2024 Year in Review
Explore Landscapes #69: What a year! This has been one of my best years - and at the same time one of my worst. A rollercoaster of emotions tied together with images, words and great people.
For my first hike of 2024, I met up with my friend Sarah (a JT hiking guide and climber) to hike up Queen Mountain, the second-highest ‘named peak’ in Joshua Tree National Park. I distinguish ‘named peak’ because an unnamed peak (5,787 feet) is marked on the USGS topographic map. So we have Quail Mountain (5,813 feet), the highest peak in JT, followed by peak 5,787, and Queen Mountain (5,680 feet).
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I teach landscape photography workshops in Joshua Tree National Park, and this year (as every year), I met some fantastic people. It’s so satisfying to guide a photographer around the park (who may have never visited JT before), show them some of your favorite places to photograph and experience their excitement firsthand. That, paired with teaching them photography skills and techniques, is hugely rewarding.
Sadly, at the end of February, we had to say goodbye to my amazing Mum as she passed away following a sudden severe stroke. I was in Joshua Tree when I heard the dreadful news. I left for the UK immediately and, fortunately, arrived in time to spend her last day with her, my father, and my siblings. During my time in the UK, when I needed a distraction, I went outside and hiked with my camera, of course.
Once back from the UK, I led several workshops and, between those, got back to summiting more of the Mojave Desert mountains. From the base of Warren Peak, it’s about 500 feet to the summit - adorned with two US Coast and Geodetic Survey markers. The 360-degree view from the summit is stunning. I took my time at the summit, wrote in the summit log book (which is tucked away in a plastic storage box), and then just appreciated the peace of the outdoors.
I volunteered for a JTNPA Desert Institute field class on the Cacti of Joshua Tree in May. The class was led by Melanie Davis, a field biologist for UC Riverside and a fountain of knowledge on all things botanical in the deserts of Southern California. Melanie (Mel) was a great instructor—knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and lovely.
The Milky Way ‘season’ in the Northern Hemisphere is April through October each year. During this season, for a few days on either side of a new moon, it’s possible to see the ‘Galactic Core’ - the brightest part of the Milky Way. I led multiple dark-sky workshops during the summer months, including one workshop on behalf of the JTNPA Desert Institute.
July was an excellent month for dark-sky photography, as I had several successful workshops and personal shooting opportunities. However, I generally don’t shoot photos during my workshops, as I prefer to give my full attention to my workshop clients. I stayed an extra night in Joshua Tree for two consecutive weekends to take dark-sky photographs. I couldn’t pick just one image for July, so I’m sharing both.
In August, I spent a wonderful week in Sequoia National Park hiking and scouting potential locations for a dark sky (astrophotography) workshop that I led for the Sequoia Parks Conservancy Dark Sky Festival in September.
My friends Sydney and Barry Williams (the powerhouse duo behind Hiking My Feelings) are currently the campsite hosts at the Wolverton Service Camp. As well as being the most excellent hosts during my stay, they are first-class hiking and backpacking guides. I met them a couple of years ago while volunteering on a wellness retreat they had organized with the JTNPA Desert Institute. Since then, I’ve volunteered at several of their retreats in JT and backpacked with them both. I can’t say enough good things about this pair.
In 2025, they have wilderness wellness retreats in Grand Staircase Escalante, Sequoia National Park, Redwood National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park. Sign up for their newsletter to receive notifications on these events and more.
In September, I spent a lovely three-day weekend in Joshua Tree National Park with my photographer friend John, who was visiting from the East Coast. Our first day was stormy and rainy, followed by two days with a bluebird sky, which is condition-normal in JT.
The stormy rainclouds created a giant ‘soft lightbox’ that provided even lighting over the entire landscape, no matter where we looked. After some light, intermittent rain at our first two locations, we decided to visit Hidden Valley and hike the trail there.
The sky grew ever more menacing, and shortly after this photo was taken, the heavens opened, soaking us. But that’s why you get a weather-sealed camera and go out in all weather.
Driving back to Orange County on a Sunday afternoon after a weekend in Joshua Tree is always a good recipe for slow traffic. To avoid this, I typically stay later in the park, get a hike in, and have dinner before braving the I-10 back to ‘civilization.’
One of my favorite ‘quick’ hikes is Ryan Mountain, a 5,457-foot-high (1,663 m) mountain in Joshua Tree National Park—making it the fifth tallest ‘named’ peak in the park. The trail to the peak is moderately strenuous, ascending 1,050 feet (320 m) in just 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and climbing right from the trailhead.
In November, I returned to the UK to spend a few weeks with my dad, whom I had not seen since March. When you spend 'quality time' (not just a quick day visit) with your immediate family, you talk about all manner of things, from the mundane to the significant.
After my Mum passed away in February, I spent three weeks with Dad. During that time, we discussed our family tree. This visit, we discussed it again, only in more detail. The post linked below features a juxtaposition of images taken during my stay and some 'insight' into my family genealogy.
December started with this fantastic sunrise I enjoyed while volunteering for a Hiking My Feelings / JTNPA Desert Institute weekend wellness retreat. Spending a weekend with this wonderful, diverse group was an absolute pleasure.
I hope you had a good 2024 and a joyful holiday season. I wish you all the best for 2025.
Are you ready to elevate your photography skills in one of the world's most stunning natural environments? Join one of my landscape photography workshops in Joshua Tree National Park, where breathtaking vistas meet expert guidance. Whether you're a beginner looking to grasp the basics or an experienced photographer aiming to refine your craft, I have a workshop tailored just for you.
Join a weekend workshop tailored for just six photographers! Engage in hands-on classroom instruction and discover the fundamentals of landscape photography, covering everything from composition to camera settings. After capturing stunning shots in the field, we’ll gather for engaging editing sessions to bring your images to life. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this friendly atmosphere encourages creativity and collaboration. Discover the beauty of photography in a supportive setting, and leave with fresh techniques and new friends.
Alternatively, you can choose a one-to-one workshop (and personalize it to what you'd like to photograph, specific techniques, or how far you want to hike) or join a small group workshop (limited to three photographers).
Here are a few of my posts that you might be interested in reading:
Interesting musings, images, and art from others:
Chasing Beauty, Confronting Pain by Michela Griffith
My Visual Journal #36 by Susanne Helmert
Learning from the Landscape by Gill Moon Photography
Giving Thanks to the Light by Joe Callender
Chasing the lake-effect snow across the Tug Hill plateau by Jenn Woltjen
The Sunday interview: 5 questions for Michela Griffith by PerfectLight and Michela Griffith
Ruins by PerfectLight
Write how you want to write, make a video talking about your work, and more by Seth Werkheiser
December in the Desert by Emese-Réka Fromm
November 2024 by Matthew Poburyny
Sounds like a pretty good year, aside from the tragedy outside of your control. I liked your post on your family history. I have a sort of similar post on some of my ancestors coming out this week. It was a nice perspective.
Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with wonderful opportunities and moments!