Grindstaff Hollow, Tennessee, 2020

This creek flows west from the Iron Mountains in Northeastern Tennessee near the Appalachian Trail. Grindstaff Hollow was named after Nick Grindstaff, who lived alone with a dog and pet rattlesnake in the late 19th century. Legend has it that he had gone west after the Civil War and made a fortune in Missouri. Traveling back to Mountain City, Tennessee he was robbed of everything he owned. The event was so traumatic that he moved into the Iron Mountains to become a hermit. It's unclear if the rattlesnake killed him or he died of natural causes in 1923. He was survived by his dog. One can still visit the site of his cabin, whoch now has a stone monument in his honor reading "He lived alone, suffered alone, and died alone." Read more about him here

Marby Mill, Floyd County, Virgina 2020

In February 2020 I picked up Tony at Raleigh-Durham, NC airport and we cruised the Crooked Road of Virginia and the Blue Ridge Parkway, just off of which is the Marby Mil, built by Edwin Boston Marby in 1903.

Mural in Galax, Virginia, 2020

Galax, Virginia is an absolute gem of a town for music lovers, as it claims to be the "Old Time Music Capitol of the World." Old time music, or old time mountain music, is a precursor to bluegrass and a distinct style, largely characterized as fiddle-based dance music often involving a banjo played with the clawhammer technique. Read more about it here. The prominence of the fiddle explains its prominence in the mural here.

On the particular night that Tony rolled into town, February 2020 with snow coming in fast, we were lucky to catch live old time music at the famous Rex Theater.

In case you were wondering, the name Galax come from a plant of the same name, native to Southern Appalachia.

Flower near Carmen, North Carolina, 20202

Dry Creek, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, 2020

By late March covid had fully taken over daily life in North Carolina. I was lucky enough to live close beautiful natural areas and not far from the Appalachian Trail. I spent a lot of of my time, especially that spring, section hiking the AT and connecting other trails for form loops. This creek was on a connector trail about 3 miles southwest of the AT.

Bethel Valley, Vilas, North Carolina, 2020

I would have went a bit mad, or more mad than I did, in Seattle during the pandemic. One thing that keep me sane were my "Happy Hour" spots around my house, such as this one looking down to Bethel Valley, where I could drink a beer and take in the beautiful sight and sounds of sunset each evening.

Linville Gorge, Linville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina, 2020

Linville Gorge has been called "The Grand Canyon of North Carolina," and encompasses some of the most rugged country in North Carolina.

North Prong Shining Creek, Shining Rock Wilderness, North Carolina

Looking out from Black Balsam Knob, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

Flowers Near Black Balsam Knob, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

Looking out from Black Balsam Knob, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

Russel Fork of the Levisa River, Breaks Interstate Park, Kentucky and Virginia 2020

In August 2020 my good friend Zeus was making a leap from Seattle to West Virginia, and I decided to go see his new place. On the way I stopped at the Breaks Interstate Park, home to the Russel Fork of the Levisa River (known just as the Russel Fork, is Southeast classic class V whitewate.

Buffalo National River Wilderness, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas, 2020

In October 2020 I decided that I needed to get back to the West Coast to see family while still maintaining social distance. My plan was to spend two weeks driving west alone, effectively isolated, backpacking and mountain biking on the way. My first stop was the Buffalo National River Wilderness in Northwest Arkansas (NWA for short). My friend Megan grew up in Rogers, Arkansas and said it was beautiful. I spent three foggy and rainy days in the wilderness area, near the Hawks Bill, a rock formation on the edge of the canyon.

Buffalo National River Wilderness, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas, 2020

All the fog and ran made visibility from the Hawks Bill pretty bad, but the fall colors stilled popped out of the gloom.

Double Compton Falls, Buffalo National River Wilderness, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas, 2020

Although it was raining during my visit, these mountains had been very dry for the last few months. Thus, Double Compton Falls only had a single fall coming off the rim.

Gloss Mountain State Park, Oklahoma, 2020

I was giddy with delight with my first glimpse of red rock on my way to the Southwest. After hours driving across the plains of Oklahoma I made out the faint silhouette of a mesa on the horizon. It was a nice, albeit windy, spot to hike around and stretch my legs.

North Truchas Peak, Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico, 2020

After a long drive I treated myself to a three-day backpacking trip in New Mexico's Pecos Wilderness. It was cold, windy, and empty. As of May of 2022 there are forest fires raging in this area.

Morning Coffee in the Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico, 2020

Baby Big Horn Sheep, Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico

Mom was nearby so I kept my distance.

Skyline Trail and Middle Truchas Peak, Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico, 2020

Trail Riders Wall, and the Truchas Peaks, Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico, 2020

Horse Near Silver City, New Mexico, 2020

After the Pecos Wilderness, and two days riding out a storm in a Motel 6 in Santa Fe, I made it to the Aldo Leopold Wilderness for an epic backpacking trip on which I had little time for pictures. After a night regrouping in Silver City, I headed north in Show Low, Arizona.

Rainbow over the Mexican Mountain Wilderness and the San Rafael River, Utah 2020

After a few days with my aunt in Show Low and Payson, AZ, I headed north to meet my friend Megan (from Michigan, not Arkansas) to hike the upper Black Box of the San Rafael River. We made a loop from our campsite, where this picture was taken.

Brandeberry Creek, Olympic National Forest, Washington State, 2020

I think this is Brandeberry Creek, but I am not exactly sure. It is off the Sitkum Solduc Road, right off the Sitkum River. My friend Tony and I took a quick look around the Olympics, my favorite part of Washington State and where I fell in love with water and wilderness.

Mushroom near the Bogachiel River, Olympic National Park, Washington State 2020

Upper Dungeness River, Olympic National Forest, Washington State, 2020

We got a rare lovely winter day hiking up one of my favorite hikes in the eastern Olympic Mountains, the Upper Dungeness River Trail.

Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington State, 2020

I spent Christmas in Bellingham, Washington, and stayed through February. This shot was taken on a day trip with my mom up into the mountains.

Methow Valley, Washington State, 2020

Queets Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington State, 2021

Just after new years, Ellen and I packrafted the Queets River. I brought my bulky tripod so was glad to at least get this shot out of it!

Bellingham Harbor and Lummi Island, Bellingham, Washington State 2021

When the weather is nice during the Bellingham winter, there can be some great sunsets. At 4pm.

Bellingham Harbor, Bellingham, Washington State 2021

Ellen Walking Through Redwoods National Park, California, 2021

Ellen and I decided to head to the Southwest for packrafting and sun. On the way we stopped in Redwoods National Park.

Redwoods National Park, California, 2021

Colorado River, Utah, 2021

Our destination was Canyonlands National Park, and specifically the Maze District, the most remote and inaccessible part of the park. We put on near Moab, Utah and paddled down the Colorado River over 4 days for 50 miles. Although flat water, the winds can be epic on the river, often forming white caps. This shot, just outside the park, was our first night on the river.

Ellen, Robin, and Mitch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

This was the crew (other than me) heading into The Maze, in a side canyon about 40 miles down the Colorado River.

Ellen on the Colorado River, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

Some days on the river were calm and even warm, for March. But the afternoon often brought strong, up canyon winds.

The Maze and La Sal Mountains, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

Mitch and Ekker Butte, Canyonlands National Park, Utah 2021

After we got to the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, which is the center of Canyonlands National Park and--for some--the center of the universe, we hiked up to the rim through the Doll House, and along four-wheel drive roads then down into the Maze itself.

The Maze, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

The Harvest Scene, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

Barrier Canyon Style (BCS) art, of which this pictograph--the Harvest Scene--is prime example, absolutely blows my mind. As I am writing this in June 2022, I have just wrapped up another stint in Southern Utah during which I visited three other BCS art sites, in Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park (the Great Gallery), Courthouse Wash in Arches National Park, and Sego Canyon, near Thompson Springs, Utah. The Harvest Scene has many of the features of these other sites, including the long human-like figures interacting with small animals. It also shares a similarities with these other sites in its location, near a confluence of canyons where it would likely be seen by several groups that passed through these areas. It's named after one figure in particular, seen on the far right of this photo, that appears to have a tree growing out of her/his/their/its (I am unsure about the correct pronoun here) hand. Aside from the beautiful aesthetics of this art, what really amazes me about BCS art is it's age: up to 7,000 years old. Dating rock art is notoriously difficult, and BCS art might be anywhere between 1,400 and 7,000 years old. At another site in Canyonlands NP, Cowboy Canyon, figurines of a similar style were discovered by the Park staff and dated to 7,000 years old. In some sense, the age of any specific panel may be less interesting than dating the presence of a cultural trajectory or some shared understanding of the world which this art represents.

Barrier Canyon Style Art, Canyonland National Park, Utah, 2021

The Green River, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

We left the Maze from Horse Canyon and hiked north along benches until we could descend down to the Green River, inflate our rafts, and float back to the confluence with the Colorado River.

View From the Green River, Canyonland National Park, 2021

Water Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

We did a side hike up Water Canyon, but this is also a route through which one can get from the Maze to the Green River.

Cyclone Canyon, Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2021

Our hike out of Canyonlands began up Red Lake Canyon and continued up Cyclone Canyon, unique in how straight it is (despite its name). The wide-open meadows buffered by rock spires in typical of the Needles District of Canyonlands.

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, 2021

After completing our Canyonland trip, Ellen and I spent some time in Torrey, Utah and explored Capitol Reef National Park. From 1998 to 2001 I spent a lot of time in the area working in wilderness programs based in Wayne County. In my opinion, Capitol Reef is the best National Park in Utah. The walls are only rivalled in sheer height by Zion, yet it still lacks the crowds. It's central feature is the Waterpocket Fold, a monocline that extends North-South through Southern Utah, from I-70 to the Colorado River (currently buried by the ecological disaster that is Lake Powell). It is only bisected in one place by a paved road, Highway 12, below. It is otherwise a wilderness park, and 95% of the tourists only see the part of the park accessible by the highway. It is also an International Dark Sky Park.

The Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, 2021