Road Trip pic of the day, 7/18: What and where is it?
During Road Trip 2009, CNET News reporter Daniel Terdiman happened on this strange lake filled with dead trees. That's why it's today's picture of the day challenge. Be the first to send in the correct answer and you'll win a prize.
Update (10:18 p.m.): The answer, as many, many people guessed, is that this is Earthquake Lake, in western Montana. A massive 1959 earthquake caused a huge landslide that resulted in 28 deaths, and also suddenly created an artificial lake, swamping and killing the trees that you see in the picture.
JACKSON, Wyoming--When I began Road Trip 2009 four weeks ago, I wasn't planning on doing a Picture of the Day challenge. It was actually an idea that came to me about two weeks in, and now that I'm doing it each day, it's clear that a lot of people are finding it their favorite part of the project.
It also means that while driving, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for good candidates for the daily challenge.
So when I saw this incredible lake, nestled into a mountain valley, with all these dead trees in it, I knew right away it would eventually make for one of the daily pictures. And here we are.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tell me what this is called, where it's located, and why it's like this. If you're the first to send me the right answers to those questions (by e-mail, to daniel dot terdiman at cnet dot com), you'll win a prize.
One new twist to the daily challenge: If you've won before, you're not eligible for the daily prize. However, to motivate you to keep sending in your submissions, even if you have already won, if you're the first person with the right answer (for any of these challenges) you'll be entered into a drawing for an even better prize. So, the more times you're the first person, the more entries you get.
Good luck folks.
For the next two weeks, Geek Gestalt will be on Road Trip 2009. After driving more than 12,000 miles in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last three years, I'll be writing about and photographing the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado. If you have a suggestion for someplace to visit, drop me a line. And in the meantime, join the Road Trip 2009 Facebook page and follow my Twitter feed.