©Bert Gildart:  Yesterday, Janie and I hiked to an incredible area in the southern part of Anza Borrego Desert State Park looking for pictographs, which after several years of searching we finally found.  Don’t expect a detailed map to the area, but I will report on this  incredible Native American art form in my next posting.  Sadly, so many antiquities have been destroyed that various laws have had to be enacted to protect them.  Fines help  — and they have ranged in the thousands — and that is good, but money can’t restore defaced rock art.

While on the trip it was encouraging to see a few flowers starting to rear their lovely heads.  There has been so very little rain this winter that some are saying there will be but  few flowers this spring. And it is true, the flowers I show here were confined to areas  where the little moisture that has accumulated tends to collect, such as  in boulder fields and in protected pockets of south facing slopes.

To make these images I used various techniques, which one must employ to  dramatize their beauty and intensify their color.  For the purple penstemon, I used two strobes; for the fish hook cactus, I blocked the sun using a broad brimmed out – else the plants would have been filled with contrasty light.  And for the yellow agave flower I used back lightening, which always seems to work well for plants that are colored yellow.

Because these are some of the first flowers of spring, it does suggest that other species will soon follow.  However, the presence of only a few  also suggests  that some  looking will be required.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS THREE YEARS AGO:

*Spring Flowers in Death Valley

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©Bert Gildart: Coyote Mountain in Anza Borrego Desert State Park rises abruptly from a flat desert plain of about 700 feet and terminates in a gently rounded peak at 3,192 feet above sea level. While the base seems dominated by borrow brush, mesquite, creosote and the occasional stand of palms, the crown is dominated by agave and various types of cholla.

Early morning image of 3,192 foot high Coyote Mountain, from near Borrego Springs. Base is about 700 feet.

In between are about 2,500 vertical feet of elevation, but the relief along the route we chose is deceiving as it drops five to seven hundred feet on several different occasions adding to the challenge but also to the interest.

PREVIOUS ATTEMPT

Last week a group of us attempted a climb but had to turn around because of injury to a member of our party.  We had started from the trail head for Alcoholic Pass, but this time we started from our campsite at Pegleg.  I’m pleased to report that this time we made it, signed the log contained in a bottle and then spent some time gazing around enjoying the scenery.

L to R:  Bob, Don, Nancy, Christie ascending base of Coyote; summit of Coyote, Don about to ascend last 100 yards of climb to Coyote

All members of the group were good friends, and included Don, a retired forest service economist; Nancy, who worked in the sales of outdoor products; Bob, retired from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and his friend Christie, a retired school teacher.

COMMANDING VIEW

From the top of Coyote we could see Toro Peak to the north while to the east the Salton Sea was a huge splash of muted white, barely visible because of all the haze. To the south we could see Whale Peak.

No question, we had a commanding view, which made the climb worth the effort.

Because we almost completed the climb last week I can also say that the route from Alcoholic Pass is probably the easier of the two. Still, yesterday, our climb to the top required but three and one half hours.

Climbing Coyote Peak – Successfully

We spent an hour on top and then began our descent, which required about the same as our ascent.  For me, going up was easier, essentially because it is easier on the knees.  But trekking poles took off some of the pressure.

Either route provides for an outing that offers insights into desert vegetation and chances to take in some stunning vistas.  All five us recommend the climb.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS THREE YEARS AGO:

*Zion’s Ancient Rock Art

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©Bert Gildart: Coyote Peak, in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, though not a formidable mountain, is challenging nevertheless, and several days ago, four of us attempted a summit. The group was a good one, and we almost made it, but Jim pulled a muscle in his leg and felt he had to return.  It can happen to anyone and it was smart to call it quits rather than find at some yet more distant point that it would then be extremely difficult to make it back. The rule, of course, is that the party stays together, and in the past, I’ve been the beneficiary, so no complaints from me.

Summit of Coyote Peak, our goal

Nevertheless, Don, Nancy and I were disappointed, but still, we can say that we were almost  to the top, and we will try again!  What we did see of the landscape as we climbed only whetted our desire to see more of the world from the very tipi-top of Coyote.

WHY CLIMB COYOTE

Coyote Mountain separates lower Coyote Canyon and Clark Valley, and it rises 3,192 feet above sea level.  That may not seem like a lot but the elevation here at Peg Leg is about 500 feet, meaning the relief was about 2,700.  When we turned around we’d climbed within several hundred feet of the top and could see a whole range of peaks.

Using our topo map we could find the Santa Rosa and San Ysidro Mountain range as well as specific peaks such as Indianhead and El Toro.  We could see the vast citrus farmlands to the west and the Borrego Badlands to the southeast.  We could also see Coyote Canyon and could trace the route made famous by de Anza, when he first explored the area back in 1775.

YET OTHER ROUTES

Though there are various ways one can climb Coyote Peak we decided to make the short drive from Peg Leg to the trailhead for Alcoholic Pass.  (Other routes start from Peg Leg and from near the Rockhouse Canyon road.)

From our map the Alcoholic Pass route seemed the most direct.  What’s more, it seemed to offer a particularly interesting route.

Mountains engulf us throughout our climb

As we climbed boulder fields stretched before us and the geology seemed fascinating.  We concluded the landscape was the result of the encroachment of both ancient seas and from more recent volcanic activity.  Sheep tracks and dropping were everywhere, and Nancy found an old sheep horn.

WE’LL START FROM PEG LEG

The route was a good one, and though we now know the route, Don, Nancy and I believe we will simply start from Peg Leg next time we attempt to climb Coyote.  It’s really not a difficult peak to climb (Rainier was!) and it was simply bad luck that foiled us.

We hope to climb the peak in about a week or so.  Though not the highest mountain around, it offers wonderful views and interesting features.  Some also report the presence of a sheep herd near the top of the mountain, and we hope to find them as well.

More later…

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS TWO (ABOUT)  YEARS AGO:

*Skagway, Alaska

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©Bert Gildart: Just minutes after starting our hike up Palm Canyon, Bill directed our attention to a cliff wall, high overhead.

“Bighorns,” he said. “Two of them.”

Colorful desert patina help create habitat for bighorn sheep

The sheep were at some distance, but it was my thought that if I could make the sheep seem at home in this  beautiful canyon then my picture could be an interesting one.  Telephotos would stay in my camera bag.

BACTERIAL COLONIES

That it could be interesting was in part due to the rich colors created by a buildup of microscopic bacterial colonies.  Over a period of thousands of years these colonies have absorbed iron and manganese, so imparting the rich browns. It is this richness of color  that intrigued me and that further enhances the habitat for  the endangered Peninsular Desert Bighorn, which found a home in this rugged land so very long ago.

The sighting of sheep always helps to make my day, but so do good companions, and this time Janie and I were accompanied by Bill — and yet another Airstream friend, Theresa.  (I was delighted when her husband, a veterinarian, said he has followed my blog for years.)

Our goal was a stand of palms, and is a hike Janie and I have made before on many occasions.  Because of the many features along the trail we never tire of the adventure.

Palm Oasis

A park brochure points out various cacti such as the catclaw and the honey mesquite.  It explains that Native peoples once made their home in the canyon, finding relief from summer sun in the coolness offered by the palm tree shade.

ONLY NATIVE PALM

We made the one-and-a-half-mile hike in short order soon arriving at the palm oasis, which consists of a cluster of California fan palms, the only palm native to California.  Perhaps 50 such trees grow in this small area and their verdure breaks the greyness of the desert rock.  The brochure, available to hikers, asks that visitors respect the oasis, not defiling it with trash or tearing out the frond.

Fronds skirt the base of the tree and help to protect the bark form water loss and insect predation.  In the past some hikers have started fires and the trees have lost their skirts.

Is this Desert Galleta

Though it was too early for desert flowers, on our return hike we all noticed a beautiful grass that we think may be a Galleta Grass, though none of us knew for sure.  It appeared particularly lovely against the light-colored rock and pictures of it rounded out our day, adding another aspect that makes the hike so unique, regardless of the number of times we may venture up this remarkable canyon.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS THREE YEARS AGO:

*ZION ROCK ART

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©Bert Gildart: “Look quick,” said Janie.  “The rainbow!”

Without a doubt Janie is the first to notice the incredible displays of lighting that are so frequent over the desert mountains.  This morning, the first light of the rising sun warmed the San Ysidro Mountains, of Anza Borrego Desert State Park, creating a picture that was absolutely stunning.  Though we have enjoyed such dramatic lighting displays in other parts of the country, it does seem they occur with a greater degree of frequency out here in the desert.

Yesterday's rainbow over San Ysidro Mountains, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

These scenes, of course, are fleeting, and one must be prepared, something I’ve learned to do now from experience.  I now keep a camera bag on hand with a short telephoto affixed to my Nikon D7000, which typically works best for scenics out here at Peg Leg.

Of course it helps to have an early morning watch dog, and Janie certainly fills that function, for she is generally the first to  raise the blinds here in our Airstream  — and  to then see the rising sun and what it has done to the mountains.

Invariably it is dramatic, but sometimes it is stunning, as it was this morning.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVEL THREE YEARS AGO:

*Night Photography in Death Valley

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©Bert Gildart: Bill and Larry are devotees to Anza Borrego, and during the winter, make as many trips from their home in San Diego to camp and to explore this premier desert state park as their schedule will permit.

Images of Larry and Bill flank cyclists, part of the many attracted by the dragon and by our elaborate  photo shoot.

Originally, we met them by virtue of a mutual interest in our Airstreams, which is always a constructive start, but of itself probably insufficient for long-term friendships unless there are yet other interests. In this case there were, for Bill is a photographer/blog writer/historian, while Larry is a historian/gourmet cook/ stimulating conversationalist.

CHINESE AMERICAN HERITAGE

This weekend the focus of our shared outing pertained to Larry’s Chinese American heritage. More specifically, Larry was interested in features flanking a small portion  of Anza Borrego that tied in with the Year of the Dragon, exhibited near Borrego Springs.

A few of the 150-plus metal sculptures created by Ricardo Breceda.

About five years ago, multimillionaire Dennis Avery (as in “Avery” office supplies) commissioned Ricardo Breceda to create a series of sculptures. The response was impressive.  In desert areas surrounding Borrego Springs, Breceda began to position dozens of  metal sculptures.  Examples now include dinosaurs, saber-toothed cats, sloths, birds of prey, wild horses, elephants, llamas, camels, and various people. But germane to our day, Breceda created a huge dragon, which has been attracting the curious.

POWERFUL PREDATOR

The immense head of the creature appears vicious and in life such a reptile must have been a powerful predator.  Standing beneath the head of the beast, we could see that the body then coursed east across a portion of the desert, disappeared beneath the rural road, and finally – some 350 feet later — then concluded on the east side of the road with a massive tail.

And, now, here is where Larry makes his debut.

In historic times, the Chinese began celebrating the Year of the Dragon, imparting various values to the creature.  Larry says the dragon of their mythology is a benevolent, peaceful dragon, “kind of like Puff the Magic Dragon from the Peter Paul and Mary song.”  Larry said the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs and that it symbolizes such character traits as dominance and ambition.

TRADITIONAL DRESS

To commemorate his Chinese heritage and bring attention to the dragon Larry had dressed this day in the attire of a late 1800s Chinese man who was respectful of the Emperor.

Appropriately, Larry’s head was partially shaved but to represent tradition he wore a cap to which was attached a realistic appearing Queque (a long braided  ponytail).  A red bow was attached to the several foot long length of hair.  The Manchu hairstyle was significant because it was a symbol of Ming Chinese submission to Qing rule. The queque also aided the Manchus  in identifying those Chinese who refused to accept Qing dynasty domination.

Larry also wore a changshan (long robe)  and he carried a huge ball intended to appear like a lantern, which it did.

Both Bill and I had thoughts about positioning Larry in ways that would dramatize the dragon, and before long our “shoot” began to attract an audience. Cyclists pulled off the road, and virtually every car stopped to see if we were producing images for a movie or for a magazine.

Dressed in traditional garb, Larry helps commemorate "The Year of the Dragon."

We left the question unanswered believing it bad luck to share one’s hopes.

The day was a productive one and later we all returned to our Airstream where Janie and I then prepared a steak dinner, trying to reciprocate in some small way for all the time both Bill and Larry had invested to make the upcoming Year of the Dragon just as symbolic as possible.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS THREE YEARS AGO

*Endangered Penninsular Bighorn Sheep

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©Bert Gildart: Last few nights, the moon has been ascending and descending over the mountains surrounding Anza Borrego Desert State Park in a most satisfying manner.

Moon descending into San Ysidro Mountains, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

The image shown here was taken about 6:45 a.m. of the moon setting into the San Ysidro Mountains to our west, about 10 minutes before the sun rises in the east.

For the image I used an 840mm lens, which creates the larger than life impression.

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Airstream Travels Three Years Ago:

*Favorite Photos from 2009

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©Bert Gildart: Here at Pegleg the New Year was ushered in with barely a peep, but shortly thereafter all sorts of good news begin filtering in.  Based on news from the first week of 2012 this could be a pretty good year for Janie and me.

First, I’ve just received an advanced copy of my new book, Glacier Icons, and I think (obviously)  it represents high-quality  work.  Though the book consists of about a hundred  images, essentially the book takes 50 large photographs (such as the one above and four  below) and complements them with an essay.  Smaller images round out the stories.

EXCERPTS:

Typically essays are relatively short, but each packs in much information. Here are a few introductory excerpts:

*Throughout North America, many species of wildlife engage in ritualistic contests to determine male order of dominance.  In the animal world, few contests are more vigorous or the ritual more complex than among mountain sheep…

*When one compares the various traits of the grizzly with those of the black, there is one distinct feature that immediately separates the two species. That, of course, is temperament…   There is reason for this behavior which is linked with environmental features that existed long ago…

* Hard, wind-blown snow comes early to the park’s high peaks.  It drives the elk down into the low country; it covers the boulder-strewn home of the mouse-like pika; and it sends the powerful grizzly bear scurrying to its den for a long winter’s nap.  In fact, the rugged alpine country forces just about every type of creature to leave or hide.  But there always remains a beautiful little one-pound animal, a bird called the ptarmigan…

SHIPMENT ON WAY

In several weeks we’ll have a shipment here at Pegleg of Glacier Icons.  The book will sell for $16.85, and certainly we’re hoping that anyone going to Glacier might  purchase a copy. Of course, you’ll be able to get it in Glacier or from Globe Pequot, but get it from us, and I’ll autograph and provide a personalized note.

There is yet more news.  I am flattered that Bill, a fellow blog writer, singled out some of my photography and made it the focus of one of his postings.  One day I’ll have to reciprocate, as I believe Bill is not only an excellent writer, but a top-notch photographer as well.

Ascending Old Rag

The other good news is that Globe Pequot has just shared with me the cover of a book about Shenandoah that Janie and I spent last summer updating.  This, our fourth edition of Hiking Shenandoah, is much expanded and includes more on natural history.  Additionally, all images are in color. The cover depicts Adam Maffei standing near Dark Hollow Falls.  But the book’s interior  also includes one of him climbing Old Rag, shown here.

There’s more yet to report, but I’ll save that for another posting.  In this posting, more than anything else, I hope you’ll  think, Glacier Icons.

NOTE: From Chris (Where The Bear Walks), I have just learned of the sad passing of Roy Ducat, companion of Julie Helgeson’s in Night of the Grizzly.

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Airstream Travels Three Years Ago:

*The Compulsion of Borrego Badlands

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©Bert Gildart: Several days ago on a hike through Moonlight Canyon, I thought I saw the last species to flower for the season, the fuchsia.  It was a surprise, then, to walk the nature trail at the Visitor Center of the Anza Borrego Desert Nature Center and see one of this region’s most conspicuous of plants; one of this region’s most written about species – in full bloom. At this time of year!

Towering about 30 feet overhead and back dropped by the San Jacinto Mountains, the agave – also known as century plant – beamed down on us with its yellow inflorescence.  Several years ago I accompanied retired superintendent Mark Jorgensen on a guided hike, and recall him saying that the agave was one of the most important species in the park, contributing to the creation by Native Americans in this park of over 5,000 roasting pits. On other hikes, we’d seen several.

It was a March hike, and at that time the species was putting forth blossoms, so several volunteers at the Visitor Center and I concluded that the flowering of the plant now in bloom was most likely due to much TLC bestowed by yet other volunteers.

AGAVE TO TEQUILA? YES INDEED

But no matter, the flowers were impressive and I recalled that Natives used virtually all parts of the species to include the flowers, which they made into a beverage.  Indians also used the plant’s fibers to make cloth, bowstrings and rope.  And the use I like best: In Mexico the species is fermented to make a drink called pulque, which might then be distilled to make tequila.

Its other name, century plant, is derived from the fact that 30, 40, perhaps even 100 years may pass before it blossoms. Apparently, the plant then dies.

Because that was most likely the case here I went to some lengths to obtain a pleasing composition.  Erecting my tripod I mounted a 600mm lens for the detailed image (because it was so far off the ground)  and a 200 mm lens for the more distant appearing picture.  In both cases I used a slow shutter speed complemented by a narrow aperture to increased depth of field.

Detail of century plant required 600mm lens, because of distance from ground

Though it all took time, little matter, for the agave is a significant park plant, and its blossoms may soon be gone.  If it ever blooms again, “a century” may pass.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVELS FOUR YEARS AGO:

*Ranger Do Not Want Guns in Our National Parks

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©Bert Gildart: In a land where everything either sticks, stings or bites,  Bill (see previous post) and I decided we would return to the Moonlight Canyon trail and see if we could learn more about what — and how — sheep eat. Can they actually digest thorns?

Surviving in a land where everything sticks, stings or bites

Essentially because this area in Anza Borrego Desert State Park  is so rugged, it is, in fact, ideal sheep country, and that morning we’d watched as a band of about five desert bighorn sheep – all young rams – had munched on surrounding vegetation.  Food they consumed grew close to the ground and from our vantage we could not see what it was.  Everything here seemed covered with thorns, and we wondered how they managed.

A DIET OF CACTI?

The sheep had moved on so Bill and I decided to climb to the prominence on which they’d been watching the world around them. Here, we found much cholla, and every single one contained extraordinarily sharp thorns.

Sheep munch away the sharp thorns to exposure the underlying fruit of the cholla. Apparently, it is all palatable.

Mind you, these were brutally sharp thorns, and as we had climbed, several had lodged in the soft fabric of my jeans and then penetrated to jab me in a particularly painfully manner.  This was the food of our sheep, and as we examined the plants, we found no discarded thorns.  Apparently, they had consumed not only the fruit of the cacti, but also the thorns.

MICRO CLIMATES

Bill and I returned to the trail and his attention turned to the various micro-climates contained along the Moonlight Canyon trail. He asked me if I’d noted the various rock pockets where temperatures fluctuated, and it was true.  Here in this twist-y canyon where the aspect changed markedly, we found not only pockets of cold, but also pockets of relative warmth. Apparently, the warm pockets provided conditions appropriate for the season’s last brave flowering species.

Bill said he believed the flower was a fuchsia. With its long red sepals and petals and very conspicuous stamen it was a colorful plant, necessary perhaps to attract insects for late season pollination.  It was a perfect photographic specimen so I attached a 105mm macro lens, set up a tripod, and then illuminated it with two strobes manually  (250sec, f32)  set to overwhelm ambient light, so producing the black background.

Janie and I left Agua Calienta late in the day, commenting over and over that we’d had a marvelous day, filled with good friends, flowers, birds, and wildlife. How could it get any better?

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THIS TIME THREE YEARS AGO:

Channel Islands

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©Bert Gildart: Anza Borrego Desert Park provides wonderful examples of erosion but little is more dramatic than the park’s slot canyons.  Fortunately for us here at Peg Leg, trailheads are within a short drive.

My companions were Don and Nancy Dennison, and we share a love not only of traveling in Airstreams (they just purchased a new Classic), and like us, they also love hiking and exploring areas that require a bit of an effort.

GEOLOGICAL PUZZLES

Don and Nancy also enjoy trying to solve geological puzzles, particularly as it pertains to our interest of the day, specifically the slot canyons.  Don and I both believe we can I.D. rocks and we concluded that most was of a sedimentary nature.

L to R:  Traverlers Peak; slot canyon, trail to Quartzite Mine

Our contention is based on the immense layering of most of the visible rocks, But there also seems to be many granitic type rocks, meaning this land was not only exposed to vast inland seas, but also to violent upheavals below the earth’s crust.  That accounts for all the scattered rocks in the foreground of my image of Travelers Peak.

GRAIN BY GRAIN

The last chapter in our story is, of course, the one of erosion, and in this case erosion which occurred over a period of thousands of years.  Grain by grain, wind and water craved out some of the softer rock in the sedimentary layers to gouge  out  this incredible defile.

Though our day topped out at about 70 degrees, this is where I’d want to be on a hot summer day. From previous excursions here, we know temperatures in the recesses of these slot canyons  may be 10 to 15 degrees cooler.

Indeed, Anza Borrego is a park full of wonderful diversity, and this is just one example.

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THIS TIME THREE  YEARS AGO:

*Snowy Owls Are Ghosts of the North

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©Bert Gildart: As we departed Montana two days ago, driving over Lookout Pass, the tamarack trees glowed in a way one seldom ever sees.  The species holds the distinction of being the only coniferous tree that sheds its needles.  This aspect of their biology creates a beauty shared by no other North American conifer.

For a few weeks each fall tamaracks cover the hill sides with their evanescent light, appearing for awhile like huge golden torches.

Properly described, the species is a deciduous conifer and in the fall, generally around November, needles of the tamarack turn to a rich yellow and then stay that way for several weeks.  But as the season progresses, the  gold coloration gives way to rich brown.  Eventually, virtually all the needles are excised from the tree and then they stand barren, waiting for spring when the cycle repeats itself.

But right now few species can claim more beauty.  True, the New England states have maples and birch that punctuate the landscape with their yellows and reds and the south its profusion rich berries, but I maintain that few settings can compare with Montana when tamaracks turn gold and when they in turn are back dropped with a fresh dusting of snow.

That’s the way it was the other day as we passed over Lookout Pass. The beauty of the scene prompted many to pull to the side of the highway for a lingering look, suggesting that some, at least, are still awed by the basic transformations of nature.

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THIS TIME THREE YEARS AGO:

*Sheep Wear Biographies on Their Horns

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©Bert Gildart: At the moment we are camped in a KOA just outside of Spokane.  We were bound for Sutton RV where we’re scheduled to have a few repairs made to our RV all covered by the warranty that came with our new Airstream.

Those who have followed will recall we had to purchase a new RV because of the extensive filiform corrosion sustained last winter as we traveled over Monida Pass.  From Suttons we will be heading to the warmth of the desert.Just prior to leaving I visited the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell to create images of one of Montana’s wealthiest families, the Conrads.

Because flash is not allowed in the mansion, I had visited with friends from Boise who are experts on the use of a technique called HDR, standing for “high dynamic resolution.”

The technique requires the use of a tripod and the bracketing of exposures of the same setting.  Typically, anywhere from three to six or more images are recorded of the same exact setting, then using a program such as Photomatrix, the images are superimposed one on the other – then merged.

HDR tends to create exaggerated colors; the trick is to control that tendency.

The theory is that in the course of taking multiple images one will have created the proper exposure for all elements in the scene ranging from the most extreme highlights to the densest shadows. This was my first attempt, but with lots of help from Todd and Jack (my companions on the recent trip to Wildhorse) I think I have made a good first start.  I’ll work on reducing some of the extreme colors, but have included them here because they show colors that might be useful in creating “Photo Art.”

Bedroom once used by Theodore Roosevelt and then by cowboy artist Charles M. Russell.

Not so incidentally, the image of the bedroom shows the bed and room in which both Theodore Roosevelt and Charles M. Russell stayed while visiting the Conrads.  Obviously these are Christmas scenes and hopefully my images have captured all the wonderful decorations staff at the mansion have displayed for the Christmas season. They helped me with ideas and with detailed explanations of the mansion’s history, and several of the images will most certainly be used in our book Montana Icons.  Glacier Icons will be in the warehouse of Globe Pequot December 15^th and ready at that time for nation-wide distribution.

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THIS TIME TWO YEARS AGO:

*Athabascan Fiddle Festival

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©Bert Gildart: Throughout North America, many species of wildlife engage in ritualistic contests to determine male order of dominance during the mating season.  In the animal world, few contests are more vigorous nor is the ritual more complex than among mountain sheep.  I have followed sheep throughout much of North America and have always considered it a rare treat when I stumble across action such as I enjoyed with two other photographers a few days ago.

When all else fails, rams resort to violence.

We had left Dayton, Montana and then made the 15 minute trip by boat to Wildhorse Island where we beached in a small cove known as Skidoo Bay.  The island is mountainous and we immediately began to climb, looking as we did for wild horses, the island’s namesake.  Instead we saw a few small deer but then, off in the distance, a herd of “bachelor” rams.

RAMS HUDDLE

At this time of year, males are still in groups, where they begin determining a “pecking” order.  They gather in groups known as “huddles” where they curl their lips at one another, poke one another with their hooves, and nudge one another with their horns. A great deal of information is exchanged in such groups, information that often helps determine male order of dominance without having to resort to “violence.”  But when doubt remains, rams sometimes resort to battles, which can sometimes produce injury.

L to R: Todd Campbell, engulfed by the beauty of Wildhorse Island, focuses  on nearby action; Jack Floegel approaches herd of rams near top of Wildhorse; bachelor herd of rams “huddle” to exchange information.

We continued our climb and found several of our bachelor herds, and as we watched we saw several rams that appeared huge.  We also saw several that appeared on the verge of a violent confrontation and we set up our camera gear, waiting to see what might happen.  We were not disappointed.

From a distance of about 50 yards we watched as two rams stalked off to a distance of about 30 feet, turned to face one another. Rising on hind legs they ran forward dropping at the last minute for increased momentum then collided.  In the stillness of the day the sound of their impact sounded like a high power rifle and we struggled to record the drama, which they repeated.  Though the impact must have produced immense headaches, in this case no eyes were poked out, no ribs were broken, though one of the males did appear to emerge as a solid champion, for the other ram stalked off.

Toward day’s end we reluctantly leave behind one of the largest rams any of us have ever seen but find compensation when a group of ” wild” horses find us.

When the sheep tired we began to wander the island, finding more bachelor herds.  We looked as well for the island’s famous mule deer herds, but saw but one or two lone bucks.  And though we never found our wild horses, they found us near one of the old homestead shacks that still remained on the island.  They were a friendly group of about four and apparently had been fed in the past as they poked at our pockets, hoping perhaps for an apple.

Reluctantly, we departed near sunset, believing we had enjoyed a most successful day.

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THIS TIME TWO YEARS AGO:

*Bighorn Sheep Wear Biographies On Their Horns

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©Bert Gildart: For the past two nights we have been camped in the “World’s First KOA,” located in Montana’s largest city.

Cities are not my first choice for camping, but Billings, population 104,934 – and with a population density of 3080.9 per square mile – has managed to capitalize on features that keeps people here.  Recently, city fathers filed for a logo they believe reflects their past.  From hence forth, Billings will be known as “Montana’s Trailhead.”

Billings now calls itself Montana's Trailhead, with justification.

Last night I got a sense of that rationale when I drove to a parking lot near the airport. From there I hiked a trail that took me out and along the Rimrock bluffs.  It was quiet and from below I could hear the occasional yip of a dog, music of various types – and the sound of what sounded like the chants from a Native American PowWow.  Back dropped by the Yellowstone River, and the blend of various sounds, I thought that night photos of Billings might suggest a city that certainly provided a staging area for adventures yet to unfold.

In fact, Billings does have a fascinating past and “trails” from the city lead to a variety of nearby attractions to include the Little Bighorn, Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Pompey’s Pillar, the Pryor Mountains, and the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

We’ll be here for another day or so, catching up on the many places we’ve seen and not yet been able to report on. As well, we’ll be absorbing some of the features Montana’s largest city has to offer and will reporting on them from the World’s First KOA.

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THIS TIME FIVE YEARS AGO:

*Nova Scotia Tells Story of Tragic Deportation

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©Bert Gildart: Photographing mermaids?  Yes, it is possible in Great Falls, Montana, at a lively tavern called the Sip & Dip.  Normally an end-of-the-week attraction, the manager asked the young ladies to make a special appearance, to help with one of my assignments.  Graciously two mermaids appeared and then performed, swimming in a huge glass tank in outfits that looked like the top of a bikini and the bottom of an actual mermaid.

Lung power of Montana mermaids is immense, enabling the young women to remain submerged for long periods.

As they swam past me, they undulated in ways intended to propel themselves forward.  Other movements were choreographed so that they performed backward somersaults, and if one followed their flow, their arch swept in such a way so that I was reminded of Salome and her Dance of the Seven Veils.

CONCENTRATION REQUIRED

To maintain my status as a dedicated professional photographer, immense powers of concentration were required, as some might  imagine.  As the young ladies swam by, they threw me kisses, and though I was tempted to return those gestures, I remained steadfast, trying for selective focus, making sure my strobe was angled in such a way that it did not reflect off the glass. It was a tough job.

My interests, of course, were empirical.  I was concerned with the functional, and my thoughts were thusly channeled.  I was obsessed with the way in which the designer had tailored the lower part of the costume so that it would provide easy access for the young women but simultaneously permit the fluidity of motion necessary for swimming.

With powerful thrusts of arms and "flippers" mermaids descend. I remain concerned for integrity of bodices.

But I was also concerned with the bodices, because sometimes the loop inscribed by the young women consisted of a powerful downward thrust, and at times such as this, tension was applied to the bodices.  Could the materials withstand such vigorous pressure.  I was concerned – and hoped for the best.

HECKLING CALLS?

Fortunately, patrons — all behind me — could not observe the challenges to which I was confronted and that must have registered in my countenance.  The manager had allowed me to stand behind the bar so that I was immediately adjacent to the glass. That placed me so my back was facing other patrons, and in that way I did not have to concern myself with questioning looks.

Departing with a kiss

Though I thought I heard some heckling, at such times furrows in my brow must have registered confusion as I was simply a camera artist trying to capture that which seemed most important to their performance. Sometimes the young women passed within inches of my camera and I fervently believe that helped with my various endeavors.

Unfortunately, I have not yet processed all the images, so am presenting the first of those which I have processed. I expect to be spending many hours in Photoshop, hoping to tease out artistic nuances that I may have overlooked on my first pass.

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THIS TIME THREE YEARS AGO:

*Where Does Fall Begin?

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"So sad?" Maybe, but maybe not.

©Bert Gildart: When travelers driving Highway 2 pass through Havre, Montana, most are unaware that they are driving over tunnels that once connected an outlawed way of life.  Beneath the highway slumbers “Underground Havre,” a several block series of rooms that actually secreted opium dens.

As well, it interprets other aspects of Havre that have been selected as being worthy of interpretation to include a bootlegger bar, gambling hall, a mortuary, a brothel – and a few businesses that once thrived in the middle of this Montana town.

Interested visitors must join a guided tour.  Guides lead groups to a creaky wooden door, and then descend a series of old concrete stairs.  Here, beneath a dusty, hard-glassed skylight, the tour begins, passing first through an old tunnel to a series of clean well-lighted rooms that includes the old brothel. (We covered one in Skagway, too, The Red Onion.)

HOW SAD

You remember the mannequin depicting the come-hither lady because she is standing to the side of a bathroom and because she is pressed against a bed covered with a purple quilt, which was folded back – as though extending an invitation.

The lady is also dressed in purple and she wears a slight smile.  Entrance to her room — and to the bed – is through a laced door, and though we heard one woman say “How sad,” I had to wonder why?

Men out numbered women almost 100 to 1, and these women softened a harsh landscape in which hostilities were but a quirky gesture away.

OPIUM DEN

Adjacent to the bordello was a bar and a laundry room, but what intrigued me most were two other mannequins. One depicted a man sitting crossed legged in a corner with a pipe resting in his lap. The other, however, was more graphic, for it showed a man cradling a pipe; but he was prostrate.  His eyes seemed glazed and his expression was vacant.

vacant stare and glassy eyes testify to hard-core opium use.

Was he content?  Perhaps not according to members of local church groups which began increasing in number in the 1920s.

PHILANTHROPIC BOOTLEGGER

We passed through other rooms, rooms depicting a dentist office, Indian wars, a drug store, sausage shop, meat market, and arts of the times. Finally, however, we entered a room presenting the mannequin of a small man, but one who enjoyed a huge business.

Art is part of decor; butcher shop; tour quickly
progresses from skylights to clean well lighted rooms.

His name was Chris Young, and he prospered as a bootlegger, big in the Havre, Montana, area in the ‘20s and the ‘30s.  Interestingly, when he died in 1944 he specified that his fortune be used to benefit children.

Chris Young, small man but one who profited in big way from bootlegging.

One could say that there are lessons here, but most likely they are all of an existential nature.  That may not be what the city fathers intended. Most likely they intended to show a way of life that once thrived, and to that extend they have succeeded admirably.

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THIS TIME FIVE YEARS AGO:

Grave Yard Tour in Nova Scotia

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©Bert Gildart: Though Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep may have navigated Kootenai Falls in the movie “River Wild,” few others have successfully run the rapids.  From a point just above the falls the river drops at a rate of 90 feet per mile.  If a floater survives the rapids, they must then contend with the falls, which drops 30 feet at its most extreme.

Some have attempted to kayak the falls and been successful, but not all.

Early explorers recognized the dangers inherent in the falls and choose to portage.  In 1808, the upper end of the falls stopped David Thompson and four other men traveling in a large canoe, at which they decided to portage.  Fifteen trips were required to pack equipment around the falls, each of which took one and a half hours.

SOME OF MONTANA’S FIRST EXPLORERS

Thirty years later, Father Pierre DeSmet, a Jesuit Missionary, arrived at the same conclusion, though his choices were limited as he was progressing up the river rather than traveling down.  DeSmet took eight hours to journey around the falls, mentioning in his journals that he made the crossing in a quadrapedal position, meaning he was crawling on all fours.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of visiting the falls is crossing the bridge; Kootenai River creates a warm micro-climate that speeds transition from flowers to berries, as in this Oregon Grape.

Today, thanks to creation of a Kootenai Falls County Park, established in 1991, all aspects of this beautiful falls can be enjoyed.  To look into the mouth of the falls, modern-day explorers will have to cross a swinging bridge, and that may be the most challenging aspect of the outing. But the rewards are immense.

ANCIENT ROCKS

Kootenai River flows through a narrow gorge engulfed by ledges of ancient sedimentary rock.  Rocks date from the Precambrian era and are 1.5 billion years old. Once they formed part of a great inland sea and today preserve ancient blue-green stromatolites, still visible as concentric rings.

Today, the falls are one of the main attractions in the Troy/Libby area, and a challenge to river rafters and kayakers.  Several have successfully kayaked the falls – but others have attempted – and failed.

One of the major attractions in the Troy/Libby area

And now a head’s up.  Janie and I will be joining other Airstream friends for a six-day float down one of Montana’s Wild and Scenic River. We will drive to Fort Benton, spend one night in the Grand Union Hotel and then the next day launch canoes into the Missouri River.  This is the same section about which Captain Meriwether Lewis waxed so eloquent.  When we return, we will be posting images and blogs about our journey. The float provides much beauty, and glad to say, none of the near impossible challenges provided by Kootenai Falls.

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THIS TIME LAST YEAR:

*Klondike Gold Field

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©Bert Gildart: If you have seen charcoal kilns before, quite likely it was while visiting Death Valley National Park. They look like huge beehives, and they were once used in the park for converting wood to charcoal. Though the charcoal then had to be transported from high in the Panamint Mountains to Death Valley proper, the benefits of using charcoal were immense.

Janie hiking into Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns

Charcoal produces high temperatures required for extracting borax from rock. As well it it burns hotter than wood because it is almost pure carbon. It is also much lighter and easier to transport, making it an efficient and economical method of smelting ore. Because of their mystical beauty, Death Valley features them prominently in many of the their publications.

Though kilns do exist in other parts of the country, such as Colorado and Nevada, most have not withstood the ravages of time. But in Montana, perhaps because the kilns are remote, a group of them still stand, and they remain in very good shape.  To me, they exceed the beauty of those in Death Valley.

REMOTE LOCATION

Located high in the East Pioneer Mountains near Melrose, Montana, we reached the Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns following an old dirt road that twisted and bumped for about15 miles taking us first to the old mining town of Glendale. Operated by the Hecla Minding Company, the town existed to extract silver in the still-standing smelter, and during its heyday buzzed with activity.  In addition to the miners’ dwellings, there were several saloons featuring “hurdy gurdy” dancers.

Only a few decaying structures remain of the once bustling settlement of Glendale;  though charcoal kilns are showing wear, the Forest Service is attempting to restore luster and structure.

For operation, the smelter depended on charcoal produced by the kilns, located yet another five miles up the road. In the old days, charcoal was hauled from the kilns down the road to Glendale.

NATURAL BEAUTY

The kilns are located on Forest Service lands, and when we reached them we began our exploration simply gazing around at all the natural beauty, and the “hives” that blended but in a surrealistic sort of way.  Nearby ran a small creek known as Canyon Creek, and once it provided water needed in the process of brick building.  Other brick and kiln components included a ready source of clay and sand, and last but not least, an abundance of timber, which came in the form of lodge pole pine.

A trail lead from the parking lot and the Forest Service had posted interpretive signs, explaining that the 25 kilns were 20 feet high and measured 25 feet in diameter. They were used between 1884 and 1900, and during that period contributed to the extraction of more than $20,000,000 worth of silver, making it one of the state’s most productive.

25 well preserved old kilns remain in the East Pioneer Mountains of Montana

Historically, the kilns are reminiscent of one of the state’s most consumptive periods of time. To fire these kilns, reports suggest that loggers working for the Hecla Company cut over 18 section of timber for charcoal use alone.  But those were different times, and today, the kilns remind us of one of state’s most important early day activities; a time when rough shod miners roamed the hills and hurdy gurdy girls danced in nearby saloons.  To preserve history, the Forest Service has been attempting to stabilize the kilns and appear to be succeeding.  The kilns are equally as appealing as those in Death Valley, California, and certainly much closer, at least for those in Montana.

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THIS TIME THREE YEARS AGO:

*Lilies in Glacier National Park

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©Bert Gildart:  The horses were all beautifully matched pairs and were well trained for the job at the Grant Kohrs Historic Ranch in Deer Lodge, Montana.

“Raise your foot,” said one of the team drivers in a quiet way, reminiscent of the protagonist (Robert Redford, remember?)  in the movie, Horse Whisperer. “Step left.”

Process begins by gathering hay in buck rake

The job at hand was a multi-tasked one and the horses responded on cue.  Horses and the team driver were collecting hay already pushed into windrows, but to now be pushed again with a horse-drawn buckrake to a unique farming implement known as the beaverslide.  When the job is complete, ranchers will have created a pile of hay that looks like a huge breadloaf.

ORIGIN OF BEAVERSLIDES

Beaverslides originated in the Big Hole country, and Jay Nelson provided an initial introduction for me to the procedure, explaining the expediency of using beaverslides with horses.  Nelson had encouraged me to take in the annual demonstration held at the Grant Kohrs Ranch, where I could see well trained horses in use.

First hay is assembled in the slide at its base in a section known as beaverbasket where workers distribute the hay horses have pushed in. Cables are attached to the basket and then string out to the harnesses of another set of powerful horses.  On command, the pair moves forward and the beaverbasket begins to rise.  When it reaches the top, the hay falls off and begins to accumulate into a growing pile.

HAY WAS PERFECT

“The hay couldn’t be better,” one of the old time ranchers told Janie.  “It’s not the least bit wet, and if it were that would make the job more difficult, for it would be heavier.”

Horses (and one set of mules) working the fields with the drivers were perfectly matched Belgians and Percherons, a form of draft horse.  In the old days, ranchers who used such horses (and mules) were proud of the teams, and as Janie’s new ranch friend told her, “Families were proud of their teams in the same way people today are proud of their cars.”

Teamster Kai Christensen, beaverside showing hay being deposited into basket, ranch girls spread hay to facilitate growing “loaf of bread.”

Haying at the Grant Kohrs Ranch is conducted in part to help preserve history.  But it is still used in the southwestern part of Montana, in part because it is still an economical way to gather hay. Perhaps, too, the procedure provides a bit  of nostalgia, the longing for a more simple way of way of life that is devoid of mechanization and that still relies on the use of beautiful draft horses.

TEAMSTERS

Ironically, one of the teamsters was Kai Christensen, a man whom I had met 25 years ago on a five-day wagon trip through the lower Flathead.  Kai was one of the several teamsters Janie and I had enjoyed watching. He handled his horses well, and detailed for me the patience required to help his Belgians overcome the intimidation they felt as they approached the beaverslide.  As well, Kai and I recalled the highlights of the trip we made years ago, and seeing him turned out to be yet another bonus in traveling throughout Montana, as Janie and I have been doing.

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THIS TIME TWO YEARS AGO:

*Chena River, Alaska

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