Sharing photos, videos, vintage images I've discovered, and -- occasionally -- commentary and thoughts from retired life and travels.

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Balcony House and more

November 26, 2009

Mesa Verde’s Balcony House is a very memorable — and challenging — place to visit. It certainly isn’t for those who have a fear of heights or a problem with tight spaces. Those with health problems that prevent strenuous activity should not attempt this tour.

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From the park website:  The Balcony House tour requires visitors to descend a 100 foot staircase into the canyon; climb a 32 foot ladder; crawl through a 12 foot, 18 inches wide tunnel; and clamber up an additional 60 feet on ladders and stone steps.

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The climb out:

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Rain in Montezuma Valley:

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Tansy Aster against a ruin wall:

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Mesa Verde National Park, September 14, 2009

We had tickets for a 10 AM ranger guided tour of Balcony House.  We had been to this ruin at least two other times before, the first in 1986, when we were in our mid-thirties.

To get into the ruin requires a bit of a climb, shown in the two views below and the one on the right, which exaggerates the steepness of the ladder because I had to rotate the image a little to get it all in.

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Waiting to go through the small passage:

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A hungry coyote zeros in on food — found on road:

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Rabbitbrush with Sleeping Ute Mountain in the background:

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 14, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About

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Rattler!

November 9, 2009

Click on any of the images to view a larger version.

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Karen had stopped and was starting to slowly back up before I realized what we were hearing.

We both backed up a short distance. The rattler didn’t move and I got a snapshot of it.

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 13, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published
on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About

September 13, 2009 – Mesa Verde National Park

We were hiking the Knife’s Edge Trail near the Mesa Verde campground, with Karen in the lead, reading from the trail guide booklet, while I was trailing behind taking pictures.

Suddenly, we heard a very characteristic sound, a sound we’ve heard many times in the movies and on TV.

Most of the trail was plenty wide, but, in this area it had started to narrow a bit.

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Of course, the rattlesnake blended in very well with the vegetation along the side of the trail. In the closeup crop on the right, I’ve outlined the head and tongue and added an arrow pointing to the rattle.

We didn’t turn around and go back down the trail. There was still a ways to go yet, so, from a safe distance, I started scuffing gravel and rocks toward the snake with my foot.  After a little bit of that, it uncoiled and slithered into the brush, still rattling until it was a good ways off the trail.

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Mammoth Cave Whitetail

October 4, 2009

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
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Mammoth Cave National Park images
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Haw Creek galleries

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Another trip to over 12,000 feet

September 29, 2009

Rocky Mountain National Park — September 5, 2009

We’re really not much for spending a lot of time in shops or arts and craft shows any more, so after Saturday morning in Estes Park, we decided to head back into the park again — up to Trail Ridge Road by way of the old Fall River Road.

(click on any of the following photos to view a larger image.)

Sure enough, a nice group of elk, bedded down for the day

Sure enough, a nice group of elk, bedded down for the day.

One of the many switchbacks on the one-way Fall River Road

One of the many switchbacks on the one-way Fall River Road.

Quite chilly, with 46 d with a 26mph wind speed for a 37 wind chill

Quite chilly, 46°F with a 26mph wind speed for a 37°F wind chill

On the way back down, headed to Estes Park

On the way back down, headed to Estes Park.

Soon after we were in the park, we saw sure signs of wildlife ahead.

Soon after we were in the park, we saw certain indicators of wildlife ahead.

On the way up, we saw much more fall color than just a few days before.

On the way up, we saw much more fall color than just a few days before.

By the time we were at the top, it was starting to spit rain with a little bit of frozen stuff mixed in.

At the top, it was spitting rain with a little bit of frozen stuff mixed in.

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Trail Ridge Road at about 12,000 feet above sea level

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 5, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published
on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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Elk along the Madison

September 20, 2009

elk along the madison river, yellowstone national park, wyoming, september 15, 2007
Madison River
September 15, 2007

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
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“Around the Lower Loop” Yellowstone gallery September 15, 2007

check out our Yellowstone information page
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Haw Creek galleries

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Bull !!!

September 10, 2009

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I first saw this big fellow from the road below the campground. He and ten or more other elk had moved up into the trees between the campground, which is on a lateral moraine and the Moraine Park meadows below.

I walked back up the trail to the camper to let Karen know about elk being very close to the campground and then walked a few sites down to see if I could see them again. Sure enough, there they were. This big bull elk was in the woods slowly moving up the valley.

At about the same time, I could hear a bunch of coyotes yipping off in the other direction. We had heard a some a couple of nights before, but not nearly as clearly.

Eventually the bull elk bedded down for the day. I guess they are most active at night with their feeding and breeding. The meadows are closed to the public from 5 PM to 7 AM during the rutting season. The closure started the first week of September.

Where this guy decided to bed down was pretty neat, too — right below our campside. I took the picture of our camper below from the same spot that I shot the image above.

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This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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