While climbing up Bear Mountain, roughly 1,000 feet on a trail comprised mostly of stone steps, I looked for photo opportunities short of the summit, not only because they could be worthwhile but also because they provide an excuse to rest a bit. I couldn’t pause too long, as I had gotten a late start and wanted to make the top before sunset, but I did pause here for a few shots.  I would estimate this is about 2/3 of the way to the top.

I processed this strictly in using pretty basic tools Aperture and the Nik suite, yet it ended up have a painterly, HDR look, and the sky was prone to the banding and discoloration typical of HDR processing. That’s why I had to scramble to post another image yesterday while I fixed this one.  I still think there’s something a bit “off” about it, but I’m curious what others might think.