Misty Summer Mountains


We've been getting around this summer, camping and hiking in NC, GA, and TN.

Spring Prologue


Winter decided to last a few more weeks, including more snow. This weekend was much more spring-like, but the water in that river was still painfully cold for swimming.

Winter Finale


Taken a week ago at what was presumably winter's end. Spring should be popping soon.

Clearing Up


Much clearer today than yesterday, when we had spotty snow showers. There's snow in them thar mountains to the east, but it doesn't really show via camera from this distance.

Snow Heron


The legs may look to be too short for a heron, but that's because the snow was a foot deep.

Green and Blue


In Atlanta for a few days. While leaves are all gone in Tennessee, more are hanging on here.

Local Color


Some color reaching the peak in the local woods.

Foggy Mountain Blowout


Such was the scene from the Chilhowee overlook this morning, looking south towards the Cohuttas and Georgia. Big Frog Mountain on the left with the top in the upper cloudeck (which is partially blown-out; sorry). Once upon a time, sonny, we had this thing called Ektachrome which would've handled this in my little Instamatic without any computer Photoshop gymnastics.

Veiled Tennessee


We camped at Lake Conasauga for some cool swimming and sleeping under the hemlocks. The morning view east from the Grassy Mountain watchtower towards Cowpen wasn't too bad for July. To the left lurked Big Frog Mountain in Tennessee...

but not captured so well on "film" unless I hack up the contrast:


Apropos for me, because this is how Big Frog sits in my mind: that wonderful wild spot always lurking just beyond the mundane. Some days you can catch him from Chattanooga, but other days he lies beyond.

Window to Austria


I visited a new continent this month: Europe. Specicially, we visited Bavaria. While there we took a morning to ascend the local branch of the Alps (most of the climbing was done by cable car). At one moment the clouds parted and let us look southeast to Austria.

Most of the time we spent in towns, not the mountains. A typical scene below: