Greetings of the (kind of) New Year / “Sweet Serenity” Photo Spotlight & Special Offer

Greetings of the still somewhat relatively New Year my friends! You see, I started working on this roughly 3 weeks ago now, (and have consequently had to edit it several times, lol!) But, as it is my first post of 2026, I will hold on to that greeting. After all it is simultaneously only AND yet somehow already mid-February! 🤯 Originally, I had wanted to get this out to you all to enjoy during Winter Storm Fern 3 weekends ago but, alas, here we are. (And check me out not crumbling into silence for the next year over it!).

At any rate, I hope this finds you all safe, warm, and well. And I hope that it also finds you enjoying the comforts, coziness, peace and silence of deep Winter.

If you haven’t picked up on the fact that I’m pretty weather obsessed by now, well yeah I’ve got some issues.😂 And so, I am well aware that you folks out West, especially in the Rocky Mountains, have not been having even remotely what you would hope for in terms of your Winter weather and snowpack. (Although now you finally do have a huge system about to pummel the Sierras & Cascades and finally move into the interior Rockies this weekend!!! ❄️☃️🏂⛷️) And though I sincerely do feel for you, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I am stoked over the Winter we have been having here in the Northeast!!! If only all the places that want and NEED snow could consistently get it every Winter!

It has been quite some time since we’ve seen Old Man Winter grace us with this consistency of snowfall and duration of Arctic cold in Pennsylvania, and I’m feeling pretty darn nostalgic over it! In fact, throughout the region I call home, we got absolutely dumped on by Winter Storm Fern there in late January! With anywhere from a foot to 18+ inches and the Arctic sub-freezing air holding sway, all that beautiful powder has just been hanging out. And talk about Winter Wonderland, wow is it glorious out there!!!😍❄️🌕🥶

As I had a feeling it was going to be, this storm was the biggest since Stella that I’ve been a part of since getting out on the Art Festival Circuit and subsequently getting involved in Landscaping and Snow Removal work in 2016/2017. I clocked about 25 hours of snow removal over the 2 days ensuing Fern continuing on Northeastward. And although quite a workout for sure, it honestly felt really good!

Unfortunately and very regretfully, due to several life factors, I have not gotten out to play in all this snow too much yet. My daily walks with our dogs have been sustaining me somewhat though. And although we are facing a warm up now for a handful of days, bahhhhh!!!, it looks like we should be getting cold with some more chances of snow later in the month. (And there is still March to come as well!) So, I am hopeful to get a good snowshoe and/or micro spike hike/backpack or two in before this Winter is said and done with!

With any luck I will have some excitement to share on that end in the coming weeks…

Speaking of excitement to share - be on the lookout in the near future for something amazingly cool that I lucked into becoming a part of and can now finally show visual proof and confirmation of!😉

But for now, let me leave you with this wonderful Winter memory, and a special offer exclusive to you email/blog subscribers…

“Sweet Serenity” - Shingletown Gap, Rothrock State Forest, PA

“This little slice of Winter bliss dates back to March 2017. If you recall, Winter Storm Stella, a Nor’Easter that pummeled much of, well the Northeast. Some of you may know, while others may not - but since I embarked on the journey to chase my artistic dreams in July of 2016, I have also filled in the seasonal gaps by doing Landscape and Snow Removal work. Not only does this allow me to continue to “play” outside, but I find the physicality of it, much like backpacking, to be extremely satisfying.

Why do I mention this? Well, this Winter of 2017 was when I got myself into this “side work” by getting involved in snow removal with a local landscaping company. Although it can be frustrating when I would love to just be “out there” hiking and enjoying, the Winter income is necessary. And honestly, I do love being out in the storms and feeling a part of it all, pushing one’s limits and reaping the rewards.

On this occasion, however, as Stella was hitting our area in the wee hours of the night and continuing through the next day, I was allotted a little time to myself that morning doing what I love in the midst of a Winter Storm, rather than simply enjoying the aftermath. So, for a peaceful few hours I hiked, (rather trudged!), blissfully through about a foot of snow in an area known as Shingletown Gap in the Tussey Mountain region near the little town of Pine Grove Mills, where I had lived.

I have always found this little neck of the woods, resplendent with Hemlock and Rhododendron tunnels surrounding a babbling brook, to be a Winter haven. I could try and write a million more words describing the scene, but I think you can perfectly see how sweetly serene is the calm and quiet of this snow falling down in the forest. And there is nothing else, there needs be nothing else in this moment of peace.

I would shortly after, go on to meet my comrades for roughly 24 hours of snow removal and drifting/ice cleanup for the next 3 days. But all the while, I had this time and this vision of “Sweet Serenity” drifting through my mind.”

I hope you enjoy the magic of this moment as much as I do. And if so, here’s what I’d like to offer you for a limited time - I have had this framed piece on hand for several years now, and I’d like to try and move this (and a few others you might see popping up over the next couple of months) to make way for some new pieces.

The specs on this framed piece - a 20x24 Fuji Crystal Archive Lustre print (Limited Edition #1/450) originated on Fuji Velvia 4x5 sheet Film, double matted in 6-ply White Crescent Conservation Board and 4-ply Crescent Forest Green Suede, finished with TruVue Museum Glass and one of my Custom Curly Maple Frames w/ color burned in using Aquafortis (30x36 frame opening, roughly 36x42 outer dimensions). As I said, I’ve had it for a few years and there are some minor dings/wear on the frame, but maybe just a little more character if you ask me!

The price tag on it has been $1,500. I’m offering strictly to you email subscribers 20% off at $1,200. Six percent PA Sales tax would also apply, so $1,272 total after tax. Shipping or delivery and subsequent charges would depend on location and any potential timing factors. This will all be discussed.

So, you love the photo but not in the market for this large piece? I get it! I also have these on hand which could be shipped out as early as next Tuesday (February 17th) -

1 - 16x20 print in 8-ply Black Crescent Conservation Board - $250

1 - 11x14 print in 6-ply White Crescent Conservation Board - $85

2 - 11x14 prints loose - $75

(6% PA Sales tax + shipping will also apply)

And any size loose print also available at a few clicks of a button in my website store! Click here

Just reach out to me via phone or email to let me know if I can help you out with this piece or print(s), or anything at all! I’d love to see it go to a loving home. And as I’ve displayed below, it makes for a wonderful Holiday Season and/or Winter companion! (Or a year round display of your love for Winter and to help cool the blistering heat of Summer!)

From a few Christmas Eve’s ago

View w/ good natural light and outdoor/Winter ambience

Close up view with natural light and Winter ambience

I look forward to perhaps hearing from one or more of you, and as always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your time and support! Enjoy your (hopefully) long holiday weekend.

I’m excited to be connecting with you again, excited for what I have to share coming up, and excited for what this trip around the Sun might hold!…

All of my best,

Brandon

Holiday Season Wishes / "Gratitude" Spotlight

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!🎄

So, better late than never, here is what was initially going to be that last Autumn Photo Highlight that I was planning to work in with a Thanksgiving message. Well, sometimes, life has other plans (as you will read, if you take the time to read this story at some point, lol!). But, even though it is Christmas and Winter now, I am going to stray outside of my comfort zone and highlight this glorious Autumn photo, and hopefully it will be ok 😬😂

After all, I think the meaning of gratitude is alive and at its best all throughout the Holiday Season. This is a bit of a novella, lol, but I think it’s a fun read if you find a few moments to enjoy over some hopeful Holiday downtime. So I’ll try to keep this prelude short…

I’d like to express my gratitude to all of you collectors, admirers, and friends following along that I have come to meet over the years. This life is a crazy one, filled with triumphs and tragedies, the highest of highs and the most soul-crushing defeats. And it can take some serious lunacy to keep going at it at times, but I can’t imagine any other way to go at it. And through all of this, I am eternally grateful for all of you who help support me in ways you may not even realize, even when I disappear for long periods of time.

I am going to do my best to do better in the coming year, and to finally work on bringing visions and ideas I’ve had for a long time to life. And I hope you will continue to enjoy the adventure along with me. Now, without further ado, and as I sign the back of all of my framed pieces - “With my utmost gratitude,”…

“Gratitude” - Little River State Park, VT

A word of warning - if you find yourself in the state of Vermont and come upon a “road” classified as a Class 4, unless you are driving a serious Off-Road 4x4 vehicle with aggressive tires and a generous lift, TURN AROUND!!!

In our defense, we did not know such a thing existed, nor what we were getting into! Our plan was simple - follow our printed out map to a labeled parking area 1/2 mile or so into the mountain and enjoy a lovely couple days backpacking…

Well, you know what they say about best laid plans. At first, the “road” was kind of fun! Anna drives a Subaru Outback and I have a Nissan Xterra (driving separately because my Xterra was filled to the gills for back to back weekend art festivals). Anyway, we were crawling over semi-big rocks and feeling all off-roady with a bit of an adrenaline rush going deeper into the mountains. After a while, it seemed we should have come across this parking area and the terrain rapidly got… more challenging let’s say.

Here I am, watching Anna in front of me in her Subaru seemingly crushing this off-road adventure and I’m cringing at the smashing sounds on my under carriage as we now are tackling legit boulders! Finally we stopped and convened and I realized that Anna was not “crushing it.” She was having the same anxiety I was about the situation and our vehicles. However at this point we felt trying to go back out the same way may be next to impossible and “it had to get better.”

Well, no it didn’t. At one point I got stuck for a moment amongst rocks and forest debris, needing 4-low to grind out. Then Anna’s Outback succumbed to a big mud patch. I actually was able to push her out with my Xterra twice before it became too much. We were stuck in the mud, literally.

I refrain from sharing all the details, but let’s just say emotions were had. But, we pulled it together, realized obviously we were prepared for spending the night out in the woods anyway and set up camp as we were losing light at this point and knew that searching for help would most likely go better in the morning. I remember thinking at the time how much stronger this will make us if we can get through it without a major breakdown. And we did, and I do often think of this as one of those great make or break moments of one’s inner strength, on both of our ends. It would have been so easy to lose it completely, but we persevered in our togetherness.

Now, I want to stress the importance of having some sort of GPS device when embarking on such things. I am all about being off grid and cut off from civilization and all that, but in reality having a means to track yourself, even a simple app on your phone that can follow you off-line can make a huge difference in a bad situation or a really really bad situation! I personally use AllTrails to track myself when I’m “out there” and I’ll tell you what - in this situation it was a life saver! I was able to see that we were a little less than a mile from a main road and how to get there.

After taking a while to calm down, we talked ourselves through it, got a little rest, and were up at dawn to make our way way down to the road. We could also hear construction sounds in that direction which was an added reassurance. In many ways it was frustrating to know we were so close to getting out of there but then as we made our way down the path we came upon two huge obstacles which would have prevented us from getting out anyway - a big birch tree toppled over on the “road” and then a locked gate.

At this point we are thinking, at least my best solution was that we would find cell service and contact the Forestry Department to get help. Then, upon getting to the road, we saw a house right across the street. Carefully we approached and met our would be saviors…

For several reasons, I am not publicly going to go into all the details that ensued here, but in a nutshell - I was able to use their phone and the Forestry Dept. idea was going nowhere. The family of the house however had a viable option…

We went that route and a mere few hours after waking in what could have been an absolute nightmare situation on so many accounts, we were getting out of! Once they pulled Anna’s Outback out of the mud with their truck and chain, I was able to free myself in 4-low. And then with a fist pump out her driver side window and a huge smile of relief on her face, Anna’s exuberance was contagious.

Once out, we took a quick look at our vehicles and although we both had some issues to eventually fix that most definitely were a result of all this (especially me and my Xterra!), both were at least still driving fine at that time. We thanked this family from the bottom of our hearts before parting ways and then Anna looks at me and says “let’s go backpacking!!!”

I was shocked! But obviously it made my day that she would still want to backpack for a night after this fiasco😊 We first went and got a delicious lunch from a local market and decompressed a bit but yeah, so exuberant from being saved from this ordeal, we then went backpacking… oh and we parked at the easily accessible trailhead this time!

So all of this is taking place around Moose Mountain on the western side of Lake Willoughby in the Northeast Kingdom. Along the Moose Mountain Trail, there are several overlooks. One of which being Wheeler Pond. The foliage this year (2019) was ridiculous and the views were mind boggling! On our hike out, we stopped that I could expose a couple sheets of film of this kaleidoscope of colors. I said to Anna - “I am going to title this ‘Gratitude’ because well, I was feeling pretty darn gratuitous towards that family that could have just turned us away but instead saved our butts and gratuitous that Anna and I could even be here right now enjoying this with so many less cares than could have been!

Fast forward to when I process that film - there is a completely blown out blast of light right in the center of the exposures due to a crack in the film holders’ dark slides that I was unaware of. No salvaging something like that😔

However, the following week, Anna and I are at our lean-to site at Little River State Park, VT which is our typical thing to do following the Stowe Art Festival on Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend. I awoke before dawn this one morning and I could tell from the mist and fog rising off the reservoir that something special could indeed unfold…

By now you have probably glimpsed the image and I don’t have to tell you that it certainly was magnificent! But I do want to tell you how special this place is to Anna and I. We kind of stumbled upon it accidentally the first time we ever came here and it was love at first sight. There was actually a heart made out of maple leaves on the ground in the middle of our campsite when we arrived. This little vacation lean-to camping week has become one of Anna and I’s favorite things in the world. So much so that I chose this spot to propose to her (October 2021) - yes I re-created the maple leaf heart and yes, she said yes😁

When it came time to title this photograph, I sat there thinking for a while and then it hit me - it is “Gratitude.” Maybe not the same exact way I had envisioned it, but still for all of the reasons I have mentioned above I feel the gratitude when I gaze upon this image and think about that dawn.

And here is a little something I wrote that morning after photographing the scene and before laying back down next to Anna for a bit…

October 15th, 2019 Little River State Park, VT

“Such a peaceful, uplifting morning as dawn breaks over Little River Reservoir. Autumn is in full swing as every color of the season paints the forests and mountainsides with beautiful contrast against the dark evergreens. And the fog rolling through, mist lifting off the water, rising above the forest and into heavenly blue skies is nothing short of divine. Such a crisp air this morning, all the bounties of the season are upon us.”

If you read everything unto here, thank you so much and enjoy a little Christmas Magic from our home to yours🥰

My annual outdoor display using mixed evergreen branches from the Christmas Tree outing

Stella

Harley Jane

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Goodnight!

Ho, Ho, Ho!!!🎅🎄❄️☃️

Brandon

Winter Solstice Tidings / "Kingdom of Winter" Photo Spotlight

Happy Winter Solstice everyone! I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the Holiday Season! We here in the Northeast have been enjoying a December that reminds me of what it was like growing up, with a few measurable snows and by far the coldest on average that I can remember in some time. Although a bit of a warm up and rain recently decimated a lovely 3 inches we had on the ground, we may just have a little something coming again Monday night into Tuesday, fingers crossed here…!❄️☃️❄️

If you’ve been following along through the Autumn on my photo features and stories, you may have noticed that I never did get to finalizing that last Autumn highlight I promised, which I had planned as a Thanksgiving related post. But, I am working hard internally to not let this crush my creative spirits and to just keep making forward progress. In fact, I plan to send it out in just a few days as a Christmas time post instead. And if the forces of Nature are willing, I will not spontaneously combust by doing something a little out of season or out of order.😬😂 Who knows, maybe it will even benefit me?! 🤯 After all, the true meaning of it is still relevant.

But, for today, I merely wanted to send out a warming welcome to Winter and all of its majesty! Wrap up in a blanket and enjoy this frosted forest accompanied by a combination of 2 separate journal entries that are a kind of stream of consciousness writing direct from my journals while at a cabin getaway nestled in its Kingdom…

“Kingdom of Winter” - Northeast Kingdom, VT

From my journal entries January 30th, 2019 and February 9th, 2020 - Alderbrook Cottage, A Tiny House in the Woods…

“These past few days have been something out of a pure Winter dream, void of time and space. I don’t think my words can or will really ever be able to comprehend it. Chalk it up to being just part of the New England charm.

Anna and I arrived in Vermont Saturday evening the 26th of January after making my artwork delivery to a wonderful couple in Medford, Massachusetts. We found Kingdom Taproom for dinner and local brews in St. Johnsbury before getting settled at the Inn by the River in Hardwick, VT. A lovely little inn in a quaint little town, the likes I am convinced only New England can produce. On the morning of the 27th we dined on Jasper Benedicts at the Village Restaurant, reveling in our eggs benedict smothered in world-class Jasper Hill cheese while snow came falling down in this beautiful, charming town. After picking up some supplies, and a few drives back and forth on the road looking for our parking, we arrived here at 3pm.

Facing a ridge rolling with Spruce, Fir, and Birch and crossing a footbridge over the stream and up the rocky, snow covered steps into the forest, our tiny home cabin awaited… The fact that it snowed all afternoon and evening upon our arrival only added to the quintessential Vermontness of our adventure!

These three days have been everything one could want Winter in Vermont to be… Snow, fresh powder sticking to the evergreens and hardwoods. Cold, crisp clean air, single digits to negatives in crystal clear blue skies and dark rich star filled nights. Sitting by the wood stove, cozy and warm, snuggling with my love, eating world-class cheeses, drinking world-class beers, cooking meats, grilled sandwiches and beef stew all upon the wood fire stove top. Relaxing, playing Scrabble and drinking coffee and tea while eating maple cookies and reading, re-connecting…

The wonders of Winter are alive and well in this place more than any other I have ever witnessed. The silence and pure clean air are a testimony to this snowy kingdom and the true majesty of the season. And being able to share this with Anna, whom I just admired breathing in the brisk glory outside the cabin window only adds warmth to the heartiness of my soul.

Snow, falling down again. Sparkling diamond-dusted snowflakes adding inches to the feet already piled up upon the ground down there somewhere. Hiking, rather trudging, through knee-high, waist-high snow depending how deep I might fall in with each step, I explored the forest of this ridge amongst blissful quiet, peace, and solitude. It makes me feel like a kid again, buried this deep in snow and calm and quiet amongst this wooded Winter haven.

It all seems like a dream, yet I am acutely aware that I am living it - this snow draped dream, one of magic in the Kingdom of Winter.”

In Solstice Celebration,

All my best,

Brandon

"Find Your Way" Photo Spotlight

November greetings everyone, and wow, I can’t believe I’m saying that! We’re really getting down do it here in terms of winding up 2025. And I’d be lying if I didn’t use the words “challenging, difficult, and stressful” as summarizations, to say the least. But, I must remind myself that there has been a fair amount of fun and good memories made as well. And I’d also be wise to keep in mind the old adage that “nothing that is worth it is easy.”

These thoughts make this weeks’ photo highlight quite fitting. I feel like I’ve been doing nothing but trying to “find my way” of late, as if we aren’t always doing that to some degree of truth in our lives…

“Find Your Way” - Bald Eagle State Forest, PA

“It has been some time since I’ve stilled this scene. In fact it is one of the oldest in my professional portfolio that I still hold near the top as some of my best work. An oldie but a goodie, if you will. Circa October 2011, I’m pretty confident off the top of my head, as it came at a time when the way finding I was doing was due to a recent relationship break-up I was having a very difficult time with.

It happened in mid-August and I can recall desperately wanting the Autumn to arrive as I looked for anything to make a difference in my surroundings. And I felt the change of seasons held the greatest promise of distraction to get me back out there, so to speak.

Although the Autumn still proved to be an emotional time for me, I did begin to get back out there and got lost in my Art for a while. This was the Fall before I would have my first backpacking adventure in the Spring of 2012, thusly all of my work was still coming via day hikes in and around the mountains of central Pennsylvania, home. I remember this October provided some brilliant foliage for a couple week period in my nearby haunts, and I took every opportunity I could to immerse myself in it!

On this particular afternoon I headed out deep into what is known as the Seven Mountains, towards Poe Valley and Poe Paddy State Parks in Bald Eagle State Forest lands. I had driven past this area a couple times already the previous week and noticed the bright red beginning to flame. The rainy, foggy conditions of the day made me feel if this grove of what I had originally thought was Red Maple was still on fire, it could be magical!…

Well, it was. And upon closer investigation, I realized these were not Maple trees at all and would later identify them as Sourwood. I spent some time there in the late afternoon examining the area and reveling in the mysticism that surrounded me everywhere I turned.

As the sunset drew closer and light was waning quickly, the atmosphere got even more photogenic. The fog thickened as it crept through the trees of this glowing red forest. Peering deep into the soul of these woods, as I recall, the internal turmoil and pain were absent and I felt a clarity I hadn’t in sometime.

Call it corny and cliché if you must, but I remember vividly in that moment knowing that it was through this veil I must go. And I do strongly feel this is one of those defining moments in my journey - as a photographer, as an artist, as a person.

Fast forward almost 15 years now and I still love to get lost in this forest. And so do many of you it seems - it has been a favorite of admirers and collectors from the moment I first shared it, through to this day.

There is just something about the eerie beauty of its enchantment and the magic of its mystery that beckons one to walk right into it. Go on ahead… ‘Find Your Way’”

https://www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/find-your-way

If you’ve made it back out of there yet, thank you for your time and I hope you found it enriching in some manner for yourself. And if you checked out that short and anti-climactic video (Lol!) I attached on my Halloween post, thank you, there was a point to that - I want to incorporate more of my video I take while out there into the website and blog and so I wanted/need to test out a few things on my end.

There’s still one more Autumn Photograph I want to highlight yet, so be on the lookout for that most likely next week! Until then, let’s keep on hiking on through…

All my best,

Brandon

Happy Halloween and "Morning with the Maples" Photo Spotlight

Ghoulish greetings my friends! 🧛🏻‍♂️(Said in a classic Dracula voice)… I’m so sorry, wait actually no - I can’t help myself, I’m an unapologetic fun-loving nerd, lol! We are still having some rather spooky weather here in the Northeast - gray skies, spits of rain, and winds whipping all around! Hopefully anyone going out Trick or Treating tonight with their kids or just embracing the joy of being a kid themselves stays safe and has a wonderful time!

I know I say this approximately 9 times a year (albeit all for very specific reasons!), but I love this time of year! I grew up with a healthy love of the horror genre and fully embrace that to this day. I could right a whole book here on the various films, books, and video games that have brought me joy and helped shape who I am, but I’ll digress, and try to keep things more relevant, haha!

Halloween, now in middle-age adulthood, has come to represent to me the culmination of the month of October. It’s like taking everything I love about the Autumn season - the trees changing leaves, the crisp air, the delicious smells, the harvest, the horrors - and stirring it all into a Witches Cauldron for one big Monster Mash of a celebration!🧙‍♀️🍁🍄🌰🍂🧌🌕🐺🧟‍♂️🎃👻

And so, I just felt compelled to treat you all to a little piece of Autumn eye candy to enjoy throughout the All-Hallowtide Weekend we have upon us. Be sure to delve deep down to the bottom of this bag (aka this post) to enjoy a short, sweet treat…

“Morning with the Maples” - Shenandoah National Park, VA

“Shenandoah, my first National Park. And my first National Park backpacking experience way back in October of 2012, a couple years before I made my first pilgrimage to Vermont for the Fall Foliage. This Park holds a special place in my heart, and is arguably my favorite east of the Mississippi. Once I experienced Autumn in New England, and began coinciding Art Festivals along with being up there for the first part of October, it has become increasingly difficult to make it Shenandoah then in the latter part of the month after returning home. But on occasional years, I can pull it all off in one Monster of a month, if you will!

This was one such year, and although I don’t have this date handy off the top of my head, I’m going to say it is either 2014 or 2015 because I know it’s back from my Mamiya RB67 medium-format film days. I had actually hiked this trail (Meadow School Trail in the Central District) first in the Spring and realized the forest here is predominantly Sugar Maple, need I say more!!!

Up here in the Central District of Shenandoah, you are accessing trails from much higher elevation than many further Northern and Southern District Trails. And I have learned that means peak foliage up to a week or two earlier on average, occurring more in mid-October than late October. This particular year, I was fortunate enough to nail it! I’m talking about an “All Out Glowing Orange Color Assault On Your Senses!!!” I mean, and as you can see, basically EVERY leaf was screaming “CHECK ME OUT” all the way down to the forest floor!

It was simply magical! And oh the smell!!! Such glorious conditions abounded on this backpack… The air was clear and crisp, the ground was slightly damp and evoked the Earth and the Maple Leaves in every beautiful breath! (Yes, I wholeheartedly feel the smell of a predominant Maple Forest smells different - and what I associate with the Season - than an Oak Forest, let’s say, in the Fall). I recall the night prior to photographing this scene, having one of my first quintessential Autumn backpacking experiences…

‘It was in the cool dark of night that I sat in my Therma-Rest make-shift Airpad seat, tucked in my 20 degree sleeping bag with only the light of tea candle providing any visibility. As I sipped my Southern Tier Pumking Ale, out of nowhere the shrieks and yips and howls pierced the still of night! A pack of coyotes going crazy over something! And they were close! I even got a brief glance of one prancing by in the shadows of my headlamp and candlelight! It sent chills up my spine, in a beautifully eerie way that I will never forget. How fitting for the Season!’

I remember then in the morning, it was so difficult to pull myself away. My coffee and Mountain House Biscuits & Gravy were an absolute perfect match to the brisk morning. I truly felt the essence of this forest all around me for a few blissful hours and knew I had to still it on film, so that I could always come back to my bountiful ‘Morning with the Maples.’”

https://www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/morning-with-the-maples

Side note on the above image and story - this forest also is home to one of the oldest, gnarliest Sugar Maples I have been graced to encounter out in the Wilderness. Tap to take a peak at this spooky beauty, if you dare! Mmmmmmmwwwaaaaaaaahhhhhaaahhhaaahhh…

Happy Halloween my friends, 🎃💀🎃👻🎃🧟‍♀️🎃

Brandon

“Happy When It Rains” Photo Spotlight

Hey everyone, boy are we getting a good soaking here in the Northeast! I was just outside checking on some things and caught a little of the fresh drizzle, and it reminded me of just how refreshing and re-invigorating that feeling can be - literally like the cleansing of a shower! And so I thought I’d take a break from the “glorious sun highlighting Autumn’s beauty” type of photographs I’ve shared recently and show you that rain, mist, and fog in the Fall Forest are also quite glorious! Depending on the scene and one’s mood at that time (just like Mother Nature’s), one could even say such conditions are arguably even better…

“Happy When It Rains” - Green Mountain National Forest, VT

I recall from this week in early October of 2018, that the mood you see here pretty much sums it up. I was on my traditional backpacking week between two Art Festival weekends up in Vermont, and I had chosen this little nook of the Appalachian/Long Trail near Killington. (If you read my “In the Heart of Autumn” spotlight on October 1st, yes that same stretch of trail!)

“Often, people will say what a great day to be out taking photographs on a bright, sunny day. And while, yes, I enjoy a lovely sunny day out on the trail as much as the next person, it doesn’t always exactly resonate with stunning photography outside of the wee early hours and then the latter hours of the day. But clouds, on the other hand, contribute to nice, even light, even during times of the day when light can typically be too harsh. And storms, well, they can create otherworldly conditions and atmosphere!

As I’m sure I mentioned in that other post, this stretch of forest is filled with towering Old-Growth Sugar Maples, not to mention Red Maples, White and Gray Birch, Beech, Aspen, Hemlock, and well, you get the idea - it is a magical place to find yourself lost in for a time!

And this time that I was given was wet. Multiple storms hovered over the region for most of that week, but you know what? I had such a memorable time filled with wonder just kind of hanging out for a few days. I had made a lovely little campsite hidden well off the trail, nestled in amongst some of the Giants of the Forest. And there I basically holed up in my hammock, rain fly, warm clothes and good rain gear. I can vividly recall how relaxing it was and the strong smell of the damp Autumn Woods. And when the rains weren’t too drenching, I would head out with my camera and explore…

Of the uncountable incredible scenes I came across on these early days of Autumn - the forest still lushly green, dappled with those Sugar and Red Maples beginning to vibrantly glow in their oranges and reds, veiled by mist and fog - this one made me stop in my tracks and ponder it for some time. And when that happens, it usually means it is time to break out the beast (aka the large-format 4x5 view camera).

Those soaked and saturated heart-shaped leaves just jumped out of the scene before me along with the downed birch trunk and foreground green, while everything else - hints of orange and the forest you know is back there is kind of cloaked in another world by the misty atmosphere. I just love how the image oozes with earthiness and mystery. You can just feel the dampness and smell the Earth! And one can’t help but wonder what other treasures lurk just beyond sight, out there in the fog…

After exposing my sheets of film, I meandered back to my little hammock cave and would soak in another night of rain drops falling through the forest, beading off of my rain fly and the Old-Growth Giants swaying in the breeze. I eventually would really get a good drenching on my backpack out, the kind that even solid rain gear can’t withstand forever haha, but I wouldn’t have wanted any of this rain soaked adventure to be any different. What a healthy, refreshing reminder to slow down and absorb the world around you.”

https://www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/happy-when-it-rains

Take care and be on the lookout again tomorrow, I have another Treat lined up for this Halloween Weekend, because why not have a little excess goodness during this Spooky fun time of the year!

All my best,

Brandon

P.S. - It also recently hit me to get back to showing this when I do a photo spotlight to give you an idea of how the image could look in one of my Custom Curly Maple Frames!

"Autumn's Divine Glory" / "Maple Kissed by Dawn" Photo Spotlights

Happy greetings on this glorious mid-October day! And welcome to a few of you whom I just met in Northampton, MA at the Paradise City Arts Festival this past weekend, it was a pleasure. I missed posting this last week amidst the scramble of show life and travels, so I’m giving you a double whammy to enjoy. Very apropos, as Autumn’s blaze has been firing up through Northern Vermont the past couple weeks and is moving southward throughout the Northeast!

Funny enough, I had actually forgotten that these two images were made only a week apart from each other. In my head they were 2 different years, but no - only 5 days apart, both along the Long Trail while backpacking up Mount Mansfield near Stowe, VT. The first one somewhere in the ballpark of 500-1,000 feet higher up the mountain than the latter the following week. The foliage that year (2016) was special, as you can see! And as you will read direct writings from my journal, I was having very similar emotions on both backpacks…

“Autumn’s Divine Glory”

“- From my journal on October 6th, 2016 from where I made camp off of the Long Trail hiking up Mt. Mansfield in Vermont -

         I came upon these beckoning Sugar Maples late in the day and made camp right here in hopes to catch the dawn’s first light setting them on fire. Earlier today I smelled Fall distinctly for the first time this season. Halfway up this mountain, on the Long Trail, the delicious smell of Autumn leaves in the crisp air! Mixed with the strong scent of pine and fir and the Earthy aroma of damp soil in the coolness of shade towards sunset, the smell evoked the spirit of the season! Within this forest of Maple, Birch, and Evergreen, I sit with my eyes and thoughts fixed upon the stars and the silhouetted giant trees. Leaves tumble down upon me in the breeze as I drift amongst the stars. I await the morning light to cast its glow upon these mountains, ablaze with Autumn fire like I have only ever imagined...”

         -October 7th-  

         “I awoke this morning to a magnificent pre-dawn glow, accentuating the orange glow of the maples with its pinkish-purple hue. The first rays of light to touch these beauties were purely divine. Highlighted Birch bark and fiery Sugar Maple leaves contrast against the shadow of the Green Mountains. What a majestic scene in this golden light! The heavy smell of fir mingles with the unmistakable scent of Autumn. The leaves, the cool air, the dampness in this refreshing light. It is so peaceful as birds softly chatter and it lulls me back to a dreamy state... Autumn’s glory, so fleeting and so precious.”

www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/autumn’s-divine-glory

“Maple Kissed by Dawn”

October 11th, 2016 -

“How glorious this crisp October morning is underneath this canopy of majestic Maples! When the sun breaks the facing mountains at dawn and casts its soft warm glow upon this forest, its light sets the fiery orange and red Sugar Maples ablaze! Like rekindling the flame that temporarily burned to embers, the Sugar Maples’ dark orange hue from their nightly slumber is awakened with brilliance!

         It truly is Autumn in all it’s glory where I sit right now, sipping my coffee. I have camped amongst some magnificent old beauties this past evening and morning. Although brisk, chilling winds whipped around last night for hours before calming, the sky was as clear as could be - starlit with a waxing gibbous moon glow. And this morning, not a cloud in the sky, that deep crisp blue like only October can produce. The sun gives warmth yet a chill at the same time. And the forest a splattering of fading lime greens, shimmering yellows, glowing oranges and burning reds!

         It is calm and quiet, unlike the peacefulness of the birdsongs and insects of Spring and Summer, you can almost hear the air this time of year. And oh, the smell of the leaves! Like only a forest floor blanketed with Maple and Birch leaves can smell… Yes, Autumn is in the air!”

www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/maple-kissed-by-dawn

More Autumn adventures to come over the next few weeks! Until then, get out and enjoy the bounty of the season!

All my best,

Brandon

“In the Heart of Autumn” Photo Spotlight

Happy October everyone! As I mentioned before, I’m going to be highlighting some of my favorite Autumn photographs throughout this glorious season!🍁

“Before I really discovered Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, when I first started making yearly Autumnal pilgrimages up here, my favorite backpacking stretch became a section of the Appalachian/Long Trail that you can access from and/or near Gifford Woods State Park basically right in the center (or heart) of Vermont.

The trail (packed full with rocks and roots as is typical of the Northeast!), takes you through a magnificent forest of Beech, Birch and towering old Sugar Maples as you climb your way towards both Pico and Killington summits. The higher you go, more coniferous forest begins to dominate and you truly enter a different world from the one below.

I haven’t hiked it in the Fall that recently, although I did enjoy a Winter Solstice backpack there a few years ago which you may or may not see a result of in my portfolio’s future!😉… But of the few years of early October backpacks I did there in the mid-to-late 2010’s, my experiences were always magical.

From crisp sunny days with glowing oranges and reds to damp, fog, mist and rain creating otherworldly realms in these ancient mountains, I have experienced a lot of what Mother Nature can throw at you in this relatively short stretch of mileage.

And not to mention wildlife sights and sounds - I remember one evening hiking past an abundance of packs of glowing eyes in the dark wondering what exactly what it was watching me. Only later to hear wild yips and howls of coyotes echoing in the night. I’ve experienced this a few times here, as well as the hoots and howls of owls, both of which add a wonderful touch to the October ambiance if you ask me!🎃

I guess what all of this boils down to is this - ever since I have begun exploring New England, Vermont in particular, I have strongly felt that if a Season (in this case Autumn) has a heart and that heart has a Place, it is buried deep in the Green Mountains of Vermont, protected by the ancient forest that surrounds it…

On this particular morning, I awoke pre-dawn from my deep forest backcountry site and hiked close to a mile up to this lovely overlook I’ve always admired in the damp, yet crisp, cool October air to await full early sunlight highlighting the brilliant blanket of Autumn foliage. From the glowing Maples in the hills and valleys below, to the central Fir, to the bordering Birch trees acting skeletal, if you will - all of it encompassing the beating heart of the Place and the Season.”

All my best,

Brandon

P.S. - And in case you missed yesterday’s email, here’s a quick link to go back to the post to find out about a special offering for a limited time…

www.brandonklinewnp.com/trailblog/2025/9/30/greetings-from-the-northeast-kingdom-and-a-special-autumn-offering

Greetings from the Northeast Kingdom!… (And a Special Autumn Offering!)

Hey everyone and welcome a handful of newcomers from the Quechee Art Festival this past weekend. It was such a fun weekend meeting all of you and being back in Vermont for the magic of Autumn in New England!

The drive up here to Brighton State Park in Island Pond, VT (yesterday Monday, September 29th)was nothing short of spectacular! We took some scenic detours including stopping at The Willey’s General Store for some supplies and driving all around Lake Willoughby, always an inspirational sight to behold! I can’t tell you how many times I listened to James Taylor’s “October Road” in pure memerization of the season, lol!

And while on the road, taking in the glory, I got inspired to share an Autumn offering with all of you…

I was already planning on kicking off my lineup of weekly Autumn Photograph favorites with a post tomorrow in honor of it being the first day of October, a very special time of the year to me! And then I got to thinking - I should extend a special offer to everyone here, as it’s been a while since I’ve done something of the sort.

I’d like to offer anyone who would like one (or more!) of my custom Curly Maple Framed Photographs at 30% off of their regular price! This includes anything that I currently have on hand that you may have seen in my booth recently and/or brand new Made for Delivery orders. This offer is good from now thru Thursday October 9th! (I’ll be setting up for the Paradise City Northhampton, MA Art Festival on Friday October 10th for the Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend.)

This is a GREAT opportunity if you’ve been on the fence about a piece (or pieces), especially some of my bigger sizes. For example, my current big show piece - a 32x40 print in a 40x50 frame is currently $3,800. At 30% off that’s $2,660, over a thousand dollars saved ($1,140 to be exact)! And so on down the line…

And if you’re not in the market for a framed piece, but would really love a print, I can take 20% off full print price for you.

This offer is not available in the Print Purchasing page on the website. You have to email, call or text me with what you’d like.

Here’s a few looks to perhaps help give you ideas and/or refresh your memory. I hope to hear from you and be on the lookout for tomorrow’s Photo Spotlight!

All my best,

Brandon

“Fortune and Glory” 32x40 Print in Black Mat and 40x50 Frame - Reg. $3,800 would be $2,660

“Autumn’s Divine Glory” 16x20 Print in Brown Suede/White Mat and 24x30 Frame - Reg. $1,000 would be $700

“Shenandoah Dreamin’” 20x24 Print in Green Suede/Black Mat and 28x34 Frame - Reg. $1,750 would be $1,225

Happy Autumn Equinox! & "To Last a Lifetime" / "Of Things to Come" Photo Spotlights

Good afternoon and Happy Autumn Equinox everyone! This seasonal change always brings a lot of emotions for me. Usually come late August/early September you can just feel nature’s life cycle winding down and I can say I have felt that very distinctly this year. But then, right around now and going into October, the changing leaves and crisp air tend to get me fired up for the last hurrah, Nature’s Grand Finale!

I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been an extremely challenging year, but I am so excited and looking forward to the next few weeks -

I’ll be heading out Thursday for Vermont to try a brand new festival in Quechee, near the popular town of Woodstock. The show runs Friday to Sunday, hours and specs here - www.brandonklinewnp.com/art-festival-lineup-2025 - Anna and our dogs will join me over the weekend for camping at Quechee State Park and then we’ll head up to the Northeast Kingdom for the following week of camping and hopefully catching the spectacular display of Autumn Foliage up there!

Then the weekend of Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day, I’ll be in Northhampton, MA for the Paradise City Arts Festival. And with any luck, I hope to get some good backpacking in during that first full week of October!

So, if you find yourself in New England during any of these time frames, I’d love for you to come see me at the shows and enjoy Autumn’s show as well, New England rarely disappoints!

I plan on lining up weekly Photo Spotlights to be released from now through October/early November showcasing some of my favorites of the season and will keep you posted as I can…

Oh and the on-line store is still open, any orders placed while I’m on the road will be fulfilled as soon as I can (approximately a 2-3 week timeframe).

Ok, here’s the fun stuff…

“To Last a Lifetime”

“It was myself, my brother and our father, in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time and the first time my brother and I got our Dad out backpacking!  It was truly unique experiencing these beautiful Appalachian Mountains on this grand of a scale and just how bio-diverse these ancient Smokies really are!  

Despite being one of the wettest and dampest adventures overall that I have experienced, and thusly being a bit of a damper for our father, it was nonetheless an amazing experience traversing through different climate zones and such a variety of forest types. From mixed deciduous hardwoods, through rhododendron tunnels (which we dubbed “the enchanted emerald forest”), and up to huge Hemlock realms we hiked. 

This image is, to me, a beautiful representation to sum up our adventure.  The photograph was taken right beside our camping location on a mid-September's late afternoon.  To my companions chagrin (haha!), the fog really made the atmosphere for me, creeping through this dense forest of towering Hemlocks and Red Maples.  As I was setting up my camera, my brother was asking me where exactly I was going to hang my hammock...  

“Oh, you mean using that dead tree there?” he asked.  

“Ahh I’m sure it’s fine” I responded.  

Eeeeerrrrrrrr, BOOM!  About 30 feet to my right, a tree fell over...  No one hurt, laughs all around, and needless to say I reconsidered my sleeping placement.  

We soon got a fire going to warm the spirit and later were serenaded to sleep by the chattering katydids and crickets in a thundering echo like I have never heard before... It all still rings so loud in my mind. Much like the ancients dwelling here, memories were made "To Last a Lifetime."

“Of Things to Come”

“A little known image in my portfolio, as I don’t typically advertise it or have it on display in my booth. But I still love to gaze at it from time to time and is about as good of a presentation of a close-up as you will find in my portfolio.

The reason, I share it along with “To Last a Lifetime" you ask?

Well, the reason is quite simple - you see, if you were standing right where I was at the same moment I was when I photographed “To Last a Lifetime” and you panned the camera down towards your feet… Ta-Dah!

I just loved how damp and green the forest floor was and having this perfectly placed Red Maple leaf adorned in its Autumn hues just laying there, recently dropped from the towering tree canopy above on this mid-September day, whispering a signal to us “Of Things to Come.”

Find them both in the store directly here! -

www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/to-last-a-lifetime

www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing/of-things-to-come

And as always, any questions, concerns or anything, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

All my best,

Brandon

Official On-Line Store Open for Business!!! (Re-Send, Apologies if you saw this over the weekend, but I noticed a formatting issue, plus added a few updates since then!)

Remember when I said last Saturday that I had a big announcement for the website coming this week?…

Well, at long last, I have worked through several of the logistics and many of my own back and forth question marks about beginning to set up my on-line store and I am happy to say it is officially up and running!!!

You can find it on my website under Print Purchasing on the menu header. Here are some direct links for super-convenience…

The Home Page and Full Gallery -www.brandonklinewnp.com

The Print Purchasing Page - www.brandonklinewnp.com/printpurchasing

Right now, I have 30 of my favorite and best selling images available at the click of a few buttons! I just added locations for all of these photographs as well. You can also find all currently available works on the Gallery Page and simply reach out to me about anything not yet on the Purchasing Page. I just really wanted to get this out there at last!

All Photographs are Silver Halide Photo-Chemical Prints on Fuji Crystal Archive Lustre Paper, titled and signed w/ either Artist Proof or Limited Edition number.

At this moment, I am only set-up for loose prints for this direct on-site purchase. I do plan on potentially adding matted, framed and/or what I currently have on hand once I have a little more time to dedicate to that process. In the meantime, if you want your print to be matted and/or framed just reach out to me and we can discuss all options and prices.

They are subject to Pennsylvania sales tax which is 6% and applied to the purchase at the end of checkout. Currently I am choosing a $15 flat rate shipping fee for ease and convenience, which is also added to the balance during checkout.

I’m so excited to finally be offering this! And as a kick-off special, any orders from now through Wednesday September 17th (extending this to Friday the 19th!!!) I am offering buy one at full price and get a second one of same size or smaller at 50% off! (The deadline is so I can get them printed and out to you before I’ll be on the road for a few weeks for some Art Festivals and Autumn Foliage Adventures!!!🍁)

You will just need to let me know what your second choice is in one of two ways - by simply providing the other image title & size you would like in the Customer Specs additional info block that pops up when adding to cart. Or you can email me/call me separately too! I will have to manually provide the discount for you and reach out to you with that anyway.

I have also just edited my About, Mission, and Art Festival pages and added an Artist Statement Page as well, with more updates and edits planned…

Please let me know if you encounter any issues or have any questions, and happy browsing!😁

As always, with all my gratitude,

Brandon

So Many Things…

Well, I think I have broken my own silence streak record by a long shot, once again, sigh…

You see, I have this terrible “it’s got to be the greatest thing ever written” syndrome which tragically translates to silence way more often than anything productive. And the funny thing is, whether you believe it or not, my own silence towards you - my collectors, my admirers, my audience - is one of the greatest stresses I inflict upon myself. There honestly isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t stress about wanting or NEEDING to write SOMETHING, ANYTHING!!!

And yet here we are, what’s it been? Two years?? More than a year, I know that. Not a very good way to keep people engaged.

And so here I sit now, with so many things to say, so many things to do. And let’s face it, things are far from coming easy these days… I could say there are so many things to complain about. But you know what, ultimately I really do feel that there are so many things to be thankful for too.

And I want to keep this positive. After all, that is who I am. And I am welcoming many new subscribers from festivals of the past year and half with this…

Welcome to a place where (hopefully) Nature and the often times “occasional” crazy adventure story can transport you away from the cares and troubles of everyday life and to a place of peace and inspiration.

For those of you who haven’t just met me recently at a festival or heard from me in forever - I am alive and well and I’ve been hiking on “out there,” so to speak!

I’ve finally recently made a few adjustments and updates on my website and I am working on much more to make it a better and easier viewing experience, amongst a million other things! And fingers crossed, without unforeseen hiccups, I have a Big addition soon to be available on the site… So be on the lookout!

Speaking of Big - There’s a pretty awesome secret I’ve been holding in my pocket for over a year now… Guess who is having a photo published in the upcoming new edition of National Geographic’s Guide to the National Parks??!!! More to come on this, but since I’m writing here for the first time since then, I can’t bear to hold it in any longer!

Lastly, as always, I can’t not leave you with a “pretty picture,” right?!

So in striving to keep this simpler and sweeter and continuing with the “Big” theme - enjoy this oldie but goodie… some of my photos have a grand tale behind them, and some of them are a mere matter of dumb luck and being in the right place at the right time. Here’s one on the “lazier” side of that equation. Nevertheless, always a crowd pleaser and one of my best sellers, still, to date.

I just happened to be driving by this access area of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park on this mid-July evening back in 2015 when the setting sun broke through the storm clouds and I knew I had to stop… and boy am I glad I did! I stood at the lake shore for over an hour watching the drama unfold, exposing 5 frames on the roll of 120 Fuji Velvia Film I had loaded in the magazine of my Mamiya RB67. This is the one I consider to be the “peak” moment of this sunsets eruption. And although that journey out West (my first cross-country road trip!) was tumultuous in so many ways, it sparked something inside of me that I have never turned back from. And in so many ways it reminds me to this day, a decade later, to never give up and it continues to inspire me to “Dream Big.”

All my best,

Brandon

Back in Action!

Hey everyone! After 2 years shut down, sooooo happy to be back at State College’s Central PA Festival of the Arts!!! Having grown up only about a half an hour from here and gone to college here I consider this my “hometown” festival of sorts.

This is the one that started it all for me back in 2016! Hoping to see some familiar faces this weekend, the weather looks great and I’ve got lots of fresh work for those who haven’t seen me in a couple years! So come on out, say hi and let Nature sooth your soul…

My best,

Brandon

P.S. - I’m booth A-57, same spot as previous years!

Happy Summer Solstice/Welcome Newcomers/Festival Info and an Award?!!

Hey everyone! I slipped away there for a bit since late April as the pace of life exploded much like the blooming season! See what I did there?? ;-)

All joking aside, it has been a whirlwind since that Lewisburg Art Festival the last Saturday in April! A lot of exciting things both in Nature and here on my end have been playing out in time. And here we are, a few days into official Summer already. So belated Happy Summer Solstice to you all! I hope everyone has been enjoying the growing days of the sun and is living it up as life hits the peaking point here for a few weeks!

I also would like to welcome many newcomers to Tales from the Trail, I’m so happy you’re here! Most posts are more exciting than this one is going to be, haha, I just wanted to cast a line back out there before too much time went by again and to provide some updated art festival info. Also, for you first timers and everyone else, what I said in my last blog about having a few more tests on my end to ensure the proper completion of transferring from Mailchimp to Squarespace remains the same - probably 2-3 posts yet I hope and I will most likely discontinue the Mailchimp campaign and move solely to Squarespace, so please bare with the two versions in your inboxes until I’m certain everything is good on my end.

Speaking of more exciting things to look forward to… I’ve got my April, May, and June backpacks to catch you up on (yes I am 6 for 6 in my quest to get out at least once every month of the calendar year, that’s a pretty darn good day in baseball!), as well as Wilderness Solitude Part 2 - the Isle Royale adventure, and one more special treat I have planned before I think I can finally say I am current gosh darnit!!! We’ll get there, I promise!

But, most importantly today, what I want to promote is this coming weekends’ Manayunk Arts Festival! I’m quite excited to be doing this show for the first time and perhaps see some familiar faces from previous lifetimes! I’m going to tag anyone I can think of on social media and if you are anywhere in the Philadelphia area and don’t have plans this weekend, I’d love to see you come visit!

Key Info -

Booth #106

Right on Main St. in Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA

Saturday June 25th - 11am-7pm

Sunday June26th - 11am-6pm

www.brandonklinewnp.com/art-festival-lineup-2022


Oh and something I’m very proud of that I never shared after the Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk, VA back in late May… my first Award!!! An Award of Merit, recognizing me in the top 6 out of 120 Artists and the only photographer to win an award! Again, I am extremely proud of this recognition as I’ve been striving hard for many years towards showcasing fine art nature photography of the highest quality. And I feel like now with the new booth and continuing to work towards the best display I can possibly manage, things are beginning to come together… Let’s keep em’ comin’!

Ok, I’ve got lots to do between now and 11am Saturday morning in Manayunk but I sincerely hope to see as many of you as possible and stay tuned, it’s going to be a busy Summer and Autumn ahead…! Oh, but please enjoy a few teasers of my more recent outings just for stopping by…

As always, all my best,

Brandon

Art Festival Season!!!

Hello everyone! I hope this finds everyone all well and good and hopefully enjoying some lovely Spring days after yet another plummet earlier this week! I was out in it for my April backpack and brrrrr! Haha, but more on that next week. This message is to give you an early outlook at my upcoming Festival season! Perhaps coming to a town near you??!…

I will give updates as the year progresses and any changes come about. But here is a list of current jury acceptances and committals on my end. The jury and application process are still out on several more.

Also, the process of moving to Squarespace email campaigns from Mailchimp seems to be going great! I have a couple more tests to confirm on my end but if things keep going the way they have been I would say most likely within 2-3 more posts I will discontinue the Mailchimp campaign and just be sending the Squarespace version. Please let me know if you have ANY objections or feelings one way or the other!

I am super excited to kick things off tomorrow in Lewisburg, PA! This is a quick one-day hitter, but one I thoroughly enjoyed opening the season with in 2018 and 2019. So stoked to be back after a 2 year shutdown! I hope to see some familiar faces tomorrow and meet several new ones…!

Lewisburg Celebration of the Arts - Lewisburg, PA

Saturday April 30th - 10am-5pm

Stockley Gardens Spring Arts Festival - Norfolk, VA

Saturday May 21st - 10am-5pm

Sunday May 22nd - 12pm-5pm

Manyunk Arts Festival - Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA

Saturday June 25th - 11am-7pm

Sunday June 26th -11am-6pm

Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts - State College, PA

Thursday July 14th - Sunday July 17th (Official times to come)

Lake George Art & Craft Festival - Lake George, Adirondacks, NY

Friday July 29th - Sunday July 31st (Official times to come)

Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show - Mt. Gretna, PA

Saturday August 20th - 9am-6pm

Sunday August 21st - 9am-5pm

Stowe Foliage Arts Festival - Stowe, VT

Friday October 7th - Sunday October 9th (Official times to come)

P.S. - I have a fancy, new look with a TrimLine booth and several other upgrades I’ve made over the past two years since you last saw me that I can’t wait to unveil for you…! :-)

All my best and I hope to see you soon,

Brandon

Renewal

Happy Earth Day everyone! Spring - the first 3 words that come to my mind are renewal, jubilance, and rejuvenation.

I love this time of year (I know, I say that at least once every season!). But it’s true. Watching the Earth come back to life from its Winter slumber is so, well, rejuvenating!!!

Although it can be a back and forth struggle as the two seasons collide and create all kinds of extreme weather. Here in central PA we just had a couple days of freezing temps, crazy winds and anywhere from 1-5 inches of snow reported in various regions following several days of beautiful warm weather, and it’s going to be warm again this weekend… Must be April?!😂.

Doing what I do, between my art and landscaping work, I am generally outside a solid 70-80% of my day and I can tell you there is no mistaking the affects of Climate Change these past few years. I know April can be a turbulent month, but what I have witnessed in this area alone over the last roughly 5 years are not the same extremities I grew up with 30, even 20 years ago.

Alas, this is not a doom and gloom entry. In fact, it is to celebrate the beauty and magnificence of the budding blooms, intoxicating fragrances, and bright fresh green this time of year brings back to us! It’s so, well, jubilant!

I’ll keep this one short, as I know I’ve dumped a lot on you lately. I just wanted to extend Earth Day greetings and say thank you so much to everyone who has been following along on this journey! I have a few more backstories I want to share through May yet but I should have you caught up by then!

And one more note - Lewisburg Art Festival Saturday April 30th!!! Can’t wait to be back after 2 years shut down! I am a corner booth, 518 I believe. I’ll reiterate this again next week sometime as well as give you an initial festival outlook of my upcoming schedule from now through October this year! I so hope to see as many of you as possible again this season!

Alright, enjoy a few of my favorite photographs from my collection that say, well, renewal…

With my utmost gratitude and all my best,

Brandon

“Innocence” - Brandon Kline

“May Your Spirit Be the Guide” - Brandon Kline

“Life’s Possibilities” - Brandon Kline

"Fortune and Glory" - Image Spotlight Release

“Get off the tracks at Belton Station (now West Glacier), and in a few minutes you will find yourself in the midst of what you are sure to say is the best care-killing scenery on the continent. Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal. Nevermore will time seem short or long, and cares will never again fall heavily on you, but gently and kindly as gifts from heaven.” - John Muir - Our National Parks, 1901

This has always been one of my favorite quotes on Glacier. It is also one of those things I sincerely hope to accomplish some year - giving at least a month at one continuous time to this precious reserve!

And a Happy Birthday to John Muir! He would be 184 today were he still out there… I think he’s still “out there,” don’t you?!😉

I wasn’t even going to be here that night. I had left Bowman Lake campground and was sitting back in West Glacier on midday of the day I was going to exit Glacier and begin the return journey home. I was on the phone with Anna, and as we were talking, I started thinking to myself - maybe one more day/night here…

I had woken up that morning to rain falling on my exposed hammock set up. Having not been expecting rain AT ALL, I did not not put my rain fly over! Oh well, a little soggy but no harm done in the long run.

As I was driving that morning back to West Glacier, the light and storms kept fighting back and forth, and ‘I just had a feeling I wanted to go with.’

Of my 4 visits to Glacier National Park, I have yet to hike the Highline Trail. This is one of the most popular hikes in the Park and one of those hikes that is consistently rated on all the top National Parks hike lists.

Basically, anytime I think about hiking or planning to hike the Highline on a certain day I am there, the trail is closed due to Grizzly activity. This had been the case on this adventure as well. But, the trail had opened back up a day or two before and I had the thought that maybe a mile or two out could provide a nice sunset opportunity.

I remind you that storms were moving in and out this entire day…

I was down to just 3 sheets of film (and I really wanted to try and save at least 1 for my plan to spend a night in Badlands National Park for the first time on my return journey home!)…

Despite being mid-late August, the weather conditions up on Logan Pass were quite brisk and very windy as early evening descended. I set out on the Highline and hiked roughly a mile and a half to where this vantage point lay before me. I decided this would be the spot and as I began breaking out my camera gear, I was watching a storm and bands of rain move from those distant mountains straight towards me. ‘Oh man, I am going to get hammered!’ I thought to myself. But behind the storm, through the veil of rain and mist I could see the sun softly illuminating everything… ‘Oh man, this could be epic!!!’ I now thought.

So, I got myself rain-geared up, set up the camera as rapidly as I could muster and got the little poncho I keep for it secured. As I was finishing this all up, it was upon me. The wind was whipping and it felt like little rain-icicles were pelting me, but I was too stoked by what was happening beyond me to really care! The golden illumination of everything off in the distance grew more and more intense and the storm passed over almost as rapidly as it had come upon me.

I freed the camera, got back to composing and metering in what seemed like a fury to not miss the opportune moment! I was ready. And just in the nick of time, for moments later, what you see below is what happened!!!

As I watched, waiting to hopefully capture the glory at its fullest, yet not miss the perfect moment, the clouds slowly broke apart and revealed the sun. Within seconds, the sun began its descent behind the mountain peak. Not only was every break in the sky glowing gold, but it was as if the mountain peak itself broke and shaped those heavenly rays of light just so, just for me…

I snapped the shutter, this was it. ‘Man I hope I didn’t botch that exposure!!!’ as within moments, it was gone. As the sun continued to set, the clouds began to glow orange, pink and purple as they do when conditions are oh so right. I decided to fire off an exposure of that as well and that was that. One sheet of film left for the Badlands.

I took in the total sunset experience and everything that had just occurred fully before I began packing up and continuing on my headlamp hike back to Logan Pass parking. The chill in the air seemed not to matter as I was so alive with what had just come to pass. I drove down Going-to-the-Sun Road and exited West Glacier to find an easy car camp pullout spot in the National Forest that night and awoke to begin my journey home the next morning.

As you might imagine, when I finally came to process this film, I was so excited and nervous as to find out if I got it or not…

This is one of my most insanely beautiful moments ever witnessed and I am so proud of the end result on film. This is a once in a lifetime moment and I had very little leeway to nail it as conditions were changing rapidly (AND I only had 3 sheets of film left!!!) but, nail it I did!

I didn’t even realize this at the time, but it just recently occurred to me that one of those peaks in this photograph might actually be Heaven’s Peak?! I got out my National Geographic Glacier National Park map and took a good gander… Eureka! It isn’t the peak where the sun is directly behind, but Heaven’s Peak is the left most mountain in the composition, where the tuft of clouds are resting upon the summit and the shaft of light is piercing underneath! Just kind of a neat little something extra if you ask me. :-)

Back up top to John Muir’s quote - “Nevermore will time seem short or long, and cares will never again fall heavily on you, but gently and kindly as gifts from heaven.”

In referral to my journal quote from yesterday’s post - talk about “fortune and glory of this blessed life!” I can never stop thinking that I wasn’t even going to be here this night. To quote Indiana Jones - “But why Dr. Jones?” - Shortround. “For Fortune and Glory kid, Fortune and Glory.” - Indiana. ;-)

Fortune and Glory indeed.

All my best,

Brandon

“Fortune and Glory” - Brandon Kline

“Fortune and Glory” - Brandon Kline

"This Blessed Life" - Image Spotlight Release

Happy National Parks Week folks! I hope you are all doing well and maybe getting out to enjoy a Park or more! Life here on my end is getting to be a crazy balancing act right now!!! Between my artwork, landscaping, my fiancé and dogs, family and friends and all the other things that make up my life currently, it’s a bit bonkers🤪😂 But, most importantly, all is good. So with this in mind, I have decided to interrupt my ‘Wilderness Solitude part 2, Isle Royale’ post until sometime in May, as I simply need more time to sort through pics, video and writings to properly put everything together for you. And what I have to share these next few days is more time sensitive, seeing as I want to have these remaining two image releases that I’ve been holding out on, as well as some other information, out to you before my art festival season officially kicks off in Lewisburg, PA on the rapidly approaching Saturday April 30th!

So, without further ado, here you go - one today, one tomorrow, both from one of my favorite places on Earth and my favorite National Park thus far…

“Far away in Northwestern Montana, hidden from view by clustering mountain-peaks, lies an unmapped corner - the Crown of the Continent.” - George Bird Grinnell - Century Magazine, 1901

August 20th, 2019, early in the evening, Glacier National Park -

“I think it’s time to go build a fire and convene with some of Glaciers’ Spirits. A long day lies ahead…” - from my journal

The photograph below is not an uncommon view to many who visit Glacier National Park. I certainly won’t say it’s easy to get here - from the Many Glacier Hotel/Camping/Parking area, you’ve got a 3+ mile hike gaining roughly 800 feet to stand at this view. If you haven’t been here - believe it or not, more and more extravagant beauty awaits you over another roughly 3.5 miles and 800 feet elevation gain to Upper Grinnell Lake and the end of the trail. (See “What Is Remembered” in my portfolio for just a sliver of what awaits you!)

But come mid-morning to early evening, this trail is one of the most popular and crowded in the Park! And deservedly so. I often wonder if I have ever seen as much awe-inspiring splendor in one 6.5 mile stretch as the Grinnell Complex offers?! And this viewpoint area has been high on my radar ever since I took that first hike up here in 2016 and captured “What Is Remembered.”

So, here’s the thing… to truly capture the best light on this scene and bask in all of it’s glory with some sense of solitude, you’ve got to get here by dawn. And that means, in high Summer anyway, starting your day in the ballpark of 3am, give or take a little.

Oh, and if you haven’t had the thought already, the real kicker is - that means you are hiking in the dark/pre-dawn, by yourself, for roughly 3 miles, an hour and a half, in some of the most prime Grizzly terrain Glacier has to offer! There are often trail closures in this area due to Grizzly activity and they SHOULD BE HEADED WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT!!!

This is no joke folks - people and bears for that matter, die, unfortunately. The first time I was here in the Many Glacier region (2016) I witnessed two young girls being reprimanded by a Park Ranger for disobeying a trail closure due to Grizzly activity. If I remember correctly a mountain biker in the previous weeks that year had suffered a fatal attack not too far from this area. DO NOT SHRUG OFF TRAIL CLOSURES, ESPECIALLY IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES!!! And you SHOULD NOT BE HIKING WITHOUT CARRYING BEAR SPRAY!

There are two trails leading to where you start to climb the ridge line towards Grinnell Glacier, a North and a South shore. Both times I have been here one of those shores was closed. I obeyed the closures and followed the open trail.

Insane still, perhaps. The inherent risk is always at hand. I don’t write or tell about these things as a boast of bravery or that others should do the same. All I can say is that I know full well what I am getting myself into when I set out and I do my best to be cognizant and practice the smartest behavior under the given circumstances.

Why am I going on about this? - because I am NOT trying to blindly lead anyone to follow in my footsteps, haphazardly thinking it is totally safe. Always be Bear Aware out here! And not just for you, but for the bears’ sake as well! These are magnificent creatures that need our help and protection to thrive! The less negative interactions between us both, the better!

Despite the inherent risks, however, there lies the inherent beauty of this ‘Crown of the Continent.’ It often isn’t easy or 100% safe, but can I outweigh the risk with the reward is what I ask myself in such a situation?

You’ll often hear adventurers of all types say something to the affect of ‘I just had a good feeling about it.’ As crazy as it may seem, I feel these “feelings” have merit. If something seems off, maybe you should listen to that. If it feels right, go for it! Sometimes you just have to trust your gut and hope that it pays off, accepting there is no guarantee.

When I quoted my journal earlier talking about ‘convening with the Spirits of Glacier’ - that is a very real thing to me. Whatever you want to call it, this place has an ancient Spirit. And by feeling that, I feel safer in my journeys here.

All this being said, this morning turned out to be smooth seas, fortunately. To my surprise, I wasn’t even the only pre-dawn hiker as another guy pulled into the parking area right when I did and we set off on the trail almost together. He quickly passed me though with his lightweight day/hydration pack just out to beat the morning rush against me in my “lightweight” 50 pound only camera gear and a few essentials “daypack.”😂

It is almost impossible to put into words the full glory of the scenery here, and that lack of words, thoughts even that you can comprehend, speaks volumes of how special this place is. So, I’ll just let my journal entry take you out…

August 21st, 2019, gazing out upon early morning on Lower Grinnell Lake, Angel Wing, Mount Gould, the Salamander and waterfalls - all part of the Garden Wall, Glacier National Park -

“Wow…

That about sums it up.

This morning began at 3:30am, making coffee by moonlight at my Cut Bank campsite and driving over here to Many Glacier. I began hiking by the soft glow of pre-dawn light through the forest along the shores of Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes. Very early on, a movement in the forest and a couple sets of eyes accompanied by large silhouetted bodies met my headlamp… Bears, deer??!

Although I began hiking almost an hour later than I had wanted, it proved not to matter in terms of the light I had been hoping for, as the sun angle now in later August takes a while to rise up over the mountains. Late July I think would be ideal for catching when the sun perfectly rises in the valley between peaks and would bask the scene with its first golden glow!

Nonetheless, the colors and light upon these lakes, forests, and granite peaks I witnessed this morning were nothing short of spellbinding.

And here I have sat for a while now, so peaceful and serene, soaking in the fortune and glory of this blessed life!”

All my best,

Brandon

“This Blessed Life” - Brandon Kline

“This Blessed Life” - Brandon Kline

Wilderness Solitude (Part 1 of 2) - Voyageurs National Park

Greetings all! I hope this finds everyone enjoying the early onset of Spring! It’s a soaker here where I sit today. One of those great for the Earth, cool rainy days of April. We are beginning to notice significant swelling of buds, and after several cool rainy days this week and a sunny warm up glimpsing ahead to next week, I expect to see quite an explosion of the early season blooms on the horizon!

(A note as to why you have received 2 versions of this email, and/or why this may look a little different for you (depending which one you’ve opened first lol!) - I am giving SquareSpace email campaigns a trial run for a few posts to make sure everything I am hoping for operates properly, and if so I will most likely be switching to this format. I think I can control more and create a much cleaner look for viewing this way as it all stays organic, if you will, through my website. Until I am sure though, I am going to keep the MailChimp campaign operating as well. Please, if you have any feedback on one versus the other, I’d value your input! But, ultimately I think and hope this will be a good transition moving forward.)

I had hoped to share this two part story last week, but time got away from me as the Spring landscaping season is getting into serious go mode and several other priorities that need to be kept on track as I prepare for what I hope to be a very busy festival and backpacking year took hold!

But here we go… Speaking of festivals and backpacking, I am very excited to share this very different type of adventure for me from this past September! In my few travels out West and back East, I had never really swung up into the Upper MidWest portion of the country. Coming off of the essential COVID shutdown of art festivals and traveling in 2020 which I continued to deal with and/or observe through the first half of 2021, it is probably needless to say I was itching to get “out there” again! Applying to and getting accepted into two festivals back-to-back weekends in mid-September in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota, I decided to go for it and plan an excursion I’ve had on my mind for several years. Two places I’ve heard all kinds of awesome stories about - Voyageurs and Isle Royale National Parks were going to be within 4 hours roughly of where I would be, and it was time to get there!

After weeks of hardcore preparation for my first festivals since October of 2019, and bringing it down to the wire, I had an insane 17 hour drive in a 24 hour time limit to make it to Edina, MN for the first festival weekend. I also was hauling a 6x12 U-Haul trailer I had rented for close to 2 months to see how that would work as I have far exceeded the days of somehow jamming my entire booth as well as camping and survival gear into and tied down to the top of my Nissan Xterra! Well, I made it, and although it wasn’t a huge financial success for me, I met some really cool people, saw Minneapolis for the first time and got my feet wet again.

Then, the week between festivals, a beautiful drive through the Superior National Forest and to Voyageurs National Park!

Now, I have backpacked what I consider to be a fairly decent amount and feel pretty darn comfortable doing so. The waterways, however, are something completely new to me! I have always loved to swim, especially in the ocean, but have spent very little time on any kind of watercraft. In fact, I really can’t even recall the last time I was on any sort of “boat” since my chilhood/teenage years. Well, I rented a canoe from a local outfitter, talked some things out, and planned a 3 night, 4 day adventure into the Wilderness of Voyageurs. A little nervous, but mainly super excited, I figured how hard can it be right?!

Ready to embark!

When I first “shipped out” I found the water navigation to be a little challenging as I worked out the kinks of getting my bearings and proper “steering” paddle control. But, overall, I think it went rather well for a complete novice! It wasn’t too awfully long before I felt like I knew what I was doing enough to be pretty calm and as the sun was setting, I found myself taking in a beautiful orange glow while out in the middle of this thin “canal” of Lake Kabetogama. And you know what? It was pretty darn awesome! :-)

Sun sets while all alone out on Kabetogama

Even with darkness encroaching and being in a totally unfamiliar situation, I remained very at ease (the surroundings here don’t hurt, trust me!). I had my National Geographic Park Map and my AllTrails App showing me exactly where I was and how to navigate around the island in front of me and into the channel I needed to be to reach my campsite on the opposite side. Oh, I should also note a full moon was approaching so that certainly helped with visibility out there! And so here I kind of gently ushered my way across the calmest waters as night set in, the moon and stars above me and a feeling of some of the utmost peace and solitude I have ever felt.

As I paddled close to the shoreline where my campsite was to be, out of nowhere a brief collection of howls pierced the silence… Wolves??!!! In case you don’t know this about me, I LOVE wolves and one of my big hopeful to do’s is to experience hearing and seeing wolves in the wild. Well, it was too distant and honestly I was so taken aback that I wouldn’t let myself confirm that it was wolves and not coyotes at this time. Still, to be out on the water, paddling past shore by moonlight and to hear this sound, well it’s up there on my list of coolest experiences! :-)

Soon afterwards, here I was - Lost Bay Island, a solid 4 mile paddle from launch and the site for my first night. And what a night it was - sitting there on my own private island, utterly alone in some of the truest wilderness (by today’s standards) that I’ve experienced in my lifetime - lost in the moonset and stars and silence.

Lost in the moon set and a starry night from Lost Bay Island😍

September 15th, Lost Bay Island, Voyageurs National Park -

“What a new type of adventure! Paddling through the waterways of Voyageurs like the canoemen of old. (Or trying anyway, haha!) This place is special indeed. A wilderness on water bringing utter solitude except for the occasional boat passing by.

This time in Minnesota, so far, has been a wonderful surprise! Very different and exciting. I am getting antsy to get back out on the water and on to my hike to Cruiser Lake, but first, a couple notes…

Two Bald Eagle sitings coming through the Superior National Forest 2 days ago - one right in the middle of the road, perched on top of his prey! What a glimpse of his size and talons I saw!

The paddling adventure last evening was such an incredible experience! Alone, in the wild, on canoe, making my way around islands at sunset and twilight and then star and moonlight to Lost Bay Island - a feeling of solitude and freedom I will not soon forget!

The peaceful sound of water lapping to shore. The orange glow of the setting waxing gibbous moon and the star rich skies full of dreams and wonder.

Did I hear the distant howls of wolves or was it coyotes??! My heart and gut want to say it was wolves, but I am just not 100% sure yet. However, the beautiful howls were nonetheless enchanting as I paddled past Eagle View, where I will spend tomorrow night…”

What a way to wake up!

Soon after writing these words, I was back out on the water. Only about 2 miles to paddle to docking at the trailhead for the roughly 5 mile hike to Cruiser Lake. It was a relatively simple navigation right down the canal, and a joyful relaxing drift as I passed more tiny islands and forested shorelines as far as the eye could see in every direction.

Admiring what had been my own private island as I shove off!

Digging the waterway life😁

After stashing my canoe behind the designated tree as you are supposed to, off I was on foot for a more familiar backpacking feeling deep into the forested islands of Voyageurs. To my surprise, the weather was quite warm this time of year, this far North. In fact this day and this hike were downright muggy! I worked up quite a sweat too as the terrain, albeit not serious elevation change, was a little more rolling hill-like than I would have anticipated. The forest was gorgeous though! Dense birch, aspen, maple, and conifer forest, even some oak I noticed! Lots of bouldery sections and marshlands as well. I passed one couple early on making their way back to shore, but other than that - no human contact, absolute wilderness solitude out there on Cruiser!

More familiar terrain

Marshy habitat further inland

Picturesque Voyageur landscape

I had read and been told by the Park Rangers that this was a great hike to possibly see some Moose and/or hear wolves howling. Well, I didn’t see any moose on this hike and if there were wolves howling that night, I sure wasn’t going to hear them over the wind!!! I mean, holy you know what! It rolled in early that evening and brought sideways rain that pelted me all night long as my rain-fly was essentially wrapped up against me in my hammock being blown sideways myself! It was not the most fun night I’ve had, needless to say. No dinner, no relaxing by moonlight on a secluded wilderness lake listening to “the children of the night!” Only a sleepless, uncomfortable, seemingly gale-force wind for 12 hours straight was to be had. Oh well, these things do happen “out there.”

Cruiser Lake as the sun goes down

A windy morning on Cruiser Lake

It was still a bit windy in the morning, but manageable to get some breakfast and coffee going, and other than being a little tired and groggy, no worse for the wear. The funny thing was that once I started hiking back, as soon as I was inland not 200 feet maybe, it was still as could be and actually muggy again! And so, I meandered my way back through the forest to my canoe and wouldn’t you know it - a windy, stormy looking lake.

Beautiful Birch forest!😍

A touch of Autumn

Snack time rest stop

The water was a little rough, and of course blowing against me, but was still slowly manageable and fortunately I only had about 2.5 miles to paddle, just passed Lost Bay Island, to a shoreline outcrop named Eagle View (where I heard the howls 2 nights prior!).

It was a workout fighting the choppy water, especially after a sleepless night and low on energy, but I arrived at Eagle View just a little before sunset with enough light to make camp and get settled before breaking out the headlamp. And then, just after 9pm as darkness was really setting in and aside from the now calm water lapping the rocky shore, the silence so profound was pierced so sharply by a howl so guttural, there was no mistaking it!!!

September 16th, 9:23pm Eagle View Campsite, Voyageurs National Park -

“I have officially heard wolf howls in the wild!!! No mistaking this one, so guttural! And this being where I heard “them” on Tuesday night confirms that was most likely these same wolves as well!

And wow, what a couple days to get here… Talk about working for it!”

Now, honestly partly not even knowing how to feel having experienced something I have so wanted to for years and something so few are blessed to ever experience, I just melted into the night. The moon and stormy sky put on a wonderful lightning show for me well off in the distance, which I enjoyed along with a good Stout and some really good Scotch, as I replayed this one of a kind Voyageurs adventure, so filled with delight.

The night sky at Eagle View, stoked from just hearing wolf howls in the distance!!!

https://youtu.be/Ex4ciJbajsM - Click here for a Voyageurs Lightning show!

On my last morning, I still had one heck of an adventure awaiting me to my surprise…

I was to be up before dawn to get packed and breakfast ready, and with hopes of catching a good sunrise on film. Then, I would have to pretty immediately shove off and get back to launch and out of the Park, return my canoe and get back down to the Minneapolis area for that weekends’ festival.

Everything was going great. I was up and ready, caught a beautiful dawn that really spoke to me about my time out here. And then I got out on the water…

Sun rises on Eagle View’s docking beach

Not being a complete idiot, I could tell the wind was kicking up again and the water was well, kicking up again too. It didn't appear to be THAT different from the previous day though. Well, then I was out there and struggling not so much to go forward, but to even keep drifting sideways and not be pushed backwards, and not get capsized at the same time!

Trying to convince myself that this had to be done, and was surely doable with some blood, sweat and tears maybe, I kept fighting. But I was going nowhere. Nowhere in the direction I needed to go anyways. I did manage to fight my way completely perpendicularly and made it to the opposite shoreline. By now, we are talking total white capped waves out there. Exhausted and admitting now that to go back out there was complete stupidity, I got the brilliant idea that if I could manage to get to the other side of this island, the wind and waves may be in my favor for the rest of the way…

Yep, I forged my way first with just my backpack to the other side of the island. It wasn’t much more than a half mile, but calling it bushwhacking doesn’t even really do the situation justice. However, refusing to be defeated, I dropped my pack and went back for the canoe. What I did next, I look back on and think - wow, Brandon. Yes, I somehow drug, hoisted over my head, whatever I had to do to that canoe to get through this unyielding jungle to the other side. Talk about a “real Voyageur experience of old!”

The best part - when I finally was there with my pack and canoe in the same place and tried getting out there, it was still to no avail. The wind and water just battered me to the adjacent shoreline, not allowing me to exit the little cove.

Marooned.

Completely defeated and muscles beyond spent, all I could do was sit there. It was now late morning/approaching noon. Miraculously, this entire time basically, I had cell service. In some ways, kind of disappointing, I know. But, given the circumstances, I was and am beyond thankful for however this is possible! I took a few moments to gather my wits and got on the horn. The weather app was showing me the winds were not going to ease up until between 4-6pm. I got ahold of the Kabetogama Visitor Center and confirmed the same with a Park Ranger, who relayed to me that this “system” proved to be much stronger than any of them expected, that they had put out a small craft advisory/warning, and that as long as it wasn’t life and death the best thing I could do was to wait it out. Then I called my canoe outfitter, who was completely understanding and just told me to be in touch in the evening with an update if I could. And lastly, I called the Festival director to inform them of my current status and that I would not be making it to my appointed check-in time, lol! I said that I hoped to be out in the early evening and should be able to make it down there in the wee hours of the morning and asked if I’d be allowed by security to begin setting up at a ridiculous hour. This was all doable. Now, all I could do was wait…

In hindsight, I think to myself, it would have been an opportunity to explore this or that, perhaps. But in reality, I was done, emotionally and physically, and I got myself in my sleeping bag protected from the winds and took an afternoon siesta. Stirring in the later afternoon, the forecast proved to be rather accurate and around 4pm I began making preparations. I believe it was right around 5pm when I deemed things seemed calm enough, actually quite beautiful, and I set sail, as it were.

Time to set off into calmer waters

Much as this adventure had begun a few evenings prior, I canoed off into the sunset. The water now calm and beautiful, I was able to savor these remaining precious moments, breathe in that watery wilderness air, and reflect on my time out here and what I had experienced, had learned. It is an experience I will never forget, and somewhere I sincerely hope to return to for further exploration.

Embracing the experience as the end of this part of the adventure lies ahead… What an expedition!!!

I can’t help but laugh when I look back and think I could have just realized how bad the water was right away and just enjoyed relaxing at Eagle View that entire day. Then the entire canoe out would have been lovely! But, hindsight is 20/20 as they say, and I had places to be…!

to be continued…

Brandon