Flaming Gorge, Utah

Flaming Gorge Lake in northern Utah.  The red rocks gave this area the name.

 

This taken from lake level. 

 

 

 

 

The Green River below the dam.  And it really is this green.

Sheep Creek flows into the lake.  These kokanee salmon are a land locked variety and it's spawning time.  I've circled 2 that are working their way upstream to lay/fertilize eggs--then die.

When they are spawning they are really ugly--and not good to eat.

 

Since the stream is quite narrow we could see them up close.

Then as we drove up Sheep Canyon what did we see?  Sheep!

 

This one wasn't about to move out of the road.

Further along on the Sheep Canyon Loop the fall aspen colors are gorgeous.

 

Fall is definately here.

 

Another day we took a guided tour of the Flaming Gorge Dam--completed in 1964.

A few years ago the water level was within 18 inches of the top of the dam.

Below the dam is blue ribbon trout fishing.  Looks like you could just scoop them up.

Then the weather moved in and this was as I left on Friday morning.

Headed south to Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, UT



Grand Teton NP

South of Yellowstone NP is the Grand Teton NP.  The rugged mountains rise abruptly from the valley floor.

The Grand Teton in the middle.

 

Greeting us in the Gros Ventre (Gro Vant) campground was the big bull moose who wasn't disturbed by people at all.

 

The signature of Jackson Hole are these huge arches built of thousands of elk antlers.

 

In  the old Wort Hotel is the Silver Dollar Bar with literally thousands of silver dollars on the bar top.

 

Laurance Rockefeller donated thousands of acres to be included in the NP.  On a beautiful day several of the WINs hiked within the Rockefeller Preserve to Phelps Lake.

 

Me on the shore of Phelps Lake.

 

This is the WIN group that hiked to Phelps Lake.

 

The campground was home to several moose.  This cow was interested in a young bull who was approaching.

 

Here is the young bull as he's coming up to the cow.  Then a car drove right behind the cow and scared her off so we never saw what would have happened. 

 

This is the Moulton Barn, one the most photographed barns in the country.  It is along Mormon Row which used to be a settlement of 30 some Mormon families.

 

We took an evening driving tour with a Ranger.  Saw this bison herd up close and personal.

 

This little late born baby may have a tough time if it's a bad winter.  Most babies are born in May and June--this little one not until Sept.

 

Another day we took the boat ride across Jenny Lake for a hike up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.

 

It was a beautiful hike along the stream.  Just a half mile but lots of rocks and elevation gain of 300 feet.

 

I made it to Hidden Falls but didn't go to Inspiration Point.   I was inspired enough that I made it this far.

 

When we woke on Wednesday morning to snow covered peaks we moved south a bit to LaGrange, WY.  Very barren there but it was right on the river and several of the group kayaked.

 

Now several of us are spending the night at WalMart in Rock Springs, WY.  This is the first I've had good internet in order to  post the blog.  Tomorrow we go down to Dutch John, Utah and will camp at Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

 

 

 

Yellowstone River and Yellowstone NP

After leaving Fort Robinson I joined a small group of the WINs in Big Timber, Montana.



We were camped right on the banks of the Yellowstone River.

 

There were five of us who kayaked 9+ miles of the river. 

 

 

Then we moved south to Mammoth Hot Springs CG in the National Park.  But before we could set up the RVs we had to negotiate the elk wandering about.

 

 

On one of our days there we drove (in cars) over the Beartooth Hwy to Red Lodge, MT.   Actually out of the park but a beautiful drive.  Much of it above timerline and with lots of switchbacks.

 

 

The U-shaped valleys were formed by glaciers -- way back when...

 

 

At the Mammoth Hot Springs area we viewed the springs that are bubbling boiling hot water filled with minerals which color the sediments.  Here the Minerva Springs.

 

 

Another area showing the beautiful colors.  Signs tell visitors "Do Not Touch-boiling temperatures".

 

 

Some of the mineral deposits have formed huge mounds.

 



You can see here how thin and fragile the surface is.  One bad step and .....

 



Another day we drove south to the Norris Geyser Basin, part of the huge Yellowstone caldera.

 

 

Emerald Pond.  Sometimes the steam is so thick you cannot see the emerald color.

 

 

 

 

Steamboat Geyser

 

 

Sorry aboaut the sideways photo of the Lower Falls.

 

 

And the Upper Falls.

 



On our way back to camp we encountered a bison jam along the road.

 



And also an elk jam to watch this guy wade along in the Yellowstone River.

 

 

Now we have moved on to Grand Teton National Park.  Our greeter here in the Gros Ventre (Gro Vant) CG was this bull moose quietly chewing his cud and watching these silly folks.