Apparantely I have exceeded my quota of posts on this site so I would urge all those following to join me on my facebook site where I continue daily my OUTDOOR ADVENTURES.

The sun has risen lighting the badlands east of Dubois accentuating its canyons and spires.  It becons to one-Come and hike and explore and discover my many secrets, canyons and wildlife.  But come on my terms.  Be willing to leave all cares behind.  Be willing to sweep everyday work and appointments out of your mind and let yourself go.  Here you will find meaning within your life and be reluctant to leave.

It has been fun watching the wildlife that has shown up in our area such as this Mule Deer Buck who along with a number of does and fawns and one other two point buck.  They certainly have acted like they are in charge and what are we doing here?

There are just so many adjectives one could use in describing the magnificence of Bighorn Rams.  The really hold their heads with deep pride in showing off to the ladies around and also use horn display and gestures as intimidating objects to the other rams in their midst.

Such a wonderful array of color, texture and design on the willows along Torrey Creek highlighted by the soon to be setting sun

As the waters of the surrounding countryside freeze up more and more Waterfowl are showing up on the river where for a distance of about 15 miles beginning above Dubois on downriver the waters never freeze from the hot springs that feed into it.  This creates a winter paradise for waterfowl such as these Canadian Geese and Goldeneyes who themselves have spent the warm months in the high mountain lakes.

With the onset of winter the glaciers are no longer melting sending their discharge down Torrey Creek.  It is now a stream reduced in size to the point it looks to be way too small for its streamed.  It has uncovered boulders and stream bottom entities that are hidden from view throughout the warmer months.  The low light of day catches the willows, grasses and boulders. and snow in an array of light and design.

Dubois is known for many things in the natural world.  Foremost is its Bighorn Sheep herd.  The largest in the United States.  Right now they are coming down from the high country and establishing their positions in the Boys club and vying for the attention of the ladies.  It can be spectacular in the ways they go about this and folks worldwide are in the area with cameras and paintbrushes trying to capture the events.  There are several film Crews doing videography including National Geographic, National PBS, and the BBC from England.  I myself took yesterday afternoon off and shot a few pictures including this Ram that seemed intent on having his picture taken.         

Vicki called me down from my studio the other morning informing me that this fellow was tearing into one of our Junipers big time.  I got his picture as he strolled by the dining room window.

Monday morning the temperature is up but only because the gusty winds that makes the teens brutal.  Mule Deer are huddled down in the Sagebrush nearly out of sight as they await better conditions to venture out for browsing.

Sunday morning it is an even zero degrees.  The snow is crusty with the cold that crunches noisily underfoot.  Living accomodations such as these tepees up the river from my house might be a bit cold today.

Winter began in  earnest friday with first some snow then [very unusual for this country]turned to rain then back to snow in the afternoon.  By Saturday morning there was 4" on the ground.  And cold.

Horses at the Lava Creek Ranch along the Wind River peacefully enjoy the late afternoon sun grazing away on grasses that within days will dissapear under a heavy coat of white till spring.

Even though we thought winter was upon us last week the weather has turned unbelievably warm melting snow high up in the mountains so we still await winter.  All our leaves are gone and we wait.  The willows along the Wind River reflect the last light of day as the sun sets over the Wind River Mountains and the Wind River itself gives in to the approaching shadows of night.

Our wether has once again turned abnormally warm with a lot of melting going on even at high elevations.

I took the afternoon off at the gallery yesterday to do a little hiking and found myself dropping [sliding is more the term for it as the warm temperatures had melted the snow to the point it was pure mud underfoot]into a little canyon of Black Rock Creek west of the continental divide.  It took a little scrambling over steep l=slopes and willows and was surprised when I came upon a well traveled game trail that crossed the creek at this point.  Many of the areas wildlife have used this as a crossing point.  I was able to identify elk, deer, moose, a coyote, a wolf and a Grizzly in the melting snow.  Looking at the lay of the land it is obvious just why this crossing would be so.

The other day I posted a photo from my studio of the morning sunrise.  Last night was even more spectacular as God again painted the sunset from my studio.

The East Fork river valley is a picturesque area that masterfully catches the colors of sunrise and sunset in such a spectacular way.

Thousands of acres were purchased by the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission some years ago and though quite controversial at the time it has proven to be  a stroke of genius what with the habitat it has protected and provided for all wildlife not just for the elk winter range it was mainly bought for.

For the artist and photographer it is heaven on earth.

The big Mule Deer bucks have been moving into the valley as they do every year.  I have seen several pretty nice ones and sunday morning at daybreak I went in search of them.  One particular large fellow has been hanging around the Blue Holes area and sure enough that is where I found him.  He is a beauty as large bucks go with that second white spot on his neck.  He was with a number of does and fawns and while they stood watching me he immediately began heading nonchalantley toward the river.  I was afraid he would not stop for his portrait but in true Mule Deer fashion he did and turned perfectly for this picture.

 Togwotee Pass at nearly 10,000 feet in elevation.

Every nook and cranny is accentuated with light and dark from the early morning sun.  It appears as if the whole landscape has had Marshmallow cream poured upon it.

Mount Moran rises majestically above the Buffalo River valley of Jackson Hole.  A lone wisp of a low cloud will burn off within an hour or two in the rising sun.  

It will be another day in paradise

About five miles west of the continental divide crossing Togwotee Pass one suddenly breaks out of a patch of timber and the first view of the Teton come into view.  Spread out across the horizon it is spectacular and always something new in the moods it shows off.  

Very soon the willows pictured here will be completely obliterated under a deep covering of snow not to reappear until late May or early June of next year.

The sunrise this morning from my studio looking out across the Wind River.  Not a bad way to start the day.

My resident deer population dropped by yesterday afternoon for a short visit and to get a drink from the river.

Our old reliable chinook winds have dropped by and warmed things up quite a bit melting the lower elevation snow but dropping more in the high country.  It sets the clouds sailing with occasional sprinkles of rain.  Late afternoon on the East Fork is a great place to capture the late afternoon light created by the moods of the weather.

Our weather has definitely taken a turn to winter.  Very gray skies and cold with even single digits yesterday morning.  Color is reduced to dark and light.   Even in the Badlands east of Dubois that is such a spectrum of color and light.

Winter has definitely decended upon Wyoming with about 4" of snow in central Wyoming near Casper where I had to make a quick run to the past few days.  These Pronghorn Antelope were busy searching out breakfast.  More snow fell last night and the temperature this morning was 7 degrees.

Our snow temporarily ended yesterday with clousy skies and flurries.  The mountains in particular got buried with up to 18" and undoubtably more in places.  About an hour after I took this picture snow moved back in for several hours and there is more forecast in the next several days.  And cold.

Yesterday morning it began snowing lightly about 7 AM  By 10 the flakes got serious and were about the size of silver dollars dropping about two inches in town before dropping off to flurries.  In the evening it began raining at 33 degrees that is totally unheard of in this country.  By morning we had just under 1 inch of moisture.  A real God send.  We needed this so much.  The mountains were buried in the white stuff with up to 18" on the ground.  More forecast the next few days

This morning is dark and overcast with a wet snow just now beginning to fall.  It is so great to finally be getting some moisture.

It also allows me to post one more photo from the other mornings sunrise.

From Spring Mountain looking towards the Parque Creek area of Horse Creek.

This morning it is gray and we even had a sprinkle of rain overnight. 

 Yesterday morning was so impressive a sunrise I decided to post another picture of the light show.  

Sunrise on the Ramshorn from Spring Mountain.

This mornings dawn revealed a mostly cloudy sky and very warm temperatures that precedes a forecasted change in the weather later this weekend.  Cooler and rain-snow is forecast.

Even so the rising sun casts a most beautiful orange-crimson color and glow across the mountain landscape.  Magic indeed.

Sunset of the Tetons from "First View" west of Togwotee Pass

The fierce heavy winds of the past couple of days have deposited much of the leaves on the cottonwoods along the river onto the ground leaving a golden carpet to walk upon.  Even so a few areas with wind protection have allowed the trees such as this view from my bridge to maintain their color.  Against yesterday mornings cloud cover it made for a beautiful sunrise of  contrasts of color and mood.

After being gone for several days where I had a little laser surgery on my left eye we returned driving the last 20 miles through a fierce wind driven rain storm.  This morning found the mountains covered in a blanket of white.  Our first moisture in over a month

We have yet to receive any moisture the month of October and with the years sever drouth the streams such as the East Fork River are showing a lot of stress.

It has apparently been a good year for Blue Grouse as I have run into them quite often  including this one who along with his family were moving through the forest in search of evening groceries and letting an artist get some great pictures

Sunset over the Tetons.  Simply spectacular and spell binding.

The Ramshorn Peak veiling and unveiling itself with a low cloud in the DuNoir Valley.  Adding drama to the pastoral scene

It continues to be quite dry and with no snow.  Way late for that to happen.  We have experienced some cooler weather though ind a few nights getting into the single digits as well as into the teens.  That ;has really frozen the leaves on the trees and the vegetation has gone to a beautiful orang and gold to a dull brown in many areas.  Willow along Brooks Lake Creek though do sport a beautiful orange-rust color.

At the bottom of the hill near the hiway both cubs waited for mom to give directions on crossing the hiway.  A young girl on the opposite side had also stopped having seen them and was busy taking pictures of her own.  This made mother bear quite nervous as she was real close to where mom wanted to cross.  Several times she would step out onto the hiway and back off.  She then ran up the side of the road and into the timber.  I didn't see them again.

Last week I was surprised to see the "Three Bears" that I have off and on spotted and followed all summer.  The cubs have really grown in the nearly two months since I had seen them and they have really filled out.  Mom and cubs look great.  

I spotted them from the hiway as I descended Togwotte Pass high up a side hill and running straight down.  The cubs would arc ahead nearly going into a sommersault they were running so fast.  They then would stop to wait for mom and of again only to repeat the process

The Aspens are nearly gone now but still pleasant to hike through.  Was a little chilly this morning at 28 degrees and a little mishap crossing a marsh on a log missing the last step and going to my knee on my right foot left me a little mud covered and wet.  Good time to end a hike and turn on the truck heater.

Hiking through an Aspen forest with its sights, smells and sounds is akin to a walk through heaven.  If the streets of heaven are paved in gold it is surely the gold carpet of Aspen leaves with the sun drifting through the tree tops onto that pathway lighting it into a golden light fitting for any king.

A young buck Pronghorn Antelope enjoying the warm Wyoming late September weather that continues quite warm and dry

Aspen season when the Aspens turn to gold just dos not last too long in the high country.  After being gone a few days even I was surprised this morning to find just how many bare trees there are up Horse Creek.  Only those sheltered from the wind hold onto their dress of yellow and orange.  And proudly do so.

It is unusual in our area to have red and orange colors in Aspens but this one little spot just east of Dubois is one of those places.  Contrasting with the Pines and other yellow Aspens they are a delight.

The incredible colors of Spread Creek.

The Wind River just east of Dubois flows along the edge of the "Badlands".  Made even more spectacular by the changing of the season heightened by the late afternoon sun shining through scattered cloud cover.

My kinda road.  A little bumpy at times and even Rock and Rollish but the sights you see.  O K  This one is pretty good.

This morning high clouds have moved into our area and along with the area smoke has created what I refer to as a clously day.  Even so the colors along Jakeys Fork this morning made even a "clousy" day most beautiful.

A nice grizzly track on the Burroughs Creek trail with a dime dropped in for size comparison.

Makes one respectful of his presence.