Bell Springs Mountain rises to about 3,880 feet in Northern California's Inner Coast Range and is often covered with winter snow. To the Eel River Wailaki people, it was known as Tsi-to-ting. A distinct band who lived in the Bell Springs watershed called themselves Tsi-to-ting-ke-ah, meaning "the people of the high peak."
This area receives an average of 80 inches of rainfall each year, which flows through a steep landscape of creeks, rocky outcrops, open grasslands, and mixed forests before eventually joining the Eel River. The climate is considered transitional, influenced by the cool, moist coastal zone to the west and the warmer, drier inland regions to the east. This blend of conditions supports a wide range of habitats, nurturing many different living species.
I've lived on the slopes of Bell Springs Mountain for over 40 years. Hiking and photographing this area has been an incredible opportunity to experience an ever-changing natural world. Wildflowers add color and interest to the landscape, and the closer you look, the more exquisite they become. Close-up photography offers a way to explore and record the intimate details of texture, color, and form. Most of my wildflower photographs were taken in their native habitat using a variety of digital cameras and macro lenses.
