Evidence of Life

26 Jul 2010--Friday and Sunday we went hiking (this is Monday as I write this) so I am combining the 2 days of pictures here. Like Colorado, Wyoming has a lot of public lands and trails for use. The biggest difference is that you see more people actually using them in Colorado. In Wyoming it seems they do more horseback riding than hiking. As a matter of fact, there is no doubt in my mind that there are more horses here than humans. At least in this part of Wyoming.

Anyway, up the road a piece from our RV park, there is a trail that leads to 2 separate trails, called the 4 Bear Trail and the Jim Mountain Trail. The Jim Mountain Trail is the more mountainous of the 2, so we decided to take that one on Friday and leave 4 Bear for Sunday. Before you go on any of the trails you are supposed to sign in on a logbook provided by the state. That is so that if you get lost and they have to come look for you, they know where you headed. Comforting!!!

I took pictures of these signs within a couple miles east or west of our RV park. It makes me think 2 things: I don't think they would waste the money unless bears really were around this area, and secondly, I wonder if the bears know they are only supposed to use this area from April to October???

Heading into the mountains the 1st day we went into the hills behind the house in the 1st picture on the left. The 2nd day we headed into the hills on the right.

I took these pictures behind us as we headed into the hills. We had to pass all these houses to get where we were going, so without knowing it we actually ended up on private land.

The owner of these horses came out and asked us what we were doing...and then explained to us that we could cut through his fence to get to public property!!! haha

Once in the mountains/hills, we saw quite a few tracks of different animals. The 1st one is a deer track, while we think the 2nd one may be a goat of some kind.

This 1st one is definitely an elk, while the 2nd is a horse. We saw some that looked like dog tracks also, we just didn't know if they were domestic dogs or coyotes, and they didn't come out good on the pics I took.

We don't really know what this track is of. I thought BEAR, while Cathy thought maybe 2 Elk tracks hitting each other. I still think BEAR!

And this is why!!! Half way up the mountain on Friday we came upon this deer carcass, cleaned to the bone except one leg/hoof that was about 20 feet away from the scene of the crime. We don't know what killed it, but we were a lot more attentive to our surroundings after we saw this. haha

Just beyond the deer carcass were these rocks. Cathy reminded me that it was a good spot to see mountain lions. Thanks!

I never think of Wyoming as desert country, but it is. We saw a lot of cactus on our walk.

And seeing these bushes/trees with berries on them reminded me that bears like berries.

We were disappointed to not see a lot of animals. Cathy saw one rabbit, and we both saw a chipmunk, but other than that all we saw were these 2 bluebirds.

Here are some pictures we took along the trails of the scenery. That's Cathy looking for the ever-elusive wildlife, and a picture as we look down into the valley from the 4 Bear Trail.

Here is a stitch photo of the valley from Jim Mountain Trail.

That's Cathy ahead of me as we go into the 4 Bear area, and then once we got up further in the mountains. There are so many bushes you think at first it is the end of the trail.

That's me with the Jim Mountains behind me, and Cathy looking again for the ever-elusive wildlife! haha

About half way up the 4 Bear Trail is this section where they have placed railroad ties in an effort to keep the ground from sliding out from under you. When you stop and turn around it is really beautiful.

Here we are heading back out of the mountains. Doesn't Cathy look dwarfed by the scenery around her?

2 stitch photos to click on. How beautiful, huh???

Walking along the Jim Mountain Trail.

A look down at the Valley from 4 Bear Trail.