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!