A flame of orange reflects across deep blue water as the sun sets on Whiskeytown Lake… A photo capturing this scene by local business owner Curt Baer was the chosen favorite among the 60 entries submitted for the 2021 photo contest.
Baer will receive several prizes, including a $50 gift certificate for the Western National Parks Association store at the Whiskeytown visitor center, a 2021 Lassen Volcanic and Whiskeytown Annual Park Pass featuring his winning photo, and bragging rights for joining the ranks of National Park Service photo contest winners.
“I took this photo from East Beach only minutes after the last bolt of a lightning storm dropped last June," notes Baer. “As the sun began to disappear behind the mountains, I was taken by the magenta hues lighting the deep blues of the breaking storm clouds, a rare occurrence while the sun is still visible. Add to that the contrast of the deep cerulean teal water and orange reflection, and I knew I was witnessing something special. Moments like this are what keep me coming back to Whiskeytown again and again, and of course the swimming is world class!"
Whiskeytown employees and volunteers found it difficult to choose among the many beautiful and interesting photos that were submitted to the contest. Look for a selection of the images to be featured on our Facebook and Instagram posts in the coming months.
Your next chance to participate in a Whiskeytown photo contest will be two years from now. The 2022 pass will feature a photo of Lassen Volcanic National Park; our sister park will announce details about their own contest next year.
The $55 Lassen Volcanic and Whiskeytown Annual Pass is valid for one year from the month of purchase. The 2021 pass will be available on January 1 of the new year. As part of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act passed by Congress, the park retains 80 percent of the fees collected to pay for needed repairs and projects to improve visitor services and facilities.
About Whiskeytown National Recreation Area: administered by the U.S. National Park Service, Whiskeytown is one of over 400 parks within the National Park System. The national recreation area was established in 1965 to protect Whiskeytown Lake and surrounding habitat and to provide outdoor recreation opportunities for the people of the United States. The park preserves a diversity of flora and fauna as well as the cultural history of the Wintu People and California Gold Rush. Over 850,000 people visit the park each year. For more information: https://www.nps.gov/whis/index.htm
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
