Blue sky !

I hiked up to Bradley and Taggart Lakes this morning. 
      Photo of Bradley Lake









Grand Teton, Mt Owen, and Teewinot

Photo below is looking into Paintbrush Divide,  from a different hike. 

Late August

Mountains looked better today than they have in several days.  Hopefully the big wildfires in Idaho are coming under containment.
      I launched Dolphin into Spaulding Bay this morning and paddled toward the north end of Jackson Lake.  Aprons of rounded cobbles run along portions of the lakeshore, giving habitat to Spotted Sandpipers and California Gulls.  When the lake water levels are higher, shoreline slopes erode faster causing old trees and more rocks to tumble down to the beach.  Some areas have sandy beaches and grass, other bits of lakeshore are forested down to the water's edge.
     I saw 2 groups of Common Mergansers, one with 12 little ducklings following Mom Merganser across the lake.  2 Bald Eagles sat on tree branches in different locations, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew along the tree edge into the forest.  Mountain Bluebirds, Robins, and Yellow-rumped Warblers brought their nearly grown families to the lake edge for better foraging.  The forests are so dry.
     One of the photos is from last year when there was more snow on the peaks.

Fireweed growing on a partially submerged downed tree.

more from the canyon

These 2 photos were taken along the Shoshone River as Hwy 20 drops into sagebrush country.

The Parry's Primula I found in Paintbrush Canyon.

into August

Its been hot this past week, and smoke from the wildfires in Idaho has removed all our beautiful mountain scenery.  We are hoping the coming weather front will blow the smoke away and rain will clean the air.
      Sunday morning I drove to the top of Signal Mountain.  The forest was very quiet, save for one Hairy Woodpecker looking for breakfast on a dead pine tree.  I walked down the road listening and looking.  A wooden post top moved,  a female Dusky Grouse !!  A short distance later I found the male on the side of the road.  Now that's exciting.
     Last week I drove out of Yellowstone Park into Cody, WY.  The canyon of the Shoshone River is dramatic with eroded walls, spires, and hoodoos on the top.  I stayed overnight at a small USFS camp area north of Cody.
     Yesterday morning I joined a group of guests on a popular event,  Breakfast Cruise to Elk Island.  A boat takes the group out to the island, we have a  "cowboy"  breakfast, and 20 minutes to wander around the island.  Very nice.

Sunset looking toward the Absaroka Range,  and Lewis's Monkeyflowers.

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.