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.All Trips / Florida / North America / Southeastern USA
A visit to the Everglade National Park: Shark Valley’s “River of Grass”
This is the last in a three part series highlighting a visit to Florida’s unique Everglades. The first part discussed the Cypress forests of the Everglades and the second part highlighted the coastal mangrove forests near Everglades City. Today I’d like to share with you a great example of the major component of the Everglades, the “River of Grass” — tens of thousands of acres of partially submerged sawgrass. Within this flat landscape are some small islands on which grow cypress, palm and gumbo-limbo trees.
The Everglades is characterized by a broad shallow river flowing from Lake Okeechobee into Florida Bay. This river averages 40-50 miles (75 km) in width, 6 in (15 cm) in depth and flows very slowly, …
.All Trips / Florida / North America / Southeastern USA
Florida’s Everglades: Big Cypress Bend boardwalk at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
The Everglades is a fascinating and unique place — a broad shallow river slowly moving to the sea and covering a large portion of southwestern Florida in a thin layer of water. Mostly the Everglades is characterized by its “River of Grass”, endless acres of saw-grass (run your finger along it’s edge and you’ll see how it got its name). I’ll be writing about my visit to Shark Valley in Everglades National Park soon, Shark Valley being representative of this “River of Grass” ecosystem. The mangroves are another face of the Everglades found along the coast, where fresh and salt water mingle, and we’ll also be discussing Everglades City which is in this region in a future post.
Today …
“Pic of the Week”. February 7, 2014. Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
One of the classic symbols of Yosemite National Park (or the USA for that matter) is Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. This mountain rises 5000 ft (1500 m) above the valley floor and its summit is 8800 ft (2680 m) above sea level. Half Dome is best know for being a half a mountain (as its name implies). John Muir, the father of conservation of the Sierra Nevada, correctly postulated that this appearance was due to glaciation, half the mountain having been removed by glacial action not unlike a knife cutting a cake in half.
The color of the granite in the valley changes dramatically with changing daylight, as seen in the …
Feb 6, 2014
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”. February 7, 2014. Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
“Pic of the Week”, Oct. 4, 2013. Stanley Glacier, Kootenay National Park
Stanley Glacier is easily accessible, so it’s a popular day hike in the Canadian Rockies. It’s situated by the border of the B.C. and Alberta, near Castle Junction in Kootenay National Park. The trail provides a great half day hike with an elevation gain of 365 m (1200 ft), taking you to the foot of Stanley Glacier. The hike encompasses much of what makes the Canadian Rockies special, with wonderful panoramas, cascading creeks, rugged mountains and the hanging Stanley Glacier in a hanging valley.
If you hike in the fall, about this time of year or a little earlier, you’ll be treated to some wonderful colors along the lower portion of the trail in the area of an old …
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Banff National Park: A visit to beautiful Boom Lake
In a region where every turn of the road brings an even more beautiful view, it’s hard to pick favorite spots in Banff National Park. I’ve recently grown very fond of the area near Castle Junction, off Highway #93 on the road to Kootenay National Park and Radium Hot Springs. The ascent of Hwy #93 from the Bow River Valley gives grand views of the mountains and forests, brings you near the treeline and hanging glaciers, and provides easy access to some great high altitude trails, such as that to Boom Lake.
Boom Lake’s trailhead is located behind the Boom Creek picnic area parking lot a few kilometers west of the TransCanada highway. The trail crosses a bridge over Boom Creek and begins …
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Kananaskis Country: A fall visit to Highwood Pass and the alpine meadow of Ptarmigan Cirque
Kananaskis country is one of the lesser traveled gems of the Alberta Rockies. Locals know this area well but it’s off the radar for most tourists traveling to the Rockies, who selectively go to such highly worthwhile (but much busier) locations like Banff and Lake Louise. Kananaskis country stretches from the southern border of Banff National Park (Canmore) due south for several hundred kilometers. It includes the same type of rugged mountainous beauty you expect in the Canadian Rockies, replete with lakes and streams and lush pine forests. It’s also rich in wildlife but unlike Banff National Park, where a large fence keeps the animals away from traffic, the wildlife …
Tagged Alberta, fall colors, hiking, Kananaskis Country, Rocky Mountains
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Banff National Park: “Lake of the Spirits” (Lake Minnewanka)
Lake Minnewanka is a great destination for a day’s visit (or longer if you’re so inclined) while in the Banff Rockies. The lake’s name derives from the Stoney Indian language and means “lake of the spirits”. Indian people lived around Lake Minnewanka for 100 centuries before it was “discovered “ by Europeans in the 19th century. Lake Minnewanka is located just a few kilometers east of Banff with easy access from the Trans-Canada Highway. The approach to the lake, as you drive past Mt. Rundle and Cascade Mountain, is inspiring! There’s a large bachelor herd of bighorn sheep that frequent the roads in the area and if you want a chance to see some of these beautiful creatures up close, this is …
.All Trips / British Columbia / North America / Western Canada
Kootenay National Park: Fire and Ice; views from the Stanley Glacier Trail
Among the most popular hikes in Kootenay National Park is the trail to Stanley Glacier, situated in British Columbia near Alberta, close to Castle Junction in Banff National Park. The trail provides a great half day hiking opportunity. It’s an 8.5 km round trip hike (just over 5 miles) and has a modest elevation gain of 365 m (about 1200 ft). I would rate it as a “moderate” effort hike.
The hike encompasses much of what makes the Canadian Rockies a special place to visit. There are grand panoramic views of tall mountains and a deep valley, a hanging glacier in a hanging valley, crystal clear creeks, and the sequelae of several forest fires …
