on the window sill, happily munching away on several strawberry slices I had placed out, hoping for its discovery. There are now two of these amusing creatures darting about and providing endless entertainment.
White tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
have washed the wretched fire smoke from the skies, returning the high desert to good air quality and allowing for the resumption of my early morning rides after a five day-long hiatus. Here’s my shadow claiming first tracks on the rain-dimpled singletrack this morning. Dee-lightful.
of ordering the Bronco from the dealership in Moab and it just had its first oil change and tire rotation at around 5,000 miles (8,000 km). Big fun, both on and off road!
The custom-ordered Ford Bronco Badlands-Sasquatch with manual transmission arrived in Moab at the end of October and it’s been huge fun ever since, seen here parked below Adobe Mesa in April.
of this tiny squirrel is very amusing to watch as it stretches out on a cooler rock surface in an effort to reduce its body heat. This spread-eagle posture is sometimes referred to as “splooting.”
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
greets Castle Valley this morning. While the colorful refraction of the Sun’s rays through the smoke plume can be lovely, I still prefer smoke free skies.
ADDED: Mid-day smoke plume map. Air quality this afternoon has significantly deteriorated and is horrible. It’s going to be one of those summers.
Another indispensable website and app during fire season: Watch Duty. I highly recommend an annual membership for $25 to support their valuable work (no commission earned).
ADDED: Mid-afternoon satellite image of smoke plume from the Cottonwood Fire near Beaver, Utah.
The La Sal Mountains have nearly vanished in the thick smoky haze at 3:00 pm MDT.
Downwinders: Air quality is now well into the unhealthy range in the Moab - Castle Valley area and likely to get worse. Here’s the smoke plume at 5:00 pm MDT. Round Mountain has completely disappeared from view.
24 June 2026 UPDATE: Shortly after sunrise, around 7:00 am MDT. Air quality remains firmly in the unhealthy category. Ugh.
a few miles above its confluence with the Colorado River, as seen from Gold Mine Road on an early morning drive.
Note the disturbance on the lower slopes across the river, left of center, the site of a historic placer gold mining operation.
diminishes air quality across Utah and Colorado, frustrating my attempt at solstice sunrise photography earlier in the morning. A large range fire southwest of Provo is responsible. I dread fire season.
The hazy view at high noon.
Useful link to Fire and Smoke Map 4.2. (You may have to turn on the plume mapping function in the settings.)
that occurs tomorrow morning when I aspire to photographically capture the “triple sunrise” behind Castleton Tower. Fire smoke in the air last year frustrated my efforts and I’ve been patiently waiting for 364 days to try again.
This morning, out on the bike, on the trail beneath the Tower. Helluva back yard.
My calculations indicate that the show starts around 6:45 am MDT tomorrow.
DISAPPOINTING UPDATE 21 June 2026: The summer solstice has arrived, as well as the fire smoke! A large range fire southwest of Provo has flooded the atmosphere with a smoky haze this morning. Dang. What a difference a day makes. I’ll have to try again next year.
on a warm and golden evening. Good vibes.
these aerial scavengers are spying a dead skunk on a neighboring property.
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).
in Arches National Park while a family enjoys a stroll at dusk.
during the first 100 degree day of the year.
Desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii).
above its confluence with the Colorado River is easy to navigate if one already knows where the holes are. Drive the riffles, not the pools! It’s another mini adventure with my friend and neighbor in the Bronco with the front seat roof panels removed.
Today, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) above the confluence with the Colorado River near Dewey Bridge, Utah, the Dolores River is flowing 135 cubic feet per second (cfs). Last year it was flowing 721 cfs and the historical median flow on this date is 1,120 cfs based on 40 years of record at a USGS gaging station a few miles upstream.
from southeastern Utah.
at the feeding stations. Super tiny and super cute.
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
Close up of the not-a-chipmunk the following day.
The diagnostic white tail.
by a mischief of Magpies occurs like clockwork every morning as they raid the feeding stations. Smart and entertaining birds, but noisy.
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia).
is ready for the forecast high temperatures this weekend. The blower was lubricated and the original water pump was replaced with a new one that is much quieter, while the aspen wood pads were replaced last year. I’m grateful that a Wi-Fi connection to the Internet wasn’t required for the pump. It’s very simple tech that works extraordinarily well.
with the Gemini twins above Porcupine Rim shortly after sunset.
Drifting clouds slowly reveal, from lower left to upper right, Jupiter, Venus, Pollux and Castor.
brightly paints the eastern horizon early this morning.
is shifting to earlier and earlier in the day as the arrival of summer is exactly two weeks away. Here’s a look at a most magnificent back yard at dawn and my shadow proves I was there.
Panorama view of Castle Valley National Park including the big five: Round Mountain, Porcupine Rim, Parriott Mesa, Castleton Tower and Adobe Mesa. (Click on image to enlargenate.)