The photographs in this subseries date from Schaefer's teenage years all the way through his retirement after he left the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center. Having a love and deep respect for the outdoors from a young age, Schaefer participated in organized activities like the Mohawk Valley Hiking Club, but he also incorporated spontaneous outdoor adventures into his busy schedule whenever he could. Sometimes this meant a day or afternoon exploring areas in and around the Capital Region; other times it meant taking time to explore while he was away on business. His work for General Electric, Munitalp, and the State University at Albany/ASRC (not to mention his extensive consulting) offered ample opportunities to venture into mountain ranges, deserts, plains, valleys, and forests to pursue environmental studies that were of interest to him.