A perfect moment in the Columbia River Gorge, early in the morning after a fresh snowfall the night before. It was so quiet and peaceful, a moment I will never forget. On the way back out I came to find a mountain lion had followed my path towards the falls for at least a half mile.

The Eagle Creek Fire was a destructive wildfire in the Columbia River Gorge, largely in the U.S. state of Oregon, with smaller spot-fires in Washington. The fire was started on September 2, 2017, by a 15-year-old boy igniting fireworks during a burn ban. The fire burned 50,000 acres, and burned for three months, before being declared completely contained.

This area was changed forever as a result of the fire, making this image even more cherished than it already was.