National Geographic Young Explorer Jay Simpson is part of the Wolf OR-7 Expedition, a 1,200-mile adventure in the tracks of a wolf. Using an estimated GPS track of the lone Wolf OR-7, the team will mountain-bike and hike across Oregon and Northern California. Their aim is to raise awareness of local strategies that make on-the-ground strides toward human and wolf coexistence in the region. Follow the full story at or7expedition.org or Facebook.com/or7expedition.
Items seen along the 1,200-mile dispersal route across Oregon and into Northern California. (Photos by Jay Simpson)During the days we spent walking Wolf OR-7’s dispersal route, I found myself endlessly fascinated watching the landscape transform. Some transitions were stark, like exiting a tree line as we rode out of Malheur National Forest into the open expanses of the Harney Basin, a flat and sparse landscape. Other transitions were gradual, only noticeable over the course of a week. I tried paying attention to the changes in our scenery by focusing on all the small things surrounding us.
Here is a chronological selection of photos from those items I picked up along the way:
(Photos by Jay Simpson)