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.
Jupiter rises next to the Tower...
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.
Ready...set...
go!
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
Click on image to enlarginate.
The first valley floor snow...
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.
A winter storm is brewing...
that may bring snow and rain to the valley tomorrow. Here’s sunset this evening.
Recreating the Chevy Impala commercial...
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.
Hiding in the honey locust tree...
at lunch time.
Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii).
Launching from a locust tree...
with determination in its eyes.
Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii).
A dreary but welcome beginning...
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.
The year ends...
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.
The predator preens...
between meals.
Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii).
A noisy aerial invasion...
of the feeding stations is occurring by a nomadic gang of jays. The image below captures only a few of the blue brutes and the regulars don’t stand a chance when they’re around.
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus).
Fiery sunrise...
behind the La Sal Mountains this morning.
Vigilant on the winter solstice...
from a high perch, this raptor is now being observed several times a day near the feeding stations.
Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii).
A parched woodpecker...
stops by the watering hole this morning to tank up.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus).
Talons and all disappear down the gullet...
of this successful hunter as it enjoys a luncheon consisting of dove tartare. Everybody’s gotta eat.
Well fed Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
This pint-sized predator...
just flushed several finches from the feeder, failing in its ambush late in the day. Small but fierce.
Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis).
The last launch event of the year...
was held today at the state line between Colorado and Utah. I successfully launched and recovered three mid-power rockets on a calm and sunny day in the Grand Valley. Always enormous fun.
The exhaust plume of a high-power rocket paints its trajectory as it heads skyward with the Book Cliffs serving as a scenic backdrop to the remote launch site.
Doorknob lifting off the rod on a F15-4 engine.
Nike Smoke Pro leaping off the pad on a composite F20-7W engine.
Nike Smoke Pro under chute during descent.
The mid-power Cherokee Pro heading up on a composite G77-7R engine to an apogee of 1,672 feet (510 m).
This large and sooty bird...
is populating the valley in great numbers this winter, with a large “conspiracy” visiting the feeding stations on a daily basis.
Common Raven (Corvus corax).
Exquisite mudcracks...
displayed on a bedding plane on a fallen slab from the Chinle Formation (Upper Triassic (237-201.3Ma)) near Courthouse Wash. This sedimentary structure formed as muddy sediment dried and contracted due to reduction in water content, then buried and preserved with sandy sediments from a subsequent flood event.
