DREAMING ABOUT SPERRY CHALET

Sperry Chalet lodge, after standing strong for more than 100 years up in the backcountry of Glacier National Park, has burned down. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach when I read the news. It turns out firefighters have been fighting a lightning-sparked fire near the chalet and Lake McDonald for the past two weeks, and it finally succumbed to the flames yesterday. So sad.

Exactly two years ago today, I had the great fortune of hiking up to this magical place and spending two nights. Built in 1912 by the Great Northern Railway and opened the following year to guests, Sperry Chalet has provided a base for hikers heading up to see the amazing Sperry Glacier for 100+ years. A National Historic Landmark, the chalet was built from simple rock, rubble, and timber in an homage to the alpine architectural style that the Railway was using for all of its buildings in the area: Montana would be the Switzerland of North America.

 

On our previous trip to Glacier, I stayed at the more rustic of the Great Northern Railway chalets - Granite Park. At Granite Park, they provide communal facilities in which you can pack in your meals and prepare them yourself, as well as participate in fun ranger-led talks every night. All aspects of the trek are more family-friendly, including the hike in via the Highline Trail which is about 8 miles and less than 1000' of elevation gain.

Sperry Chalet, on the other hand, felt luxurious by comparison. While rustic, the accommodations are full service - beds and linens in the main lodge, full catering and delicious meals prepared by the friendly staff. Hot breakfasts, lunches packed for you to take on your hike, freshly-baked homemade cookies and pies, delicious multi-course dinners - the works. It's backcountry hiking at its ultimate best, even if you have to think really long and hard about the 2am emergency bathroom hike.

Each night, we drank hot chocolate and apple cider, played games until late and listened to stories from other guests about how they've been coming to Sperry for 20+ years with their families. The chalet was so well-loved.

The best part of Sperry was its location. The hike in is 3500' up over 7 miles, and we shared the trail with the supply pack horses. Another 4 miles and 2000' above is Sperry Glacier, one of the most stunning day hikes I've ever experienced, including a run of granite stairs dynamited out of the side of the mountain. We made the trip at the end of the season, which provided awe-inspiring vistas and dramatic fog. I'm so grateful to have experienced this amazing place and so thankful for all those who tried to save it.

Here's to the Sperry Chalet rebuild so future generations can see the few glaciers left in the park, and experience the humbling beauty of places such as these.

All photos shot with either my Nikon D750 or my iPhone.

HIKING IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Though I've passed through Seattle many times, I'd never actually gotten out and properly explored any of the nearby national parks. One of my closest photo-friends Peter packed up and headed to the Pacific Northwest from Brooklyn a few years ago and it’s been a joy following his work and the adventures he and his wife Emily have with their dog Aldo in the mountains.

After extending a work trip into a long weekend and intercepting one of my travel partners in crime (Alaska, Portugal), we decided to head for the hills and explore!

 

We took the ferry across to Bainbridge Island for an early brunch at Cafe Nola and headed into the National Park. We stopped at the lovely visitor's center at Hurricane Ridge which informed us that unexpected early-season snow (and a lack of on-duty plows) prevented us from making the drive up to see the ridge. Instead, we drove through the dramatic mist and fog to check in at one of the few hotels inside the national park - the Lake Crescent Lodge.

We decided to start the next day with a short rainforest walk near the lodge, and then make the long drive down the bay roads to the lesser-visited southeastern part of the park. Along the way, we stopped at lots of little state parks and bay beaches like Pleasant Harbor, Seal Rock and Triton Cove to enjoy the scenery. Lunch included a stop for some delicious Mexican at a tiny spot with an incredible view called El Puerto de Angeles. After fueling up, we drove back into the park at the Staircase entrance and laced up our hiking boots. We explored the North Fork of the Skokomish River for a few hours and saw waterfalls, rapids, suspension bridges, old cedar forests; it was such a great reminder of the rejuvenating power of nature.

After getting our hike in, we drove back along the beautiful Lake Cushman at sunset, and as the light slowly faded, our last treat was to see incredible colors on our way back into the city.

All photographs shot with one of my crazy vintage cameras and expired film. Just kidding. IPHONE 6, BABY!

DREAMING OF THE BIG ISLAND

Every year as we round the corner into spring and get hit with one or two last snowstorms in NYC, it's like clockwork. My brain starts its annual obsession with visions of palm trees, hikes across steam-warmed black lava fields, and boogie boards at my all-time favorite Hapuna Beach. I start googling phrases like "tips for moving to Hawaii" and "how do I bring my cat to Hawaii?" I'm convinced this longing will never go away until we finally pull the trigger.

 

Of the hundreds of thousands of miles I've traveled over the last dozen or so years, the one destination I’ve returned time and time again is the Big Island of Hawaii. The southernmost and easternmost island in the chain, the Big Island is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and is a sparsely populated, laid-back heaven of ecological diversity. The island is made up of five volcanoes, three of which are still active, and tons of microclimates that range from arid deserts of young black lava on the leeward side to tropical rainforests on the windward side where more than 200 inches of rain falls annually. It's a dream come true for all photographers.

In addition to the enormous Volcanoes National Park where you can do an incredible day hike into lava tubes and an enormous crater, there are four National Historic Trails, Sites and Monuments where you can go to learn more about the Hawaiian culture, its people, and its phenomenal natural beauty. I promise no one will judge you if you skip the historic sites, because you can stay busy for ages exploring beaches of all colors - black sand, white sand, salt and pepper, pebble and stone, even a beautiful green beach made of sand mixed with olivine. Just be sure to pack your boogie boards, snorkel gear, a good book, and TONS of sunscreen. And sick of lazing around on the beach? I love heading up north to either Pololu Valley or Waipi'o Valley and hiking down some of the most breathtaking cliffs anywhere in the world. In Waipi'o you can even join a horseback tour and go into parts of the valley where you can see a waterfall taller than the Empire State Building. WHAT.

Oh, and did I mention you can drive from sea level to nearly 14,000 feet to watch the stars at the Mauna Kea Observatory? Just try and run your medium format camera, backpack of lenses and tripod up a hill to catch the moonrise when you get to the top. I dare you.

Excuse me while I go search for airfares and stare longingly at this photo of spicy tuna poke.

Medium format Pentax 645N, 35mm lens and Kodak Portra. A few iPhone snaps too.

SHUCKING OYSTERS ON THE NORTH FORK

It's a little hard to admit, but I know woefully little about traveling in the tri-state area, despite the fact that I've lived in New York for more than ten years. I've only been to the Catskills a couple of times, Fire Island once many years ago, and to Connecticut for a handful of road trips, weddings, and music festivals. Since I have never really had a car here, sometimes it's just as easy to hop in a cab, head to the airport, and fly off to someplace far away.

 

While that convenience is definitely one of the biggest benefits of living near several international airports for me personally, I think it sometimes discourages my own exploration of more local environs. Enter the North Fork.

I have had a number of friends and family tell us over the years about how beautiful and relaxing it is to spend a weekend out on the North Fork, but until recently it was a totally foreign concept. Recently we had the opportunity to spend an early summer weekend out there, and I totally get it now. Beach! Vineyards! Wine tasting! Backyard parties and salty breezes! Gourmet cheese shops and lovely restaurants! Count me in. 

Certainly, many of our trip highlights included the great food and local wine, and I've included all the lovely places we visited in the itinerary below in case you're planning your own trip. But really - it was the company that we were in which was just the best. Good friends, adorable dogs, and lots of laughter was just the recipe for the kind of restorative weekend we needed. Here's to many more!

Some Recommendations: In Greenport, shuck your own oysters and eat sweet little clams at Little Creek Oyster Farm. Head for a cocktail down the street at Brix & Rye before a delicious celebration dinner at Noah's. 

In East Marion, head to the beach and take a long walk before breakfast sandwiches at Fork & Anchor. Visit vineyards and do wine tastings at Mattebella in Southold and McCall in Cutchogue. Visit the polo ponies in their onsite stables, and snuggle them to make your whole weekend. Stop by The Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck to pick up a picnic spread and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air somewhere beautiful.

Barbecue at home or head to brunch in Greenport at Billy's By The Bay. Lounge on the back patio at Macari or hit up a hundred other awesome spots. Do you have favorite spots in the North Fork to hang? I'd love to hear about them! Happy travels!

DRIVING DOWN THE BIG SUR COAST

My brother is a big fan of driving down the California coast. After years of touring with his band and exploring the wide open spaces out west, he has found many drives that capture the imagination. This one is possibly his favorite; there's good reason why the drive through Big Sur is world famous. This year, I couldn't take it any longer: I had to make the trip and see it for myself. 

 

After a week of hard work in San Francisco, I grabbed a cab to SFO airport, rented a car with solid satellite radio options, and rolled all my windows down. Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Monterey. I hugged the curves of Highway 1 and stopped at every state park I could. I strolled on beaches at sunset and hiked up redwood trails to marvel at the magic of ancient giants. I breathed deeply of fresh, green air and let the golden light warm my face. I can't wait to go back.

All photos courtesy of a (rented) Nikon D4 and a variety of fixed Nikon lenses in my collection.

EXPLORING THE ALASKAN FRONTIER

Despite the unreliable nature of September in Alaska, I convinced my BFF to head north for a long weekend. We set out with a plan to explore Kenai Fjords National Park, but got more than we bargained for. We hiked on glaciers, saw them calving into the ocean, cruised next to pods of killer whales, and watched sea lions basking in the sun. We got up close and personal with moose and caribou at a nature preserve, and may have inadvertently provoked a young buffalo to see red.

And oh, the fall foliage! We hiked through forests of yellow aspen, stretching out their long limbs for miles and miles. The vast wilderness of Alaska was overwhelmingly beautiful and I can't wait to return.

 

Pentax 645N & various medium format lenses. Kodak Portra 400.

HIKING INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY AT GLACIER

Montana, you are the most beautiful.

 

All photographs shot with my Hasselblad 501CM & Zeiss 80mm lens. Fuji Velvia forever and ever.