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2021 EXPLORED: Memorable photos

By Mike Lynch

December 30, 2021

Explore More: 2021explored

These were some of our favorite 2021 photos: A beautiful view from Black Mountain, a sprawling oak, a winding path in the White Mountains, and young students performing yoga with masks on.

Scroll down to see images that accompanied our feature writing and news coverage in 2021.

blue mountain 2021 photos — A hiker makes his way up Blue Mountain in the central Adirondacks. (From “Blue Skies to Blue Mountain,” February 2021.) *Photo by Gwendolyn Craig*

OWD 2021 photos — In Tupper Lake, a Syracuse-based development group led by the LaHinch Group purchased the abandoned Oval Wood Dish factory in April. The group said it plans to invest $30 million into the 130,000 square foot structure to build 92 apartments, plus commercial space. (From “Eyesore to crown jewel? Tupper Lake bets big on former factory,” April 2021.) *Photo by Mike Lynch*

This old oak tree is located on the Ancient Oak Trail in Essex near Lake Champlain, an off-the-beaten trail that was highlighted in our annual Outings Guide. (From “Appreciating an old oak,” May 2021.) *Photo by Mike Lync*h

van laer 2021 photo — In early March forest ranger Scott van Laer snowshoed into Johns Brook interior caretakers cabin to remove his belongings for the final time after 25 years on the job. Here, he talks to a pair of hikers about the importance of wearing snowshoes, warning them that if they step off the hard-packed trail, they’ll sink into to the deep snow. One of the hikers unintentionally proved van Laer’s point. (From “The last patrol,” May 2021.) Photo by Mike Lynch

covid shot 2021 photos — Kerri Denton, 13, gets a vaccine shot from Essex County nurse Jim Thomsen in early June at the county health department in Elizabethtown. (From “How Essex County tamed COVID,” July 2021.) *Photo by Mike Lynch*

Hikers traverse Mount Lafayette in Franconia Notch on a quiet summer day. This photo was taken in the White Mountain of New Hampshire for part of the Explorer’s series about visitor management. (From “Has any park gotten it right? Can we?,” November 2021.) *Photo by Gwendolyn Craig*

black caucus john brown farm visit — *Assemblywoman (D-Bronx) Karines Reyes and her son Sebastian read a display panel in the Timbuctoo exhibit during a visit to John Brown Farm on Tuesday.* (From “Black and Hispanic Caucus gathers in Adirondacks,” October 2021.) *Photo by Nancie Battaglia*

john dillon park 2021 photos — *John Dillon Park outreach coordinator Jason Thurston takes a break near Grampus Lake, located between Tupper Lake and Long Lake.* (From “Accessible Adirondacks,” September 2021.”) *Photo by Mike Lynch*

salmon 2021 photos — Zach Eisenhauer, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stocks an Atlantic salmon in the Boquet River in October. (From “Replicating nature: Can DNA research bring back Champlain salmon?,” January 2022, and “Restoring salmon,” December 2021.) *Photo by Mike Lynch*

yoga 2021 photos — Young students participate in yoga at school in Indian Lake in November. (From “Shrinking enrollments, creative schemes,” January 2022.) *Photo by Mike Lynch*

If you liked our 2021 photos, sign up for Mike’s weekly newsletter, the Backcountry Journal.

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Mike Lynch

Mike Lynch has been the Explorer's climate reporter since January 2025 and has worked for the publication since 2014. In addition to writing about climate change, he covers issues related to wildlife. Mike has also worked as a licensed outdoor guide and thru-paddled the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail. He is the author of 12 Short Hikes on Preserves near Lake George. He can be reached at [email protected].

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