Cowee Mountains Overlook sits astride MM430.7 about one-half mile from and, at 5950′ in elevation a mere sixty feet lower than Richland Balsam Overlook, the highest point on the entire run of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Many of the cross-stitch ridges off the overlook run parallel to the angle of the setting sun, while others are perpendicular to the event. Those parallel allow the light to enter and warm their valleys with the late glow, while those perpendicular block the light creating repositories of cool blue. Sometimes there are clouds over the mountains that gather the last rays and reflect them in colors almost beyond belief.

A focal length of 202mm, the short end of medium telephotoland, gave me the angle-of-view I wanted with some magnification and compression. An aperture of f/20 provided depth-of-field from the camera-to-subject distance; and a shutter speed of 0.8 second at ISO 100 gave me an overall slightly lighter than medium exposure.

We are very blessed to have a travel-way like the BRP to show us the great Beauty of our Southern Highlands. These amazing public lands are ours only if we agree to be responsible for their preservation and protection.