Alpine scenery

Creeks like this shelter flowers and butterflies.  Snowfields are melting rapidly in the higher than normal temperatures.   Along a rockfall I found 2 Pikas gathering plants for winter food. Pikas don't hibernate thru the winter, they live under the snow eating their "haypiles."

staying busy

      2 weeks ago I received an email from some California friends.  I worked with one of them in Sacramento.  This Spring they bought an RV, sold the house, and are traveling across the country.  I meet up with Kris and Marcy in Yellowstone, at Fishing Bridge RV Park.  Weather was not cooperative for longer hikes, altho Kris and I managed to do 2 short hikes in between storm cells.  It was fun to see them.
     Monday I participated in the first, Ranger-led, Colter Bay paddling trip.  The group numbered 7 canoes and 2 kayaks, with the 2 Rangers in one canoe.  It was beautiful morning, too bad I forgot to put a flash card in my camera.
     Last week a co-worker wanted to change the schedule so he could attend an event.  I ended up with 3 days off this week, and was able to obtain a backcountry permit for Lower Paintbrush Canyon.  Wednesday I hiked up 4 miles to the designated camping zone and set up my little tent.  Each overnight permit comes with the loan of a mandatory bear-proof food container.  Last year I attached it to the outside of my pack and it kept swinging around and hitting me in the head.  This year I loaded it with food and put it inside the pack.  That idea worked much better.                                                   photo of Leigh Lake (in center) and Jackson Lake in background.
     Campsites in Lower Paintbrush are flanked by peaks over 11000 ft, with very little snow on their sides. The trail climbs to 7700 ft at the camping area.  I had a marvelous view of Jackson and Leigh Lakes to the east.
     Thursday morning I day-hiked up to Holly Lake at over 9000 ft.  Switchbacks were steep up to the lake, while mountain vistas were spectacular.  Waterfalls and cascades from melting snowfields were rushing down the mountainsides to join Paintbrush Creek.  I saw 2 Pikas in a rockfall area, and 2 Marmots in a more forested area.  Trees are mostly Firs at this elevation with some Lodgepole Pine mixed in.
     Strong hikers do the entire loop in 3 days, up Paintbrush Canyon, across the divide to Lake Solitude, and down Cascade Canyon.  Between last year and this year I hiked both ends of the loop.
     Friday morning I awoke to a gentle rain on the tent and overcast skies.  From inside the tent I looked out and saw a red-orange sun peeking over a distant range and disappearing into the cloud layer.  The air was damp and warm as I hiked back down the trail to the String Lake parking area.

photos of mountain cirque as far as I hiked.

mid-July

Wildflowers did not do well in the heat.  Many bloomed early and went to seed quickly.  I took the photo of Paintbrush and Lousewort growing in the shade of a Fir tree up on Lupine Meadows trail.  The Harebells were growing near Yellowstone Lake.
        Smoke covering the mountains is persistent.  Sometimes I can smell smoke, sometimes not.  This week has seen a change in the weather pattern, afternoon thunderstorms.  While the rain is welcomed,  the dry lightning started more wildfires in eastern Idaho.  Hwy 93 was closed for quite a long time.

Mountains are gone

We have had a week or 2 of hot sunny weather with nearly cloudless skies.  This morning the sky was gray and smelled of smoke.  A new wildfire has erupted to the east,  I believe the name is "Bear Cub" fire.  All campfires, and fireworks are now banned.  I took these photos this morning.

 Mt Moran from the usually beautiful Oxbow viewpoint

 Grand Teton from Oxbow viewpoint

Grand Teton from the Marina

photos from Yellowstone

 pink Lousewort on top of Mt Washburn

 top of Lower Falls Yellowstone Canyon

 Rainbow at base of Lower Falls

Bison at Mud Volcano area.  Visitors are walking on a boardwalk a distance above the ground, and away from the Bison.  This is full zoom on my camera.

Quick events

For last week's time-off I went up into Yellowstone Park to look for birds, scenery, and to visit a friend who is working at Grant Village.  I did not find any of my target bird species.  I did drive to the top of Mt Washburn and walk across the tundra admiring tiny alpine flowers.  Yellowstone Canyon was spectacular, as usual.
     Saturday I received a phone message, my nephew was visiting the parks and could stop for a short visit.   !!!!!!!   I sent him a text message with directions.  Sam and his friend came to Cabin Office for a short visit.  It was good to see him.  He looks so much like his Dad.

     I have started a habit of taking my breakfast to Oxbow viewpoint each morning.  The other day a tour guide had just found a Coyote for his group. After his group saw the Coyote thru his 'scope they departed.  A family group was nearby with 1 or 2 pairs of binoculars, not finding the canine.  I set up my telescope and everyone had a good look at it.  I gave them directions to the Moose pair who had been at Pilgrim Creek pond for the past 2 weeks.
     Wildfires from 2 directions are covering the Tetons with a dense layer of smoke.  A fire is burning south of Jackson Hole, and a much bigger fire is consuming forest lands near Dubois.  Several fires are burning in southern Montana. Strong winds are blowing dust and smoke thru the area and making the job of containing the fires much more difficult.  My co-workers and I are sneezing with itchy noses from all the particulates in the air.

 Photos:   The well-photographed Moose at Pilgrim Creek.  Waterfall of snowmelt in Cascade Canyon.  There was not enough snow during the winter, leading to not enough moisture in the soil.  Last year these snowmelt waterfalls were much bigger and lasted into late summer.