Many of you will undoubtedly know the location of which I am about to showcase. It’s not exactly a secret. However, it is a little less well known than many other places, and I am more and more convinced with each passing day that we must start guarding these places a little bit better.
The more Ellen and I travel, the more we are seeing many of our sacred places being desecrated. So, I will continue to educate folks as best I can on the outdoor etiquette I’ve learned over the years… as well as keeping our special places a bit more secret. Honestly, it’s much more enjoyable to stumble on some of these places anyway, or to learn about them from a local you chatted up over a beer. I miss those days, anyway.
So heres my newest subject of obsession… a Wyoming mountain range of unparalleled beauty.
I had the pleasure of exploring a small section of these mountains for the last week, and I was blown away at the opportunities. This is going to require a lot more of my attention moving forward.
I did a fair amount of dirt road driving. Not enough hiking, as the weather was quite moody and rainy.
At times, I was reminded of the Pacific Northwest, among other areas. But I suspect the time of year had a lot to do with it. Late June up here is still very much spring weather. In fact, the roads were so muddy most of the time we were there, four wheel drive was absolutely necessary.
But if you’ve been following along a while, you know that I love dramatic weather. It can be hit or miss, sure, but when the beam of light hits, the storm clears briefly, the fog rolls in just so… you get the chance for magic. And if you happen to be in a magical place such as this when the magic hits… ahhhhh.
Thats what I live for.
— Andrew
If you enjoy my work and want to grow in your own photography, consider joining me in one of the most magical places at the most magical time of year… Fall in the Tetons! I have a few spots left, and I’d love to share some of my secret locations with you as we explore the light, landscapes, and the incredible wildlife. For more info and to sign up, CLICK HERE!
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The next day, Valentines Day, I arrived in the sleepy, frozen town of Pinedale, WY. The reason; a job as photojournalist for the local weekly newspaper. I had no idea, however, that it would utterly change my life in so many ways. But all of that is for a later post…
My first week, it reached -20ºF every day. Needless to say, not much going on outside, except for the occasional parade of moose clopping through town. Part of my job, aside from community journalism, was to get outside and engage in outdoor activities. I would shoot it, construct a story, and then write about it. This forced us to do something other than sit in the office, the bar, or in front of the TV. Well, needless to say, summer couldn’t come soon enough for us at the 
Cue the Hallelujah Chorus. Summer did not disappoint. Though I did not work for the paper throughout that season, I remained in Pinedale. The draw, you might ask?
The Winds, of course.
Huh?
Sorry, the Wind River Range.
I developed an immediate infatuation. Maybe I should say obsession. Yeah, that seems more appropriate.
Every year since 2005, I returned at least once, sometimes twice or even three times. And over the last four years since we hit the road full time, I have spent more time in the Winds than I have anywhere else. By far. It’s now my home. Even if we only spend the summer and fall there… It’s only because we aren’t quite hearty enough to weather the brutal winter in our trailer.
The area encompasses 2.25 million acres, so although I have extensively explored it over the years, I feel as though I havn’t even begun to scratch the surface. I could easily spend the rest of my life walking those trails, and still never see it all, I suspect. None-the-less, I have made it my life’s work to become one of the few living experts on these mountains. I’m surely on my way.
So, what’s going to happen here is that I plan to open the faucet of images I have made over the joyful years of stepping into this incredible wilderness. During this time of quarantine and daily bad news, I simply hope to bring you (and myself) a little beauty and some memories of better times. I hope it helps, even if for a brief moment. Below are tons of images, and some stories I wanted to share as well.
Maybe just to remind us all of the good that there is out there. And perhaps it will help you hear the wind through the trees, the mountain songbirds, the mighty rushing creeks and the deafening quiet of the wide open wilderness. Maybe you’ll catch a whiff of the lodgepole pines and clean air. Listen for the cry of the eagle, the chirp of the marmot. These good things still exist.
And when all of this ends, I’d love for you to consider joining me out there. Amidst the unending beauty. Check out my 
Ellen and I developed an affinity for skinny dipping in these secluded, high mountain lakes during the summer of 2016, when we first hit the road. I dare any of you to tell me of anything more naturally exhilarating than jumping head-first into a 50ºF lake, with towering granite surrounding your fragile frame.
We’ve learned another simple joy these past few years with our wonderful pups; they love nothing more than bounding through open mountain meadows. Witness the pure ecstasy!
The night sky still elicits awe.
Let me be the first to tell you that hiking these mountains is not always romantic. It’s difficult as hell. Mosquito swarms, submerged trails, freezing temps, grizzlies and other critters of which to be mindful, high elevation and the problems to the human system that can arise from that. These mountains are for real, and quite unforgiving. But the beauty and solitude one can experience are worth every ache and pain.
Islay and me in Titcomb Basin…
Only one year later… and one more pup added to the pack, Skye.
More skinny dipping. Actually, this was our first time! Islay loved it from the get go. After a brief, breath-stealing swim, Ellen, Islay, and I sat on the shore in the sun eating cherries as the sun warmed and dried our frozen skin.
A mother moose and her littles (there’s another just out of frame). This is one of my favorite pastimes in this mountain range; it’s full of wildlife. I can spend hours just quietly watching wild animals live their best lives.
