Mike Young: UnconformiTees
It didn’t take me 30 years in the backcountry to realize the southwestern United States possesses some of the most unique landscapes in the world. Now you can own a distinctive T-shirt whose design recalls those amazing places.
Over the years, I have recognized changes in my understanding and relationship with these places where I spend my life.
Who cannot find awe in the vistas and history of Grand Canyon? The Native cultures had their own words for the Canyon and it still holds a profound place in their belief. It is the “Backbone” (Hakataya) of their world, home, a place of power. The Grand Canyon is the home of Havasu Falls and the village of Supai. This side canyon, known for its “blue waters” is visited by people from around the world.
Just downstream from Lake Powell and the city of Page, Arizona, sandwiched between Glen Canyon and Marble Canyon is Lee’s Ferry, the beginning of the iconic river journey through Grand Canyon. From the start above Paria riffle to the end at Diamond Creek on Hualapai Tribal Lands or Pearce Ferry in Lake Mead one is changed along the way having been awakened by the eternal character of the Grand Canyon. Over 130 river trips with the Hualapai River Runners through the Lower Granite Gorge in the canyon and I am at home in this dry, desolate, wonderful place.
Central Arizona is the transition between the hot desert and the cool pines, the high and the low elevations, the urban and the rural. The Verde Valley region is full of history which spans the aboriginal, territorial and current. Prescott, the territorial capital, and Jerome were the sources of great wealth from mining while Fort Whipple and Fort Verde were their protectors, but the Verde River and Oak Creek were the life blood of this unique area. From modest beginnings and beautifully situated in the red rocks at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau – the Mogollon Rim and Sedona have become the focus of travelers from all over the world heading to and from the Grand Canyon.
The Superstition Mountains are another location that continues to intrigue. From the volcanic western block that towers over Apache Junction and marks the east end of the Phoenix metroplex, the Valley of the Sun, to the pine covered crest in the east near Tonto National Monument and Roosevelt Lake the Superstition Wilderness beckons. Home to the stories of the Apache Indians and Jacob Waltz, the Lost Dutchman, his gold mine and Weaver’s Needle, the “Supes” offer the Apache Trail, Arizona Route 88, that iconic drive – Canyon Lake, Apache Lake, Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River Canyon. And don’t forget Fish Creek Hill – one lane hung on the side of a cliff.
Capturing the essence of these places in one-of-a-kind designs is our goal so that their special meaning can always be with you.
These T-shirts are a legacy of my travels – I’m an outdoor guide. I’ve been trekking throughout the Southwest for the past four decades, explored these places many many times and know them all well. I’ve felt them, have taught about and have been taught by them. All of these experiences have become parts of my shirt designs.
They are really all about my home… A place that I love!
I’ve tried to put some of that love and knowledge into each T-shirt design. These are not your run-of-the-mill shirts you find at a big box store. They are custom-designed, high-quality shirts that give you a sense of these magical places.
These shirts are “Worthy”!
More designs to come for the discerning…
Welcome and Thank you, Mike Young
Mike Young, UnconformiTees
info@unconformitees.com