Elk and Grizzly

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Only 7 miles from our campsite in Yellowstone was the famous Elk Carcass and Grizzly story that unfolded while we were there.

There was a 700+ Bull Elk that tried to get a drink from a small pond that ended up getting stuck in the mud.  After almost 30 hours from the first report the park rangers decided to humanely put the elk down.  Within a day a huge boar grizzly drug the elk carcass out of the mud and covered it with grass.  The Grizzly that the locals called Big Red then proceeded to  guard his buffet for the next 10 days.  He pretty much ate the entire thing in 10 days.  By the end of it, he had grained a ton of winter weight.  He was successfully able to defend his prize from several other grizzlies.  Every time I checked on him, he was always eating of sleeping on it.  Pretty cool to be able to witness.  There was so much more to see and do in Yellowstone that I didn’t hang out there for hours on end waiting for a fight or something more exciting to happen.

Look at his claws!

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 18: (Friday 9/26/25), Red Rocks Tour & Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Day 18: (Friday 9/26/25), Red Rocks Tour & Rocky Mountain National Park.

No alarm morning.  Felt good to sleep in, got up at 7:30, that is late for me.  This stop in Golden CO, was to see Connie, Sharon’s sister and spend some time together.  Unfortunately, her work called her out of town this week   I have always wanted to see a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater.  So, this morning we took the tour, then we back to the camper and grabbed the dogs.  Headed to Rocky Mountain National Park.  They have also gone to the “Time Entry” program.  But no ticket needed after 2:00 pm.

This concludes the fun part of the trip.  All that is left is a couple crash and burn nights on our way back to Illinois.  Tons of photos to edit, stories to write with each one as I relive and post them.  I could have done a much longer trip, but Sharon is more than ready to be off the road.  She did great and we decided she is a traveling “Glamper” not a camper.  Meaning she doesn’t want to go sit in the woods and do the bon fires and bourbon.  She like traveling to see new adventures, but the connivence of sleeping in her own tiny house.

Red Rocks view from the top looking down on the stage

Yes, I went down and stood on the stage.  1 minute of being a Rock Star.

Found a harem of Elk cows with one Huge bull watching over them.  There we 3 smaller bulls hanging around but never came close.

It is HARD work fending off other bulls and keeping 40+ women in line.  He finally laid down in the shade for some rest.

My first mule deer buck.  They have big ears.  Larger bodies than a whitetail, but behave pretty much the same.

Second mule deer buck.  Notice how the tines split and then split again, they don’t grow out of one main beam like the whitetails do.

Looked for Moose and Big Horn rams but it was way too early in the day to find them.  Guess I’ll have to go back to find “Frank the Tank” and get a full circle Big Horn Ram.  Other than that I captured most of the wildlife I went out here for!  It has been a great trip.  I’m glad Y’All followed along.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 17: (Thursday 9/25/25), Mesa Arch

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Sorry for being a day late on this one, it was a long day and I didn’t want to rush this post processing.

Day 17: (Thursday 9/25/25), Mesa Arch in the Canyonlands National Park.

Alarm went off at 4:30 AM, out the door by 4:45!  Made it to the parking lot at Mesa Arch trail head at 5:40 AM.  Made it to the Arch at 6:00, about 90 minutes before sunrise.  There was already around 100 people and tripods shoulder to shoulder.  I was able to squeeze my way in and get setup.  Not the ideal angle, but best I could get.  It was pretty much straight on.  I was really impressed with what my iPhone 16 Pro captured, so I was anxious to see what I was able to capture on my Canon R5.2.   The total time the sun was inside the arch was around 90 seconds.  After spending a good hour on the edit, I’m proud since I am not an experienced landscape photographer, but always hoping for more!  I am posting both versions for your comparison.  For you that have successfully captured the Mesa Arch at sunrise, what were your settings including which metering mode?

Once in a lifetime experience!

Canon R5MK2 + EF24-70mm

iPhone 16 Pro Max

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 16: (Wednesday 9/24/25), Canyonland National Park

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Day 16: (Wednesday 9/24/25), Canyonland National Park & the Arches NP.

Slept in, went shopping in the little downtown of Moab, had a great lunch, took the leftovers back to the camper.  One of the locals I was talking too, told me if I wanted a sunrise through an arch, is happening NOW at Mesa Arch. We grabbed the dogs and headed out to explore Canyonland National Park.  We have to be out of the current campground by 11:00 am tomorrow.  So, I am going to try and catch “The Shot” in the morning, bust butt back here to get on the road by 11:00 to get to outside Denver and setup before dark.  I decided I like the red rock mountains that stick up, better than the canyons.  Photos do not do either any justice, and should really be experienced in real life.

 

Canyonland National Park

Arches National Park

An Attempt at some lens flare plus landscape all in one.  Didn’t quite pull it off.  

Getting up early and going after the sunrise photo through Mesa Arch, then onto Denver.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 15: (Tuesday 9/23/25), The Arches National Park

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Day 14: (Monday 9/22/25), Grand Tetons to Salt Lake City, UT (half way to Moab UT). No Photos

Day 15: (Tuesday 9/23/25), Brigham, UT to Moab UT, & The Arches National Park

We spent Monday night at Love’s truck stop and didn’t even unhook the truck.  Had Subway for dinner, since it was inside the Love’s. Slept well, then up an at it again Tuesday morning to get to Moab UT.  I had timed entry stamp for 3:00 – 4:00 PM.  We set camper up, walked the dogs and left for The Arches National Park and was at the gate by 3:08 pm.  Drove to the delicate Arch outlook which had a short uphill hike of a half mile.  I was super proud of Sharon as she knocked that one out.  I shot the arch with my 100-500mm at 500mm.  The entire purpose of this part of the trip was to get the sunset or sunrise inside the arch.  We drove to the trailhead for the climb to the Arch.  Sharon stated she wasn’t into it and would wait in the car.  1.5 miles to the arch with 600 feet of vertical climb.  I was watching my Apple watch and did it in 46 minutes, and always kept my heart rate under 150.  When it would get close to 145, I would slow down.  Only took one water break.  Once at the top I went all the way to the left to try and line up the sunset. I couldn’t get far enough left.  The photo I wanted must happen in May or June.  Same with the sunrise, isn’t going to happen inside the arch in the morning.  I headed back down to the truck in the daylight instead of after sunset in the dark using a flashlight.  That means we can sleep in a little in the morning and then hit Canyon Land National Park tomorrow and of course Sharon will get to peruse all the little shops in Moab, UT.

Here are my Delicate Arch photos, descriptions under each on.

From the top shot with a 24-70mm

Shot from the outlook below with my RF100-500mm at 500mm

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent