Nature

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 57 (California ground squirrel)

Jeff

California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)

At times it was hard to tell whether we were enjoying the wildlife or they were studying us. Many of the squirrels at Yosemite appeared to be more curious than afraid. Perhaps they have been acclimated to the presence of people or a worse scenario would involve their previous feedings by visitors. At the Grand Canyon we were surprised to learn that more people were injured by squirrels than any other animal; bites!

Yosemite is the home to no less than six different types of squirrels including the California ground squirrel pictured above:

Belding’s ground squirrel (Urocitellus beldingi)
California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)
Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis)
Chickaree (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus)

Unlike a number of squirrel species, the California ground squirrel has a spotted pattern in its fur which is quite interesting.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Flowers of Flagstaff, Summer 2016

Jeff


Flowers of Flagstaff, Summer 2016

Followers of JBRish have seen a good number of flower pictures I have posted and many of them were desert natives or xeric varieties. One of the amazing qualities of Arizona is the variety of ecosystems and scenery the state has. Naturally there is the beautiful and very different Sonoran Desert, but we also have the high country which includes Flagstaff and serves as a summer retreat and winter skiing destination.

Last weekend we did something a bit different and very special as we celebrated the birthday of my best friend. It was a surprise getaway weekend that we planned with another very special couple-friends.

As we arrived at the door of the “birthday boy,” we saw a very interesting cactus in bloom in the front yard.

hot pink cactus flowerA cactus blooms after recent rains in the Sonoran Desert

I admit it is hard to believe that the flower pictured above is real, but it is. The color is so vibrant and “hot.”

Less than a few hours later we arrived at our northern destination and escaped the grasp of the 105 plus temperature for a much more moderate 75 degree atmosphere. This moderate climate enabled us to stroll the grounds of our hotel where we enjoyed the blooms of plants we don’t often see in the Phoenix area. I thought you would like to see some of them.

One of the first interesting sights we came across was a leaning evergreen tree.

Leaning Evergreen

It is difficult to conjecture why this tree is growing at such an angle. Perhaps it is the result of a rainy period followed by a strong wind storm that pushed it from its vertical posture.

Along the path Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan) had been planted which an insect found very appealing.

Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)

Shasta daisies were putting on a show for passersby as well.

Shasta daisies

Ratibida or Prairie Coneflower enjoyed their home in the nearby meadow. I believe this variety is also known as Mexican hat (Ratibida columnifera)


Prairie Coneflowers

Several Blanket flowers (Gaillardia) were basking in sunnier locations. This plant also feels at home in our desert environment with proper care.

Blanket Flower

The last floral display we saw as we left the wooded area was, what I believe, is a cultivar of
Sambucus canadensis known as Elderberry or Common Elder.

Elderberry

While the wildflowers and cultivated gardens were left behind, we did enjoy one more floral display later that evening.

Flowers in a vase 

A pretty floral display at Josephine’s restaurant, Flagstaff

See previous posts about gardening-related topics here HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 53 (Purple Wildflower)

Jeff

Brodiaea elegans - purple wildflowerBrodiaea elegans a beautiful purple wildflower

While hiking at Hetch Hetchy along the Wapama Falls Trail we saw a number of pretty wildflower. These purple Brodiaea elegans blooms against the backdrop of the brown hay-like growth created a lovely scene (IMHO).

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 48 (Taft Point Fissures)

Jeff

Taft Point Fissures 

The Fissures along the Taft Point Trail

I must confess that it is difficult to portray this physical phenomenon in a two dimensional picture, put fissures are large crevices (or cracks) in rocks. They can be very dangerous as they often intersect areas close to trails and form a hazard for hikers.

Naturally hikers need to be vigilant at all times, but when hiking with children, one needs to be doubly aware. Can you see the large crevice with the two small boulders that have fallen in the crack? That could be a person wedged in there. To make matters worse, some areas near the edge of the fissures have small shrubs along the perimieter which might camouflage them a bit.

Of course there are warning signs alerting hikers of the dangerous fissures and to alert families to hold children close.

NOTE – If you haven’t discerned the fissure, look at the picture below. The arrows point to the walls of the fissure and the red-orange ovals show the boulders that are wedged in the crack.

Taft Point Fissures Annotated 

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 48 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 46 (Tuolumne Meadows)

Jeff

Tuolumne Meadows viewed from the Lembert Dome TrailTuolumne Meadows viewed from the Lembert Dome Trail

After a full day of hiking, we were descending from our trek to Lembert Dome and Dog Lake when we came upon this pretty view of Tuolumne Meadows. Cathedral Peak can be seen just to the right of the photo. As we were nearing the parking area, we thought we saw a beaver go scampering across a snowy patch in the distance, but as we later decided, it must have been a marmot.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 46 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 45 (Half Dome at Sunset)

Jeff

Half Dome Meadow at SunsetHalf Dome Meadow at Sunset

While Half Dome is always impressive as it rises up from a multitude of vantage points at Yosemite, during the sunrise and sunset hours it takes on a special majesty. I particularly like this photograph with the contrasting dark colors of green and some purple highlights among the wildflowers in the foreground.

This field was only a short walk from our lodging and it was difficult to get enough of this view!

Fact: Did you know that the North Face outdoor company uses a stylized version of Half Dome as their Logo?

North Face Logo 

The North Face Logo is a Copyrighted and Registered Trademark

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 45 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 43 (Bridalveil Falls)

Jeff

Bridalveil Falls flowing well 

Bridalveil Falls flowing well

Across the “way” from El Capitan is another beautiful feature, Bridalveil Falls. If you look at the map below, you can see that they are almost directly opposite one another and while it looks like quite a distance on the map, from the road, they are relatively close. Parking can be tight at this location because visitors stop to take photographs of both iconic scenes.

Map of Bridalveil Falls and El Capitan 

On the map above, El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls are circled with an arrow pointing to each.

NOTE: Insert above is taken from the National Park Service Yosemite Valley Hiking Map

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 43 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 42 (Dog Lake near Tuolumne Meadows)

Jeff

Picturesque Dog LakePicturesque Dog Lake

Dog Lake is located in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite and is one of the popular day hikes. Many hikers combine the Dog Lake hike with that of Lembert Dome as there are junctions for each vantage point along the main trail.

The view of the lake is very pretty and the snow capped mountains lend an addition flare to the scene.

NOTE: “In 1898 Robert Marshall of the US Geological Survey visited the lake and found an abandoned sheepdog with a litter of puppies” and thus the lake received its somewhat unimaginative name. ( source )

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 42 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 40 (Butterfly and Thistle)

Jeff

XXXXXXXXButterfly enjoying a thistle along the Valley Loop Trail

While hiking along the trails at Yosemite, it is easy to be taken in by the grandeur, but whenever we are having an outdoor adventure, we try to appreciate the more subtle and perhaps intricate beauty the world has to offer.

Butterflies were taking advantage of the abundant wildflowers and recent rains. Other insects were also foraging among the thistle.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 40 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 38 (Sierra Fence Lizard)

Jeff

Fence Lizard along Taft Point TrailNorthern California Fence Lizard

If I had to take a guess, I would suggest that this is a picture of a Sierra Fence Lizard. The photo was captured along the Taft Point Trail at Yosemite National Park. We saw several scampering about in the sunny, damp woodlands.

Having hiked extensively in the southwest, this lizard is just one of many that I have come across and photographed. They are a very diverse, colorful and interesting group of reptiles.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 38 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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