This month I had the great pleasure of getting off the grid with my dad for a few days on a fly-fishing trip in Shasta and Lassen counties. It had been quite a few years since we took a proper trout fishing trip together, instead focusing our efforts on summer steelhead in Oregon, but Father's Day seemed like a good excuse to get out on the stream and knock some of the metaphorical rust off our lighter weight flyrods.
Felt amazing to be back in the mountains (Lake Helen, Lassen National Park)
A mature Bald Eagle patrols the skies over Hat Creek.
Lichen brightens the lava rock in Lassen National Park.
A fritillary butterfly enjoys some sun.
While I didn't have my camera on the water much, I still found a bit of time to fire off some shots before and after fishing sessions. We also took a fun drive through Lassen National Park on the way home where I had the chance to capture some unique plant life and impressive vistas. A final stop at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge resulted in some fun mammal portraits.
The geothermal moonscape of Lassen National Park.
A California Ground Squirrel enjoys an afternoon snack.
The radiant ears of the jackrabbit give him away even in the shade.