#nat geo

Wolf Hollow byStephen Canino Photography

Wolf Hollow byStephen Canino Photography

Arches National Park is by far the coolest, oddest, strangest most beautiful place I have ever been. These pictures do not do it justice. This is a place that must be visited to truly understand the strange beauty of it.

Jess and I started out with one of the more popular hikes to • Delicate Arch •
It was a little under 4 miles round trip. Although 4 miles isn’t very long, we were nervous with the harsh summer desert heat. With lots of sun screen and water we prevailed. The hike to the arch was beautiful to say the least and well worth the sweat. The next hike we did was to Landscape Arch, which was a quick 2 mile hike. The landscape arch is the longest natural arch in the world, pretty neat.

Thanks to my friend Darren with lots of recommendations for the Moab area. We ended the daylight with a burger and milkshake from Milts. A cool outside seating burger joint that has been serving Moab since 1954. I couldn’t think of anything that I would have wanted more after a long day.

I wish I had more time to spend at Arches National Park and the entire Moab area. So much cool hikes, history and beautiful scenery to check out. Will be coming back in the future without a doubt. Tomorrow I think we will head to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Cheers!

natgeofound:

With a harbor view, a teataster samples from cups spread upon a table in Baltimore, Maryland, September 1964.
Photograph by Bates Littlehales, National Geographic

My face when someone tells me I’m pretty

Parasola - [tentative]

Lycogala epidendrum - Wolf’s Milk, Groening’s Slime

Aquilegia canadensis - Red Lantern Columbine

[Cloudy]

Corallorhiza mertensiana - Coral Root Orchid

This species of orchid, native to the rain forests of BC, lacks chlorophyll. Unlike other plants it is a mycotroph, meaning it gets its energy (carbon source) and nutrients from a parasitic relationship with fungi. This adaptation is perfect for growing on the shady forest floor. It requires no sunlight to grow, lacks traditional leaves, and appears above ground only when it flowers. 

Selasphorus rufus - Rufous Hummingbird [male] 

“A hummingbird’s brilliant throat color is not caused by feather pigmentation, but rather by iridescence in the arrangement of the feathers and the influence of light level, moisture and other factors." More facts here.

Betula pendula - Silver Birch 

Crassulaceae aeonium 

Early spring. Same species in late winter.

Saxifraga cespitosa - Tufted Saxifrage

Big fan of the name. 

Obligatory spring flower drop to follow. 

Sword Fern fiddlehead. 

Unfurling fern fronds. 

Placopsis gelida 

Polystichum munitum - Sword Fern

Hylocomium splendens - Glittering Wood Moss, Stair-Step Moss, Mountain Fern Moss

Cladonia rangiferina - Reindeer Lichen 

Trametes versicolour - Turkey Tail Mushroom [more]

Fomitopsis pinicola - Red-banded Polypore 

Mycena leptochephala - This species often begins pale brown, however it turns pale grey as the fruiting body matures and the pruinose layer is shed [see previous post].  

Mycena leptocephala