Hiking Tip of the Week #9

This is a biggie. Hikers traveling uphill have the right of way! The is an unwritten rule that really should be written somewhere! This is pretty common knowledge for overnight hikers, but for day hikers this may be getting their first wind of it. Once in play, this tip will be appreciated by all.

New Website – Justin Reznick Landscape & Wildlife Photography

Close up shot from Grand Teton National Park

My new site went live today. By live I mean that I am more or less happy with it and ready to share it with the world. I decided to go with Smugmug with hosting and it was an overall solid experience. Intimidating at first, you have to dive into the forums at dgrin.com and learn to play with CSS, HTML, and Javascript, mostly through cut and paste. I would recommend Smugmug to those interested in creating your own photo hosting site. I hope you enjoy it!

justinreznick.com

I’m Back!

It’s been a while I know, and it’s time to get back to bloggin’. This summer was full of hiking and shooting, an incredible growing experience for me as a landscape and wildlife photographer. Spending time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park was an eye opening journey into the world of wildlife photography. That experience really instilled in me that I wasn’t going to just shoot landscapes for my career. I’ve been back from my adventures for a little while now and I have been busy at work on my new website - justinreznick.com. It is finally completed and now I’m going through the process of optimizing it for search engines. It was an interesting experience which had me learning some CSS, a good deal of copying and pasting different code, and relying on endless forum posts to get just the look I wanted. I am pretty happy with it so far and fortunately, being hosted on smugmug means that I can evolve it as needed.

I have numerous posts planned, from trip reports to hiking tips, there is plenty to discuss! This weekend I leave for Zion National Park where I hope the fall colors come a little early, and I can add some Southwest images to my portfolio. Until next post (which will be sooner than later!)

Flickr Featured Artist: Chip Phillips

Chip Phillips is a landscape photographer from Spokane, WA who has mastered shooting the Palouse, and sheds his brilliance on any landscape he comes across. There is a level of excellence that you find in each of his images. It becomes difficult not to take it for granted! If this is your first chance seeing his work, take your time and enjoy.

Here are some of my favorites:

Palouse Falls Sunrise

Snake River Dawn

Lone Tree, Palouse Hills

Grand Teton Evening

Winter Morning, Vermillion

What are your favorites?

August Road Trip

I leave tomorrow for a 16 day adventure including Palouse Falls, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons National Park, and the Wind River Range. There are two major hikes planned. The first is Sky Pilot, a 37 mile loop through the heart of the Winds. The second is the Teton Crest Trail, 35 miles through the spine of the Tetons. I’m bringing my wide angle lens and, because of the wildlife, I’m bringing my 400mm lens. It’ll be interesting to lug all that camera equipment through the mountains, but hopefully the images captured will be worth it. I’m extremely excited for the adventure and will be sharing the photos upon my return!

These photos are an inspiration for me on this trip:

Palouse Falls Sunrise by Chip Phillips

Horizontal Grand Teton Sunset by Chip Phillips

Beaver Pond Reflection by Jeff Sullivan

Something Special by Leviathor

Hiking Pic of the Week #10

The West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island is considered by many to be the greatest trail in the world. Not so for me, I am a mountain man. It is well organized, with ladders, bridges, and cable cars throughout. One giant misnomer for the hike is the challenge level. If you are an experienced hiker then you will find it to be a cakewalk, just watch your footing on the ocean floor!

Hiking Tip of the Week #8

To use the straps of your pole properly, enter from below, spread your hand out and pull down. The strap should be firm between your thumb and forefinger. You could hike without ever actually gripping the poles. This enables you to loosen your grip to avoid blisters or sore hands.

Rachel Lake and Rampart Ridge Trail Report 7/27-7/28

The hike to Rachel Lake does have water on the trail as previously reported, but it lasts for less than a quarter of a mile and provides no real obstacle. Once you hit Rachel Lake the mosquitoes become apparent. On the way up to Rampart Ridge they intensify, and finally reaching Rampart Lakes, they appear in full force. Be prepared! Rampart Lakes are beautiful of course, one of the top spots in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Come prepared for mosquitoes, or wait and do the hike later in the summer.

Royal Lake Basin Trip Report 7/11 – 7/13

Set out for a 3 day trip to Royal Lake Basin in Olympic National Park. Dirt roads leading up to the trail are in great condition. There are a series of potholes about 2 miles from the trailhead to watch out for, other than that it’s smooth sailing. Trail is in perfect condition, no obstacles to report! Wildflowers are out, as are chipmunks, bunnies, & dear. I have never seen so many bunnies on a backpacking trip before! My partner and I caught 9 Eastern Brook Trout in Royal Lake. We started with mosquito flies, and moved on to yellow and red flies. Basically, if it moves, they bite! It is mosquito season. Try and enjoy the early morning hours and the twilight hours when it’s too cold for them to appear. A trip to Upper Royal Lake Basin is a must, it’s an absolute stunner. If you are into fishing, stay at Royal Lake, but if it’s alpine and incredible views, stay at the Upper Lake Basin. Getting a permit is simple, just call Olympic National Park (360) 565-3100, pay by credit card over the phone, and they will email you your permit instantly.

Hiking Tip of the Week #7

Many people use poles without learning to handle them efficiently. Start be creating a 90 degree angle at your elbow with your poles firmly on the ground. As you incline, you will have to shorten your poles to maintain the proper angle and on the decline, lengthen your poles. This is especially essential on the decline as you need the poles to take the pressure off your knees. My next Hiking Tip of the Week will discuss how the straps work.