Oneonta Creek Pano

Gratitude on the Triple Falls Trail, Oregon

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. ~ Albert Einstein A self-indulgent whim hit me and I hit purchase on a flight to Portland, Oregon. Thoughts of cooler temps and a visit to Columbia Sportswear’s headquarters filled my head. I’d seen photos of hikes in the Columbia River Gorge area and it looked surreal. On …

Psicobloc Climber Fall

Free to fall: The Psicobloc Masters Series climbing competition

Wearing neither a harness nor rope, the climber stretched her arm toward the distant hold using every muscle in her body to stay connected to the overhanging wall. Gravity won, pealing her off the wall to a splash landing in a pool 30-feet below. Shortly after, another climber reached the top of the 50-foot wall only to leap off voluntarily. …

White Pine Lake Panorama

White Pine Lake: An alpine escape in the Wasatch Mountains

The spring snow-melt means more hikers on the trails and I find myself journeying higher and higher to find barely thawed trails with more quiet. Pondering my topo map, I spotted White Pine Lake sitting at nearly 10,000 feet of elevation, one of the highest in the Wasatch Mountains. Feeling confident that at least a small part would be covered …

Observation Point, Zion

Photo escape: Observation Point, Zion National Park

Zion National Park completely impressed me when I visited over Thanksgiving weekend. While there, I hiked up to Observation Point to take in one of the classic views of the canyon. By the time I arrived, the sun was directly in my face, so most of my photos could be better. However, in this image, the sun makes the canyon …

Visitors look at a large Tyrannosaurus fossil

A museum on the trail: The Natural History Museum of Utah

Park once, take a hike, and then explore a museum. A hiking trail and museum may seem unlikely partners, but in Salt Lake City, the concept works brilliantly. Marking access to one of my favorite trail systems is the Natural History Museum of Utah. The location was chosen to highlight the junction of the urban and natural environments. I’ve used …