Author Archives: westerner54

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About westerner54

Hello. I'm Cindy, and I love to hike, bike and explore the outdoors - particularly the western U.S.

That’s My Spot!

Posted on April 26, 2013 by westerner54

Earlier this week I was checking out one of the Bald Eagle nests I’ve been watching, and I spotted these two sitting on a branch a couple of hundred feet from the nest.     At first I thought it was a Golden Eagle hanging … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Relentlessly Steep: the Tanner Trail in the Grand Canyon

Posted on April 23, 2013 by westerner54

I’m watching the sun sink behind the canyon walls, three miles and a couple of thousand vertical feet below the rim of the Grand Canyon.  It’s a beautiful April evening, with a welcome breeze that keeps the desert flies away. … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Zion Spring

Posted on April 18, 2013 by westerner54

Zion National Park, March 2013  

Posted in Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

It’s All Downhill From Here: A Backpack to the East Rim of Zion Canyon

Posted on April 15, 2013 by westerner54

Zion is a perfect little gem of a national park.   The ruby red rock, the sapphire skies,  the incredible soaring cliffs and towers surrounding a beautiful little winding river:  it’s hard to believe that so much beauty can be concentrated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Just When You Think There’s Nothing There…

Posted on March 17, 2013 by westerner54

This young golden eagle was one of at least twenty that we watched one evening last week in what at first seemed to be an empty creek valley north of Helena. It was late afternoon, and we were driving along a gravel road … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Angry Bird

Posted on March 13, 2013 by westerner54

Yikes!

Posted in Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Eagles. My Favorite Reality Show.

Posted on March 11, 2013 by westerner54

When I was a teenager in Massachusetts in the 1960s and 70s, there were no breeding pairs of bald eagles in the entire state.   I remember seeing a bald eagle on a trip west with my family, and it was a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Reaching for the Sky

Posted on March 8, 2013 by westerner54

“The spaces between the stars are where the work of the universe is done.”  Ivan Doig, This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind

Posted in Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

A Golden Eagle Nest and Trumpeter Swans: Winter Winding Down

Posted on February 25, 2013 by westerner54

Twenty-five degrees with a steady cold wind is no one’s idea of spring, but despite this week’s wintry weather I found two welcome signs that the season is indeed getting ready to change: a pair of golden eagles building their nest and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 25 Comments

Winter in Yellowstone Part II: Make Sure to Look Behind You

Posted on February 14, 2013 by westerner54

There are two reasons to stay alert and remember to check your blind side when you’re out and about in Yellowstone: 1) there could be something alarming behind you, and 2) you might be missing something pretty nifty going on if … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife, Yellowstone | Tagged , , , , | 26 Comments