GTFO's Best of 2018 in Photos

By GTFO Jason - January 15, 2019

When I recall 2018 it feels like it was a slow year for excitement. But when I reviewed my photos from the year I recalled how much was actually packed in: everything from a return to Havasupai Falls, to another Grand Canyon hike, to a trip to Zion, to a week-long elk hunt in Flagstaff. Here are the photos that showcase some my favorite adventures, excursions, meals and views from the year

The view from South Mountain on one of my first hikes of 2018:

Sunset during a trail run at Lost Dog Wash trail:

Colors and finds during a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon, a must see on any visit to far-northern Arizona:

Horseshoe Bend, a highly Instagrammed site that is becoming overwhelmed with traffic. Getting into the parking lot is closer to Black Friday shopping than it is an outing into nature, and the solitude of pictures hides the swarms of tourists jockeying for perspective.

A spring meadow in Flagstaff:

Yummm...falafel burger, pie, and cappuccino at Tourist Home in Flagstaff, one of my favorite restaurants in the state.

One of the best (and most expensive) camp meals I've ever had: grilled halloumi and egg sandwich. It took 4 grocery stops to find halloumi, and it was about $10 for 3 sandwiches worth. But, wow, was it tasty.

Scenes from an elk hunt. I expected cold weather, but I did not expect one of the earliest snowfalls in Arizona history. But the combination of snow and changing aspens made this one of the most memorable hunts I've ever had.

Scenes from Virginia: an unexpected November morning lizard and an expected beautiful sunrise.

This is just me bragging on my garden.

Electric desert at the Desert Botanical Garden

Weaver's needle on another early-year hike in the Superstitions.

Sunset on the Mogollion rim:

Scenes from a Flagstaff camping trip on the north foothills of the San Francisco Peaks:

Return to Havasupai.

Havasupai Falls as seen through a driftwood tunnel:

Second annual Grand Canyon hike. This time was (south) rim to river back to (south) rim by South Kaibab trail to Bright Angel. I still prefer south to north, but it was a set of new views.

It was cold, but I've had no better post-hike meal than a big cone of iced cream. Calories, sugar, fat...just what I needed.

I woke up early and hiked into the Phoenix Mountain Preserves to photograph the super-blue-blood-moon eclipse.

Zion. One of the busiest (the busiest?) national parks in the country. Lines for the shuttle bus rivaled Disney World and the crowds en route to Angels Landing were an exercise in team building and anger management, but it was still a wonderous trip.