Great Basin Grab Bag 2

On the Friday before we left, we drove on up to Rose Guano Cave to spend the evening and watch the sun start to set across the valley. Up to the left of the cave is an arch, and I wanted to visit it. No rock climbing was needed, but it was still a steep slope covered with loose rocks. I didn't realize how high the arch was above the cave. I passed several White-throated Swift nests, whose screaming cry added a nice ambiance. The Cliffrose was blooming along the way, and Saxifrage was blooming under the arch.

This wide angle shot show where the arch is in relation to the cave. When I got up under the arch, I realized that I could continue up through the passage into a small box canyon that kept sloping up. When I got to the end of the box canyon, I realized that I could just scramble up some rocks and be on the ledge that was level with the top of the arch. The drop down towards the arch was impressive enough, but it didn't compare to the drop in the other direction. While I was up on this ledge, I heard a falcon calling. Carefully looking up (since I was standing on a narrow rock) I saw a Peregrine falcon fly to its nest! I watched them for a while and enjoyed the location before coming down.

A view of the mountains from the campgrounds at ten thousand feet in the NP.

A strange fungi that was growing in the alpine forest. It was glowing orange.

A rushing stream along the Timber Creek trail.