Category: Scenic

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

Where a Desert Once Stood

A look east towards Four Peaks after an earlier forest fire burned the area, including a dying saguaro. Taken on the Saguaro Nest Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on September 29, 2023. Original: _Z729557.NEF.

This summer as I left work far in the distance I saw greenish smoke that usually means the desert is burning. The closer I got to home the closer the fire seemed to home and indeed as I cleared Troon Mountain I could see smoke billowing from the part of the preserve where Bear and I often walk. We prepared to evacuate but didn’t have to as the wind carried the fire away from us. I avoided the trails for a long while since burned areas are pretty sensitive but after seeing they were open, made a visit in the fall to see if I wanted to bring Bear back yet.

At first nothing was amiss but then I hit the burned part and there’s a wide swath of the desert that is completely charred. There are sandy areas with no plant life and exposed holes of the many small animals that once lived here. Some plants like this saguaro still had patches of green but they are the walking dead. We have enough other trails and enough time during my leave of absence that I’ll keep Bear away for now.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 105mm macro
🗓️: September 29, 2023

Eight Peaks

My shadow stretches into the desert in front of a hill that resembles the Four Peaks behind it on the Rock Knob Hill in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 23, 2023. Origina: _Z724824.NEF

I call this location Eight Peaks as in the distance on the right you can see the mountains known as Four Peaks with their closely spaced four peaks. On this rocky hill before us, the Four Peaks repeat in miniature form. Taken on the Rock Knob Trail with my shadow stretching out into the cholla, Bear’s shadow hidden by the desert’s own.

The Living & The Dead

A mix of living and dead plants, with a beautiful but dead saguaro anchoring the middle, with Granite Mountain in the background. Taken on Powerline Road No. 2 in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 1, 2023. Original: _Z727672.NEF

I was walking Bear when I was struck by this beautiful but dead saguaro and took a few shots, I prefer this composition that includes a lot of the other living and dead plants around it with Granite Mountain anchoring the background. I haven’t taken Bear on the full loop around the mountain, now that he’s getting back into shape and the weather is cool enough, I’ll give him a chance soon. The uphill part is at the start so I’ll get a quick gauge of how he’s doing and can double back if he struggles, but I suspect he’ll be just fine.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
Date: November 1, 2023

Keeping One Eye Open

Patterns around a rock on a sandy beach resemble a Cyclops from Greek mythology at Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park in Washington on August 7, 2013. Original: _MG_3411.CR2

Thousands of years ago a visiting Cyclops commemorated their love of the Pacific Northwest by crafting a self-portrait, the only known example still in existence today. I had the pleasure of photographing it in 2013 and was surprised by how delicate and fragile it was given the powerful force that created it, suggesting Homer’s portrayal of the Cyclopes as ignorant brutes in The Odyssey was little more than slander.