We are finally going camping! We are back picture overload

[tuffystar]

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[MaxandMe]

WOW that looks AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am soooooo excited for you and can't wait for you to take , post pics and tell us all about it!
have a GREAT TIME!

[Raleighsmom]

What a beautiful place Kathy!!! You're going to have a blast! Make sure you take lots of pictures to share with us...enjoy your much needed vacation...you deserve it!!!

[lindamarie]

Can you say, HEAVEN!!?? That looks so PEACEFUL! Where is it??
Have a GREAT time! We look forward to PICTURES!!!

[tuffystar]

Originally Posted by lindamarie

Can you say, HEAVEN!!?? That looks so PEACEFUL! Where is it??
Have a GREAT time! We look forward to PICTURES!!!

That is Strawberry Lake in Utah. It is about 2 hours from me. I think it is north east of me and I am near Salt Lake City UT. Kevin and I spent our 13th anniversary at the lodge and had two days of fun. The lake is very cold and there is lots of wild life there. Many of my pictures are from this area.

Thanks all for the responses. This trip was hard to decide if it was going to happen. We really did not have the money to spend but Kevin is desperately in need of a break. His only enjoyment that gives him a break is fishing. As much as I love having the girls here I too need a break and the girls need a break from us.

Thanks all!

[Doodlesville]

Oh wow, that is beautiful
enjoy yourself nothing relaxes me more then camping
have fun!!!

[fudgepuddle]

what a beautiful place! hope you have a nice time & take lots of pics

[tuffystar]

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[Raleighsmom]

Kathy..Kathy...KATHY!!!!!! All your pics were so beautiful...rainbows, clouds, and the scenery outside your tent door is (to coin a phrase from New York) to DIE for!!! I'm so happy that you finally got to go on a much needed even tho short rest!!! Makes life worth living with scenes and memories like that!!! Thanks so much for sharing these with us!

p.s.....I saw an article in Readers Digest about Condors in California...wingspan up to 10 ft....I wonder if there are any where you were?

[Raleighsmom]

Hi Kathy...I had the time to look this up this morning, and there ARE Condors in Utah!!! So maybe that's what is in your pics!
This was in the Salt Lake Tribune...


Spirits soar watching condors in southern Utah
Day of the Condor » It's not a movie
Mark Havnes

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 06/21/2009 06:18:39 PM MDT


Click photo to enlargeA California condor soars over site near Zion... (Mark Havnes / The Salt Lake Tribune)«123»Virgin » Ethan Wimmer's fear changed to awe Saturday when he had a chance to witness one of the world's rarest animals swoop and soar overhead, sometimes to as low as 30 feet.

"They're cool," said the 6-year-old, who joined his family and about 200 other people just outside Zion National Park to view California condors.

Robin Ward, visiting from Brora, Scotland, said the only bird comparable in his home country are golden eagles.

"These [condors] are absolutely phenomenal," Ward said. "Better than fantastic."

And Ellie Hernon, 9, who traveled from Centerville for the avian spectacle, was also impressed.

"Their wings are as long as our car,' she said.

Day of the Condor, sponsored by the Division of Wildlife Resources, was an opportunity to let people view the birds soaring over southern Utah until colder weather sends them back to the Vermillion Cliffs and Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona for winter.

"It's an opportunity to see one of the rarest birds in existence and appreciate and support a natural resource," said DWR biologist Keith Day.

With as many as 10 birds at a time reeling over the gawking public, Chris Parish, a wildlife biologist with the Peregrine Fund, said the naturally curious birds were as attracted by the crowd as the people were by the birds.

"They follow people to see if they leave anything to eat," said Parish,

He said there are about 330 condors now in existence. About 74 of the 183 in the wild spend part of the year in Utah. The numbers are a credit to the reintroduction program.

By 1987, the bird had become so rare that the last 22 remaining in the wild were captured for a breeding program operated by the Peregrine Fund.

Parish said while none of the birds nest and breed in Utah, it is hoped that will happen eventually in or around Zion National Park.

JD Davis, director of development for Utah Wildlife in Need, was at the viewing Saturday educating people on the mortal dangers the birds face from eating animals shot by hunters using lead ammunition.

Lead poisoning from the bullets, which can fragment throughout a carcass, is the largest killer of the scavengers that eat only carrion.

Davis said his group is advocating a voluntary program to be launched this year on the Zion and Paunsaugunt hunting permit areas designed to get hunters of deer and elk to use copper, rather than lead bullets.

"If they agree not to use lead, we will give them a voucher for a box of the copper ammunition," said Davis.

He said a similar program in Arizona has been met with a 70 percent success rate among hunters.

Anita Werderich, of Bartlett, Ill., came to view the condors after hearing about the event on a visit to the park.

"This is a once in a lifetime experience," said Werderich. "You don't have these in Illinois."

CONDOR FACTS
-- Scientific Name: Gymnogyps californianus

-- Population: Some 330 in existence, 183 in the wild, with others used in captive breeding program.

-- Range: Parts of Utah, Arizona, California and Mexico.

-- Wing span: 9.5 feet.

-- Weight: 16 to 23 pounds

-- Lifespan: Unknown, but could be about 60 years.

-- Flight: Can reach speeds of 55 mph and heights of 15,000 feet.

-- Menu: Eats a strictly carrion diet.

-- Senses: Has excellent sense of sight for spotting food.

SOURCE: The Peregrine Fund.



To learn more about condors, programs to reintroduce a sustainable population in the wild and efforts to reduce threat of lead poisoning, visit:
peregrinefund.org

wildlife.utah.gov/condors

uwin.org

[tuffystar]

Kathie,

Thank you for that. This bird was smaller than that. It was more eagle size and the other birds looked like hawks. I did see the bird very close up I just could not get a picture. I can't thank you enough for the info because I want to see a condor very much.

[lindamarie]

Kathy.........before you even asked about the face....I saw one in picture #3.........but I can't see one where Kevin saw one!
WOW! That looks like such a wonderful place to be!!
So glad you had a GREAT TIME!! How long were you there??

[tuffystar]

We got there at about 2 am Saturday and came home about 2 pm Sunday. We are not doing things that way again. We go having more than one day or we don't go at all! We are trying to find a place to go with Chantelle's family in August because the Bear Lake one fell through due to how much money they wanted. I think we will be going back to this place if we can reserve enough places. I wish we could go to Bear lake because I think it can surpass Strawberry in views. Oh well we will start earlier next year.

[Jac]

Oh, my goodness, Kathy! Stunning pictures! You are such a great photographer! And, it is so nice to put a face with the name...thanks for posting the lovely picture of you with your dogs!

You certainly brought back memories for me! I have gone fishing many times at Strawberry...and I used to work for the Central Utah Water Project so I visited many of the local lakes for my job. When I was a girl we would take a boat onto Strawberry...and we used to camp at some campground there...Lodgepole, I think...gorgeous place!

Thanks for the memories of home...I miss it.

[tuffystar]

It/we miss you too Jac!!!!!