100 Moose Encounters & a Bobcat at 40 Yards | Mark | Wildlife Photographer in Utah's Wasatch
100 Moose Encounters & a Bobcat at 40 Yards | Mark | Wildlife Photographer in Utah's Wasatch  
Podcast: Hikes and Mics Podcast
Published On: Mon Sep 01 2025
Description: Send us Fan Mail🦌 Moose Encounters & Mountain Stillness with Mark🌲📸🎙️ Mark joins us this episode — wildlife photographer, storyteller, and something of a moose whisperer along Utah's Wasatch Front. He picked up a camera back in middle school to get closer to his brother and dad, but hiking only became central about three years ago, after a breakup sent him looking for an escape. Now he's on trail four or five times a week and has logged well over a hundred moose encounters.Mark talks through the bobcat he spent minutes eye-to-eye with at 40 yards near Lake Desolation, and the early mistake with a bull moose at ten yards that taught him to read the signs — the lip licking, the ears going back — and give wildlife the space it's owed. He shares his year-long project photographing Lake Blanche through every season, why Paintbrush Canyon to Lake Solitude in the Tetons is the best hike he's ever done, and finally winning a Wave permit after two years of applying (and driving through a blizzard to get there). We also get into his goal of 250,000 feet of elevation gain in 2025 and why the number matters less than what it's taught him about his own body, the hours he spends in a hammock at Lake Mary, how Zen and Alan Watts reshaped how he sees the trail, his hope of selling prints at local farmers markets, and a full round of season "this or that" questions.Unforgettable wildlife encounters, trail reflections, and the belief that hiking is more than a hobby — it's a sacred act of becoming.Episode Links:Mark on InstagramThis episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics AllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.