2015-05-14 Pinedale Explorations

I visited Andy’s shop the next morning before he arrived at work. His friend Ross popped out the side door of the shop and figured out who I was by the look of the Samurai. Andy got there a few minutes later and we all pow-wowed about places that I might want to checkout. They came up with 4 locations, each of which I later learned could take days to explore. I chose one route called the Skyline Road tour that climbed to over 9300 feet. There were several remarkable vistas into the Wind River Range, where this route carried me, and provided meetings with nice birds of the higher elevations. The Townsend’s Solitaires that I met there were always perched in the highest snags and the backdrop of a gray-white sky behind a gray bird left me wishing for more time and different weather.

On returning from this little tour I went back to see the folks at the shop. Andy was out and about, but Ross and I had time to visit some more. He explained that his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Boehm is the half of the partnership with the notoriety as a photographer. When he showed me her web site I could see why… Extraordinary!

When I left Pinedale I headed for a road called the Green River Lakes Road, reported to have all the attractions of Yellowstone, but without the tourists. The drive started with about 28 miles of pavement and then some VERY rough dirt after. I drove about 4 miles up and saw plenty of threatening weather, and considering the lateness of the day, I turned around and headed toward Jackson. Once again a place full of promise and me not being ready to pursue .

I was able to capture images of Black-Capped Chickadee, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-Eyed Junco, Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel, Mule Deer, Red-Naped Sapsucker, Song Sparrow, Sora, Townsend’s Solitaire and Wyoming Ground Squirrel.