Category: Scenic

Desert Shadows

Long shadows (including mine) stretch up into the desert landscape full of saguaros and boulders on the Granite Mountain Loop Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 13, 2024. Original: _Z728602.NEF

A different take on a favored scene, deliberately adding my shadow to the desert’s own. I can’t remember if Bear’s shadow mixed in with mine or if his was too short even for this wide view, but I loved hiking this trail with him this past winter and spring.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 13, 2024

Coming Down the Mountain

A view of saguaros and wildflowers on the Granite Mountain Loop Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 13, 2024. Original: _Z728573.NEF

A quick snap of a favored view as Bear and I were on our way back to the trailhead, surrounded by saguaros and wildflowers with mountains in the distance. I had been back at work for a couple of months and missed our daily hikes, but these days I’d settle for even weekend walks as I haven’t been able to get up early enough on my days off to beat the heat. We did go swimming yesterday for two hours lest you feel too sorry for us.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 13, 2024

Same Spirit, Different View

Massive saguaros grow beside the Granite Mountain Loop Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 7, 2024. Original: _Z728173.NEF

Whether walking Ellie in our old Portland neighborhood or hiking with Bear in the desert, I value quality but compact and light camera gear so I can keep my focus on our time together rather than photography. I love the mementos of these treasured times, even if you don’t see Ellie or Bear in the picture, I do. If the spirit behind why I take pictures hasn’t changed, the view certainly has.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 7, 2024

Trail Rescue

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) from the Scottsdale Fire Department is parked beside the Balanced Rock Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 14, 2024. Original: _ZFC9123.NEF

This is the fire department’s ATV that passed Bear and I yesterday, if we had one of these our hikes would go a lot faster! I promise we’d only use it for good, like running over people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop or handing out Dr. Pepper and donuts to hikers who’ve overextended themselves. My thanks to the pros and volunteers who help out with trail rescues.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50mm DX
🗓️: January 14, 2024

Air Evacuation

Saguaros dominate a scene where in the distance, a rescue helicopter hovers in the air. Taken on the Granite Mountain Loop Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 14, 2024. Original: _ZFC9134.NEF

As Bear and I hiked to Balanced Rock via the easier wide path (to be kinder to his paws) we were passed by the Scottsdale Fire Department on their way to a trail rescue. On the way back we took the narrower rocky paths to stay out of their way if they needed to evacuate someone, but they must have called for air support as when we were far along this helicopter came past and hovered near the rescue site. Hope they’re OK.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50mm DX
🗓️: January 14, 2024

Flooded

Looking down at flooded trees from the overlook on the Horsetail Falls Trail in the Columbia River Gorge, taken on May 7, 2017. Origina: _DSC4598.ARW

A wet image for today as we’re getting much-needed rain in the desert, a look back while looking down from the overlook on the Horsetail Falls Trail in the Columbia River Gorge. This location certainly triggered my fear of heights so it was a crawl out, quick picture, crawl back, start breathing again. I was never in any danger, just my brain thought I was.

📷: Sony A6500 | Sony-Zeiss 55mm f/1.8
🗓️: May 7, 2017