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Wednesday 5 June 2013


These iconic tree dwellers are among the most threatened primates on Earth; all but one species of gibbon is listed as endangered or critically endangered.
Photograph by Arco Images GmbH, Alam

Gibbons are the animals we think of when we picture primates swinging gracefully through the rain forest.
These acrobatic mammals, endemic to the dense forests of southern Asia, are perfectly adapted to life in the trees and rarely descend to the ground. They have strong, hook-shaped hands for grasping branches, comically outsize arms for reaching faraway limbs, and long, powerful legs for propelling and gasping. Their shoulder joints are even specially adapted to allow greater range of motion when swinging.
Their dramatic form of locomotion, called brachiating, can move gibbons through the jungle at up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour, bridging gaps as wide as 50 feet (15 meters) with a single swinging leap. Brachiating also gives gibbons the unique advantage of being able to swing out and grab fruits growing at the end of branches, which limits competition for their favorite foods.
When gibbons walk, whether along branches or in the rare instances when they descend to the ground, they often do so on two feet, throwing their arms above their head for balance. They are the most bipedal of all non-human primates and are often studied for clues to what evolutionary pressures may have led to human walking.
There are 15 recognized species of gibbons ranging from northeastern India to southern China to Borneo. They are all tailless, and their long coats vary from cream to brown to black. Many have white markings on their faces, hands, and feet. The largest species are known as siamangs, and can grow to 29 pounds (13 kilograms). Smaller species reach only about nine pounds (four kilograms).
Gibbons thrive on the abundant fruit trees in their tropical range, and are especially fond of figs. They will occasionally supplement their diet with leaves and insects.
Gibbons are monogamous (a rare trait among primates) and live in family groups consisting of an adult pair and their young offspring. The family will stake out a territory and defend it using loud, haunting calls that can echo for miles throughout the forest. Mated pairs, and even whole families, will sing long, complex songs together. Some species have even adapted large throat pouches to amplify their calls.
These iconic tree dwellers are among the most threatened primates on Earth. Their habitat is disappearing at a rapid rate, and they are often captured and sold as pets or killed for use in traditional medicines. All but one species of gibbon is listed as endangered or critically endangered.

Gibbons Pictures And Facts -- National Geographic


These iconic tree dwellers are among the most threatened primates on Earth; all but one species of gibbon is listed as endangered or critically endangered.
Photograph by Arco Images GmbH, Alam

Gibbons are the animals we think of when we picture primates swinging gracefully through the rain forest.
These acrobatic mammals, endemic to the dense forests of southern Asia, are perfectly adapted to life in the trees and rarely descend to the ground. They have strong, hook-shaped hands for grasping branches, comically outsize arms for reaching faraway limbs, and long, powerful legs for propelling and gasping. Their shoulder joints are even specially adapted to allow greater range of motion when swinging.
Their dramatic form of locomotion, called brachiating, can move gibbons through the jungle at up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour, bridging gaps as wide as 50 feet (15 meters) with a single swinging leap. Brachiating also gives gibbons the unique advantage of being able to swing out and grab fruits growing at the end of branches, which limits competition for their favorite foods.
When gibbons walk, whether along branches or in the rare instances when they descend to the ground, they often do so on two feet, throwing their arms above their head for balance. They are the most bipedal of all non-human primates and are often studied for clues to what evolutionary pressures may have led to human walking.
There are 15 recognized species of gibbons ranging from northeastern India to southern China to Borneo. They are all tailless, and their long coats vary from cream to brown to black. Many have white markings on their faces, hands, and feet. The largest species are known as siamangs, and can grow to 29 pounds (13 kilograms). Smaller species reach only about nine pounds (four kilograms).
Gibbons thrive on the abundant fruit trees in their tropical range, and are especially fond of figs. They will occasionally supplement their diet with leaves and insects.
Gibbons are monogamous (a rare trait among primates) and live in family groups consisting of an adult pair and their young offspring. The family will stake out a territory and defend it using loud, haunting calls that can echo for miles throughout the forest. Mated pairs, and even whole families, will sing long, complex songs together. Some species have even adapted large throat pouches to amplify their calls.
These iconic tree dwellers are among the most threatened primates on Earth. Their habitat is disappearing at a rapid rate, and they are often captured and sold as pets or killed for use in traditional medicines. All but one species of gibbon is listed as endangered or critically endangered.

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Posted at 01:31 |  by Unknown

Monday 3 June 2013


A streamlined torpedo shape helps flying fish generate enough speed to break the water’s surface, and large, wing-like pectoral fins help get them airborne.
Photograph by Peter Parks/Animals Animals-Earth Scenes


Flying fish can be seen jumping out of warm ocean waters worldwide. Their streamlined torpedo shape helps them gather enough underwater speed to break the surface, and their large, wing-like pectoral fins get them airborne.
Flying fish are thought to have evolved this remarkable gliding ability to escape predators, of which they have many. Their pursuers include mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, and other larger fish. For their sustenance, flying fish feed on a variety of foods, including plankton.
There are about 40 known species of flying fish. Beyond their useful pectoral fins, all have unevenly forked tails, with the lower lobe longer than the upper lobe. Many species have enlarged pelvic fins as well and are known as four-winged flying fish.
The process of taking flight, or gliding, begins by gaining great velocity underwater, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) per hour. Angling upward, the four-winged flying fish breaks the surface and begins to taxi by rapidly beating its tail while it is still beneath the surface. It then takes to the air, sometimes reaching heights over 4 feet (1.2 meters) and gliding long distances, up to 655 feet (200 meters). Once it nears the surface again, it can flap its tail and taxi without fully returning to the water. Capable of continuing its flight in such a manner, flying fish have been recorded stretching out their flights with consecutive glides spanning distances up to 1,312 feet (400 meters).
Flying fish are attracted to light, like a number of sea creatures, and fishermen take advantage of this with substantial results. Canoes, filled with enough water to sustain fish, but not enough to allow them to propel themselves out, are affixed with a luring light at night to capture flying fish by the dozens. There is currently no protection status on these animals.
Flying Fish, Flying Fish Pictures, Flying Fish Facts - National Geographic

Flying Fish Pictures, And Facts - National Geographic


A streamlined torpedo shape helps flying fish generate enough speed to break the water’s surface, and large, wing-like pectoral fins help get them airborne.
Photograph by Peter Parks/Animals Animals-Earth Scenes


Flying fish can be seen jumping out of warm ocean waters worldwide. Their streamlined torpedo shape helps them gather enough underwater speed to break the surface, and their large, wing-like pectoral fins get them airborne.
Flying fish are thought to have evolved this remarkable gliding ability to escape predators, of which they have many. Their pursuers include mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, and other larger fish. For their sustenance, flying fish feed on a variety of foods, including plankton.
There are about 40 known species of flying fish. Beyond their useful pectoral fins, all have unevenly forked tails, with the lower lobe longer than the upper lobe. Many species have enlarged pelvic fins as well and are known as four-winged flying fish.
The process of taking flight, or gliding, begins by gaining great velocity underwater, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) per hour. Angling upward, the four-winged flying fish breaks the surface and begins to taxi by rapidly beating its tail while it is still beneath the surface. It then takes to the air, sometimes reaching heights over 4 feet (1.2 meters) and gliding long distances, up to 655 feet (200 meters). Once it nears the surface again, it can flap its tail and taxi without fully returning to the water. Capable of continuing its flight in such a manner, flying fish have been recorded stretching out their flights with consecutive glides spanning distances up to 1,312 feet (400 meters).
Flying fish are attracted to light, like a number of sea creatures, and fishermen take advantage of this with substantial results. Canoes, filled with enough water to sustain fish, but not enough to allow them to propel themselves out, are affixed with a luring light at night to capture flying fish by the dozens. There is currently no protection status on these animals.
Flying Fish, Flying Fish Pictures, Flying Fish Facts - National Geographic

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Posted at 23:08 |  by Unknown

An Australian king parrot
Photograph by Nicole Duplaix


The parrots are a broad order of more than 350 birds. Macaws, Amazons, lorikeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and many others are all considered parrots.
Though there is great diversity among these birds, there are similarities as well. All parrots have curved beaks and all are zygodactyls, meaning they have four toes on each foot, two pointing forward and two projecting backward. Most parrots eat fruit, flowers, buds, nuts, seeds, and some small creatures such as insects.
Parrots are found in warm climates all over most of the world. The greatest diversities exist in Australasia, Central America, and South America.
Many parrots are kept as pets, especially macaws, Amazon parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, and cockatoos. These birds have been popular companions throughout history because they are intelligent, charismatic, colorful, and musical. Some birds can imitate many nonavian sounds, including human speech. The male African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is the most accomplished user of human speech in the animal world; this rain forest-dweller is an uncanny mimic.
Currently the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bans the sale of any wild-caught species, yet the parrots' popularity continues to drive illegal trade.
Some parrot species are highly endangered. In other cases, once tame birds have reproduced in the wild and established thriving feral populations in foreign ecosystems. The monk (green) parakeet, for example, now lives in several U.S. states.

Parrots, Parrot Pictures, Parrot Facts - National Geographic

Parrots Pictures And Facts - National Geographic


An Australian king parrot
Photograph by Nicole Duplaix


The parrots are a broad order of more than 350 birds. Macaws, Amazons, lorikeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and many others are all considered parrots.
Though there is great diversity among these birds, there are similarities as well. All parrots have curved beaks and all are zygodactyls, meaning they have four toes on each foot, two pointing forward and two projecting backward. Most parrots eat fruit, flowers, buds, nuts, seeds, and some small creatures such as insects.
Parrots are found in warm climates all over most of the world. The greatest diversities exist in Australasia, Central America, and South America.
Many parrots are kept as pets, especially macaws, Amazon parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, and cockatoos. These birds have been popular companions throughout history because they are intelligent, charismatic, colorful, and musical. Some birds can imitate many nonavian sounds, including human speech. The male African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is the most accomplished user of human speech in the animal world; this rain forest-dweller is an uncanny mimic.
Currently the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bans the sale of any wild-caught species, yet the parrots' popularity continues to drive illegal trade.
Some parrot species are highly endangered. In other cases, once tame birds have reproduced in the wild and established thriving feral populations in foreign ecosystems. The monk (green) parakeet, for example, now lives in several U.S. states.

Parrots, Parrot Pictures, Parrot Facts - National Geographic

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Posted at 23:06 |  by Unknown

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks or marmots, are the largest members of the squirrel family.
Photograph by Melissa Farlow

 
The groundhog, or woodchuck, is one of 14 species of marmots. These rodents live a feast-or-famine lifestyle and gorge themselves all summer to build up plentiful reserves of fat. After the first frost, they retreat to their underground burrows and snooze until spring, drawing their sustenance from body fat. While hibernating, the animal's heart rate plunges, and its body temperature is not much warmer than the temperature inside its burrow.
Groundhog hibernation gave rise to the popular American custom of Groundhog Day, held on the second of February every year. Tradition dictates that if a groundhog sees its shadow that day, there will be six more weeks of winter, though such a prediction seems a sure bet over much of the groundhog's North American range.
In the spring, females welcome a litter of perhaps a half dozen newborns, which stay with their mother for several months.
Groundhogs are the largest members of the squirrel family. Though they are usually seen on the ground, they can climb trees and are also capable swimmers. These rodents frequent the areas where woodlands meet open spaces, like fields, roads, or streams. Here they eat grasses and plants as well as fruits and tree bark. Groundhogs are the bane of many a gardener. They can decimate a plot while voraciously feeding during the summer and fall seasons.
Groundhogs, Groundhog Pictures, Grounghog Facts - National Geographic

Groundhogs Pictures And Facts


Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks or marmots, are the largest members of the squirrel family.
Photograph by Melissa Farlow

 
The groundhog, or woodchuck, is one of 14 species of marmots. These rodents live a feast-or-famine lifestyle and gorge themselves all summer to build up plentiful reserves of fat. After the first frost, they retreat to their underground burrows and snooze until spring, drawing their sustenance from body fat. While hibernating, the animal's heart rate plunges, and its body temperature is not much warmer than the temperature inside its burrow.
Groundhog hibernation gave rise to the popular American custom of Groundhog Day, held on the second of February every year. Tradition dictates that if a groundhog sees its shadow that day, there will be six more weeks of winter, though such a prediction seems a sure bet over much of the groundhog's North American range.
In the spring, females welcome a litter of perhaps a half dozen newborns, which stay with their mother for several months.
Groundhogs are the largest members of the squirrel family. Though they are usually seen on the ground, they can climb trees and are also capable swimmers. These rodents frequent the areas where woodlands meet open spaces, like fields, roads, or streams. Here they eat grasses and plants as well as fruits and tree bark. Groundhogs are the bane of many a gardener. They can decimate a plot while voraciously feeding during the summer and fall seasons.
Groundhogs, Groundhog Pictures, Grounghog Facts - National Geographic

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Posted at 23:02 |  by Unknown

Sunday 2 June 2013


A subspecies of the larger coastal brown bear, the grizzly bear gets its name from the grayish, or grizzled, tips of its fur.
Photograph by John Eastcott and Yva Momatiuk


The grizzly bear is a North American subspecies of the brown bear.
These awe-inspiring giants tend to be solitary animals—with the exception of females and their cubs—but at times they do congregate. Dramatic gatherings of grizzly bears can be seen at prime Alaskan fishing spots when the salmon run upstream for summer spawning. In this season, dozens of bears may gather to feast on the fish, craving fats that will sustain them through the long winter ahead.
Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable-looking hillside. Females give birth during this winter rest and their offspring are often twins.
Grizzly bears are powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predators, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose.
Grizzlies are typically brown, though their fur can appear to be white-tipped, or grizzled, lending them their traditional name.
Despite their impressive size, grizzlies are quite fast and have been clocked at 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour. They can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if humans come between a mother and her cubs.
Grizzlies once lived in much of western North America and even roamed the Great Plains. European settlement gradually eliminated the bears from much of this range, and today only about 1,000 grizzlies remain in the continental U.S., where they are protected by law. Many grizzlies still roam the wilds of Canada and Alaska, where hunters pursue them as big game trophies.
Grizzly Bears, Grizzly Bear Pictures, Grizzly Bear Facts - National Geographic

Grizzly Bears Pictures And Facts - National Geographic


A subspecies of the larger coastal brown bear, the grizzly bear gets its name from the grayish, or grizzled, tips of its fur.
Photograph by John Eastcott and Yva Momatiuk


The grizzly bear is a North American subspecies of the brown bear.
These awe-inspiring giants tend to be solitary animals—with the exception of females and their cubs—but at times they do congregate. Dramatic gatherings of grizzly bears can be seen at prime Alaskan fishing spots when the salmon run upstream for summer spawning. In this season, dozens of bears may gather to feast on the fish, craving fats that will sustain them through the long winter ahead.
Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable-looking hillside. Females give birth during this winter rest and their offspring are often twins.
Grizzly bears are powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predators, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose.
Grizzlies are typically brown, though their fur can appear to be white-tipped, or grizzled, lending them their traditional name.
Despite their impressive size, grizzlies are quite fast and have been clocked at 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour. They can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if humans come between a mother and her cubs.
Grizzlies once lived in much of western North America and even roamed the Great Plains. European settlement gradually eliminated the bears from much of this range, and today only about 1,000 grizzlies remain in the continental U.S., where they are protected by law. Many grizzlies still roam the wilds of Canada and Alaska, where hunters pursue them as big game trophies.
Grizzly Bears, Grizzly Bear Pictures, Grizzly Bear Facts - National Geographic

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Posted at 03:46 |  by Unknown
Found only on the Galápagos Islands, marine iguanas often wear distinctive white "wigs" of salt expelled from glands near their noses.
Photograph by Rob Stewart/Animals Animals—Earth Scenes

The much-maligned marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands are so famously homely, even Charles Darwin piled on, describing them as "hideous-looking" and "most disgusting, clumsy lizards."
It's true, they're not pretty, with their wide-set eyes, smashed-in faces, spiky dorsal scales, and knotty, salt-encrusted heads. But what these unusual creatures lack in looks they make up for with their amazing and unique ecological adaptations.
Scientists figure that land-dwelling iguanas from South America must have drifted out to sea millions of years ago on logs or other debris, eventually landing on the Galápagos. From that species emerged marine iguanas, which spread to nearly all the islands of the archipelago. Each island hosts marine iguanas of unique size, shape and color.
They look fierce, but are actually gentle herbivores, surviving exclusively on underwater algae and seaweed. Their short, blunt snouts and small, razor-sharp teeth help them scrape the algae off rocks, and their laterally flattened tails let them move crocodile-like through the water. Their claws are long and sharp for clinging to rocks on shore or underwater in heavy currents. They have dark gray coloring to better absorb sunlight after their forays into the frigid Galápagos waters. And they even have special glands that clean their blood of extra salt, which they ingest while feeding.
Their population is not well known, but estimates are in the hundreds of thousands. They are under constant pressure from non-native predators like rats, feral cats, and dogs, who feed on their eggs and young. They are protected throughout the archipelago and are considered vulnerable to extinction.
Marine Iguanas, Marine Iguana Pictures, Marine Iguana Facts - National Geographic

Marine Iguanas Pictures And Facts - National Geographic

Found only on the Galápagos Islands, marine iguanas often wear distinctive white "wigs" of salt expelled from glands near their noses.
Photograph by Rob Stewart/Animals Animals—Earth Scenes

The much-maligned marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands are so famously homely, even Charles Darwin piled on, describing them as "hideous-looking" and "most disgusting, clumsy lizards."
It's true, they're not pretty, with their wide-set eyes, smashed-in faces, spiky dorsal scales, and knotty, salt-encrusted heads. But what these unusual creatures lack in looks they make up for with their amazing and unique ecological adaptations.
Scientists figure that land-dwelling iguanas from South America must have drifted out to sea millions of years ago on logs or other debris, eventually landing on the Galápagos. From that species emerged marine iguanas, which spread to nearly all the islands of the archipelago. Each island hosts marine iguanas of unique size, shape and color.
They look fierce, but are actually gentle herbivores, surviving exclusively on underwater algae and seaweed. Their short, blunt snouts and small, razor-sharp teeth help them scrape the algae off rocks, and their laterally flattened tails let them move crocodile-like through the water. Their claws are long and sharp for clinging to rocks on shore or underwater in heavy currents. They have dark gray coloring to better absorb sunlight after their forays into the frigid Galápagos waters. And they even have special glands that clean their blood of extra salt, which they ingest while feeding.
Their population is not well known, but estimates are in the hundreds of thousands. They are under constant pressure from non-native predators like rats, feral cats, and dogs, who feed on their eggs and young. They are protected throughout the archipelago and are considered vulnerable to extinction.
Marine Iguanas, Marine Iguana Pictures, Marine Iguana Facts - National Geographic

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Posted at 03:43 |  by Unknown

Thursday 30 May 2013

Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park, which contains the highest sand dunes in North America, provides stunning views in the shadow of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Photograph by Walter Meayers Edwards

Location: Colorado
Established: September 13, 2004
Size: 149,137 acres
Visitors to the Great Sand Dunes experience an undeniable sense of wonder, just as happens in so many of our most spectacular national parks. In contrast to the sudden shock of walking to the rim of the Grand Canyon, though, or topping a rise to view Crater Lake, the emotions evoked by this otherworldly landscape arrive in slow motion.
The dunes appear in the distance as you approach, but at first seem dwarfed by their backdrop, the 13,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Not until you're nearly at their border does their vast scale become apparent: dunes up to 750 feet tall, extending for mile after mile—an ocean of sand hills of breathtaking magnitude. That's just how the explorer Zebulon Pike described them in 1807: "Their appearance was exactly that of a sea in a storm (except as to color), not the least sign of vegetation existing thereon."
The dunes sprawl across part of southern Colorado's San Luis Valley, a broad, arid plain between the San Juan Mountains on the west and the Sangre de Cristos on the east. Streams and creeks flowing out of the San Juan Mountains over millennia carried gravel and sand into shallow lakes in the San Luis Valley. During drought periods, these lakes dried, releasing the sand particles to the action of the wind. Strong prevailing southwesterly winds carry the tiny grains toward the Sangre de Cristos, piling them up against the foothills. The resulting dunes are the tallest in North America, covering more than 30 square miles. Adults hike across them and marvel at their beauty; children run and slide down their steep faces, enjoying a playground of fairy-tale proportions.
Winds that often top 40 miles an hour continually reshape the crests of the tall dunes, and smaller dunes may "migrate" several feet in a week. The dunes show a remarkable permanence of form, though, which geologists attribute to opposing winds. Prevailing southwesterly winds blow the dune mass northeasterly toward the mountains, and occasional but powerful northeasterlies blow the dunes back toward the southwest. This 'back-and-forth' action of the wind piles the dunes vertically, and contributes to the stability of the dunefield.
The need to protect the water that protects the dunes has led to a number of changes at Great Sand Dunes. Through a cooperative effort among government agencies and private conservation groups, the purchase of private lands, identified as important to the protection of park resources, was completed on September 13, 2004. The new entity comprises the original national monument, lands west of the monument known as the Baca Ranch, and mountains east of the monument previously managed by the U.S. Forest Service. This latter realm was established as a preserve in 2000 to safeguard the small streams flowing into the area. Official designation is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
All this means that visitors have access to a great diversity of habitats, beginning in the desert dunes, continuing up to the pinyon pines, cottonwoods, and aspens of the foothills, and arriving even higher at the spruce-fir forests and tundra of the summits of the Sangre de Cristos, with seven peaks over 13,000 feet. The region's geology and biology make it a fascinating place, unique among our national parks. It's well worth the drive across southern Colorado, even if all you do is gaze in awe at this extraordinary and lovely terrain.
How to Get There
From the east or north, take US 160 west from Walsenburg 59 miles to Colo. 150 and drive north 16 miles. From the south or west, take US 285 to Alamosa and drive 14 miles east to Colo. 150, continuing north to the monument and preserve. Airport: Colorado Springs.
When to Go
Year-round. Moderate temperatures make spring and fall best. The sand dunes can get very hot in summer, although they can be traversed comfortably early and late in the day; summer is also the park's most crowded season. Winter snow curtails trips into the high mountains, though the dunes can still be visited.
How to Visit
Stop at the visitor center for a quick lesson in the Great Sand Dunes environment, and to learn the schedule of ranger-led walks and programs (summer only). From there, proceed to the dunes parking lot. Then walk out into the dunes, going as far and climbing as high as time and energy permit; the High Dune is a popular, moderately strenuous destination.
Kids and adults alike enjoy splashing along Medano Creek, which meanders along the base of the dunes (when there is enough water from the spring snowmelt). The Montville Nature Trail and the Mosca Pass Trail offer additional options for exploration, from short walks to mountain hikes.
If you have a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle, and are very careful, you can drive the Medano Pass Primitive Road, which leads 11 miles up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the national preserve, exploring different habitats along the way, from foothills to coniferous forest at the 9,982-foot pass.

Great Sand Dunes National Park - National Geographic

Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park, which contains the highest sand dunes in North America, provides stunning views in the shadow of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Photograph by Walter Meayers Edwards

Location: Colorado
Established: September 13, 2004
Size: 149,137 acres
Visitors to the Great Sand Dunes experience an undeniable sense of wonder, just as happens in so many of our most spectacular national parks. In contrast to the sudden shock of walking to the rim of the Grand Canyon, though, or topping a rise to view Crater Lake, the emotions evoked by this otherworldly landscape arrive in slow motion.
The dunes appear in the distance as you approach, but at first seem dwarfed by their backdrop, the 13,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Not until you're nearly at their border does their vast scale become apparent: dunes up to 750 feet tall, extending for mile after mile—an ocean of sand hills of breathtaking magnitude. That's just how the explorer Zebulon Pike described them in 1807: "Their appearance was exactly that of a sea in a storm (except as to color), not the least sign of vegetation existing thereon."
The dunes sprawl across part of southern Colorado's San Luis Valley, a broad, arid plain between the San Juan Mountains on the west and the Sangre de Cristos on the east. Streams and creeks flowing out of the San Juan Mountains over millennia carried gravel and sand into shallow lakes in the San Luis Valley. During drought periods, these lakes dried, releasing the sand particles to the action of the wind. Strong prevailing southwesterly winds carry the tiny grains toward the Sangre de Cristos, piling them up against the foothills. The resulting dunes are the tallest in North America, covering more than 30 square miles. Adults hike across them and marvel at their beauty; children run and slide down their steep faces, enjoying a playground of fairy-tale proportions.
Winds that often top 40 miles an hour continually reshape the crests of the tall dunes, and smaller dunes may "migrate" several feet in a week. The dunes show a remarkable permanence of form, though, which geologists attribute to opposing winds. Prevailing southwesterly winds blow the dune mass northeasterly toward the mountains, and occasional but powerful northeasterlies blow the dunes back toward the southwest. This 'back-and-forth' action of the wind piles the dunes vertically, and contributes to the stability of the dunefield.
The need to protect the water that protects the dunes has led to a number of changes at Great Sand Dunes. Through a cooperative effort among government agencies and private conservation groups, the purchase of private lands, identified as important to the protection of park resources, was completed on September 13, 2004. The new entity comprises the original national monument, lands west of the monument known as the Baca Ranch, and mountains east of the monument previously managed by the U.S. Forest Service. This latter realm was established as a preserve in 2000 to safeguard the small streams flowing into the area. Official designation is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
All this means that visitors have access to a great diversity of habitats, beginning in the desert dunes, continuing up to the pinyon pines, cottonwoods, and aspens of the foothills, and arriving even higher at the spruce-fir forests and tundra of the summits of the Sangre de Cristos, with seven peaks over 13,000 feet. The region's geology and biology make it a fascinating place, unique among our national parks. It's well worth the drive across southern Colorado, even if all you do is gaze in awe at this extraordinary and lovely terrain.
How to Get There
From the east or north, take US 160 west from Walsenburg 59 miles to Colo. 150 and drive north 16 miles. From the south or west, take US 285 to Alamosa and drive 14 miles east to Colo. 150, continuing north to the monument and preserve. Airport: Colorado Springs.
When to Go
Year-round. Moderate temperatures make spring and fall best. The sand dunes can get very hot in summer, although they can be traversed comfortably early and late in the day; summer is also the park's most crowded season. Winter snow curtails trips into the high mountains, though the dunes can still be visited.
How to Visit
Stop at the visitor center for a quick lesson in the Great Sand Dunes environment, and to learn the schedule of ranger-led walks and programs (summer only). From there, proceed to the dunes parking lot. Then walk out into the dunes, going as far and climbing as high as time and energy permit; the High Dune is a popular, moderately strenuous destination.
Kids and adults alike enjoy splashing along Medano Creek, which meanders along the base of the dunes (when there is enough water from the spring snowmelt). The Montville Nature Trail and the Mosca Pass Trail offer additional options for exploration, from short walks to mountain hikes.
If you have a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle, and are very careful, you can drive the Medano Pass Primitive Road, which leads 11 miles up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the national preserve, exploring different habitats along the way, from foothills to coniferous forest at the 9,982-foot pass.

No comments
Posted at 23:15 |  by Unknown
A climber takes in the view on Mount Shasta.
Photograph by Chris Carr, Shasta Mountain Guides
By Kate Siber
Mount Shasta is one of the largest Cascade volcanoes by volume, but think of it as a gentle giant. This 14,163-foot (4,317-meter) volcano that towers over northern California is a veritable utopia for mountaineers: It’s gifted with spectacular vertical relief, relatively mild terrain, and reliably sunny weather that makes for prime climbing conditions. “There are few places in the world where you have that much vertical without the objective hazards,” says Chris Carr, director of Shasta Mountain Guides.
From a base camp above 8,000 feet (2,438 meters), the outfitter offers three-day courses that teach novices the basics of ski or snowboard mountaineering, such as how to use ski crampons, climb with skins, and self-arrest. Day three is when they put it all together for a summit bid: Students rise at 2 or 3 a.m. and zigzag 5,000 vertical feet (1,524 meters) up to the peak, a jumble of boulders big enough for multiple people to scramble on top to take in the views, which stretch as far as 125 miles (200 kilometers). The reward is one of the longest continuous ski descents in the Lower 48: Through some of the nation’s best corn snow, you’ll turn 7,000 vertical feet (2,134 meters) down a consistent 35- or 45-degree slope all the way to the trailhead.
Need to Know: Join Shasta Mountain Guides (www.shastaguides.com) on a prescheduled trip, starting at $595, from May through June.

Ski Mountaineer Mount Shasta California Best American Adventures -- National Geographic

A climber takes in the view on Mount Shasta.
Photograph by Chris Carr, Shasta Mountain Guides
By Kate Siber
Mount Shasta is one of the largest Cascade volcanoes by volume, but think of it as a gentle giant. This 14,163-foot (4,317-meter) volcano that towers over northern California is a veritable utopia for mountaineers: It’s gifted with spectacular vertical relief, relatively mild terrain, and reliably sunny weather that makes for prime climbing conditions. “There are few places in the world where you have that much vertical without the objective hazards,” says Chris Carr, director of Shasta Mountain Guides.
From a base camp above 8,000 feet (2,438 meters), the outfitter offers three-day courses that teach novices the basics of ski or snowboard mountaineering, such as how to use ski crampons, climb with skins, and self-arrest. Day three is when they put it all together for a summit bid: Students rise at 2 or 3 a.m. and zigzag 5,000 vertical feet (1,524 meters) up to the peak, a jumble of boulders big enough for multiple people to scramble on top to take in the views, which stretch as far as 125 miles (200 kilometers). The reward is one of the longest continuous ski descents in the Lower 48: Through some of the nation’s best corn snow, you’ll turn 7,000 vertical feet (2,134 meters) down a consistent 35- or 45-degree slope all the way to the trailhead.
Need to Know: Join Shasta Mountain Guides (www.shastaguides.com) on a prescheduled trip, starting at $595, from May through June.

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Posted at 23:10 |  by Unknown
Rafters take on whitewater rapids on the Kern River.
Photograph courtesy Sarah Teed, Kern Outfitters
By Kate Siber
Locals describe the Forks of the Kern in two ways: It’s either 80 rapids in quick succession or one really, really long one. These 22 miles (35 kilometers) of nonstop Class IV and V rapids make the Forks of the Kern, only 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Los Angeles, one of the country’s premier whitewater runs. But it’s also a brilliant escape. After the 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) hike in, there are no other people, no roads, no Starbucks, and no distractions from the beauty of the remote granite canyon.
Because many of the rapids are unscoutable, even veteran rafters must bring their A game. Kern River Outfitters don't require experience for their three-day trips, but they do require passing a swim test. On day one, the groups (no larger than 15 people) schlep gear to the put-in, while mules carry the rafts. Soon after launching, the river turns as bumpy as a bronco with a succession of boat-flipping Class IV and V rapids and drops as large as 10 feet (3 meters). Side hikes lead to lush waterfalls and natural 60-foot (18-meter) waterslides, but arguably the best part is the pine-ensconced riverside campsites. Come evening, guides fix three-course meals before tuckered rafters fall asleep under a blanket of California stars.
Need to Know: Kern River Outfitters’ (www.kernrafting.com) three-day all-inclusive trips start at $798, and depart on fixed dates between May and July, depending on flows.

Raft the Forks of the Kern California Adventures -- National Geographic

Rafters take on whitewater rapids on the Kern River.
Photograph courtesy Sarah Teed, Kern Outfitters
By Kate Siber
Locals describe the Forks of the Kern in two ways: It’s either 80 rapids in quick succession or one really, really long one. These 22 miles (35 kilometers) of nonstop Class IV and V rapids make the Forks of the Kern, only 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Los Angeles, one of the country’s premier whitewater runs. But it’s also a brilliant escape. After the 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) hike in, there are no other people, no roads, no Starbucks, and no distractions from the beauty of the remote granite canyon.
Because many of the rapids are unscoutable, even veteran rafters must bring their A game. Kern River Outfitters don't require experience for their three-day trips, but they do require passing a swim test. On day one, the groups (no larger than 15 people) schlep gear to the put-in, while mules carry the rafts. Soon after launching, the river turns as bumpy as a bronco with a succession of boat-flipping Class IV and V rapids and drops as large as 10 feet (3 meters). Side hikes lead to lush waterfalls and natural 60-foot (18-meter) waterslides, but arguably the best part is the pine-ensconced riverside campsites. Come evening, guides fix three-course meals before tuckered rafters fall asleep under a blanket of California stars.
Need to Know: Kern River Outfitters’ (www.kernrafting.com) three-day all-inclusive trips start at $798, and depart on fixed dates between May and July, depending on flows.

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Posted at 23:06 |  by Unknown
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