During the pandemic, I was in the mountains as much as possible. Every trail I explored always felt like an escape. However, they also served as a reminder of the challenges we face in everyday life, and with suggestions of social distancing in mind, there was still awkwardness when encountering another hiker. Now that the vaccine has been rolled out and health guidelines have been eased, there is a sense of calm and freedom that was not there during the height of the pandemic. 

This past week I escaped the city to spend time in the mountains on the Cecret Lake Trail. Although an extremely popular trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon, I was able to find solitude on a trail just up from Cecret Lake itself. That’s where I was greeted by the butterfly in the image. 

I also spent time in the Uinta National Forest that week. My time in the high alpine forests is usually split between fly fishing and photography. With there being low water virtually everywhere in the Uintas, I decided to explore a trail to an area I had never been to before. That trail led to a place filled with birds, flowers and mule deer. 

There’s something about nature photography that allows me to connect with the outdoors in a way nothing else can. This connection happened recently through a bird pausing for a moment on a branch, seeing flowers in bloom with beautiful textures and colors, and the gift of an encounter with a mule deer stopping to check me out. There seems to be a level of peace again as I explore nature knowing I don’t have a mask-filled world to return to.