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Mark Blankstein

@markblankstein

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Chicago, IL
Wilderness+Urban Bewilderment
Mood Follows Movement
Started in tiny home darkroom
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Last night’s sunset was a little cra-cra taken in Chicago, Illinois by @markblankstein

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5 years ago

Right time, right place is an understatement. I can’t adequately describe the excitement, sense of awe and sheer joy of witnessing humpback whales’ bubble net feeding, let alone this happening against the backdrop of a massive glacier (likely Bear Glacier) surrounded by moody clouds AND this happening with the central humpback opening it’s enormous mouth widely AND with its 16 foot pectoral fin waving in the air AND all of this happening at just the right angle such that the fin lines up visually with the base of the glacier. I unglued the camera from my face a few times to experience this amazing scene directly through my eyes and not through a lens. But, I’m glad my camera won out at this very special moment.

Thankfully (another understatement), these whales were able to come back from the brink of extinction in the 1960’s after conservation laws substantially stopped commercial whaling. The greatest threat to them now, of course, is climate change. taken in Kenai Fjords National Park by @markblankstein

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4 years ago

Crouching down with my heart starting to race, I had no bear spray or weapons of any kind and we were only 50’ away from this giant bear. I carefully and quietly turned to our guide (and pilot) and whispered. I wanted to know (quickly) whether he was worried. He shook his head no.

I later learned that mama bear, with her cub close by, was just curious, trying to get a better smell of or look at something beyond us. If you look closely, you will see that she is still eating sedge, marsh grass that is high in protein (I tried some…salty and pretty good). Zoom in to see her long, curved claws.

Coastal brown bears are much larger than grizzlies and are usually 800-1,200 lbs and (as you can see) 7-10’ tall. These bears can run up to 35-40 mph and have an extraordinary sense of smell that’s much better than dogs; they can pick up scents miles away.

What I read about Lake Clark was hard to believe. How could there be a place where you can just walk up to huge brown bears without fear of attack?

Lake Clark is difficult to reach with access only by long boat ride or small plane that lands on a beach. It has no roads, towns or campgrounds. The bears’ comfort with humans is a learned behavior. Visitors don’t bring food and bears don’t associate people with a food source. And, bears are not hunted at Lake Clark. Marsh grass and seasonal salmon keep them well fed. Over years of only seeing people fish or just walk around, bears are about as interested as humans here as they are in birds.

I had to see it with my own eyes (and convince my family to join me). I’m extremely grateful that we were able to visit Lake Clark; it was unforgettable (to say the least) and it only deepened our interested in wildlife and in protected areas. by @markblankstein

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4 years ago

The kids bailed after 1,500’ elevation gain. BIG MISTAKE! They missed the fun boulder scramble, beautiful meadows, a lake, stunning views and total solitude. We had been worried about storms, but the clouds went the other way. After the scramble, I somehow found myself completely alone in Mondeval de Sora, a huge natural meadow surrounded by spectacular Dolomite peaks. I couldn’t believe it and just savored the moments (and took some photos). Hiking doesn’t get better than when that happens. taken in Forcella Ambrizzola (2277M) by @markblankstein

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19 hours ago

A glorious weekend taken in Chicago, Illinois by @markblankstein

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7 days ago

Honeycomb in Disco Mode taken in Chicago, Illinois by @markblankstein

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9 days ago

The hills are alive with the Sound of Moo-sic taken in Seceda by @markblankstein

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9 days ago

Seceda is another world taken in Seceda, Ortisei by @markblankstein

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15 days ago

Crazy origin story from the equator to Italy. About 250 million years ago, these rocks were part of a tropical sea near the equator. Continental drift slowly carried them north, while massive tectonic forces, earthquakes, and millions of years of erosion transformed that ancient seafloor into the razor-sharp ridges of Seceda. taken in Seceda by @markblankstein

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15 days ago

Storms don’t last forever. We waited it out in a small cave, and then basically had one of the most spectacular trails in the Dolomites all to ourselves. We were almost back at the car when the clouds parted and the sun just BEAMED through—one of the most beautiful golden hours I’ve ever seen. Sia la luce! taken in Tre Cime di Lavaredo by @markblankstein

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22 days ago

Handel wrote his famous Water Music in 1717 for a boat party on the River Thames. For the third year in a row, the amazing Dame Jane Glover and Chicago’s Music of the Baroque performed it tonight on the Chicago River. They finished with an amazing and inspiring Hallelujah, Chicago!, a citywide singalong of the “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Love how the chorus includes young musicians from Chicago public high schools. Most importantly, just love how music brings people together! taken in Chicago, Illinois by @markblankstein

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25 days ago

Tre Cime. It just so happens that this spectacular place was strategically important during WWI, where the Italians fought the Austrians at elevations above 7,000’ through snow, ice and freezing temperatures.
We got caught in a storm and took shelter in a cave that might have been used by soldiers during the war. We waited it out, and the reward was having the rest of this epic hike almost completely to ourselves…and an unreal sunset. taken in Tre Cime di Lavaredo by @markblankstein

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a month ago