Month: July 2012

I’ll have to admit that the first time I went to Yellowstone, nearly forty years ago, I immediately headed for the West Entrance and the geysers that Yellowstone is best known for. This time, though, I carefully avoided that area, partly because of the crowds, but mainly because I was more interested in seeing wildlife and the sweeping scenery the park offers.

Considering that hours ago before I’d seen Mountain Goats up close, I was slightly amused by the number of visitors gathered around spotting scopes looking at the Mountain Goats high on the cliffs.

Sitting at my computer looking at the photographs, though, it’s hard to deny the appeal of seeing Mountain Goats casually walking cliffs that would terrorize most of us, especially me.

I’m used to seeing Pronghorn Antelope at a distance, usually dashing off as soon as I point a lens at them. I’m not used to looking at them across a creek while they intently ignore me:

The biggest sighting of my trip had to be this Grizzly Bear casually walking down a field,

but unfortunately the experience was marred by the stupidity of fellow photographers who seemed to think it was wise to pursue the bear out into the field. I go to great lengths to get good pictures, but don’t count on me ever running out into a field to get better shots. I’d hate to think that a magnificent creature like this had been put down because it had decided I would make a great snack.

Right around the corner, though, cars were giving this bison much more respect,

which it demanded by standing in the road a good three or four minutes before ambling to the other side of the road for another light snack.

A German tourist informed me that a Bald Eagle’s nest was just around the corner,

and I didn’t want to spoil his illusions by going back and telling him this was definitely an Osprey, not a Bald Eagle.

I had a hard time deciding what route I would take from Broomfield to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. In the end, a brochure describing Beartooth Pass as the most beautiful pass in the United States made me decide that I should take the Northeast Entrance. I’m glad I did. I’m not sure it is the most beautiful pass in the nation, but it was certainly a very beautiful pass.

As usual when I’m camping I got a very early start, leaving about 5:30 A.M. Though I loved the reddish tints from the sunrise,

it seemed that only the tops of the mountains were highlighted and the trees faded into the shadows, though that’s not the way they looked to me except through the lens.

Sacrificing a few shots was a small price to pay for the views that awaited me as I reached the top of the pass. Standing at the top of the pass at 6:30 in the morning, it seemed appropriate to send Leslie a photo declaring “Top of the Morning to You.”

There were 360 degrees of mountains surrounding you at the top.

Up here you looked down at the Mountain Goats.

Even after descending nearly 1,000 feet it was hard to disagree with the little community who went by the name “Top of the World.”

Although I walked every day I was in Colorado, we only went on one hike in the mountains. After a little over a week at these high altitudes, grandpa was able to keep up with the main group, perhaps because the grandkids were more enthusiastic about climbing rocks

then following the trail. Gramps, however, meandered up the trail using pictures of birds, flowers and butterflies as an excuse to catch his breath.

I heard a lot of birds, but I only managed to get a shot of this chickadee. I’m sure it’s not the Black-Capped Chickadee I’m used to seeing in Washington, but I’m not positive it’s the Carolina Chickadee that it looks like.

Luckily, when I don’t see birds I’m perfectly satisfied to focus on butterflies,

or flowers, even flowers I’ve seen hundreds of times like this brilliant Indian Paintbrush, the first I’ve seen this year.

Even better if the flowers are simple ones I don’t recognize.

This hike, though, featured purple and white Columbines,

quite unlike the red and yellow Columbines I’m used to seeing in the Cascades.