Will Outdoor Industry Ever Get DEI Right?
Last summerβwhen the streets across America started burning, Black Lives Matter became a mainstay in the national discourse and her employees began pushing loudly for a company reckoning on raceβDonna Carpenter knew she was in the midst of another one. Another βoh, shitβ moment. Carpenter…
The Belted Kingfisher
Ever since I really was aware of birds, the Belted Kingfisher was among my favorite species. I’ve always lived and recreated around water, which means I’ve always lived and recreated among lovely blue-gray Kingfishers. Once you hear them, you’ll never not be aware that you…
Short-Eared Owls
Almost 10 years ago, Short-Eared Owls were the first birds I intentionally set out to photograph. It was a windy, rainy day, and I never saw one of the storied winter owls of the Pacific Northwest. So I kept searching. Eventually, I found them, but…
An American Journey
For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with fitting my identity into the complex puzzle of race and ethnicity in this country. My mother is from Japan, and I was also born there, though my family moved to the U.S. when I…
2021 Nature Calls
Wow, I’m not telling you anything new: 2020 has been … different. I managed to get out just enough to do another calendar. But I have to change the way I do things this year. * Because of social distancing, I will do all distribution…
Big, Loud Californians
I arrived well before sunrise, but the cacophony had already begun. While I unpacked my gear in the parking lot, the staccato barking is echoing throughout the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle. I’m guessing people don’t need alarm clocks from fall to about early spring, when…
Toppling Muir Not Enough
The last time I visited Yosemite National Park, I stood atop Glacier Point and gaped at the views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and the other geological baubles of Yosemite Valley. Lost in the almost hallucinatory beauty, I imagined myself in conversation with John Muir…
Joys, Risks of Black Birding
During the wee hours of a recent Sunday morning, a Black man and his mixed-race, Black and Latinx friend meet in front of Beβer Sheva Park in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood, among the most diverse in the city. They are wearing caps and face masks…
Nelson Wins Rare Triple
Glenn Nelson, the founder of The Trail Posse, earned what is believed to be an unprecedented three first-place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for the same column, on race and social justice, for Crosscut.com. The three 2019 honors came for Column, Editorial and…
Yellowstone Winter
Sunshine in Bozeman. Pink orange mornings. Stars and howls at night. Lamar Buffalo Ranch: The American Serengeti across the street. Heated floors in the bath house! Collegiality in the bunk house. Meg in charge. Jessica at the wheel. All is good. Frosty bison and yipping…
A Trail of Ghosts
Note: This piece was part of winning entries in Best of the West (2nd Place) and SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalist (1st Place). Doan Nguyen was sufficiently βworked up,β as she put it, by the time we reached Nihonmachi (Japantown) Alley, a history-filled thoroughfare in…
National Parks Wildlife
Throughout the years, my biggest thrills in national parks came when I spotted and photographed wildlife, from the tiny Pika to the big Grizzly. The gallery below represents some of my best. Admittedly, our feathered species get short-shrifted here, but are abundantly represented throughout the…
