Winter was coming to all elevations soon, it had already arrived at the higher elevations, so it was time for one last hike in Teton Park.
October 23rd, but the fall colors were still looking good in the North Fork of Cascade canyon.

Thanks to Steve and Lee for your company, and of course, your patience.

If you click on the blog post titles there will be a comment window below the post. Please let me know what you think, and what you would like to see more of. Thanks.

With the news last week of EnCana Oil and Gas Inc. selling it’s gas field near Pavillion Wyoming, a collective eyebrow was raised in the state over concerns of the future of responsibilities related to fracking pollution. In August of last year, while conducting the first federal investigation into fracking pollution, the EPA announced that its initial investigations found 11 of 39 tested drinking water wells in Pavillion were contaminated.
Among the contaminants found then were toxics used in oil and gas production. At that time, the EPA confirmed the presence of 2-butoxyethanol (2-BE), a known constituent in hydraulic fracturing fluids, in three wells. The agency also found methane, as well as adamantanes (a form of hydrocarbon) and six other chemical compounds of concern in Pavillion wells. This, after the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) and EnCana had continually assured Pavillion residents that there was no evidence of hydrocarbons or toxic chemicals in their drinking water wells, now, EnCana is leaving town.
Tests this year have resulted in 17 of 19 wells contaminated and warnings to residents “not to drink or cook with their water, and to use fans and ventilation when showering or washing clothes in order to avoid possible explosions caused by high methane concentrations.”

This is just one story of what’s going on in the gas boom, fueled by the industry getting the Bush administration to change laws in their favor.
One of these, the “Halliburton Loophole” in the Safe Drinking Water Act, exempts hydraulic fracturing, and to require the public disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemicals. The loophole authorizes oil and gas drillers, exclusively, to inject known hazardous materials – unchecked – directly into or adjacent to underground drinking water supplies.

The clear way to help fix the present situation is to do away with exemptions the industry got from the Bush administration.
Enter – H.R. 1084. The Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of 2011.
This and other actions will help put an end to the polluting of our most precious resource, clean water.
Please contact your representative and let them know you want unregulated fracking to stop!

The easiest way to do this and get more info. is by clicking on the link below.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1084

If you have not seen the film GAS LAND, watch it.

Thanks for your support.
GW

The leaves are gone high and low, and the chill of the coming snow is in the air.
My favorite time of year has been hanging on, and the photography has been memorable.

Most of the time I’m out shooting by myself.
There are a few artists and other photographers that I get out with, it works if you’re sharing the process.
My favorite companion this Fall was my friend Lexi McReynolds, a naturalist who is both an artist and a photographer.

Sharing thoughts of composition, color, texture, birds, and spiders, her view always adds to mine.
We share more than the process, we feel the same way about the natural world, and enjoy just being out and experiencing it.

“Knowledge does not mean mastering a great quantity of different information,
but understanding the nature of mind.  This knowledge can penetrate each one
of our thoughts and illuminate each one of our perceptions.”

Matthieu Ricard

While in Colorado this spring I got to know Erik Weihenmayer, my buddy Rob introduced me to this “Blind Adventurer/Motivational Speaker”, well known for being the first and only blind climber to climb the seven summits. E isn’t slowing down much these days. His next path takes him to the rivers for some serious paddling. I went along with Erik, his family, and team, this spring in Desolation Canyon to shoot this ‘warm-up’ run to bigger water. Watching Erik progress in his paddling and getting the feel for the river, was pretty exciting. A story is in progress, so I’ll keep this short and just post a few shots for now, and let you know when things come together, stay tuned… GW

Working on the radio system.

The whole ‘on the water’ team.

Chris drops in, doing some scouting.

Erik, with Rob always near by.

I’ve been neglecting the blog for a while, it was a busy Spring, and it’s always hard to sit and post in the Summer.

This Kestrel showed up with an April snow storm.

In late April I went to Lakewood Colorado to film a denning sequence for a documentary on coyotes for NHK Japan.
Staying with my old friend Rob Raker, who helped with the sequence, and his wife Annette in Lakewood was like having a home away from home, many thanks.
Rob is a cameraman/photographer/climber/kayaker/get after it kinda guy.
After the coyote shoot was finished we finally got to spend some time doing other things.
Rob introduced me to his friend Chris Wiegand of ‘Sportainability‘ and others he was helping, who work with ‘The National Sports Center for the Disabled’.
They were taking four people kayaking that day at the Clear Creek whitewater park in Golden CO.
All of them beginners, with only a few lessons in a pool, this would be their first time in moving water, a little daunting.
What made this unique was that three of them were blind and one was a quad amputee.
Few days have been as inspiring as this one, with courage, humor, compassion, and caring, a lot of fun to shoot.

More soon.
GW

It’s been a busy Spring, sorry for not updating more.
I’ve been traveling for work to Colorado, Utah, and now Yellowstone.
After arriving in Yellowstone on the 14th the season changed a week later dramatically.
The snow was still falling until the 18th here in Silver Gate MT.
Since then temperatures have risen and so has the water.
Yesterday, the 24th, Soda Butte creek finally got a little closer to it’s natural course before joining the Lamar river.
Still more snow in the mountains, we’ll see who works faster.
Thanks,.. to the girls at ‘Stop the car’ coffee shop in Silver Gate for the internet.

Filming the Lamar canyon.

Soda Butte creek, not looking good.

This should take a while.

Next morning.

The days are getting longer, aren’t they?
Some of the winter’s weather is hanging on, but signs of spring are showing up.
As the temperatures rise, some animals are looking a little rough as their sun-bleached hair is starting to be shed.
Summer time birds are gaining on their breeding plumage, and Sandhill Cranes are moving through on their way to their breeding grounds in northern Canada and the Arctic.

Rain is coming to the lower elevations, which adds to the melting of ice on creeks and rivers.
With the above average and still deep snow pack this year, the Moose have moved to where the walking is easier.
What a relief it must be to trudge out of belly deep snow and wander down a shallow stream.
Moose are built for moving through deep snow, but it’s hard work, and by now their energy reserves are low, finding an easier way to what’s left of winter food will help them survive until their Spring food sources make an appearance.
Warming temperatures means they don’t have to expend energy against the cold,and somehow that just has to feel good.

” Do not encumber your mind with useless thoughts.
What good does it do to brood on the past or anticipate the future?
Remain in the simplicity of the present moment.”

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche