• John Muir Trail
  • High Sierra Trail
  • About
  • Flickr
Thoughtfully Awesome logoThoughtfully Awesome logo
  • John Muir Trail
  • High Sierra Trail
  • About
  • Flickr

  • Santa Rosa Island,
    Channel Islands National Park, CA

  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 6

  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 5

  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 4

▾ scroll down for more ▾

Wanderings and things

Santa Rosa Island,
Channel Islands National Park, CA

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 6

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 5

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 4

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 3

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 2

The High Sierra Trail:
Day 1

Ice Lake Basin,
San Juan Mountains, CO

16 days on the John Muir Trail
Video

Bison Peak
Lost Creek Wilderness, CO

Grass Mountain,
Los Padres National Forest, CA

Picket Wire Canyon,
Comanche National Grassland, CO

Winter on the Abyss Trail,
Mount Evans Wilderness, CO

White Rock Loop,
Red Rock Canyon, NV

Load More
Search

Categories

  • Backpacking
  • Day Hikes
  • Hiking
  • The High Sierra Trail
  • The John Muir Trail
  • Travel

The Latest

  • Santa Rosa Island,
    Channel Islands National Park, CA     March 13, 2017
  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 6     July 23, 2016
  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 5     July 22, 2016
  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 4     July 21, 2016
  • The High Sierra Trail:
    Day 3     July 20, 2016

Instagram

Pronghorn might be the most underrated animal in N Pronghorn might be the most underrated animal in North America. You never hear of people visiting the West with pronghorns as their bucket list animal to see…always outdone by bear and moose and wolves. But pronghorn are by far one of the coolest animals in this country. Pronghorn are the fastest land mammal in North America and can sprint at 60mph. Though commonly referred to as “antelope” they are not antelopes, instead they are actually the closest relatives to giraffes! Another victim of human development and habitat loss, their numbers have dwindled dramatically. There used to be upwards of 35 MILLION living in North America and now their numbers are around 500,000. The biggest threat they face? Fences. Pronghorn can’t jump fences, and instead they crawl under barbed wire fences that divide their migration routes, and they are left wounded or entangled. Fortunately there are movements to replace barbed wire fences with wildlife-friendly fences that allow Pronghorn to crawl under safely. #pronghorn
I was thinking today while standing here, how it m I was thinking today while standing here, how it must be impossible, no matter what you are doing, to “waste time” when you are in the mountains. We’ve all wasted time watching bad movies, or reading lackluster books, or at letdown parties or concerts, or eating mediocre food. But there is no mediocrity, or waste, or lackluster in the mountains. Regardless the season, regardless whether you are sitting on your ass, or flying down a trail, in the mountains, it is impossible to be doing anything better than you are. Not only is there no wasted time, but I’d argue for every minute spent, the richer you are. #coloRADo
Don’t be this guy. National Park rules regarding Don’t be this guy. National Park rules regarding distance from wildlife exist for a reason - to protect the animals, and mostly to protect YOU. The unfortunate side-effect of social media is everyone wants up close shots of wildlife - but keep in mind, wildlife photographers use very long lenses. Your iPhone is a 33mm lens. I shoot typically on 400-600mm lenses often up to 1200mm with a 2x teleconverter. This allows me to keep a respectful distance from the animals, and not stress them out or interfere with their behavior. This guy was lucky he had a tree to hide behind because this elk wanted to toss him into the lake. The next day, this same bull was eating by the side of the road and two guys kneeled down 5 feet from his face while he was eating grass to try and get some close ups with their phones. I didn’t sign up to be a cop or a park ranger, but I’ve spent and an unfortunate amount of time yelling at ignorant careless tourists to give wildlife space this past week (and a video also surfaced of some family feeding elk off Trail Ridge road this week). Please respect national park rules: 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves. Please respect animals and give them space off national park land as well. If you ever have to question whether you are too close - assume you are WAY too close. If you’re close enough for an iPhone photo, you’re too close. @touronsofyellowstone @rockynps #rockymountainnationalpark
A nice reminder of hope over the East Troublesome A nice reminder of hope over the East Troublesome Fire burn scar. 9 months later, still early in the healing. 🌈 #coloRADo #easttroublesomefire
I saw Duke Fox for the first time in months the ot I saw Duke Fox for the first time in months the other day! Sadly, I’m fairly used to foxes disappearing and never seeing them again, so I was so happy to see this handsome guy. He’s shed his winter coat and is in his scrawny-summer coat, but he looks great and healthy! As this is the time of year when the babies have been kicked out of the den, it’s likely that he’s been off caring for a family somewhere and now he has his freedoms to wander again. It’s always good to see old friends again 🧡 #DUKEFOX
Spent my Sunday training with Colorado Pika Projec Spent my Sunday training with Colorado Pika Project to become a community scientist for their study. They are investigating the impacts of climate change on the American pika and Colorado’s alpine ecosystems. I learned so much! Community scientists are asked to go out and conduct Pika surveys at one of the 70+ new sites they are monitoring in Rocky Mountain National Park (as well as a ton of sites in the White River National Forest)….and don’t worry, I asked how many pika we were allowed to take home. “As many as we can fit in our pockets?” 🐰 (why the rabbit emoji? Pika are related to rabbits!) #pika @rockymtwild @pika.partners @rockynps
Looks almost like a time-lapse photo 😄 #elkcalv Looks almost like a time-lapse photo 😄 #elkcalves #wildfirerecovery
10 weeks out from my first neck surgery and 7 week 10 weeks out from my first neck surgery and 7 weeks until my 2nd surgery. In a strange limbo where I can’t move completely forward, because I know in 7 weeks I’ll be back to zero again. So my one goal this summer is to enjoy it…no pressure, no big goals, just to consistently enjoy our fleeting mountain summer somehow every single day. Since 2018 I have lost the majority of my summers to injury and illness…which is NOT ALLOWED THIS YEAR (please play nice, universe). This evening Cupcake and I ran the mellow 4.5 mile Monarch Lake Loop, and we both felt great. And somehow it was her first time in IPW since adopting her 1.5 years ago so we had to commemorate her first foray into it. Cheers to making the best of summer in whatever way you can! 🍻 #indianpeakswilderness #CupcakeLadybugKissyface #trailrunning
Load More... Follow on Instagram
All content and images © Erica Ruch 1993-Infinity | Site by Erica Ruch Studios