Van Cott Ridge - April 29, 2023

[scatman]

This weekends hike took us along the Van Cott Ridge. With temperatures rising this weekend, getting close to 80 degrees, this was easily our warmest hike of the year so far. I was expecting the foothills to be covered with blooming arrowleaf balsamroot, but it looks like they are still a few days away from covering the hillsides The blooming flowers we did encounter were common storksbill, a few galceir lilies, spring beauties, and some desert alyssum.

As we made our way east along the ridge, there was still some snow to contend with, and some fields were deep enough that we had to posthole for short distance, but nothing too bad.

Magpie

Leaving the city behind

Spring Parsley

Common storksbill

We saw a total of three arrowleaf balsamroot plants blooming

The Avenues Twin Peaks

A lot of snow on Lone Peak

Not sure what to make of this, located across Dry Canyon. I probably need to go check
it out some day.

Red harvester ants were busy today

A robin sits still for me, with Black Mountain Ridge in the background

We just saw a handful of glacier lilies, which was surprising as I expected to see more

A couple of hawks soring above us

Black Mountain Ridge, and below the Van Cott Ridge

The second of three arrowleaf balsamroot plants that were blooming

Heading east along the Van Cott Ridge

Spring Beauty

Progressing slowly east along the ridge

we're heading to that high point in the distance. Beyond that, the snow was begining to get a little too deep for my liking

Hefty boy is sinking in

A fly joins us for a light lunch at our turnaround point

All along the ridge was the strong smell of onion. Sniffing to confirm.

Shot at our lunch break and turnaround point

Utah elk are pretty sharp.

Snail shell on our way back down

Large deposits of elk droppings

Ladybug

Heading back to the city

Desert alyssum

15 rounds with no knockouts. Okay @Rockskipper, you're the judge, who wins the decision? Scatman or Rabbitbrush?


The End.

 

[regehr]

love your eye for details!!!

 

[Rockskipper]

I have to admit that I have no idea what's going on in that last picture. Are you giving the rabbitbrush some kind of mouth to mouth resuscitation? I admit it doesn't look so good...or is it some kind of cryptic Scatman ritual that few know about? Or maybe none know about except the Scatster?

And the harvester ants was an interesting photo. I was up in the Bighorn Basin last year and you can see their mounds for mile after mile when looking at aerial photos.

 

[TractorDoc]

I have to admit that I have no idea what's going on in that last picture.

It looks like the Scatster caught his tongue in the rabbitbrush?

Or maybe some of those ants are crawling around at the base and he needed a snack frog-tongue style?

Or he fell (again) and his gum got snaggled in the brush on the way down?

So many possibilities.

 

[scatman]

I have to admit that I have no idea what's going on in that last picture. Are you giving the rabbitbrush some kind of mouth to mouth resuscitation? I admit it doesn't look so good...or is it some kind of cryptic Scatman ritual that few know about? Or maybe none know about except the Scatster?

And the harvester ants was an interesting photo. I was up in the Bighorn Basin last year and you can see their mounds for mile after mile when looking at aerial photos.

Rabbitbrush is a crafty opponent Skipper. It has bitten my tongue and stretched it out towards the embankment. I believe the referee docked the brush two points for a low, I mean high blow. The Scatster would never bend to such unscrupulous tactics.

I too have been to locals with a lot of harvester ants and their mounds that can be seen on aerial photography.

 

[scatman]

It looks like the Scatster caught his tongue in the rabbitbrush?

Or maybe some of those ants are crawling around at the base and he needed a snack frog-tongue style?

Or he fell (again) and his gum got snaggled in the brush on the way down?

So many possibilities.

Falling again is a distinct possibility.

 

[Rockskipper]

Since you obviously have a resident photographer for your hijinks, what I want to know is does your wife participate of her own free will, or do you have to threaten her (like with more bikini photos, etc.)? Or maybe you bribe her (yummy cooking). Whatever the case, my best wishes for her.

 

[scatman]

Sometimes she participates of her own free will. Most of the time she just rolls her eyes at me before taking the shot. You think she'd be used to my shenanigans by now, wouldn't you?

Sheila is a good cook in her own right. She makes a killer homemade macaroni and cheese, using either ham, or bacon, along with jalapeños.

As you can see, Sheila is carrying the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS, along with a water bottle sling on this hike.

Sometimes she'll take shots that I don't know about until I load them on the computer when we get home.

And another sneaky one. I'm reattaching my Rebel T1i to the Peak Design camera clip on my day pack.

This one's for you Skipper, and @TractorDoc too, since I removed my cap to reapply some sunscreen

And of course, my handy small tripod to get the group summit shots with.

And of course, it wouldn't be a hike without some Scat blood.