I’m excited to share that I’m the guest editor of @tractorbeam.earth’s upcoming issue, Hell or High. Tractor Beam is a fiction publication that explores future visions of life on earth. They call it soilpunk.

Starting September 22nd, we’ll be sharing stories that explore water, land and soil’s intersectional future—and the people finding ways to steward it all. We’re kicking it off with a super short writing challenge inspired by some of my most otherworldly water photos.

Follow along here, or subscribe to Tractor Beam’s Substack through the link in their bio to read the stories as they drop.

For those who are new here and/or don’t know me, I’m Pete “Pedro” McBride, a photographer, filmmaker, and author. I’ve spent more than 20 years following water through some of the world’s wildest places, especially the Colorado River, whose story I trace in my latest book, #WitnesstoWater.

Science fiction might seem like a departure for me. But I’ve watched a river disappear into the soil where it shouldn’t. The truth is often stranger than fiction, and the longer I do this work, the more I believe that imagining what solutions could be, matters as much as documenting what is.

To share your short story, follow @tractorbeam.earth and DM it by Friday, September 25. And remember, 100 words or less!

#water #story
📷 #petemcbride ...

Growing Shoreline - the new norm.
This is a reservoir in the headwaters of the Colorado River watershed — now 39% full. Much of it was emptied last month to fill Lake Powell downstream in an effort to avert a power pool scenario (not enough H2O to run turbines).

The ongoing challenges of record low snowpacks, runoffs and multi decade droughts and a crazy climate have rippled all the way to the top of the Colorado River watershed.

I learned to swim, sail and even windsurf in this reservoir. My father and mother even hang glided behind a boat when safety came third.

I’m fearful it may not refill anytime soon, preventing much of its recreation but remain hopeful it showcases its black ice magic for skating again - a silver lining of less snow.

I’m also fearful the latest new Colorado River plan will add more short term bandaid solutions atop of its out of date old ones.

#water #coloradoriver
📷 #petemcbride #sonyalpha ...

Thinking of this Grand place and recently affected by the crazy floods.

Wishing for some “female” rain (gentle and nourishing) to help with moisture challenges over “male rain” (extreme and flash flooding) - a native term for different types of rain - and rainbows ahead.

#publiclands #grandcanyon #water
📷 #petemcbride ...

Supporting Nepal: Like many of you, I’ve been horrified by the catastrophic flooding in the Himalaya. I’ve spent a lot of time in the mountain valleys in Nepal and throughout the Himalaya and I’m heartbroken to see the devastation and loss. The death toll has risen to over a 1000 and over 4000 are still missing. Another 600 plus workers are trapped in hydroelectric tunnels.

The kind, gentle people of Nepal, many I’ve had the privilege to call friends, need help. And sadly, little has come from the US government.
Jake Norton, a longtime friend who has spent years in Nepal working with locals as a mountain guide on Everest, says the best place to donate is the Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund: it is tightly controlled and audited and 100% of donation dollars get to those in need on the ground working in search and rescue and providing aid, not for admin. Another is the Nepal Red Cross Society. Links are below.

—Nepal Prime Minister’s Relief Fun
https://pmdrf.nchl.com.np/
—Nepal Red Cross Society
https://nrcs.org/

The Himalaya valleys are some of my favorite on the planet. They can both give and take away. And in that mix of wonder, awe, humility and fear, are some of the kindest humans I’ve encountered in my voyages. These are a few unpublished images from my time in Nepal and throughout the Himalayas.

#help #nepal #himalayas
📷 #petemcbride ...

A small life update. I married my love @_heidimccabe_ this last weekend.

To the community of family and friends that helped pull this event off, we don’t have enough words for thank you and love.

It has barely rained all summer. Yet one minute before our wedding was scheduled to start, the skies opened up. Lightning, thunder and sheets of rain blessed for us an hour and a half and brought us all together. For a guy who thinks about water a lot, I will take it that as good luck.

Thanks to @argonautphoto and @halwilliams9 for the amazing captures and @dukebeardsleystudio for officiating.

To many songs and dances ahead Heids.
#love #grateful #wedding #morelove ...