Clepsydra Geyser

I've finally finished the edits of my Montana work and thought I'd share a quick image. During a large portion of the trip it rained but in my editing I found that I did in fact make the most of the time between the rain drops and at least when it comes to bacteria... the rain makes things beautifully saturated.

Mammoth Hot Springs Always Changing

The Mammoth Hot Springs terraces make me think of ancient ruins dreamt up by H.P. Lovecraft. I half expect some alien creature to open an unseen door and step out of the terrace in front of me. On close inspection I realize I'm not that far off.

The terrace is formed by water heated from the hydrothermal features in the park interacting with limestone. As the hot water travels the Morris-Mammoth Fault it dissolves the limestone rock. As the water reaches the surface it begins to cool, releasing carbon dioxide and depositing the remaining calcium carbonate as travertine. Anything in the way becomes coated and eventually is consumed and integrated into the framework of the terrace.

So what are the alien creatures I alluded to earlier? Thermophiles - millions of them. These heat-loving microorganisms thrive in the hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park. Archaea live in the hottest waters, some plate-like, others spiral or rod shaped. The cooler waters are home to Sulfur-oxidizing filamentous bacteria. These bacterial colonies are responsible for the beautiful colors we see in the pools of water. The colors change based on the water temperatures, flow and the amount of sunlight.

So next time you find yourself peering deep into the colorful pools in Yellowstone, remember, you are looking into the home and lives of millions of bacteria. Don't worry - this type of voyeurism is just fine!

Off to Death Valley

Packing up the car and heading out of town with some good friends in tow! I'm so excited to get out there and camp... get some dirt under my fingernails and some photos with my newly reconfigured gear. Every time I'm in the desert I come away with something completely different and I am hoping for some exciting new images out of this trip. Last time we had some pretty amazing skies as you can see from the pano of Zabriskie Point. Who knows what we'll find next...

My Coyote

I am EXTREMELY far behind in updating this blog so the next few entries are going to be WAY out of order. I apologize in advance but I am going to just jump straight to my personal highlight of the trip.

I was in Yellowstone with a group of 7 photographers and our amazing guide Wim. Everyone on the trip was hot for Bison and while numbers were down... there were plenty of healthy, well-fleshed and rather rambunctious Bison to go around. Personally... I wanted a coyote.

I love coyotes. I know a lot of people don't, they think of them as pests, thieves and nuisances... that maybe true when they are breaking into a hen house but my experiences have shown them to be quiet, mild mannered, playful survivors.

I heard Coyotes howling the first day of the trip in Lamar and counted at least 25... at a very far distance. As we were leaving a location I spotted one near the road and shouted out that we should stop.... oh the joys of being on a tour instead of by yourself... I was over-ruled with a "We'll see plenty more later in the trip". Nope. We saw 5 more later in the trip, each of them farther than the last... taunting me.

Our last morning we had two hours to photograph before we had to drive out of the interior to meet a bus in West Yellowstone. And once again... we stopped for Bison. I was half-heartedly shooting with my 500mm when I realized the scene really called for a shorter lens so as the remainder of the group continued hiking up the river bank, I headed back to the snow coach to pick up a shorter lens. I was chatting with Wim and taking my time getting my camera and lens set up when Wim jumped up and said "There, right there! Your coyote!". I lept from the snow coach and crept around the side and sure enough, walking right past the coach was a beautiful coyote. She paused and looked back at me as I rattled off shots and just as my memory card was full... she hopped off the road and headed up the hill into the thermal area. Wim helped me locate more memory cards and I bolted through the snow... ok... a slow lumber is probubly a better description of my movemements... you try running in 3 layers of thermals, heavy snow pants, a down jacket and Baffin snow boots and see how fast you can go! Luckily I was fast enough!

I was able to track her up the hill and into an area filled with mist from the thermals. She watched me briefly and dismissed me as a non-threat before settling down on a nice warm patch of ground. My only problem was I had a 300mm lens and it was hand-held! My 500mm on the tripod was sitting at the river's edge a long way away. I was certain that she would leave if I went back for it so I made the most of the moment with what I had. I was only able to signal one other person in the group so Bridgit and I had this beautiful girl all to ourselves for at least 30 minutes before the guys int eh group realized we weren't just photographing trees and maybe they should check out what were we so intently focused on... The coyote stuck around long enough for everyone to get a few shots and then she stood, stretched and trotted off down the river.

Next year... I need to learn to cross country ski and get out there alone!

Joshua Tree

We've finally made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the North American Nature Photography Summit... or as my husband likes to say 'NAMBLA'... to which I always shout back 'NANPA'!!

But first Iain and I spent a few COLD days on the ground in Joshua Tree. I have been to Joshua Tree only once and only for one night as I was passing through to other locals. I've been eager to return to the park since. I have to admit, while I enjoyed the park, I wasn't at all thrilled by the ranger staff. The ranger at the gate was disinterested, wanted to see the park pass and wave me on as quickly as possible. I asked what his favorite camp site was and he paused and thought, I pressed further and asked which was the quietest... the one word answer... Belle. Ok... so we entered the park and started to check out all of the different camping sites. As I was driving down the main road I caught movement out of the corner of my eye... an absolutely beautiful coyote was standing on a rock in the most icon of desert southwest scenes. I slowed and pointed her out to Iain and no sooner had I done so but a ranger swooped in, obsuring the view and demanded to know why I had stopped on the road. I pointed past him, obviously excited and babbled about the beautiful coyote that I had spotted and he stated "Well, you can't stop here." Rather than argue and face expulsion from the park I grumbled and moved along. Aren't parks meant to be enjoyed? What ever happened to slow leisurely driving through a beautiful area? Granted the traffic Jams created in Yosemite and Yellowstone by visitors gauking at the wildlife can get teadious but not allowing people to even pull over to the side of the road to admire nature in a National Park??? I guess this behavior isn't tolorated in Joshua Tree.

We did end up in Belle, camp site #3 which was tucked behind a rock outcrop, shielding us from the worse of the cold wind which was blowing through. By the time we got the car unpacked, the tents pitched and camp set up we had just an hour before sunset. We raced (within the speed limit of course) to the Cholla Cactus garden. We ended up with about 10 minutes of light before the sun disappeared behind the mountain, throwing the valley into darkness. The wind picked up and it was bitterly cold so we decided to make it an early night.

The next morning the storm clouds had rolled in and we were regreting not trying for star trails when we had a clear sky. We headed out to Keys View and in woolen hats, layers of thermals and down jackets we were able to face the wind and work on capturing the spectaular view of Coachella through the Indio Hills. One tourist asked Iain why he was crouching beside the path taking pictures when he had a perfectly good view from the lookout point. Iain pragmatically said "Why don't you come down here and see for yourself". Surprisingly the guy did and he was so pleased with the view of the trees in the foreground that he agreed it was a better angle. Funny that people so often follow the herd and rarely explore beyond what someone else tells them they SHOULD be enjoying.

With the overcast skies we ended up in Hidden Valley working the Yucca spines and cactus that fill the box canyon. Before I knew it I had been working the same plant for 45 minutes! The clouds got darker and darker until they finally opened up and let loose with the snow. As I snuggled in for the night, watching the snow and sleet coat the top of my tent I've never been so appreciative of thermals and flannel lined sleeping bags!

Teaser

I'm back!!

Just in from a wonderful week in Katmai National Park at the Katmai Wilderness Lodge. Tons of Grizzly Bear, Harbor Seals, Otters, Kittiwakes and Puffin. Over the next little bit I'll be telling you all about it. For now, I need sleep.

Glacier Bay National Park

There are no roads into Glacier Bay National Park, access is by boat or plane only. While many people who visit arrive on large cruise ships and never step foot on the land around the glaciers, there are many who arrive in their own boats or even plan kayak trips up the fjord created by the retreating glaciers. It is an incredibly pristine area that is home to some amazing wildlife.

I entered the Bay on a 120 foot yacht with 18 fellow passengers run by American Safari. We had our own naturalist on board the vessel but we stopped in Bartlett Cove and picked up our own private ranger who acted as our guide. We spent two days cruising the fjords, kayaking, skiffing and hiking and watching the huge cruise boats motor up to a safe vantage point to the glaciers and then turn and motor back out of the park. I felt sorry for the people trapped behind the glass windows on those boats. They didn't get to see the pile of 6 river otters that tumbled out of a cave in front of our skiff, they didn't get to watch the green-wing teal cavorting at the edge of Lamplugh Glacier as we hiked past and I know that the baby mountain goats were just specs in their binoculars if they knew they were there at all. Standing on shore near a 250 foot wall of ice, listening to the glacier groan and crack, smelling the clean fresh air coming off the ice and the cool breeze on my face was incredible. I've already decided that I need to go back next year with a kayak and spend some time camping. Now I just need to find some people who aren't afraid of a few brown bears to go with me... paddling against the wind by yourself can be hard.

In 1794 Glacier Bay wasn't a bay at all. It was an enormous glacier up to 4,000 feet thick, 20 miles wide and extending over 100 miles into the St Elias mountain range. By 1879 when John Muir visited, that glacier had retreated more than 30 miles. By 1916, the Grand Pacific Glacier had retreated more than 60 miles to the head of Tarr Inlet. As a glacier moves forward it pushes a protective layer of rock and debris in front of it. Once the glacier reached the ocean that layer was washed away and the glacier was doomed to retreat. There are currently 11 tidewater glaciers (glaciers that flow into the ocean) that break off or "calve" into the ocean or fresh water lakes at sea level. The show is spectacular. The broken bergs provide great haul out spots for harbor seals, eagles and arctic terns.

Call of the Wildflowers

"The Wildflowers are coming, the Wildflowers are coming! " The call went out and as more and more Newspapers and websites reported spectacular sightings the more antsy I became until Wednesday, when I threw all my lenses in my car and took off driving. I went straight to Lake Elsinore where I was greeted by hills so full of poppies they looked as if someone had spilled orange paint. A great resource is the Desert USA webpage: http://desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html

The best items that I remembered to bring along were a reflector/diffuser set a friend gave me (THANK YOU!), my dogs pillow and my trusty ground pod. I wish I had remembered to throw in a couple of plamps to hold the diffuser but I made due with some moves that would have made a contortionist proud. If you go make certain you have a good high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle. I love my Hybrid Escape but there were one or two spots that it just did not want to drive up - the combinations of loose shale, steep slope and no good way to get momentum going foiled me twice but I found other ways around. I saw one person on an ATV and a pair water skiing on Box Canyon Lake, both of whom looked at me as if I were a crazy person (which I am sure I looked the role). Otherwise I had the entire place to myself. I crawled around on my hands and knees, (here's where the pillow came in handy, all the loose rocks hurt my elbows until I pulled out Milo's pillow - I'm sure he'll forgive me once he explores all the new smells).

After spending the day achieving a spectacular sunburn and taking more California Poppy photos than one person should be allowed to possess, I headed off to Joshua Tree to see what the "desert bloom" was all about. I've never visited Joshua Tree before but one of my life goals is to visit every single national park in the United States.

The Joshua Trees were all in bloom and looking spectacular. What surprised me the most was what I discovered when I stepped out of the car to take a hike among the giant boulders. Everywhere I looked I found tiny yellow and white flowers and sometimes a pretty purple thrown in for good measure.

As I drove further south through the park the flowers grew more and more abundant and diverse. Even the cholla were beautiful though who ever nick-named them Teddy Bear cactus never kneeled on the spines before... OUCH! Trust me, even if the ground near a cholla looks safe, it isn't. the spines are everywhere.

After whirl-wind tour I am home to pack for Alaska where the snow and Eagles await. I had a brief taste of spring and I know I will be more than ready to enjoy it when I get home in a week. Until then, the snow pants are packed and ready for service.