"Traveling to far off, beautiful, remote locations is amazing, but sometimes staying close to home can be just as rewarding. You just might have to get off the beaten path. Whether it's raining or shining, there's no bad days in the outdoors. The way I see it, there's only the improperly dressed. With fall and winter quickly approaching, follow along at @brandonhuttenlocher as I cram as much summer fun in before switching gears to winter adventures.”
"I first experienced the magic of Yosemite in 2005, and what I first felt for this place has never left me. My good friend @jo_loo accompanied me on this particular visit, and it was her first time exploring the park. Seeing her take in Yosemite for first time felt just as special as my first time, 10 years ago.”
"I set three different alarms just to be sure I was out on the balcony by 5 AM, so we could start our journey down Alaska’s Endicott Arm. It was stunning to see the morning light filter through the mountain valleys and the landscape slowly revealing itself to us as the ship made its way down the 30 or so miles of this fjord. I couldn't help but be awestruck by these rock formations, carved by ice over the ages. A pretty moving experience.”
"As fellow anglers would agree, there are special experiences that can only be made on the water. It relentlessly stormed and rained this day. Wet, exhausted, and hungry, we put the poles away and started the outboard. Suddenly the rain stopped, the wind died and the sky became illuminated in gold.”
"I'm a big fan of those moments no one is thinking about — where everyone's just ‘in it’. Here my friends were passing through on a Washington road trip , we camped out on a ridge line the night before and then dropped down into this epic spot on the Trinity River. We spent the whole day frolicking in the water, and when the sun started to get low we went our separate ways. I headed south and they continued north. It was a top notch weekend."
"Ever wonder what people do in the backcountry after camp is made and food is eaten? This. A whole lot of this. I was on the Grand Loop in the Rocky Mountains and snagged last minute permits the day we started the trail. I was treated to isolated campsites all along the Tonahutu River. After the hike up Flattop Mountain and across the tundra I just needed a good nap.”
"I really like the saying ‘If nothing is for sure, anything can happen.’ It fuels a lot of my adventures, including this unplanned trip to God's Thumb. When you get the motivation to go somewhere, you just have to go. No one looks back and thinks, "I wish I didn't hang out at the beach last night, that was a waste.”
"The Canadian Rockies was a bucket list trip for years, and we finally made it! 1000's of miles later wife Abbi Hearne Photography and boy dog Black & White Pup and I rolled into Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Blown away by the huge terrain, I felt it suiting that I experience this lake to its fullest... by doing a sketchy backflip off some driftwood! And yes, it was COLD!"
“I took my two boys to Utah on their first backpacking trip. We hiked through 50 miles of delicate hoodoos, up snow-capped peaks, into slot canyons and across cactus-dotted deserts. We traded a/c for mountain air, $5 lattes for cloudy snowmelt water, and our pillows for the earth. We slept with nothing between us and the brilliant starry sky. There's no space for the distractions of drama or politics out there - just hard work, self-reliance, and freedom."
"The morning of my 32nd birthday was gloomy and rainy, but my wife (IG) angiesayers and I had already decided to tackle Trail Ridge Road, the highest continually paved road in the United States. Rocky Mountain National Park is a true haven, each landscape seemingly plucked from a postcard. As we climbed higher, the temperature changed erratically and a storm began to brew. With thunder rolling in the distance, we began the trek back beneath dark clouds, pausing to take it all in.”
“Shooting surf photography from the water takes a certain demand. The physical challenges paired with the technical make for a fun adventure. I tend to spend many nights on the beach at Fire Island National Seashore in order to photograph first light. The light show that is produced at sunrise is truly incredible and when Mother Nature is giving me her full attention, it makes it all worth it.”
"Most do going away parties at bars and clubs. Thankfully, the people I surround myself with would rather listen to the wind in the trees than a drunk DJ, so on my friend's last night in town we headed into the woods. After a grueling hike over Arapaho Pass and down a thousand vertical feet to Caribou Lake we were treated to one of the most spectacular campsites I've ever been to. We filled our last night together not with drunken stumbling, but with fresh trout, a little wine and hours of smiles and stories.
"These falls are the forest’s secret, tucked away in the dense foliage of the Columbia River Gorge, just outside of Portland. You hear them long before you see them. Standing over the roaring waters, you can feel the mist rise from below. I think having a person in this photo helps the viewer feel that too. It gives the scene immediacy and scale.”
“This trail is rated as one of the most beautiful yet dangerous trails in the world, and I had to see it for myself. It hugs the coastal mountains, cuts through the jungle of Kauai and crosses a few creeks and rivers. One must pay close attention to the weather, as it completely affects trail conditions. The 22 mile round-trip hike accumulates to over 10,000 feet of elevation changes. Even with the challenges of getting to the beach, I can see why some people live here indefinitely. I can talk about how stunning this place is but there's no substitute for getting out here and seeing it for yourself. What are you waiting for?”
“I've seen a million pictures of this place and I knew I wanted to experience it for myself one day. I hit the road with my buddy Dave and went on a spontaneous cross country trip, hitting some famous national parks as we're both avid photographers. It was exhausting to say the least. Horseshoe was actually a replacement location as we originally wanted to go see The Wave, but we couldn't get access to it in time. We were definitely not disappointed by the bend.”
“As a Bay Area native, I’ve had many opportunities to venture around the Golden Gate Bridge and shoot its iconic footprint from my own perspective. On this particular evening, I made my way up Slackers Hill with the same goal: capture the Golden Gate. I try to get on location about an hour before sunset to give myself time to get set up for the shot I want. So there I was, set up to snap my shot of the bridge at sunset, when I turned around to check the position of the sun and saw this frame. I just couldn’t help myself – I yanked the camera from the tripod and jogged over to the ridge and snapped a few pictures. I selected this one in particular because of those hairline sun rays that I just can’t resist.”
“After a long day exploring in the sun we hiked up to the top of Rough Tor to catch the last few rays of sunlight and find somewhere to pitch the tent. The summit is dotted with outcrops of weathered rock from which you can see beautiful views in all directions. In this shot @andrea_is_out_there is taking in the vista. All in all a magical place that reminds me how much I love the outdoors.”
“Taken on the best hike I’ve ever done, the Laugavegur hiking trail. It’s a four day hike in the central tablelands of Iceland. This rewarding view is hard earned on the first day, after trekking up nearly 500 vertical meters over 12kms of volcanic fields and snow covered mountain paths. An unforgettable and rewarding experience!”
“Fly fishing takes you to the wildest places on earth. I'm fortunate enough to have made it my career. As a guide for FlyCastaway, I can say it doesn't get any wilder than St. Brandon's Atoll in the Indian Ocean. The biomass of this place is incredible. Tropical water and big hungry Bonefish, life doesn't get any better than this.” - @milliegerm (IG)
"I wanted a hiking buddy for years before finally settling on a Vizsla. Whiskey has been the perfect partner for both my photography and our adventures together. We took her on her first hike at 11 weeks, her first scramble at 4 months and now she poses on mountains like a pro! This was my first solo overnight adventure with Whiskey. She's just gotten old enough to carry her own fully loaded backpack and we had the best time at Joffre Lakes, just 3 hours north of Vancouver. We are soon heading on a road-trip up to Alaska, so follow us for more adventures!” Photo: @mywhiskeygirl (IG) Joffre Lakes, BC
