Devils Tower and my search for aliens

I believe I may have finally found those elusive aliens after circling Devils Tower in the dark of night. Beneath the Milky Way and those glorious night stars, I happened to catch the glimpse of lights emanating from the tower walls. Could it have been aliens? Maybe, and I have lived to tell the tale just like Richard Dryfus. To the Native Americans, Devils Tower is known as Bear Lodge and has long been a sacred place for over 20 American Indian tribes. The trees around Devils Tower are filled with hanging prayer bundles, and with each knot tightened, prayers are released into the wind.

We have strayed from the values of the men carved on this mountain

Visiting Mount Rushmore should have been an uplifting recital of the values our greatest presidents carved on this mountain believed in. Rather, it was a sober acknowledgement of how far this country has strayed from that which we should hold dear. Thomas Jefferson: “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Abraham Lincoln: “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.” Theodore Roosevelt: “We here in America, hold in our hands the hopes of the world, the fate of the coming years…”. George Washington: “The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people”. We are losing our history as the government now distorts or erases it. We are losing our right to free speech as the government crushes it. We are losing our right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness as the government crushes everything that is non-Christian, non-white, and non-heterosexual. We are losing our rights to freedom of choice. We are losing separation of church and state. We are losing trust in our government through the pounding of conspiracy theories and lies.

Wind Cave National Park and boxwork formation

 

Beneath the prairie in SW South Dakota, is one of the world’s most complex cave systems. Much of the cave system remains unmapped. The cave holds what is estimated to be 95% of all boxwork crystal formation found in caves around the world. The cave system is sacred to the Lakota Sioux, as they believe this is from where the bison emerged to roam the plains.

“My lands are where my dead lie buried”: Crazy Horse 1877

Crazy Horse, age 34, was killed at Fort Robinson by an American soldier on September 6, 1877, while under a flag of truce. He was killed trying to defend his Sioux people and their way of life. He took up arms only after he saw the presidential signed Treaty of 1868 broken, only after he saw his leader Conquering Bear exterminated by treachery, only after he saw the failure of the government to bring forth treaty guarantees, and only after he saw his people’s lives and way of life ravaged and destroyed. The Crazy Horse memorial continues to be built with private funds with the goal to showcase all Native Americans. The Crazy Horse Monument Foundation has refused government money so that they can narrate the story without government censorship.

Badlands National Park is famous for dramatic landscapes, fossils and crazy weather

This park is a geological wonder in South Dakota, with eroded buttes, spires and layered rock formations in hues of red and gold at sunrise and sunset. The park is also a haven for fossils, preserving one of the richest fossil beds in the world. The weather is dramatic and harsh here, and conditions can change on a dime with thunderstorms rolling in at a moment’s notice. Over three days here, temperatures varied from a low of 51 to a high of 95, and from sunshine to torrential rains and lightning.

Roosevelt National Park and the American Bison

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt Jr., our 26th president, was a pioneering conservationist, establishing five national parks, 150 national forests, 51 bird reserves, and 18 national monuments. His efforts led to the protection of over 230 million acres of public land to preserve America’s beauty. He signed the Antiquities Act, empowering presidents to safeguard our natural treasures. Interesting family fact, my grandfather, Frank Milton Conklin, accompanied Teddy Roosevelt and the Roughriders during the Spanish-American War in Cuba.

Grasslands National Park; Chief Sitting Bull sought sanctuary here after the Battle of Little Bighorn

After the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, Chief Sitting Bull and 4,000 Lakota Sioux sought sanctuary in Canada. They camped at five waterways (including the Frenchman River) in what is now Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. The legendary Will James later homesteaded here in 1911 at the famous 76 Ranch, one of the oldest and largest ranches in Canada, to learn the cowboy way of life. He would become the popular author and illustrator of 25 books on the west. Grasslands National Park represents the northernmost range of the Prairie Dog and is now again home to the native bison.

 

One of the largest dark sky preserves in Canada

Cyprus Hills Interprovincial Park is among the largest dark sky preserves in Canada. Located near the southern border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the park is comprised of two units, one in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. The eastern unit has a large telescope used for public star gazing. The nearby town of Maple Creek, with its old western flavor, is a great place to grab a coffee or dinner. 

Less frequented Siyeh Pass in Glacier National Park, Montana

This is a great hike on a much less frequented trail in Glacier National Park. The Siyeh Pass trail passes through alpine meadows and higher up through the famous glacially carved Preston Park as the trail ascends up to the pass at elevation 8,800 ft-msl. There are great vista views of Matahpi Peak and Mount Siyeh. I also added photos of nearby St. Mary and Baring Falls we caught on another day.
 

Along the 49th Parallel at Waterton Lakes National Park

In 1932, an agreement between Canada and the U.S. led to the joining of Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The U.S. and Canada compromised in 1846 and agreed to the 49th parallel as the international border. The two parks are separated by a 40-foot zone that is kept cleared, with no wall (yet) between the two nations. I have never seen such a perfect lake reflection as the one I captured in the first photo.
 

Along the Great Divide - Yoho and Banff National Parks

 

Emerald lakes and glaciers abound in adjoining Yoho and Banff National Parks. Located along the great divide of the Rockies, both parks offer outstanding hiking opportunities. The emerald, green lakes and rivers are unique and breathtaking. 

The 2024 Jasper wildfire was one of the most destructive in Canadian history.

It is sobering to see in person the magnitude of wildfire damage covering 96,000 acres, so I felt the need to lead with a fire damage photo. The 2024 fire forced the evacuation of 25,000 people, and 360 structures were lost. The devasting impacts of the fast-moving fire are still evident everywhere in town, from the burned down buildings and homes, to the rows of make-shift housing still in place for displaced residents. It is good to see the positive as well. The town is booming, tourists are back, and the forest is starting to recover.

Moving beyond the fire damaged areas, the high mountain terrain offers spectacular opportunity to see a very unique landscape. Jasper National Park is truly a wonder to see.