Cold Day In Guernsey

Wow - did it ever get cold today. High of zero and wind chills tonight will go as low as -40 here, and maybe fifty below in some parts of the state. Tomorrow they say up to 20, that should feel down right tropical.

We have not spent much time at the lake in the past week, much great Christmas company and now six or eight inches of snow on the ground have kept us close to home.

 I see the park is sponsoring a New Years Day hike to kick off 2015 starting at the Yurts at ten AM. We were thinking about giving it a go but too much snow and cold for us. 

Maybe in a week or so.

Two weeks ago the Ice was gone in the lake - probably not now.

Interesting Cloud looking East from Skyline Drive December, 22

Food a bit tougher to come by than in this photo from earlier in the month

Merry Christmas

Santa Flying Over Mae West Hill in the Park

A Few of My 2014 Favorite Photos in the Park

Reflecting Back on 2014

Under the Bridge on Skyline Drive

Spill Way - Pretty Sweet

Too Many Great Sunsets but This One is Pretty Good - From the Castle

Favorite Bird in a Tree - Cedar Wax Wing

Favorite Evening Shot of Lake - The Narrows from Lakeshore Drive

My Favorite Cloud -  Photo From the West Boat Ramp

Much Needed Moister

View Looking East at the Parks South Entrance

Boat Dock area East Side

“We need the moister,” or something like that, is what I heard after every bit of rain or snow when I was a kid growing up in Nebraska. Well the park needed it and this entire area was getting much too dry. Didn't amount to a lot, but it helps and the landscape looks very nice with the dusting of snow.

Going Home RR Bridge over the North Platte

A Busy Park

Still a lot going on in the park. No, not tourists, or even locals for that matter, but lots of construction. Looks like the water work in Fish Canyon is finished and work continues at Sandy Point. Also a bit of re-work going on the back of the dam last week, appears that project is complete. Always great to see things being upgraded in the off season

Bit of Ice Starting on the Lake

Rock Work on Back of Dam

n.

Work at Sandy Point Campground

What A Sweet Couple

My wife would say, “oh what a sweet couple,” and they are.

What am I talking about?

There is a nice pair of Bald Eagles in the park, eagles commonly mate for life and both of these are mature adults, maybe we will have some babies in March.

Eagles are not as disturbed by human’s this time of year as they are in spring and summer, but never the less, I stayed well back, these photos are from about 300 yards, maybe a bit more.

A Very Nice Couple

The Female - Females are typically 25% larger than Males

The Male and at least this one, much more skitterish than the Female

December in the Park

With Christmas less than a month away the park is looking more and more winter like. We still enjoy hiking and driving through whenever it is warm enough, we can usually find a nice day at least once each week.

Last Light

Whimsical

Always a few friends to greet us in the park

50 degrees late this afternoon and we enjoyed a walk, drive and another great park sunset.

Strip of Fire Sunset
 



 

Workers in the Park

Ducks enjoying the cold and a bit of early morning snow the day before Thanksgiving

Seems like there is always something going on in the park. Winter, or almost winter, brings workers to the park. Looks like there is some testing work being done by the Bureau of Reclamation on the dam. Work is also being carried out by the State Parks on both Fish Canyon and at Sandy Point.

Working at Sandy Point

Looks like some core sampling on the dam

Sandy Point Campground work


















 

Boardering the Park

For my last of five straight days of nature photos, in and around the park. Here are two photos from just outside the park.

 

Bambi In The Park

Day 4 of my five straight days of nature in and around Guernsey State Park - so far I haven't left the park with any photos but I wanted to keep my options open.

 

 

Drink Time for Bambi

 
Took a nice ride around the lake today - way to windy to get out but some great skies.

Sunset Over Sandy Beach

Eagle in the Park

Here is day three of my five day nature photo posts - these I took today about 3:30.

Eagles are wary and hard to get close-up shots so I had to settle for extending the telephoto for today's eagle photos, I did get within about 250 or 300 yards or.

Against the Red Cliffs

Turning to see if I am still there

That will be enough photos for today

Couldn't pass up these three as I was leaving the park.

Here's looking at you

On Top of a Tree

Day two of my five straight days of nature in and near the park

Too often we forget about, or take for granted, the smaller wildlife in the park - they bring the park alive for walkers/hikers and sight seers.

Nature in the Park Day One

I normally turn down invites for on-line things but this sounded like fun. I was tagged by,
 WyoGalphotography to post - #5 days of nature photos challenge.

Where In The Park Are You ?

Exploring the park, here are a few places that not everyone visits. How many do you know? 

Answers are at the bottom of the page

 

 

 

(1)

 

(2)

 

(3)

 

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

 

(8)

 

(9)

(10)

Answers Below

1. View North from inside of  the Castle

2. Round Top Mountain Trail (Behind Museum)

3. CCC Worker at the Museum

4. 10 Stall Garage in Old CCC Camp-9

5. Tee Box on long abandoned CCC Golf Course east of Museum

6. Newell Bay

7. Shelter at Lower Spotted Tail

8. Too hard but I love the photo - just south of main boat dock

9. Echo Cave (If you have great eyes you may see it in the photo)

10. Bridge at lowest point of Red Cliff Trail

 

So - how did you do?

 

Marsh Mountain Trail

Took a nice hike around Marsh Mountain on the trail this week. Trail is a bit hard to get to, for the short loop, but well worth it. In recent years the old trailhead road and parking lot has been taken out of service

and the trail is accessed from the Castle, great for bicycle enthusiasts, but too long for a senior citizen hike. We instead parked just of the main road, Skyline Drive, and walked the third of a mile or so in to the old trailhead and then circled the mountain.

Trail Head

I had forgotten how wonderful the views were on this walk. Took us about an hour and a half including the walk to and back from the trailhead. Well worth it!

Taking a Break on the Trail

 

Lakeshore Drive Across the Lake

Last Week and the End of the Fall Color

The Trail

Wildlife - Late in the year for this Guy

End of the Loop Trail - Used to be a Parking and Picnic Area