Posts Tagged ‘Idaho’

A couple of signs I discovered while wandering around:

Country Dancing (made with plastic cups), Chester, ID 2013

Did You Forget Something, Mud Lake, ID 2013

Southwest of Arco we drove by a couple of caves, on our way to Twin Falls. The Shoshone Ice Caves were closed for the season, but the Mammoth Cave and Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History was open. This is a lava tube with a homemade museum built on top of the cave entrance. It was pretty fantastic and bizarre. The museum holds fossils, taxidermy, Indian artifacts, and other items of interest. I’ve never seen so many interesting things stuffed into such a small space. If you ever find yourself halfway between Carey and Twin Falls, Idaho, you’ve got to stop and check it out.

Cave Sign, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Basalt Sculptures, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Entrance to Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Inside the Cave Looking towards the Entrance, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Signage inside the Cave, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Two-headed Duckling, Shoshone Bird Museum, ID 2013

Canada Goose hanging from the Ceiling, Shoshone Bird Museum, ID 2013

Between semesters a couple of friends and I decided to take a photo road trip through southern Idaho to visit a few waterfalls, the Bruneau Dunes, and a couple of weird little towns. We had a good time, found some cool and strange places, and managed to make a few images.

Our first stop was Atomic City,  a small town that was conceived as a community where people who work at INL might want to live. It never really took off. It now consists of a couple of bars, an abandoned garage, a few houses, some potato cellars, and a race track.

Twin Buttes Bar Cafe, and a Chrysler, Atomic City, ID 2013

Trailer as a Boom Box, Atomic City, ID 2013

Abandoned Garage, a Tree, and a Trailer (with Scott Instagraming), Atomic City, ID 2013

After Atomic City, we drove west and into Arco (the first city in the country powered by Nuclear Power) for lunch.

Mountain Man and Biscuits n’ Gravy Signs, Arco, ID 2013

Donkey Hood Ornament, Arco, ID 2013

Willow in Henry’s Fork, St. Anthony, ID 2013

Potato Cellar with Tree and Barn, Idaho Falls, ID 2013

I used to despise winter. I would get anxious in the fall knowing that winter was coming soon. For some reason though, I’ve come to terms with it. The light is soft, the snow softens edges, and there are interesting birds to be found. One of my favorite winter locations is Ashton, ID. The few times I’ve been up there this winter, the fog has been pretty thick. Today was no exception.

I’m including a couple of images from today. I am a bit frustrated with the display of these really light images. The prints are a bit lovelier (take my word for it). Anyhow, I hope you enjoy.

Caldera in the Fog and Snow, from Ashton, ID 2013

Power Lines and Power Pole in Snow and Fog, Ashton, ID 2013

When I woke up to thick fog I knew I had to get out and photograph. I did have quite bit to do at work though. I went out for a couple of hours this morning and had a good time making photographs near Sugar City and Teton. I then headed back to work and got most of my work done. I then drove out towards Ashton in the evening and continued. What a beautiful day. Here are a couple images:

Branches and Windbreak in Fog, Sugar City, ID 2013

Old Willow in Fog, Rexburg, ID 2013

Four Young Trees in Fog, Ashton, ID 2013

So, it’s been a pretty cold winter and much of the lower Henry’s Fork has been iced over. It’s been a bit warmer lately and the river was really breaking up this morning. The chunks of ice were forming a pretty nice ice dam near Fun Farm Bridge. Here’s the view looking downstream.

Ice Dam on the Henry’s Fork at Fun Farm Bridge, ID 2013

One of my favorite places in winter is Texas Slough, a spring fed waterway west of Rexburg that stays open (usually) even during the really cold winter days. I ventured out the other morning when the thermometer read ten below zero. I managed a couple of decent images before I just couldn’t stand it any longer. It must have been pretty cold, because I rarely see this waterway frozen.

Sunrise (ten below zero)at Texas Slough #1, Burton, ID 2012

Sunrise (ten below zero)at Texas Slough #2, Burton, ID 2012

I participated in the Howe, ID Christmas Bird Count today. Starting temperature was -11. Many years there are hundreds of hawks and several falcons, but there doesn’t seem to be much around this year. We did see a Prairie Falcon kill a Meadowlark in flight.

We also saw killed coyotes displayed prominently on the edge of town. Welcome to Howe.

Welcome to Howe, Howe, ID 2013

Shot and Displayed Coyote #1, Howe, ID 2013

Shot and Displayed Coyote #2, Howe, ID 2013

Teton River, Hibbard, ID 2012