I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t really fit in living in southern California. Although I do commute to my day job, I avoid the commuter culture. I don’t send text messages unless absolutely necessary. My idea of high-end clothing can’t be purchased at Nordstrom’s or Bloomingdale’s, and I had no idea who Justin Bieber is until my friend’s 9-year-old daughter introduced me (I still wouldn’t know him if he showed up at my front door). So, I don’t really fit in here.
Part of that is my fault too: I’ve avoided fitting in. Perhaps I’ve been afraid I’d actually start to like it here if I let myself. So it was when I was introduced to the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Within one week of moving to southern California, I was in a car with my new boss driving up the Owens Valley to the White Mountains. There’s no doubt the Sierra is an impressive range, but was cautious to give it too much credit.
“How cliché,” I thought, “everyone likes the Sierra.”
“What could be so special about this place?”
Eight years have passed. In that time, I’ve stood in awe at the base of giant sequoias and granite monoliths. Some of the most amazing geology in the west has been right under my feet. In 2010 alone, I’ve walked more than 100 miles in the Sierra backcountry, most recently my wife and I took our 2 1/2 year old son on his first backpacking trip to the North Fork of Big Pine Creek (aka the Palisades, or Palisade Lakes).
Sunset, Second Lake, John Muir Wilderness, September 2010
We arrived at our campsite, high above one of the glacially-fed lakes about 5pm and set up our tent, and I went to filter water. One of the most fantastic things about this time of year is that there are no mosquitoes. I really can’t tell you how happy that makes me. I got back to camp in time to see the day’s last vestiges of sunlight kissing the tops of the peaks to the north of us.
The following morning, I walked up to another one of the small chain of lakes in this area to photograph sunrise. I’ve written before that I’m convinced there are no clouds in the Sierra. My “curse” continued on this trip, with completely cloudless skies. Alas.
First Light on Temple Crag, September 2010
After shooting sunrise, I walked back to camp, and enjoyed a morning reading of “One Zany Zoo” and some oatmeal. After breakfast, we were very sad to pack up and walk back to the car. Its at that moment, looking up at Temple Crag and the Palisade Crest that it hit me. This is the place where my son is learning to love the outdoors. This is more than just a pretty mountain range. As part of a generation who will be more likely to save trees by sending emails rather than going outdoors to climb them, his groundwork for a sense of place is being laid down right here.
With that in mind, its easy to see why John Muir was so moved by this Range of Light.
"Babysitting", September 2010
I think it’s great that you are getting your young son out into the wilds. Nature deficit, as it’s being called, is a growing problem with kids. Without regular contact with our home, the natural world, kids are missing out on a crucial part of their development. Computer screens and video games just don’t cut it. I tip my hat to you for that. Oh yeah, good photos too…
I feel you are getting your feelings about the mountains across well and putting it into perspective with the time and miles explored and your photographs of remote places. In my observation some children are eager to get outdoors and some resist it mightily. People say that either way you just keep taking them and eventually they take to it. Your son looks like he is enjoying being there in the photograph above. Does he generally take to the wilderness?
How fortunate you are to spend time with your family exploring the Sierra’s. I can’t imagine what it would be like living in SoCal. I struggle with the population and noise around our place. If you were to overlay our city with your area, it’d probably look like nothing more than a tiny dust particle. On the other hand, city life makes for a fun challenge. I try to shoot images that give one the sense they’re in a very rural area. Does the saying, “Bloom where you’re planted” seem appropriate?
Thanks, all, for the replies!
David: Our son loves to be outdoors. Even at home, he’d rather be outside than in, and going hiking and camping are two of his favorite things to do. I’m not sure it it’ll continue through his childhood, but right now he loves it. Continuing outdoor activities is the only way I can think of it continue to instill the values that are important to us, in him.
Julie: Yes, I can agree that we have to bloom in the place we’re planted. I also would add that our location (place) helps to define us as people. I like your thinking though, and that’s where I’m hopefully going in a future blog post!
Wonderful post Greg. The image of your son reminds me of myself at that age! My parents carried me through the Sierras before I could walk, I climbed my first 14,000 peak in the Palisades at age 14, and now 50 years later the Range of Light still feels like my second home. That early exposure has fueled my passion and given my life direction through photography, conservation and active healthy living. You are definitely giving your son the best posible education.
Greg, just an idea for your future post: Perhaps you can include something like what I recently created for local photographers and people visiting our valley: Provo River Parkway Photo Ops: Geneva Road to Utah Lake State Park (a Google Map, http://bit.ly/9PvsT9). It’s merely an example of someone who bloomed where she was planted. How enjoyable would it be for other photographers if there were more simple photo op maps like this created and shared that represent the best of our “neighborhood?” Who knows your corner of the world better?
Sorry, I put the wrong link in the last post. Go to http://bit.ly/atwnIA instead.
This is fantastic, Julie! Thanks for the info, and the idea!
Cool idea Julie.
In this discussion, I remembered this has been on my mind for quite some time. Here’s something else I wrote over a year ago on the same subject:
I wrote this over a year ago: sort of fits with this discussion, too: http://www.thecleanestline.com/2009/08/backyard-adventures-little-wild-places.html
PJ, even though I was the product of video games (I played a lot of Nintendo), I remember spending more time outside than the average kid I grew up with. Instilling that in my son is the most important gift I can give him. Thanks for noting its importance…
I am a very big fan of getting your kids out there. Mine boys are getting to the age where they can really put down some miles and they AND like it. Love the shots too. The memories even better!
I just found you’re website and blog while researching an upcoming California vacation. You’re images are great and I really enjoy the blog. It is eye catching and informative, you do a wonderful job of conveying a passion for landscape photography. I will bookmark for sure.
Thanks for stopping by and for bookmarking the blog, Shawn! Good luck in planning your CA trip, and if you want to “talk shop” feel free to shoot me an email.
Take care,
Greg