Simple Beauty.

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.

                                                      -Anne Frank

Photographing.

I don’t claim that I know what I’m doing when I’m photographing– but I really enjoy it. I couldn’t give you an explanation that would make you understand what an f-stop is or how to adjust your camera because I only have a vague conception of a lot of these terms.



I’m also a really impatient photographer. For example, I woke up this morning before the sun was up to head out to Hayden Valley to photograph whatever was around. (I was hoping for Bison since it is their rut season and they have taken over – but I didn’t even see one.) I got out there early enough to scope out the scene and pick my spot. I climbed up on a hill to get a good overview of the valley and then I didn’t want to sit and wait for the lighting. So I climbed back down and started to look around some more. Of course, during this looking around the sun peaked up over the edge and I wasn’t in any spot during the BEST lighting.

I’m working on this impatience. I know it’s a problem. I have other problems too.


I don’t like photographing from the road, which is what a surprisingly large number of “Yellowstone Photographers” do. (“Yellowstone Photographers” = someone who sells their pictures for a decent price.) That means if there is a pull out crowded with people to see a wolf that I won’t pull over, unless it was just discovered and there are only 5 or so cars or if the wolf runs in front of me.

There are times when I do photograph from the road, usually when I’m driving to pick Graham up, and I get frustrated that all the others around me have significantly better cameras. I am trying to take one picture and my camera has to unfocus and then refocus itself before one snap is taken and by then the subject has turned it’s butt to me. However, all around me I hear these people click, click, clicking away – sure to have gotten 10 pictures during the time it took me to take one.

I always wonder if their pictures are really worth anything though. (I have learned that having a nice camera doesn’t make you a photographer.) I’m especially frustrated this morning. I know I’ll get to where I need to be one day (equipment and knowledge wise) because I’m working on it but in the meantime I have some mornings where I just want to throw my camera at a tourists head after they come running over – yelling at the wife in the car – and scare off the Great Blue Heron that I have carefully snuck over to get a descent shot of with my little bit of knowledge and whimpy camera.

Great Blue Heron.

I just had to share my frustrations. Overall, I love photographing and will continue to do it if for nothing else but my own enjoyment. I appreciate all/any of you that have stumbled to here and enjoy my pictures and words – thank you!

NOTE:  I wrote this after a morning where I felt super frustrated and inadequate.  However, as time has progressed and I look back at the photos from that morning - there are many that I truly love due to the beauty and peace they instill in me.  Funny how that works.  I thought I'd share anyway.

Encouragement.

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.
                                                                                 -Ansel Adams

Electric Peak.

Us.

Some hikes kick your butt much more than other hikes. This one kicked our butts. We hiked a total distance of 20 miles and an elevation gain of 5,700 feet. We started before the sun was up (around 5 a.m.) and got back to the vehicles 15 hours later. It was absolutely stunning.

Sunrise.

The first half was an old dirt road that was closed to vehicle traffic. (It would have been so nice if the road had been opened up!) We watched the sun come up and brighten the mountains surrounding the northern entrance into Yellowstone National Park. 

Wildflowers.

 After we got to the end of the road, we had to cut across a beautiful display of Golden Aster and Lupine to follow along the ridgeline to the mountainside of Electric Peak. The ridgeline had a rather undistinguished trail that was hard to tell which path was the real trail and which path was a game trail. Eventually, we made it to the tree line and paused to get our rain/windbreakers on since the wind tends to be unrelenting once you get to this point.

Epic.

We moved up the steep mountainside to arrive at the rocky (aka skree) peak that we had to traverse across to get to the actual peak. This is where the group got split up (and after a rock smushed Graham’s finger and he threw a temper tantrum) – Graham decided to turn back and I didn’t want to take the dangerous path by myself. When Josiah, Berlynn and Cody got to the saddle (right before the actual peak) a group of Big Horn sheep crossed the snow right in front of them. The other half of the group, Sam, Hannah, Graham and myself took a nap on the sunny mountainside to rest for the 10 miles back down.

Total Summer Mileage: 201.5

Today.

Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could.

                                                     -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Paintbrush Divide.

Paintbrush Divide.

This past weekend Graham and I headed down to the Tetons for some backpacking. After talking to the Visitor’s Center Backcountry Office, we headed to Cascade Canyon, to the North Fork with the possibility of going over the Paintbrush Divide and down Paintbrush Canyon. The Ranger-on-Duty warned us that unless if we were intense climbers that we would probably need an ice axe – so our plan was to go as far up the divide as we felt safe and then turn around when necessary, which never ended up happening.

  

The Grand Tetons.

We parked by the String Lake Trailhead and started out going around Jenny Lake to the exact point that Bailey and I took the shuttle to a few weeks ago. It was super crowded (and no one moved over to the side to let us pass – we moved over for everyone else except two small parties)! We finally made it up and past Inspiration Point, where we heard there were two moose a short distance further (which kept the mass crowds moving down the trail a bit further than otherwise). 

Bull Moose.

We did run into two big Bull Moose. One of them was resting in a swampy area slowly chewing on grass and cooling off from the heat of the noonday sun. The second one was standing in a shady area munching on some willow a short distance (maybe five to 10 feet) from the trail where a crowd had gathered to photograph. We quickly moved away from this scene since Moose are known to be a bit aggressive and we didn’t like the proximity.

On the trail.

After we turned up the North Fork, we steadily climbed ‘til we were where the trees were significantly smaller and sparser. This was where we set up camp for the night while the majestic Mount Owen and Grand Teton proudly stood watch over us. There was a mother Marmot and her baby that hung out on a rock about 10 feet from the tent for most of the evening – just lazily watching the sun go down. 

Marmot Mama and Marmot Baby.

Shortly after we were done making dinner and relaxing for the evening, we heard what sounded like a low grumble off in the distance, which caused me to let out a small yelp. Graham jumped with a start as well – our first thoughts going to a bear. However, it turned out to be a harmless hummingbird that had appeared very briefly. As we were getting ready to crawl in the tent, the mountains turned a brilliant red as they caught the last rays of the sun’s energy. 

Tetons at Sunset.

The next morning, we started our trek up to Paintbrush divide. We went up the rest of Cascade Canyon to Solitude Lake, which still had ice covering about a third of the sub-alpine lake. From there we took an abrupt turn to start climbing up the canyon wall. There were a few small patches of snow, but nothing that was troublesome. 

Graham and Solitude Lake.

The divide was stunning (see first photo) – we were above a bowl that overlooked Mount Woodring and Mount Moran to the north and The Jaw to the south. We paused here to enjoy a simple lunch of some tuna fish, pretzels and an apple. From there were traversed down the bowl and through Paintbrush Canyon. About a third of the way down was through snow, so I was glad we were going down this way (as opposed to up) so we could slide down on our butts (which can be a rather cold endeavor) or on our feet.

Graham on a snowy slope.

It was a great weekend that wore us out. I am glad that we get out and enjoy the beauty that we have around us at all opportunities that we have available.

Grass.

We have a Yellowstone calendar behind my desk (and I couldn’t even give you the details of who puts it out or who took the pictures). A fellow friend of mine and I were discussing one of the photos – a photo of some grass. It’s a strange calendar picture so he commented, “Who takes pictures of grass?!”

I do! I love grass! I didn’t think about it at the time – but I even have a tattoo of some grass. (So does my awesome Sister!) I get questions about it all the time and I never really discuss the meaning behind it – but I think it’s my favorite tattoo.

Jack Rabbit during early spring.

When my Sister was just getting into making jewelry, she made this piece that I instantly fell in love with. After I first saw it, the image of it stayed in my head for weeks. I was learning a lot about food at the time – and how cows evolved naturally to eat grass (and chickens to eat grass/bugs and pigs to eat anything as long as they can dig for it and…).

I partially wanted it to remind me of my amazing Sister who has the passion to do anything she sets her mind and heart to accomplish. (She recently got the same tattoo in the same place – with the addition of my name underneath!) I partially wanted it to remind me of our responsibility to keep the food chain natural – and the Earth as it developed with as little of our involvement as possible.

Geyser Hill at Sunset.

Since that time, I’ve learned so much more about the natural cycle that humans don’t consciously shape. The wild animals that roam freely in my backyard remind me that the earth doesn’t belong to Homo Sapiens but that it we are blessed to share this planet with a great many creatures – many that are struggling to survive in a harsh environment that is to shrinking smaller than ever patches.

Pronghorn are some of the most beautiful and exotic (in my opinion) looking creatures in the park. They are known as the Antelope of North America because they can run up to 60 mph for up to an hour, which allows them out run any potential predators.

Pronghorn

They have the longest land migration path out of any North American land animal. They summer in Yellowstone (Northwestern Wyoming) and travel 150 miles to winter in southern Wyoming. Archaeological evidence indicates that pronghorn have traveled this same ancient migration route, which is less than 150 yards wide in some places, for at least 6,000 years. As more and more of the land in between is being divided up (and yes, Wyoming has stayed wild enough that this is just now becoming an issue), the Pronghorn are running into more and more issues with the barbed wire fences that have been put up around gas fields and in private lands. Many of Pronghorn make it through the fences; however, others get tangled on their way through and don’t make it to their destinations (or get stopped along the roads due to passing cars). Their numbers are decreasing as dangerous man-made obstacles divide their home range into smaller segments.

I have truly learned the importance of protecting our natural resources and the value of protecting that which we have managed to save thus far. I want to start doing what I can to help the small patches of native grasses (and all that lives on this amazing planet) continue to thrive where they have for thousands of years. I want to start sharing my knowledge that I’ve learned and experienced. I like that my tattoo started with inspiration from an amazing person – and has evolved into inspiring me to start to do more with my passions.

Canada Goose and Gosling.

I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do – yet. As I work down this path, I will share what I learn. I truly believe that the more I have learned about the little things I can do to help, the more that I apt to participate because (as NBC, I believe, says) the more you know…

P.S. Happy Birthday Sister!!!