I've been Dreaming about the Mountains again

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Grand Teton National Park

Dreams do Come True

As I am working through all the photos I have collected I start to dream at night. I dream about the mountains that I once walked through. Now I walk through sky scrapers. But my heart is still happy, I am not dying over here. I dream, I dream about adventures we will do. Nothing will be like the Rockies, but it will be a new experience. Once I didn’t know about any of these places, and I lived a good life back then too, I’ve just moved on. If it is one thing I have learned, dreams do come true, maybe not in the exact same way as you imagined, but pretty close. This life is like a whirlwind of adventures.

Fieldwork

That summer in the Tetons, and Yellowstone was incredible. My T-shirt snug to my back by all the sweat I produced while counting tree seedling along a transect covering black soil in 95 degree weather. Counting seedlings and tree stumps. We were dirty once we were done, black of sot, and swam in the Yellowstone river or the lake afterwards. It was one of my best summers. I am happy when I am in the mountains. Mountains makes me happy.

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The Mighty Tetons

One Photo Per Day

1/26/19

48.

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Wilson, Wyoming. March 2015

Death Canyon

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Adventure Tuesday 

Hiking in the Tetons

    We went hiking in Death Canyon in the Tetons during our time there. As with all places you have to get there early, to beat the crowd. I am one of those too, one of those who get up early to try to get some views of the nature. I think many people have bears, bison, wolves or any other mammal on their list to see. I have seen a fair amount of bears and bison, less wolves but many coyotes. I would be very happy if I saw a large mammal, from a great distance, but if I don't I am still really happy. I love being outside, I love being able to see views, views of the mountains, views of the deep forest and views of all the tiny little flowers, or the texture of a rock. It’s a magical landscape, once you get down on your knees and start digging in the dirt you start to really appreciate the small things in life.

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Death Canyon Trail

    The Death Canyon trail is about 10.5 miles. This day we weren't aiming for a far or fast hike, we just wanted to be out and about.  W's mom and our friend's parents were with us too, and we enjoyed walking slowly and talking about ecology and geology as we continued towards phelps lake. Once we got to the lake we had lunch, just some sandwiches we brought, but we enjoyed the downtime in the shadows. It was once again a pretty hot day, and the mosquitos were all around us of course. We never ventured into the canyons themselves, but we enjoyed looking at these magnificent mountains and the stories they silently tell. I love being out and about, watch the day slowly go by, I love seeing the details. Sometimes you can’t see the trees for the forest, just like you cant see the forest for the trees.

Magical Landscape of Christmas Trees

    The Rocky Mountain forest is so beautiful. The trees are a lot different from the typical black spruce you see in Alaska. They are in the same family, but belong to different genera. The Douglas fir stands tall in the forest, tall and green, and beautiful. A typical christmas tree. Depending on what elevation you are hiking at in the Rocky Mountains, you will see different species, Douglas fir in the lower elevation and whitebark pine at the higher elevations. Sometimes you even see an Engelmann spruce or lodgepole pine, but mostly in between (in elevation)  whitebark pine and Engelmann spruce. 

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Have you ever been hiking in the Rockies? What is your favorite spot?