Nerdy Native

10/19/2026

"I don't want to slip here." Narrow rock fin, a long drop on both sides, and one hard grey spine to get across. Thank God for CrossFit. Palo Duro Canyon, Texas Panhandle. These fins are just as pretty from the bottom, so if you've got kids along, enjoy them from there. Prints link in the comments.

10/16/2026

March 1, 2015. Snow on the canyon, a brand-new DJI Inspire, and no drone rules anywhere on the books. Eight days after this flight I flew Cathedral Peak — the park called about a rule nobody had published, and I ended up their official drone pilot. This is what the canyon looked like from the air that winter morning. — Bary

10/14/2026

From the vault: March 2015, and a drone flight that got me in trouble — then got me hired.

This is Cathedral Peak (aka Giant's Tower) in Palo Duro Canyon. A century ago it was on the postcards; today there's no official trail to it, and since 2020 it's sat inside the park's restricted backcountry. This 2015 footage is now an archival record of a place you can no longer legally hike to.

When I flew this, Texas state parks had no published drone rules. After the video went up, the park reached out about an unpublished rule I couldn't have known about… and a few conversations later, I was Palo Duro Canyon's official drone pilot for the next few years. Banned, then hired.

Who else remembers when you could still hike right up to this one?

(Please note: drones aren't permitted in Texas state parks today without authorization. Know before you fly.)

Music: "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), CC BY 3.0.

10/11/2026

10/10/2026

First big fall hike of the season.

We’re dropping into Caprock Canyons State Park this morning, headed for the North Spur Trailhead and Fern Cave slot. Clear sky, red rock, and a lot of country to walk through before lunch.

10/09/2026

Monarch season in the Texas Panhandle 🦋
Found a whole tree covered at Carroll Park in Claude tonight — monarchs settling in for the night on their way south. This only lasts a few weeks each fall. Have you seen them yet this year?

10/05/2026

A Sunday drive through Palo Duro Canyon with Aimee. Most of the trails were closed, but we had a great time stopping along the road and taking in the views. Beautiful weather, red rock, and a reminder that you don't always have to hike to enjoy the canyon.

09/25/2026

Aurora over the Fortress Cliffs on a Thursday. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS by Capitol Peak four days later. October 2024, Palo Duro Canyon. Prints at barynuszart.com

08/23/2026

Lighthouse at sunset

08/19/2026

The hoodoo caught it