September 2020

Grand Teton National Park is only 10 miles south of Yellowstone; the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range as well as the northern portions of the valley known as Jackson Hole

Finally saw a black bear!!!; this was the best photo I was able to take since the bear stayed in the bushes and behind a tree most of the time

Bradley Lake was scenic but I saw no animals around; driving to the park from Teton Village we saw moose, elk and mule deer

The best hikes in Grand Teton National Park tend to be long and steep; Lee managed them with no problem while I opted for easier treks

The squirrels were tiny so I think there was some interbreeding with chipmunks; we stayed at the cheapest place in Teton Village and the same place I stayed when I visited in 1993

The A.W. Moulton Barn is supposedly the most photographed barn in the state due to the beautiful Tetons in the distance; nearby fires in Idaho were obscuring the view when we visited

There is a boat service across Jenny Lake to cut 2 miles each way off of some hikes but the boat only runs from 10-4; with most of the hikes very long these hours don't help

Broken Falls descends 300 ft over seven drops on the eastern side of the Grand Tetons before entering Moose Pond; there was still plenty of snow on the mountains in mid-September

There was actually a moose in Moose Pond!; we watched him for a long time and were told that this was a juvenile moose and that the mom had left shortly before we arrived

The Snake RIver begins in Yellowstone and meanders through the Grand Tetons National Park on its 1078 mile journey to join the Columbia River before entering the Pacific Ocean

With most of the stores in the park closed, the few that were open had long lines to get in; they would only let a few people in and this was the only place around to get something to eat or drink

American red squirrel; these small squirrels were very similar to chipmunks excepted they lacked the distinctive chipmunk stripes

Many people hiking were wearing masks since the trails were pretty narrow; parking was the biggest problem since the crowds greatly exceeded what the park handles normally

Grand Tetons surprisingly didn't have as many good waterfalls as Yellowstone; the aspens have already turned a brilliant yellow to accent the deep green forests

This was the first large bird nest I've seen here; we saw a few moose, pronghorns and a black bear but other big mammals were largely absent

Oxbow Bend is supposed to have beavers and otters but we saw neither; movement on the Teton Fault 10 million years ago caused the mountains to rise and the valley to drop

Taggart Lake is a popular hiking destination because it's only a 2 1/2 mile round-trip hike from the parking lot; the re-establishment of gray wolves has ensured that every indigenous mammal species now exists in the park

The Teton Glacier lies sheltered on the NE flank of Grand Teton (13775 ft); the glacier has significantly retreated since 1929

Bradley Lake; the Grand Tetons have been called many things but the name that stuck was given by French fur trappers, who referred to the mountains as les Trois Tetons (the Three Breasts)

Grand Teton towers more than 7000 ft above the valley floor; Grand Teton National Park is one of the ten most visited national parks in the U.S (3.5+ million each year)

In Maud Noble's 1917 cabin a meeting was held in 1923 that launched what would become Grand Tetons National Park; her cabin is part of the Menor's Ferry Historic District

There are lots of famous photos of old houses and barns with the massive Tetons in the background; unfortunately, the Tetons were lost in a smoky haze due to the many Western wildfires

Friendly black-billed magpie; the trail signs here have been awful - either non-existent, too infrequent or just wrong; so many hikers were complaining!

This is a replica of the pontoon ferry used to cross the Snake River by early Mormon settlers; we could have stayed at the Four Seasons in Teton Village but our 4 nights would have cost $14,600!

I loved the incredible views looking down at Grinnell Glacier; it was definitely worth the steep hike up the mountain!

The big horn sheep were right on the trail!; it was so cool to see them up close as they seemed more curious than threatened by us

I loved the scenery all day on the hike and can see why it's the top rated hike in Glacier and incredibly popular; the hike starts at Logan Pass which is on the Continental Divide

In the wild Rocky Mountain goats can live 12-15 years; despite its name, these goats don't belong to the genus that includes all other goats

Grinnell Glacier is the largest and most accessible glacier in the park; this is the narrowest point (35 miles) in the Rocky Mountain range

The red-tailed chipmunk is found at altitudes between 2,360 and 7,870 ft in coniferous forests and was a common sight in the park; they live primarily on the ground but we saw some climbing trees

Lewis and Clark came within 50 miles of the park in 1805; it would be another 45 years before a series of expeditions led to what is now known as Glacier National Park

Between 1910 and 1913, the Great Northern Railway built 9 chalets; visitors would travel by horseback from one chalet to another to see the park, which took several weeks to accomplish

The Highline Trail follows the Continental Divide for most of its route; I took much more PowerAde than I ended up needing but better safe than sorry

This mule deer had to be wondering if we knew what we were getting ourselves into; he was the only deer we saw all day

Lee is turning the corner on a section of the trail called The Wall which is 6-8 ft wide and cut into the cliff; there is a hose available for those wanting a handrail along the section

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep almost went extinct in the early 1900s; males can exceed 500 lbs and females 200 lbs with mountain lions being their main predator

The trails we took were all easy to follow; I was surprised at the number of people wearing masks while hiking (maybe half)

The views of the Flathead River illustrate the U-shaped valleys indicative of past glacial activity; from Triple Divide Peak, water can flow into the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans

View of 10 mile long Lake McDonald which is the largest lake in the park; it is home to numerous native species of trout but the lake is nutrient-poor and is not considered a prime fishing destination

The Highline Trail is the top rated hike in Glacier and required us to leave our hotel at 5am in order to get a parking spot; still plenty of snow on the trail from 2 days ago

These mountain goats were below us then showed us their climbing ability as they traveled up and over the trail; the juvenile had trouble in places but stayed with the adults

The parking area for the Highline Trail tends to fill up before 7am so late arrivals are forced to park a long way from the trailhead making the hike that much longer

In 1850, Grinnell Glacier measured 710 acres but now is less than 200 acres; most of the glacier lies about 7000 ft. above sea level

This is the Hanging Rock that Hanging Rock State Park is named for; the park was established in 1936 and is an hour NW of Greensboro

Violet cortinarius; I couldn't believe how many different species of mushrooms I encountered walking the trails in the park

The Upper Cascades drop 25 ft. into a tiny pool that people were trying to play in; my hike hit all of the highlights in the park and took 6 exhausting hours

North Carolina's Mountain to Sea Trail passes through Hanging Rock State Park; the trails were all perfectly marked so it was impossible to get lost

This fungus looked like flaking paint or dead leaves; apparently this is the time of year when fungi thrive and this is the perfect climate for them

There's an observation tower on the top of Moore's Knob built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s where you can see nearby Pilot Mountain; Moore's Knob is the highest point in central NC at 2579 ft. above sea level

Hanging Rock State Park is located in the Sauratown mountain range, one of the most easterly mountain ranges in NC; the highest points are 2500 ft above sea level while the surrounding countryside averages 800 ft above sea level

I wanted to get some hiking in before heading west with Lee to the Rockies; admission to all NC state parks (except Chimney Rock) is free

Many species of mushrooms appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly; Psilocybin, a naturally occurring chemical in certain psychedelic mushrooms, is being studied for its ability to help people suffering from psychological disorders, such as OCD

Balanced Rock was the coolest natural feature I saw on my hike; it's quite different from Balanced Rock in Arches National Park

In World War I, mosses were used as first-aid dressings on soldiers' wounds, as these mosses were said to absorb liquids 3 times faster than cotton, retain liquids better and are cooler, softer and less irritating

The owner of this spider web got my award for best artistic design; it looks like a lot of work to create such an elaborate design

This could be Agaricus bisporus which is the most commonly consumed mushroom in the world; I wasn't about to eat this one since some varieties of poisonous mushrooms closely resemble Agaricus bisporus

Tinder fungus grows on the side of various species of tree, which it infects through broken bark, causing rot; they then help dead trees decompose

The hiking trails in Greensboro tend to be relatively flat and without interesting scenery which is why I made my first visit to Hanging Rock State Park

Poisonous Coker's Amanita; the campsites were open in the park but the lake and swimming facilities are closed due to the pandemic; most people just did the hike up to Hanging Rock itself

Hanging Rock State Park is home to the rare Wehrle's salamander and peregrine falcons have been known to nest in the crags on the park's high peaks; I was also alert for copperheads and timber rattlesnakes

Glacier National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site comprised of more than a million acres in western Montana on the Canadian border; we enjoyed the hike along McDonald Creek

The hike to Avalanche Lake was incredibly beautiful!; we had snow flurries much of the day (on Labor Day!) which required the closure of Going to the Sun Road and much of the park

This gorgeous gorge on Avalanche Creek is at the junction where the Trail of the Cedars meets the Avalanche Lake trailhead; the smell of the forest made it seem like Christmas

The park had 150+ glaciers a hundred years ago but today there are only about 25 and it is estimated they may be gone by 2030; there are 700+ miles of trails in the park

We saw a bald eagle take flight from McDonald Creek; park admission is $35 per person and is good for a week but I have a lifetime pass

I did not expect to be so cold on Labor Day!; I started the day with 5 layers (t-shirt, 3 long-sleeve shirts and a hoodie) before shedding a couple (I was, of course, in shorts)

Grizzlies and black bears both are common in the park so hikers are encouraged to carry bear spray; I'm more likely to grab my camera than the bear spray if I'm lucky enough to spot one!

We started out our visit to Glacier with 2 relatively easy hikes; they were also the only good options considering the road was closed at Avalanche Lake because of winter weather

The Going to the Sun Road appeared in the opening credits of the Shining and is a National Historic Landmark; it traverses the park from east to west and crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass ( 6626 ft) which can get 80+ ft of snow per year

Avalanche Lake is hemmed in on 3 sides by steep mountains with dramatic waterfalls; the lake is fed by meltwater from Sperry Glacier

One of the most iconic features of Glacier National Park is Going-to-the-Sun Road, the 53 mile-long scenic drive that opened in 1933 and boasts some of the most breathtaking natural views in North America

The water was crystal clear but I was surprised not to see any fish in Avalanche Lake or McDonald Creek; the trails were very well marked and easy to follow

Glacier National Park is part of the world’s first international peace park with Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park; the park gets almost 3 million visitors each year

I felt sad for this lone pine tree growing out of the rock; it's hard to tell but the pine tree is alive and was practicing social distancing before it became required

Much of Glacier is closed this year because of the pandemic; this seems illogical because it forces the many tourists into a smaller area; the shuttle bus system is also not running making some hikes more difficult

The popular Canyon Overlook Trail is east of the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel and offers one of the most photographed spots in the park; cost to enter Zion is $35 per vehicle good for 7 days

I struggled at times on the Shelf Canyon hike trying to get around boulders but the payoff was this super narrow slot canyon; Southern Utah has the densest population of slot canyons in the world (100+)

The Great Arch is one of the most famous sights in Zion Canyon and is easily visible as you approach the ZIon-Mt. Carmel tunnel from the west;

I was surprised to find this condor in Shelf Canyon; these birds can live more than 60 years and usually have a diet consisting largely of carrion

It's difficult to capture the cliffs with my camera so I tried the panorama mode on my iphone for this shot; the Upper Emerald Pool is at the bottom but it's hard to see

The squirrels aren't aggressive but are always nearby in case someone drops something; maybe this one thinks he's a prairie dog!

I needed my geologist friends with me to provide commentary on the cool rock formations in Zion; many visitors fly into Las Vegas which is only 2 1/2 hrs away

Throughout the park you'll be amazed at how trees ever grow in such a rocky, inhospitable area; there were no people at all on two of my hikes on the east side of the park

The Least Chipmunk is the smallest in North America; they survive the winter by entering torpor (technically, not hibernation) for long stretches of time, waking to eat food cached in their burrow

Zion National Park is more easily visited than either Yosemite or Grand Canyon since the town of Springdale is just outside the entrance; the park is most famous for the Narrows and Angel's Landing hikes

Unique Checkerboard Mesa has vertical lines formed from expansion and contraction of the sandstone due to water and temperature changes while the horizontal lines were formed from erosion caused by wind

The Many Pools Trail is noted for the potholes formed in the sandstone by snow melt running down the mountain; spring would be the ideal time to see the water in action

Mountain blue jay; the 1+ mile long Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel links Zion with points east like Bryce Canyon; large RVs require an escort (traffic is stopped going the opposite direction) in the narrow, 100 yr old tunnel

A Methodist minister named this vista the Court of the Patriarchs with the highest peaks named for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; it's hard to imagine how early settlers navigated the West where water is so scarce

It's amazing to me how the cliffs are so sheer; the Upper Emerald Pool is in the center of the photo at the bottom where you can barely see the rock discolored from water seeping out