Chech out west 2019

[Chechem]

  this is just beautiful Chechem. Thanks so much e-cred for the pics. God made such beauty man does not even understand. Well done sir. RTR!

I'm glad you enjoy them, Ricky.  Thank you.

[Chechem]

Wednesday My 29th:

Mrs. J and Jamos went north today to visit Mammoth (in YNP) and Gardiner (the town).  Meanwhile Buddy and I went to Hebgen to fish with another friend who drove down from Whitehall MT to join us.  The J's had a grand time, and told us all about it at dinner tonight.  We had an absolutely beautiful day on the lake (blue skies, no wind, high 70).  We all caught fish, but none really big.  I caught a rainbow trout that was edible size, but that was the only one worth mentioning.  I haven't downloaded its pic, so I'll include it later.

This afternoon we all drove over to Earthquake Lake to visit the museum dedicated to the 28 people killed during the 1959 earthquake.  We also stopped at Three-dollar Bridge for a lesson from Buddy about the history of the Madison River.


The earthquake caused a huge landslide, and a mountain collapsed.  It buried a campground, killing 28 people.  


Three-dollar Bridge


Three-dollar Bridge on beer label


Herd of Rocky Mt Bighorn Sheep (all rams) in the road.  Jamos managed to stop just long enough on the busy highway for Mrs Jamos to snap a pic of their butts and junk.
 

[2Stater]

 

Chech, how did the bridge get it's name? Did it used to be a toll bridge?

[N.AL-Tider]

I found a computer at work that doesn't filter the images but I still can't see the video yet.  Really beautiful pics Chech.  Like 2 said, I'd love to know the origin of the name of that bridge...

[Chechem]

I found a computer at work that doesn't filter the images but I still can't see the video yet.  Really beautiful pics Chech.  Like 2 said, I'd love to know the origin of the name of that bridge...

I pay my $3 when I fish there!   

It earned its name because for the last 40 years landowners have charged anglers $3 to park there.  They tuck the money into a big steel safe that has been rusting away on the parking lot for decades. Payments are on the honor system, according to Jess Armitage, one of two partners who own the property, which is part of the Candlestick Ranch.

Click here for link

[Chechem]

Thursday May 30, 2019

Buddy and I went into the park before daybreak.  Jamos and Mrs J did some touring of the town, packed for tomorrow's travels, and went into the park this afternoon.  We met with the Jamos family for dinner, then returned to our motels to watch the softball game.

We saw 2 bison in the road just in time this morning.  Their eyes lit up, so we saw them in the darkness.  They're dark brown, so they are almost invisible.  We got to the Lamar Valley by daybreak, saw a car pulled over, and they pointed to grizzlies walking up a steep hill.  We saw the Mama and one cub before they topped the hill.  There were twin cubs.  Then we found wolves and watched them for 2 hours, found 3 moose, a badger, newly hatched Sandhill Cranes, etc etc.

We got delayed at daybreak while a herd of bison crossed the road.  Buddy managed to capture fun pics of 2 baby bison playing "bully"; head butting and spinning around.



Lots of mooses.  






The Sandhill Crane eggs finally hatched:



Grizzly boar (male) far up a hill:



We saw 5 Black Bears today, including this one right beside the road:


Four wolves had a reunion right in front of our spotting scopes; three blacks and a gray (no pics of the gray).  Thanks to information from "LeAnn", a wolf watcher, we set up on a hilltop.  During the two hours there we saw a wolf from our left walking west along the river, and it met with 3 other wolves moving east.  They played, tumbled, and challenged herds of bison (trying to separate a baby from Mom's protection), then walk east for a mile around a corner and out of sight.  

The white on the collar of the wolf at left is a GPS box that tells researchers where she is.  This wolf is #1107, a female of the Junction Butte Pack.  She has puppies, but nobody has seen them out of the den yet.




On the drive home along the Madison River we suddenly saw a bear ahead.  We pulled over and waited, and it walked right up to my car and crossed the road right in front.  All 4 pics are through the windshield.

[2Stater]

Wow, y'all hit the jackpot yesterday! Great pics! 

[ricky023]

  gosh well done Chechem. RTR!

[Chechem]

Friday May 31st:

Another beautiful day; 35-70 degrees on the lake.  We fished early, then thunder sent us home early about noon.  It never did rain, but storms come fast at this elevation (7000'), so we always get off the water when necessary.

We each caught 5 fish; not great, but some good fish and plenty of laughing and fun.  Here are my best two (cold at dawn and fogged my lens):

[2Stater]

Nice! 

[Chechem]

Friday addendum:

After dinner we drove into the park for a fun outing.  We watched birds (osprey, goldfinches, chipping sparrows, etc), and I photographed this Mountain Bluebird.  In Firehole Canyon we saw this newborn elk calf and its Mom:

[2Stater]

Sweet!

[N.AL-Tider]

Wow!  Chech, those are awesome pics.  I especially like the pics through the windshield of the grizzly bear.  Why didn't you step out of the car to get a little better pic though?    The fat guy in overalls did... 

[Chechem]

Saturday June 1st:

What a day Buddy and I had in the park.  Saw 9 bears!  We left at 4:15, found the "Slough Sow" grizzly and her 2 cubs, got pics, then found numerous other bears (black and cinnamon), some bighorn sheep (all rams), then yellow-headed blackbirds, a moose and its yearling, and a cooperative fox.  Mixed within that was a great breakfast at the bakery in Cooke City, and beautiful weather.
Our friend, Rosie, is cooking dinner for us: real burritos.  Yum.

Griz and her 2 cubs:



Cinnamon bear (right next to the car):




Black bear:


Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep:




Red Fox




Yellow-headed Blackbird on a rock:


Pronghorns (males):


Osprey on nest:



Click here for link

Bald Eagle for Ricky:


Trout Lily:

[2Stater]

Looks like another banner day, Chech. You're killing it!

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