Returning to the Past: Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Series Resumes!

 So, way back in 2021- in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic - I decided to take advantage of an opportunity to go to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks.  Road Trip!!  I love them. 

Unusually for me, I posted several posts regarding my trip within three months of the actual trip!  Then I got derailed by my mental health, namely anxiety and depression, and didn't post again until January 2022.  At that point, I got derailed kind of permanently by those same issues; I just had a photo editing block and a writing block.  I just couldn't do it even though the memories and reminders of my trip brought me great happiness and pleasure.  It didn't help that my computer was getting older and was less and less able to handle my photo editing software...and just life in general I guess.  Just like me.

Well, I'm back.  With a new computer and a healthier mentality, I'm ready to revisit one of the most amazing experiences of my life. 

Check out my earlier posts!

Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons Day 1, Jenny Lake Campground, Elk Herd

Beautiful Jenny Lake, Foxes and Bears

Lovely Vistas full of Bison and Horses

Mormon Row, Pronghorn Antelope, and Ravens

Wildlife Art, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Colter Bay, and Ground Squirrels

Colter Bay to South Yellowstone

Black Sand Basin and Bison

More Bison, Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin, and Beginning of Artemisia Trail Hike

And with that, we are caught up! 

It was on the gorgeous, bright morning of May 19, 2021, when I decided that I was going to hike the Artemisia Trail from Biscuit Basin to Morning Glory Pool.

I decided to try something slightly different for me and video the sights along the trail.  Mainly, as I mention in the video, because I was hiking solo and this gave me a reason to talk to myself which helps scare off bears.  Not that I was too worried about bears as this hike is pretty popular and suitable for many skill levels.  Including overweight and out of shape level - like me! And it's about .9 mile each direction although you can walk all the way to Old Faithful.

Here is the sign at the trailhead which shows most of the trails, geysers, and pools in the Upper Geyser Basin which includes Old Faithful, Black Sand Basin, and Biscuit Basin.

I mostly took video on this hike but did take a few pictures on my Nikons.  This is Gem Pool - a lookalike to Morning Glory but both beautiful in their own way.  

Gem Pool closeup:

Not sure what this pool is called...  I have the picture labeled Blue Pool with Yellow Border.  Descriptive!

This is the Firehole River which runs parallel to the trail from Biscuit Basin to Morning Glory Pool. 

These next two photos are from the bridge over the Firehole River after is turns left to cross the Artemisia Trail.  First view is downriver and second is upriver. 

And now...the famed Morning Glory Pool!  Simply gorgeous.  

Some closeups...  Including what I called the "galaxy inside the pool" - the sparkly blue-green center. 

And one last shot of the Firehole River.  This is the view from the highway.  I ended up walking along the road so I could get this lovely shot.  haha

After the hike, I decided to drive to West Yellowstone.  I saw some animals on my way there! Yay!  Including some Red Dogs - AKA baby bison.  

On the road to the West Yellowstone Gate, I saw some elk in a meadow in the woods.  I pulled over (of course) and got out of my car to have a look see.  I noticed the elk were looking away from me, further towards the tree line.  As I looked, I saw that there were a couple of coyotes and the elk were keeping a watchful eye on their movements. 

Amazing.  I love coyotes and I was happy to see them.  I would see a whole pack later in my trip.  But we'll save that.  

I headed into West Yellowstone to go to the Grizzley & Wolf Discovery Center.  I stopped at a market in town and bought an air mattress for my tent and a 6-pack of Huckleberry Honey Ale of which I drank a can later in my campsite.  It was yummy!

I also bought dinner at a restaurant that I can't remember four years later (eye roll).  I wish I could.  I tried to search on Google and there are a few restaurants that look similar to what I remember but I couldn't see the dish I remember.  But all I remember was meat with a Huckleberry bbq sauce.  Delicious.  

I spilled the sauce in the front passenger seat of my car and on the floor which caused me to have a panic attack about bears.  I cleaned it the best I could but you could still see and smell it quite a bit.  I went up to the Madison campground headquarters and talked to a ranger about it.  She could obviously see how worried about it I was and I explained that I neglected to bring bear spray with me and now that my car smelled like a restaurant, I was panicking.  

She was so kind.  She talked me off the ledge and gave me a can of bear spray and explained the do's and don'ts of bear spray.   She really reassured me and stopped me from hightailing it home.  

On that note, I'll end this post.  I do have some photos from the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center but I'll put those in a later post.  But I will say that it was really informational and cool to see the rescued animals. I definitely recommend.  

xoxo

Nikon D600 Nikkor 28-300 mm

Nikon D7200 Sigma Contemporary 150-600 mm

Google Pixel 4 for video

Mammal Spotlight! Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge - Pronghorn Antelope & Beautiful Coyotes!

Coyotes are so beautiful.  Saw this gorgeous mama on the refuge looking for an easy meal.  She loved to pose for me!

Smiling away! 

The first time I was driving to Klamath, I saw something trotting through a farmer's field and couldn't figure out what the hell it was.  A deer?  Nope...it really looked like some kind of antelope which, at the time, I thought were only in Africa (go ahead and call me stupid if you already knew we have antelope in America).  

And it was an antelope!  At least in name - the Pronghorn Antelope!  

That time I was driving, and this time, the Pronghorn was just really out of distance of my len getting a good focus.  I also saw a whole herd of these beautiful creatures at Carrizo National Monument, so I'll drop a link and a photo at the end. 

Last, but certainly not least was this young coyote pup who I found wandering down the roadway.  

I'm not going to lie...this little guy has cost me some sleep.  He looked weary for lack of a better word and looked like he was a little on the skinny side.   I think he was just over the age to leave the den (about 6 months) and maybe was having a heard time hunting for himself.  I've said quite a few prayers for him and I really hope this little guy made it.  Walking straight down the highway was possibly not a good indication of his survival. 

And since I can't leave it on that potentially sad note, here is the link to the stunning Carizzo National Monument during the Super Bloom a couple years ago!

And the Pronghorn Antelope!

Still taken at a distance and a bit blurry, but just to give an idea of what these cool critters look like!

xoxo

Nikon D600

Sepk'eec'a Klamath! Animals, Birds, Nature, and Scenery Galore!

 Sepk'eec'a means "thank you" in the language of the Klamath tribes of Southern Oregon.  And when I was getting ready to post these photos of my second amazing visit to the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), I really wanted to pay homage to the original inhabitants of this region from which the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex that includes these two NWRs gets it's name. 

As mentioned, this was my second visit to Lower Klamath and Tule Lake and each experience was so incredibly exciting and fulfilling and different!  You have to check out the photos from my first visit at the beginning of April 2017!  

So much to see at Lower Klamath!

And more at Tule Lake!

 This time I wanted to try to go earlier in the year and was watching the weather very closely to find a window in which I could safely drive while avoiding snow and ice.  I found a window and off I went.  I have to drive pretty much through the night to be there just at dawn when animals are active to maximize my experience!  My plan was sound and I passed Mt. Shasta in the dark and hit the turnoff from Hwy 97 to Hwy 161, which runs along the California/Oregon border and along the Lower Klamath NWR, just at sunrise. 

And a gorgeous sunrise it was!

Besides the cows that were grazing peacefully, there were plenty of hawks getting ready to hunt. 

It was still pretty dark when I took these photos so they're a bit grainy, but clear. 

I think he felt it was too early for closeups, so off he flew! 

I turned onto the refuge road and was rewarded with my very first bald eagle sighting!  

And of course, more hawks waiting for prey. 

Now that it was light, I could see the beautiful, snowy peaks of Mt. Shasta watching over the refuge. 

And of course, there were many Red-winged Blackbirds singing their boisterous songs while flitting around.  

I was blessed to see some critters that I did not see my last time here...

First, a flock of pheasants!

And then an entire pack of coyotes!! 

There were about 4-6 that I could see.  It was sooooo cool!

And one field over, was another Bald Eagle sitting near some groundwater. 

It's so amazing to be there so early in the morning.  The air is so crisp and clear and everything is just a wonder to the eyes, ears, and senses. It's so relaxing and peaceful.

Another Bald Eagle, this one in flight. 

There were so many Eagles up here that they were even just sitting on the road!  This Baldie was sitting with a Raven couple and just as I tried to get a shot out my window without scaring them off, a Golden flew overhead!!  So amazing!

Bald Eagle with Mount Shasta landscape

Another beauty of a hawk.  They love to sit on the signs and watch for prey!

Love this cool photo!  The tree branches capturing the Bald Eagle looked amazing. 

This is definitely the place to be if you love Raptors!

Not much snow which was one reason I was able to make the drive in January.  But there was still some snow and ice in the canals. 

OMG, I love this next photo.  One of my favorite things about National Wildlife Refuges are the cool barren trees in the water.  

I headed out to Tule Lake and saw a covey of Quail on the side of the road. 

Along with some beautiful deer just up the hillside. 

Next post we'll hit up Tule Lake which was gorgeous.

Ginaatdal' gepgi!

(Come this way! in Klamath)  

xoxo

Nikon d3300