Every now and then, the northern lights make an appearance over Jackson Hole, Wyoming. On one such occasion, I was temporarily living in the town of Jackson instead my current home in Kelly, Wyoming, which discretely occupies a small southern corner of Grand Teton National Park. Realizing I hadn’t yet photographed the auroras from the nearby National Elk Refuge, I drove over shortly after dark to begin photographing them.… Keep reading...
The Tiger Mine Trailhead overlooks a vast and intimidating desert wilderness. No grand mountains ahead. No identifiable landmarks to decorate the horizon. Few roads to provide a safe outing in case of emergencies. Just a wide open desert land. This was seclusion. This was intimidating seclusion.
The obscure dirt roads intervened only every dozen miles or so in an abyss of desert.… Keep reading...
Chapter 12Zero days are a common practice among thru-hikers. Meaning, zero miles covered, they’re days when thru-hikers just want to rest weary feet, reconnect with new and old friends, share stories, replace supplies, do laundry, heal an injury, get more food, or any other chores or tasks or relaxation techniques that need tending to.… Keep reading...
Deep in winter’s freeze in January, I headed out at first light to hike one of Grand Teton National Park’s most popular summer trails, Taggart Lake. In the dead of winter, however, only a few locals and brave tourists explore beyond the parking lot. Before sunrise, no one is there.… Keep reading...
During my trip to the southwestern United States this past fall, one of my destinations was Chaco Culture National Historic Park, or more commonly known as, Chaco Canyon. Turning off the highway overrun these days with traffic for the oil and gas industry, I began the winding journey down the back roads to Chaco Canyon, only to find 15 miles in that the campground was full.… Keep reading...