Catskills Summer Solstice
Thursday, June 26th, 2008These photos are already displaying at their largest size.
Clicking them only brings you to a smaller version on Flickr.
We camped along Rondout Creek in the Catskills.
The weather was ideal, an unsettled combination of sun and rain.
Though I ran out of dry clothes after Sunday night’s impressive thunderstorm,
the anticipated rain cleared out the campground and left this entire paradise empty for us on Sunday and Monday.
Catskills – June 2008 from GammaBlog on Vimeo.
The video features several waterfalls and a close encounter with a deer.
I loved the worn shapes of the stones in and along the side of the creek.
It is extremely humid in the forest, moss and lichen grow everywhere.
Each cluster of moss fronds is about one half inch across.
The Blue Hole, very deep and cold. It is spring fed and supposedly a constant 56 degrees F., year round. The locals say that the water is usually blue and clear enough to see the bottom, but the recent rain must have stirred up a bit of silt. I had the pleasure of falling off a slippery ledge into the refreshing water and causing a whole lot of fuss over nothing, people flapping their arms and running around like I needed rescue. I would have more appreciated an advanced warning about that slippery ledge I was exploring. But it gave them a funny story, and me damp dollars in my wallet. I’m glad I had the foresight to not be holding my camera on the ledge.
A charming little yellow bird that persistently chirped its territory in a tree. Giving me time to zoom in on him or her.
Looks like a Photoshop filter effect, but it’s not.
On the flood plain around the creek, trees grow in all sorts of weird shapes, grasping their roots around and into rocks to hold fast.
This one looks like it is about to take a walk.
A little cave near our campsite.
Cave critters.
Despite the humidity and abundant pools of water, there are surprisingly few mosquitoes or other biting insects.
Looks like a mountain lion to me, a small seasonal waterfall near our camp.
Another one near our camp.
I hear that the deer are smart enough to become wary of humans and go deeper into the woods during hunting season. But this one let me get very close, and looking into its eyes I did not sense great intelligence.
We didn’t do this with our food. I ended up trekking it back to the car each night.
ummm…no. i would not be going in there. and what’s that glowing thing in the bottom center of the picture?
Dunno, ianapo, I didn’t notice it until you brought it up. Could be a creature about to leap at me? I hate using my camera’s flash, but that was the only way I had to see how far the cave extended. Only about 12 feet, I think. I didn’t go further than to just poke my head in.
I admire this shot greatly! The light and panorama are beautiful.
ewww, the thought of those critters crawling on me just made me shudder.
Thanks Meadaura. It was so beautiful there that it would’ve been hard to take an ugly photo.
How fun!! I’m heading up to the Catskills in a couple of weeks.
This is very cool/creepy….
I can almost smell the fresh air…Sweet shot.
Looking forward to the lichen.
oh, this is great. it is very spooky.
o.k. this is even spookier.!!
wonderful. i can hear the water flowing by.
It’s like Fear Factor, but without the annoying host, or the cash prize.
Thanks everyone. Max, you made me laugh.
it’s an ent!
I know that Treebeard lives in Tompkins Square Park:
gammablog.com/2004/04/29/treebeard/
ha! awesome.
thanks for the link to all your camping flicks – now i’m jonesing for some time spent in the great outdoors!
so beautifu…martin & i agog…making one of your pictures our page….keep travelling. M & T
Yeah, this trip was really special. We couldn’t have hoped for a better spot to camp.
wow, what beautiful pictures. The cave critters look like they could have been from harry potter. I loved the water effect that could have been photoshop. very neat.
Gorgeous shots of some gorgeous country. The deer video was pretty amazing. No turtles though…
Cool. I was just camping in the Catskills, and this female deer just came and stared at me, from like 10 feet away, she kept coming closer. I suspect previous campers had fed her in that particular clearing. I didn’t have my cam on me…
Lovely.
Considering your doe-like eyes, I think she thought you were a long lost relative, Irena.
Thx, G! I’ll take that as a compliment!
)
As it was intended.