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.
Tag: wyoming
Turn Off the Lights, Save Water
Living in Wyoming we are always aware of the scarcity of water. The majority of Wyoming receives less than 15″ of precipitation annually. Water, even more so, potable water, is becoming a global problem. We hear a lot about reducing water usage by using low flow shower heads and commodes, turning the tap off when possible, watering…
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.
Medicine Lodge: Etchings of the Past
The obvious feature along Medicine Lodge Creek is the 750 foot long sandstone bluff containing a fascinating display of petroglyphs and pictographs. Petroglyphs are images carved into the stone with a sharp object. Pictographs are painted onto the surface. I imagine the bluff has caught the attention of both Native Americans and European settlers for centuries,…
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…
Revegetation Efforts Should Focus on Native Plant Species
Propagating native plants in volumes large enough to produce commercial quantities of native seed is not always an easy, or inexpensive task, but using native plant species in revegetation efforts on federal and state lands should be the norm, not the exception. This National Forest in Michigan is taking the needed long range approach to…
My Cross Country Skiing Primer (By and For Beginners)
I did a little cross country, or Nordic, skiing in college, but when I left the flatlands for the Rocky Mountain region I was stunned by the terrain: How could anyone ski up those hills? My cross country skis languished in various garages, closets, and attics until I got tired of lugging them around and…
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…
Glacial Lakes: Grand Tetons
Grand Teton National Park. Truly spectacular landscapes.
Wyoming Life 