09 Oct 2026 4 min read

Fall to Color

Surrounded by beauty

A blaze of color on a glorious fall day. Photo by David Lukas

I apologize for missing yesterday's newsletter deadline. We're in the final blaze of peak fall colors, and I set a goal to take advantage of every sunny day this week to experience it. Once you see some of the photos I got, I think you'll understand why I wanted to be outside instead of sitting inside at my desk!

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Thank you to everyone who responded to last week's newsletter asking about travel plans. At the bottom of today's newsletter, I'll provide a summary of the responses I received.

fall colors — Hiking in a wonderland of color. Photo by David Lukas

While my newsletters generally focus on words and detailed stories, there are times when I prefer to simply marvel at the beauty of life itself and the fall is my favorite times to do this. So, without further ado, here are some images from my home in the North Cascades to brighten your day!

thimbleberry — Even common plants like these thimbleberries add to the mix of colors. Photo by David Lukas

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Sharing these beautiful pictures is my way of thanking you for your support. I couldn't bring you these weekly newsletters and these amazing stories without your generous paid subscriptions and one-time donations. Thank you, and please share the newsletter!

If you enjoyed these photos, here are some previous newsletters where I covered other aspects of fall colors.

Responses to Last Week's Survey

I really enjoyed reading everyone's responses to last week's survey on potential Lukas Guides trips. I was especially curious to learn if it makes sense to offer custom private tours for Lukas Guides subscribers, so I was thrilled that nearly 100% of the responses either said "yes" or wanted to learn more about joining future Lukas Guides trips.

There was a strong interest in trips within the United States, especially in the Pacific Northwest, though an equal number of folks mentioned that (depending on the trip) an international destination would be just as tempting. Many respondents were interested in joining a small group as part of a larger tour group, but twice as many people preferred the option of having our own small, private tour.

Those were all fantastic and helpful insights, and I also want to respond to a few of the more detailed comments I received. First, several people mentioned that international travel is high impact and wasteful. Unfortunately, this is true and it's a valid point that I take to heart. However, I am passionate about studying the world's natural history and traveling is one of the best ways we can have deep and personal connections to these stories.

At the same time, other people responded that they don't have the money or energy to travel but that stories of places bring them joy and I believe this is one of the best ways we can create value when we travel. If I, or a group of us, travel somewhere and come back with photos and stories that fill people's hearts with joy and wonder that is pure gold. In fact, this is exactly the reason why I write these newsletters.

So, I'll continue researching options and keep you posted, and in the meantime there's still time to join the Febrary 2027 snow leopard trip, though the deadline is fast approaching so we might try again in 2028.