As the trail climbed, I grew more confident in my ability to remember where I had been and where I was going. I began taking photos of the beautiful nature that surrounded me as my nerves subsided. My accidental hike alone made me understand the appeal of solitude in nature.

There’s something incredibly special about touching the top of a mountain with your bare hands. Your world suddenly becomes so small as you rest your hiking gear along the edge of the cliff that you just struggled to climb over.

Although I’m happy to see people getting outside and connecting with nature, I would like to see more education on land stewardship. I want to avoid the shutdown of my favorite hiking spots and scenic landscapes because people don’t know how to treat their surroundings when they go outside.

Looking at the new shoes I suddenly noticed how worn out my old ones were. I was torn between letting go of my old shoes that had gotten me through so much and trying the new ones on, but I knew, while standing firmly in the more comfortable shoes, that it was time to trust a new pair.

The picturesque mountainscape had become a wonderful excuse for a long nature hike miles away from any road flooded with cars. I did my best to capture all of the beauty that I had seen that day inside the digital folders of my camera.