Home of the Bat I thought it was a volcano—but then I’d never seen one…I had seen plenty of prairie whirlwinds during my life on the range, but this thing didn’t move. It seemed to stay in one spot near the ground—but the top kept spinning upward. I watched maybe a half-an-hour, and being about […]
The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes “The sight that flashed into view…was one of the most amazing visions ever beheld by mortal eye. The whole valley as far as the eye could reach was full of hundreds, no thousands–literally tens of thousands–of smokes curling up from its fissured floor…It was as though all the
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National Parks Week Saturday kicked off National Parks Week here in the United States! Each year from the 16th to the 24th of April, we celebrate what documentarian Ken Burns called “America’s Best Idea.” The National Parks of our nation are true marvels, a melting pot of biomes, history, and spiritual renewal. We’ve covered
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Prometheus and Methuselah The mountains of California, Nevada, and Utah contain magical creatures. These ancient beings live thousands of feet above sea level in unforgiving terrain. Sometimes, you might encounter one, a gnarled hermit, and suspect she is dead. Yet these presences are masters of survival; they have outlasted countless human civilizations; they have
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Hyperion Today’s title subject could refer to a variety of things. Hyperion was one of the 12 Greek Titans and a byname for the Sun, Helios. It’s the name of one of Saturn’s moons. We could discuss the genus of beetle named Hyperion or the supercluster of galaxies of the same moniker or Longfellow’s poem.
General Sherman Though we’re big fans of history here at Mountains Headquarters, we do not ostensibly produce history-driven products. So, today’s headline topic is not the American Civil War General from Lancaster, Ohio, but she is named for the Union man. If you’re a big tree person (or a “big tree” person!), our subject
Yellowstone In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant, the great Civil War general from Ohio, signed The Act of Dedication. His penstroke created the country’s and world’s first National Park. The preserved land sat mostly in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with parts sneaking into Montana and Idaho. Today, the park we know as Yellowstone continues to
National Parks vs. National Monuments I think the question I’ve been asked the most when discussing National Parks in the United States relates to today’s article title. What’s the difference between a National Park and a National Monument? The National Parks Service – the agency that oversees the National Parks System – doesn’t exactly make it easy on us (although, it’s also
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A New Era for the New River If you live outside the eastern third of the United States, the New River Gorge might not be a name you’ve encountered much. Humans in the region, however, are well aware of West Virginia’s natural hotspot. The river and surrounding area are renowned for outstanding whitewater rafting, rock climbing,
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Setting Records at Furnace Creek With a 2010 tally of 20 people, Furnace Creek, California, is so sparsely populated that it is not a town, or village, or hamlet, but, instead, it’s called a “census-designated place.” The lack of home dwellers here might seem a bit anomalous, as it contains the headquarters, visitor center, and
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