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Updated : 8/5/10
By Cathy Shill of the Hole Hiking Experience
Nature News: July - August
Nature News-
July. A month of sun, heat, flowers, and bugs as beauty abounds. We are in our typical summer pattern with warm days and cool nights. Nights are in the forties and day time temperatures reach the high eighties. Choices are endless so each day can be filled with various activities and places to explore.
July is flower month with every hue, every shape, everywhere. Blooms can be found throughout all the elevations: sunflowers and asters on the valley floor, balsamroot around 9000 feet and spring blooms in the high country. Hikes are filled with endless meadows as flowers burst forth to show their faces and attract pollinators. Photos don’t do them justice.
Beautiful flowers do mean beautiful bugs. We had the discussion of what is a beautiful bug. Granted mosquitoes and biting flies might not make the list but what about lady bugs, butterflies, moths? Growing up in Ohio, I have fond memories of lightning bugs, preying mantis, and walking sticks. There are definitely some cool bugs in nature and they have their role in the health of the ecosystem.
Unfortunately this month has been shaded by a storm system that caught climbers on the Grand Teton, summit 13,770 feet. Usual summer weather is afternoon showers but on July 21 we had a front move through the area that caught three climbing groups on the high peak. The storm hit the peak around noon and lasted about an hour. 17 people were caught in the storm and one death occurred as the climber was knocked off the mountain. Further investigation shows the climbing harness might not have been used properly.
The climbing rangers executed an amazing rescue with the help of climbing guides, local EMS, and helicopter pilots. 92 workers collaborated to help with the rescue. It was a harrowing ordeal as the rescuers climbed through the storm, navigated air rescues, and secured the injured climbers. The rescue took over seven hours. Kudos to this team and the amazing work that they do!! The full story can be found in the Jackson Hole News and Guide, July 28, 2010.
With great regret, I found the article in the Associated Press about the grizzly attack in Yellowstone. The Soda Butte campground is in the Lamar Valley which is a hot spot to see bears and wolves.
My heart has great sadness for the bear and all those involved. It is not our path to understand why but to have the intelligence to realize that all species have bad members. To live in an area that touches the wildness of nature makes it special. It certainly comes with risk and I find some peace knowing that this is an isolated incident and by no means portrays the entire species. Some humans have done some really awful acts and we’re not all bad, now are we?
On a more positive note, get outside and rejoice in summer! If it is too hot where you live, come to the coolness of the mountains. Consider a fall visit when the town quiets, soft light returns and animals are on the move. Join us to experience fall with our Fall Walking Tour: September 9/28-10/2. Details can be found at:http://www.holehike.com/fallwalking.html
What’s in the Woods:
7/2- Horseshoe Canyon- spotted coralroot, arnica, cinquefoil, leopard lily, sweet vetch, wild iris, stickseed, sunflower,
7/3-Grand Teton Park- bison, male pronghorn, cow elk, otter family in Oxbow Bend, cow and calf moose, sandhill cranes, turkey vulture, red tail hawk
7/3- Shadow Mountain- lupine, geranium, valerian, cutleaf daisy, longleaf phlox, long-plumed avens, primrose, serviceberry, chokecherry, mugwort, herd of cow and calf elk, about 100
7/5-Black Canyon- still a few snow patches- sugar bowl, buttercup, spring beauty, arrowleaf balsamroot
7/9-Victor, ID- young red tail hawk near its’ nest
7/10-Smith Canyon- snow bush, cow moose and calf, Indian paintbrush
7/12- Ski Lake- flowers amazing!!!- geranium, lupine, penstemen, columbine, Indian paintbrush, sugarbowl, buttercup, osha, three moose- two bulls and a cow
7/12- adult hawks still defending nesting site near our house
7/21- rainy- granite hot springs- mule deer, american dipper, yarrow, cow parsnip, lupine
7/22- Black Canyon- fields of wildflowers- cow moose, columbine, osha, mountain cicely, penstomen, scarlet gilia, sweet vetch, Indian paintbrush, arrowleaf balsamroot, phlox, bedstraw, gentian, hare bells, yampah- just starting,
7/23- Moose-Wilson Rd- mule deer, cow and calf moose
Snake River- bull moose
Antelope Flats-bison, pronghorn
7/28-Patterson Creek- spirea, monkshood, fireweed, richard’s geranium, arrowleaf groundsel, western tanager, cows
7/29- Pole Canyon- cowparsnip, monkshood, sunflower, swallowtail butterfly, wiedmeyer’s admiral butterfly
Trail Suggestion-
There really isn’t a bad choice at this time of year. After a nice long day hike in Grand Teton Park, take a dip in String Lake. It is a beautiful mountain lake north of Jenny Lake. It isn’t as deep as the glacial lakes so a nice temperature to swim. For hikes, I would explore Lake Solitude in Cascade Canyon or the meadows of Garnet Canyon. Have fun and be prepared!
Experience nature! Join us to make the most of your Jackson Hole visit! Our tours are educational, inspirational, and fun for all ages. Visit our web site: http://www.holehike.com/
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