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| High above East Clear Creek, Coconino National Forest, AZ |
Our priority was solitude. I haven’t camped much this season, for lots of reasons, and the three of us wanted to get out for a few days while we could. Mogollon Rim Country provides the shortest drive to high-altitude camping, a must in summer.
While there are grand landscapes available there, this part of the Coconino National Forest is also the closest to Metro Phoenix, and it gets crowded, especially on the edge of the rim where the views are.
We chose some quiet spots, enjoyed the cool temperatures and hammock naps, and I shot mostly little things and what’s often called intimate landscapes. These scenes are smaller than the grand ones. They offer several advantages, including an opportunity to do more original work. Many photographers have shot those long views, but maybe none has done justice to that one amazing tree.
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| Graphic Intimate Landscape, Coconino National Forest, AZ |
I call the little things “details.” This year has been a wet one, and everywhere I looked there were mushrooms. You likely don’t know that I worked in college and during a gap year afterward in a mycology (fungus) lab at UC Santa Barbara. I’ve always had a soft spot for the little buggers.
This was a good opportunity to get re-acquainted.
One thing we didn’t anticipate was that the long weekend ("amateur weekend" for camping) began on Thursday, apparently. Thursday was our last night. Yes, I’m grateful that, as retired people, we can be out there on weekdays. Some people have no choice but to be out there on Labor Day weekend. Still, when driving around in circles looking for a quiet spot, I’ll admit to feeling a little annoyed.
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| Ferns in a burn scar, Coconino National Forest, AZ |
This trip was sandwiched between commitments for us, too. Despite the frustrations, I was grateful to be out.
There’s more on the website, closing out the Summer 2026 Gallery.
Stay tuned for something completely different later this month.
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