A Few More Buried Treasures

I am not entirely sure why I am doing a post with winter photos when it is August. Maybe it is because we keep having days over 100 degrees and I am longing for some cooler weather. But, what do I know? I'm not Freud ----- or, Columbo.

I also don't remember why I was at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in the dead of winter. I think I was in Western Montana primarily for the National Bison Range, National Wildlife Refuge and thought I would see what was at Ninepipe. The short answer is not much in the way of wildlife  --- except for these two Ice Fisherman out in the middle of the lake.  I always think of Minnesota when I think of Ice Fishing, but it obviously happens in Montana too.

Fishing on Ninepipe Lake, Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, Montana

On the other hand, when you get up into Alberta, and the temperature is minus 11 degrees, the only living animals you can find are those that don't have warm homes. Such is the case with these two Caribou that were out in the middle of Medicine Lake.

Caribou on Medicine Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta

More Buried Treasures

Much of Central Washington is desert, not unlike the scrub deserts of Arizona. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees in May, June, July, Aug, and September. The difference is that there are also many lakes in the Central Washington desert. Between the town of Soap Lake (population 1700) and Coulee City (population 600) is a lookout point. Looking south from this stop you get this view:

Blue Lake, Washington

Looking north from this stop you get this view:

Dry Falls Lake, Washington

Dry Falls is a 3.5 mile long scalloped precipice just south of Banks Lake. At the north end of Banks Lake is the Columbia River,  the Grand Coulee Dam (the largest dam in the US), and Roosevelt Lake (formed by the dam). Dry Falls was once the greatest known waterfall that ever existed, 10 times the size of Niagra Falls. Water flowed through the Upper Grand Coulee and over the 400 foot falls at a speed of 65 miles per hour. It has been estimated that the flow of water was ten times the flow of all the rivers of the world today combined! Oh, maybe I should mention we are talking 13,000 years ago. There's a fascinating history about how this all occurred. 

Dry Falls Lake was one of my favorite fishing lakes in Washington. (Fly fishing only and with single barbless hook). My record catch was 74 in one day, all over 18 inches.  I have many wildlife photos from this area including my first Porcupine. But, the photo I want to show you is as I was coming into the park one day and needed to stop at the pedestrian crosswalk: 

Sun Lakes State Park, Washington

Those are Canada Geese. Mother and Father with 20 - 25 chicks. Wonderful.

Buried Treasures -- Fishing

As I have talked about, it was a love of fly fishing that lead me to my wildlife photography. I started fly fishing in 1984 as soon as we arrived in the Northwest. After seeing bear, moose, etc. on my fly fishing trips I decided a camera would be a nice accessory. So, from about 1988 to 1995 I was doing both fly fishing and wildlife photography. But by 1995 (I figured I had caught over 10,000 fish on a fly) I was spending more time with my camera than with my fly rod. In fact, I remember one five day "fishing" trip into British Columbia in 1995 that I never got my fly rod wet. It was then that I realized my love/passion had changed. Now I suppose I have several hundred "fishing" stories that would bore everyone to death, so I will limit my stories to this one post.

If you are serious about fly fishing lakes in Canada a 4x4 vehicle WITH WINCH is a must. (I have a few stories about how I learned that lesson). But, since a picture tells a 1000 words, how about a couple of photos (all photos from British Columbia):

The "road" to Enrst Lake

The road to Frisken Lake
It's not just the mud here, this can be very slippery.

The road to Okay Lake

The Road to Hosli Lake
Yes, I got stuck and needed my winch to pull myself through.

Here I am fishing on Blue Lake

Yes, that's me 18 years ago with a 27 inch Kamloops Rainbow Trout

Buried Treasures -- Ice Climbing

There is not a big "Ice Climbing" following here in Southern Arizona. Not sure there's much anywhere in Arizona for that matter. But, here's the story:

I was traveling in the Canadian Rockies, looking up on the mountain cliffs specifically for Mountain Goats. On one occasion I saw this frozen waterfall with ice that looked blue. I thought to myself that it might make a nice photo. So, I got out my tripod and was focusing in on the waterfall when I noticed a black looking "spec" on the ice. I got out my binoculars and was surprised -- if not dumbfounded -- that it was a person climbing the ice.  

You can see -- or, maybe not see  -- what I saw in the first photo:
(You might get a better view by clicking on the photo).

Ice Climber just to the left of the tall pine tree in the lower right portion of the icefall.

Using my Super Telephoto Lens I got the following photo:

Close-Up of the same Climber

15 or 20 minutes later, and further down the Icefields Parkway, I came across another "Icefall" and another Ice Climber:

The Ice Climber had made it to the top of the ridge just below the top of the Icefall

Close-Up of the same Climber

Now, I have to say that I know next to nothing about Ice Climbing. But it looks to me more dangerous than mountain climbing. It also looks pretty cold. But, what do I know?

The Forgotten Tangent

English may be the language of Shakespeare, but he is not responsible for its unbearable inconsistencies. As I was preparing my post on "Buried Treasures" I typed the word "berry" instead of "bury."  As a wildlife photographer I like to photograph "bares", oops, I mean "bears".  Somewhere I have a photo of a bear eating berries, but I think the photo is buried among thousands of photos so I can't bare the thought of looking for it, which is unbearable. 

My apologies for the tangent!

Back to Wells Gray.  Winters in Wells Gray are almost unbearable. Even bears can't bare it so they hibernate. Okay, Den, stop it.

I remember one winter it was minus eleven degrees Fahrenheit. Being in the middle of nowhere I slept in the back of my truck (4x4 with winch). When I woke up I had that strange taste in my mouth so went to brush my teeth only to find that the toothpaste had frozen. In fact, everything in my truck was frozen  ---  EXCEPT WHAT WAS IN MY ICE CHEST. (So I kept the toothpaste in the Ice Chest from then on).

In terms of Wildlife, Wells Gray has black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, mountain lions, lynx, bobcats, wolverines, moose, deer, mountain goats, caribou, fishers, martens, minks, weasels, etc. So it has provided me with wonderful wildlife photos over the years.

But another amazing aspect of its nature are the lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.

Baileys Chute is relatively small waterfall on the Clearwater River that cascades a modest 30 feet. Yet, the Clearwater River's volume is so significant it creates quite a spectacle. In the fall, during the salmon run, the cascading nature of the falls and bedrock make it impossible for the salmon to move any further upstream. The salmon can be easily seen (and photographed) trying in vain to jump the chute. In the spring and early summer, the volume of the Clearwater River will often reach and exceed 35,000 cubic feet per second. 

In 1998, Christine and I took our son Matt and his new bride Rung for a week in British Columbia and Alberta. I took them on my usual wildlife photo route. Our first stop was Wells Gray. Here then, photos of Bailey's Chute:

Here from a distance as we first arrive at Bailey's Chute (note the 20 - 25 pound Salmon trying to get up the Chute).

I climb down to get a better photo (Christine's photo)

The better photo

Buried Treasures and Tangents

I was going through some old photo albums from 20 years ago and came across some photos I liked that never got scanned into my computer  ---and for which  the negatives were long since gone. So, I scanned  the print and imported them into my digital photo library.  The result is not quite as good as if I scanned the negative, but it is fun to see these old prints now on my computer. Anyway, my thought was to share these "buried treasures" over the next couple of days, starting with this literally buried treasure:

The outhouse in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia

Wells Gray is one of my favorite places in North America. It is the fourth largest park in Canada covering over 1.3 million acres of incredibly beautiful wilderness. A single road takes you into the southernmost third of the park. The rest of the park can only be accessed by foot. It is a true wilderness area. The park is noted for several 9,000 foot peaks in the Cariboo Mountains, and several amazing waterfalls, the largest of which is Helmcken Falls which plunges water some 500 feet. 

Here is a photo of Helmcken Falls taken during the summer:

Helmcken Falls during the summer

From the same angle but taken in the Spring:

Helmcken Falls during the spring

Same angle but with wide angle lens and taken in the winter:

Helmcken Falls during the winter

Different angle in winter:

Helmcken Falls

Winter close up from below:

Montosa Canyon and the Rare Plain Capped Starthroat

Yesterday, I decided to do something I had never done before. People have been reporting the presence of one or two Plain Capped Starthroat Hummingbirds in Montosa Canyon for over a month. I had gone three previous times looking and only once gotten a glimpse -- including marginal photo taken from quite a distance as he sat on a tree branch.  This last time when I arrived at the culvert on Mt. Hopkins Road in Montosa Canyon I found two gentlemen who had set up a hummingbird feeder. These birders were from Montana and excited about birding in Southern Arizona. I asked one of them who was kind enough to write down his answer (because as you might know I have become essentially deaf). He said there have been two Starthroats hanging around the feeder. So, I was excited and stood by. After a few minutes a hummingbird came to the feeder. The gentlemen said that was one of the Starthroats. He had been so nice I couldn't bare to tell him that it was not a Starthroat, but a female Black Chinned Hummingbird. I knew this because I have gotten close and gotten very good photographs of the Plain Capped Starthroat before.

So, yesterday, I headed out to Montosa Canyon once again, this time with my own Hummingbird Feeder. I put it in the same place as his was, and within 30 seconds there was a male Broad Billed Hummingbird using the feeder. I also took a fold chair, my lunch, water, and of course my camera --- oh, and of course, some insect repellent. It's Monsoon Season here in Southern Arizona which means bugs. Unlike Alaska, whose mosquitos are the size of Texas, the ones here are microscopic, so you don't know that you've been eaten alive until you start getting welts all over your body. Anyway, I sat patiently by for a little over two hours, but no Plain Capped Starthroats. The Broad Billed and his partner, plus one or more female Black Chinned Hummingbirds frequented my feeder. As I said to begin with, I have never done that before, i.e. put up a feeder or use any kind of food to attract birds or animals in the wild. While I didn't get what I went after, it was very peaceful sitting in the wilderness along a stream of running water, enjoying not only the hummingbirds but the many butterflies that show up after rains. That alone was worth the trip.

I did see a nice pair of Western Tanagers although not very close. I'll include a photo of them as well. So, here the's best (?).

Male Broad Billed at my Hummingbird Feeder

Female Broad Billed Hummingbird

I should look this bug up.

What I like about this photo is you get a nice look at the plumage on his back.

A Wildflower I should probably look up as well.