havre; the first time the temperature rose above the century mark. That is odd for these parts; it is not uncommon to have a week or more with temperatures above 100. Then early next week the forecast says there will be a day or two when the thermometer will be lucky to hit the high 50s.

That, in essence, is an example of crazy weather that is native to Montana.

This coming week will be very busy for me. I have several photo shoots planned; none of which are particularly glamorous, but all of which do pay the bills.

I think I’m about the only person who is looking forward to the coming cold. I have always enjoyed shooting in the autumn and winter much more than the spring or summer. I don’t know what that says about my personality, but I’m sure it says something.

Winter is just around the bend and I have been busy preparing my trusty steed, the Ford F-150 pick-up truck, for the dark days ahead. My stock tires have been replaced with a rugged 6-ply version to withstand the jagged gravel roads here in Montana. I will also need to add an oil pan heater as the temperatures regularly dip to 20 degrees below zero…or more. Last winter they experienced 50 below. A few winters before that it fell to 70 below. I doubt seriously I will spend much time away from Tranquility Base to photograph in conditions like that, but if there is a photo opportunity nearby, you can be sure I will be out trying to find it.

Let’s just hope I’m well prepared to do so. Otherwise Mother Nature might have a nasty surprise waiting for me.

A grain bin is the lone man-made structure for miles in this field near Highwood, Montana.