This was my longest, hardest and most spectacular backpacking trip to date - 7 days, 6 nights, almost 50 miles, two mountain passes at elevation close to 12000 ft, all the while surrounded by massive granite mountain peaks, glacier lakes, forests, alpine meadows, wild flowers and unparalleled beauty of nature everywhere I turned. It was an exhilarating adventure. A little scary at times and one which challenged me both physically and mentally.  Simply put - it was an epic trip!

Admiring the peaks of the Cirque. Photo by Carolyn Lochhead This experience really brought home for me why I would rather choose to spend my precious and hard-earned vacation time not in an all-inclusive resort or a nice hotel with access (and excess) to all the comforts of the modern world... Not that there is anything wrong with that or that I can’t enjoy it. I can and do on occasion. But THIS for me is what I’d rather do - each and every time.  Being in nature fuels my soul and brings me joy that fills every part of my being.  Many of friends most of my family just can't understand - WHY. Why would anyone want to be without a hot shower, a bathroom and a comfortable bed.  But here's the thing....

There is something that changes inside of us when we immerse ourselves in nature - when life is stripped down to its most basic needs. When we are nothing but a speck of dust surrounded by the grandeur of the raw and powerful nature... It demands our respect. It quiets the mind. It heightens our most basic senses. It puts into a sharp focus what's important and what is not.  If forces us to use our minds, be self reliant, and pay attention to our surroundings. It simply makes us feel more alive and real and more connected with ourselves and our environment... All of those things is the reason why. 

All of the images included below I took in the Winds. Photographing wild flowers at the Cirque of the Towers. Photo by Carolyn Lochhead I used  my little Sony A6000 mirrorless camera, as well as my iPhone, to capture these photographs. My superior, big and heavy DSLR camera and lenses were weft behind at home.  A week's worth of food and my backpacking gear, took precedence over my preferred photography equipment. I was determined to keep my pack close to 30 pounds and not a whole lot more. As I'm getting older each ounce makes a huge difference when it comes to how comfortable my hiking experience is. 

I sure missed my wide angle lens and a full frame camera given the incredible and vast landscapes just begging to be photographed in their full splendor. But then again, I doubt I would be able to truly depict the majestic beauty of things I've seen and experienced no matter what camera I would use. 

I also still struggle with combining backpacking and nature photography effectively.  One, there is the extra weight associated with the photo gear.  Two, the logistics of executing both activities - each with its unique needs for a successful, rewarding and a safe experience - do not always line up perfectly in my experience. Perhaps it is a matter of practice and even more planning to ensure you are at the right place, with perfect lighting conditions and time of the day (sunset and sunrise of course),  while also covering a fair amount of miles each day, setting up the camp and dealing with the very basics of what backpacking entails. Then there is a physical exertion of the hiking - it can be all extremely exhausting.  I think that one must either must choose to backpack with the primary objective of photography or backpack with the primary objective of hiking.  Not both.  My backpacking partner - Carolyn, a fabulous photographer who took the pictures of me included here, has a different opinion on this subject. But more on that another time perhaps.

Anna

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Wind River Range Seen Through My Lens

Photography by Anna Wrobel 

Cirque of the Towers at Sunset