Rob Mutch Ecosystem Photography

Rob Mutch Ecosystem Photography Photographing the ecosystems of the Western U.S.A. with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest.

"One Touch of nature makes the whole world kin." ~ William Shakespeare

03/26/2026

Here is the URL to the online report I made of a fireball last summer, at Carpenter Mtn. It was to the South breaking up into several pieces, just South of Crater Lake. I see many shooting stars, but, fireballs (large, highly visible shooting stars) are pretty rare. It was only the 2nd fireball I'v seen at Carpenter Mtn.

03/20/2026

Chuck Norris passed away. Growing up in the 80s he was in his heyday in tv and the movies. Share your best Chuck Norris joke... "If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all 3 at the same time? Chuck Norris."

Last season - New steps at Carpenter Mtn. The old steps were getting pretty dicey. Rough-cut lumber from downed timber w...
03/01/2026

Last season - New steps at Carpenter Mtn. The old steps were getting pretty dicey. Rough-cut lumber from downed timber was used, so, it's nice and beefy and should last for several years. Thanks so much to the Virginia (i believe) engine crew for cutting and installing the steps. They did a great job!

Last season - A small lightning wildfire startup just North of Carpenter Mtn. This is the following day after a system h...
02/27/2026

Last season - A small lightning wildfire startup just North of Carpenter Mtn. This is the following day after a system had cleared out leaving a half dozen fires in the immediate area. More often than not, we get fire startups back in the wilderness along the Crest, but, this system started several small fires in the Blue River drainage and East along the Crest just South of Sand Mtn fire lookout. Wolf Rock is visible nearby to the SW.

Reflection selfie at the fire lookout last season. This was with just a few days left. Fall is my favorite time of year....
02/26/2026

Reflection selfie at the fire lookout last season. This was with just a few days left. Fall is my favorite time of year. McKenzie River R.D., Willamette NF, Oregon, USA

From last season - This Douglas squirrel doesn't care that I'v been living at Carpenter Mtn for 12 seasons. It was barki...
02/22/2026

From last season - This Douglas squirrel doesn't care that I'v been living at Carpenter Mtn for 12 seasons. It was barking at me for passing thru it's territory. They and the Townsend's chipmunks are common small mammals at Carpenter Mtn. Carpenter Mtn trail, McKenzie River RD, Willamette NF, Oregon, USA. John Muir wrote, "Gathering courage, he ventures down the trunk again, churring and chirping, and jerking nervously up and down in curious loops, eyeing you all the time, as if showing off and demanding your admiration"

Last season - These are AT (Air Tractor) single engine water tanker/scoop aircraft used in wildfires, ideally initial at...
02/21/2026

Last season - These are AT (Air Tractor) single engine water tanker/scoop aircraft used in wildfires, ideally initial attack. also used in agriculture. I don't often see these. My first sighting was during the Lookout Fire a couple seasons ago. From Carpenter Mtn, McKenzie River RD, Willamette NF, Oregon, USA.

A phone panorama from last season. So, a bit distorted. Facing South. The fire lookout sits on a basalt/andesite outcrop...
02/20/2026

A phone panorama from last season. So, a bit distorted. Facing South. The fire lookout sits on a basalt/andesite outcrop/column, so, it doesn't need a tower. It has a natural tower. I'm sure the top was dynamited at a certain point to level the top. It would be nice to have a small tower to increase the viewshed a bit, but, it has a great view as it is. Carpenter Mtn, Mckenzie River RD, Willamette NF, Oregon.

Last season -- Resting at my favorite spot in the meadow. I hike down and up most mornings to clear the trail see who's ...
02/17/2026

Last season -- Resting at my favorite spot in the meadow. I hike down and up most mornings to clear the trail see who's out and about and see what's going on....blooms, tracks, berries, etc.

Last Season -- A Sikorsky S-64F Skycrane. They are heavy-lift helicopters sometimes used in wildfires. This was last sea...
02/16/2026

Last Season -- A Sikorsky S-64F Skycrane. They are heavy-lift helicopters sometimes used in wildfires. This was last season after it got busy with fires. Wildfire smoke made visibility fair-poor during the second half of summer/fire season. I get a few flybys, sometimes with pilots waving as they pass. I will occasionally communicate with them if I need help locating a fire or, what-not.

The new hand-crank radios just showed up at our doorstep. I'v wanted to get one for the lookout at Carpenter Mtn for a l...
06/08/2025

The new hand-crank radios just showed up at our doorstep. I'v wanted to get one for the lookout at Carpenter Mtn for a long time. Since they were 50 percent off I decided to get a second one for the house in Eugene. They r fantastic to have around for emergencies. solar charging, hand crank, NOAA emergency radio channels. they also act as batteries to charge other devices.

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Kalispell, MT

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