Monday, May 4, 2015

Beauty Along Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain


May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Jefferson National Forest
Beautiful Sky Over Pound Gap of Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.




May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Jefferson National Forest
Beautiful Sky Over Pound Gap of Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Gorgeous late spring weather conditions graced May 3 for a nice adventure along the scenic and historic Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain in Wise County, Virginia.

May 3, 2015
Pound Gap of Pine Mountain
Geology & Sky Meet At Historic Pound Gap
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

This day and these scenes are dedicated to the memory of Ron Hubbard and Scully, his best traveling companion ( next to Lynda ). 

May 3, 2015
Pound Gap of Pine Mountain
Geology & Sky Meet At Historic Pound Gap
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.


Into The Woods We Go
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain

May 3, 2015
Giant Sugar Maple On Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

I had the privilege to hike the Red Fox Trail on 
this day with Lynda Hubbard and John Mullins, not only my friends but my family!

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Giant Sugar Maple ( Acer saccharum var. saccharum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Spring is a great time to be in the woods as not only are these mountain forests diverse, but they can be as colorful as during autumn.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Taking photographs inside the woods can be challenging due to great variations in lighting 
amid different settings and with passing clouds.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
John Mullins & Lynda Hubbard On The Red Fox
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

I have always found light & dark contrasts to be fascinating in all seasons amid the forest, but especially colorful during spring and autumn.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Majestic Light Hitting Canopy
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Inside the Deep Woods
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
John Mullins & Lynda Hubbard On The Red Fox
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pine Mountain of Jefferson National Forest
Late Spring In Forest Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.


Beauties On The Forest Floor
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain

May 3, 2015
Jefferson National Forest
Pink Lady's Slipper ( Cypripedium acaule )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Orchids form a symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the soil and will almost always die within a year or so after someone foolishly digs one up.

May 3, 2015
Pink Lady's Slipper With A Visitor
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Never dig up an orchid.

May 3, 2015
Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Halberd-leaved Yellow Violet ( Viola hastata )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Cluster of Blue Violets ( Viola spp. )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

White Form or Confederate Violet
Common Blue VioletViola sororia )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Wild Geraniums ( Geranium maculatum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Tiny New Growth of Christmas Fern
Christmas Fern ( Polystichum acrostichoides )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Small Tributary of Bad Creek
Along Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Small Tributary of Bad Creek
Along Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.


A Featured Attraction
Historic Killing Rock

May 3, 2015
Jefferson National Forest
The Killing Rock Along Red Fox Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Some 123 years ago this cliff became famous for 
a terrible massacre that killed 5 people when a moonshiner named Ira Mullins, and his family, were ambushed by Dr. M. B. Taylor ( known as "The Red Fox" ) and two confederate brothers.

May 3, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Lynda Hubbard & John Mullins On The Rock
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Best photographs of this historic site would be taken when the main light source is opposite to what it was at this time of day.

May 3, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Lynda Hubbard & John Mullins On The Rock
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Fearless Lynda Standing On Top of The Rock
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Trying to make do with 
the worse possible light.

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Lynda Hubbard & John Mullins
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

*You never want the camera to be looking toward the light source, and preferably have the light behind the camera at some angle illuminating your subject(s).


Birds Along The Trail

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
John Mullins & Lynda Hubbard On The Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

John had his bird book in hand and unlike Little Stony Creek Gorge, where whitewater was so loud that no birds could be heard, I was able to hear an array of birds along the Red Fox Trail.

Bear Rock & Little Stony Gorge of High Knob Massif

Black-throated Green Warblers ( Setophaga virens ) and Ovenbirds ( Seiurus aurocapilla ) were among the most numerous birds singing along this trail on this particular day.  A few others included:

Northern Cardinal
( Cardinalis cardinalis )

Red-Eyed Vireo
( Vireo olivaceus )

Yellow-throated Warbler
( Setophaga dominica )

Yellow-Breasted Chat
( Icteria virens )

American Redstart
 ( Setophaga ruticilla )

Wild Turkey
( Meleagris gallopavo )

There were many other birds, of course, but I 
did not write them down as I was busy taking photographs of beautiful things!

May 3, 2015
Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Two Beauties Near The End Of The Trail
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Certainly Ron & Scully would agree, 
as would Mae ( John's wife ).

May 3, 2015
Near End of Red Fox Trail of Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.