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Engaging return to this Alpine valley after seven months.
The last snowfall in April still left pleasant traces on the higher peaks and north-facing slopes.
All the meadows are richly coloured with flowers and are a joy to behold.
Il Giardino Selvatico
Molto piacevole il ritorno in questa valle alpina, dopo sette mesi. Montagne ancora discretamente innevate, dopo una abbondante nevicata in Aprile, mentre nei boschi e nelle verdi praterie, le fioriture danno spettacolo.
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We completed the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop — one of the most scenic day hikes in the Dolomites. Starting at Rifugio Auronzo (2,320 m), we followed Trail 101 past Rifugio Lavaredo and climbed to the first major viewpoint. And there they were: the legendary Drei Zinnen, rising like giants out of stone.
From there, the trail dropped sharply before climbing again to Rifugio Locatelli. The hut was closed, but the view over Laghi dei Piani made for a perfect picnic spot. Then came the toughest section — a steep descent on loose rock, followed by a demanding climb to Malga Langalm. That Apfelschorle at the hut? Very well earned.
The final stretch wound gently back toward the start. In total: just under 12 km, around 400 m elevation gain, and roughly 4 hours on the trail — including plenty of photo stops.
Back home, I felt this dramatic landscape called for a more stripped-back, timeless treatment. So I converted this shot to black and white and pushed the contrast, much like using an orange filter on film. It's less of a postcard, more of a personal impression. A landscape not just seen, but felt.
This panoramic photo was taken on Trail 644 during the second half of our 11+ km hike from Ciampinoi to Selva di Val Gardena. The day began with a cable car ride from Selva to Ciampinoi, situated just below the Sassolungo, followed by a scenic walk and lunch at the Chalet Hotel Georges.
From there, the route continued along trail 643 and then 644, offering spectacular views of the Sella Group — one of the most impressive massifs in the Dolomites. The hike concluded with a long descent through the Plans de Frea and the forested slopes of Trail 654, leading back into Selva.
Harsh terrain, high peaks, and a real sense of scale — a rewarding end to a challenging day in the Dolomites.
Cirque Lake
Callaghan Lake Provincial Park
"One learns that the world, though made, is yet being made; that this is still the morning of creation; that mountains long conceived are now being born, channels traced for coming rivers, basins hollowed for lakes." ~ John Muir
We embarked on the trail descending from the Wiesbadener Hütte (2,443 m), a mountain hut nestled in the Silvretta Alps, to the Silvretta-Stausee (2,030 m), a reservoir, in Vorarlberg, Austria, on a misty and rainy August day. Typically, this trail is renowned for offering breathtaking vistas of the Alpine landscape, providing ample opportunities to capture awe-inspiring panoramas. However, on that particular day, the weather didn't seem to cooperate, shrouding the prospect of such picturesque views in uncertainty. Consequently, I had to invest extra effort in seeking out alternative compositions to document our hike. Here, I present a photograph taken upon our arrival at the Silvretta-Stausee. I opted for an almost abstract composition, focusing on lines, forms, and shapes, as the opposite side of the reservoir was barely visible. — Ischl, Tirol, Austria
It really is amazing how well these guys or "snow quails" blend into their habitat and surroundings. This is true both in summer and winter. I've been lucky enough to see them in both plumages in my life. I have to say the winter one is my fave. Sometimes when this hen stood still we complete;y lost her. The young birders and I found 5 of them (a hen with chicks) on our last field trip. It has been a nemesis bird for our youth group for far too long and a lifer for most of them! We walked a total of 13 km to see these guys and it was worth every minute!
Day one of our Swiss hiking tour. Very wet and cold with early fog but we were blown away by the beauty of the surroundings
We embarked on the trail descending from the Wiesbadener Hütte (2,443 m), a mountain hut nestled in the Silvretta Alps, to the Silvretta-Stausee (2,030 m), a reservoir, in Vorarlberg, Austria, on a misty and rainy August day. Normally, this trail is renowned for providing breathtaking vistas of the Alpine landscape, offering ample opportunities for capturing awe-inspiring panoramas. However, on that particular day, the weather didn't seem to cooperate, casting a shroud of uncertainty over the prospect of such picturesque views. As a result, I had to put in extra effort to seek out alternative compositions to document our hike. The photograph I've titled 'Meeting of Two Solitary Spirits' encapsulates the essence of that unforgettable excursion – Ischl, Tirol, Austria
A etapa entre Fuente Dé e o Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes) atravessa o coração escarpado do maciço central dos Picos de Europa, um território imponente da cordilheira Cantábrica. O relevo calcário, moldado ao longo de milhões de anos e resultante do levantamento alpino, é marcado por picos abruptos, cristas pontiagudas e vales profundos, criando uma paisagem cársica de grande beleza e desafio. Este percurso, um dos mais exigentes do norte de Espanha, leva os montanhistas através de trilhos técnicos e refúgios de montanha, culminando na base do emblemático monólito calcário, um sÃmbolo do montanhismo espanhol. A presença de neve residual nas fendas rochosas testemunha a altitude e o rigor do clima de montanha, enquanto as vistas panorâmicas sobre os cumes que ultrapassam os 2500 metros ilustram a grandiosidade desta travessia.
The stage between Fuente Dé and Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes) crosses the rugged heart of the central massif of the Picos de Europa, an imposing territory of the Cantabrian mountain range. The limestone relief, shaped over millions of years and resulting from the Alpine uplift, is marked by abrupt peaks, pointed ridges and deep valleys, creating a karst landscape of great beauty and challenge. This route, one of the most demanding in northern Spain, takes mountaineers through technical trails and mountain refuges, culminating at the base of the emblematic limestone monolith, a symbol of Spanish mountaineering. The presence of residual snow in the rocky fissures testifies to the altitude and rigor of the mountain climate, while the panoramic views over the ridges that exceed 2500 meters illustrate the grandeur of this crossing.
We completed the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop — one of the most scenic day hikes in the Dolomites. Starting at Rifugio Auronzo (2,320 m), we followed Trail 101 past Rifugio Lavaredo. We climbed up to the first real viewpoint, where the Drei Zinnen revealed themselves in all their glory.
From there, the trail descended sharply before rising again toward Rifugio Locatelli. Although the hut was closed, we enjoyed a simple picnic overlooking the Laghi dei Piani.
The next stretch was the toughest: a steep descent over loose rocks followed by a demanding climb up to Malga Langalm. That Apfelschorle at the hut was well deserved. The final part of the loop followed a gently undulating trail — not difficult, but after more than 10 km, we felt every step.
In total, the hike is just under 12 km, with roughly 400 meters of elevation gain, some of it steep enough to require short breathers along the way. We spent approximately 4 hours on the trail, including several photo stops.
Tough? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. With its dramatic rock towers, high-alpine landscapes, and peaceful lake views, the loop is a must-do.
Royal Lake in Washington's Olympic National Park.
My photos are available across a variety of products at Fine Art America
We completed the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop — one of the most scenic day hikes in the Dolomites. Starting at Rifugio Auronzo (2,320 m), we followed Trail 101 past Rifugio Lavaredo. We climbed up to the first real viewpoint, where the Drei Zinnen revealed themselves in all their glory.
From there, the trail descended sharply before rising again toward Rifugio Locatelli. Although the hut was closed, we enjoyed a simple picnic overlooking the Laghi dei Piani.
The next stretch was the toughest: a steep descent over loose rocks followed by a demanding climb up to Malga Langalm. That Apfelschorle at the hut was well deserved. The final part of the loop followed a gently undulating trail — not difficult, but after more than 10 km, we felt every step.
In total, the hike is just under 12 km, with roughly 400 meters of elevation gain, some of it steep enough to require short breathers along the way. We spent approximately 4 hours on the trail, including several photo stops.
Tough? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. With its dramatic rock towers, high-alpine landscapes, and peaceful lake views, the loop is a must-do.
We completed the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop — one of the most scenic day hikes in the Dolomites. Starting at Rifugio Auronzo (2,320 m), we followed Trail 101 past Rifugio Lavaredo. We climbed up to the first real viewpoint, where the Drei Zinnen revealed themselves in all their glory.
From there, the trail descended sharply before rising again toward Rifugio Locatelli. Although the hut was closed, we enjoyed a simple picnic overlooking the Laghi dei Piani.
The next stretch was the toughest: a steep descent over loose rocks followed by a demanding climb up to Malga Langalm. That Apfelschorle at the hut was well deserved. The final part of the loop followed a gently undulating trail — not difficult, but after more than 10 km, we felt every step.
In total, the hike is just under 12 km, with roughly 400 meters of elevation gain, some of it steep enough to require short breathers along the way. We spent approximately 4 hours on the trail, including several photo stops.
Tough? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. With its dramatic rock towers, high-alpine landscapes, and peaceful lake views, the loop is a must-do.
This panoramic photo was taken on Trail 644 during the second half of our 11+ km hike from Ciampinoi to Selva di Val Gardena. The day began with a cable car ride from Selva to Ciampinoi, situated just below the Sassolungo, followed by a scenic walk and lunch at the Chalet Hotel Georges.
From there, the route continued along trail 643 and then 644, offering spectacular views of the Sella Group — one of the most impressive massifs in the Dolomites. The hike concluded with a long descent through the Plans de Frea and the forested slopes of Trail 654, leading back into Selva.
Harsh terrain, high peaks, and a real sense of scale — a rewarding end to a challenging day in the Dolomites.
Olympic National Park, Washington
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Three hikers make their way toward the towering Cinque Torri, highlighting the contrast between nature’s vast scale and our own small steps.
Bachalpsee, First, Grindelwald, CH.
Taken during a 7 hour hike from First to Schynige Platte. Reflection of Schreckhorn, Fiescherhorner on section of lake fed by Bachalpsee
As if it forms the flag of the peak, banner cloud formation is unique to the structure of Matterhorn. Most famous banner cloud formation is associated with this peak with the summit at 4478 meters. Stationary orographic cloud which forms downwind of an mountain crest or isolated peak and takes the shape of a banner or a flag streaming from the mountain peak ( similar to the way condensation trails form at the tip of an aircraft wing).
It was just crystal clear. A sunny and less windy day, on a hike to explore one of the longest alpine glaciers, found this mesmerizing scenery. At 2360m, Vordersee lies between Eggishorn (2926m) and Strahlhorn (3050m) in Valais, Switzerland. After a hike of about 2 hours from Fiescheralp, enjoying the amazing view of Fleschergletscher (Fiescher Glacier), you are treated with this amazing scenery. I had no other thoughts than sit and enjoy this for a moment (Well, i had to complete the 7 hour long hike). A mountain hut at Gletschertube is visible across the lake. 30 mins from here is the Grosser Aletschgletscher - the largest glacier in Alps.
As the description in zermatt.ch claims - there may be no better-known mountain in the world whose natural shape comes so close to a pyramid as the Matterhorn. Located on the border between Switzerland and Italy, it towers 4478m, one of the famous mountains in the world. During my hike to Gornergrat from Zermatt, got to see this wonderful view of Matterhorn seeing itself on an alpine lake near Riffelsee. Heard some fellow hiker in a group whisper - 'Welcome to Africa', as he finished explaining the geology of this giant pyramidical Matterhorn. Matterhorn was formed several million years ago when Africa moved closer to Europe causing folding of rocks and land forcing their way upwards thus resulting in the birth of Matterhorn.
It got its pyramidal structure by snow glaciation and formation of cirque resulting in constant erosion of rocks over centuries of years. A symbol of Switzerland, this is one of the most photographed mountain in the world. The four steep faces (North, South, East, West), culminate in two distinct summits - Swiss and Italian summit. The north and east faces overlook Zermatt in Swiss.
The mountain is referred as Monte Servino in Italian and Mont Cervin in French. German name Matterhorn means Matte - Meadow, horn - Peak. One of the difficult mountains to climb, it has costed life of a number of climbers.
Panoramic view of Ebenalp with its reflection on Seealpsee.
Ebenalp (1640m) - northernmost summit of Appenzell Alps, which has Santis as the highest summit. Reachable by cable car from Wasserauen, Ebenalp is reachable via Seealpsee through a number of hiking options, the challenging one which i took.
Seealpsee - a lake in Alpstein range at 1143m. Various hiking options start from here towards Santis (5h) or Ebenalp (2h).
A view taken during the hike from Wasserauen - Seealpsee - Ebenalp.
The only medicine I hope to ever need. I took myself up high to celebrate my birthday. It was perfect.
This is the best roof i have ever seen of a swiss /nordic wooden houses in the country side.
Wooden House, Findeln Village, Zermatt, Swiss.
Awesome Cheakamus Lake in the Fitzsimmons Range north of WHistler mountain - was tinged turquoise from the glacier flour dropping into it from nearby glaciers. So brilliant when seen while perched on the Whistler hiking trail known as High Note ..on the the back side of Piccolo Peak, Harmony Bowl area.
If you can manage it, I highly recommend hiking Whistler's high alpine. It's wilderness with the rough edges sanded off .. and so worth a bit of sweat and effort - as this photo clearly shows !
White as snow, as cloud. A close interaction with the cloud at 2502m above sea level at summit of Santis, St.Gallen, Switzerland. Santis is located in 3 cantons of North eastern Switzerland - Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Sankt Gallen. It receives on of the highest precipitation throughout the year.
The untouched and historic area is our home for 8 days.
Wonderful history, castles, unique accommodation all washed down with local food and wines.
Whistler's spectacular alpine is now seeing early snows, adding contrast to the already-spectacular colors in it's peaks. Here we see the Musical Bumps (Piccolo, Flute & Oboe peaks) with Blackcomb and Overlord Glacier in the background.
This is SUCH easy hiking now, given you can take a high-speed valley-to-alpine gondola, and in an hour's paced hiking, be at this exact spot. Wilderness with the edges rounded off. For non-skiers, know that THIS is a big part of why we make such a big deal out of skiing Whistler !
Female hiker stops to look at the majestic view of Cheakamus Lake, seen from a vantage point on the High Note hiking trail from Whistler Mountain
Look closely, and you'll see me standing on the alpine trail as we hike up the mountains near Grindelwald, Switzerland
Such is the thickness of Aletsch Glacier formed due to the snow deposited over the several years, that the hikers hiking on it are like a miniature (towards the right). Its not possible to hike the glacier without sure - footedness assisted by Ropes, Crampons and Harnesses. Usually the hike is assisted by qualified guides. Glaciers melt and retreat (one main reason being global warming) and break down like huge rocks. Also seen in this panoramic view is the Olmenhorn (3314) peak.