December

The big excitement in mid-December was the Grand Prix Snowboard championships.  Riders who did well in this qualifying event have a good chance of being selected for the Olympics, coming up in February.  I could not see the competitors well enough to take any photos.  The Half-pipe course started much further up the slope.  Big Air is a new event for the Olympics, and it was exciting to watch.  The rider comes down the slope, gaining speed, then launches UP a steep slope and does several flips and twists before landing.  I could see the landing area quite well.

     I have wondered (for quite some time) how they learn those flips and maneuvers without being injured.  Now I know.  Next door to the Lodging office is a training facility for skiing and snowboarding.  The kids start on a trampoline and later progress to wooden slopes using a snowboard on wheels.  They land in a pit of foam blocks until the  "trick"  is perfected.   Similar to how gymnasts learn their high-flying moves.

There will be a door decorating contest with Christmas themes.  In my casual walking around I have not seen any decorated doors yet.  This building used to be a Club Med property and is not set up in a standard manner.  Labyrinthine halls, sudden short hallways lead to dead ends, and sometimes past an elevator that travels to the 5th floor of this 7th floor building.  Maybe it will be posted where to find the decorated doors.

I walked the path between the creek and the buildings one afternoon, and found one Mountain Chickadee.  The large 3 and 4 story dark brown buildings where most of the guest rooms are, looked old, almost medieval, from that angle.  In reality these buildings are about 30 years old, trying to look like something they are not.

Top photo taken from Lake Dillon looking south.   Photo of 2 Ring-necked Ducks taken at Silverthorne's  Water Treatment facility.

Copper Mt with snow

A few photos to post.   Big machines making snow on the ski slopes in the early morning.








Natural snow from a storm on Friday night.  The skiers were happy to have fresh new snow on a Saturday morning.

Sparrow has landed

Since the season has ended at Grand Tetons, I have spent most of my time in Utah.  A few days birding at Great Salt Lake revealed that this is too early for most of the winter ducks to have arrived.  Thousands of Coots, and Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks and Eared Grebes, and many Avocets.  I love Avocets.  A photo from a few years ago.
     I spent a week in Moab, in the SE corner of Utah.  Fall is very pleasant and colorful in Moab. Yellow Cottonwoods, red sandstone cliffs, and blue skies reflected in the Colorado River.  2 photos from previous trips  in the area.  I also visited Hovenweep NP, a collection of  ancient structures built by the Puebloan people about 1200 AD (or CE).   I drove a loop thru Colorado and Denver to take care of a few errands.  Great Sand Dunes NP was a fun place to visit for the morning.  90 % of the park is undeveloped for preservation of the unusual landscape and habitats.  Visitors are allowed to hike on the dunes in the 10 % of the publicly accessible park.

By Monday of this week I had been accepted at Copper Mountain Ski resort for this winter.  I will be working with the guests who come to stay in the ritzy townhouses and condos.  Copper Mt is located one hour west of Denver on hwy 70, near Silverthorne. 

Season's ending

After several days of inventory and counting, we closed the Gift Shop on Friday, cleaned our rooms, and departed for various locations across the country.  Co-workers went to Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas and more.  
    Photos taken by co-worker, David, of me counting stuffed animals.  41 Raccoons and 26 Black Bears.

I drove into Utah to do some birding at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge.  I was horrified to see so many people out hunting ducks in the refuge with guns, boats, and wearing waders.  This is supposed to be a REFUGE for ducks to rest and eat and be peaceful.
     After one night in the area, I drove south to Moab.  Its a laid-back small city in the middle of canyon country.   Arches NP and Canyonlands NP are nearby, as are many miles of mountain bike trails.  The hostel is cozy, convenient, and cheap.  I have done a few morning hikes while doing computer work in the afternoon.

When leaves are

as pretty as the summertime flowers.  Huckleberry bushes, Mountain Ash, and Dogwood are out-competing each other for brilliant color.





 Aspens are still holding onto their green leaves for another week or two. 

Bears have come down from the high country to eat berries and other good things before hibernation.  This one caused quite a "bear jam" on a narrow road when it stopped to drink from a puddle.








Moose are fun to watch. Mama Moose had 2 little ones in early summer.  They were foraging near a creek one morning.










Smoke from the wildfires in Idaho, Montana, and Washington has finally blown out. Mid-September a series of storms came across northern Wyoming and persisted for 10 days.  Rain, snow, cloudy skies, more rain and low temperatures had us thinking winter was coming early.  Yellowstone Park is higher in elevation and received alot more snow.  3 entrances and several roads were closed, trapping some guests in Yellowstone until the roads could be cleared and opened.

noticing August flowers

In early August I walked around a small pond to the north, and re-visited a mountain top that had been covered with flowers. Wildflowers have noticed the subtle changes in soil moisture and sun intensity.  Lupines are giving up for the season, as are the Salsify, and the Scarlet Gilias.  Bluebells, Yarrow, and small Sunflowers are doing well.  Musk Thistles are in full bloom by August, and are a favorite food for Goldfinches.  Buckwheat, an early bloomer, is turning pink and setting seeds. Geranium flowers are passed, leaving their large Delphinium leaves to turn  yellow and red.  The bright yellow flowers of Arnica and Balsamroot are gone, only the leaf clusters remain drying quickly in the August heat.
     Paintbrush, Fireweed, and Asters are maintaining their bright colors along the trails.

above red leaves from the Wild Geranium.
Asters to the left.

This is a mountain meadow I had not visited before.

Smoke from wildfires in Montana and Idaho has been giving a hazy look to our mountains, not the clear summer views guests hope to photograph.  Yellowstone is also affected by the smokey skies.

Total Eclipse of the Park

     So much preparation !  Designated eclipse viewing areas were announced, extra porta-a-potties, and extra dumpsters were in place in the park by the weekend.  Park Service waived entrance fees for the day to facilitate the heavy flow of traffic that was expected to enter the park. While preparations were good, crowds were less than expected inside the park.  All the campgrounds and rented cabins are usually full during the summer, anyway.
     Umbra-philes stayed in the southern part of the park because the Gros Ventre area was forecast to have 2 1/2 minutes of totality. Signal Mountain Lodge area had 2 mins of totality.  And what an amazing 2 mins it was !  All guest services were closed for 45 mins so that all employees and guests could be out enjoying the eclipse.  Everyone was given eclipse glasses to watch the show. 

     I sat near the wooden fence with a view of the lake and mountains to the west, and the sun to the east.  Slowly the moon nibbled away at the sun, hiding more and more of it.  Even as a tiny thin crescent the sun was brilliant without the eclipse glasses.  Suddenly the land went dark, the mountains went dark, and the temperature dropped significantly.  A different type of dark, quite unlike a sunset.  The corona shone brightly, it was almost a spiritual experience.  The guests stood up and cheered.
     It was over too quickly, the "diamond ring" effect moved from a small "diamond" to a tiny crescent.  The corona disappeared into the brilliance of the sun. My co-workers and I continued to monitor the sun's re-appearance after lunch.  We were blessed with beautiful weather. 
     Heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic was reported in Idaho on hwy 15 and on the highways leading to Teton Pass.  In Wyoming, Lander,  Riverton, and Casper had large crowds watching the eclipse, and many miles of  slow traffic on their highways.  I did not see any of the traffic problems, as the employees were cautioned to stay home and avoid the potential gridlock.

Mid-summer photos

Wildflowers are blooming in so many colors and species.  All are simply beautiful.  This is a Columbine coming up thru a low-growing Fir branch.













 A hike on the west side of Jenny Lake became exciting when a Black Bear cub was found in a tree.  Mama Black Bear was not far away, so the Rangers closed the trail.

I was happy to see the Trumpeter Swan family with 5 little cygnets at the Elk Refuge (Flat Creek area).

I found this Wilson's Snipe in Idaho along a meandering creek.

June in Paradise

Its been a month of clouds and sun.  Two slow-moving weather systems came across NW Wyoming bringing much rain and wind to the valleys, and snow in the higher elevations.  The tremendous snowpack has begun to melt, flooding rivers, creeks, and roads.  Part of Gros Ventre road has eroded away and access to other riverside locations has been closed.
    These 2 photos were typical views for quite awhile.  Where are the mountains ?  When the fog (or clouds) clear away the guests can see the  mountains.

I finally was able to repair the roof racks I use for carrying Dolphin-kayak, and was able to go out on String Lake.  Its a pretty lake, sheltered from wind, and now quite flooded.  I paddled into the forest and into grassy areas that are usually high and dry.
 Below photo shows the west edge of the lake.

When paddling in the forest, many logs need to be avoided.

The creek through this grassy area is all melt-water from a huge snowpack in the high elevations.

Those of you who are birders can look at  ebird  for Teton county to see the checklists I have submitted for this area.  Photo of a Ruffed Grouse who was surprised I found him while he was drumming from a log.

first few weeks in GTNP

One week ago a snowstorm blew into Wyoming, cold temperatures from the north and moisture from the northwest combined for a chilly week.  Grand Tetons received 3 to 4 inches,  Yellowstone (at a higher elevation) had enough snow to close down most of their roads for Wednesday (17th), and Casper (in central WY) was buried in a foot of snow, enough to close Interstate 80 for quite some time.
     Plants continued moving toward flowering despite the storm.  Dandelions, Yellowbells, and Spring Beauty were the first to bloom.  A week later I found Larkspur, and Buckwheat joining in the Sage prairie's color.  Today I saw Arnica, Lupine, and Phacelia along the trail.  Oregon Grape is an amazing plant;  its leaves survived the winter intact (whether green or red) and yellow flowers have started to open. Above photo is Cinquefoil, edged with frost on a cold morning.
     Birds are returning as well.  Chipping Sparrows are singing, Cassin's Finches and Kinglets arrived before I did.  Yellow Warblers are singing in the marshy places, Yellow-rumpeds are often heard along the trails, and Dusky Flycatchers have found open perches to announce their arrival.  I found a MacGillivray's Warbler in the same place along Jenny Lake trail as in previous years. My surprise photo above.
     Another  "surprised this photo came out so well"   is my Red-naped Sapsucker.  I had walked down to the Registration building to watch sunset, and was hearing a soft  "bird"  noise.  There was not much light remaining for photography.
     A  "large mammal"  event.  I had heard that the well-known Grizzly Bear female called 399 had emerged from her den with 2 little cubs.  Her territory is to the north of Signal Mountain Lodge.  Last night after dinner I drove north looking for bears, and the consequence of them feeding close to the road,  a bear jam.  North of Colter Bay I found the long line of cars parked on both sides of the road, and 2 groups of people on the west edge of the Hwy.  Mama Grizzly and 2 little black cubs were feeding a distance from the road, still in sunlight.  This was Bear 793, I was told, a much younger female.  Pretty exciting !!!

Above is Mama Grizzly and one cub,  photo to the right is the other cub running to catch up.  (used maximum zoom on my camera)



Below a large bull Elk with velvet on  his antlers walks across Teton Park Road leading his harem thru the Sagebrush fields.

a New Motto

"When Life gives you Mountains, put your boots on and start hiking."  That's the way to be.  I will do that soon, once the snow melts off the trails.  The ice has melted off the lakes, and I been out in my kayak twice.
     It has taken us a week to set up the Gift Shop with the help of 2 women from the corporate office who are Head Buyers and  set-up people.  New floor plans have been created, and its all looking very good now.
    Photos from the first week of living in Paradise.

Bison at Elk Flats.

Mountain Bluebird

Sunset sunbeams behind the Tetons

Black bear, my first bear of the season

Yellowbells,  Fritllaria pudica

late afternoon light on snowy peaks

Another Teton summer

Admist the preparations for Mom's memorial service, I was invited to come back to Signal Mt Lodge in Grand Tetons Park.  It was an offer I could not refuse.  I spent 12 days on the road, visiting siblings, friends, and relatives along the way.  NH to MA to CT to NY.  This photo was taken at my friend's rented house in Cooperstown, NY.  A pastel sunset colors the pond behind her house.
     I drove across NY, touched into PA, and into Ohio.  Spring migration for birds had started, and I wanted to see a few eastern migrants before I drove further west.  I tried to stop each morning, weather permitting, to find some local birds. 

Spring was happening in Ohio.  Flowering Dogwood trees were abundant.  Below photo of Violets, and Spring Beauty, taken between the morning rainstorm and the afternoon rainstorm.  Strong winds created a headwind into Indiana. and continued to blow against me as I headed north into Wisconsin.

     I spent 2 nights visiting my relatives and we enjoyed a lovely walk along Pheasant Creek.

Bird reports for this area were very good, however, we saw mostly resident species.
     I continued west across Iowa, and spent a night with pleasant company.  A stronger wind and rainstorm blew across the plains that afternoon as I left Iowa and entered Nebraska. 
    

Below is a photo of Wisconsin River, where I stopped for a short morning walk.  Trees were beginning to "pop" their buds and grow new Spring leaves.

Such a place I would like to paddle my kayak.

To be out of the wind and rainstorm, I stopped at the Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center in Nebraska City.  It is a wonderful museum.  These 2 photos show a replica of the boat they paddled upstream on the Missouri River, as they began their exploration in May 1804.
    Photos show a few raindrops on the camera lens.

I stayed overnight in eastern Nebraska.  Several inches of snow fell in central Nebraska that night.  A sudden Spring blizzard covered the fields and trees that had started new growth of leaves.
    

and on into Wyoming.  Many Pioneers crossed the open plains of Wyoming heading for one of several destinations.

Spring is finally here

     February and March brought several big snowstorms. I certainly had my exercise shoveling snow !  We enjoyed birds at the feeders, altho some mornings there seemed to be few birds. 
     4 species of woodpeckers have visited the suet offerings. A few Chickadees, House Finches, Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, and the Carolina Wrens. A Pileated Woodpecker female came to eat suet everyday for a few weeks  She may be nesting in the area.
      This week has been truly Spring-like.  The Belted Kingfisher has returned, a Great Blue Heron was fishing at the edge of the river,  and I found American Tree Sparrows at the end of the road.  American Goldfinch males are bright yellow, and this morning a Chipping Sparrow came to the feeders.  Hooray for Spring !     Photo below is a Red-bellied Woodpecker.
     This Spring has had a somber note as well.  In mid-March Mom passed away.  It was a bit unexpected as she had been at her baseline in the nursing home. We have organized a Celebration of Life event to be held next week.  She will be missed by her family and community.