Wild, Windy Wyoming

One disadvantage of winter birthdays and anniversaries (his, mine, and ours) is that the weather is a huge factor in planning celebratory get-aways. Snow canceled my birthday trip to Yellowstone (see Deer John...), so Dan suggested an overnight road trip this weekend to celebrate our anniversary. Despite  a wind that howled for four days straight, the snow stayed away. We got up Friday morning to some very forbidding clouds, but by the time we had the truck loaded, the skies were clearing to a beautiful, bright blue. Within an hour, we were in Wyoming. 

Heart Mountain, a Cody landmark

Our destination for the weekend was Riverton, Wyoming, and to get there, we drove through Wind River Canyon. (If you have never taken this drive, get it on the short list!) The road squeezes between the cliffs and the river on one side, while the railroad tracks parallel the other side. I don't know if we have ever driven all the way through the canyon without stopping to take pictures. While we didn't see the big horn sheep that frequent the canyon, and the ducks were less than cooperative, melting water along the cliffs had created some very interesting ice displays. We spent most of the afternoon in the canyon, and we reached our motel in Riverton just as the moon was rising full and orange and bright. 

Part of the reason that we chose this destination for our weekend was to meet up with a long-lost cousin... literally! Dan had not seen Gary for ten years, and I had never met him. We spent several hours over dinner getting acquainted wth Gary and Vickie and their children. We hit it off so well that they invited us to have breakfast with them at their farm the next day. It's hard to beat fresh eggs and home-grown bacon and sausage! However, knowing that daylight hours are so very limited this time of year, we eventually tore ourselves away. With promises not to let another ten years go by before getting together again, we left our new-found friends and headed north. We ran back through Wind River Canyon before deviating from the route that we came by. We started spotting deer, but nothing to make us stop. When we did finally hit the brakes and grab for cameras, it was thanks again to a deer. This one had not made the road crossing safely, and was now eagle food. 

We stopped for dinner in Greybull, and it was just getting dark as we returned to the truck. As we drove out of town, I noticed a glow over a nearby peak. It took me a moment to realize that it was the rising moon. Sure enough, within a few minutes, half of the glowing orange orb had cleared the horizon. We pulled over, and I tried to capture the beautiful scene. And tried... and tried... SIGH! I guess I still have a lot to learn about nighttime photography! Oh well, that just gives us an excuse to go out again!  

*** Bonus Pics***

Both the road and the railroad tracks
pass through tunnels in the Wind River Canyon.

The dark side of the moon, er... the canyon! ;)

The geese were more photogenic
than the ducks!

Dinner is served! 

Deer John,

Sometimes things just don't go as planned!

I have been planning for this weekend for a long time now. Sometime early in the year, I realized that my 50th birthday was going to fall on a Friday. I started  telling Dan that since that was the case, I wanted a party. About a month ago, he asked, "Do you want a party, or would you rather go to Yellowstone?" I didn't have to think about it for very long before the choice was obvious. 

Of course, the problem with a winter birthday trip is weather. Forecasters said all week that we were going to get snow, but we didn't. Friday dawned cloudy, but the roads were clear, so we set out for Yellowstone. Unfortunately, just 30 miles short of Gardiner, the snow began to fall. We pulled off in Emigrant to think it over, then turned around and started back home. A photogenic pair of eagles along the river east of Livingston took most of the sting out of the aborted trip. 

Saturday morning, Dan checked the Yellowstone webcams, and they confirmed that we had made the right choice. But just because we had to come home didn't mean that we had to stay there. The roads closer to home were clear and dry, so we once again went looking for wildlife. We drove to Columbus and hit a park and a fishing access. We didn't find any eagles, but we soon found deer! It quickly became apparent that the rut was in full swing. Most of the does didn't seem overly interested (hence the post title), but that didn't seem to slow the bucks down any. They just kept chasing. (One ol' boy did get lucky.)

The problem with winter outings is that the days are so short. Long before we were really ready to quit, the light began to fade, and it was time to point the Subaru toward home. While it may not have been Plan A for the weekend, it was still an enjoyable outing. 

Just the Two of Us

While most of our rides in the Pryors are group affairs, this particular outing found us by ourselves. One buddy was hunting, another was out of town, and a third cited his honey-do list. But that's okay, once in a while anyway. It means we can spend as long as we want taking pictures!

Friday afternoon, we set up the camper on the east side of the Pryors and rode partway up Burnt Timber Road. It was warm and sunny, and we found some horses to photograph. But Saturday dawned cloudy (which did make for a gorgeous sunrise). The mountain top was hidden in the clouds, but we "mounted up" anyway. A rainbow promised a good day. We did get some scattered showers, but mostly it was just misty. When we reached the arch and the area where we have seen sheep, we didn't even stop. With the mist, we could barely see the spires where they like to hang out. (For the usual views from this point, check out A Dry and Dusty Day) Just before we reached the plateau where the horses congregate, the rain came more heavily, then turned to snow. 

At least Friday was nice! 

I was hoping to eat our lunch in Penn's Cabin, but it was already occupied. So we drove on to the next group of trees. Dan spread a tarp over the two machines, and our little shelter was surprisingly warm. After we ate, we tucked our chins and sprinted the rest of the way across the meadow. The wind blew the snow directly into my face with painful force. It was a relief to turn onto Burnt Timber and get out of the headwind. 

As we followed the road down, we encountered a small family band of horses also making their way down to warmer elevations. Obviously, the road was the easiest walking for them, and we followed them for quite a ways. It was slow going since we didn't want to pressure them, but it was fun to watch them, especially a little grey foal. Because of the damp atmosphere, though, we only got out one camera, one time. 

Eventually, we dropped below the clouds and snow. In a meadow, we once again spotted horses. (For the "name-droppers" among my readers, this band was led by Pride, son of Cloud. Yes, we ran into someone who knows the horses well and was glad to "introduce" us.) The rain had stopped, so even though it was still misty and cool, we got out the cameras and spent some time watching and photographing the horses. I was particularly taken with a mare and a colt named Sirius. After a while, we continued on down to the camper. Since there really aren't any side trails and we had a two-hour drive to get home, we packed up and called it a day. Of course, NOW the sun comes out! LOL

Pride 

***Bonus Pics***

So you know THE tractor? Look closely, and you will spot it! 

Seems like there is an old saying...
Red sky in the morning...

I'm pretty sure that it was snowing on that side of the mountains, too! 

Bridge Over Untroubled Water

Uh, oh! I've gone and done it again! I was disappointed to come home from Yellowstone and the Tetons without moose pictures, and I've had "moose on the brain" ever since! Knowing that, Dan suggested a trip up the Big Horn Mountains. 

When we got up yesterday morning, he checked the webcams and the weather radar -- all clear! From Lovell, we could make our ascent from several different angles, so we stopped at the ranger station and asked about moose sightings. The ranger said that they were most often being seen across the top (and road conditions were good), so we crossed the Big Horn Reservoir to start up the steepest of the ascents up the mountain. 

About half-way across the dam, I remarked that this is not the prettiest body of water around. To this he replied, "No, but the water is so calm, and the reflections are pretty." Well then... would you look at that! When we reached the other side, we turned around and he dropped me off about half-way back across. Then he drove back to the other side again while I walked back taking pictures. Fortunately, he found a heron to keep him occupied while he waited. 

Back on the road, we climbed the steep switchbacks. Rounding one corner, I spotted the backside of a mule deer. Dan caught just the glint of sun on antlers, so we parked in the nearest pullout and walked back. Unfortunately, the buck had disappeared. Dan scoured the hillside with his binoculars, while I walked back a little further. But the deer was gone. We started walking back to the truck, but about that time, a cow moose and her calf stepped out of the woods! I only had my short lens on, but Dan got off a couple of shots. They crossed the road and lingered in the meadow. I was just starting to hurry the rest of the way to the truck for my long lens when a bull moose came out and also crossed the road. (I am glad that I wasn't any closer!) He didn't stick around long, but we finally had moose pictures. 

The rest of the day became more of a color tour type of drive, since we didn't see any more animals. It seems to me that the color is more vivid this year than it sometimes has been. Dan thought perhaps it is because of the wet summer we had. We meandered our way home over some roads we hadn't been on before and actually made it home before dark (for once!).

*** Bonus Pics ***

I have finally learned that in the west,
the color is not so much in the trees
as it is on the ground.

What is better than a pretty stand of aspens in fall garb?
Aspens in fall garb behind a moose!

Just a little cascade in a stream 

Shell Falls in her autumn apparel

While wishing for moose,
I forgot to specify "a BIG moose'! LOL

A little too close for that telephoto lens! 

Vacations Are Supposed to be Relaxing

Most people plan their vacations with lots of "down time" figured in: maybe on a beach or at a resort. A little down time is always good, but it really wouldn't take long for Dan and me to get quite bored with that! 

Morning light is so pretty! 

Our trip started in a very popular vacation destination -- Yellowstone National Park -- but we quickly parted ways with the typical Yellowstone tourists. No lazy sleeping in for us. We were actually up much earlier than our usual evening-shift normal life allows. (We were in bed much, much earlier than usual, too!) Many people include hiking in their Yellowstone vacation, too, but not like we do. No boardwalk strolls or even trail walks for us. We had a destination (or three), a compass, a GPS, and bear spray. We wandered up and down steep hillsides and through new-growth lodge pole pines so thick that it was tough to squeeze between them. (I have the scrapes and bruises to prove it!) 





So what is the pay-off for pushing ourselves like that? Solitude! Yes, solitude in Yellowstone National Park. There is nothing better than sitting on a log with one you love, eating lunch surrounded by God's beautiful creation while elk bugle all around you. We "discovered" a waterfall that was new to us and watched elk behave like they behave when no human eyes are around to observe. (The wind was blowing our scent away from them, and they truly had no idea that we were there.) We smiled at a chipmunk munching his way through a stem of grass while a sage grouse trilled softly from a nearby perch. 


These are the feelings that we hope to capture in our photography. Yes, we could have taken pictures of a magnificent bull elk on the courthouse lawn in Mammoth without ever getting out of the car. But what fun would that be? 

We had this bull, for this moment anyway, all to ourselves.

In Pursuit of Pikas

Every once in a while, I get "hung up" on getting photos of a certain species. Lately, I have been obsessed with pikas. I was looking for them a few weeks ago when we were up on the Chief Joseph Highway, even though I knew that we really weren't high enough. I climbed around in the rocks at Blue Lake while the guys fished last weekend, but despite what appeared to be perfect habitat, there was not one pika in sight. 

So this weekend, we decided to quit messing around and just go where we know that we will find them: the Beartooth Pass. The Pass was actually closed earlier in the week (yes, we really did get that much snow in August!), but on Saturday morning, we awoke to sunshine. By 10 am, we were starting up the Beartooth Pass. Nearing the summit, we pulled off to take pictures on the road's namesake: a jagged outcropping of rock known as the Bear's Tooth. As I walked away from the car past a pile of rocks, a squeak stopped me in my tracks! Lo and behold, a pika was scurrying among the rocks. I promptly forgot about that ol' rock peak and settled in to wait for my furry little friend to reappear. I didn't have to wait long at all before he resumed his frenzied gathering of roots and grasses.

Dan didn't forget the Bear's Tooth. 

Eventually, we left him to his work and returned to the car. Now what? It was barely past noon, way too early to just turn around and go home! Dan suggested Yellowstone, and there was no need to say it twice. 

One of our favorite drives in Yellowstone, Blacktail Plateau Road, is open for only a short time each year, so it was the logical choice for our next adventure. We parked the car alongside the one-way gravel road and set off on foot. Cresting the top of a knoll, Dan spotted an antelope at a watering hole below us. Suddenly, a cow elk and her calf came running around the hill less than 50 yards away from us. Just as we expected, a bull was right on her heels! She never stopped running, but whether winded or just bored with the chase, the bull slowed to a walk before making his way around the next hill and out of sight. All I could say was, "How cool was that!?" (Even if we didn't get any good pictures...) 

By now, we were getting hungry, so we hiked back to the car and turned toward Gardiner. But our day's adventures weren't quite over yet. Another road that has intrigued Dan for quite a while now is the old Gardiner-Mammoth Road. But it is open even less frequently than Blacktail. In fact, we have never yet actually seen it open... until yesterday. We didn't see any animals, but it was still an enjoyable, quiet byway. It was the perfect way to conclude our outing. 

***Bonus Pics***

because he's just so stinkin' cute!

I did take a couple of pictures of the Bear's Tooth
when the pika was out of sight.