Into the Range of Light

“Then it seemed to me the Sierra should be called not the Nevada, or Snowy Range, but the Range of Light. And after ten years spent in the heart of it, rejoicing and wondering, bathing in its glorious floods of light, seeing the sunbursts of morning among the icy peaks, the noonday radiance on the trees and rocks and snow, the flush of the alpenglow, and a thousand dashing waterfalls with their marvelous abundance of irised spray, it still seems to me above all others the Range of Light, the most divinely beautiful of all the mountain-chains I have ever seen.”
— John Muir, The Mountains of California

The Curious Trail:

  • Harmen Hoek – Rae Lakes & HST
    by Rob Scott
    I’m always looking for books, poems, photos and videos that capture the essence of the Sierra. This was too good not to share! Harmen Hoek is one of my favorite YouTube artists creating stunning imagery and cinematography in every video he releases. His latest video combines the Rae Lakes Loop and the High Sierra Trail.
  • Summer 2026 Update
    by Rob Scott
    I’m in prep mode for this year’s Sierra trek. I have a permit to backpack North on the John Muir Trail from Onion Valley to South Lake in August 2026 and will be joined by some close friends, Lord willing. The route is 62 miles as planned. I’m following a new program this year called Hike Strong by James Appleton. I’m a few weeks in and currently strength training twice per week, along with anaerobic zone training, rucking once per week and trying to follow Thoreau’s example to get outside and walk every day. I will share the results and…
  • In the Bulletin: Remembering John Muir
    by Rob Scott
    Next steps on the Curious Trail have led me to a book titled Voices for the Earth: A Treasury of the Sierra Club Bulletin. The book was published by Sierra Club Books in 1979 and edited by Ann Gilliam. While reading the introduction, written by Harold Gilliam, I was moved by a story I had never heard before. Samuel Merrill’s words compelled me to seek out the primary source from Sierra Club Bulletin Volume 13, No. 1 “Personal Recollections of John Muir: A Camp-Fire Talk at Moraine Lake, July 17, 1927.” One thing I have noticed repeatedly in my literary…
  • In the Bulletin: Ramblings Through the High Sierra
    by Rob Scott
    When I consider the various Sierra Club Bulletin articles from the early years, this one stands out. Not only in length, 107 pages total, but also in detail. It’s a first-hand account of Joseph LeConte’s first trip to Yosemite during the summer of 1870. The words are captured in Sierra Club Bulletin Volume 3 No. 1 January 1900 titled “Ramblings Through the High Sierra”. If you have time, go to the source and read the full piece. I’ve included a trip overview below to help with your bearings and a few excerpts to pique your interest. Ramblings Through the High…
  • Late Night in the Bulletins
    by Rob Scott
    I can remember, maybe not every detail, but I recall the feeling, standing in the presence of the California Big Trees for the first time. It was Grant Grove in May of 2005. In that moment, time stood still, there was no place to be but exactly where I found myself. There were no items left unchecked on the to-do list. It was there that my eyes, heart, and mind all swelled with awe at the sleepy giants before me. The largest, oldest, rarest things my eyes had ever seen. It was then, in a transformative moment, I knew that…

Range of Light Press

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R. M. Scott (Rob)

Rang of Light Press

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In 2005, I went west looking for freedom and adventure. A season living in a cabin at Grant Grove, working for Kings Canyon Park Services, altered everything. I’ve returned to the Sierra Nevada every chance I get, section-hiking the John Muir Trail and exploring the high country that continues to shape how I see the world. I remain a student of these mountains.

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