Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica… The Passport Series

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The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica is filled with tall trees and massive vines. These Strangler Vines once surrounded a tree. As their name implies, they strangled their host. Now only the vines remain.

The drive from San Jose, the Capital of Costa Rica, to the Monteverde takes around 3½ hours. Our guide and driver from Costa Rica Expeditions picked us up at our hotel. He was funny and knowledgeable, which made the journey pass quickly. We learned and laughed a lot.

Monteverde’s claim to fame is its cloud forest where mists hang out in mythical proportions. Luxuriant plant growth and abundant animal life have turned the area into a major tourist destination as well as a center for ecological study.

The area has an interesting history dating back to the 1950s when a group of Quakers and other pacifists out of Alabama arrived. They had moved from the US to avoid being drafted into the Korean War. Eventually a portion of the land they farmed became the base for Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

We climbed some 4000 feet to reach the Montverde Lodge, the hotel where we were staying. The lodge perches on the edge of the rainforest and its rooms provide a front row seat to whatever action is taking place. I kept expecting a Howler Monkey to appear on our window ledge. The Lodge also features attractive gardens.

Leaving the valley floor, we climbed over 4000 feet up into Costa Rica’s central mountains to reach Monteverde. This photo is looking back over the way we came.

The Monteverde Lodge features a flower filled garden including this beauty.

I also found this pair of flowers at the Monteverde Lodge quite attractive.

This fern at the lodge.was particularly interesting. it made me think of gears within gears.

This butterfly we found at the Monteverde Lodge is a member of the Clearwing Family.

Our objective was to explore the rainforest, however. We went on several hikes including one at night and another that took us to a platform high in the forest canopy. The pitch-black night tour was quite interesting, especially when we turned our flashlights off.

On one of our hikes, we climbed to a platform high in the canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. I think Peggy is smiling because we made it to the top.

This is a view of the Monteverde Cloud Forest looking down from the platform we climbed up to.

We spotted a pair of Howler Monkeys up in the trees. The one on top is all limbs and tail. The lower Howler looks like he is gnawing on a thigh bone… Hmmm.

We came across this strange army of insects about to take flight on our night walk. The look ant-like but my guess is they are termites because of their thick bodies.

This colorful fungus was another denizen of the Monteverde Cloud Forest we came across on our night walk.

Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica… The Passport Series

/ Curt Mekemson / 3 Comments

Miles and miles of scenic Pacific Ocean beach greet the visitor to Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica.

Vacation was two weeks away and I hadn’t made any plans. “Let’s go to Costa Rica,” I suggested to my wife, Peggy. “Why not,” she responded. Peggy is used to my procrastinating ways. Sometimes they even pay off.

I jumped on-line and lucked out. Costa Rica Expeditions had tours to fill at last-minute bargain basement prices. We could go to three great places for a cost we would normally pay for one. The company, by the way, did an excellent job.

Our itinerary included the Tortuga Lodge on the Atlantic Coast, Monteverde Lodge in Costa Rica’s central highlands, and La Leona Lodge on the edge of Corcovado National Park on the Pacific Coast. It was an ecotourist’s dream.

Today I am going to feature Corcovado, an area that National Geographic has described as “the most biological intense place on earth in terms of biodiversity.” The National Park is located on the Osa Peninsula in southwest Costa Rica. It teems with life including some 375 species of birds, 125 species of mammals, 500 species of trees and over 10,000 species of insects. The insects win.

We flew down from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, in a small 6-seater prop plane that skimmed over the country’s tropical-green mountains, jungles and rivers to a landing strip next to the small community of Carate. A one-horse cart was waiting to carry our bags to the La Leona Lodge. Guests are expected to make the 45-minute walk on their own. There are no roads. We strolled down the beach, waded in the ocean and enjoyed the scenery.

Peggy, I and the plane we flew in to Corcovado National Park.

The plane skimmed over Costa Rica’s tropical-green mountains.

A one-horse cart waited to carry our luggage. I can’t say the horse was particularly excited about the prospect.

La Leona features comfortable tent camping, great meals, miles of beaches and a fascinating tropical rainforest. Each tent has a porch facing the Pacific Ocean. Waves lull you to sleep at night and at least a dozen of the regions 375 species of birds wake you each morning.

Our tent cabin at La Leona Lodge, Corcovado.

We spent our days hiking along the coast with detours into the rainforest. We also took advantage of the hammocks the Lodge has strung under the palm trees next to the beach. In the evening we would sit on our porch and watch the waves roll in or enjoy a cold beer at the Lodges open-air bar.

Peggy and I spent hours exploring the deserted beaches of Corcovado.

At one point we came across an impressive bit of driftwood.

A Corcovado National Park ranger had gathered skulls of several park animals. A jaguar is on the left. The small human-like skull comes from a monkey. I believe the large smooth skulls are from dolphins… either that or aliens.

One time a troop of monkeys came swinging in through the trees and entertained us. Another time a boa constrictor went slithering by. All too soon, it was time to pack up our bags for the horse cart and walk back to the landing strip. We will return to La Leona Lodge and Corcovado National Park.

A boa came slithering through camp and then coiled up when I tried to take its photo. I kept plopping down about a foot in front of him trying to get an action shot and he became irritated.

A pair of Coatis were more amenable to having their photo taken. I love the way their tails appear to be entwined. The tail of a third Coati can also be seen.

A final reason why you should add Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica to your bucket list.

Bryce Canyon… The National Park Series

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Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is a fantasy land of rocks guaranteed to impress visitors.

The first time I came across a group of hoodoos, I stopped and stared. Then I grabbed my camera. But I didn’t have to rush. Hoodoos are strange rock formations of arid regions. They don’t go anywhere. They just stand there for centuries as nature and erosion do their work, carving whimsical statues of stone.

Bryce Canyon National Park is a superb location for hoodoo watching. They come in a multitude of shapes, forms and colors creating a fantasy land that even the wildest of imaginations can appreciate.

Hoodoos are created in Bryce Canyon through the erosion of sandstone, which eventually creates whimsical statues.

Carved from sandstone of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, Bryce Canyon drops some 2000 feet in altitude to the valley below. Trails ranging from easy to challenging provide the visitor with numerous opportunities to meet the hoodoos up close. Or you can stroll along the rim trail. Be sure to check the park out at sunrise and sunset.

Bryce Canyon is located off of Highway 89 in Southwestern Utah. An easy day’s drive can take you to either Capitol Reef or Zion National Parks and through millions of years of geological history. I consider Utah’s Highway 12 that connects Bryce National Park with Capitol Reef to be one of the most scenic roads Peggy and I found in our 200,000-mile exploration of America.

A family of Hoodoos hidden in a canyon.

Following one of the many trails into Bryce Canyon will bring you face to face with one of the National Park’s unique sculptures.

Another sandstone hoodoo. This one reflects the warm colors of the setting sun.

Erosion created a box canyon here. I saw it and thought immediately it would have made a great corral for cattle stolen by outlaws of the old west.

A final view of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Arches National Park… The National Park Series

/ Curt Mekemson / 5 Comments

The soaring arches of Arches National Park create magnificent scenery.

I added Arches National Park to my must see list when I read Edward Abbey’s book “Desert Solitaire.” I highly recommend both. The Park is located just north of Moab in the scenic state of Utah. You can pick up Abbey’s book by following my link, or better yet, visiting your local bookstore.

The eroded sandstone of Arches National Park forms some of the best stone sculptures in the world. Its claim to fame, of course, is arches, some 2000 of them, but I was equally impressed with its soaring pinnacles, massive balanced rocks, groupings of sculptures and long, thin ridges.

There are also Desert Bighorn Sheep in the area, often seen near the Visitors’ Center. Check out my blog on these magnificent animals.

Desert Big Horn Sheep are frequently seen near the Visitors’ Center at Arches National Park. The Peripatetic Bone decided to join a sculpture of the Big Horn Sheep at the Center.

Ancient Native American Petroglyphs are found throughout the West and often feature Big Horn Sheep. This petroglyph is found in Arches National Park. Note the Indians on horses.

Utah has several other National Parks that I will feature in future blogs including Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. You can visit these parks in a week but spending more time is definitely better. Each is worth a week itself!

I’ve been back to Arches National Park twice and have every intention of going again. Enjoy the photos.

Rock sculptures come in all shapes and sizes at Arches National Park. At one time arches would have connected these sculptures.

I took this photo on my first visit to Arches National park. The two arches are the same as I featured in my photo at the beginning of the blog.

The stone sculptures at Arches National Park often form interesting groupings as demonstrated by the picture above and next three below.

I thought teepees when I saw these sculptures.

The dark sky above these sun-lit rocks added drama to this view.

Parent with lots of kids?

Erosion often leaves rocks precariously balanced at Arches. I wonder how long this rock will remain on its perch. it could fall tomorrow, or in a thousand years.

This impressive structure at Arches National Park is called the Courthouse. I call it V.

A final arch…

Distant snow-covered mountains add to the beauty of Arches National Park.

Desert Big Horn Sheep… On the Road

/ Curt Mekemson / 1 Comment

The Desert Bighorn Sheep of the southern Nevada desert calmly eyed me.

He stood there with his magnificent rack of horns, eyeing me and idly chewing on grass. Normally this shy creature of the Southwest deserts would have been hunkering down in the shade on a remote cliff, hiding out from the intense summer sun of southern Nevada and avoiding people and other likely predators.

The greenery of a small park had seduced him and his companions, however. Each day they made a pilgrimage down from their hidden mountain retreat to graze on the tender foliage and contemplate the good life. Unfortunately, two-legged animals came with the territory. We had to be tolerated.

He did not have to tolerate the large Bighorn Sheep that waited for him on the edge of the park, challenging his right to the green grass and threatening to steal his lovely ewes. In a ritual dating back to ancient times, he reared up and charged full speed ahead, smashing into his enemy’s horns time and time again until the intruder was driven from the path. But the rival was as tough as he was stubborn. The next morning, he was there again, waiting…

It was a beautiful location for a new home. A green park placed just below the house provided relief from the parched desert. Surrounding mountains offered glorious picture window views. The man and his wife felt they had found heaven on earth. The loud crash that jarred them out of their bed changed their perspective. Their insurance agent refused to believe their story.

To get their money they had to have photos of the Bighorn ram that challenged his reflection on their metal garage door each morning. (A neighbor of the homeowner related the above story to us.)

It was easy to understand how the Bighorn could do serious damage.  An adult male weighs over 200 pounds and sports 30-pound horns. Plus he can clock out at 30 mph on level ground. Big Bang. Big Dent. His head is specially designed to absorb the shock. Rams have been known to crash horns for up to 24 hours to win a ewe.

Prior to my visit to the small park near Lake Meade I had only seen Desert Bighorn Sheep as small specks on high cliffs or along side canyons of the Colorado River. They are ideally suited for their mountainous, desert environment. Their hooves allow them to perch on two-inch ledges. They are capable of making prodigious leaps of up to 20 feet to land on another ledge, scrambling over difficult terrain at 15 mph. They can also go several days without drinking water, living off of the water they process from plants.

I spent a pleasant morning photographing the sheep doing what sheep do.

The Desert Bighorn Sheep totally ignored a jack-rabbit hopping by.

It would be hard to sneak up on these Bighorn Sheep. Note how each one is checking out a different direction. Predators include mountain lions, golden eagles and man. At one point, they were almost hunted to extinction.

I thought mowing machine when I watched these three rams munch their way across the park.

Both male and female Bighorn Sheep grow horns but the horns of the males curve all of the way around and can weigh up to 30 pounds. I was amused by this guy sticking his tongue out.

Who gets the girl? During mating season the two large rams would be charging each other from 20 feet away and crashing their horns together to determine who wins the lovely ewe. Battles have been known to go on for 24 hours.

I liked this photo because of the perspective it provided on the different size horns.

Regal is how I would describe this impressive pose by a Bighorn Sheep ram.

The (not so) Wild Burros of Oatman Az. and Route 66… On the Road

/ Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

Oatman Arizona is noted for its history, location on Route 66 and its wild burros. As this photo suggests, its burros are not very wild, but they are characters.

Oatman, Arizona would be a ghost town if it weren’t for its wild burros and location on Route 66. Peggy and I stopped there on one of our explorations of the historic highway and were immediately greeted by the burros.

A ten million dollar gold strike in 1915 gave Oatman its initial growth spurt. Travel on Route 66 during the highway’s days as a major east-west road maintained its existence. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent a honeymoon night there and Clark returned occasionally to gamble with the miners.

A view of main street Oatman in its desert setting with its historic buildings.

The town received its name from Olive Oatman who had been kidnapped by the Yavapai Indians, rescued and tattooed by the Mohave Indians and eventually released near the town.

Olive Oatman with her tattoos that were applied by the Mohave Indians.

The wild burros, or donkeys, are a legacy of early prospectors who used the burros to carry their gear as they wandered in search of gold and other valuable minerals. Today they can be found throughout the desert Southwest. The burros of Oatman hit tourists up for carrots, provide lessons on donkey mating practices, and leave their calling cards on the streets of the town.

This cute little fellow had a no carrot sticker on his nose. Apparently young burros can choke on the carrots.

By 1960 the gold was gone and the highway was rerouted. Oatman was on its way to ghost town status. Fortunately the energy of the town’s citizens, the rebirth of Route 66 as a national historic treasure, and the desire of the burros for carrots have given Oatman reasons to prosper. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Oatman is located in northwestern Arizona off of Highway 95 on Historic Route 66 between Bullhead City and Needles.

The Peripatetic Bone joins an historic Route 66 sign on the edge of Oatman.

Historic Route 66 a few miles south of Oatman reminds travelers of another time and invites them onward.

A good reason to leave your windows up when visiting Oatman Arizona.

This photo deserves a caption. Mine would be, "Watch what you're sniffing, Mr.!"

Sheer pleasure?

The Beauty of Death Valley… The National Park Series

/ Curt Mekemson / 2 Comments

Perched above Gold Canyon off of Highway 190 , Zabriskie Point provides one of many beautiful views in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley exists in a world of superlatives. It is the hottest, driest and lowest spot in North America. Temperatures often exceed 120° F in the summer and have climbed as high as 138° F.  Ground temperatures top out at 200° F! Annual rainfall averages less than two inches (5 cm.). The lowest spot in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level in Badwater Basin.

Hottest, driest and lowest spot in North America are three superlatives applied to Death Valley. The Peripatetic Bone, who has been wandering the world since 1977, perches on the sign locating the lowest spot in North America in Badwater Basin Death Valley.

While hottest, driest and lowest are adjectives one normally associates with Death Valley National Park, there is one more: beautiful. I have tried to convey this beauty in my last several blogs. Today’s blog will feature several other places I find beautiful or unusual in Death Valley but have not yet featured.

I would also like to emphasize that this is National Park Week (April 21 – 29, 2012). National Parks in the United States (and throughout the world) protect and highlight many of our greatest natural and historical treasures for both present and future generations. They deserve our full support and are always worth visiting.

My wife Peggy and I have had the privilege of exploring most of the National Parks in the United States and several in Canada. My intention is to share our favorites over the next year or two as part of my blogging

Another view from Zabriskie Point. Pioneers designated such areas as Badlands... i.e. they weren't good for growing crops or grazing animals. Today, we realize their intrinsic beauty is a value in itself.

The nine-mile Artist's Drive and Palate off of Badwater Road provides a profusion of colored rocks as the name suggests. These colors are created by the different sedimentary rocks and oxides of various metals. This area was once volcanically active.

A closeup of Artist's Palate.

Two to four thousand years ago the floor of Death Valley was covered with a large lake up to 30 feet in depth. Then the climate changed (sound familiar?). The lake dried up and left behind the minerals that had been dissolved in the water... mainly salt. Today this salt works its way to the surface and forms pinnacles through capillary action. The result is the Devil's Golf Course. Peggy provides perspective on the size of the pinnacles.

A final view looking across Death Valley.

Death Valley’s Golden Canyon… The National Park Series

/ Curt Mekemson / 6 Comments

A hike up Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park awards hikers with this view of Cathedral Ridge.

A paved road once snaked its way into Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park. Tourists could drive in and enjoy the view.  No effort was required. People would take out their cameras, do the ‘ah’ bit, and leave… hurrying on to the next must see sight.

Flash floods are common in desert areas, however. One roared down Golden Canyon in 1976 and took the road along with it. Ever since, access has been by foot. Consider it a blessing. I am not against driving and gawking. I do plenty. But we miss a great deal of nature as we roll along in our sleek air-conditioned vehicles.

What was once a paved road providing access to Death Valley’s Golden Canyon is now a wide, easy to follow path.

And there is much to see in Golden Canyon. The hike is easy as long the sizzling heat of Death Valley’s summer is avoided. October through April is the best time to visit. I also recommend hiking in early morning or late afternoon when colors are vibrant. Carry water. Stroll up the canyon, stop often and look around. The experience is best when savored. It’s a two-mile round trip. For a shorter version, stop at any point.

Markers along the trail provide insight into area’s rich geological history. Topsy-turvy planet altering processes caused by the movement of the earth’s tectonic plates folded and twisted ancient rocks that had been created from deposits in even more ancient seas. Erosion has exposed this work of eons and gives us a glimpse into the past. The bright colors of the different rocks and the different rate they erode provide a feast for our eyes and imagination, not to mention our cameras.

The lower rocks provide a clear view of how Golden Canyon  obtained its name. The upper rocks show sedimentary layers of rocks that were once laid down in ancient sea beds and have since been raised and folded by tectonic forces.

Golden Canyon is located two miles south of Highway 190 on Badwater Road. Trails to Zabriskie Point and Gower Gulch cut off of the Gold Canyon Trail. Ask at Park headquarters for maps and details.

Another view of the red Cathedral Ridge above Golden Canyon in Death Valley. The red color is created by iron oxide.

Views on the way out of Death Valley’s Golden Canyon are equal to views on the way in. I liked the contrasting colors in this photo.

The upward thrust of the layered rocks that were once horizontal is particularly dramatic in this Golden Canyon photo.

Looking down Golden Canyon across Death Valley provides a distant view of the Panamint Mountains wrapped in a blue haze.

Earth Day 2012

/ Curt Mekemson / 3 Comments

The extensive use of the poison DDT in agriculture was a death sentence to the California Brown Pelican. Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring raised people's awareness of the issue and helped kick off the environmental movement.

The first Earth Day I celebrated was Earth Day 1 at UC Davis in California. At the time I was Director of Peace Corps Public Affairs for Northern California and was recruiting at Davis. Earth Day 1 made a deep impact on how I viewed the world. I quit my job and became Executive Director of the Sacramento Ecology Center. Ever since, on one level of another, I have been an environmentalist.

To celebrate Earth Day 2012, I am using my blog to feature two wonderful animals that were on the edge of extinction before they were saved by growing environmental awareness. The California Brown Pelican was victim of the extensive use of the poison DDT. Elephant Seals were hunted to the brink of extinction for their blubber, which was turned into lamp oil.

The world would be a much poorer place with out these animals.

Have you heard the news? It's Earth Day.

The world would be a poorer place if we could no longer hear the roar of a bull Elephant Seal.

Or watch one scratch his nose.

I call this photo of Brown Pelicans The Committee.

Without environmental awareness and action, this magnificent bird would have never flown. Happy Earth Day 2012, and thank you.

Death Valley’s Ubehebe Crater… The National Park Series

/ Curt Mekemson / 2 Comments

Looking across Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park.

Peggy is perched on the edge of Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park holding on to the sign that warns her not to be there. Fortunately, the sign is several feet away from the big hole. Falling in involves a 600-foot plus tumble.

Peggy on the edge of Ubehebe Crater.

There is a safer, but slower way, to get to the bottom. Several trails snake their way down from the crater’s parking lot. If you have ever had the desire to climb into a volcano, Ubehebe makes it easy. Getting out is the challenge.

Wide paths invite adventuresome visitors to hike into Ubehebe Crater at Death Valley.

Geologists used to believe the volcano was 10-12 thousand years old. A recent study by Columbia University suggests it is much younger. The study also warns that the area is still volcanically active. Ubehebe could explode at any time, or not.

The original eruption was violent, a heck of a big bang. Rising magma came in contact with seeping water. They don’t mix well. The result was instant steam. Boom! Scientists call it a hydro-volcanic eruption.

Peggy and I opted to walk around rather than down the crater. There are a dozen or so volcanoes in the area including Little Hebe, which is easy to reach and provides a different perspective. For me, the surreal nature of the eroded landscape more than justified the 1.5-mile hike. Carry water. Oh yeah, Peggy says stay away from the edge.

If you want to visit Ubehebe Crater, and you should, you will need to drive to the north end of the Park. Scotty’s Castle is next door so you can easily include both sites.

Little Hebe Crater is one of a dozen volcanoes found near Ubehebe Crater.

While walking around Ubehebe Crater we came on this strange trail of dirt piles that shot off in one direction from a bush and then switched to head for another bush. I figured it must be a gopher. There is life in Death Valley! I was curious about how it determined where the second bush was.

Erosion of the volcanic soils surrounding Ubehebe Crater create a beautiful but almost surrealistic landscape as shown in this and the following photographs.

Another surrealistic landscape near Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park.

What caught my attention about this photo looking south from Ubehebe Crater was the contrast between the green shrubs, eroded landscape and purple mountains.