Education

Photographing Polar Bears in Alaska – Part 1

Welcome to Kaktovik, Alaska, a small Eskimo village located on the northeast shores of the Arctic Ocean. The small barrier islands around Kaktovik are a great habitat for polar bears, especially in the fall months as they wait for the sea ice to freeze solid. The waters around Kaktovik form part of ANWR, the Arctic…

Grand Escalante – Coyote Gulch

I love visiting Grand Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah! There is so much variety from arches and interesting rock formations to slot canyons, toadstools, waterfalls, etc. The options for exploration are endless. Unlike many of the national parks in the vicinity, Escalante is much less trafficked but still just as stunning. In this article,…

High Uintas Backpacking – Amethyst Basin

Amethyst Basin in Utah’s High Uinta Wilderness is another popular destination for impressive mountain scenery. It’s a short 13.2 mile round-trip hike, so it can easily be done over a weekend or even as a day-hike. However, I recommend spending a night near Amethyst Lake since that will give you more time to explore and…

High Uintas Backpacking – Henry’s Fork & Kings Peak

The Henry’s Fork and Kings Peak area of the High Uinta Wilderness is another great option for summer backpacking. Here you’ll be treated to verdant alpine valleys, sparkling lakes, and a chance to summit Utah’s highest peak! Henry’s Fork Trailhead is easy to access via a good gravel road that is suitable for passenger cars.…

High Uintas Backpacking – Red Castle Lakes

With springtime in the air, now is the time to start planning summer backpacking trips! One location I would highly recommend is Utah’s High Uinta Wilderness. Located just south of the Wyoming border in Eastern Utah, this spectacular backcountry area stretches nearly 60 miles east to west and is home to Utah’s highest peak. The…

Winter Waterfalls in Oregon

This February, I planned a trip out to the Oregon Coast. While there, a winter storm came in a couple days sooner than forecast. With the coast hemmed in by fog and snow, I decided to head inland to photograph some of Oregon’s iconic waterfalls. My deciding factor was a webcam I saw on my…

Thor’s Well Photography

I’ve wanted to photograph Thor’s Well on the Oregon Coast for some time now. When conditions are right, this little hole in the rock can look like the drain of the Pacific Ocean! Located in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, Thor’s Well is a quick walk down from the highway. Having been a landlubber all…

Photographing the Dalton Highway – Part 2

And now for the best part of the Dalton Highway – the Brooks Range and the North Slope! Before the trip, I had high hopes to see some wildlife in this section of the highway. When I was filling up with gas at Coldfoot, I asked some hunters if they had any luck spotting caribou.…

Photographing the Dalton Highway – Part 1

The Dalton Highway was originally built in 1974 to support the trans-Alaska pipeline. It takes off from the Elliott Highway north of Fairbanks and runs 414 miles all the way to Deadhorse, stopping just shy of the Arctic Ocean. Unless you have special tour arrangements, you won’t actually get to see the Arctic Ocean due…

Temples of Ta Prohm

I had the privilege of spending a few days exploring the vast archaeological complex known as Angkor Wat. Situated in northwest Cambodia, Angkor Wat was built by ancient Khmer civilizations stretching from approximately 800 to 1300 AD. At its zenith, Angkor Wat supported more than 750,000 inhabitants. However, by the 14th century, it began a…