Featured Photo: Streamer Eater on the Clinch

Featured Photo: Streamer Eater on the Clinch
Showing posts with label Photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photography. Show all posts

Saturday, December 09, 2023

Colorado 2022: Day Sixteen and Seventeen, Great Sand Dunes and the Trip Home

After the last few days of misery, we were glad to finally be heading home. The last leg of our trip was supposed to be a return to Great Sand Dunes National Park. We had stopped there before, but just a quick drive through and continuing on our trip. For this trip, we had reserved a campsite at Pinon Flats for two nights. The hope was to do some hiking, hopefully including a trip out upon the dunes, and also maybe some night time astrophotography. Due to the ongoing rainy weather and clouds, I hadn't spent much time behind the lens at night since early in the trip at Rocky Mountain National Park.

By some miracle, when we woke up on our last morning at Gateview Campground, it wasn't raining. The air was chilly, but the sky had hints of nicer weather ahead. The only thing keeping the day from being better was that Little Bit was still miserable from having a cold. That lingering cold would be just one of several motivating factors sending us hurrying on our homeward way.

After packing up camp, we headed out to highway 149 and headed south towards Lake City. Still hoping for some great fall colors, we pushed higher and higher towards Slumgullion Pass. The best colors of the day were between Lake City and that pass, although we saw plenty of beautiful golden aspen further along our drive as well. Here are just a few pictures from our frequent stops. 


Highway 149 winds through golden aspen south of Lake City Colorado

San Juan Mountains and golden aspen


As you can see, the clouds were really breaking up nicely and the fresh snow on the higher peaks added a nice touch to the autumn scenery. We had packed some damp gear upon leaving Gateview. As we descended the Rio Grande Valley, we eventually stopped for lunch at a roadside pullout just beyond Creede. Wagon Wheel Gap had some interesting history, but we were also thankful for the bright sun and dry conditions. The various pieces of our tent dried quickly in the low relative humidity and gusty winds. Before long, we were fed and headed down the road towards our goal for the night. 

We had been actively discussing if we even wanted to stop. Little Bit was running a fever and seemed genuinely miserable. We wanted to get home quickly in case it developed into something requiring a trip to the doctor. However, as the day was beginning to grow late and we had to drive right past the Great Sand Dunes National Park anyway, we decided to go ahead and stop for the night. That turned out to be the right call, or at least I think it was. We were all tired, and driving deep into the growing dusk was probably a bad idea. Lots of critters were liable to be out wandering the roads at night, so getting some good rest before traveling further made sense.

In the dying light, I snapped a few pictures of the sand dunes. Under the circumstances, I didn't get to do all the photography I had hoped for. Yet another trip will have to be planned for sometime in the future. However, I did have some reasonably good light for the little photography I got to do. 

Great Sand Dunes National Park at sunset

The next morning, it was obvious that we should go ahead and pack up to head home. Even though our reservation had one more night, Little Bit was miserable. We hiked briefly out on the dunes, but strong down sloping winds off of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains made it miserable. With sand stinging our faces, we quickly retreated after climbing the first prominent high point or ridge. After getting in our car, we decided it was time to go home. I pointed the car homeward, and we started making haste. 



Leah at Great Sand Dunes


Making good time, we arrived in Amarillo that night and the next morning, decided to make it home in one big push. Traveling with a sick toddler isn't a recipe for quick trips, but we just wanted to get home. We arrived in the wee hours of the morning, worn out but having had a great trip. 

Even though the last few days were rough, the overall trip had been a big success. We had also learned some important things. First and foremost, toddlers don't like being cooped up in a kid carrier for hours at a time. Before this trip, we had tentatively planned on another big Glacier National Park trip for 2023. By the end of this trip, both Leah and I had come to the conclusion that another big road trip with a toddler wasn't a great idea. So, we'll wait until we can all enjoy hiking the trails of that amazing park. If you're curious why we are dying to get back to Glacier, check out this post from our last trip there. 

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Colorado 2022: Day 11, Hiking from Marble to Crystal Mill

When I was a youngster just learning to fly fish, I subscribed to Fly Fisherman magazine. An article one month was on the Roaring Fork valley in Colorado. While I don't remember many of the details of the article, one thing has always stayed with me: a picture of the Crystal Mill near Marble, Colorado that was included in the article. Mind you, it wasn't labeled as such. It was just a scenic piece to add interest to the article otherwise convincing anglers to head for the Fork or Frying Pan to fish at all costs. At the time, I didn't know exactly where it was, just that I wanted to see that scene someday. 

Fast forward just a few years, and I eventually discovered the location of the scene that had stuck with me for so many years. When we started planning a trip to Colorado for last fall, I determined that we had to visit the Crystal Mill. There are lots of places I want to visit, and I don't know how many more Colorado trips will happen. There are other places to go and see after all. So, I wanted to hit the one thing in the state that was still on my must see list, or dare I even say, my bucket list. My bucket list, if you want to call it that, is a loose collection of places I want to see someday. Nothing written on paper, and some are more definitive than others, but I'm to the point where I'm trying to check a few off of the list nowadays.

After we had travelled from State Forest State Park to Dillon and then on towards Bogan Flats Campground, we were ready to get back into the woods. Our town stay had been a nice reprieve, but we didn't travel all the way to Colorado to stay in a hotel in town.

Unfortunately, before we could enjoy a trek to the Crystal Mill which was just up the road from our campground, we had to take a detour. We didn't know it at the time, but a distinct trend had started in more ways than one. The first trend actually started during the night. Light rain showers whispered on top of our tent. When we got up in the morning, the clouds were breaking some, but we also didn't want to get caught in a storm or downpour while out hiking with a toddler. 

Camping at Bogan Flats near Marble Colorado


Cell service was at least a few miles back down the road towards Carbondale, so we decided to head that direction and get an updated weather report before venturing out for the day. This was both a good and bad decision. Good because, well, things were about to happen that I REALLY didn't want to happen in the kid carrier pack. Bad because, well, it should be self explanatory. 

Little Bit was riding along comfortably in the back when it apparently became time to do her morning business. We were almost to cell service when the aroma stench hit us. I pulled over into a large gravel pullout that would double as a bathroom/changing room and also had enough cell signal to help us in other ways. As it turns out, we needed that cell signal for directions to the nearest laundromat. Things had gotten out of control, so to speak, and we needed more cleanup ability than we could carry in our little car. 

At the sketchy little laundromat, I did laundry next to a homeless guy while Leah made some bagels and cream cheese for our breakfast. After an hour of doing laundry, we were headed back towards camp and then on to Marble, hoping that this would be a one time event and the rest of our trip would go smoothly. The forecast looked to turn a little more rainy over the next few days, but still suggested a good mix of sun and clouds. The forecast for our hike that day was mostly good with just a small chance of a shower. 

We found Marble and a parking area where we could leave the car for a few hours. The road up to the historic Crystal Mill was a rough 4WD road that our little Corolla wouldn't even begin to negotiate. Unfortunately the jeep tours that operate in the area have a strict "no car seats" policy that effectively weeds out younger kids. I don't blame them, but I will say that it would have been a much easier day for us. 

Beaver Lake near Marble


We loaded Little Bit up in her pack and began the grueling hike up to the Crystal Mill. It is only about 4.5 miles or so, but the first mile was brutal with probably 1000 feet of vertical gain. The rest of the hike was actually fairly easy other than the 30 pounds or so in the pack on my back. At the time we visited, you could pay a little money and then access the bottom of the falls. From things I have read, I believe that is sadly no longer an option. 

The trail/road is fairly busy or at least was when we visited. Lots of jeeps and trucks were driving up to see the same place we were as well as some others scenic places in the area. Thankfully, they were all considerate and we never felt in danger despite the road being quite narrow at times. We got tired quickly, some of us more so than others. Little Bit was needing a snack, so we stopped by Lizard Lake for a quick break and some snacks.

Lizard Lake on the Road to Crystal Mill


The timing of our trip was largely in hopes of catching the fall colors. Sections of our hike were about perfect with golden aspen everywhere, while other sections still had mostly green. With the nice mix of color, the hike was interesting throughout. One of the most interesting things, I thought, was the constant avalanche chutes and debris fans from past avalanches. The ridge to the south, just across the Crystal River (which the road/trail follows) apparently gets a LOT of big snow in the winter. The avalanches then roar down the north facing slope and often up and across the road on the other side. I can only imagine how treacherous this area would be in the winter. 

Avalanche chute full of fall colors on the road to Crystal Mill

The Crystal River itself was beautiful and truly crystal clear as its name suggested. I kept wishing that I had brought at least a tenkara rod with me, but because we started the hike late, I had left all fishing gear in the car. We didn't have as much time as we wanted, but thankfully our timing was perfect from one perspective. Once we made it up to the Crystal Mill, it quickly became apparent that afternoon was the best time to visit this scene, at least in late September and early October. 

Crystal River along the road to Crystal Mill

The early autumn light was angling in just right to light the scene for our cameras. We took more photos on this day than any other on our trip. Since we were able to go to the bottom of the falls, we had our picnic lunch down there. Little Bit played amongst the rocks along the stream (one of her favorite things to do!) while we took pictures of her having a good time.

Crystal Mill on Crystal River

View of Crystal Mill


Eventually, we knew that it was time to head back down. Carrying a heavy pack was starting to wear me out after more than a week of camping. While the hike out was mostly downhill, I still wanted to get it over with. On our way out, we experienced a very light shower that was perfectly brief. We put up the rain cover on the kid carrier, but otherwise didn't worry about the rain. If only the rain showers had stayed that brief for the rest of our trip...

Fall colors on the road to Crystal Mill


Sunday, October 01, 2023

Colorado 2022: Day Nine and Ten, Moving Days

Not every day of a big trip can be exciting. Thus it was that we found ourselves transitioning from northern Colorado to more central and southern portions of the state. On trips as long as this one, we tend to try and mix in a laundry day. Little did we know what still lay ahead in that regard, but at the time we just enjoyed the chance to get into town, get showers, stay at a hotel, and let someone else cook our food for a couple of meals. 

From State Forest State Park, we travelled down to Dillon which was part of the way towards our next destination. Without the toddler, I would have been tempted to make it through a town day and all the way to our next campsite in one day, but we had already discovered that trips were slower with her along. It was best to spend the night in a hotel and then travel the rest of the way on the second day. 

Doing it that way, we hoped to possibly even get an extra hike in. The route from Dillon that we wanted to follow included Independence Pass and down through Aspen. The fall colors were the main motivation for this route choice, but it also was close to the most direct route. Our next camping spot was at Bogan Flats near Marble, Colorado. I wanted to hike to the Crystal Mill, so this was the closest campground option as it was just down the road from Marble. 

Independence Pass is always a treat. We hoped to do a hike from near the top of the pass to some high elevation lakes. On our way up, we stopped at Twin Lakes and took in the beauty of the fall colors reflecting in the water. The dramatic scene was incredible for pictures, but a bit foreboding and foreshadowed the weather we would find on top of the pass. We wouldn't be hiking on this day as it turned out.



This ended up being the highlight of our 10th day in Colorado. While the scenery was incredible the rest of this day, the fall colors weren't quite as far progressed as we had hoped. We enjoyed driving down through Aspen and were soon headed south towards Bogan Flats on the banks of the Crystal River. The next day would be a big hiking day, and we needed to get rested up for the adventure. Little did we know what was in store for the next few days...


Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Small Details

For some people, this will be a boring blog post. If you are here for fishing info, you can skip this one. Hopefully this will resonate with someone other than myself when I say this, but I don't go fishing just to catch fish. There is the old cliche story about first you want to catch a fish, then a lot of fish, then a big fish, then a lot of big fish, then you come full circle and just want to go fishing. Well, this is similar to that concept, sort of. 

It is probably the photographer in me, but patterns, shapes, colors, light or the lack thereof, and interesting flora and fauna all interest me. In fact, that is one reason you are just about as likely to find me roaming the woods with a camera (or even just my cellphone) as with a fly rod. However, it is the small details that often greatly enrich my fishing trips, adding immense value to what is already a special experience. 

Sometimes, those small details are the fish themselves. A closeup of a native southern Appalachian brook trout never gets old and why I have way more fish pictures on my phone and computer than necessary. Even after seeing thousands of wild and native fish, I still have to snap a picture because they are so pretty. 

©2020 David Knapp Photography

Still, it is often more about things other than fish. In other words, it is easy for a fish to catch your eye. That is what you are targeting after all. But how about that interesting mushroom? How about stream side wildflowers and other plants? Or maybe spiders? Seriously. All of these are things I tried to take pictures of on my recent backpacking trip in the Smokies. 

Near camp, these ferns growing off a bridge caught my eye. The contrast of bright green against the watery background kept me coming back again and again. In the end, I settled for what my cellphone could do, but left wishing for my "good" camera. 

©2022 David Knapp Photography

Sometimes, my efforts aren't particularly successful. I found some neat pink turtleheads, but my cellphone pictures were less than stellar. They didn't make the cut to share. Maybe next time I'll have a "good" camera. The few bright leaves around also drew my eye and at least a couple of them weren't half bad. Can you find the angler in the background on this one?

Fall colors in the Smokies
©2022 David Knapp Photography

This next one was one of my favorites. I'll call it the "Cat's Eye" for obvious reasons. No joke, this is exactly how I found these leaves. Nature never ceases to amaze me. What are the odds that these two leaves just happened to link up so perfectly? 

The cat's eye made of leaves
©2022 David Knapp Photography

Even the smaller details near camp were interesting. I found jack in the pulpit seeds, bursting bright red and ready to grow the next generation of these interesting flowers. I found spider webs with spiders who weren't camera shy. This was another one that begged for a better camera, but the cellphone did not do too badly either. 

Great Smoky Mountains spider
©2022 David Knapp Photography 

One of my favorites from the trip was also one of the plainest. Something about the meeting of deciduous and evergreen here made me happy when I saw it. Of course, with so many evergreens in the Smokies eliminated by things like woolly adelgid, I'm just happy to discover one that is happy and healthy along a trout stream. 

©2022 David Knapp Photography

I like to eat, so every time I see some type of mushroom, I always wonder if it is edible. This one was no different, although I wasn't really prepared on this backpacking trip to cook a mushroom. It would have been a fun task back in camp if I was. There are only a very few wild mushrooms I feel comfortable with. If you are versed in wild mushrooms, let me know what this one is and if it is good to eat! 


©2022 David Knapp Photography

By now, you are probably beginning to get an inkling of the types of things that catch my eye while on a trout stream. Often it is birds or other wildlife, but they are usually too quick for me to catch with my cellphone. On these backpacking trips, that is usually all I carry. Too much weight with the other options. Even on day trips, it is all the extras that bring completeness to my experience. Without the small details, it would just be a fish catching excursion, and those aren't always super successful. Fishing trips, however, are always successful. Catching a fish is just icing on the cake...

Thursday, November 03, 2022

Dull and Bright: Thinking About Color and Light in Your Scenic Shots

As a followup to my last short photography piece on light and dark in your fish pictures, here is another quick photography tip to help you think more broadly about framing your pictures. This will apply whether you are shooting quick cellphone pictures or taking more time with some quality camera gear. No matter what you are shooting with, you should always consider your subject, framing, and the light. In these particular examples, I was just snapping quick pictures with my cellphone while out fishing for hiking. 

In this first example, I want to point out something that is so obvious as to be often overlooked. First, let's look at the picture. 

Fall Color and Light on Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

As you can see, the peak fall colors made my job as the photographer easy. This is an unedited picture straight from my cellphone. What really makes this picture work is the golden reflections on the surface of the water. You can see more pictures from this day from my friend and client Simone Lipscomb via her blog post about it. It was an incredible day with the mountains showing off in their fall finest. 

Still, a couple of small details bring this picture together. In addition to the aforementioned golden reflections on the water, also note I more or less considered the simple and ever popular rule of thirds with Little River disappearing around the next bend about where the intersection of one of those lines of thirds is. The golden light was also crucial. Positioning myself in such a way to see those reflections made this shot much more than it would have been otherwise. If I was on the wrong side of the creek, those reflections would have been nonexistent. 

So, what about when the fall colors are past their peak? How do you draw a picture together when the subject isn't showing off as well? Here is another example to examine. 

Lingering color on Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains

In this picture, the one bright burst of gold really sets an otherwise somber scene off. Furthermore, instead of finding the reflections, I framed the picture from an angle that shows the clarity of the low water of autumn in the Great Smoky Mountains. Rocks alongside Little River add texture and pleasing shapes to an already interesting scene while the main subject, the golden leaves, are positioned approximately following the rule of thirds. 

Hiking in Pickett State Park on the Hidden Passage Trail

In this last picture, an otherwise drab scene draws your eye in because of the bursts of bright green. These magnolia trees were somehow still green while almost everything else was well past the peak colors. With so much brown and rust around us, these green explosions made me stop and snap a quick picture on my phone. The large rock bluff/outcropping on the left bring another interesting element into the picture as the trail curls off in the distance around the bend. I don't know about you, but looking at this scene makes me want to see what is around the next corner, kind of the same as when I'm looking up a trout stream.

I hope these tips help you take better pictures. All of these were taken with a cellphone, so remember you don't need a fancy camera to take great pictures these days. The fancy camera opens up some further possibilities, especially in post processing, but a cellphone does much better than the first point and shoot camera I took with me on fishing trips back around 2005 or 2006 or so when this blog was just getting started...

Friday, October 28, 2022

Light and Dark: Thinking About Light On Your Trout Pictures

Recently, I was with a friend/client of mine on a guided trip and we landed a rather respectable Smoky Mountain brown trout. It didn't take much prodding on my part to get him to take a picture, so we got things set up. After snapping a couple of him, we then switched to just pictures of the fish. 

I was facing one way and snapped a few in my hand in the water. Upon glancing at the screen of my phone that I was taking pictures with, I noticed how incredibly dark the fish looked. The light just wasn't what I wanted to show this beauty off. So, instead of considering it a lost cause, I simply turned around. The morning sun was reflecting off of the bank behind us and by turning around, I was able to take advantage of this better quality light. 

Here are the two unedited versions of this same fish. 

Dark brown trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Bright brown trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

While the angles are slightly different, I can assure you these are the same exact fish, taken just seconds apart. You can see the reflection of the darkly shaded bank behind us in the second picture, while the first picture is strongly backlit by the sunny bank beyond, making the fish appear extremely dark. 

So, to make this short and to the point, consider light sources as you set up your fish pictures. This can be a quick scan of the scene or even glance at the camera or phone screen. Either way, light will make or break your photos, so take advantage of what it offers. 

Furthermore, if you are the one operating the camera for a friend, check the light in the viewfinder or on the screen. I often ask clients to tilt a fishes back or belly towards me, and it is all about getting the light correct. I'll do a separate post sometime on this potential light issue to explain better, but for now, consider what the fish looks like to you and then work to get the camera to interpret it the same way. 

Monday, April 12, 2021

Just Had a Camera Along

Lately, I have gotten away from carrying a camera everywhere I go. Oh, sure, I have my cellphone. I also snap way too many cellphone pictures, but they often leave something to be desired compared to what a dedicated camera can accomplish. Thus, when it so happened that I had my camera in tow this evening, I was prepared for the sunset picture I stumbled across. 

The last time I saw an amazing sunset at this same spot was not too long ago. I went whizzing by and had a brief realization of the beautiful reflection there. Still, I was in a hurry for some reason or another. Furthermore, my camera was safe at home and I knew the cellphone just could not do the scene justice. Tonight, I was again racing past when I saw it. A perfect calm reflection of the sky in this little pond. And tonight I had my camera.

I'll have to go back to this spot again. The opportunities are just too perfect. This initial batch of pictures came out okay for a quick 30 seconds of shooting. None of this would have happened except that I just had a camera along. I need to do this more often. Anyway, here are my favorites. 






Friday, March 19, 2021

Glacier Day Eight: Hiking to Siyeh Pass and Hiking to Piegan Pass

We did not mean to save the best for last. Even now, my wife and I debate which day in Glacier National Park was our favorite. One thing we don't argue about, however, is that our last day is right up there at the top. The closest possible competition was the day we hiked to Sperry Glacier. We still debate which of those two days were our favorite. Gunsight Lake would have been high on the list if it hadn't of been for the bugs. A good day, for sure, but the bugs guaranteed it wouldn't be our favorite.

On our last day in Glacier National Park, we really wanted to do a big hike that my friend John had told me about. Siyeh Pass is best done as a through hike that utilizes the Park's shuttle system to get from one trailhead to the other. Of course, with COVID going on, this wasn't going to be an option. We briefly considered just making the hike up or down the road. In the end, however, we decided to begin and end at Siyeh Bend. This would strictly be an out and back hike. Our goal was a quick hike up to Siyeh Pass to enjoy the wildflowers in Preston Park.

The whole trip would be about nine miles, just a quick jaunt at this point in our trip. We decided to skip carrying lunch for such a short hike. This was a small mistake but not one that we would notice too badly. That morning, we almost thought we wouldn't be able to do the hike. We woke up to thunder and lightning and a much needed rain shower passing through. The early morning was gloomy, but soon gave way to the dramatic. 

Sunrise in Glacier National Park

As the rising sun slanted over the top of the mountains, the rich early light lit up the appropriately named Heavens Peak. We had checked the radar and thought we would be able to hike, but the sky was quite foreboding at this point. Here is a closeup of Heavens Peak along with a wider angle shot showing the dramatic sky. 

Heavens Peak in Glacier National Park
Heavens Peak at Sunrise ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Morning Sky over Heavens Peak in Glacier National Park
Sky On Fire Over Heavens Peak ©2020 David Knapp Photography

The dramatic light did not last long. The sunlight was slanting under the clouds from the east and lighting up the sky to our west. These shots were taken from Trail Ridge Road looking west. The light was just barely coming over the top of the ridge to our east before the clouds covered the sun. This is looking up towards Logan Pass from the same place. 

Sunrise looking towards Logan Pass, the Garden Wall, and Bird Woman Falls
Looking Towards Logan Pass at Sunrise ©2020 David Knapp Photography

The dramatic quickly turned a flat gray. It seemed obvious that we were about to get wet and our hike would either be delayed or ended completely before it began. This is higher up towards the pass looking south. 

Mt. Oberlin, Clements Mountain, and Mt. Cannon with Bird Woman Falls below
Bird Woman Falls ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Surprise Bonus

Around this time, we came across another special bird that I had last seen just days before near Sperry Glacier. The ptarmigan is a neat bird that I had always wanted to photograph. Somehow, on this trip, I got two opportunities! This one wasn't great in terms of the setting, but I did have another picture of a ptarmigan. This one was in full summer dress with just hints of white left from the winter coat and blended in perfectly with all the rocks and brush nearby. 

 

Ptarmigan on the Going to the Sun Road
Ptarmigan Beside Going to the Sun Road ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Parking at Siyeh Bend and Preparing for Our Hike

We soon resumed our trip towards the parking area at Siyeh Bend. As with all other mornings, we got there early to snag a parking spot. It was a good thing we got there when we did. Breakfast came out next and we watched as the last few parking spots were taken. If we had been 30 minutes later, there would have been no hiking or at least a much longer hike. As we ate breakfast, the sky turned even more dramatic before starting to look like things would clear up. Mammatus clouds loomed over Going to the Sun Mountain and also off to the south before drifting on to the east. 


Dramatic sky over Siyeh Bend
Dramatic Clouds Over Siyeh Bend ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Mammatus clouds over Going to the Sun Mountain
Mammatus Clouds and Going to the Sun Mountain ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Looking back towards the west, we finally started to think this hike would happen after all. Neither of us wanted to get caught above tree line in a lightning storm. Thankfully, the area of disturbed weather seemed to be passing us by finally. We got our packs ready, loaded with water and grabbed our cameras. We had already experienced some incredible scenery and dramatic views and we hadn't even hit the trail yet!

Beginning Our Hike to Siyeh Pass

Just across the road, we began hiking up the short bit of trail that parallels Siyeh Creek. The wildflowers that were blooming there were just a foreshadowing of things to come. This hike would easily win for best wildflower hike of our trip. At this point, however, we didn't yet know that and were just glad to be finding some amazing color and scenery. 

Siyah Creek looking towards Piegan Pass
Siyeh Creek Looking Towards Piegan Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

It didn't take long before the trail started heading rapidly higher. Coming around one sharp corner, we ran into our only up close big animal for the day. This skinny looking doe was eating as much as she could and clearly needed still more food. We quickly snapped a picture or two and then kept going. 

deer beside the Siyeh Pass Trail hiking to the Piegan Pass Trail
Doe Mule Deer Spotted While Hiking to Siyeh Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

We were in a hurry so to speak. You see, much of this hike is through exposed terrain without any canopy to keep off the hot sun. At this point, we were still fortunate to have widespread clouds to shade us a bit longer and wanted to make the most of this nice cool morning. Climbing rapidly higher, the trees started to thin out as we approached our second trail junction of the day. Our first trail junction happened when we turned onto the Piegan Pass Trail. This second junction was when we finally turned off on the Siyeh Pass Trail and began ascending into Preston Park. The wildflowers were already amazing. Without knowing how stunning things would be yet ahead, we began taking a lot of pictures and our pace slowed dramatically. 

Mount Siyeh and wildflowers along Piegan Pass Trail
Mt. Siyeh Looming Over Everything ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Wildflowers and looking towards Siyeh Pass
A Hint of Extraodinary Things to Come ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Wildflowers Of Preston Park 

Soon, we found ourselves wandering slowly up through Preston Park. Again and again we found ourselves stopping to take pictures from different angles of the extraordinary scenery we were passing through. I was going from one extreme to the other. I wanted to capture the entire view and also all the details. The sheer number and volume of wildflowers had me really wishing that I had carried my tripod on this hike to get some better pictures. Alas, I have just another good reason to go back someday. 

Large Mountain Monkey-Flower along Siyeh Pass Trail
Large Mountain Monkey-Flower ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Alpine Forget-me-not near Siyeh Pass
Alpine Forget-Me-Not ©2020 David Knapp Photography


After the wildflowers, I looked around and took what would become one of many. The views back down Preston Park to the west and southwest were just incredible. I think I could dedicate a whole day just to take various versions of these pictures. To the right is Piegan Mountain with Heavy Runner Mountain in the distance in the middle. The left side of the first picture is the side of Matahpi Peak. Sometime, I want to go back and climb some of these mountains, but especially Piegan and Siyeh. 

Piegan Mountain, Matahpi Peak, and Heavy Runner Mountain views from Preston Park
Matahpi Peak Flanks, Piegan Mountain, and Heavy Runner Mountain ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Looking down Siyeh Creek towards Heavy Runner Mountain
Heavy Runner Mountain and Siyeh Creek Headwaters ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Shortly after taking these pictures, I came across one of my favorite wildflower displays of the whole trip. Yellow Columbine were high on my list of favorites from this trip, and I found them growing in such numbers that it was literally overwhelming. I didn't even know which way to point the camera, but somehow I managed to snap a couple pictures. 

Yellow Columbine near Siyeh Pass Trail in Preston Park
Yellow Columbine Along Siyeh Pass Trail ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Of course, it wasn't long before I was looking at the bigger picture again. At some point, I had wandered out ahead with my camera while my wife was further back taking some closeups. I cannot remember if she was taking pictures of flowers or ground squirrels, but I'm guessing it was the latter. She was always on the lookout for animals on this trip!

Preston Park hiker below Heavy Runner Mountain and Piegan Mountain
My Wife Looking for the Next Shot ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Siyeh Pass

Another large mammal encounter awaited as us we finally made it to Siyeh Pass itself. This female bighorn sheep wandered out across the stark and now barren landscape of the pass. I can't imagine how incredibly harsh this environment is during the winter months. Intense winds and snow scour this landscape every winter. In the warmth of summer, however, the wild critters venture through this otherwise wild landscape to feed on the transitory abundance. The wildflowers take advantage of the brief growing season before going dormant for yet another long cold winter.

Bighorn Sheep at Siyeh Pass
Siyeh Pass Bighorn Sheep ©2020 David Knapp Photography

As we enjoyed the views from Siyeh Pass, we were reminded that lunch would be nice by the other hikers enjoying their lunches there. Briefly, we contemplated enjoying our raspberry fig bars, but instead decided to make a quick descent back to the car for a full blown lunch. Funny how our plans don't always happen the way we think...

Panorama just below Siyeh Pass
Panorama Just Below Siyeh Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Siyeh Pass selfie
Selfie Near Siyeh Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Descending the Siyeh Pass Trail Through Preston Park

As we began descending, I couldn't just walk away without a few more wildflower shots. Okay, maybe a lot of wildflower shots. Up close, further back, landscape scenic shots still featuring wildflowers, more yellow Columbine, I just couldn't get enough. We were just about to have our day extended, but at the time, I just figured we had a quick descent and a few extra minutes wouldn't hurt. 

Dwarf Fireweed near Siyeh pass Trail
Dwarf Fireweed Near Siyeh Pass Trail ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Rocky Ledge Penstemon along Siyeh Pass Trail
Rocky Ledge Penstemon ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Piegan Mountain and wildflower foreground
Piegan Mountain and Wildflowers ©2020 David Knapp

Yellow Columbine
Yellow Columbine ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Wildflowers Galore in Preston Park
Preston Park Wildflowers ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Shortly after taking this last picture, I ran into the most interesting gentleman. He was retired and lived in nearby Kalispell, Montana. He was a Vietnam Veteran who spent most of his free time in Glacier National Park, hiking, enjoying photography, and otherwise having great adventures. We struck up a conversation and soon he was telling me more about the surrounding landscape than I could have ever read in a trail guide or other book. He mentioned that he would probably go up on Piegan Mountain for the day, but since the day was still young, he wasn't sure what he might end up doing yet. I asked about Piegan Pass, to which he replied that we really needed to go up there to see it. "It is only a couple of miles up there," he said. Our short nine mile day with just a couple of snacks and two liters of water each was about to morph into yet another thirteen mile hike.

We continued talking for a good long while. I asked about the large mammals that he had seen. Apparently he had seen just about all of them. Then, I asked about wolverines. When planning this trip, I had read that Glacier National Park is the best place in the Lower 48 to see a wolverine. Everything is relative, of course, but I still thought that was pretty intriguing. As it turns out, that is one animal this gentleman had not seen. He had missed seeing one by about fifteen minutes one time, but never had he seen one himself. Just another reason to return to this amazing National Park!!!

After finally wrapping up my discussion with this interesting guy, I talked to my wife and explained what he had told me. She agreed that we should go ahead and head up to Piegan Pass. We both knew we might get pretty hungry, but this was a potential once in a lifetime trip. You just never know when you'll be on an adventure to Glacier National Park again. 

Hiking to Piegan Pass


We quickly hiked back down to the trail junction with just a couple of stops for pictures. One interesting flower we spotted was the western anemone. This flower has a beautiful silky fruiting head after the flower blooms. These silky heads were so incredibly soft. You have to see and touch it to grasp just how soft these are!

Siyeh Pass Trail western anemone or western pasqueflower
Western Anemone ©2020 David Knapp Photography

By the time we got back down to the junction with the Piegan Pass Trail, the sun was high overhead and beginning to finally break through the clouds. This would be a bright sunny hike along a very exposed section of trail. The hike was absolutely worth it, however! We had to cross a couple of large snowfields that were still drifted over the trail. We carefully took our time. If you start sliding on some of these snowfields, the final landing spot is on rather jagged rocks far below and you don't want to make that mistake. Here are a couple of views of the trail.

Piegan Mountain and Piegan Pass
Looking Towards Piegan Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Piegan Pass Trail looking towards Piegan Pass
Piegan Pass Trail ©2020 David Knapp Photography


As we ascended closer and closer to the pass, the bulk of Piegan Mountain was well off to our left, providing impressive views. Suddenly, we noticed some specks moving across the large expanse of white on the flanks of the mountain. Upon closer inspection, we realized we were looking at a couple of bighorn sheep. Here is what we saw. 

Bighorn sheep crossing a snowfield on Piegan Mountain
Mountain Sheep and Snowfields ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Piegan Mountain and Snowfields
Can You Find the Bighorn Sheep? ©2020 David Knapp Photography


At this point, we were nearly at the pass. As we entered the pass, we found amazing views down towards the Many Glacier portion of Glacier National Park. We had hoped to spend a lot of time on this side of the Park. Alas, they had closed it down due to COVID, greatly adding to the crowding and congestion in other portions of the Park. Oh well, next time we'll explore this area. We took some quick pictures, finally ate our snack, and then finished off our water. We now had a good long walk ahead of us before we found water again. It was time to head downhill. 

Looking north from Piegan Pass
The North Side of Piegan Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Looking towards Many Glacier from Piegan Pass
Big Views at Piegan Pass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Selfie at Piegan Pass
Piegan Pass Selfie ©2020 David Knapp Photography

The Hike Back Down

The return hike went rather quickly. This trail is a nice gentle grade without too many steep sections. We were able to make incredibly good time. At this point in our trip, we were both in peak hiking condition and could really crank out the miles. The only thing that slowed us down was the wildflowers. I know, big surprise, right?!?!

I found some beargrass blooming and had to make a few more photographs. This is an incredible wildflower and iconic of Glacier National Park. In addition to photographing a few more flowers, we also stopped at the first good stream crossing to filter some fresh drinking water. We were both getting a little parched at this point!

Piegan Pass Trail Beargrass
Beargrass ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Siyeh Pass Trail Beargrass
Beargrass Trailside ©2020 David Knapp Photography

Scenic Beargrass and Matahpi Peak
Beargrass Looking Towards Matahpi Peak ©2020 David Knapp Photography 


We made it back to the car in good shape, just a little more hungry than we had intended. Lunch happened and then we turned our car back towards camp for our final night in Glacier National Park. One adventure was wrapping up, but another was just about to begin. The next phase of our trip would involve a little more fishing and chasing a bucket list fish for me, the bull trout. On our way back to camp, we found the bighorn sheep hanging out at the Logan Pass Visitor Center Parking lot again. We had to take a few more shots of them of course...


Logan Pass Visitor Center Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn Sheep at Logan Pass Visitor Center ©2020 David Knapp Photography

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