despite all of the effort, noise and trail closures in early January, in my opinion, but hey, I drive a Ford Bronco!
Image credit: GM Authority.
Article and video here: Chevy Ad Stars Silverado ZR2, Country Singer Brooke Lee And Castle Rock: Video.
My previous blog post on the filming: Recreating the Chevy Impala commercial.
this morning, patiently waiting for service.
Immature Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
a large flock of Pinyon Jays invades the feeders shortly after sunrise. Here are two individuals sitting in the sun among a flock of 80 or more.
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus).
to the feeding stations this afternoon as my free range pet raptor tiptoes through the grass.
Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
at noon today with the dimly illuminated first quarter waxing Moon posing next to Castleton Tower.
across the vibrant yellow breast makes these birds appear to be always dressed for dinner.
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta).
just winked at me.
Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
The transparent nictitating membrane closing over the eye.
when rockets are returning over the flight line. It was another fantastic and fun day at the state line with the gang from Colorado hurling projectiles at the sky.
My Nike Smoke Pro was just one of dozens of low-, medium- and high-powered rockets launched today.
by the Utah Geological Survey has been published and is now freely available to download. Most importantly, the report concludes: “Our major findings show that water-level trends in the valley-fill aquifer are stable, with little to no long-term decline.” That’s great news and not at all surprising.
Get your copy here, either in paper or digital format: UGS Special Study 176.
exist on slopes above treeline that face north and east according to the Utah Avalanche Center. Strong winds can be seen blowing across the high summits in the La Sal Mountains creating dangerous cornices and wind slab conditions in the snowpack.
at dusk and is presently at opposition, its closest approach to Earth in its orbit this year. The Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux, rise above The Rectory.
go!
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
Click on image to enlarginate.
this winter is occurring right now in Castle Valley, following nearly a half-inch (~13 mm) of rain earlier in the day.
A pair of Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) bickering in the snow.
The day after: Snowpack in the La Sal Mountains has risen to 79% of the historical median with 83 days to go to the median peak.
that may bring snow and rain to the valley tomorrow. Here’s sunset this evening.
from 1964, a vehicle is lifted onto the summit of Castleton Tower, an operation that took about an hour to achieve. This calm afternoon allowed the stage to be set with the heavy lift of a blue pickup truck, but the weather is so poor and overcast I’m guessing that photography won’t occur for another day or so under better lighting conditions.
For a trip down memory lane, here’s the classic 1964 Chevy Impala commercial.
5 January 2026 UPDATE: The blue Chevy (Silverado?) pickup truck sits atop Castleton Tower the afternoon following the airlift.
From the special use permit issued by the BLM: “Radical Media has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Moab Field Office (MFO) for a 2-day film permit for the top of Castleton Tower in Grand County, Utah. The filming would occur between January 1, 2026 and January 7, 2026. Filming would involve recreating a scene from a 1964 car commercial where a shell of a vehicle is placed on top of Castleton Tower with an actor. The vehicle and actor would be delivered to the top of the tower via helicopter. Radical Media would also film a double of the vehicle driving on State Route (SR) 128 and the La Sal Loop Road through Castle Valley, Utah. Intermittent traffic control would be used for the driving scenes. Helicopter and crew staging would take place on private property and would include 30 cast and crew members and ten vehicles. A total of seven people would be airlifted to the top of Castleton Tower for filming. The vehicle placed on the top of Castleton Tower would be the shell of a vehicle. Each wheel would be equipped with a separate hand brake for safety. The vehicle would also be anchored to the tower by a professional rigging team. The Castleton Tower trail would be closed for 2 days during the filming period. The closure would be posted at trailheads in the vicinity of Castleton Tower as well as at local climbing shops around Moab (see Attachment 1). A BLM-approved monitor would be on site for the duration of filming activities.”
6 January 2026 UPDATE: Cleaning up and going home. Peace and quiet once again descends upon our bucolic community.
6 February 2026 UPDATE: For all the effort it is a pretty lousy commercial: Chevy Ad Stars Silverado ZR2, Country Singer Brooke Lee And Castle Rock: Video.
at lunch time.
Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii).
with determination in its eyes.
Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii).
to the new year sees the arrival of some moisture to the valley. About 0.1 inches (2.5 mm) of rain has fallen by midday.
Atmospherics against Porcupine Rim.
under very dry and mild conditions with an unimpressive snowpack in the high country. Look closely, the rising waxing gibbous Moon can be seen in the center of this image.
Snowpack in the La Sal Mountains is about half normal at the end of the calendar year 2025.
between meals.
Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).