Photography

TOM VOGT SHOWS OFF SOME OF HIS FIRE-STARTING GEAR.  IT WAS A COLD DAY IN MARCH, WITH RECORD RAINFALL, SNOW IN THE PASS, AND HAIL IN CAMP-- NONE OF WHICH PREVENTED TOM FROM GETTING A FIRE ROARING. -- RGL

AS A TEAM OF BACKPACKERS, WE MADE A CONNECTION THAT HAS TRANSCENDED ALL PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES.  THE PURITY OF THE FOREST LEFT US WITH SOMETHING GREATER, AS IF OUR TINY PEACEFUL WORLD HAD EXPANDED TO FOLLOW US, ENCOMPASSING EVERYTHING WE SAW. -- Daniel Silverman

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.  I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING, I WAS DEFINITELY FEELING HAPPY.  EVERYONE WAS.  THE WHOLE TRIP! 

I THINK I HAD THOUGHTS OF THE THINGS AROUND ME AND THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, AS WELL.  NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE, I LET THEM FLOW. -- Morgan Lyon

Taylor Welch

LATE AFTERNOON ON THE LAST DAY OF THE EXPEDITION, THE TEAM WENT INTO THE WOODS, EACH PERSON SEEKING HIS OR HER OWN SOLITUDE.  THE ASSIGNMENT WAS TO FIND A SPECIAL PLACE, A SPECIAL MOMENT AND TO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT PLACE IN AN IMAGE.

Noah Goetsch Berch

 

Noah Goetsch Berch

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO SUCH A PEACEFUL PLACE, THE CALM WATER WITH THE SUNSET MAGNIFYING ITS BEAUTY ONTO THE OCEANS, AND THE SMELL OF OCEAN AND FOREST COMBINED ALL INTO ONE. IT IS TRULY AN AMAZING SIGHT. SO CALM, SO QUIET. -- K.C. Brewer

Shelby Turner

Taylor Welch

TO SMELL THE SWEET SCENT
OF PINE NEEDLES FIRST THING IN THE
MORNING,
FILLING MY LUNGS,
FAR FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF
THE GREAT CITY OF ROSES.
IT LINGERS IN MY LUNGS, NEVER
WANTING TO LEAVE.

TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE STREAM,
SINGING A MUMBLED SONG,
I LISTEN VERY QUIETLY,
LIKE MUSIC TO MY EARS,
BUT IT’S NATURES TRUE MELODY.
-- Taylor Welch

Taylor Welch

 

I, me, the outside, him, here, the inside.
We, us, together, them
All of us at mt hood
We all like the experience of being able
To do our own kind of thing—
Like me, I really loved the adventure
Of snowshoeing and being able to go on my own
In the snow—
It was a blast
I loved the peace and quiet on the trail,
My breath against the wind
My mind in a spin
And my feet cold
My temp high
My mind set, clean
The wild outside
The white trees so bright
My eyes were wide when the sun was shining
I loved the soft snow,
The touch of peace—happiness
To some a chore to hike
But to me a blessing to be
Outdoors
A touch of care
Mixed with a pinch of air
And friends who are there
With you

–Joey Fulton