Grand Teton's 2011
Vedauwoo: Favorite site for Mountain climbing as I was lucky enough to capture several groups in the act. Vedauwoo is an area of rocky outcrops located in south-eastern Wyoming, United States, north of Interstate 80, between Laramie and Cheyenne. The area is within Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest. Mountain bikers, anglers, hikers, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and rock climbers come from all parts of the world to sample the area's natural beauty. Climbers find some of the best wide crack climbs (called "offwidths") known. There are over 900 routes currently on record. Also of note is signage posted at the kiosk indicating that Vedauwoo was formerly used as a military testing ground, until 1961. The signage advises that unexploded "ordinances", if found, should be left alone and reported to authorities.
Dubois, WY, home for wintering Big Horn Sheep. Didn't see any but the area was loaded with birds of every species. Stopped by a lake to capture this Mountain Bluebird.
Dubois, WY, home for wintering Big Horn Sheep. Flicker coming in for a landing. They feed off the pine cone seeds.
Flicker
After leaving Dubois it was on to the Tetons' traveling west on 287. Before getting to Moran Junction there is a scenic overview that we stopped at. This is probably the best way to approach the Tetons' because a visitor will see them in all there grandeur from afar off. Took a lot of shots from this vantage point and had to do a few dozen panoramas while we were there.
Yep another Pano of the Tetons' outside Moran Junction on 287 scenic overlook.
Prior to our trip, The Tetons' was covered with a haze from Yellowstone forest fires located just north of the Tetons'. The good Lord was with us because two days before our arrival a series of thunder storms cleared the skies leaving behind some dynamite clouds. Naturally you must be flexible with your shooting schedules so at 5:00AM on our first morning in the Tetons' it was off to Ox-Bow Bend to capture the sun rise over these great mountains while utilizing the cloud cover. At this moment the hues of purple from the mountains are best seen.
Prior to our trip, The Tetons' was covered with a haze from Yellowstone forest fires located just north of the Tetons'. The good Lord was with us because two days before our arrival a series of thunder storms cleared the skies leaving behind some dynamite clouds. Naturally you must be flexible with your shooting schedules so at 5:00AM on our first morning in the Tetons' it was off to Ox-Bow Bend to capture the sun rise over these great mountains while utilizing the cloud cover. At this moment the hues of purple from the mountains are best seen.
There were two things that were top on the list to Photograph on this trip and it was The Oxbow Bend and The Icon second only to the mountains, The Moose. What can I say but we got them both on the first day out. Taken at Moose Junction outside of Jackson Hole WY. This big guy was laying in a field and after a long wait he graced us for a photo-shoot.
This guy was very photogenic and did not seem to be bothered by all the cameras clicking away.
This was the Moose at Moose Junction.
This Moose was standing in the Snake River as we crossed the bridge into Jackson Hole. He stood there for an hour or more which allowed us to park the car and hike back to the bridge and join the hundreds of tourist on the bridge taking pictures.
These Mountain Blue birds were easy to photograph.
Another shot. This one was under contract to me for a photo-shoot.
This view of Middle Teton was taken while hiking a trail along the lake by the dam.
Hiked to Hidden Falls after taking a boat ride across Jenny Lake to get to the trail. Hike a mile before coming to the falls. There was a small opening in the trees and it was 2:30 in the afternoon. In oder to take this shot I used a 6 stop ND filter and polarizer. Not bad for such harsh light.
Went back to the Ox Bow to get another picture of the Tetons' but with a clear sky. Got ther at 5 AM with some other dedicated photographers and after we had all gotten set up and spread out along the snake river one of the guys at the water's edge noticed a Moose among our group. Apparently he had been laying down in the tall grass along the bank. Needless to say photographers and equipment started moving to higher ground. This guy passed right in front of us on a path leading to the water's edge. He could not have been more than 50 feet away. It all happened to quick to switch from landscape shooting to wildlife, but what an experience. He did however swim the river for us.
Niala and I had a close in counter with a Bison and a Grizzly the previous year in Yellowstone so we were not interested in seeing them this trip but what better than to see a Trumpeter Swam surrounded by fall colors. Trumpeter Swam are on the endangered species and their numbers are decreasing in the Yellowstone area at an alarming rate. The lakes where they migrate to in the Teton area were closed to all traffic due to the sensitivity of this species. This one was in a cove off the Ox Bow and was not intimidate by the long lens cameras photographing from a long distance away. Awesome.
Wildflower on our hike to Phelps Lake.
Came across a large herd of horses on what remains of a horse ranch. I don't think they were wild but in this setting they were beautiful and this one caught my attention.
In 2010 I capture a breathtaking view of the Grand Prismatic Spring but failed to get a view of it from the side on lower ground. We drove up into southern Yellowstone on our last day in hopes of finding Elk and to get this shot. There is a halo of orange and blue steam that hovers over this spring.
This is the blue steam halo that I was after. The hiking trail we were on goes past the Grand Prismatic and the elevation of the trail puts the steam at eye level. Check out my 2010 album to see the aerial view from on top of the mountain we climbed.
Heading home we spotted this controlled forest fire burn in the wee hours of the morning. I used a long lens to capture this but we were a good mile away so the heat of this fire would indicate it was a large and hot fire.
I was attempting a macro of this flower when this guy landed on it. OK time to refocus on the bug. This is a Green Metallic Bee.
I am not sure what type of flower or pod this was but will update this caption once I find out.
Comments