Panorama Looking East

This is a 180 degree panorama looking east from the saddle of Baylor Peak. 11,004 feet. The highest peak in the picture is Mount Dana. 13,054 feet. I climbed that mountain about 3 years ago.

Panorama Looking West

This is a 180 degree panorama looking west from Baylor Saddle. I highest peak in the picture is Mount Conness. I plan on climbing this mountain this summer.

God Bless America

I love America and the mountains of America.

Mono Lake

I spent the night last night at this overlook of Mono Lake (pronounced with hard o's. It's not like the disease.) The city of LA decided they needed the water from this lake so a channel was built to canal the water. They drained the lake dry and then abandoned it. When will we ever learn to not mess with nature.

Mountainman Breakfast

This is the grub a mountainman needs to make it up the next big hike. Gaylor Peak today. 11,004 feet.

Gas Prices Here

Complaining about the gas prices in your town? Take a look at this in my neighborhood. Ouch!

My Trading Card

Here is my trading card.

Big Red Fir Trees

All around my cabin are giant ancient Red Fir trees. This one in the picture is about nine feet across at the base and very tall. It is many centuries old. The relationship of the tree size compared to my van will give you some idea of scale. I'll be talking more about Red Fir trees and White Fir trees in this blog later this summer.

Snow Plant

This is a pretty little flowery thing isn't it? After walking through desert mountains and seeing only desolate brown and grey stuff for hours, it is a delight to once in a while spot one of the red things popping up among the dead fallen branches of the Red Fur trees. Yes it looks like a plant and it looks like it has flower blossoms all over it, but it is neither a plant nor a flower and it has absolutely nothing to do with the snow. In fact, there is no snow. Whoever named this thing must have eaten some of it because it does not properly describe the thing at all.

It is actually a type of fungus that lives around and feeds on the roots of Red Fur trees. In the spring they can be seen all over the forest floor popping up everywhere. They are visible for only a week or two and then they wither up and die. They have no predator as you can imagine. They have no spine so they can be knocked over very easily. They feel like Jello that has been left in the refrigerator for a week uncovered. 

This was a light snow year. During normal snow years, the Snow Plant can be seen coming up through the snow. Many years it is the first color and first sign of some kind of life for spring. Hence the name "Snow Plant".

Greeted by Yellow 48

I was walking from my car to the cabin on my arrival day and I was greeted by our resident bear Yellow 48 even before I made it to my cabin door. She is 15 years old and has two yearling cubs this year. She is a very good mother, but she is very human habituated and causes trouble for us. It was good to see her though.

On my first day at Glacier Point another bear tore the door off of a car and rearranged the interior looking for food. Another bear tried to enter my partners cabin. The bear actually knocked on the door. My partner answered it thinking it might be a visitor needing medical attention and there was the bear. The bear tried to enter his cabin. There was a struggle with the bear, the door and my partner. My partner was able to keep the bears head out of the doorway otherwise the bear would have won. No telling what would have happened then.

With all of the bad bear activity at Glacier Point recently, we have been issued tazer guns and mineral ball paintball guns to adverse condition the bears if possible. We do this in an attempt to save the life of the bear.

I will be video recording my bear presentations this summer. If you are interested in knowing more about Black Bears, check back for these bear talks called "Bear Essentials". They are fun and informative. 

These cubs are experiencing their second spring. Mom will be kicking them out soon to be on their own. Bears are amazing creatures.