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  • Borer beetle tracks, Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
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  • The Valais Blackneck goat is bred for long hair as protection from harsh Alpine conditions. From Berghotel Faulhorn, we hiked the spectacular trail to Schynige Platte (6.9 miles, 400 feet ascent, 2660 ft descent) in Switzerland, Europe. Then we took the scenic Schynige Platte cog train down to Wilderswil, where a train took us to Lauterbrunnen Bahnhof and adjacent Hotel Silberhorn. Berghotel Faulhorn was built in 1830, one of the oldest mountain hotels in the Alps. Earplugs are recommended for sleeping, as the old walls are thin. Perched on a remote precipice with great views especially at sunset and sunrise, Berghotel Faulhorn has flush toilets, but no drinking-water supply, nor guest showers. To save money, carry extra liters of drinking water from Grindelwald. In 2022, Berghotel Faulhorn charged 4 CHF per liter for hikers' tea, and 12 CHF per 1.5-liter bottle of drinking water. The hut's roof-gathered water is undrinkable (and our squeeze-filter didn't remove the bad taste). For personal hygiene, cold water is provided in the dormitory washroom, and the private rooms have nostalgic water jugs and bowls.
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  • Calf with sharp anti-suckling nose ring for weaning from mother's milk. Swiss Via Alpina 1, Day 2: ascending Foopass from Wiesstannen in Switzerland, Europe. Swiss Via Alpina (National Route 1), Day 2: From Hotel Gemse in Wiesstannen, we arranged a taxi to save 4.2 miles of walking to Alp Walabutz, from where we hiked over Foopass to Elm (9.1 miles, 2840 feet up, 4100 ft down). From Elm, we rode a Postbus to Schwanden then train to Linthal Braunwaldbahn Talstation, to catch the funicular to Braunwald, where we walked 0.6 mile with 340 ft ascent to Alexander´s Tödiblick hotel.
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  • Sheep seen near Les Chapieux, below Col de la Seigne, France, Europe. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 3: hike from Les Chapieux in France via Col de la Seigne to Elisabetta Refuge in Val Veny, Italy (8.8 miles miles with 3450 feet ascent, 1440 ft descent).
    22ALP-02994.jpg
  • Donkeys lick salt at Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme, France, Europe. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 2: hike from Les Contamines-Montjoie via Col du Bonhomme to Les Chambres du Soleil in Les Chapieux hamlet, in Bourg-Saint-Maurice commune, France (11.4 miles with 4200 feet ascent, 3000 ft descent).
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  • Painted cow. Chamonix, France, Europe
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  • Turkey feathers reflect a rainbow of colors. Pinnacles Campground, Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
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  • A full-sized skeleton diorama of the Agate waterhole 20 million years ago shows two entelodont mammals and a small beardog scavenging a chalicothere carcass (related to horse and rhino), at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Harrison, Nebraska, USA. The entelodont (Dinohyus hollandi) was a hoofed mammal 6-8 feet tall at the shoulder, with powerful jaws and teeth for eating both carrion and plants. The smaller skeleton in the foreground  is a beardog (Daphoenodon superbus, the most common carnivore at the Agate waterhole site), which preyed upon juvenile rhinos, camels, and oreodonts. The chalicothere (Moropus elatus) was related to the horse and rhino, standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder and having 3-toed, claw-like hooves. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument boasts some of the most well-preserved Miocene fossils in the world. The park is near Harrison, Nebraska, USA. Agate’s grass-covered plains and flat-top buttes represent 20 million years of natural history. This valley of the Niobrara River contains important fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill.
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  • A packer on horseback leads mules up Pine Creek Pass Trail in Inyo National Forest, California, USA. We backpacked to Honeymoon Lake and Granite Park. Day 1: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 feet gain to Honeymoon Lake. Day 2: backpack 3.1 miles with 1300 ft gain to Granite Park. Day 3: backpack 2.7 miles with 1300 ft descent to Honeymoon Lake to set up tents; then day hike 4.4 miles round trip with 900 ft gain to Pine Creek Pass. Day 4: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 ft descent to the trailhead.
    2108CA2-0567.jpg
  • A crayfish at Secret Lake. We hiked Leavitt Meadows Loop clockwise (8.9 miles with 1570 ft gain with ridge extension above Lane Lake) in Hoover Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, California, USA. Trailhead is at Leavitt Meadows Campground, 38.33401 N, 119.55177 W. Staying below 8000 ft elevation, this makes a good training hike. The best ambiance is at Secret Lake. Roosevelt and Lane Lakes provide pleasant views.
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  • Refugio Chileno offers horse transportation, and supplies tents fully equipped with pads and sleeping bags. From Refugio Chileno, we hiked to Mirador Base Las Torres (9.5 km or 5.9 miles round trip with 600 m or 1980 ft gain) to view the namesake towers of Torres del Paine National Park, in Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. The salmon dinner & dessert served at Refugio Chileno was our tastiest meal along the W Route! UNESCO honors the Park as a World Biosphere Reserve.
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  • A sign implores drivers to slow for huemules and prevent forest fires on RP23, near Lago del Desierto, in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America. The south Andean deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus), also known as the southern guemal, Chilean huemul or güemul, is an endangered deer species native to the mountains of Argentina and Chile. The huemul is part of Chile's national coat of arms and is a National Natural Monument.
    2002PAT-3681.jpg
  • Mountain lion sculpture. Canyons Of The Ancients Visitor Center & Museum (formerly known as the Anasazi Heritage Center), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), near Cortez, Colorado, USA. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument preserves the largest concentration of archaeological sites (6000+) in the United States, primarily Ancestral Puebloan ruins. The term "Ancestral Puebloans" is now more appropriate than the previous term, "Anasazi," which means "ancient enemies" or "enemy ancestors" in Navajo. "Anasazi" is objectionable to the diverse Pueblo peoples who are modern-day descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans. By 750 CE, the Ancestral Puebloans had developed from the Basketmaker culture, whereas the Athabaskan ancestors of the Navajo and Apache entered the Southwest much later, around 1400 CE. After first being applied to ruins of Mesa Verde in the 1880s, the word Anasazi was established in archaeological terminology through the Pecos Classification system in 1927. Contemporary Hopi prefer the word Hisatsinom for their ancient ancestors, but that word isn't used by other Puebloan cultural groups such as the Zuni, Acoma, and others.
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  • The Beaver Sculpture by Alex Lojczyc arrived at Beaverlodge in 2004, on Highway 43, County of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. This statue is of a North American beaver (Castor canadensis). [By the way, the now-extinct Giant Beaver (Castoroides ohioensis) was the largest rodent ever in North America. It lived from 130,000-10,000 years ago, in the Pleistocene Epoch. Skeletal remains of this extinct rodent were first discovered in 1837. Castoroides ohioensis measured up to 8 feet long, weighing 480 pounds, and differed in appearance from the modern sculpture pictured here.]
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  • The moose (Alces alces) is the largest species of the deer family. Denali National Park, Alaska, USA.
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  • F.E. Company Dredge No. 4 (Pedro Dredge) ran 1938-1967 near Fairbanks & here in Chicken, Alaska, USA. Chicken is one of the few surviving gold rush towns in Alaska. Mining and tourism keep it alive in the summer, and about 17 people stay through the winter. Gold miners settling here in the late 1800s wanted to name it after the local ptarmigan birds, but couldn't agree on the spelling, so instead called it Chicken to avoid embarrassment. A portion of Chicken including early 1900s buildings and the F.E. Company Dredge No. 4 (Pedro Dredge) is listed as the Chicken Historic District on the National Register of Historical Places. Chicken can be reached via Chicken Airport or Alaska Route 5, the Taylor Highway, which is not maintained from mid-October through mid-March. To license this Copyright photo, please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.
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  • The American Scimitar Cat (Homotherium serum) lived in the Yukon and Beringia 80,000–20,000 years ago, and other areas on earth from 4 million–12,000 years ago. (The Scimitar Cat's fangs, or maxillary canine teeth, are shorter than those of the head shown below of a Sabre-toothed Cat, a close relative which has never been found in Beringia.) Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, in Whitehorse, capital and largest city of the Yukon, Canada. During the ice ages, Beringia's climate alternated between warm interglacial and cold glacial periods. During glacial periods, sea levels dropped 120 meters, exposing a land bridge that was up to 1000 kilometers (620 miles) wide. Beringia, like most of Siberia and all of North and Northeast China, was a grassland steppe. Fossils found on both sides of the Bering Land Bridge show that since the time of the dinosaurs, it was a major route for the exchange of plants and animals between Asia and North America. Swedish botanist Eric Hultén coined the term Beringia in 1937. Beringia is the land and ocean area bounded on the west by the Lena River in Russia; on the east by the Mackenzie River in Canada; on the north by 72 degrees north latitude in the Chukchi Sea; and on the south by the tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It includes the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea, the Bering Strait, the Chukchi and Kamchatka Peninsulas in Russia plus Alaska in the United States.
    1906AKH-1125.jpg
  • New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) colonize Long Reef Point on the Tasman Sea near Martins Bay Hut, on the Hollyford Track, in Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. After the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, hunting reduced the seal population near to extinction. This mammal is known as kekeno in Maori language. Some call it Australasian fur seal, South Australian fur seal, Antipodean fur seal, or long-nosed fur seal.  In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
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  • A curious kea bites a car tire. The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1379.jpg
  • Fish head meal sample in restaurant window. Kabukicho entertainment and neon red-light district in Shinjuku ward, in Tokyo, Japan. Kabukicho was named from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater which never happened.
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  • Rooftop fish sculpture "for fire protection" on Himeji Castle, built 1609, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Himeji Castle is both a national treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one of the country's twelve original castles. History: Starting as forts built in 1333 and 1346, Himeji Castle (aka White Heron Castle or White Egret Castle) was remodeled in 1561, remodeled in 1581, enlarged in 1609 to its present complex, extensively repaired in 1956, and renovated in 2009-15. Displayed inside are historic samurai armour and swords. From the upper floors, view fish-shaped roof ornaments that are believed to protect from fire. Across the moat, visit Koko-en, a pleasing reconstruction of former samurai quarters, nine Edo period homes, plus movie-set gardens. Himeji Castle starred in the 1967 James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice"; in Akira Kurosawa's 1980 film "Kagemusha" and 1985 "Ran"; and in the 1980 television miniseries Shogun (portraying feudal Osaka castle). By train, Himeji is 3 hours round trip from Kyoto.
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  • Tuna auction in Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In Nachikatsuura, don't miss the impressive tuna market auction at 7:00am, easily viewed from above in the open public gallery. (In contrast, Tokyo's restrictive early morning fish auction at Toyosu Market limits viewers via registration and a wall of glass). Japan is the world's biggest consumer of tuna.
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  • Sheep under Bioda Buidhe mountain and Trotternish Ridge, along the minor paved road between Staffin and Uig, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • The Kelpies, built of structural steel in 2013, are the world's largest pair of equine sculptures. Towering 30 meters above the Forth & Clyde Canal, these two horse head artworks are a monumental tribute to the horse power heritage (pulling wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships) vital to early industrial Scotland. Scottish sculptor Andy Scott designed these twin 300-tonne feats of engineering. Visit the Kelpies in the Helix parkland project, Falkirk, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
    17SC1-1369_Scotland.jpg
  • Funny sheep, curly wool. Hike along the River Swale from Reeth to Marske, in Yorkshire Dales National Park, England, United Kingdom, Europe. England Coast to Coast hike day 9 of 14. Overnight at Kings Head Hotel in Richmond, North Yorkshire county. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
    17UK-3504_England.jpg
  • Sheep seen at Wasdale Head in Lake District NP, United Kingdom, Europe. England Coast to Coast hike with Wilderness Travel, day 3 of 14: from Wasdale Head to Seathwaite. From Wasdale Head, we climbed to 1637-foot Styhead Pass, then descended via Styhead Tarn to the valley of Borrowdale. Overnight at Keswick Country House, in Cumbria county. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
    17UK-0886_England.jpg
  • Stuffed heads of invasive feral goats, pigs, and deer educate visitors at Kokee Natural History Museum, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. The scenic Koke'e State Park is in northwestern Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, USA. Perched on a plateau between 3200 and 4200 feet, the park gets temperatures at least 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than at sea level. Koke'e receives 50-100 inches of rain per year, mostly from October to May. Its forests are dominated by Acacia koa and ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees.
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  • The yellow tang, or Lau'ipala (Zebrasoma flavescens in the surgeonfish family, Acanthuridae). Zebrasoma flavescens is one of the most popular fish species for saltwater aquariums. Hawaii sources up to 70% of the aquarium industry's yellow tangs. "flavescens" means yellow in Latin. The yellow tang is commonly found in shallow reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, west of Hawaii and east of Japan. It has been seen in waters around Florida, where it is not native. Snorkel at Two-Step (Pae'a) on Honaunau Bay, located across Keoneele Cove from Pu'uhonu O Honaunau National Historical Park ("Place of Refuge"), on the Big Island of Hawaii, USA. Address of Pae'a: 84-5571 Honaunau Beach Rd, Captain Cook, HI 96704.
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  • Feral rooster in Waimea Canyon State Park, island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. This wild rooster on Kauai resembles its ancestor, the wild red junglefowl from Southeast Asia, which was brought by Polynesians to Hawaii, in several waves around 300-1000 AD. Cross-breeding with European domestic chickens followed Captain Cook's landing on the archipelago in 1778. But the past few decades have seen a sudden population explosion of thousands of feral chickens on Kauai, hurting the local ecology. While some look like farm chickens, many others, with burnt orange and black plumage for the males, look like a reversion to red junglefowl from the forests of India or Vietnam. The feral hens on Kauai revert to their ancestral shape of smaller body and smaller combs. Polynesians likely never made it to South America, because chickens on that continent don't have the Polynesian bird's genetic signposts.
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  • Grey whale seen in the breakers at Ebey's Landing beach, Washington, USA.
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  • Within 15 minutes walk from Stellisee lake, relax at Bergrestaurant Fluhalp at the heart of the Sunnegga-Blauherd-Rothorn hiking & ski region, in Zermatt, the Pennine/Valais Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Experience Stellisee best at sunrise with great reflections of the Matterhorn, after overnight stay at Fluhalp (half board meals, coin showers, private rooms & dormitory), 40 minutes walk from Blauherd lift. The best parts of the Five Lakes Trail / 5-Seenweg loop are the old wood buildings in upper Findeln, and the reflecting lakes of Grindjisee and Stellisee.
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  • From Zermatt, hike the scenic Höhbalmen Höhenweg loop via Bergrestaurant Edelweiss, Trift Hut and Zmutt, in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland, Europe. With delightful views of the Matterhorn plus other peaks and glaciers, this strenuous walk went up and down 1200 meters over 21.6 km (13.4 miles).
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  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
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  • Alpine ibex males carry big horns above Lake Louvie, near Verbier, in the Pennine/Valais Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat native to the European Alps. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups (shown here), female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate.
    16SWI-7243.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7081.jpg
  • Ride the PostBus from Meiringen, over Grimsel Pass to Oberwald, in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland, Europe. An extensive system of hydro-electric dams built in the 1920s and 1950s dominates the scenery of Grimselpass. Some aging hotels cling to the pass.
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  • Bachalpsee reflects peaks above Grindelwald, in Bern canton, Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. Hike a very spectacular trail from Eigeralp farm at upper Bussalp, around Faulhorn to Bachalpsee, finishing at the gondola lift station at First, which descends to Grindelwald BGF. Along this hike on a clear day, admire breathtaking array of peaks: Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Finsteraarhorn (highest mountain in the Bernese Alps, at 4274 m or 14,022 ft), Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Eigeralp.ch offers a wonderful traditional breakfast and farm stays, and can be reached as follows: ride the private GrindelwaldBus.ch to the last stop in Bussalp, then ascend 40 minutes on foot. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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  • Eat a special dinner with a top Swiss sommelier (wine steward) at Hotel Alpenblick, Wilderswil, Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
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  • Above the beautiful lake of Oeschinensee, easily reached by lift from Kandersteg, is a challenging hike traversing steeply up over Hohtürli Pass then down to Griesalp in the remote valley of Kiental, Switzerland, Europe. Ascend 1120 meters and descend 1380 m in 13 km, which feels much longer due to steep, exposed rocky & gravelly slopes. Stairs and ladders assist your footing. Optionally stay overnight in Blüemlisalp hut at Hohtürli Pass.
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  • Sheep graze a patch of snow in the alpine meadows (alps) of Lötschental above Lauchernalp gondola lift station in canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland, Europe. Kandersteg is a great base for hiking: an epic hike from Selden in Bern canton traverses Lötsch glacier and Lötschenpass (Lötschepass) to neighboring Lötschental in Valais canton; hiking poles are recommended for snow and rocks. The walk starts with a reserved Postbus ride from Kandersteg to Selden (in Gasterntal / Gasteretal / Gasterental), climbs 1350 meters, descends 925 m, and ends 13 km later at Lauchernalp lift station, which descends to Wiler in Lötschental, to reach Goppenstein via Postbus, back to Kandersteg via train. You can also reverse the route or stay overnight in dorms at Lötschepass hut.
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  • Sheep graze in the alpine meadows (alps) of Lötschental above Lauchernalp gondola lift station in canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland, Europe. Kandersteg is a great base for hiking: an epic hike from Selden in Bern canton traverses Lötsch glacier and Lötschenpass (Lötschepass) to neighboring Lötschental in Valais canton; hiking poles are recommended for snow and rocks. The walk starts with a reserved Postbus ride from Kandersteg to Selden (in Gasterntal / Gasteretal / Gasterental), climbs 1350 meters, descends 925 m, and ends 13 km later at Lauchernalp lift station, which descends to Wiler in Lötschental, to reach Goppenstein via Postbus, back to Kandersteg via train. You can also reverse the route or stay overnight in dorms at Lötschepass hut.
    16SWI-2709.jpg
  • Walk through the deeply glaciated valley of Gasterntal (or Gasteretal or Gasterental) to explore the headwaters of the Kander River. A nice 7 km walk with 390 m gain up to Selden starts from the bus stop for Luftseilbahn Kandersteg-Sunnbüel. From Selden, take Postbus back (reservations required) to Kandersteg hauptbahnhof. Gasterntal is in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, Europe.
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  • Kandersteg, in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, Europe.
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  • Young ibex on steep snow slope. Alpine ibex gather at Rotsteinpass (2120 m) in the Alpstein limestone mountain range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat of the European Alps. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
    16SWI-2013.jpg
  • Alpine ibex gather at Rotsteinpass (2120 m) in the Alpstein limestone mountain range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat of the European Alps. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
    16SWI-1953.jpg
  • Horns of Alpine ibex are displayed in the dining room of Berggasthaus Rotsteinpass (2120 m) in the Alpstein limestone mountain range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat of the European Alps. The larger males carry big curved horns. Alpine ibex tend to live in steep, rough terrain above the snow line. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. After being eliminated from most areas by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • Dairy cows at sunrise. Berggasthaus Meglisalp can only be reached on foot in the spectacular heart of the Alpstein mountain chain in the Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. This authentic mountain hostelry, owned by the same family for five generations, dates from 1897. Meglisalp is a working dairy farm, restaurant and guest house surrounded by majestic peaks above green pastures.
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  • Domesticated goats at Widderalp farm, in the Alpstein limestone range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Below Bötzel pass, Widderalp comforts hikers with a homey restaurant and dormitory style (Matratzenlager) lodging. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • Cattle graze at Bollenwees alp, at scenic Fälensee lake in the Alpstein range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Berggasthaus Bollenwees, founded in 1903, is a wonderful place to stay overnight in private double ensuite or dormitory rooms. A spectacular multi-day ridge walk covered in wildflower gardens starts at Hoher Kasten, reached via cable car from Brülisau, just 10 minutes bus ride from Appenzell village. Hike a scenic ridge via Staubern to beautiful Bollenwees and onwards to more wonders. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • The flag (Coat of Arms) of Appenzell is based on that of the Abbot of St. Gallen, who was the feudal lord until 1403. (The flag of the abbey showed a bear on a yellow field, and the independent territory Appenzell changed the field to white for its own flag.) The canton of Appenzell divided itself into an "inner" and "outer" half (Rhoden) as a consequence of the Reformation in Switzerland in 1597: Appenzell Innerrhoden (Catholic) and Appenzell Ausserrhoden (Protestant). Appenzell Museum, which is in the town hall, shows a cross section of the Swiss Canton's history and culture (1400s flags and banners, embroidery, folk art, and even historic torture instruments). Appenzell village is in Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • In Dinosaur National Monument, the popular Carnegie Dinosaur Quarry displays a spectacular logjam of Jurassic dinosaur bones. A Camarasaurus vertebrae hugs a stegasaurus plate (left) and Apatosaurus bones (middle right). Stegosaurus means "covered lizard", a reference to its plates, which may have been used to protect its back from predators, to attract a mate, and/or to regulate body temperature. The plates contained blood vessels that could constrict or expand to regulate heat loss. Since the plates were not directly attached to the bones of the skeleton, they were easily separated from the body after death. Camarasaurus was a 4-legged herbivorous dinosaur up to 50 feet long, the most common giant sauropod (long-necked dinosaur) of North America. Its fossil remains have been found in the Morrison Formation of Colorado and Utah, dating to the late Jurassic Period (late Oxfordian to Tithonian stages), between 155 and 145 million years ago. Camarasaurus means "chambered lizard", referring to the hollow chambers in its vertebrae.
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  • The Blue and Gold Macaw is native to South America and is  in the Psittacidae family of true parrots. Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Address: 4600 Cambie St. Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise where you can experience the colors and scents of the tropics year-round, within Queen Elizabeth Park, atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. From Little Mountain (501 feet), see panoramic views over the city crowned by the mountains of the North Shore. A former rock quarry has been converted into beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls. In Bloedel Conservatory, more than 200 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within a temperature-controlled environment. A donation from Prentice Bloedel built the domed structure, which was dedicated in 1969 "to a better appreciation and understanding of the world of plants," and is jointly operated by Vancouver Park Board and VanDusen Botanical Garden Association.
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  • The Gouldian Finch (or Lady Gouldian or Rainbow Finch) is native to tropical Northern Australia and has green or blue back; red, black or orange head; and white or lavender breast. The photo is from Bloedel Conservatory, in Queen Elizabeth Park, 4600 Cambie St, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise where you can experience the colors and scents of the tropics year-round, atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point, Little Mountain (501 feet). In Bloedel Conservatory, more than 200 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within a temperature-controlled environment. A donation from Prentice Bloedel built the domed structure, which was dedicated in 1969 "to a better appreciation and understanding of the world of plants," and is jointly operated by Vancouver Park Board and VanDusen Botanical Garden Association. A former rock quarry has been converted into beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park with flower gardens, public art, grassy knolls.
    1402VAN-100.jpg
  • Ancestral Puebloan people chipped a macaw bird figure into the desert varnish (oxidized surface) of 200,000-year-old volcanic basalt rock, seen today on the Macaw Trail in Boca Negra Canyon, in Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.  Archeologists describe the image as made in the Rio Grande style, which developed around AD 1300. Petroglyph National Monument lies 1200 miles (via modern road) northwest of the natural range of the Scarlet Macaw in the tropical lowlands of eastern Mexico. Macaw remains unearthed at many sites (such as Wupatki, Arizona) in southwest USA indicate a Pre-Columbian trade network that connected to southeastern Mexico.
    1403NM-0755_macaw_Petroglyph-NM.jpg
  • A duck swims across an intricate pattern of leaves reflected in the emerald and blue waters of Lake Bled (Blejsko jezero), in the Julian Alps, Slovenia, Europe. Lake Bled hosted the World Rowing Championships in 1966, 1979, 1989, and 2011. The lake is 35 kilometers from Ljubljana International Airport.
    13SLO-1372_Lake-Bled-Slovenia.jpg
  • The Russian River drains Sonoma and Mendocino counties  in Northern California, USA and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Russian River State Marine Conservation area and Sonoma Coast State Park near Jenner.
    1212CA-2085.jpg
  • Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua) raise chicks in the snow on an Antarctic island. In 2005, the M/S Explorer cruise ship visited this remote wilderness. An adult Gentoo Penguin has a bright orange-red bill and a wide white stripe extending across the top of its head. Chicks have grey backs with white fronts. Of all penguins, Gentoos have the most prominent tail, which sweeps from side to side as they waddle on land, hence the scientific name Pygoscelis, "rump-tailed." As the the third largest species of penguin, adult Gentoos reach 51 to 90 cm (20-36 in) high. They are the fastest underwater swimming penguin, reaching speeds of 36 km per hour.
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  • Trekkers camp in tents in a green pasture at 13,600 feet elevation in the Cordillera Huayhuash, Andes Mountains, Peru, South America. Yerupaja Grande (left, east face, 6635 m or 21,770 ft) is the second-highest peak in Peru, highest in Cordillera Huayhuash, and highest point in the Amazon River watershed. At center is Yerupaja Chico (20,080 feet). On right is Mount Jirishanca ("Icy Beak of the Hummingbird," 6126 m or 20,098 feet). Up to 4 million copies of this image are agreed to be published in print and electronic media by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (formerly Scholastic Inc) from 2009-2034 for the System 44 classroom paperback, "Left to Die." Also published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    03PER-37-36_Yerupaja-camp-peaks.jpg
  • Kittiwake bird rookery, Prince William Sound, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, USA.  The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. Prince William Sound is surrounded by Chugach National Forest (the second largest national forest in the USA). Tour spectacular Prince William Sound by commercial boat from Whittier, which sits strategically on Kenai Peninsula at the head of Passage Canal. Whittier is a port for the Alaska Marine Highway System, a ferry service which operates along the south-central coast, eastern Aleutian Islands, and the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Cruise ships stop at the port of Whittier for passenger connections to Anchorage (by road 60 miles) and to the interior of Alaska via highway and rail (the Denali Express). Known by locals as the Whittier tunnel or the Portage tunnel, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel links Whittier via Portage Glacier Highway to the Seward Highway and Anchorage. At 13,300 feet long (4050 m), it is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. Whittier was severely damaged by tsunamis triggered by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, when thirteen people died from waves reaching 43 feet high (13 meters).
    06AK_2112-Kittiwake-rookery.jpg
  • The Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a vocally-talented, medium-sized black and white bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. A member of the Cracticidae family, it is closely related to the butcherbirds. It is a passerine bird (Passeriformes, the order of perching birds, less accurately known as “songbirds”). The Australian Magpie is omnivorous, mostly eats invertebrates, and is territorial throughout its widespread range. It is a familiar bird of parks, gardens, and farmland in Australia and New Guinea. Magpies were introduced into New Zealand in the 1860s and have become a pest by displacing native birds. Introductions were also made to the Solomon Islands and Fiji. Photo is from Western Australia.
    04AUS-11064_Australian-Magpie.jpg
  • The necks of two Llamas cross at Quilotoa, Ecuador, South America
    09ECU-2839_Ecuador.jpg
  • A sphinx moth (or hawk moth, Sphingidae family, order Lepidoptera) is attracted to night lights in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Sphingidae is best represented in the tropics but species inhabit every region. Sphingidae are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid, sustained flying ability, assisted by narrow wings and streamlined abdomen. Some hawk moths, like the hummingbird hawk moth, hover in midair while they feed on nectar from flowers and are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds. This hovering capability has evolved only three times in nectar feeders: in hummingbirds, certain bats, and these sphingids. Sphingids can swing hover (move rapidly from side to side while hovering). Some of the sphingids are some of the fastest flying insects, capable of flying at over 50 km/h (30 miles per hour). They have a wingspan of 35-150 mm.
    09ECU-1815_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) basks on rocks in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    94GAL-09-12_sea-iguana-rocks.jpg
  • A bonded pair of Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata; or Galapagos Albatross) grooms at Suaraz Point, a wet landing on Española (Hood) Island, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, South America.  The Waved Albatross is the only tropical member of the Albatross family (Diomedeidae). During the non-breeding season, Waved Albatross mostly reside in the coastal areas of Ecuador and Peru. The Waved Albatross breeds primarily on Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago (and maybe some on Genovesa Island and Isla de la Plata). Waved Albatross have blue feet and distinctively yellowish-cream neck and head, which contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. The very long, bright yellow bill looks disproportionately large in comparison to the relatively small head and long, slender neck. They have chestnut brown upper parts and underparts, except for the breast, with fine barring, a little coarser on the rump. They have brown upper-wings, back, and tail, along with a whitish breast and underwings. Their axillaries (armpit feathers) are brown. Chicks have brown fluffy feathers. Juveniles are similar to adults except for more white on their head. Their lifespan may reach 40 to 45 years. Diomedeidae (the Albatross family) come from the Procellariiformes order (along with Shearwaters, Fulmars, Storm-petrels, and Diving-petrels).
    09ECU-5343_Galapagos.jpg
  • A Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata; or Galapagos Albatross) roosts at Suaraz Point, a wet landing on Española (Hood) Island, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, South America.  The Waved Albatross is the only tropical member of the Albatross family (Diomedeidae). During the non-breeding season, Waved Albatross mostly reside in the coastal areas of Ecuador and Peru. The Waved Albatross breeds primarily on Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago (and maybe some on Genovesa Island and Isla de la Plata). Waved Albatross have blue feet and distinctively yellowish-cream neck and head, which contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. The very long, bright yellow bill looks disproportionately large in comparison to the relatively small head and long, slender neck. They have chestnut brown upper parts and underparts, except for the breast, with fine barring, a little coarser on the rump. They have brown upper-wings, back, and tail, along with a whitish breast and underwings. Their axillaries (armpit feathers) are brown. Chicks have brown fluffy feathers. Juveniles are similar to adults except for more white on their head. Their lifespan may reach 40 to 45 years. Diomedeidae (the Albatross family) come from the Procellariiformes order (along with Shearwaters, Fulmars, Storm-petrels, and Diving-petrels). In 1959, Ecuador declared 97% of the land area of the Galápagos Islands to be Galápagos National Park, which UNESCO registered as a World Heritage Site in 1978. Ecuador created the Galápagos Marine Reserve in 1998, which UNESCO appended in 2001. Panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    09ECU-5292+98_Waved-albatross.jpg
  • Galapagos Marine Iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) rest in a tide pool at Puerto Egas, which can be visited via a wet landing on Santiago (or San Salvador; or James Island), in the Galápagos Islands archipelago, a province of Ecuador, South America. The Marine Iguana is the world’s only sea-going lizard and is found only on the Galapagos Islands (spread throughout the archipelago). They feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Santiago is equivalent to Saint James in English; and its alternative name San Salvador refers to the island discovered by Columbus in the Caribbean Sea. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-4256_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3613_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3559_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3509_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. Photo is from Isla Genovesa (or Tower Island, or Bird Island), a shield volcano in the Galápagos Islands, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Ecuador, South America. Sula sula breeds in colonies and is found widely on tropical islands. The Red-footed Booby is the smallest of all boobies at 71 cm in length and with a 137 cm wingspan, and has red legs with pink and blue bill and throat pouch. They are powerful and agile fliers but clumsy in takeoffs and landings. The brown morph of this species is brown with a white belly, rump, and tail. The white morph is mostly white with black on the flight feathers. Young birds are greyish with browner wings and pink legs. The sexes appear similar. National Park visitors follow licensed guides up the steep path of Prince Philip’s Steps (up a cliff 25 meters vertically) to seabird colonies full of life amidst a thin palo santo forest growing in a rocky desert plain.
    09ECU-3398_Galapagos.jpg
  • A line of three Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) cruise the highway in Waterton Park townsite, Alberta, Canada. Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia during the Pleistocene (about 750,000 years ago) and spread across western North America as far south as Baja California and northwestern Mexico. Genetic divergence from their closest Asian ancestor (snow sheep) occurred about 600,000 years ago.
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  • The white-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucura, is a member of the grouse family. Akamina Ridge, Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.. The loop hike to Forum and Wall Lakes via Akamina Ridge is 12 miles with 3440 feet ascent & descent. The trailhead is in Alberta, accessible by road from Waterton Park.
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  • Spotted Tussock caterpillar (Lophocampa maculata). Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
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  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Sperry Campground, Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
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  • Horse drawn carriage ride. Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum, near Brienz, Canton of Bern, Switzerland, Europe. Founded in 1978, Ballenberg displays traditional buildings and architecture from all over the country, making it a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Over 100 original buildings have been transported from their original sites. Over 100 original buildings have been transported from their original sites. Over 100 original buildings have been transported from their original sites. Farmyard animals are raised, and some of the  buildings give live demonstrations of traditional rural crafts, techniques, and cheesemaking.
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  • Italian Eryngo (Eryngium amethystinum) in the Schynige Platte Alpine Garden. From Berghotel Faulhorn, we hiked the spectacular trail to Schynige Platte (6.9 miles, 400 feet ascent, 2660 ft descent) in Switzerland, Europe. Then we took the scenic Schynige Platte cog train down to Wilderswil, where a train took us to Lauterbrunnen Bahnhof and adjacent Hotel Silberhorn. Berghotel Faulhorn was built in 1830, one of the oldest mountain hotels in the Alps. Earplugs are recommended for sleeping, as the old walls are thin. Perched on a remote precipice with great views especially at sunset and sunrise, Berghotel Faulhorn has flush toilets, but no drinking-water supply, nor guest showers. To save money, carry extra liters of drinking water from Grindelwald. In 2022, Berghotel Faulhorn charged 4 CHF per liter for hikers' tea, and 12 CHF per 1.5-liter bottle of drinking water. The hut's roof-gathered water is undrinkable (and our squeeze-filter didn't remove the bad taste). For personal hygiene, cold water is provided in the dormitory washroom, and the private rooms have nostalgic water jugs and bowls.
    22ALP-11288.jpg
  • Cow at Bachalpsee. From Grindelwald, we took the First gondola to Bort, then hiked via First to Berghotel Faulhorn (6 miles with 3650 feet ascent, 130 ft descent) to stay for an impressive sunset and sunrise, in Switzerland, Europe. (Or save effort by starting at First instead of Bort.) Berghotel Faulhorn was built in 1830, one of the oldest mountain hotels in the Alps. Earplugs are recommended for sleeping, as the old walls are thin. Perched on a remote precipice, Berghotel Faulhorn has flush toilets, but no drinking-water supply, nor guest showers. To save money, carry extra liters of drinking water from Grindelwald. In 2022, Berghotel Faulhorn charged 4 CHF per liter for hikers' tea, and 12 CHF per 1.5-liter bottle of drinking water. The hut's roof-gathered water is undrinkable (and our squeeze-filter didn't remove the bad taste). For personal hygiene, cold water is provided in the dormitory washroom, and the private rooms have nostalgic water jugs and bowls.
    22ALP-10418.jpg
  • Swiss Via Alpina (National Route 1), Day 3: From Alexander´s Tödiblick hotel in Braunwald, we walked to Urnerboden (8 miles, 1080 feet up, 1000 ft down) in Switzerland, Europe. From Urnerboden, we rode the Postbus up to Hotel Klausenpass (saving 6 miles of walking).
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  • Insects on flower in Val Ferret, near Orsières, Switzerland, Europe. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 7: hike from Hotel Edelweiss in La Fouly to Hotel du Glacier in Champex-Lac, Switzerland, Europe (9.3 miles with 1585 feet ascent, 1910 ft descent).
    22ALP-05748.jpg
  • Frog. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 5: I hiked from Courmayeur via the Mont de la Saxe option to Walter Bonatti Refuge in Italy, Europe (10 miles with 5200 feet ascent, 2700 ft descent) (whereas the standard TMB route hiked separately by Carol was 8 miles with 3300 ft up, 700 ft down).
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  • Oreina is a genus of broad-shouldered leaf beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Chrysomelinae. Val Veny, Italy, Europe.
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  • A mirrored C stands for Courmayeur. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 4: hike from Elisabetta Refuge in Val Veny to Hotel Pavillion in Courmayeur, Italy, Europe (walking 6.9 miles with 1600 feet ascent and 2320 ft descent along the main TMB ridge route to Rifugio Maison Vieille, then taking the chairlift from Col Chécrouit and gondola lift down to Dolonne).
    22ALP-03631.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin near Lac de Chéserys, Chamonix, France, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent). This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02585.jpg
  • Turkey feathers reflect a rainbow of colors. Pinnacles Campground, Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
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  • It looks like a two-headed turkey! Wild turkeys in Pinnacles Campground in Bear Valley. Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
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  • This is the most complete Columbian mammoth skeleton found so far at The Mammoth Site, which is a fascinating museum and active paleontological site in the town of Hot Springs, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. It is the largest collection of in-situ mammoth remains in the world. Sheltered within the building is an ongoing excavation of a prehistoric sinkhole filled with the remains of animals and plants preserved by entrapment and burial around 140,000 years ago, in the Late Pleistocene. Since mammoth bones were found here accidentally in 1974, the remains of 61 mammoths have been recovered (including 58 North American Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths as of 2021). Due to geological conditions after the animals were trapped, the excavated "fossil" bones are not petrified or turned to stone, so are very brittle, requiring professional handling.
    2109SD-023.jpg
  • The Mammoth Site is a fascinating museum and active paleontological site in the town of Hot Springs, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. It is the largest collection of in-situ mammoth remains in the world. Sheltered within the building is an ongoing excavation of a prehistoric sinkhole filled with the remains of animals and plants preserved by entrapment and burial around 140,000 years ago, in the Late Pleistocene. Since mammoth bones were found here accidentally in 1974, the remains of 61 mammoths have been recovered (including 58 North American Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths as of 2021). Due to geological conditions after the animals were trapped, the excavated "fossil" bones are not petrified or turned to stone, so are very brittle, requiring professional handling. The Pleistocene, often referred to as the Ice Age, is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. The most recent glaciation period reached peak conditions some 18,000 years ago before yielding to the interglacial Holocene epoch 11,700 years ago.
    2109SD-015.jpg
  • This replica European mammoth bone house is an example of dwellings best known from the plains of Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic between 12,000 and 19,000 years ago. It's built of 121 mammoth bone replicas, 8 bison hides, poles, and rawhide and leather straps. A grant from the Discovery Channel made this exhibit possible, displayed within the Mammoth Site, a fascinating museum and active paleontological site in the town of Hot Springs, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. Most mammoths went extinct about 10,000 years ago amid a warming climate and widespread human hunting. The Mammoth Site is the largest collection of in-situ mammoth remains in the world.
    2109SD-103.jpg
  • The giant short-faced bear (Arctodus sumus) was the largest land carnivore in North America during the Ice Age. See this full-scale skeleton in the the Mammoth Site, a fascinating museum and active paleontological site in the town of Hot Springs, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. Sheltered within the building is an ongoing excavation of a prehistoric sinkhole filled with the remains of animals and plants preserved by entrapment and burial around 140,000 years ago, in the Late Pleistocene. The Pleistocene, often referred to as the Ice Age, is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. The most recent glaciation period reached peak conditions some 18,000 years ago before yielding to the interglacial Holocene epoch 11,700 years ago.
    2109SD-078.jpg
  • The Mammoth Site is a fascinating museum and active paleontological site in the town of Hot Springs, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. It is the largest collection of in-situ mammoth remains in the world. Sheltered within the building is an ongoing excavation of a prehistoric sinkhole filled with the remains of animals and plants preserved by entrapment and burial around 140,000 years ago, in the Late Pleistocene. Since mammoth bones were found here accidentally in 1974, the remains of 61 mammoths have been recovered (including 58 North American Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths as of 2021). Due to geological conditions after the animals were trapped, the excavated "fossil" bones are not petrified or turned to stone, so are very brittle, requiring professional handling.
    2109SD-047.jpg
  • A full-sized skeleton diorama of the Agate waterhole 20 million years ago shows three startled chalicothere skeletons (Moropus elatus, related to the horse and rhino), standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder and having 3-toed, claw-like hooves. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument boasts some of the most well-preserved Miocene fossils in the world. The park is near Harrison, Nebraska, USA. Agate’s grass-covered plains and flat-top buttes represent 20 million years of natural history. This valley of the Niobrara River contains important fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill.
    2109NE-67.jpg
  • A full-sized skeleton diorama of the Agate waterhole 20 million years ago shows three startled chalicothere skeletons (Moropus elatus, related to the horse and rhino), standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder and having 3-toed, claw-like hooves. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument boasts some of the most well-preserved Miocene fossils in the world. The park is near Harrison, Nebraska, USA. Agate’s grass-covered plains and flat-top buttes represent 20 million years of natural history. This valley of the Niobrara River contains important fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill.
    2109NE-54.jpg
  • A beardog skeleton wears a pandemic mask in a diorama at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska, USA. The beardog (Daphoenodon superbus) was the most common carnivore at the Agate waterhole site 20 million years ago, preying upon juvenile rhinos, camels, and oreodonts. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument boasts some of the most well-preserved Miocene fossils in the world. The park is near Harrison, Nebraska, USA. Agate’s grass-covered plains and flat-top buttes represent 20 million years of natural history. This valley of the Niobrara River contains important fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill.
    2109NE-50.jpg
  • Above Agnew Meadows, a packer on horseback leads mules  on the dusty High Trail portion of the Pacific Crest Trail in Ansel Adams Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, near Mammoth Lakes, California, USA. We backpacked for 5 days from Agnew Meadows to Thousand Island Lake, Garnet Lake, Ediza Lake, & Minaret Lake.
    2108CA2-0575.jpg
  • Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) in Granite Park in John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierra, California, USA. From Pine Creek Pass Trailhead, we backpacked to Honeymoon Lake and Granite Park. Day 1: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 feet gain to Honeymoon Lake. Day 2: backpack 3.1 miles with 1300 ft gain to Granite Park. Day 3: backpack 2.7 miles with 1300 ft descent to Honeymoon Lake to set up tents; then day hike 4.4 miles round trip with 900 ft gain to Pine Creek Pass. Day 4: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 ft descent to the trailhead.
    2108CA2-0267.jpg
  • Dinner served at Lava Canyon Camp at Colorado River Mile 66. Day 4 of 16 days boating 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA.
    2103SW-B0348.jpg
  • Desert spiny lizard. We had lunch at South Canyon at River Mile 31.8, while rafting through Marble Canyon on day 2 of 16 days boating 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. Marble Canyon runs from Lees Ferry at River Mile 0 to the confluence with the Little Colorado River at Mile 62, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon. Although John Wesley Powell knew that no marble was found here when he named Marble Canyon, he thought the polished limestone looked like marble. In his words, "The limestone of the canyon is often polished, and makes a beautiful marble. Sometimes the rocks are of many colors – white, gray, pink, and purple, with saffron tints."
    2103SW-B0003.jpg
  • One of the world's rarest birds, a California condor takes flight from the Historic 1929 Navajo Bridge, US Highway 89A, in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. As of 2021, the world total of California condors is around 500, more than half of which are in the wild. Although still endangered and facing ongoing challenges such as lead poisoning, they've come a long way since numbering just 22 in 1982. The original Navajo Bridge was built in 1929. The adjacent new bridge was completed in 1995. Highway 89A crosses the Colorado River here at River Mile 4.5 (measured downstream of Lees Ferry) in Grand Canyon National Park.
    2103SW-C0029.jpg
  • Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni), a few miles upstream of Lava Falls. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity. Day 13 of 16 days rafting 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA.
    2103SW-B1249.jpg
  • A skeleton of a desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) rests in Mohawk Canyon, at Colorado River Mile 171.9 on Day 13 of 16 days rafting through Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity.
    2103SW-B1177.jpg
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