All photos courtesy of @WhereYouSmoke

@WhereYouSmoke sprouted in a moment shared between a spliff and the great outdoors. Run by an anonymous artist who grew up in LA, the Instagram account and online platform celebrates cannabis lovers who like to light up alongside Mother Nature.

Each week, we've asked @WhereYouSmoke to share a few favorite Instagram uploads with MERRY JANE, and so far it's been nothing but picturesque snaps and chill-ass stories to boot. For this week's edition of our photo column, we're featuring stoners who get elevated while literally elevated. Before we dive into some interviews, @WhereYouSmoke had this anecdote to share:

One of the best parts of growing up in LA is the diversity of landscape. There's the beach, the desert, the mountains, waterfalls, the massive city… needless to say the spots available for sparking up are next to infinite, and always surprising. One of my favorite places to get faded is at the top of one of my most beloved hiking trails, where a single tree and bench present the most beautiful views of LA's eclectic scenery. Off to the left you can see all of downtown; straight ahead you can see the various monuments of West LA's smaller suburbs and neighborhoods; off to the right you have the sprawling Pacific.

I try and make it up to this spot once a month, usually with my little dog, sometimes with homies, sometimes alone. But each time I go, I like to bring a couple spliffs to keep myself elevated while being, well, elevated! When I go alone, I always bring my headphones and spend my time gazing out over the entire city, before eventually lying down and staring up at the leaves of the tree and the blue sky beyond it. When I'm with friends, we like to point out the creepy gold emblem of Westwood's Mormon church, or the long boulevards we can identify from that high above ground.

The beauty of being so high up, while also being high, is how it pushes you to reflect on just how small we really are. For once, these massive buildings and streets are suddenly so far away, so much smaller than we normally recognize them. It's a beautiful and humbling reminder that even the things we view as grand are truly very small when compared to all that is above us.

All interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

@kriete_stoneware
30-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park in 2016

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@kriete.stonewear: This photo was taken at the end of the Window Trail in the Chisos Mountains, at Big Bend National Park. This was a short, three-mile hike down a canyon with a small creek. The spot to reach is the window, a vast drop waterfall between two mountain peaks. Here, I stopped to smoke a bowl and stare at the water shooting out into the air.

When did you start getting into ceramics?
I've been making ceramics since I was boy in Cali, Colombia, over 20 years ago now. I moved to the states when I was 14. Here in California is where I studied pottery and sculpture, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. My love for making pipes comes from one of my earliest interests, one my father introduced me to. He collected antique wooden tobacco pipes, although he hardly ever smoked. But he spent a lot of time cleaning and taking care of them. This fascination he had grew in me, but in a different way. I find bliss in crafting unique little pieces of what I call smokeware, and every time I make another, I feel like my skills are tested again. There is only one thing I smoke and find myself connected to. The green flower of the cannabis plant is a gift from Mother Nature, just like the clay I use to make my pipes. They both give me a sense of connection with my spirituality.

Do you always smoke out of your smokeware?
Nowadays I do only smoke out of my own smokeware, not because I don't like glass, but because I have so many of them laying around. Plus, there are always new ideas to test out. Ceramic Stoneware, which is the medium I use, is just that, a different medium. Just like glass it's very durable, versatile, beautiful, and it has its own properties. One thing ceramic does have going for itself is its thermal insulating properties, which if implemented properly can be used in very beneficial ways for smoking.

What do you love most about blazing in nature?
I love nature and exploring it for exercise and amusement. When I go hiking I always wait and look for the perfect spot to chill and smoke a bowl, usually somewhere secluded, preferably near water, and with a humbling view. Here, I feel like I can shut off all the noise, breathe deeper, and connect with the natural world.

@nastia.jade
19-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Port Isaac, England in June, 2017

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@nastia.jade: The photo was taken when my friends and I drove to Port Issac on one of our last days of uni. I'd been there before, but didn't smoke. I remember coming back and telling my friends we need to go back there with a couple joints (7 to be exact) and a picnic so we could enjoy the view and the atmosphere. The day ended up being pretty amazing! We got there, ate some traditional fish and chips, and sat on a cliff listening to music, enjoying the day.

What was the dopest part of being elevated, while elevated?
I think the atmosphere was enhanced and I really was able to appreciate the scenery while faded. One moment we were just sitting there enjoying the view and the smell of the sea, and the next we were up jamming to some tunes. Nature is really sick when you're blazed. You just really get it, you know? The colors and the waves and just the whole shabang! Oh, and the sunset was pretty damn breathtaking!

What's a hilarious high memory you have?
Well there's quite a lot of funny memories in the grand scheme of things, but one particular funny memory I have of that day was when a friend and I were on our way to the local fish and chips store to get ourselves and the rest of our friends (who were chillin' on the cliff) some munchies. We were walking through a field when a whole 'gang' of serious looking bulls were between us and the path to get our food. Pretty scary when you're high, not gonna lie. Talk about paranoia! Quite funny how many different strategies our minds were able to come up with to get us through the bulls! I was imagining some really weird shit. We ended up just slooooowly weaving our way through the pack and obviously we survived. But it was a close one if you ask me.

@arthurkelso
21-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Zion National Park, Seattle in April, 2017

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@arthurkelso: This photo was taken in Zion National Park, on April 10th driving from Colorado to Cali for Coachella… it was our first moment out of the car in eight hours so it felt like glory for real.

What do you notice between the weed culture in LA and NYC?
NYC has just as much, if not more, weed smoking than LA, but it is much more openly smoked in LA. New York hasn't ever really been the "place to be" for weed, though. It seems as though the vibe and atmosphere in Cali enhances your high better than in NYC.

Why do you love getting zooted out in Mother Nature?
I love getting high in nature because it's where and when I feel most in tune with my surroundings. Therefore, nature is most beautiful when I am high. I don't want to be in some plain living room wasting time trying to entertain myself with this day's technology. When I'm getting high in nature I am inspired and happily doing my own thing, inside my mind and out.

What did you love about being faded up on that lookout in the above photo?
Being at a lookout, especially on that day, was one of the best feelings I have ever had. No one could touch us on the cliff we decided to post up on — me and my two best friends, a couple spliffs, and complete silence besides the wind. To be able to be in my thoughts and truly appreciate my surroundings as I think about my passions is a true blessing. I tried to just focus on the moment and be present in it as long as I could.

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