ranger's buttons next to John Muir Trail, Rae Lakes Loop
http://goo.gl/yJpl5
crimson columbine on the Rae Lakes Loop
mule deer buck lounging next to the Bubbs Creek Trail
Pine tree near the treeline at Big Pothole Lake
Tadpole. Genus confirmed by Vance Vredenburg, species inferred based on range.
beautiful colorful aspens in Onion Valley, circa early 2000s.
Keersarge Pass. Date is approximate (sometime in June 2008).
May not be ovalifolium... . Commonly seen at alpine levels (above 10,000 feet) . This one on top of Glen Pass, Kings Canyon NP. They hug the rocks to get as much warmth as possible at alpine elevations.
Tree frog, hippity hopping across the meadow
Skypilot, Polemonium eximium. Probably the most fragrant flower in the Sierra. Very short blooming period (early July) in Sierra above 11,800 feet -- seen on many Sierra passes. This one just below Glen Pass, Kings Canyon National Park, CA.
Just below Glen Pass, Kings Canyon National Park. Very showy composite almost always above 11,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains.
Latin name: Hulsea algida A. Gray
Pronunciation: HUL-see-a AL-ji-da
Common name: Alpine gold hulsea
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower)
Habitat: Subalpine to alpine fell-fields and talus slopes,
9000'-13,500', White-Inyo Mountains
Blooming period: July to August
Wildfire in grove of Foxtail Pine, near Bullfrog Lake, Kings Canyon National Park, CA. Continuous ground fuel was sparse -- mostly dirt and gravel. Fire spread by crowning and sparks to next clump of fuel below live trees. Probably started by camper burning toilet paper.
Sierra Lily (Lilium kelleyanum), Bubbs Creek, Kings Canyon National Park at about 9,200 feet. These have a great fragrance -- we watched it slowly open as the sun hit the area on a cold morning.
Adult Townsend's Hare (aka White Tailed Jackrabbit) at Charlotte Lake, Kings Canyon National Park. Resident for the whole summer of 2008. Also saw a juvenile several times. They live in the area year 'round.
California mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus californicus), buck, near Bullfrog Lake, Kings Canyon National Park. Several bucks hang out in the higher meadows (above 11,000 feet).
Adult and 3 chicks (not visible) near Bullfrog Lake, Kings Canyon National Park, CA, USA. One of the chicks later seen with a broken foot. I've seen Grouse in the same location for the last 20 years or so.
Group of nine rams seen near trail near Rae Lakes, Kings Canyon National Park, CA. Exact location obscured. They are not uncommonly seen by visitors in the fall in this area.
Note Golden Mantle Ground Squirrel in foreground as well as sheep scat on rock.
Found under a wet rock within 2,000 meters of location shown on map. Purposely obscured to hide population. They're not believed to be endangered, but there's no point in taking chances... .
