Angeles National Forest, California
“My first hike of the year was the 3-mile loop called Jupiter Mountain in the Angeles National Forest in Santa Clarita, California. I hiked in just before sunset and discovered no cell service at the trailhead. I was able to take in the sights and sounds of nature with no distractions. At the peak of the mountain is a bench where I was able to stop and breathe in the fresh air and take in the beautiful landscape.”
– A. Peterson, Edwards AFB
Grand Teton National Park
“I have always wanted to see a lake this color up close, but it has always alluded me. Not this time. I researched and found the exact spot in the Grand Tetons I wanted to see. Even though it is a popular hike, it is not a trail sanctioned by the park, so it took research on apps and actual maps to get exactly how to get there. The last half mile is a burner through boulder fields and not for the out of shape or faint of heart. When we were finally near the top, I had doubts it would be amazing. What if it wasn’t as pretty in the pictures and I dragged us up a 2350 ft elevation gain and 4 miles? We hit the top and I was blown away. Everything I thought it would be and better. Breathtaking, stunning, and magical.”
– A. Pelkowski, Bellows AB
Sandankyo, Japan
“I captured this photo after hiking the Sandankyo Gorge in Hiroshima, Japan. This adventure allowed me to cross from the chaos of the world during the pandemic into my happy place in nature. This photo represents that cross-over from the civilized world into nature.”
– D. Dendler, Creech ARB
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
“My wife is a yoga instructor and frequently does yoga with my kids. On this evening, we were catching the sunset at Theodore Roosevelt National Park and my daughter kept asking my wife for a piggy-back ride as she was practicing a few poses and taking in the scenery.”
– P. Garber, Grand Forks AFB
Shoshone Falls, Idaho
“My first assignment was Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. When I first got the orders, I was disappointed, I had never heard much of Idaho. My friends and family would ask, “What’s in Idaho?” Once I started exploring my new home I found this amazing treasure, Shoshone Falls, the Niagara of The West. Amazing waterfalls that you can kayak all the way up too. There’s always a rainbow above this beauty.”
– A. Lozer, Mountain Home AFB
Panama City, Florida
“For me, I always had a fear of heights. Now, jumping out of a plane did not sound like the best of ideas but here I am, signing waivers and watching safety videos about to do just that. At first, I didn’t feel nervous but let me tell you, when I was up on the plane and the cold air burst through those doors when it opened, my mind was in full on panic mode and then realized “I’M REALLY ABOUT TO DO THIS.” And from there, I had the best experience of my life, enjoying the free fall and realizing that it wasn’t that bad, especially for a $20 jump! I am still afraid of heights, but that jump was one that will never be forgotten for the rest of my life!”
– B. Choi, Tyndall AFB
Kayaking on MacDill AFB
“Tandem kayaking on Macdill AFB tributaries in the search for manatees, stingrays and other marine wildlife.”
– C. Gingerella, MacDill AFB
Robinson Township, Pennsylvania
“One of our favorite trails has a creek intersecting it, so the kids got on their boots and spent the morning splashing around and tossing rocks. It was a blast! By the time we needed to go they were too spent to make their way back across, so my husband carried them back over while I held the baby. I love this moment because it really shows the kind of dad he is and how much love he has for these kids.”
– B. Kobily, Pittsburgh ARB
Hilton Head, South Carolina
“Our family went to Hilton Head Island for a ‘socially distanced’ vacation. Our boys love adventure and especially hunting for shark’s teeth. We decided we would take a low tide trip to Fish Haul Beach. It did not disappoint. There were no shark teeth but we saw a multitude of creatures and our boys were enthralled! They held dime-sized baby horseshoe crabs, found a small puffer fish in a tidal pool, and realized that most shells we found were occupied! This was definitely an adventure that was worth the hike and our boys learned a lot that day.”
– J. Elliot, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakenhurst
The Summit Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“Last weekend my mom and I went on a climbing trip with outdoor recreation. We went to the summit in Oklahoma City. It’s an indoor climbing place where you can climb up old silos. The highest I climbed was about 70 feet which is also why it was special because this is my new personal record. It was also special because I was the youngest climber there. So far I have been climbing on two different continents, several countries and I am excited to see what the future holds. Hopefully our next duty station will be somewhere with lots of mountains and rocks to climb on!”
– Z. Miles, Altus AFB
Geyser, Montana
“My last solo deer hunt in a beautiful state. Getting up and hiking eight miles with nothing but a back pack, rifle and camera into the hills to feed my family.”
– A. Wessel, Patrick AFB
Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina
“The end of a beautiful hike on the South Toe Trailhead in the Pisgah National Forest.”
– T. Fadenrecht, Patrick AFB
