Land of Smoke and Fire: Yellowstone National Park

Just before the first snowfall, our visit to Yellowstone National Park demonstrated the sharp contrast between the hot steam from the thermal springs and vents and the cold late autumn air. The reflection of the sun in the pool gives and unworldly aspect to this view of the Norris Geyser Basin. The temperature was close to freezing and every hot spring had a visible plume. Most of Park facilities were closed for the season so we had an uncrowded view of the geysers and pools.

Mountains can be really high

This photo was taken near the top of Timpanogos Mountain overlooking Utah Valley. The towns in the distance are American Fork and Lehi with Eagle Mountain is the far distance. This part of the climb is a narrow avalanche chute. The very steep trail zig-zags back and forth across this narrow ravine filled with loose rock. It is one of the more difficult stretches of the whole climb. What is surprising is how high you have to climb to get to the top. I have climbed much higher than the top of Timpanogos, but there are few very high mountains such as this where you can look directly down into the city.

Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House Complex, Buffalo, New York

Between the years 1903 to 1905, the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, designed a residential complex for wealthy Buffalo, New York businessman Darwin D. Martin and his family. The complex contains six interconnected buildings. The complex is described on the Martin House Complex website as follows:

The complex consists of six interconnected buildings designed as a unified composition, including; the main Martin House and a pergola that connects it to a conservatory and carriage house with chauffeur’s quarters and stables, the Barton House, a smaller residence for Martin’s sister and brother-in-law, and a gardener’s cottage added in 1909. The landscape design for the grounds of the complex is highly integrated with the overall composition of buildings.

The buildings, including the house, are designed in the "Prairie House Style" made popular by Wright. Interestingly, there are houses dating back to this time period with the same style in the older parts of downtown Phoenix, Arizona as well as here in the Utah and Salt Lake valleys.

Lights on Temple Square

Every year, for many years, the world-famous Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah has been decorated with thousands of brilliant lights. This year was no exception and we took the opportunity to make the short drive to downtown Salt Lake City to see the lights. The lights are a reminder to us and to the world that Jesus Christ is the "Light of the World."

Finding Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs are evidence of the ancient inhabitants of the American continent. In the desert Southwest, the climatic conditions are optimal for the preservation of these artifacts. Fortunately, many examples of this ancient rock art have been preserved. Fortunately, many of the petroglyph sites are so remote as to be inaccessible. In other cases, the rock art easily approached but nearly impossible to see. You have to look carefully at all the rock surfaces that might have been used. For the Colorado Plateau states, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, there are a number of guidebooks showing the locations of concentrations of rock art.

Christmas on Temple Square

Isaiah 9: 6-7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Christmas in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Christmas is a special time of year and there are few places that capture the feeling and importance of the Christmas season more than downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. One of the most beautifully decorated places is the foyer of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (formerly the Hotel Utah).

Lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah

Every year there is a massive display of lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah that extends into the surrounding area. This year's display was spectacular and the weather cooperated for our annual visit to see the lights. We love walking around with the crowds of people and viewing the displays and enjoying the spirit of the Christmas season. This is a special time of year and we look forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and remembering the stories of his birth and life.

Clouds over Timpanogos

We have had an interesting weather year so far. It was warm until late in the Fall and only one major snowstorm so far. Timpanogos has been covered in snow quite a few times, but the snow has melted on the west side in between snow storms. Right now, it is covered in snow and it looks like it might stay until Spring. There is another big snowstorm forecasted and we might be able to use our newly purchased snowshoes by next week.

Rock Layers

You could get caught up in the color and texture of the sandstone on the Colorado Plateau, but what is most evident is the layers of rock laid down over millions of years and then eroded away into the fantastic array of shapes. None of these areas is very inviting to permanent living, but they are very interesting to visit. This happens to be the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah.

Hiking in the Superstition Mountains

When most of the country is cold and snow-covered, the desert Southwest is balmy and inviting. Winter is about the only time that hiking in the Superstition Mountains outside of Phoenix, Arizona is recommended. The warm, sunny days are perfect provided you still follow the good practices of taking enough water and being prepared for rough and very difficult country. As I grow older, I miss my outdoor opportunities.

A Dead juniper

You have to wonder why this tree died. Junipers live for hundreds of years and grow throughout the Colorado Plateau. It is very unusual to see one that had died completely. Most of the time, they look like they are on their way out, but seem to put out branches and keep going. This is especially strange because the surrounding pinon pines and junipers look healthy. Live or dead, junipers make good subjects for photos.

A Study in Black and White

One of my young grandsons was recently taken to a movie that turned out to be in black and white. He could not understand why the movie was not in color. It is true that color is ubiquitous today. But it is also true that some photographers still prefer black and white photos for a variety of reasons. Here is the same photo that is shown above in what is really gray scale and not just black and white when the color is restored.

Since I see the world in color, I relate more to the image in color. But, I still see the attraction of the gray scale image. What do you think?

Last Light

As we get closer to the Winter Solstice, the sun goes down before 5:00 in the afternoon. We live in almost perpetual shade. But here, in this canyon, we could see the last of the sunlight on the top of the ridge. The sky was clear and except for the high mountains, we would be basking in sunlight.

Land of Rock and Sky

People lived in this land. Long before it was possible to dream of National Parks, people lived and died in this land. You can only wonder what they ate and how they got water. Although it appears to be a desert, it is not really a desert. There are streams and rivers. An average rainfall of less than 6 inches of rain a year defines a desert. Here, even during these years of drought, there is significantly more rainfall than the measure of a desert.

Sunlight Captured in the Ice

Sometimes, long after a photo is taken, you go back and can't quite figure out what you saw at the tie the photo was taken. In this shot in American Fork Canyon, the reflection in the water and ice comes from a distant ridge of the canyon. But it is somehow captured in just this one spot on the surface of the creek.

A Colorful Hot Spring

We found the best time to go to Yellowstone National Park was late in the year. There was plenty of parking and very little traffic. The colors were spectacular and the there were lots of animals to see. Your choice of days may result in bad weather, meaning no visibility, or worse, but you might start thinking about National Parks and Monuments as being early or late year destinations.

Snow Mountains

There is a lot of controversy right now over global warming. I always wonder what would happen if the glaciers were to return. What if this winter, for some reason, it started to snow and never stopped. Since I now live in close proximity to former glaciers, this has become a topic of more than idle speculation for me. But considering the constant run of record high temperatures for the past couple of years, I am guessing that I can safely put that fear to bed. Oh, this is a mountain in Alaska not Utah.

Back to Hawaii

It is easy to start remembering trips to warmer climates when the temperature outside is below freezing and there is snow on the ground. I love snow. I like cold weather. I am not complaining. But when you think of the rocky beaches of Hawaii, you can wonder what life would be like if you had made different decisions about where to spend your "golden years."

Color, Texture, and Form

Stripped of vegetation, the desert is a combination of patterns and textures. You can see a few plants in this photo, but the predominant theme here is color, texture, and form. One part of this photo is the threatening sky in the background. We associate deserts like this with a lack of rainfall but when rain does come, it comes in quantity. The landforms here are largely created by water.

Road Runner

Roadrunners (Geococcyx californianus) are some of our favorite birds. They are not too common in Arizona and almost non-existent in Utah. They appear to be very intelligent and as their name suggests, they are very fast runners. Now you might suggest that there are some things we miss from our venture into Utah from Arizona and it is surprising that there are just a few things. But it hard to miss roadrunners since we would hardly ever see them even when we were in Arizona.

Vero Beach, Florida

While looking out my window at a partially snow covered hillside, I felt it was time to look at a few photos of a warm and sunny day on the beach in Florida. I guess you would think that Florida beaches were all like those around Miami with thousands of people. We have a tendency to find the places where only a few people go.

Grand Canyon, a masterpiece of landscape

I lived in Arizona most of my life, but I was thirteen or fourteen years old before my first visit to the Grand Canyon. My visits were to the western part of the Canyon to Havasu Canyon. It wasn’t much later in my life that we visited the South Rim on a hot summer day with brilliant blue sky and bright, bright sun. We were not much impressed. My next memorable trip was to Thunder River on the North Rim. I was captivated by the immensity of the Canyon. But, it was only when my children were grown and my wife and I came back to the Canyon for a visit that I really saw the Canyon for the first time. Since that first trip, I have returned many times, but never enough.

Layers of clouds in the Grand Canyon

I think it is time to go back and visit the Grand Canyon. I need to make sure there is some weather so there are clouds and colors. When I look at this photo, I am transported back to the remarkable experience of standing on the canyon rim and seeing this cloudy drama unfold. There are few places on the earth where all of the elements of wonder come together at the same time in the same place.

Temple of the Sun from the Temple of the Moon

The scale of the formations in Utah and Arizona is so large that photographs rarely give an idea of the vast distances involved. The Temple of the Sun, the large formation in the middle of this photo, is 500 feet high. If you are not a rock climber, these numbers do not mean a lot to you. As a city dweller, you can think of this as a 50 story building, estimating about ten feet for each floor. I think the tallest building in Utah right now is the 26 floor Wells Fargo Center. So this rock formation is twice as tall. There are many buildings in the United States taller than 50 stories. If you would like to see a list, go to Wikipedia: List of tallest buildings by U.S. state. According to that list, the tallest building in the Unitest States currently is the One World Trade Center in New York City.

An Invitation to Explore

Across this expanse of sand, there is a canyon opening. There are probably thousands of these side canyons in Utah and Arizona. Each of these canyons is an open invitation to explore. There are so many canyons and so little time to spend walking into each one of them. I have walked into perhaps hundreds of them over the years and each time, I have found a wonderland of rock formations. There is a point at which you have to balance real life with the fantasy world of sandstone canyons.

Yellowstone Hot Pool

There have been several news articles lately about people either getting injured or killed by violating the restrictions about entering thermal areas in Yellowstone. These incidents are comparable to the people who periodically fall off the cliffs at the Grand Canyon. The danger in both cases is abundantly evident. In Yellowstone National Park, you can get a sizable fine for just walking on a thermal formation even if you don't get injured or die. In one case, someone fell into a hot pool and his body was entirely dissolved by the acids in the water before any recovery could be made. The stories along with the destruction of some of the formations in other parks are some of the incidents that hit home with me since I have spent so much of my life exploring and camping in all of these areas.

Remembering the Desert

Moving from Mesa, Arizona to Provo, Utah seems to be a major counter-cultural event. Most of the people here in the frozen north dream about retiring to a warm climate. We moved in exactly the opposite direction. As I look out my window on a hillside covered with snow, I am reminded that Mesa is likely to be warm and sunny today. But we didn't retire per se. We don't mind the cold and snow. The weather along the Wasatch Front is more interesting and variable than Mesa and that alone is a good reason to be here. There are trade-offs in any change, but even though we are repeatedly asked why we would move north, the reasons are abundantly clear now that we have been here for a while.

Glen Canyon Dam in the Snow

Driving through the high country of the Colorado Plateau is iffy in the winter. We have been caught in virtual white-outs with dangerous ice conditions while traveling in the winter. It was just as cold and snowy as it looks in this photo. The highest pass on Highway 89 between Flagstaff and Provo, Utah is over 7000 feet and in the winter, driving through Flagstaff has provided some very challenging driving conditions. One time, the only way we could keep going was to have all the passengers lean out the windows in the snow blowing by and watching for the edge of the road.

Light Snowfall

Snowfall here along the Wasatch Front is highly correlated to altitude. When the snow is just beginning to fall, before Winter really begins, you can often see the snow line distinctively as an almost straight line between the snow and no snow. I most cases, like the snowstorm that just went through, here at the edge of the mountains, the snow begins to melt almost immediately.  This photo is a moderate to light snowfall. If the weather warms up above freezing, the snow will mostly disappear in a day or two.

Snow Crystals

Winter came in with a major snowstorm. One day it was in the 60s and then two days later we had six inches of snow. Today, the sun came out and I am out to shovel the snow and ice off the driveway. I like to be out there in the snow and cold. It is a dramatic change for us but we enjoy the quiet and beauty of the snow. I suppose you can expect a few more photos of snow over the next few months.

First Heavy Snow

The snow was still falling and there are streaks in the image from the snowflakes in front of the camera. The accumulation isn't much yet but if it keeps falling we could have the first one or two inches here on the ground in Provo, Utah. The snow is piling up rather rapidly and I suspect that I will be out shoveling some driveways pretty soon. People ask me how I like the cold weather compared to our home in Mesa. The hot lower desert has some different challenges but I like the snow just fine and don't mind the cold all that much.

Desert Plants

During an early morning walk in the sand dunes of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in southern Utah the form, texture, and color of these plants caught my eye. There is always something beautiful to look at in the world if you take the time and focus your attention on your surroundings.

Mountain Fastness

The prominent rock formations on the ridge in this photo are "horns," that is formations caused by the glaciers cutting away all the rocks surrounding the harder, more resilient ones on the ridge. There are some very famous horns around the world, such as the Matterhorn in Switzerland, but these are unnamed and uncelebrated. About this time of year, this pleasant summer view has been entirely covered with deep snow and ice. But I am sure we will be back again to see the flowers next summer.

Rocky Coast

We are rapidly getting into the snowy winter season here along the Wasatch Front, but I still think back to my previous trips to other lovely places. Here along the Atlantic Coast, the beaches are rocky and the forest comes right down to the water. This scene seems almost unreal as I look out the window onto my yard filled with snow.

Thanksgiving Day 2016

This was the view in our front yard this lovely Thanksgiving Day, 2016. We live next to a steep hill covered with a thick stand of trees and bushes. A snowstorm the night before has coated the branches with snow and the in the shadow of the everlasting hills, the light gives an idea of how cold it is outside. Couldn't be a better day.

Painted Desert Panorama

You will have to click on this image to see the detail. This is an overlook of the Painted Desert in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. It is an extraordinary place. This is very near where I spent much of my earlier life and this type of country seems like home to me. I love the mountains and I love beautiful forests. But there is one area that is home and that is the Colorado Plateau.

Joseph Smith House, Nauvoo, Illinois

Joseph Smith, the Prophet, moved into this log house in Nauvoo, Illinois in April of 1839. The house was enlarged in 1840. The Prophet and his family moved across the street to the Mansion House in August of 1843. We have visited Nauvoo several times and it is easily one of my favorite places in the entire United States.

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean

This is an old photograph I took back in 1968.  I thought I would look back at some of my older photos once and awhile. The camera at the time was not nearly as good as any of my present ones and this photo is likely a scan from a printed photo, but it has nice composition and showed some promise of things to come. It was taken along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state.

A Remnant of the Past

The natural alcoves in sandstone were inviting places to build houses. They were cool in the summer and warmer in the winter although water and food supply were major considerations. In the SouthWest, especially on the Colorado Plateau, there are scatterings of the remnants of the now vanished ancient inhabitants. In most cases, you have to look carefully to really see the extent of the construction in this particular alcove.

Salt Lake City LDS Temple and Fountain

Temple have supernal importance to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the temple in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah is one of the most recognizable structures in the entire western part of the United States. Around 5 million people visit Temple Square each year, but any number has to be an estimate because many people cross Temple Square while walking to other destinations in the city. Temple Square has also ranked as one of the top tourist destinations in the country.

Goblins and the Henry Mountains

The Henry Mountains of Southern Utah are remote and largely inaccessible except on foot or 4-wheel drive vehicles. But they are like and ever-present backdrop to views in the surrounding area. Goblin Valley is not nearly as remote as it was more than fifty years ago when I first traveled there. That long ago, it was still mostly unknown and when we went there to explore, we found it entirely deserted, Today, it would be a rare day when the campground was not full and the parking lot filled with cars.

Verging on the Surreal

Photos of Goblin Valley in Utah have a tendency to verge on the surreal. In fact, this location has been used in major motion pictures such as Galaxy Quest (1999) to represent another world. Goblin Valley has also been the scene of a recent controversy regarding some vandalism when a visitor pushed over one of the formations and documented the destruction on YouTube. Fortunately, the perpetrator was arrested and later convicted. The incident highlights the delicate balance between allowing free access to such natural wonders and the damage done by that access.

Bridging the River

You will have to look very carefully at this image to see what appears to be a tiny bridge over the water. The comparative size of this bridge, which is full-size highway bridge illustrates the vastness of this Southern Utah world of sandstone. The river is the Colorado and Dirty Devil rivers in the very upper reaches of Lake Powell. This is the area near the now nearly abandoned town of Hite, Utah where a ferry across the river was in operation until 1964.

Stone Bridge

The Bridge in this image is not particularly obvious. Bridges are stone arches that cross a watercourse. Arches, on the other hand, are freestanding and not associated with a wash or stream. This particular bridge is located in Bridges National Monument in southern Utah. Bridges National Monument was Utah's first national monument declared in 1908. This particular bridge is called Kachina Bridge.

Salt Flat Desert

In the western deserts of Utah, there are places where the salt deposits are so prevalent that there is nothing but salt. These are the famous "Salt Flats" used for racing cars. But south of the Salt Flats there are huge flat valleys of land that grows some vegetation but is still saturated with salt. Here is one of those valleys. It may look like snow on the ground, but it is salt. These valleys are impressive in the silence and solitude. They are obviously not a prime place for future development and they are not scenic enough to ever be considered to be a national park or monument. Subsequently, they are a nice place to visit.

Photographer in the Western Desert

Sometimes we find ourselves standing right out in the open taking photos of the sky and the horizon. This is an area in the western desert of Utah, just south of the Salt Flats. I thought it was appropriate to have a photo of someone taking a photograph. There isn't much else to look at except the sun and the dust and the clouds and the mountains and the sky and flat playa and the rest of the world.

Clouds over the Desert

The desert has its own beauty. If you are strictly a tree and grass person, you will feel like you are in a foreign country. But if you have the desert in your blood then you are in tune with the subtle changes and colors of the desert. This photo was taken in the early morning, just as the shadows of the night were disappearing and the hot sun was coming over the hills behind me.

Cholla Cactus

This is a cholla cactus (said choy-ya in English). There are actually two or three different cholla cactus in the photo. The large one is a Cylindropuntia fulgida the long strands hanging down are the fruit. Just to the right in the photo is a Staghorn Cholla or Cylindropuntia versicolor. There are also some Cylindropuntia bigelovii or teddy bear cholla in the background. In some place in the Arizona Sonora Desert you can hardly walk without being in danger of spines from these lovely plants. The spines are barbed and in some cases, if you get stuck, it will take a strong pull with a pair of pliers to get the spines out. That is not a pleasant experience.