Iris missouriensis forms a rhizomatous clump and can exist in large colonies. Its range extends from BC to Baja California and east to Minnesota. The beautiful purple flower is actually composed of three sepals, three petals and three petal-like styles. Also called Wild Iris and Missouri Iris, the leaves, stems and roots are poisonous if…
Tag: Rocky Mountains
Easy to Miss
It’s easy to miss the subtle beauty around me. On any given day I can get wrapped up in my to-do list and forget to take the time to simply look around me. On photo hikes I can get wrapped up in looking for that “once in a lifetime” shot and not see the brush…
Hostile to Large Carnivores
I won’t go into a long (boring) post about my lack of blogging. A move, new job, new home, kids in a new school are the reasons. I thought I’d jump back into blogging with something controversial. There’s always plenty of fodder when it comes to wildlife management in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE). The…
Growing Roots
If you have spent much time among rock outcrops, badlands, or the Rocky Mountains, you’ve probably seen trees and shrubs sprouting from what looks like solid rock.
Wyoming Sage Grouse Conservation and Land Use
In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife decided the greater sage grouse would be kept in consideration for placing on the endangered species list. They say the listing is “warranted,” but there are too many other endangered species needing attention at this time. “Based on a 12-month status review pursuant to the Endangered Species Act,…
Wyoming on the Edge of Ogallala Aquifer
The headlines read Aquifer study could lead to water use restrictions in Laramie County It’s hard to believe we could be draining such a large water resource as the Ogallala Aquifer.
Mountain Snowpack Critical for Stream Flows
Well, we’ve had a few wet snows in the last two weeks here in Wyoming. Due to the warm weather in the first half of April (at least here in Central Wyoming), the soil at lower elevations is able to absorb much of the moisture from these snows, which is a welcome occurrence. I recently heard…
Cacophony Unheard
After crossing Togwotee Pass, the first glimpse of the Teton Range is full of impact. The view of these ‘young’ mountains then goes out of site, only to hit you at closer range. The Tetons are massive, and their size is emphasized by their abrupt rise from the plains containing the sinuous, meandering Snake River. The…
Bighorn River Then and Now: “The land is all good…”
I’ve been reading Granville Stuart’s account* of the early days in Montana (1870’s and 80’s). At one point in the book he is traveling around Montana looking for range for 5,000 head of cattle. This is just before the big herds from Texas started to arrive in that part of Montana, and there was plenty…
Finally, a Little Snow
Finally, a little more snow in central Wyoming today. We’ve only had one other snow event giving a paltry few inches. We were up on Casper Mountain Saturday and I commented that it looked like the average October dusting, not what we hope to see at the end of January. Powder Pass in the southern…
Wyoming Life 