Lassen Volcanic National Park

Hiking down the very steep slopes of Cinder Cone, I saw this lone pine tree rising resiliently from the rocky wasteland of the volcano. I love this photo: the stark contrast between light sky and dark lava rock, the almost perfect 45º slope of of the volcano cutting the frame in half, the isolated single tree amongst all the negative space. I feel it simultaneously captures both a sense of loneliness and a sort of triumph of the spirit; it's an underdog story.