mountains

Tacoma-Mount Rainier "Trail of Trails" Tour 2021

Let’s explore around Tacoma, Mount Rainier, Sumner, Puyallup, and University Place in Washington’s Pierce County…

Tacoma-Mount Rainier "Trail of Trails" Tour 2021

Superior, Arizona

A funky little mining town along state highway 60, easy to ignore as you drive into the beautiful Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. But it’s worth a stop, particularly for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum…

Superior, Arizona

The Ruins of Ani, Kars

Any list of the must-see spots of northeastern Turkey in my mind has to include the ruins of the city of Ani, which you will find in the Kars region, right along the border with Armenia. There are two parts actually, the former city overlooking a river valley, and a countless cave dwellings below along the river...

The Ruins of Ani, Kars

Uzungöl, Turkish Mountain Retreat

During my 2014 Come See Turkey experience, after visiting Sümela, we traveled from Trabzon to Kars, and we stopped for a bit in the town of Uzungöl, a lovely mountain retreat in the Çaykara district that would be at home in Switzerland...

Uzungöl, Turkish Mountain Retreat

Driving in Turkey from Trabzon to Kars

Leaving Trabzon after our adventures there, we in the Come See Turkey group made our way through the Pontic and Kaçkar mountain ranges toward Kars. It was amazing to see the changes in environment, topography, and culture as we traveled through river valleys, snowy alpine passes, and down into steppes... 

Driving in Turkey from Trabzon to Kars

Opal Creek and Jawbone Flats, Oregon

In January 2015 I explored Opal Creek and the quasi-ghost town of Jawbone Flats (population 5) in the central Cascade Mountains in Oregon. The area is thick with gorgeous fir trees, and the water in the creeks and rivers is crystal clear.  It's so clear in fact that when it pools, it looks insanely, surreally blue...  

Opal Creek and Jawbone Flats, Oregon

Icelandair Stopover Buddy Adventure with ATV – Óbyggðaferðir (Post 1 of 2)

As part of my trip to Iceland for Canopy by Hilton in November 2016, the Stopover Buddy service from Icelandair took us out of Reykjavík for an incredible adventure riding ATVs around Three Horn Mountain near Lambalækur, Iceland. Unnar Gardarsson of ATV – Óbyggðaferðir was our leader at the site, and I must admit he took us on one of the best trips I can remember as we slid through snow banks, forded icy rivers, admired waterfalls and volcanos, and then ate a wonderful lunch in an eighth-century monk's cave on a cliffside. On the first part of our adventure...

Icelandair Stopover Buddy Adventure with ATV – Óbyggðaferðir (Post 1 of 2)

Lakes around Mount Hood, Sept 2016

After a tough week with a very, very tough photoshoot at a hospital, I took a day off to just grab my swimming trunks and head off to some of the fabulous lakes south of Mount Hood in Oregon. By the time I arrived, a lovely morning fog had burned off and bright sunshine warmed the air. I hit Trillium Lake, Little Crater Lake, and Timothy Lake in Clackamas County, and briefly Clear Lake in Wasco County... 

Lakes around Mount Hood, Sept 2016