Glacier National Park is found in extreme northern Montana, along the borders with the provinces of both British Columbia and Alberta, across which the mountainous terrain becomes known as Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, and where the Rocky Mountains continue northward forming the border between British Columbia and Alberta for hundreds of more miles. Glacier National Park is as stunning as its name implies. There are glaciers and extensive icecaps. But even more noticeable is the effect that the much larger glaciers of the last Ice Age have had on the area. Glaciers consist of tons of ice, what was once snow has been compressed down into much more dense ice, which slowly slides down the canyon gradients created by the melt water underneath and beyond the snout, the downhill terminus of the ice. The canyons there are very steep-walled, forming the characteristic deep U shapes seen in mountainous regions that have experienced heavy glaciation in the past, and a signature of the Rocky Mountains from here northward. The famous park driving route known as Going-To-The-Sun Road is as extreme as can be imagined, especially after it rises out of the McDonald Creek canyon eastward beyond the giant switchback obvious on a map. At this point the road is either not at all guarded from the sheer drop of several hundreds of feet to the distant valley below, or has a low wall that provides little comfort. But the views are completely unhindered, and are breathtaking. Perhaps lesser known in Glacier National Park is the wildlife, which can often be just as dramatic as the scenery amongst which they scratch out a living. One example is the yellow-bellied marmot, pictured in the above photo atop a large rock along a remote section of trail. Yellow-bellied marmots only live in high altitude regions above about 7000 feet up to at least 14000 feet, and in areas that are mainly clear of vegetation, so this was a perfect setting to find one. Due to the harsh winters at these altitudes, marmots generally hibernate for about eight months of the year. The other other four months are spent partially in their den and partially outside, where they become very active. They are known to emit an extremely loud whistle, one that belies their size, though they actually are a very large type of ground squirrel weighing up to 11 pounds or slightly more. The above image was captured by The Wild Images Team just as this large male had been whistling, which was replied to somewhere further down the steep canyon, though in the image the marmot appears to be smiling, as though this was some kind of joke directed towards us silly humans. Either way, the colorful lichen covered rock and background scree composed a great image. The Wild Images Team has captured many other images from Montana such as a group of white mountain goats as they graze the highlands, an expansive view of rocky ridges extending to the horizon, the colorfully massive wall of Hidden Lake, high altitude view of tundra and glacial lakes, a very remote reflective alpine lake covered with rocks, and an ominously approaching heavy downpour over the green foothills, all of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from Montana have documented the very deep blue waters of McDonald Creek and the panoramic view of The Wild Images Team at Hidden Lake. In neighboring Wyoming, The Wild Images Team has captured images such as the contrast found in the colorful grasslands and background Grand Teton National Park peaks, the varying landscape of Grand Teton National Park rocky peaks and clouds, the large antlers on display as an elk takes a look back in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the vertical abruptness as Devils Tower rises above the red rocks and green pines, and the many hues found as the colorful badlands cover over this very remote region, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from Wyoming have documented as the rugged snowy peaks rise above wildflowers, and as The Wild Images Team Travel Gnome poses for a picture at the Meeteetse “Where Chiefs Meet” welcome sign. In neighboring South Dakota we have captured images such as the bright flash of a colorful lightning strike over the badlands, the moment that a pronghorn displays its phenomenal physique, and the time that a massive bison bull came meandering past, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from South Dakota have documented the centuries long carving of the massive Crazy Horse Monument, the very majestic Mount Rushmore and the Avenue of Flags, the expansive view as wild burros walk through the rolling prairies, the ever wary prairie dog stands at attention in the prairie, the amazing location of the granite roadways through Custer State Park, when The Wild Images Team encountered a remote end of trail sign in the middle of nowhere, this close up image of textures in a colorful badlands mound, the interesting time when a flock of turkeys photobombed our image, and The Wild Images Team sunset shadows over Badlands National Park. In nearby North Dakota, we have captured images such as the contrast created by the horizontal color bands cross through yellow badlands and the entire herd as a group of wild horses cluster together on a hilltop, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts of North Dakota have documented the herd of bison grazing in the grasslands and the ever changing colorful badland mound that caps a rolling ridge.
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