Granite Beanstalk

The timeless, fluted cliffs of the Kichatna Spires in Denali National Park rise thousands of feet, forming broad walls that draw world-class climbers and make spectacular photos. I thought I knew them. But then, on a September day, I began capturing images straight down from my helicopter and was unsettled by the view. I had sought to capture a sense of their height and geology by using a new perspective. But what I found felt mystical, as though the walls had come alive and were growing toward me. They were penetrating the clouds like a giant fairytale beanstalk, offering a path to a magical realm far above the earth.