Sunday, December 20 | 3:00–6:00 PM
Alien Tower via Deer Ridge Trailhead · Suncrest, Draper, Utah

Celebrate the shortest days of the year with an evening photographing winter alpenglow from one of the Wasatch Front's most expansive viewpoints. We'll hike to Alien Tower and use the changing sunset light to explore composition, exposure, mountain layers, and techniques for capturing the color and atmosphere of winter landscapes.

On a clear evening, Alien Tower offers sweeping views across the Wasatch, creating opportunities to photograph a huge variety of peaks as the setting sun changes the light across the range.

What You'll Learn

• Landscape photography fundamentals and composition

• Photographing changing light and alpenglow

• Exposure techniques for bright snow and winter landscapes

• Creating depth with overlapping mountain layers

• Framing and composing expansive panoramic views

• Using foreground elements to strengthen a landscape

• Choosing focal lengths for both wide landscapes and distant peaks

• Adjusting settings as daylight transitions toward dusk

• Planning around sunset, season, weather, and mountain orientation

• And more!

Experience Level

All photography levels are welcome, from beginners learning their cameras to experienced photographers looking to develop their landscape skills in the field.

Equipment

Any camera is welcome, including DSLR, mirrorless, or other cameras with manual controls. Bring the lenses you're most comfortable using. Wide-angle or standard lenses are useful for expansive landscapes, while a telephoto lens can be especially fun from this location for isolating distant peaks and layers of the Wasatch.

A tripod is optional but recommended as we'll be photographing through sunset and into increasingly low light.

What to Bring

December evenings at Suncrest can be very cold, especially once the sun begins to set. Please dress in warm winter layers appropriate for spending several hours outside, including gloves and warm footwear.

Bring water, a headlamp or flashlight for the hike back after sunset, and traction appropriate for the trail conditions such as microspikes or yaktraks. Additional winter equipment recommendations will be provided to registered participants based on conditions closer to the workshop.

Physical Demands

Participants should be prepared for a winter hike from the Deer Ridge Trailhead to Alien Tower and back. The trail includes elevation gain and may have snow, ice, mud, or other winter conditions depending on recent weather.

We'll hike at a manageable group pace and spend significant time stopped at the viewpoint photographing sunset and alpenglow.

Meeting Location & Parking

We'll meet at the Deer Ridge Trailhead in Suncrest, Draper, at the trailhead gate just beyond the restroom. The workshop begins at 3:00 PM, so please arrive 5–10 minutes early.

Parking is free.

Weather & Winter Road Conditions

Light snow, existing snowpack, and typical winter conditions will not automatically cancel the workshop—in fact, fresh snow can create beautiful opportunities for winter photography.

However, significant snowfall or unsafe road/trail conditions may require the workshop to be rescheduled. Access to Suncrest via Traverse Ridge Road/Suncrest Drive can become difficult during heavier storms, and participant safety takes priority over keeping the original date.

Registered participants will receive updates as the workshop approaches if the forecast or conditions create any concerns.