The Western USA is in a terrible drought, not just the Colorado River System

We needed to make the drive to Jackson as we had a prescription to pick up. Crossing the Snake River at Alpine the river wasn’t its usual pristine self but instead was a reddish brown color from mud. We had heard that there had been a mudslide up the Hoback River and as we neared the tributary with the Hoback we could see where the Hoback River poured into the Snake. The Hoback looked like it was half mud and it didn’t take long for it to mix and discolor the clear water of the Snake. We also noted that the Snake River banks were full. That’s because the Bureau of Reclamation was dumping most of the water from Jackson Lake into the river. The reason for this is the drought. Almost all of the water, in Jackson Lake was claimed long ago by agricultural users in Idaho. In fact, the plan is to remove the water from the lake, about 95%, so that by this fall Jackson Lake will only contain about five percent of it’s water. Water rights out west are complicated but the claim to the water was first made by the farmers in Idaho and the law states that the first one to claim the water has the right to the water in perpetuity. Yup, forever!

THE LAKE WHEN FULL HAS ABOUT 833,00 ACRE FEET WHEN FULL! That will leave about 50,000 acre feet in the Lake, (an acre foot is enough water to cover one acre of land with one foot of water). Some of the downstream water will hopefully keep the Palisade’s Reservoir with enough water to power its generators. If not our electricity rate will jump much higher! We are currently paying about ten cents per KW, (it was 4 cents) because our power is from cheap hydro power. This will force us to buy much more expensive power from the grid. As bad as it seems imagine what is happening to the states along the Colorado River that makes our problems pale in comparision. If Lake Mead and Lake Powell reaches dead pool,(estimated as early as December of this year), Las Vegas, Phoenix, Much of Arizona, the Imperial Valley, and much of California will lose their water and electricity from Lake Hoover and Lake Mead, (This includes the Mexico portion of the Colorado, which Mexico is also entitled to by law). The Imperial Valley will also lose the water needed to grow winter produce. That’s where 95% of the winter produce comes from….Pray for rain and snow. Cloudy skies, Mark and Renita According to Jaclson Hole news and Guide, right now the Bureau of Reclaimation is releasing about 5000 cubic feet per second so the river is higher than normal. This Fall the plan is to release only abot 250 cubic feet per second and currently the flow is being reduced to 280 cubic fete per second.

A Day in Yellowstone Park June 30th, 2026, a really stupid tourist

We arrived home from Alpine and the next day loaded up and left for Buffalo Bill State Park and the Cody Wild West Show. It was an easy five-hour drive, and we arrived at the State Park about three pm. Setting up at our campsite we talked about spending the next day on an auto tour of the eastern half of Yellowstone National Park. Our favorite drive is up the Chief Joesph Highway. It’s a drive on good roads that is not for the acrophobic. The highway goes up and up until you reach Dead Indian Point. It was named for a wounded member of the Nez Pierce tribe that had been wounded in a battle with the US Calavry.

From that point you can see the place where the detachment, landslide, took place that moved sixty miles forming Heart Mountain and Sheep Mountain. It was the greatest landslide of all time and was caused by the explosion of a massive stratovolcano, (if you have you-tube look up Myron Cooke and the greatest landslide of all time). From there we headed down the switchbacks, narrowly missing a golden eagle, and then drove to the intersection of the Beartooth Highway.

Crossing the deep Clark's Fork Canyon. we stopped for pictures.

Turning west, we reached Cooke City and then Silver Gate. It’s near the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park, (we later learned we had just missed a grizzly bear roaming around Silver Gate). Entering Yellowstone Park, we stopped at a wildlife jamb where people were watching Mountain Goats. The mountainside had numerous patches of snow, and the goats were hard to see, being white. Several photographers with lenses larger than mine said the goats were too far away to see any details. I looked anyway but did not take any images.

Entering the Lamar Valley, we passed small buffalo herds with lots of red dogs. They were energetic and while I wanted to take some pictures we couldn’t find a decent parking place.

Continuing on, Renita spotted several antelopes, a family of Sandhill Cranes and more Buffalo. We drove down Slough Creek Road, but the wolves had left the den site. Returning to the Lamar Road, we passed an Eagle nest with young but there were no available parking spaces.

Turning west toward the new bridge we encountered our first bear jamb. It was a large Cinnamon Black bear busy catching a lunch of gophers. I got a few decent pictures. If you look closely, you can see the lack of a hump and the triangular shaped ears characteristic of black bears.

Crossing the new bridge, we looked far down on the Yellowstone River. At Rosevelt Lodge we turned left to Canyon Tower. Lots of orange cones spoke of a bear(s), in the area but they must have been napping.

Before we crossed Dunraven pass we encountered another bear jamb. This was on narrow road and there we saw one of the stupidest tourists we have ever seen. He stopped in the middle of the road, got out of his car and walked within ten feet of the black bear. Taking a picture with his cell phone he returned to his car and drove off. I was so surprised at his stupidity I forgot to take a picture of him for our blog. Before we reached Hayden Valley, we next got caught in a Bison jamb.

The huge bull stopped traffic, blocked the narrow road and at one point stopped in front of our car and glared at us. If you blow up the picture you can see the reflection of our Suburu in hs eye! Luckily it kept its tail down and let us pass, (if you ever see a bison raise its tail and it starts to twirl it is getting ready to charge)! Crossing Dunraven pass it was another thirty minutes of stop and go traffic. We arrived at the Mud Volcanoes where we got caught up in another slow-moving traffic jamb. It took over thirty minutes of stop and go until we arrived at the Hayden Valley.

The reason for the jamb, was a large grizzly bear sleeping under a tree. After we parked it woke up, left the shade, and started to forage for tubers in a large open field of arrowhead balsam.

The bear was about three hundred yards away, but we still got some good pictures, (note the rounded ears, noticeable hump,for digging, also note the radio collar), and the concave face.

Our next stop was at Le Hardy Rapids where we watched the Harlequin ducks chase each other in the swift turbulent water.

It wasn’t much further to the Fishing Bridge and Sylvan Pass. We did not see the Bighorn Sheep, often present at the Pass, or any more bears of other wildlife. It had been a great day with three bears, lots of beautiful scenery, and many bison. Clear skies

Alpine, Wyoming Mountain Days 2026

One of our favorite shows of the year is the Alpine, Wyoming Mountain Days Show. Normally it’s held on Fathers Day, but this year it was changed to the next Thursday through Sunday. This meant that we wouldn’t have a break as the show ended on June 28th and we would have to leave for The Cody Wild West Show on June 29th.

The Alpine show had set up on Thursday Afternoon and opened on Friday at noon. Unfortunately, so did the rain. Friday is a slow day for us and this year was no exception. Usually Saturday is our big day and we were greeted with heavy rain and cold temperatures. Wearing every layer of clothing we owned we sat in our tent and watched it pour. Free water out West, (rain), is nothing to complain about and we did have some sales but it was cold, cold, and cold!

Sunday the temp was slightly better and the rain stopped. A Native American dance group was able to perform. We both took turns watching the Dances. Our favorite was the Shawl Dance where the Women and Children twirled to display their shawls. It’s a beautiful dance filled with Color and pride. Our sales were good as the fair weather drew people and we had a good day.