My January 2026 Photo of the Month is RRC8275, a photo from Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in tribute to my friend, James Arriola (1971 – 2026).
RRC8275 Background
Red Rock Canyon, outside of Las Vegas, has always been a wonderful place to visit, but this month it doesn’t hit the same.
On January 2, one of my closest friends, James Arriola, passed away while hiking in the Calico Basin part of Red Rock Canyon.
The day of his Scouting memorial service, my friend Dave and I hiked through Calico Basin. It is a place that all of us have been through many times. It was a beautiful morning, with hikers, rock climbers, and many people enjoying the beautiful scenery. It was peaceful and quiet, a day that any outdoors person would enjoy. It was also a time for thought and reflection, as one of our own completed his journey here. The morning was great, and very sad. Needless to say, visiting any part of Red Rock Canyon will feel a lot different in the future.
I think James would have liked this photograph. There isn’t anything difficult or technical about creating the image, other than taking the time to enjoy the red rock, the clouds, the millions of years of geology that created it. But most of all, we will all miss James.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the image.
Further Viewing
James Arriola High Adventure Scholarship Fund
James Arriola Tribute – Great Basin Institute
Photos of the Month Portfolio Archive
T.M Schultze Fine Art America Print-On-Demand Store
T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.