Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is an area in northern New Mexico that is jointly administered by the BLM and Cochiti Pueblo.  This is an area with a fascinating landscape eroded out of thick deposits of volcanic ash.  Some of the distinctive formations are conical (teepee shaped) spires which give the area the name of Tent Rocks.  One of the most popular hikes is through a narrow slot canyon.

A massive outcropping of layered volcanic ash

Hillside covered with many of the conical "Tent Rocks"

A small tent rock near the slot canyon trail

Approaching the slot canyon

Looking up the cliffs

Entrance to the slot canyon

Within the canyon

View from the other end where the canyon opens out again

Bandelier NM

We recently visited Bandelier National Monument.  I had been to Bandelier many years ago, but this was Barbara's first visit.  Ancestral Pueblo people lived here from approximately 1150 CE to 1550 CE.  When conditions changed, the inhabitants of this area joined other nearby pueblo communities along the Rio Grande.  Many of these pueblo communities still exist.

Bandelier contains a valley with sheer cliffs of soft volcanic tuff.

The cliffs contain many natural erosion caves that the pueblo peoples enlarged.

Some built multilevel pueblos against the face of the cliffs.

One can clearly see where holes were carved into the cliff to support the timbers that formed the ceilings of one story and the floor of the next.

The monument has provided ladders so that visitors can view some of the rooms carved out in the cliff.

Above roof level there were some visible petroglyphs  carved on the cliff.

(Can you find the turkey?)

Some villages were built on the valley floor with rooms surrounding a central plaza with a kiva.

An interesting dried grass seed head

Jackson Hole 2016

After our visit to the Yellowstone area, we spent nearly two weeks in Jackson, Wyoming.  Much of that time was spent waiting for our Jeep to get fixed, but we were still able to spend some time driving around Jackson Hole and taking in the wildlife and scenery.

During the first part of our stay, there was a lot of rain, snow and overcast. One evening the sun came out and gave us this brilliant double rainbow.

We noticed that the primary arc had some repeating bands called supernumerary arcs.

We had heard that the fall color had peaked in Jackson Hole a couple of weeks earlier, but there were still plenty of places with nice color.

We saw a number of moose.

It must be quite surprising to discover a moose has taken over your campsite!

We also saw lots of pronghorn.

A couple of images from the Oxbow Bend area

Schwabacher Landing

One morning found the skies very clear, but fog hanging in the river valley.

This view of the T.A. Moulton Barn along Mormon Row
is one of the most iconic images from Jackson Hole.

The John Moulton barn

Yellowstone 2016 - Part 12

On our last day to wander around the park, we spent the morning revisiting the Hayden Valley.  Near the west end we found this Badger busily digging.

Later in the day, we visited a recommended area just northwest of Yellowstone called the Tom Miner Basin in hopes of seeing a Grizzly Bear.

The fall color was even more spectacular than in Yellowstone.

The B-Bar Ranch raises rare Ancient White Park cattle.

There were also some grizzlies in a field.

The grizzlies and cattle seemed to pay no attention to each other.

The weather was cool, with mixed sun, clouds and a little rain.