I was raised in in an explorer's paradise. From it's pristine mountain lakes to vast seas of desert, my part of the West is brimming with history and natural wonders. It's a land largely untouched by human progress- where ancient petroglyphs grace sandstone walls and ghost towns dot the valleys.

I grew up fishing Uinta streams, scampering across boulder fields, and wandering desert paths. I've passed many a night sitting by a small fire in the wilderness- with good friends, family, or just alone. To me, happiness is a backpack and an old, dusty trail. I'm the guy who gleefully hikes miles and miles toward an unknown destination, certain that something incredible must be just around the next bend.

I'm older now. I have a gut, a mortgage, a family, and a couple jobs. I don't get out like I used to, but I do when I can. Much of my exploring these days takes place in books, on the Web or the occasional business trip. If I were rich, I'd buy one or two of everything at REI and travel the globe.

Many self-styled adventurers do just that. I'm envious of them sometimes when I see them on the cover of Outside Magazine or buying $300 hiking boots. But there's something today's average outdoors bum lacks. You see, the pioneers that blazed those trails weren't care-free peak baggers. The original outdoorsmen had more on their mind than geocaching when they mapped the frontier. Nature was less a tourist attraction than a backdrop for a life marked by trials and steeped in a struggle to survive.

Nature is best viewed through the prism of history and culture. That's what this website intends to do- mountains, trails, swamps, seas, deserts, and Americana. I don't pretend to be an expert on anything. I only wish to be your guide through places and times that interest me. And I invite you to share your adventures here.

To contact me or to submit a story, write me:

bonnevillemariner at gmail dot com

All articles are exclusive property of Clint Thomsen (Bonneville Mariner)

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