Eric's Blog

Teton Ski Trip

2012-01-29T18:28:00.001-08:00

A rare day at grand targhee without fog. This is Mt Moran(?) taken thru a snowghost

View of the grand teton from Grand Targhee ski area through a another snowghost.

This is just the top of the same old car that I got a pix of this spring with the tetons framed in the windshield

Sunset from the south side of the Tetons near Jackson, WY

Another Glacier Trip

2011-09-27T11:31:00.001-07:00

Took a(nother) trip to Glacier - as I was heading out of town stopped to take this picture of sunrise above a barn in the Helena valley.

This cute little weasel popped up next to me while I was taking a break by a creek - first time I've gotten a pix of a weasel (however, not the first weasel I've ever met :)

He/she? posed a few times for me.

Gorgeous view from near Piegan Pass looking back where I hiked in from.

With the warm fall weather, there were still some flowers out. Paintbrush, asters and a few gentian like this one.

Sunrise at Red Rocks Lake

Yellowstone Lake

2011-09-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Paddled the south arm of Yellowstone Lake for 5 days with 4 friends from West Yellowstone. Didnt see any big critters but saw some bear and wolf prints. Got caught in one good rain/lightning storm but other than that was a great week on the Lake.

Glacier with Todd

2011-09-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Todd and I went to Glacier and spent 2 nights at the Granite Park Chalet. Had good weather except for one strong hail storm on the way up to the chalet. Second day we hike to the lookout on top of Swiftcurrent peak and looked for critters along the highline trail. Found this one marmot who was snacking on a rock (not sure why, there was lots of other good stuff around!). We did see a bear and her cubs from a very safe distance from the chalet on the second night and last morning.

Glacier in August with Ma

2011-09-05T12:24:00.001-07:00

Me and Ma went to glacier and waterton for a weekend. Our big hike was the Highline-Loop trail which is an 11 mile hike with a 2,000 foot drop over the last 4 miles. I didnt plan real well and we made the last shuttle bus back to our car by 2 minutes (otherwise a hitchhike back or a 7 mile walk!). We had to get by some scary snow bridges (and the ubiquitous lady who was "so proud" of Ma for making it accross the snow). We also looked for bears near Lake cameron (didnt see any) in waterton and saw some mtn goats and big horn sheep. Saw some pretty paintbrush and heather on Logan Pass on our way out of the park.

Yellowstone in July

2011-09-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

I went to Yellowstone in July to hike up to Mt Washburn (the hard way from Canyon). Saw lots of wildflowers (arnica, columbine, lupine, paintbrush). At the top I took a nap and woke to find 20 bighorn sheep grazing around me (see pix of baby). Got some good morning shots of the lower falls. Also saw a Pine Marten on a short hike to Cascade Lake.

Bass Creek

2011-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

I did a great hike in the Bitterroots up Bass Creek. Saw lots of beargrass and a few other flowers. Nice lake on top with big flat rocks for sleeping.

John Day River

2011-07-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

Floated the John Day River in central Oregon in early July. Not many rapids, but a scenic 5-day trip. The rock in the pix is called columnar basalt (its volcanic rock that forms long hexagonal shaped columns when it cools).

Flowers in the Bitterroot

2011-06-25T20:31:00.001-07:00

Went over to Bitterroot area for a weekend and saw lots of flowers. This is a trillium
Camas Lily

Sticky Geranium

Another trillium

Tetons 2011

2011-06-12T08:12:00.001-07:00

Went to the Tetons and found this hidden(?) spot with this old rusted out car.

Another view of tetons and car

Picture of the entire car (what model? - I dont know)

View of grand teton and Jenny Lake

Saw this guy next to bridge over the Snake river

Tigger

2011-05-30T07:14:00.001-07:00

This is the latest addition to the house. His name is Tigger (the only good name for an orange cat). He loves to snuggle into my neck while I'm laying on the couch.

Yellowstone in May

2011-05-23T19:31:00.001-07:00

Me and Ma took our annual spring trip to Yellowstone. We found shed antlers again along the Blacktail trail.

Its faint, but this looked like a very recent bear track - saw it after Ma went off to look at gooseberry bushes - I quickly went to look for her to make sure she wasnt on the bears lunch menu

There was still a little bit of snow on the trail

Saw this moose near tower falls

Got picture of this coyote as I was driving the car - not bad. He had tags in each ear - dont know if that means he's been bad twice or what?

Electric Peak from Swan Flats

Got this good shot of the Upper Yellowstone Falls - almost took Ma out on the ice leading to this overlook

caught this guy crossing the Madison river on east side of the park

Ma took this picture outside the park on our way home. No, I didnt hit the calf with the car - it is sleeping.

Southern Utah

2011-05-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

Went to southern Utah in April. first shot is fisher Tower near Moab, UT. (some captions not next to the picture but they are in order)

Druid Arch - Canyonlands NP. Reminds me of Stonehenge

Sun and rain on Peekaboo spring trail - Canyonlands NP

Had lots of rain in the Needles district of Canyonlands -- the good thing about that is that these potholes get filled with water and make for good pictures - this is at Pothole Point Trail

Sunrise on Dead Horse Point State Park

Shafer Canyon in Canyonlands NP

Vetch in Capital Reef NP

Cassidy Arch in Capital Reef NP. There are people above the arch for scale.

Grand Wash in Capital Reef National Park

Has to be the most beautiful waterfall I've ever seen - its 180 feet high and an easy 3 mile hike to see it. Its called Lower Calf Creek Falls in Escalante grand staircase Nat. Monument.

Dont know what type of flowers these are, but I had to lay on the side of windy road with cars whizzing past me as I took the pix

Some cool hoodoo formations at Devils Garden in Escalante Grand Staircas Nat. Monument

At 10,000 feet, there was still a lot of snow near Cedar City

rendezvous race

2011-03-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Went down to west yellowstone to take pictures of the rendezvous ski race. They had about 560 entrants. This is the start of one of the races.

The official starting cannon of the race

2 skers pushing for the finish line

Official drink of the race -PBR

A skier pushing for the finish line

Tetons

2011-03-14T19:18:00.000-07:00

Did a little skiing in Grand Teton National Park - this was the best photo of the day

Florida

2010-11-16T11:14:00.001-08:00

I went to st. augustine Florida for a week in early November. Had great weather and did lots of beach walks. When I woke up the first morning and had coffee on the rooftop deck this was the sunrise that greeted me.... nice!

Man o War jellyfish on the beach - this one was about a foot across.

Some BIIIIG scary spiders on the trails.

Another good sunrise.

This is a reddish heron fishing. I didnt get him with a fish in his mouth, but got him in his dance trying to scare one up. When he got one he looked pretty happy.

I didnt know that insects knew anything about piggy-back rides!

Some wind patterns in the beach sand.

Sea oats at sunrise with an impending storm

Pelicans diving for fish in the ocean.

A cool old door in st. augustine.

Sunrise on the st. augustine pier (i didnt do such a good photoshop job on this one, but is still pretty)

Sunrise on the newly refurbished drawbridge in st. augustine - Flagler college in the background (originally a very high end hotel in the 1800's)

Castillo de San Marcos - the citys fort in the middle of St. Augustine - it is made from a rock called coquina which is just ocean shells cemented together - it was the best rock against cannon balls in its day.

More Glacier in the fall

2010-10-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

We had beautiful fall weather so I took (another) trip to Glacier. Saw this cute guy and some of his buddies right in the many glacier parking lot as i started my hike.
Sorry for the messed up text locations- not sure how to fix it.

View across swiftcurrent lake.

A lot of the colors were already gone, but there were a few good spots - this was on the Grinnell Glacier trail.

Same area as previous picture on the Grinnell Glacier hike.

Saw this young moose and his mom right next to Many Glacier Hotel.

A waterfall and colors above Medicine Grizzly Lake

Glacier in the fall

2010-09-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Me and Ma went up to Glacier for a weekend - first day was windy, wet and some hail stinging our faces as we tried to hike above Logan Pass, so we smartly abandoned that attempt and drove down lower where it was still raining on us, but were able to get a good picture of St. Mary Falls.

Sunrise on Rising Sun Mountain.

On our second day we did a 11.5 mile hik to Cobalt Lake - it was quite windy and chilly particularly in the morning on the lake.

Rockwell Falls

Mountain ash leaves

Near end of the hike we saw this moose.

We saw this momma black bear and her two cubs right next to the road.

Sunrise on St Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island

On our last morning, the wind finally quit and the skies turned blue.

Siyeh Creek

Yellowstone Lake Paddle

2010-08-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Took a four day trip around the southeast arm of Yellowstone Lake. This is the second morning. No pictures from the first day as I was too traumatized by the 3 foot waves we encountered on the way to our first camp site.

Brenda and Brandi

Scott and Janice

Connie

Happy hour at the Promontory camp

Sunset at the Promontory camp

We had this guy and his two does in our last camp - they liked to chew on stuff like gloves, hats, water bottles....

The gang (Eric, Connie, Brandi, Brenda, Janice and Scott) at the top of the Promontory (Tetons in the distance) on our last morning of the trip.

Table Mountain hike

2010-08-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hiked up table mountain on the west side of the tetons (4,000 feet eleveation gain to over 11, 000 ft - not quite as strenuous as Jenny's recent summitting of the grand teton). Saw lots of wildflowers.

View of the grand from my lunch spot

Wildflowers just below table mountain

Deep blue lupine in a huge wildflower meadow

This is the view of the grand teton and table mountain about 2 miles from table mountain.

Saw a nice field of fireweed near sunset

Yellowstone in the spring

2010-08-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

This trip is out of sequence. Me and Ma went to yellowstone for our annual spring trip. We went just after a snow storm, but our day was mostly sunny and cool. This little bluebird greeted us on our hike down Blacktail Canyon

We saw recent wolf tracks on the trail, which would explain why we spooked a heard of elk when we were over 300 yards away from them

Me and Ma at the Blacktail Cabin

Buffalo being cute

I think this is the best picture of the grand canyon of the yellowstone I have ever taken.

Turquoise Lake

2010-08-18T11:38:00.001-07:00

I took a great hike up to Turquoise Lake (near Lindbergh Lake) in early august.

Beautiful rock outcrop near the top of the hike.

There is a huge rock outcrop on the trail that has features such as ripple marks, mudcracks, and this one that shows scratches in the rock gouged out by glaciers during last ice age (geologists drool over this stuff - oh OK I drool over a lot of things (usually my pillow), but this is definately one of them).

This is another lake near Lindbergh Lake called Crystal Lake.

Pebble Creek and Trout Creek

2010-08-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

Me and Ma went to pebble creek in Yellowstone park to find wildflowers - we hit it perfectly. Had a great sunny day (except for the hour of lightning, hail and rain right after lunch). Had four stream crossings where we put on our sandals - except the last one when Ma just walked through in her boots. This hike was done three days after a grizzly killed and ate part of a guy in a campground 10 miles from this spot - Ma was a little nervous but I felt good since I'm still faster than Ma.

Acres and acres of wild flowers in the pebble creek meadow

Paintbrush and a little snow in the pebble creek meadow

This one is for Anne, a ladybug on Arnica on the beartooth highway

Sunrise on lupine near fire lookout on beartooth highway

Beautiful fuscia paintbrush on Beartooth Hwy.

Me and Ma did a short hike up Trout Creek near Helena. Lots of wildflowers, but the prettiest flower was this weed, thistle.

Mid-Fork Salmon River Trip

2010-08-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

We got a float permit for the Middle-Fork of the Salmon in mid July. A seven day 100-mile float through mostly wilderness (a couple of backcountry lodges break up the wilderness). This is on the way to river looking at Sawtooth Mountains near Stanley, ID.

The cluster of boats on a typical launch day on mid-fork Salmon

Todd and boat damage after hitting rock in Pistol Creek and ejecting all his passengers

Will in Marble Creek

Scott getting a fun ride in Tappan Falls

Connie in Tappan Falls

Veil Falls, a great waterfall to stand under on a hot day.

Miles, the obsessive compulsive wonder dog

The gang at the end of the trip (Cam, Will, Chas, Meredith, Scott, Janice, Connie, Todd, Will, Suzanne, Jake, Eric, Jeff)

Tetons and Glacier

2010-07-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

I took trips recently to the Tetons and Glacier nation Park - here are some pictures (the captions are working right - they dont stay next to the correct picture, so you'll have to match the comment to the correct picture)

These flowers (sugar bowls and balsamroot) were right in the campground.

More of those flowers

Got a great shot of the tetons at sunset - the mosquitoes were bad laying in the dirt trying to get the flowers in the picture.

It was a cold and rainy weekend in Glacier (40 degrees on swiftcurrent pass at noon), but it did clear up enough to get this double rainbow.

The paintbrush were everywhere and very vibrant colors

More paintbrush

Red Rocks waterfall on Swiftcurrent trail

Saw this wheat field on the way home

Spring in glacier

2010-06-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Got up to glacier on a nice weekend in june - saw this black bear on north shore of lake mcdonald

saw this eagle on the shores of lake mcdonald

I got to ride the going to the sun road to the top about a week before it opened for traffic - so i was able to stop anywhere and take pictures

Going to the sun road

One of the bigger drifts on going to the sun road

Proof that I made it to the top with my bike! The snow is up to the roof of the visitor center.

Saw this on side of road - a spring that was growing very green algae (and a fly).

Death Valley - March 2010

2010-03-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

I went to Death Valley this spring. My first sunrise wasnt so great from Dantes View, but the weather got better as the week went on. I missed the flowers by a couple of weeks, but still lots of pretty areas to explore.

first day I did a hike to some sand dunes - view from tallest dune

marble canyon

barrel cactus in Marble Canyon

the salt flats (282 feet below sea level)

this was really cool - this divot in the volcanic rock caused by teh waterfall (when the water is flowing)

Some great colors at Artists Palette

Sunset on the Mesquite Sand Dunes

The end of the hike up Falls Canyon

Sunrise at a place called Zabriske Point

A view of the lowest (-252 ft) and highest (11,000+) points in the park.

Sunrise (a better one than the first day) from Dantes View - about 5,000 feet above the salt flats

A few hikes had water in them - this water fall was in Willow Canyon

A view down valley in Willow Canyon

Didn't see many flowers, but there were a few!

Fall in Zions

2009-10-19T11:32:00.001-07:00

On the spur of the moment me an Ma went to Zions park in October (the weekend forecast for Helena was for lows in the single digits and highs in the 20's, so we headed south to Zions where it was in the 70's!!). On our first little walk in the park, this tarantula was the first critter to greet us to the park (for some reason ma didnt want to camp out after seeing this guy). He also cost me dinner because I bet Ma that he wasnt a tarantula.

We saw this cute gecko on our short hike the first day.

Here is Ma on the way up to Observation Point. Its an eight mile 2,100 foot climb to a great view point of the canyon. A good portion of the hike was in the shade, but this was the hot part of the hike.

The view from observation point

Proof that we mad it to the top of observation point

a cool slot canyon on the way to Observation Point

The colors were just starting to change in the park. This was one of the best examples.

One evening we sat and watched sunset on the "Watchman" at the park entrance

We caught sunrise on the three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Joseph) one morning.

We hiked up Angels landing - the last half mile is a real climbing adventure - ma didnt make it all the way (most people dont). Here she is on the famous Walts Wiggles - a set of 21 switchbacks to get you to Scout Landing where you can look straight down 1,000 feet to the canyon floor.

Casey Peak

2009-10-19T11:16:00.001-07:00

In late summer me and Ma took a hike to Casey Peak near Helena. its an 8 to 9 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 3,400 feet - we made it !!!!. Fortunately we picked one of the coldest days of the summer (as you can see from this picture) otherwise we probably wouldnt have made it. Here we are at the old forest service lookout at the peak.

The clouds literally broke for us during our 15 minutes at the top!

Here is proof that Ma made it to the top!

Paddling Yellowstone Lake

2009-08-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

I paddled the south arm of Yellowstone Lake for 4 days in August with friends from West Yellowstone (Connie, Brenda, Scott, Janice and Dave). We had great weather (almost no wind) and only saw three other people after the boat dropped us off at the Promontory. This is Janice, Scott, and Connie in front of Mt. Sheridan.

Fireweed on Peale Island

We saw some huge mushrooms - this one may have been the biggest

Brenda on Peale Island

Connie

Dave in front of Mt. Sheridan

Janice and Scott

Just an old axe head

This was our closest big-game sighting (other than lots of bear scat)...

A sega lilly near Chipmunk Creek

Brenda, Scott, Janice and Connie enjoying Happy Hour and Connies guitar.

Sunset from the east side of the South Arm.

"What mountain is that?"

Connie definately had the best looking boat on the trip (and the only one that isnt yellow)

Here is the group at the end of the trip. The boat captain gave us a bonus detour to Dot Island where we found lots of stinging nettle (hurt for 2 days after) and 8 foot high cow parsnip (but no abandoned cabin)

Bitterroot Hiking

2009-08-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Me and Reb went hiking in the Bitterroots to Johnson Peak (here i am on the way up - it was a bit cold that day as you can tell from the smurf-like gloves I'm wearing) and Blodgett Canyon. This storm produced snow in Glacier National Park on the same weekend.
At the top of Johnson Peak.

some of the pine trees are huge (me for scale)

Dont know what this arch is called but it is on the south side of Blodgett Canyon - it must be 50 to 100 feet high and very thin.

Asters!

Lupine and Paintbrush

Paintbrush!

Backpacking in Glacier

2009-08-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

In late July me and Reb backpacked for 3 days in Glacier. We camped at Poia Lake (shown here) and at Lake Elizabeth. The weather was great - it rained the night before the trip and then cleared up for us.

A mile from Lake Elizabeth is Dawn Mist Falls. We got there right around dawn and that seems to be the best time for pictures.

Monkey flowers and Arnica on the west side of Red Gap Pass.

A view from near Ptarmigan Tunnel towards Lake Elizabeth and Belly River Valley

This is sunrise from the deck of the Many Glacier Hotel. A view of Mt Wilbur.

Saw this guy at the Hidden Lake overlook.

Grand Teton death march

2009-07-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

this picture is out of order, but we saw this little black bear (with radio collar) at the end of our holly lake hike (see more detail on next picture) about 0.2 miles from the trailhead. He had a friend nearby who was much bigger but didnt get a shot of that one.

Me and Erika went to Grand Teton National Park to do some hiking and wildflower watching. The big hike was one we also did 8 years ago but wanted to do it again to see more wildflowers. It was to Holly Lake which is 6.4 miles (one way) and 2,600 feet above the trailhead. This is a hike Erika wanted to do - I didnt have to talk her into it. Here she is looking chipper at the trailhead (it wasnt cold, all the gear is for the mosquitos)

A view across String Lake at start of the hike

There were some beautiful patches of columbine.

A view of the trail on the way up.

Monkey flowers

Saw a bunch of Heather just before reaching the lake.

Ma at Holly Lake - notice proof of the elevation on the sign (9,410 feet).

Our lunch spot - doesnt get much better than this.

On the way down on the tricky snow sections. Ma made it down without having to inspect the snow up close and personal despite some very slippery footing.

The next day we did a "warm down" walk (only 3 flat miles) to phelps lake in a new addition to the park called the Laurence Rockefeller Preserve - it is an old inholding owned by the rockefellers that was recently given to the park service with a few new flatter trails. Get there early (especially on weekends) because parking is limited and they have a parking attendant to make sure you only park in the designated parking lot.

At phelps lake we saw several types of columbine - spectacular. The rangers think that they were seeded by the previous owners (the Rockefellers)

another columbine

Saw a pretty bird (species unknown) in its natural habitat - a parking lot.

On the way home we stopped to see grand prismatic spring in Yellowstone.

West Boulder

2009-07-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Over july 4th weekend me and Rebecca went to the West Boulder drainage (south of Big Timber) and did several hikes. In the first two days we identified nearly 50 flower species (and probably saw another dozen that we couldnt identify) - Here are just a few of the flower pictures and a few others.

Unidentified yellow flowers in front of burned trees.

Iris

Wild rose

A great view of west boulder meadow -

An incredible field of flowers.

On Sunday we thought we were in for a short (4-6 miles roundtrip) hike to Elephant head Mountain. We were wrong, 12 miles and 3,000 feet up later we were tired (and didnt actually make it to summit because there was no official trail). Here is a picture from the road - the mountain isnt visible in the pix.

A view of Elephant head Mtn. (supposedly it looks like an elephant head from the other side -???)

Rebecca trying her hand at glisading.

Glacier Geology

2009-07-16T11:14:00.001-07:00

Rebecca and I took a geology course (actually Rebecca was the co-instructor) with Carroll College. The first day we went up to Ptarmigan Tunnel and learned alot about the history and features in the rocks (even though most of my pictures are flowers and scenic we did look at lots of rocks - rocks just arent as photogenic).

We saw a baby Ptarmigan(??) on the Ptarmigan Tunnel trail.

View of lake elizabeth from Ptarmigan Tunnel.

A view of Old Sun Glacier from Ptarmigan Tunnel.

The second day we hiked up to Siyeh Pass - just before we got to the exposed pass it looked like things were going to get nasty. But as we got the top and had lunch it all cleared up and the afternoon was beautiful and sunny - we even saw a grizzly mom and cub (fortunately from a far distance - no photos) on the way down.

Here is a picture of the group.

These are limestone columbine

We ran into a huge field of Glacier Lillies.

A wider view of the glacier lillies

There were tons of bear grass on the lower portion of the hike

Towards the end of the Siyeh Pass hike we saw this waterfall on Barring Creek

Trip through Desolation Canyon

2009-07-13T11:25:00.001-07:00

Took a trip in late June on the Green river in central utah through Desolation/Gray Canyons with Rebecca, Todd, Suzanne, Will, Jake Scott, Janice and Connie. This is our first camp - the bug shelter came in very handy the first two nights!!

this rock had a big hole in it .... so of course I had to climb through it.

Rebecca preparing for the storm....

We had a big hailstorm in the middle of the first day -after that the weather was very nice.

We saw some very nice shell fossils (these are something like a mussell shell) in one of the side canyons at our 2nd camp

A cool rock known as mushroom rock

The gang working hard

One of the petroglyph sites we visited.

A pretty sunset.

Prickly pear cactus near a petroglyph site.

Some pretty flowers at our second camp.

Its the desert in summer - who needs a rain jacket (.... or pants ..... or a tent fly).... not Connie. Here is Connie modeling the latest in extreme sports wear!

Connie (without the rain jacket)

The Carsleys (notice they are properly wearing their lifejackets even though the trip leader failed to warn them of the consequences if they didnt)

The Bennats during one of the many calm stretches.

Rebecca and Janice trying their hands in the padillac

Rebecca and Janice in-sync

The Joe Hutch Canyon Rapid was the only big rapid in the canyon. We all made it through fine, but this one boat in another group had some problems as you will see in the next several pictures.

Where did everybody go?

Just seconds after this shot, the boat hit the big rock to the right and dumped all the folks out again (talk about a bad day)

A columbine in Rattlesnake Canyon

The happy group on the last day of the trip

Spring Trip to Yellowstone

2009-05-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

For mothers Day weekend, Erika and Eric went to Yellowstone. This was our best sighting of the weekend. A grizzly below the bridge near the Tower/Lamar Valley intersection. We were safely on the bridge above him.

Saw several Sandhill Cranes

Sunday morning was as beautiful and calm of a day as you can get. This is a pic of Electric Peak reflecting in the Swan Flats ponds

Lunch with a set of antlers at the Blacktail Patrol Cabin on the shore of Yellowstone River

It was amazing how this antler was "naturally" perched right next to these flowers.

Ma's 75th in Sedona

2009-05-13T11:44:00.001-07:00

In honor of Ma's 75th birthday all her children and children-in-laws took her to Sedona for a week. This is the house we rented with fabulous views from the deck. I spent as much time on the deck as I could no matter how many hats and gloves i had to wear!

Sunrise on our first day in Sedona - notice the snowfall in the hills above Sedona from a storm the day we arrived.

A pretty sunset from Doe Mountain

Cactus flower

Here is the whole gang on our first full day in Sedona (My cowboy mustache was a temporary thing)

A pretty lunch spot on the Munds Wagon Trail

Theres a new board game out -- note the name in the middle. Its not a camera trick. Herb made this board and it looks exactly like the real board just with different names of places that we've all lived at over the years. Instead of "going to jail" you get to "go to Long Island" for your punishment.

A beautful church built into the rocks. According to the information at the site the architect was inspired by the empire state building.

Sunrise north of Sedona with tourist ballon.

Herb, Trying to get liftoff from the Vortex at Devils Bridge.

The last sunset of our trip - view from Doe Mountain

Tetons in Winter

2009-01-20T17:13:00.001-08:00

Erika and I went down to the tetons on a warm and sunny weekend in January. We had great weather (as you can see) and saw several Moose during our travels.

View of the tetons from the idaho side.

View of tetons from inside the new visitor center at Moose. The cool thing in this pix is the shadow of the roof on the snow. The visitor center roof as several "peaks" to try to be like the peaks of the Tetons - the sun angle was perfect this morning and I caught those shadows in the snow

With the warm days and cold nights there was a lot of hoar frost on the snow - I didnt capture how much it sparkles in the sun in this picture, but its still pretty.

Another view of the tetons

Oregon Coast

2008-11-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

After my Mt rainier trip (see next blog - i put them in the wrong order) I went to the Oregon coast, but I got lucky and was able to see three cute stinkers (including a very new stinker) at their new home in Oregon (oh yeah, I also got to see Jen and Eric...yawn) ........................................... just kidding jen&eric

A view of the coast line and the Haceta lighthouse in the background

The crashing wave in the background is about 40 feet tall- caused when waves hit the rock wall along the shore (I couldnt find anyone to stand next to the wave to get a better scale on it.)

This is a horn which is a hole in the rock that allows water to spout when the tide is high enough and the crashing waves hit the shore.

This is the old lighthouse keepers house at Haceta Lighthouse. It is now a B&B - Right on cliff overlooking the ocean - you can see this house three pictures above that shows the coast line and the lighthouse

This is a pretty waterfall at the top of the more famous Multnomah Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge (just east of Portland)

Erics trip to Mt. Rainier

2008-11-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

I took a work trip to Portland and stopped at Mt. Rainier on the way. Four days in the park with only one sunny day - thats the day I hiked up part way to the top. And I was the only person wearing shorts that day (the sun kept my legs warm!)

Here is a good picture of the Mt. rainier with a bunch of guys starting their climb to the top (the top is over 14,000 feet) - I think the climb is typically done over 2 or 3 days.

I was taking pictures of the huckleberry bushes when I turn around and here is this 2-3 year old black bear walking about 50 feet from me (notice the blonde hair on his back). Actually I dont know if it was a girl or a boy - I didnt get THAT close

Here he is again eating some huckleberries

Saw lots of waterfalls - this is a small one along the Wonderland Trail

The colors were just starting to change

Trip to Heart Lake

2008-09-14T19:23:00.001-07:00

Ma and I hiked up to Heart Lake. Much of the hike was in a recent burn area. Thus, there was lots of fireweed plants - the flowers were gone, but the leaves were all bright red. Felt like fall back east. Hunting season started in two days so we saw LOTS of pack horses ("dont step in that horse sh...... oh never mind it will rub off eventually") and hunters going in.

more colors

we made it to the lake!

Wonder if they named the beer after the wilderness area or vice versa?

More colors

Kayak trip on Yellowstone Lake

2008-09-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Our hike to Heather lake

2008-09-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny hike on the way up (on the way down we got hailed on)

A beautiful field of asters

Erics trip to Glacier Nat. Park

2008-09-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Gunsight Lake

Sunrise on St. Mary Lake and Wizard Island

Another sunrise on St. Mary Lake

There were lots of glacier lilies on Logan Pass

Bighorn sheep were pretty friendly

View from the kayak on St. Mary Lake (before the wind picked up and the whitecaps started)

Erics trip down the Main Salmon River

2008-09-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

View of the river after a steep hike!

View of the confluence of the south fork salmon with the main salmon

A big rose at an old ranch

We found ripe cherries at an old abandoned orchard (also saw some nectarines, but they werent ripe)

Our trip to the Tetons

2008-09-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Field of wildflowers on a hike up the south fork Teton

Columbine flowers

We saw Emmy Lou Harris at the ski area

At the top of Grand Targhee ski resort with Grand Teton behind us

This is Upper Mesa Falls near Island Park - the wildflowers along the road were amazing this year

Miscellaneous

2008-07-01T07:49:00.001-07:00

Teal and Jules on recent hike on Helena Ridge Trail

A picture we just recieved from a friend from our grand canyon raft trip last year. Sherry is in the red life jacket. (notice the cool lawn chair strapped to the back)

A recent trip to Lake McDonald (Glacier National Park)

Grammies Hog

2008-06-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sherrys Turning 50 this year - 'nuff said

Notice the cool basket and streamers!!!

Craters of the Moon National Monument

2008-06-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Me and Ma on top of North Crater (an illegal hike, but we dodged the cops -- I wasnt worried, I'm faster than her.)

One of the prettier flowers we saw in the park

I convinced Ma to go into the biggest cave in the park -- she wouldnt go into any of the small tunnels, but this one had plenty of head room.

This is no ordinary cave. It has skylights and stairs.

She may be smiling, but its just hiding the fear as she slides and climbs out of the cave.

Ma survived the caves, and as the saying goes... whatever doesnt kill you makes you stronger! You can see how strong it has made her.

Erics trip to Zions NP

2008-05-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

indian paintbrush growing out of a vertical rock wall

a self-portrait ("gobble--gobble")

sunset in the canyon

this is called angels landing - the hike goes up that narrow face - they have chains in many areas to make it easier. When i looked over the cliff a little more I saw some specks on this rock face - see next picture.....

on the vertical face of the rock in the previous picture I happened to see a few campers - they had spent the night at that spot - probably 400-500 feet from the valley floor

Looking straight up from a slot canyon

i really was there!

Erics trip to Bryce Canyon NP

2008-05-16T11:53:00.001-07:00

sunrise from bryce point

another sunrise from bryce point

sunrise from Bryce Point

Looking down some very tight switchbacks on a trail down into the hoodoos

looking back up from the previous shot - way up towards the top there are some people hiking down

this area is called the "hat shop"

sunset on the hoodoos

view from a tunnel on one of the trails

hoodoos

Erics trip to Moab/Canyonlands

2008-05-16T11:46:00.001-07:00

sunrise over the green river

sunrise in canyonlands

another sunrise in canyonlands

a sunset in canyonlands

a view towards the green river from an overlook in Canyonlands NP

lithified sand dunes in canyonlands N.P.

A view into a dry drainage during hike around Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands N.P.

some kind of flower near Fischers Towers

Erics trip to colorado national monument

2008-05-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

some lichen

Monument valley in colorado national monument

Monument Valley in colorado national monument

A shot in Monument Valley - colorado national monument

May Trip to Yellowstone

2008-05-14T11:55:00.001-07:00

Rocky Mountain Bluebird

Fortunately this print on the trail was only from a black bear (you can tell by how close the claw marks are to the foot)

Ma was hoping to see a fox and we did!

We saw some sandhill cranes outside the park

Bighorn Sheep

Me and ma were hiding behind the car about 50 feet away

Me and Ma got a little close to this griz

Montana sunrise

2007-11-26T11:22:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving - hunt for Xmas tree

2007-11-26T11:17:00.001-08:00

Heather and Allie sledding down the road
Eric and Tara about to get pulled uphill by Matt
Two little stinkers
Three big stinkers
Can you say bratwurst?

More Flowers from Sherrys Garden

2007-09-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

zinnias are doing really well this year
A rose ...
the same rose a few days later.

Grandbaby visit

2007-09-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

The Christenson family came to visit us over Labor Day weekend - here are a few pictures. Tara on the trampoline.
Morgan having fun with Teal
Sherry, Morgan and funny Tara (wonder where she gets it from.... Jenny?) at the Carousel.
More from the Carousel

One of the Roses in Sherrys garden.

Grand Canyon (part 1)

2007-08-20T18:44:00.001-07:00

One of the boats in our group going into Lava Falls...
The same boat flipping and people falling into the water.
A spring called Pumpking spring (due to the orange color)
Notice both the wonderful tanned feet and the many painted toenails (most of the group was men).
The "Pillar of Fun" river runners.

More from the Grand Canyon (part 2)

2007-08-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Monkey Flowers
A 100 foot tall water fall, Deer Creek Falls
Another beautiful side canyon, Havasu.
Good morning Sherry! Our luxury accomodations on most nights was on the boats (cooler than on land) - Average daytime temperature was 120 degrees.

More from the Grand Canyon (part 3)

2007-08-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

Eric and Sherry enjoying the waters in Elves Chasm

Sherry enjoying a shower during a hike up Stone Creek
Eric enjoying a shower too.

More from Grand Canyon (part 4)

2007-08-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

View from the river to the top of the south rim (The Watchtower is a small speck in this picture).
Sherry and Eric in Granite Rapid
Sherry and Eric heading into biggest wave on the river (Hermit Rapid) - wave is about 20 feet tall.
Exiting Hermit Rapid
Waterfall in side Canyon

More from the Grand Canyon (part 5)

2007-08-20T18:16:00.001-07:00

View from top of south rim of the grand canyon at sunset (Mathers Point)
Start of float through the grand canyon. Passing under the Navajo Bridge
A lily by one of our campsites
Waterfall in Saddle Canyon
A beautiful tributary to the Colorado River, called the Little Colorado River.

Colorado mountain hike

2007-06-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Eric, Erika and Teal hiked up to Colorado Mountain to look at wildflowers (particularly these blue camas lilies) - It was a 7 mile hike for the two-legged folks, but the four legged one ran about 20 miles.
Heres Teal contemplating her next activity

Trip to Crow Creek Falls

2007-06-17T15:04:00.001-07:00

Sherry, Eric and Erika took a hike to crow creek falls (about 50 feet high) in june. Its a 7 mile round-trip hike, but we took the long way (10 miles). But because we took the long way we got to eat strawberries and find these morrel mushrooms. Sherry sauteed them in butter and her and Erika enjoyed them - Eric had one
This is crow creeek falls.
This is a lady slipper orchid that we saw on the trail

our trip to craters of the moon national monument

2007-05-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Craters of the Moon Nat. Monument

2007-05-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone in April

2007-05-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Tizer Gardens - Mothers Day

2007-05-18T19:28:00.001-07:00

More from arches

2007-04-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

MORE FROM ARCHES

2007-04-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

These are some more pictures from my recent trip to Southern Utah

Trip to Arches

2007-03-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

pictures from Arches - March 2007