Landscapes

Labor of Love

Sometimes, a long and steep climb can have it's own payoff.

I spied a tall peak nearby as I was resting in the refugio halfway through my Mont Black Circuit. It looked promising, and from a glance at the map, it seemed a hop, skip and a jump away. But was I proved wrong.

After an hour of climbing 1600ft (500m), I finally arrived at a saddle at the base of the peak, which was 1200ft up. I was almost out of breath, and just as I was about to give up and turn back, I looked around, and I knew what I would see up at the summit would be even more stunning than the amazing scenery I was feasting on at this saddle. I started climbing the grassy 40 degree slope in earnest, praying for an easier way down. And slowly but surely, by just focusing on the next step, I made the painstaking climb to the summit.

And there, the reward for this long and arduous climb redeemed all the labor that went into reaching this summit. The shrouded summit of Mt Blanc stood in all its glory, along with the rugged Val Ferret, with hanging glaciers descending down every valley.

Tour du Mont Blanc

Italy

Fire and Ice

The refugio was winding down for the night. And after the heavy dinner and a long day of hiking, the warm confines of a cozy bed seemed rather appealing. I peeked outside one last time an hour before the sunset, and the clouds seemed lackluster. But something egged me to wait till sunset.

It was my fourth day of hiking in the Mont Blanc region, and I was ready to call it a night in a beautiful alpine refugio in Val Ferret in Italy, , on the south-eastern flank on the Graian Alps. But my photographer's instinct made me stay behind. And my hunch proved right, as a bank of clouds over a glacier changed to orange, and set the Frebouze glacier on fire.

Courmayeur

Italy

The Sky On Fire

Enamored by another mountain top in the Pacific Northwest, I started hiking under less than ideal conditions: forecast of grey skies, cloudy weather, gale-force gusts and chance of summer rain. I didn't believe the forecasts, until I was hiking in freezing weather with wind spraying sand and rock on my face. Needless to say, setting up my tent in that unwelcome weather was less than an ideal experience.

I waited until the the wind died, until the clouds cleared up and until the sun peeked from behind. And in the magical moments that unfolded at sunset, all that effort in getting here no longer seemed in vain.

The clouds hung around the valley and on mountaintops, slowly drifting and dissolving into thin air, just while setting aglow in the last light of the sun. Peaks appeared and disappeared for an ephemeral instant, right while the sky above was turning a shade of pink. The scenery all around was a dance of clouds, light and the sky.

Sometimes, heading into the remnants of a thunderstorm can yield dramatic scenes...

Mt Baker Wilderness

WA USA

Dusty and Dusy

Four summers ago, I had embarked on what I was perhaps one of the most mentally grueling backpacks I had ever done, a solo 7-day trek into the mountains covering 55 miles and 3 mountain passes above 11500 ft (3500m). It was physically and mentally taxing, and my only escape from being trapped in my head with my own thoughts was photographing the surreal landscape I walked through.

The penultimate evening of my sojourn found me on the dusty shores of Dusy basin, a moonscape with very little vegetation situated at 12000ft. It was a stark landscape, with sun-burnt granite covered by patches of tiny shrubs and stubby grass, interspersed by deep-blue alpine lakes reflecting the wonderful scenery all around. Despite the long arduous days, I was sad that one of my best treks into the Sierras were coming to an end.

Dusy Basin

CA USA

Summer Sunsets

Fire lookouts in the state of Washington are built like the warning beacons in Gondor, perched atop craggy peaks with precipitous drop-offs, and with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the rugged surroundings. And this one, perched on a rocky outcrop just a hairs throw from Mt Baker, is no exception.

The steep climb to its summit is well worth for the jaw-dropping sunset views and panoramic vistas, and I'll never forget the night I spent eyeing the snow-capped summit of Mt Baker.

Mt Baker Wilderness

WA USA

Camping on the edge

Would you want to camp here?

There are some gnarly campsites in the North Cascades with jaw dropping views. And then there is Sahale Arm. Getting to the campsites here involve a 4400ft (1300m) climb from deep in the valley below up steep hiking trails ending in a glacial moraine with precipitous dropoffs. And even in this unforgiving terrain are scattered campsites with panoramic birds-eye view of the Cascades.

I can't wait to return to the high country once again.

North Cascades National Park

WA USA

Driving Around Iceland

The problem with driving around Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five goddamn minutes. It’s totally exhausting.

- Stephen Markley

Every turn, every mile, and every day brought out a new scenery to stare at, a new waterfall to wander to, a new mountain to be amazed by, a new glacier to gape at, a new terrain to traverse, and a new landscape to shoot. The long days of driving around this tiny island, while tiring, was anything but boring. It was a wonderous destination with jaw-dropping beauty, a magical place I would love to return to.

Ring road

South Iceland

The Morning After

The thunderstorm had reverberated through the yurt that stormy night. And high up in the windswept plateau at 3000m in the heart of the Tien Shan mountains, the sheepskin rugs outside the yurt had been the only protection against the raging weather. I had forced myself to sleep in the thin air of these mighty mountains that ran along the spine of Kyrgyzstan.

After that restless sleep, I had hoped that the morning sky would be more forgiving. And when I had stepped out, the sky had redeemed itself. The sun had just cleared the eastern horizon, and the overcast weather from the prior evening was replaced with a clear sky dotted with puffy clouds. Across the deep blue lake, the snow-capped peaks rose to meet the fleeting clouds. In the distance, I spotted a row of yurts belonging to another tourist camp nestled at the base of the hills.

I watched as the light slowly transitioned from hues of deep pink to bright orange, and life slowly started seeping into the tourist camp I was staying in. Soon, it would be time for breakfast, and it would be time to step away from the freezing cold and pack my gear. But I didn't want that moment to arrive.

Songkol

Kyrgyzstan

The Mountains are Calling

The mountains are calling, and I must go…

It is summer again, and it is time once again to go explore the alpine mountains, time to take a stroll on country lanes into the refreshing woods, time to wander into charming mountain villages and grab a refreshing drink, time to lose oneself in nature…

Austria

Glacial Designs

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.”

- Anthony Bourdain

Iceland certainly left its mark on me. Witnessing the raw power of earth's forces transform the landscape before my very eyes, from glaciers gouging vast canyons, waterfalls cutting through the soft earth, laval flows creating new land, and rivers, lakes and oceans shaping the harsh terrain all around, was an indelible experience.

I hope to see this magic once again

Skaftafell National Park

Iceland