A federal appellate court has given the National Park Service and Federal Aviation Administration until late July to explain why they are so behind in crafting air-tour management plans for many units of the National Park System.

Despite more than two decades to get the task accomplished, and almost two years after a federal judge ordered the Federal Aviation Administration and National Park Service to get the job done by this summer, air tour management plans for eight national parks will not be completed on schedule, according to court documents filed by the two agencies.

As the Covid pandemic enters its third year, the desire to be outdoors continues to push the number of campsite and other reservations made through recreation.gov, which also has noticed an increase in cancellations.

There are many faces to winter in a national park. Some park units have no snow, while others host feet of the fluffy white stuff. On sunny days, the atmosphere is clear and sharp, producing saturated colors for your camera. On not-so-sunny days, your camera’s LCD lens might be filled with varying shades of gray and white. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides examples of what you might see through your camera’s lens and how to prepare for winter photography in a national park.