Western Juniper over Desolation Wilderness. These are one of my favorite trees. Rooting in some of the most inhospitable environments imaginable, you can usually find these ancients growing straight out of the rock starting at around 8500 ft.

Yosemite National Park at night. Climbers lights illuminating El Capitan with Southside drive lit up by latecomers entering the valley.

I hiked a lot this year. Ask me for a photo from your favorite hiking destination in Northern California and I’ll share what I’ve got. This one is from my last night on the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon National Park