Back in October, the Tamarind Adventure Club enjoyed a night of camping at White Sands National Monument. When we arrived in the early afternoon, the sun was high overhead and the heat, reflecting of the dunes, was almost unbearable. The sand however, made out of gypsum, remained cool to the touch, collecting what little moisture the desert has to offer. As the afternoon progressed, we parked at the trailhead for backcountry camping and headed into the dunes. The only means to find our way were a series of red poles placed at the top of the dunes, directing us dune to dune, until we had walked a mile into the sands to designated, numbered camp sites. Sunset and sunrise were magical light shows, and though the photos may seem repetitive, each dune had a unique relation to the sky and the surrounding mountains. It was hard to look away, and equally difficult to capture in images.

The muted color of sunrise caused the sky and the sand to blend together, obliterating the horizon.