In The Pipeline

New Stories, New Photos, Wildflowers, Wildlife, 2026 Photo Calendar

Sep 09, 2025

Tundra hike over the Teklanika River in Denali National Park

When I don’t write for a while, it’s often either because I’m unmotivated and depressed or insanely busy. I’m happy to report that this time it’s the latter. While it would be a lie for me to say that things are winding down (especially with an upcoming competition to plan for at the climbing gym), I've reached a point where I can block off some time every day to focus solely on writing.

And I have a lot to write about—and a lot of photos to share.

Exploring glacier caves in the Eastern Alaska Range

I spent a good portion of this summer adventuring whenever I could escape work for a day, afternoon, or evening. Lots of late-night hikes under the midnight sun. Then I managed some time off when one of my best friends visited for a few weeks. We traveled and hiked all around Alaska, exploring incredible places and witnessing some absolutely breathtaking sights.

A group of Steller sea lions rests on large coastal rocks in Resurrection Bay. Most of the animals are lying close together, their brown bodies pressed against the stone, while one large male in the center raises his head and opens his mouth as if roaring. A smaller sea lion sits upright on the left, scratching with a flipper. Behind them are steep gray and brown rock faces. — Steller sea lions on a rocky island in Resurrection Bay

A bull moose calling in the red tundra in Denali National Park

And yes, a calendar! I'm publishing a 2026 Alaska Wall Calendar this year. It's admittedly late, but it will be ready by next week.

A cluster of bright blue forget-me-not flowers (genus Myosotis), likely Myosotis scorpioides (common water forget-me-not), with yellow centers. The flowers are growing on a single stem surrounded by green foliage, with droplets of water on nearby blades of grass. Photographed along the Harding Icefield Trail in Kenai Fjords National Park. — Forget-me-not (genus *Myosotis*). I still need to identify the exact species, but I believe it to be *Myosotis scorpioides*, common water forget-me-not. Spotted along the Harding Icefield Trail in Kenai Fjords National Park

I didn’t spend much time photographing wildflowers this summer, or writing in my Alaska Wildflower Guide. It was a necessary break. Last year, I focused a bit too hard and spent too much of my time on it, which led to a bit of burnout. After discovering many late-season wildflowers that I don’t yet have in my guide, I’m ready to start again. My backlog of flowers to add was previously 34, and now I may have about 10 more to add to that list. I’m going ot start working on this today, but it might take me a bit to get back in the groove.

Clusters of purple-blue Nootka lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis) in the foreground of a meadow above Exit Glacier along the Harding Icefield Trail. The plants have tall flower spikes and broad green leaves, with droplets of water on the foliage. Behind them, the sweeping white ice of Exit Glacier flows down between rocky, snow-dusted ridges under an overcast sky. — *Lupinus nootkatensis*, commonly known as the Nootka Lupine, in a meadow above Exit Glacier along the Harding Icefield Trail.

That's it for now. I wanted you to know I haven't disappeared! I hope you enjoy the photos I've shared here. For a preview of what I've been up to, check out my gallery of recent photos [link]. There's still a lot to add since I'm behind on editing, but you'll get a good sample of where we've been.

A red fox I came across while out on an evening near my home in Fairbanks.

Seracs at the edge of the Gabriel Icefall on the Gulkana Glacier in the Alaska Range

Two people stand arm in arm at an overlook above Turnagain Arm near McHugh Creek. They are smiling at the camera, one in a black jacket and sandals, the other in a gray T-shirt and sneakers. Behind them, steep green ridges drop down to the calm waters of Turnagain Arm, with tall mountains rising in the distance under a partly cloudy sky. — CJ and I at an overlook over Turanagain Arm near McHugh Creek

A hiker in a green jacket and blue hat walks toward massive granite tors known as the Windchimes at Mt. Prindle in the White Mountain National Recreation Area, Alaska. The tall gray rock formations rise vertically from the tundra, their weathered surfaces contrasting with the brown and green groundcover below. A cloudy gray sky looms overhead. — Wandering the tors known as the Windchimes at Mt. Prindle in the White Mountain National Recreation Area, Alaska

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