Eight Miles | Hike 15
Bell and I met some friends out at our favorite stomping ground for an eight mile hike from Sunset trailhead to Crab Eyes to Echo Pass up the south side of Elk Mountain to Apple & Pear and then Down Elk Mountain trail.
Eight Miles
Hike 15 | 03-11-2018
Bell and I met some friends out at our favorite stomping ground for an eight mile hike from Sunset trailhead to Crab Eyes to Echo Pass up the south side of Elk Mountain to Apple & Pear and then Down Elk Mountain trail. It was windy and magical really.
Bell climbs Crab Eyes | Hike 14
It would be hard not to notice that I got a puppy. Her name is Bell. But she's not just any puppy, she's a puppy who loves the Wichita Mountains like I do. She's an adventure puppy. I am a proud dog mom.
Bell climbs
Hike 14 | 03-10-2018
It would be hard not to notice that I got a puppy. Her name is Bell. But she's not just any puppy, she's a puppy who loves the Wichita Mountains like I do. She's an adventure puppy. I am a proud dog mom.
I went to meet some friends out for a hike Saturday and I somehow missed them at Sunset parking lot so Britney, Bell and I set out for Crab Eyes anyway. We ended up running into my friends Shannon and her brother Stacy while on Crab Eyes. Bell made it to the top! I'm so proud. Here's the photo story.
Apple, Bell, and Pear | Hike 13
I took my new puppy Bell on her first hike today. We went up the Elk Mountain trail and wandered down to Apple and Pear and back around through the Valley of the Boulders.
Apple, Bell, & Pear
Hike 13 | 03-05-2018
I took my new puppy Bell on her first hike today. We went up the Elk Mountain trail and wandered down to Apple and Pear and back around through the Valley of the Boulders. Bell impressed me the whole way. When we got home Bell somehow balanced on top of the couch and walk onto my shoulders while I was sitting at the dining room table. I think she was trying to show me what she learned.
Devil's Den | Hike 12
Angie had her first art show out of state so the three of us took the opportunity to visit Devil's Den State Park
Devil's Den
Hike 12 | 03-02-2018
Angie had her first art show out of state so the three of us took the opportunity to visit Devil's Den State Park. Bell fell through a crack she was trying to jump. Luckily, I had a good hold on her.
Chasing Waterfalls | Hike 11
My friend Blake Batchelor invited me on a day road trip to Arkansas. The area had received a lot of rain during the week so he was suspecting some gorgeous waterfalls.
Chasing Waterfalls
Hike 11 | 02-25-2018
My friend Blake Batchelor invited me on a day road trip to Arkansas. The area had received a lot of rain during the week so he was suspecting some gorgeous waterfalls. He was so right. We left early and hit Natural Falls just west of the Oklahoma/Arkansas border and then proceeded on to the Buffalo River area. It was slick and a little dangerous at times, but it was worth it all.
Natural Falls
Triple Falls
Eye of the Needle Falls
The Big Hairy Crack | Hike 10
The Big Hairy Crack. I won't tell you where it is in the Wichita Mountains, but maybe I'll take you there someday. Maybe not.
The Big Hairy Crack
Hike 10 | 02-18-2018
The Big Hairy Crack. I won't tell you where it is in the Wichita Mountains, but maybe I'll take you there someday. Maybe not. Before you even get to the Crack you can crawl through a number of other small spaces. Many on your belly. If you are small enough to fit. I'm not. The last time I did it, there were multiple folks in tears and the fetal position. It's not as hard as it is intimidating. You crawl down and walk through this archway that leads you to the crack. After a short break, you Spiderman diagonally down a 50 foot crack (maybe less, maybe more) that narrows below you. You can easily imagine losing your grip and getting wedged in the rocks. We're not a bunch rock climbers here. Some of us have climbing experience, but we're really just of bunch of people who find solace and fellowship hiking together. We laugh. We get beat up. We challenge ourselves. We encourage each other. We inspire. We literally lend a knee and a shoulder.
photo by Shawn Bethel
North of Spanish Canyon | Hike 09
Four of us went on a Sunday hike in the blistering cold. We chose an area that tends to be a little warmer than the surroundings. I had one scary descent that got my heart racing. De made it look so easy.
Exploring North of Spanish Canyon
Hike 09 | 02-11-18
Four of us went on a Sunday hike in the blistering cold. We chose an area that tends to be a little warmer than the surroundings. I had one scary descent that got my heart racing. De made it look so easy. I found this gorgeous eroded pool on top of some massive boulders. You can spent years hiking in the Wichita Mountains and still find new and amazing surprises.
photo by De Cooper
photo by De Cooper
Five Dogs, One Spanish Canyon | Hike 08
On this particular day, five dogs pulled nine humans through Spanish Canyon just as we pulled them.
Five Dogs, One Spanish Canyon
Hike 08 | 02-03-18
Some hike for the physical exercise. Some hike for the spiritual. Some hike for the fellowship. I hike in the Wichita Mountains for all of the above. On this particular day, five dogs pulled nine humans through Spanish Canyon just as we pulled them. We were all a tight pack that day and we licked each other's wounds. I think we all ended the day a little better than we were before.
Mount Mitchell Massif | Hike 07
On my sixth hike of 2018, I got invited to hike with John Reenan's group to a peak on the western edge of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Reserve. I brought my friend Ryan with me.
Mount Mitchell Massif
Hike 07 | 01-27-18
On my seventh hike of 2018, I got invited to hike with John Reenan's group to a peak on the western edge of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Reserve. I brought my friend Ryan with me. We made good time at a brisk pace for our nine mile round trip. I found the cave with the iron stove as well as a canyon I had been hunting for about six or nine months. It was a really good day. After returning home and showering, I hit the bed like a t0n of bricks.
McGee Creek | Hike 06
Angie and I met De, Britney and all four dogs for an overnight at McGee Creek. We had a nice easy hike with the dogs the next day.
McGee Creek
Hike 06 | 01-21-18
Angie and I met De, Britney and all four dogs for an overnight at McGee Creek. We had a nice easy hike with the dogs the next day. Dot, the alpha, led the hike. If we came to a fork in the road, she'd look back like she was asking where to go.
2018 Women’s March
The annual Women’s March OKC on the year anniversary of a the birth of a movement. I painted some signs like last year with my daughter Riley and my girlfriend Angie. I left with a good feeling that the women of this country will take it back for all of us.
The 2018 Women’s March OKC
Oklahoma Capital | 01-20-2018
The annual Women’s March OKC on the year anniversary of a the birth of a movement. I painted some signs like last year with my daughter Riley and my girlfriend Angie. I left with a good feeling that the women of this country will take it back for all of us.
Hank the Stank | Hike 05
A group of is went out to Spanish Canyon with Hank and Dot, De Cooper's German Shorthair Pointers.
Hank the Stank
Hike 05 | 01-14-18
A group of is went out to Spanish Canyon with Hank and Dot, De Cooper's German Shorthair Pointers. Hank is not nearly as skilled of a scrambler as Dot. Hank had been whining throughout the majority of the hike. De took Hank down this small slot canyon first which quickly ignited the entire group's uncontrollable laughter. Hank desperately wedged himself between the rocks and would not move. All the while Hank is farting out of anxiety. I named them "fear farts." De had to scramble over top of him to get him down. De ends up getting him to an upright position just inches above the ground and Hank still isn't aware. He clings for dear life. He's so scared that it takes him a while to even look at De.
Hank farted all day. It was so gross yet so funny. We had a great time. I'm looking forward to more time hiking with dogs.
Tent Rocks | Hike 04
Before driving back from Santa Fe, Angie and I wanted to hike the beautiful slot canyons of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. It was an easy but fun hike. I’m pretty proud of the pictures. I can’t wait to check out the slot canyons of Utah and Arizona. We’re most likely going to make a little trip to Utah this Spring. It was the perfect way to end our trip.
Tent Rocks
Hike 04 | 01-07-18
Before driving back from Santa Fe, Angie and I wanted to hike the beautiful slot canyons of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. It was an easy but fun hike. I’m pretty proud of the pictures. I can’t wait to check out the slot canyons of Utah and Arizona. We’re most likely going to make a little trip to Utah this Spring. It was the perfect way to end our trip.
The Natural Arch | Hike 03
While we were in Santa Fe, Angie and I took a little trip over to Los Alamos to the Old Mitchell Trail to see the Natural Arch there.
The Natural Arch
Hike 03 | 01-06-18
While we were in Santa Fe, Angie and I took a little trip over to Los Alamos to the Old Mitchell Trail to see the Natural Arch there. Google got us lost and I had lost my patience by the time we pulled up to the trailhead nestled right on the edge of a neighborhood. That was my first sign that this would be an easy, boring hike, which is exactly what it turned out to be. They had mullien everywhere. Mullien is an invasive species that we kill in the Wichita Mountains. It can eventually take over an area and make it impossible for the indigenous plants to grow. I was distracted by how much there was in the area. I kept wanting to stop and pull it as I hiked. Apparently there was a fire at some point and so it was wasteland. Overall, it wasn’t worth the effort. The arch itself is neat, but the excitement wore off fast. I do like the photos I got. Check them out.
Lake Nambé | Hike 02
Angie and I love the arts and the outdoors, so we took a little trip Santa Fe. We wanted to get some hiking in so we drove up to the Santa Fe Ski basin, which is at an elevation of 10,350 feet and began our hike on the Windsor trailhead.
Lake Nambé
Hike 02 | 01-05-18
Angie and I love the arts and the outdoors, so we took a little trip Santa Fe. We wanted to get some hiking in so we drove up to the Santa Fe Ski basin, which is at an elevation of 10,350 feet and began our hike on the Windsor trailhead. We crossed a lot of pines and aspens (I’ve decided that I absolutely adore aspen trees, they have eyes you know). We hiked about around 3.5 miles up to Lake Nambé at 11,300 feet. Angie and I were not acclimated to the elevation so we were huffing and puffing most of the way. We saw only a man and his dog on the way up. At the top I was sure I heard other people approaching, but we never saw anyone. Angie and I had it all to ourselves. A few days ago I looked up the lake on Google Earth and noticed that the ski lift was just on the other side of the peaks. I knew I wasn’t hearing things.
Jan One | Hike 01
The Jan One hike has become a tradition for me. This was my third year in a row. My friends Britney and Jessica joined me on a cold morning. I think it was 7ºF when we woke up that day.
Jan One hike
Hike 01 | 01-01-18
The Jan One hike has become a tradition for me. This was my third year in a row. My friends Britney and Jessica joined me on a cold morning. I think it was 7ºF when we woke up that day. We hiked in Spanish Canyon because it always gets a bit warmer there. We laughed and found new places. I broke my GoPro first time out. Inspired by Jessica’s hikes in 2015, I decided I would do 52 hikes this year. Jessica tells me there’s a patch you can get. She says it’s based on the honor system, but she’d never wear the patch if she hadn’t really. That’s the just type of dirtbag I hike with.
Best of 2017 in Color
My best color shots of 2017
My best color shots of 2017
Click any image below to begin a slide show.
Best of 2017 in Black & White
My best black & white shots of 2017.
My best black & white shots of 2017
Click any image below to begin a slide show.
Christmas Eve Eve in Spanish Canyon
Angie LaPaglia and I got away from wrapping presents for a while and explored some new places around Spanish Canyon on Christmas Eve Eve.
Christmas Eve Eve
in Spanish Canyon
Angie LaPaglia and I got away from wrapping presents for a while and explored some new places around Spanish Canyon on Christmas Eve Eve.
Solo Hike Around Mount Lincoln
I was feeling under the weather Saturday and didn’t want to make any of my dirtbag friends deal with my snotty nose, so I drove down for a five-hour hike on an overcast day.
Solo Hike Around Mount Lincoln
I was feeling under the weather Saturday and didn’t want to make any of my dirtbag friends deal with my snotty nose, so I drove down for a five-hour hike on an overcast day.
