2018 Year in Review, White Mountains – Another year is coming to an end! For the past few years, I have been posting my "ten favorite images of the year" at the end of the year. But I have decided to drift away from that format this year and do a year in review.

This year marks my 20th year working in the photography industry. And I have been reminiscing about where my cameras have taken me in life. The photography industry and outdoor recreation in the White Mountains has changed drastically over the last two decades. But the one thing that has not changed is my 40-50 pound backpack. While I may complain about a heavy backpack, because of photography I have visited some incredible locations in the White Mountains. Hopefully, I have another 20 years behind the camera.

For a few years, I have been working on a side project that involves Franconia Notch. And this year I was able to shoot the above seasonal waterfall in an old landslide path on the western flank of Mount Lafayette. This landslide slide in 1948 and again in 1959, and buried the old Route 3 both times. While I have explored this landslide in the past, I have never been able to photograph this seasonal waterfall with good water flow.

In June of this year, my book on the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad was published. This was a year-long book project that began in 2017. With the use of black-and-white and color photographs, the book explores the history of the railroad, while showing the abandoned railroad as it looks today. Both the new and seasoned abandoned railroad enthusiast should enjoy it. Above is the book cover.

The East Branch & Lincoln Railroad's trestle No. 16 collapsed this year. Its believed the section of trestle that crosses over Black Brook collapsed in late May or early June 2018. Built in the early 1900s, probably around 1906-1907, under the supervision of the legendary construction man Levi “Pork Barrel” Dumas, the historical significance of this trestle was grossly underrated. The last log train rolled of this trestle most likely in 1946.

After publishing the EB&L Book in June, I had no projects lined up. So I have spent much of the remaining year addressing an image archive that has gotten out of control. Because I have spent so much time in the field over the years, I have thousands upon thousands of images on external hard drives that have never been edited.

My field time this year focused on the numerous smaller projects I have been shooting. One of them involves the dams that were built on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River during the early 1900s. These dams controlled water flow into the mill pond and generated electricity for the mill and town. Hopefully, I will be writing about them in the new year. The East Branch of the Pemi is breathtaking during the autumn months (above).

I started shooting the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad this year. Charted in 1874, and completed in 1883, the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad connected Plymouth to North Woodstock. It was leased a few times, but would eventually be leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1895. The above culvert along the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad, near today’s Common Man Inn, in Plymouth has likely been in place since the 1800s.

At this point, I have a number of the 2019 projects I will be working on planned out. With the exception of one project that involves the New Hampshire 52 with a view hiking list, most of my work next year will focus on historical and forgotten subjects in the White Mountains.

I will be taking time off to spend with family and friends, and to do some hiking. However, I still will be shipping books and calendars throughout the holiday season. So if you haven’t purchased a 2019 White Mountains calendars yet, I do still have some available. Be safe on the trails and Happy Holidays to all of you.

Happy image making..

To license any of the photos in this blog article for publications, click on the photo.

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Erin Paul Donovan

Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC

Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.