It's evocative for sure. Makes me really glad I am sitting in my warm, dry house.
That camp fire can't even be classified as a fire. It is a cold, smoldering pile of wet wood.
I wonder if they built the shelter as a project, or if they really needed a shelter.

L.E. on 11th December 2020 @ 7:15am

Judging from their uniform age and hats, I'd suggest that they are Boy Scouts on an outing. Maybe wilderness survival, but then again, it looks like there may be an ice axe leaning against a tree to the left.

JKG on 11th December 2020 @ 7:42am

Look at that stand of big old hardwoods behind them. Maybe walnut or maple, judging by the bark?

Kyle on 11th December 2020 @ 9:09am

@ Kyle, I was wondering about those large trees too. At first I was thinking fir or some conifer considering the location as western Oregon and the trees further behind the group, but it is not so common to see large fir growing close together leaning like in the photo. My guess is it is likely to be maple as it is very common to see large "clumps" of maples together, and they are often leaning out.

kmb on 11th December 2020 @ 1:10pm

Couple of knit hats hanging to dry on the right but can 't quite figure out what is lying on the downed tree to the left. Is that a couple of leaves in the left foreground?

nails on 11th December 2020 @ 3:14pm

That looks like Oak bark on those trees behind, probably a copse of very old oaks

Rico on 11th December 2020 @ 6:22pm

Guessing Larch bark / trees ? The fallen tree is fir perhaps. Maybe it’s cookware at the lower left ?

Stever on 12th December 2020 @ 8:24am

Larch does not grow that large. And they have smooth bark. Prone to early rot and average life of around 20 - 35 years or so.

nails on 12th December 2020 @ 12:41pm

Maybe Cottonwood?

L.E. on 13th December 2020 @ 3:12am

That's what I was thinking.

nails on 13th December 2020 @ 2:10pm

I keep coming back to this photo..........The man on the left looks a lot like my uncle. I can't actually say it is or it isn't. I agree that this might be a boy scout outing. My Dad had a boy scout group and took them all over for hiking, climbing and camping trips. I don't know for certain, but there is a good possibility that my uncle helped him on these treks. It looks like to me that that is an adult male in the smoke. I would guess that going on those expeditions they would have a few adults. I don't think this has anything to do with the Legion Climb.

Charlott on 14th December 2020 @ 7:31am