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It was early March, and another cloudless 70 oF day had arrived in Los Angeles. Trees were leafing out, flowers were sprouting across nearby deserts, and spring was on the horizon. My mind, however, was wandering much farther north. Exactly one year ago I was on my way to Alaska’s north slope, with green aurouae dancing overhead. My destination was the end of the road – the town of Deadhorse – but more than 400 miles of ice, the Brooks Range and a succession of weather-related obstacles stood in my path. The temperature outside had dipped to -65 oF. My engine struggled to turn over, the transmission refused to shift, and windows froze shut. Snow drifts eventually closed the road, forcing a ...

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Ben is an avid adventurer and wilderness photographer who enjoys exploring remote corners of our planet. Among his favorite subjects are desolate arctic landscapes and the wildlife that inhabits them. In recent years, he has become particularly fascinated with the art and science of the northern lights. He now regularly ventures above the arctic circle during winter, searching for mountainous landscapes with exceptional aurorae dancing above. When not photographing wild landscapes, Ben Hattenbach is a partner at a Los Angeles-based law firm where his practice focuses on the trial of complex intellectual property disputes. More of his images of can be seen at http://www.benhattenbach.com.
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