Water and Mud Plus Tender Tiny Shoots of New Grass!

….[ “ Little streams of water run everywhere into mossy mud, and then below this into week-old grass … “ ]

~4.9 Straight Line Miles SouthSouthWest Of Rock Creek Vista Point First Roadside Rest Area, Along The Pavement, Where See Snow Banks, Beartooth Highway, WY. Many places that have snow banks are in areas that are relatively level. Here the melt water will run slowly and collect easily, making mud.
….For some reason I failed to take photographs of this mud after the snow banks, so I must substitute photos taken later.
….Please contact me if you are willing to help with needed photos along the ZMM Route. If you notice errors or have suggestions, please contact me. **************************

AN EXCERPT FROM BILLINGS GAZETTE SERVES TO INTRODUCE THE NEXT PHOTO.:
…. Just 23 miles south of Red Lodge is the only summer-specific ski destination in North America, Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area, where proficient skiers and boarders find the cool way to enjoy hot weather [when it comes at low altitudes].
….“This is for advanced skiers that are traveling to the Beartooth Pass with the intent to do some riding and skiing routes that are accessed via the highway,” said Austin Hart, manager at Beartooth Basin. “The Basin is not your average ski hill – we don’t have a lot of amenities and we don’t sell much outside of lift tickets and a unique riding experience.”
Twin Lakes Headwall Terrain
….600 acres of very steep skiing terrain that varies in pitch from 15 to 50 degrees – this is not for the faint of heart. The headwall has two high-speed platter lifts that pulls skiers along the surface of the slope at 850 degrees of vertical assist.
….With an elevation of 10,900 feet and 1,000 feet of lift serviced straight up, the surrounding areas offer 3,000 vertical feet of hike-in backcountry skiing and riding. Hardcore skiers can hike an additional 100-200 feet with the Twin Lakes headwall – even more to ski to the lakes.
….“The tourists walk to the edge of the slope and point down, commenting on how crazy all the skiers are. Most guests that ride at the Basin aren’t your average tourist,” said Mr. Hart.
….Although $ payment or a subscription may be required => For Remainder Original Newspaper Article, Click Here.
(Photo = 106-0640cz2.8 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 140i 10920ft. Photo at = 148`|k|' ft)

South Of Red Lodge, MT: The First Major Snow Field Is Seen Where Is Also =>
….A Grand Summer Super Steep 10 – 50 Degree Ski Slope & Ski Lift Area. Being Touristy, This Ski Facility Is UN-MENTIONED By The ZMM Narrator.
….Standing Beside The Ski Lift Parking Lot, and Looking Over the Steep Snow Banks =>
…. As Shown & Mentioned In Previous Interlude => a) Satellite View, and b) Topographical Map => We See A Large Side Canyon, As Well As One Of The “Twin Lakes”.
…….From Here, Just Right Of Center We Can Look Beyond A Tree Covered Ridge And See Partway Down Into A Short Section Of Rock Creek Canyon, and Of Course The. Narrator’s “Gorge”

…. [“ I look over my shoulder for one last view of the gorge. Like looking down at the bottom of the ocean. People spend their entire lives at those lower altitudes without any awareness that this high country exists. “ ]
….“ The road turns inward, away from the gorge and into snowfields.
….The engine backfires fiercely from lack of oxygen and threatens to stop but never does. “

4.9 Miles Straight Line SouthSouthWest of Rock Creek Vista Point Rest Area, and ~2 Miles Direct South Of Montana Border into Wyoming, Beartooth Highway, East Central Beartooth Plateau, WY. Click photo for largest view. A ski lift and parking lot is to the left, in this West view.
..****************..

For A Satellite View of Central Beartooth Plateau, With Summer Ski Area In CENTER SCREEN, Click Here.
..****************..

….The ZMM Narrator Reports His “ … Engine Backfires Fiercely From Lack Of Oxygen And Threatens To Stop” …
….My little red car, despite my great fear and worries, had no apparent high-altitude problems at all! This Plymouth, with fuel injection, most certainly had reduced power due to altitude, but at no time was this much evident. I even tested a burst of acceleration briefly several times but saw only a small power reduction. This was just fine, because I was content to drive very slowly, so as to enjoy the scenery and not miss any good “photo-ops” or ZMM clues.
….My fear was prompted by both the Narrator’s high altitude problems and my own alarming experience with two other cars at high altitude. Each of those two cars did exactly what the Narrators said above. At lower elevations these two cars (with carburetor engines) were just fine, but as they were driven to higher altitude (over 8000 feet) their backfiring and complete loss of power absolutely prevented further climbing.
….If the Sutherland’s cycle had similar problem, it is not mentioned. Was this because its (relatively huge) powerful engine had enough reserve-capacity not to be bothered by reduced oxygen? Or was it because the Narrator (generally) reports only his own problems?
..****************..

The ZMM Narrator Mentions “ One Last View Of The Gorge. “ But Nary A Whisper of The Tourist Attraction Ski Area!
….The /\ Above /\ Photo shows The Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area, which includes a view partway down into a short section of Rock Creek Canyon, O/c The. Narrator’s “Gorge”: This factually, is indeed the LAST place to see Rock Creel Canyon {Gorge_ from US-212, because indeed thereafter =>.“ The road turns inward, away from the gorge … “
….AND Although the Narrator says “ I look over my shoulder for one last view of the gorge. ” [exactly here looking beyond The Twin Lakes], he says nothing about the equally OBVIOUS “Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area” with Big Signs immediately beside the Beartooth Highway (US-212).
….As discussed in earlier photos, this is another circumstance where => The ZMM Narrator completely bypassed and never mentions the many, many, quite interesting places, all of them quite close the ZMM travel route!!
..****************..

….For A Google Street View (GSV) Showing Similar To /\ Above /\ Photo, Right Click and Open In A New Tab. AFTER this GSV Comes Up, You May ClickDrag The Left Side Panel To Access More Photos & Panoramas.

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(Photo = 106-0621s ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 137w & 138w 10,924ft)

About 2.3 Miles South Of The Montana-Wyoming Border =>
….Looking Further South At The Mountains & Valleys of Wyoming’s Beartooth Plateau.
….We Are Looking Ahead To The Photos & Discussion Of => The ZMM Narrator’s High Country , BOTH Physical Landscape and Mental-Philosophic Landscape!

….[ “Dark sky now and cold. Except where the sun hits. On the sun side my arm and leg and jacket are hot, but the dark side, in deep shadows now, is very cold.“ ]

~ 1/4 Mile South of Ski Area, Beartooth Highway, Shoshone National Forest, WY. Now we have passed the first two maximum elevations on the Beartooth Highway.
..1) Near the Ski Area (10.938 ft).
..2) And factually the highest elevation of this highway (10,982 ft).
My notes and my GPS both show that we come down slightly to an elevation at (WayPt = 141`|w|' 10,968 feet) for the /\ Above /\ Photo.
..****************..
Please Notice In /\ Above /\ Photo =>
..A) My photo vantage point is on the edge of the pavement. Note the “only rocks” rubble pile, pushed over to make the mountain’s slope level for the highway. This is evidence that up here there is almost pure broken stone under the grass! This shows there is practically no top soil up here. It could be called “only rocky soil”!
..B) Also, please note general appearance of the rolled edge of the storm clouds, which are Running North to South. And note the opening in the clouds with the white blue sky (West).
..C) Remember all this in above B) => It will help you stay direction oriented in the photos to come. For examples =>
….1) You will see a Forthcoming Photo taken on the far side of that snow speckled closer range. This is seven miles further south, and in it => You will also see the same patch of sky, but by that point, the final downward descent from The ZMM Narrator’s High Country will be evident.
….2) Just beyond this valley ahead, you see another plateau practically level to here. Remember this general appearance, since it will help you understand the Six Photos FOLLOWING the ZMM Narrator’s “Tunnel of Snow”.
….3) At left edge of photo => Beyond the grassy slope, you can see the continuation of the road descending down toward a low area (valley), which is behind the snow covered mount at right. Remember this general appearance, because => In the NEXT Photo September2006 0075, you will see the same stretch of highway, that will finally show the previously much discussed “Hogback”, which is behind the snow covered mount at right.

************************
(Photo = 106-0625 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141`|w|' 10,968ft)

A Scenic View Showing the Five Switchback Road =>
….Which Climbs ”The Steep Hogback Land-Bridge Formation” =>.
……And Shows Where the Narrator Found “The Twin Walls of Snow".“

….[ “ The snowfields become heavy and show steep banks where snowplows have been. The banks become four feet high, then six feet, then twelve feet high. We move through twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow. “ ] “ Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit.
….Beyond is another country. Mountain lakes and pines and snowfields are below. Above and beyond them as far as we can see are farther mountain ranges covered with snow. The high country. “

AFTER The Distant Horizon Ridge Is The ZMM Narrator’s “High Country“, Beartooth Highway, WY..In /\ Above /\ Photo Center Screen, , just over the rocks left center, you see the downward trending road ahead. This is the SAME stretch of road shown in the Previous Photo.
….The road then somewhat turns left, and then starts to climb up this somewhat narrow "hogback", and follows a series of 5 switchbacks, steadily climbing 6% grade, to finally go over (unseen) The ZMM Narrator’s at the summit…. Beyond is another country. … The high country.
..****************..

….Here Please Remember The Previous Interlude Discussion At =>
…..The “Dramatic Aerial View” Photograph =>
………A Dramatic Aerial View Of The Beartooth Highway Climbing a “Hogback”!
..****************..
….AND NOW => In the /\ Above /\ Photo, with your Memory of The Previous => “Dramatic Aerial View” Photograph => You should delight to discern this well remembered “Hogback Land-Bridge Formation”, but of course seen from a vantage point about a mile away and from quite a different angle.
….On this Land-Bridge is exactly the location of the Narrator’s “ The snowfields become heavy and show steep banks where snowplows have been. The banks become four feet high, then six feet, then twelve feet high. We move through twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow. Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit. ".

To Help Prepare Your Eyes And Mind => To Really See What Is There!!
….Please Keep In Mind =>The Following Forthcoming Photo Sequence.
..A) A Magnified Telephoto View Of The /\ Above /\ Photo, taken from this same WayPt = 141 location.
..B) FIVE Forthcoming Photos showing “ six feet, then twelve feet high. " The snow in these 5 photos happens to be (as seen in /\ Above /\ Photo) up from the rocks the first tier, which is after the first switchback at left.
….AND then “ twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow. " is just after the second switchback a bit let of photo center seen /\ Above /\. => =>
….These 5 Photos Will Show The Narrator's ""Ever Deepening Snow”
….THEN “Twin Walls Of Snow” . As Follows =>
..1) 100 feet prior to.
..2) 15 feet prior to.
..3) 15 feet prior to (close up).
..4) At the 2nd switchback.
..5) At the 2nd switchback (close up).
..****************..

…DATE-LINE: April 10, 2021. by Henry Gurr.
As Has Been Discussed Previously At => Way, Way, Previous Interlude “Dramatic Aerial View” Photograph =>
…..In Traveling This Road Twice (2002, 2006), I Did Not At All Know Any Of This Or Even Begin To Appreciate =>
..A) The dramatic nature of how this road crosses over that narrow, steeply inclined, Land-Bridge called in this album “Hogback” or alternate name "Razorback".
..B) The fact it's the only way to transfer between two broader highland plateaus, and thus
..C) This Land-Bridge makes it FAR EASIER, AND MAKES POSSIBLE to construct the Beartooth Highway, from Red Lodge, MT to Yellowstone National Park.
..D) Here A Unique Combination Of Geological & Geographic Mountain Features Propel This “Hogback” Land Bridge, To Become Significant (Very Deep Show) To The ZMM Narrator.
..E) It was ONLY from CLOSE study of Previous Interlude => a) Aerial Photo, b) Satellite View, and c) Topographical Map => Combined with CLOSE study of previously shown Interlude Topo Maps, ONLY THEN did I (Henry Gurr) even begin to start to “Tease Out” the above A), B), C), D), & E) discussion and understanding.
..F) In fact, it was the ~Accidental Discovery of the previously shown Interlude “Dramatic Aerial View” Photograph by Merv Coleman, which, AHA, spurred me to study all of this closely!!
..G) AND of course all this new understanding is now edit modified into the Previous and Forthcoming Photos & Captions.
CONCLUSION:
….If you plan to travel this way, study this photo to prepare your eyes and mind to really see what is here!! Ditto for continued viewing in this Photo Album!

*************************
(Photo = September 2006 0075 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141m 10,836ft)

Although This Photo Was Originally Taken To Show the Angry Clouds, It Does Show A Telephoto Magnified View of =>
...A) The Upper “Hogback” With The TOP TWO Stretches of Switchbacked Road, Which At The Very Top, Disappear Over The Horizon.
...B) ALSO Seen Very Faintly, Look Close At Far Right, Is The Ghostly Outline Of The Rightly Famous “Beartooth Mountain”!
…C) As Mentioned Previous Photo, the Blue Sky Is Direction West.

“ .... we see we’re at the summit.“

High Country, Beartooth Pass, WY. This photo was taken from the same vantage point as the previous photo, but Telephoto “Zoomed-In” to show a detail close up view of the very top of the Hogback Land Bridge Formation, and the surrounding land. This is the Landscape beyond and higher up from => The ZMM Narrator’s “The Twin Walls of Snow.“
….Double click the photo to get the largest view => Then you can study the switchbacks to the highest elevations which you can faintly see at the horizon.
….The ZMM Narrator’s => “ we see we’re at the summit.“, is just, AFTER The Distant Horizon Ridge, and thus is where starts => The ZMM Narrator’s “High Country“,

In /\ Above /\ Photo => At The Extreme Right,
…You Will See, Very Faintly, Instantly Recognizable =>
……The Outline Of Wonderfully Beautiful Twin Peaks Of Very Distinctive Shapes.
….These peaks called the Beartooth for obvious reasons and thus are a famous local prospector’s & surveyor’s landmark for all of the Beartooth Plateau! And correspondingly will be shown in many forthcoming Photos.

************************
(Photo = September 2006 0074 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141 m 10,836ft)

Into the Snow Fields A Second Time.

…. “ The snowfields become heavy and show steep banks where snowplows have been. “

ZMM Route Second Major Snow Field Area, Hogback Formation, Beartooth Highway, WY.
..****************..
ONLY After I Got Around The Switch-Back Shown In The NEXT PHOTO, Did I Realize I Had Passed On By This Graphic Scene In /\ Above /\ Photo.

Here Are My Corrective Steps And On-The-Spot Mental Dialogue =>
…. In Order To “Take” The /\ Above /\ Photo =>
….My paper notes say “went back for snow bank”. My mental dialog at that time =>
……‘OK. Forget my normal practice of keeping my car off of highway AND out of the photo => ‘Car and highway are now a required part of the photo.
….‘The car must be positioned to show the relative size of the snow banks. ‘Your must position the car back there! ‘Don’t get hit by another car. ‘Turn around in the middle of the highway. ‘Watch it! ‘Don’t go over the edge!‘ ‘There’s no berm on either side of the pavement! ‘Don’t get stuck in the snow or mud. ‘Do two complete “three point turns" so the car is pointed in the direction of the ZMM Route. ‘Don’t cause an accident. ‘Cars rounding the corner can’t see. ’Find a safe spot. 'Don’t obstruct the highway. ‘Steep slope! ‘Don’t forget to set transmission in park and lock parking brakes. ‘Everything OK? ‘Be sure another car doesn’t hit me when opening the door! ‘Slog down the deep snow. ‘Position the shot. ‘Don’t forget to be sure actually look at the camera, to see if it actually took the picture. ‘And actually look at camera display screen to see just taken pix is OK. ‘Don’t forget to take the GPS reading and double check it is saved. ‘Don’t forget to make extra pictures "just in case". ‘Etc. Etc, Etc Etc.
….This is a somewhat extreme example of my usual mental dialogue when taking ZMM Route Research Photos!
..****************..

A ROAD GEOGRAPHY NOTE.
….My paper research notes and the GPS both show that I have gone down a long hill, through a lower area (with rivulets of water & mud) and then come back up a small amount of elevation to 10,736 feet. The topo map contours are hard to read but it looks like this WayPt is about 10,540 feet. This is just a bit lower than my GPS at the ski lift area 10,982 feet.

….As Is True For The Summer Ski Area
….Why Is The Snow Also So VERY Deep Here, On This “Hogback”?
…1) It is on a North facing slope away from Summer Melting By Sun.
…2) And again ((as was discussed and shown in the Previous” Interlude Explanation” => a) A “Dramatic Aerial View” Photograph, b) A Satellite View, and c) A Topographical Map.)) this Hogback, it is apparently an especially good place for local snow “drop-out” from the Snow Laden strong NW wind, coming from Upper Rock Creek Canyon, through side valleys.
…3) And as discussed in the Previous Interlude => This local snow “drop-out” is because these Snow Laden Winds coming up the very, very, steep slopes of the (quite close by) edge of “The Hogback Formation”, here do an aerodynamic “up-sweep + swirl” action, that nicely drops deep layers of snow hereabouts, :

You Will Also See More Views The Road Switchbacks & Tiers On The Hogback, In The 5th, 7th, And 8th Next Photos, Showing Respectively =>

..5th “Exactly What Is Beyond The ZMM Narrator’s “ Then The Tunnel Opens Onto Dark Sky Again, And When We Emerge … .“ “

..7th “Standing On The Fourth Tier, Looking DOWN & A Bit East of North, Two More Tiers And One Switchback, Are Seen. “

..8th showing “Still On The Fourth Tier, But Have Moved Left & Turned The Camera Left, So View Is Looking STEEP DOWN Northwest, To See One Tier And Part of A Switchback.”
*************************
(Photo = 106-0624 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 140k 10.665ft )

View Southeast, About 100 Feet Up Along The Road, From The Previous Photo.=>
….The Deep Snow Banks Reach Exactly To the Edge of the Pavement.
…….At Upper Left, Tundra And A Rock Out-Cropping Are Seen Up the Mountain Side.

…. [“ The snowfields become heavy and show steep banks where snowplows have been. “ ]

ZMM Route, Second Major Snow Field, Beartooth Highway, WY. (GPS 44.9741 -109.45795 10,679ft ) …About a 1/2 mile back, before I got to the location of The /\ Above /\ Photo, I had gone around a left turn switchback and started climbing along a North Facing Slope.

What's The Reasons For Deep Snow Remaining Here In Mid June? =>
….The answer is the same to that given in the Previous Photo => Apparently, local snow “drop-out” from the Snow Laden Strong NW Wind coming up the adjacent steep slopes. This is like that ski slope, where there is an up sweep updraft from which the snow drops out.…. Somehow this is in a "back-current area” shielded from wind.
…. This is like the action at the previously seen ski slope. Somehow this is in a "back-current area” shielded from wind, combined with a North facing slope which is turned away from melting heat of the sun.

In /\ Above /\ Photo At Left, Notice The Grass Covered Mountain Incline And Rock Out-Crop.
…. This area is actually getting close to the top of a knoll, which Topo Maps & The ZMM Narrator calls “The Summit”, at elevation 10,982 feet.
….By comparison => The topo map shows that the road, just after the ski lift area, also maxes-out at a “benchmark”(BM = 10,938ft).

*************************
(Photo = 106-0623 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142`|w| 10,679ft)

The Deep Snow, Is Getting Even Deeper!
….Soon This Will Be the Greatest Depth of All!

…. [“The snowfields become heavy and show steep banks where snowplows have been. “] The banks become four feet high, then six feet, then twelve feet high. “

ZMM Route, Second Major Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway, WY.
*************************

(Photo = 106-0626cz1.7 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142i ~10,679ft)

Finally … There It Is! =>
…The ZMM Narrator’s “Twin Walls of Snow”. View Southwest.
…...Made From Trees The Tall Wooden Poles Help Guide The Snow Plows Not To “Lose The Pavement”.


….. “ We move through twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow. “

ZMM Route, Second Major Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway, WY. Elevation is 10,736 feet.
….In the /\ Above /\ Photo => Note grass and mud in melt water stream, along pavement. In these high elevations of the Beartooth Plateau, there is generally very little topsoil, as may be seen in the rocks piled from road construction bulldozers most places along the road. Thus it takes some flowing water to make a collection of mud.
….As stated in Previous Photos => The deep snow here is => Apparently, local snow “drop-out” from the strong NW wind coming up the adjacent steep slopes, where the snow then drops out.
….This is like the action at the previously seen ski slope, Somehow this is in a "back-current area” shielded from wind, combined with a North facing slope which is turned away from melting heat of the sun.
..****************..

Here We Pause To Note The Narrator’s Enthusiastic Snowfields Description of The Stunted Trees, Grass, Lichens, Pin-Points-Of-Color Flowers.
…..The Following Summarizes The Narrators High Country Series On ZMM Page 110. =>

..." Stunted trees;
….no trees, just grass; grass and flowers and lichens;
…. into the snow fields; and
….finally between banks of old snow."

(A Ski Area & go over a crest unmentioned by Narrator.) Then more
…."grass, flowers, mud, melt water." Then
…"walls of heavy snow, and finally
….the highest twin wall tunnel of snow."

…. The Narrative Step By Step, Accurately, Factually, Fits The ZMM Travel Scenery Landscape Experiences.
….Prior to the Narrator’s above "walls of heavy snow ", the road goes down along a long South facing slope, which should have plenty of sun and warmth for followers. And eventually the road goes through a low area, which most assuredly would have an even deeper muddy snow-melt stream along the pavement than is shown in the /\ Above /\ Photo
….Although the Narrator here omits five switchbacks, the factual accuracy continues as we move into more of the high country, towards the physical high country climax at “the summit”, which is factually the highest elevation of this highway at 10,982 ft.

….This Accuracy Seen So Many Places In ZMM Indeed Is> “Consistently Responsible To The Landscape” scroll down to find Professor Robert Nelson on my links page..

*************************
(Photo = 106-0626 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142w 10,679ft)

Finally … There It Is … CLOSE UP =>
…The ZMM Narrator’s “Twin Banks Of Snow” !
…….But The Scenery, Beyond The Twin Walls Banks of Snow, Only Partly Fits The ZMM Narrative.

…. “Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit. .. Beyond is another country. Mountain lakes and pines and snowfields are below. Above and beyond them as far as we can see are farther mountain ranges covered with snow. The high country."

ZMM Route, Second Major Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway, WY. From my travel in 2002 => I must confess that I do not remember what the landscape looks like precisely straight ahead, immediately after the Narrator’s “twin banks of snow”. This is because I wanted to get my car moved as soon as possible away from the curve, with obviously obstructed view of oncoming traffic.
….Although my car was safely to the right of the pavement edge, my attention was entirely focused on being sure I did not have an accident, as I pulled away from my tight-against-the-snow-bank-parking-position.
….I remember that my plan was to drive on ahead to a good parking spot, then walk back where I could then get a photo exactly for this above ZMM Passage. But apparently I waited too long! Sure enough, distracted by the challenge of the next scenes, I never walked back for the proper photograph.

However, The /\ Above /\ Photo Showing The Entrance To The Tunnel
….Somewhat Does Show Just A Bit Of What The Narrator Tells Us => “
…Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit. .. Beyond is another country. "
…Looking closely in the crack ahead of my car, you can see some of the far mountain side and patches of light blue sky streaked with clouds. If you click on the WayPoint number below, you will see from the Topozone Map that the road ahead points NW.

However, The Narrator Is Only Partly Correct To Say =>
…. " and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit. "
As you will see from the next four photos, our ZMM riders must climb four more switch backs and drive a mile SW, before they can say "we see we’re at the summit.".

The NEXT Photo Is A NW View, Thanks To Google Street View (GSV),
…. This GSV shows exactly, what the country straight ahead, beyond the tunnel of snow, looks like. You will see what the Narrator tells us =>“Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see .. . "
….AND ALSO wonderful, in this GSV shows a beautiful sunny, low atmospheric moisture day: Thus there is the ADDED BONUS OF “darker blue-black sky” looking up.
….Good to have this, because all my own photos completely fail to show the ZMM Narrator’s,“ High Country ” with “ Dark Blue Sky”,” Bright Sun” and “Dark Shadows. ”.

*************************
(Photo = 106-0626cz1.9 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142i)

On A Beautiful Sunny Day =>
…This GSV Shows Exactly What Is Beyond The ZMM Narrator’s
……. “ Then The Tunnel Opens Onto Dark Sky Again, And When We Emerge … .“
..****************..
….Such Scenery Metaphorically Helps The ZMM Narrator To Finish His Poetic Preparation for =>
….His Physical Landscape ”High Country” AND His ”High Country Of The Mind.”
..****************..

….NOTE1: Just Above The Word “Google” At The Bottom Of /\ Above /\ Photo, You See A Strip Of Grey. This Is The Highway, One Tier Down.
….NOTE2: Please Remember (As Is Shown Above) That The Narrator’s “ … almost a tunnel of snow. “ Is located TWO Switchbacks Up On “The Hogback”: This means that this “Almost A Tunnel of Snow” Is On The Third Tier Up:
….NOTE3: To better understand “The Hogback”, you may have to go back 14-to 16 photos to study Previously Much Discussed => a) Aerial Photo, b) Satellite View, and c) Topographical Map.
..****************..

….[ “ Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit.
….Beyond is another country. Mountain lakes and pines and snowfields are below.
…… Above and beyond them as far as we can see are farther mountain ranges covered with snow. The high country.“ ]

Looking Beyond The Narrator’s “Twin Walls of Snow” , ZMM Route, Second Major Snowfields, Beartooth Highway, WY. In the /\ Above /\ GSV Photo (Altitude 10,589 ft), an example of the Narrator’s “Dark Shadows” are seen in the “Medium Dark Cloud Shadows” at lower right. AND an example of the Narrator’s “Dark Sky” is seen as the “Darker Blue-Black Sky at Top Of Photo, to right of center,
…. EXPLANATION: To see better see this “Darker Blue-Black Sky” (Top Right of /\ Above / \Photo) is indeed a Darker Blue, trending towards a Darker “Blue-Black”, please watch the darkest blue area, and move your head up & down, as you view your computer screen, at top right. .
..****************..
.... In Earlier Photo Captions, We Have Reviewed The Narrator’s Accuracy Of Grass & Flowers, Alternating With Ever Deepening Snow.
….This Is Double Emphasis Of What Is Seen In The Physical Landscape =>
……AND this is the Narrator's "poetic preparation" for us to understand his upcoming Philosophy Chautauquas: These Chautauquas, The Narrator calls the "High Country of the Mind"!.
..****************..
To Totally Remember The Narrator’s “Poetic Preparation” And Fixate Into Your Understanding =>
….Let's Summarize His Three Italic Statements, Which Are Master Motifs As Fully Discussed In Previous Photos:
..1) Before the "Tunnel".=> We have the alternating contrasts of: “Dark sky now and cold. ”
..2) In the "tunnel". => We leave the hum drum confined world of ~ordinary daily life: We move through twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow.
3) After the "Tunnel".=> We emerge clean and pure into the high rarefied world created by human imagination (“High Country of the Mind ”) where: .... the tunnel opens onto dark sky again. .which is (as best possible), illustrated in the /\ Above /\ Photo.
…. Good to have this, because all my own photos completely fail to show the ZMM Narrator’s “ High Country ” with “ Dark Blue Sky”, “Bright Sun” and “Dark Shadows. ”

..****************..
Of Course, The ZMM Narrator’s “ Dark Sky Again“ Means Darker Black-Blue Sky That Is Trending To Black Sky … Almost No Sky At All.
….This Very Thin, High Altitude Air, With Greatly Reduced Moisture, Lets In The Searing Search Light Illumination Of The Brilliant Sun That Allows Us To Examine Closely (& Philosophically) Everything.
….Bright areas vividly contrast with really dark shadows. This is a trend toward the extreme, black sky, and black shadows in photos taken in outer space
..****************..
To Do Your OWN GSV of the /\ Above Photo Scene => The RIGHT CLICK AND SELECT “NEW TAB” => …After Google Street View (GSV) Comes Up, Then =>
Click the Google Street View Image, WHERE you want the “VIEW” To go. => At any time, you can Click On The Plus & Minus To Zoom AND You can “ClickDrag” the Image On Screen in any direction for a better view.
*************************
(Photo = GoogStVu 100ftAftTunnelSno2ndSwBkHogbackBeartooothHyDkBluSky&DkShdw.jpg...... ZMM Page = 110-111 ...... WayPt = 142i2 10,580ft.)

…. “Then The Tunnel Opens Onto Dark Sky Again. [… and … ]
….Beyond Is Another Country. ….
…… As Far As We Can See Are Farther Mountain Ranges …. The High Country”. “
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….This Is A SECOND Photo Illustrating The ZMM Narrator’s Vision =>
……. Scenery With “ Dark Sky “ As Well As Bright Sun with Very Dark, Nearly Black Shadows, Such Scenery Metaphorically Helps The ZMM Narrator To Finish His Poetic Preparation for His "High Country” => ….BOTH Physical Landscape and Mental Philosophic.

Many Miles South Of The Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow, Beartooth Highway, WY. In the /\ Above /\ Photo (Altitude estimated~9,600 ft), please note the Really Brightly Illuminated Rocks. AND please note the Contrasting, Really Dark Shadows, that are Almost Black, trending to be like Outer Space. AND at Top Of Photo, to right of center, note the “Darker Blue-Black Sky”
…. EXPLANATION: To see that this “Darker Blue-Black Sky” (Top Right of /\ Above /\ Photo) is indeed trending to a Darker Blue-Black => Please watch the darkest blue area, and move your head up & down, as you view your computer screen, at top right.
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Repeating Previous Photo =>
….Of Course, The ZMM Narrator’s “ Dark Sky Again“ Means Darker Black-Blue Sky, That Is Trending To Almost Black Sky.
….This Very Thin, High Altitude Air With Greatly Reduced Moisture, Lets In The Searing Search Light Illumination Of The Brilliant Sun That Allows Us To Examine Closely (& Philosophically) Everything.
….In the /\ Above /\ Photo => notice the Bright Areas Vividly Contrast With Really Dark Shadows. This is a trend toward the extreme, black sky, and black shadows in photos taken in Outer Space, such as the Moon Surface, Link Below. You have to understand that it is our earth’s atmosphere that makes our sky “blue”, as we normally see it.
… To See Outer Space Extreme Example Of Dark Sky And Black Shadows. RIGHT CLICK HERE AND OPEN IN A NEW BROWSER Will Window. This link shows A Really Wide
=> “Panorama View of Astronaut Running On Moon’s Surface”.!!


So Now, Dear Reader, It Is Up To You => To Go From The /\ Above /\ Photo View, And Mentally Visualize, the Scenery as if it was at higher & higher in elevation (with less & less atmosphere & moisture)
… Then you should visualize result that will tend (more & more) toward being in outer space where there is NO atmospheric air: This is where there are the absolutely black shadows, and absolutely black sky, as is seen in the above mentioned “Panorama .. On Moon’s Surface”.!!
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…. However, All This Is Quite Contrary To My Photographs Of The High Country.
…. In my photos you are seeing the effect of higher humidity spring time atmospheric conditions, which show clouds, hazy, no sun, no shadows.
….And, because of the higher humidity, where there does happen to be a break in the clouds, the sky is at best whitish blue.
SUMMARY:
….The ZMM Narrator’s Master Motifs Repeatedly Emphasize =>
…. How Super Bright Areas Vividly Contrast With Really Dark Shadows And Dark Sky Which Are The Result Of High Altitude and Very Thin Low Humidity Atmosphere.
….With the exception of my Sept 2006 photos, most of this Album’s 2002 Beartooth Plateau Photos, show effects of High Humidity, Overcast Cloudy Sky, & and No Sun: These are the opposite conditions to show what the Really Dark Shadows And Dark Sky ZMM Narrator emphasizes.

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(Photo =.September 2006 DSC_0120 ..... ZMM Page = 110-111 ...... WayPt = 142 10580ft. Photo at = 148`|w|' 9578ft estimated)

The Road Is Climbing The “Hogback Formation To The ZMM Narrator’s Summit.
….A View Four Minutes After And One Tier Up From The ZMM Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow
….Standing On The Fourth Tier, Looking DOWN & A Bit East of North, Two More Tiers And One Switchback Are Seen


….“[Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see….“ ]

Steep Slope On Hogback Formation, Beartooth Highway, WY. The Narrator omits any mention of the Four Switchbacks and Five Tiers on the Hogback Formation. .
….Despite this, I thought you should see this /\ Above /\ Photo, and the Next Four Photos of the scenery on the way to A Factual Altitude Climax for the Narrator’s “Summit” of his “High Country”. .

Here, On The Fourth Tier Up, We See A Scene Similar The Narrator’s “ When We Emerge We See ….“,
….The upper half of /\ Above /\ Photo shows the landscape & distant Upper Rock Creek "Gorge" : This is a view similar to what our ZMM Riders may have seen immediately after emerging from the Twin Snow Banks. I believe the “tunnel of snow” is out of view, to the right of the /\ Above /\ Photo.
….Standing on this higher Fourth Tier, we see the long grey curve of Third Tier next down. And then looking carefully thru the Guard Rail of this Third Tier, you see a patch of white snow and the short grey curve of the Switchback and Second Tier. … For the ZMM Traveler arriving onto the “Hogback”, this is the First Switchback they would see.
….The /\ Above /\ Photo gives a good view of the distant Upper Rock Creek "Gorge" , and is a view very similar to the Google Street View which was the SECOND Previous Photo:
….These two “Views” of course look a lot like the Previous Ski Lift Photo, where the. Narrator says “ I look over my shoulder for one last view of the gorge. .”

EXPLANATION:
As Discussed Above, It Is Indeed Possible To See The Narrator’s "Gorge" , From The Hogback Formation.
…. Thus, factually the Ski Lift Area is NOT “ one last view of the gorge. ”. This is because (as shown in the /\ Above /\ Photo), you can indeed see the upper reaches of Rock Creek Gorge / Canyon in the Far Distance:
….However, when a traveler is actually ON the Hogback Formation, it is not so obvious that Rock Creek "Gorge" " Is seen in the distance (as technical matter of fact).

The /\ Above /\ Photo Showing The Narrator’s =>
….. “ When We Emerge We SEE ….“, Of Course, Also Reminds Us Of =>
..A) Those Previous Photos (after Red Lodge) which showed the 5 Zig-Zag Switch-Backs up to the Rest Area “Turn Out”. …(( In the /\ Above /\ Photo these “Zig-Zags” are “down valley” to the right, some 18 miles “as the crow flies”.))
..B) AND reminds us of Previous Photos where “Up valley” is trending Southwest to central Yellowstone National Park some 80 miles by the same measure. Of course, the distance by road is considerably greater! … ((In the /\ Above /\ Photo these “up valley to NYP” are to the left.))

To See A GSV from Top Of “Hogback”, On Fifth Tier … AND Then Do Your Own “GSV Drive” South To See The Narrator’s “High Country” => RIGHT CLICK AND SELECT “NEW TAB” => …After Google Street View (GSV) Comes Up, Then =>
..1) On This GSV Fifth Tier => Study carefully to see Tiers 4 & 3, then look close between the poles (further down) to see a small strip of Grey that is the First Tier. THEN to the left, you can discern the Switchback Curve of this Tier. … Be sure you are finished THEN =>
..2) Click the Google Street View Image WHERE you want the “VIEW” To go. => At any time, you can Click On The Plus & Minus To Zoom AND You can “ClickDrag” the Image On Screen in any direction for a better view
….AND, Moving South, A Continuing View Of The Narrator’s “Summit” & “High Country” .

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(Photo = 106-0627 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 143w)

Continued Climbing The “Hogback Formation” To The ZMM Narrator’s Summit.
….View Six Minutes After, And Continuing On One Tier Up From, And Looking Back Towards The ZMM Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow
….And Still On The Fourth Tier, But Have Moved Left & Turned The Camera Left, So View Is Looking STEEPLY DOWN Northwest, To See One Tier And Part of A Switchback.
….View Includes White and Yellow Wild Flowers, and Slope On-Down To The Marmot.

….[ “Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see….“ ]

Steep Slope On Hogback Formation, At Gravel Edge of Beartooth Highway, WY. …New grass grows out of the gravel beside the highway pavement. We also see a variety of small plants, some of which have white or yellow flowers. Look closely and you will see the in the bottom center, several of the red brown broad leaf plants. I accidently discovered this ~”flower Garden” only because I had decided I would park my car and climb down this slope to participate the reality of the Marmot killed on the highway below. You can see the abandoned critter in the center of the highway right lane, this side of the melt water patches.
….(To See The Marmot Close Up In My Personal ZMM Route Experiences Album, Click Here.)
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OBJECT LESSON => Prior To My Climb Down This Slope, I Had Entirely Missed These Wild Flowers
….Also Missed The Flowers Further Down As Shown In NEXT THREE Photos!
….I thus discover that it is easy to completely miss what had been looking for, even though I had been looking for Beartooth Plateau Flowers, ever since The Rock Cree Vista Point !!
….For example, I had just driven the highway seen below, parked somewhat beyond to the left of the Marmot location, and had walked around down there to take the previous photo over the guard rail, a portion of which is seen in /\ Above /\ Photo.
….Despite all this looking & taking photos, I had not seen any flowers there (nor down this slope) until I started to climb down this steep slope!
AGAIN THE MAJOR ZMM MESSAGE =>
….Stop! Get Out Of Your Car, and Go Hiking!!
Most Often You Will Be Totally Surprised, Even Delighted, By What You Find!!
….Either Way: Participate! Be There!!
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In /\ Above /\ Photo, notice the washed out white sky. This is the effect of photographing in a direction towards the PM sun. Please remember this and contrast to forthcoming photos, some of which show similar washed out white sky, and others do not.
….AND That wood pole is NOT a tree! (Answer in later photos.) For Topo Map, Click on WayPt Number below.
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To See Two More Good Examples Of High-Altitude “Darker Blue Sky & Black Shadows.“
….AND A Super High-Altitude Balloon View.
..A) To Appreciate The “Darker Blue Sky & Black Shadows.“ => Click Till Get Largest View.
..B) To Appreciate The “Darker Blue Sky & Black Shadows.“ => Click Till Get Largest View.
..C) At The TOP of this View, You see the Bold Blue Curve Of Earth’s Uppermost Atmosphere. Looking Further Up. The Bold Blue Shades To The TOTALLY BLACK Of Outer space. Click Till Get Largest View.
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(Photo = 106-0630 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = WayPt = 144w > After Map Come Up > Upper left > Immediately Click Upper Left > For full Screen.)

Eight Minutes After The ZMM Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow,
….An Unexpected Discovery: Little Purple Flowers Highlight the Rocks and Last Summer’s Grass. Of Course, There Are NO Trees!

….[ “There’s not a tree anywhere, only grass everywhere filled with little pink and blue and white dots of intense color.“]

Climbing Down Steep Slope On Hogback Formation, Beartooth Highway, WY. The Narrator's descriptions of all the beautiful flowers in the "High Country" had alerted me to be looking for flowers all along the highways of my ZMM Route Research.
….After The Rock Creek Vista Point, I especially was looking for flowers near locations that would best fit the ZMM Narrator’s passage above. This looking was at my Way Point 136, but none were seen in that area.
….In retrospect, I imagine that there could have been warm sunny slopes for flowers all around WayPt = 136. But I just did not know where to look for them, or more likely, the flowers were there, I just did not see them!..
….By pure chance, at Way Point 145 /\ Above /\ Photo, I had decided to climb down the steep slope to photograph a marmot killed along the highway. This was steep down to the next tier, and by a switchback. To do this I climbed straight down a steep Northwestern facing slope. And, here by pure chance, I discovered some very nice wild flowers! The Previous Photo 106-0630 shows a view of the slope I climbed down.

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(Photo = 106-0632 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 136i3 …… Photo at WayPt = 145w)

Nine Minutes After The ZMM Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow,
…. Close Up To An Unexpected Discovery: More Little Purple Flowers Highlight the Rocks and Last Summer’s Grass. Of Course, There Are NO Trees!

….[ “There’s not a tree anywhere, only grass everywhere filled with little pink and blue and white dots of intense color.“]

Climbing Down Steep Slope On Hogback Formation, Beartooth Highway, WY. What is the reason these flowers can flourish here (somewhat better than other places) at these elevations? I think it is this steep Northwest facing hill side was / is on a slope and orientation that got much greater sun & daily warmth. This would occur in the Mid Summer, several hours a day, Mid to Late Afternoon, while the sun is actually to the Northwest, and somewhat perpendicular to the steep slope. This sunshine condition my photos happen to duplicate.
….The warmth advances these flowers well in advance of the surrounding land. I came through here June 21, two weeks prior to the Narrator and crew, so I may have gotten to this area a bit too early in the growing season, to really expect to see the Narrator's flowers.
….What my photos show on this "extra warm sun enhanced slope”, surely would appear later all over the higher and more level areas of open tundra seen in my photos. AND now I know => Warm sunny slopes would be the best locations to find flowers to properly fit-in with the ZMM Narrative.

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(Photo = 106-0631 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 136i3 …… Photo at WayPt = 145w)

Unexpected Discoveries, Ten Minutes After The ZMM Narrator’s Twin Walls of Snow,
….Close Up: Rocks, with Lichens, and Last Summer’s Grass In the Highest Elevations of the ZMM Route. Of Course, There Are NO Trees!

….[ “There’s not a tree anywhere, only grass everywhere filled with little pink and blue and white dots of intense color.“]…. “ These [flowers] and grasses and mosses and lichens are all that can live here, now. We’ve reached the high country, above the timberline.“

Climbing Down Steep Slope On Hogback Formation, Beartooth Highway, WY. As mentioned in the 2nd previous photo:
..1) I just did not know where to look for wild flowers, or more likely, the flowers were there, I just did not see them!
..2) And: It was only by pure chance that I found the lichens in the above photo (as well as those flowers of previous two photos)!
….I found them ONLY because I had decided to climb down the grass covered slope to see the Marmot.

A Major Object Lesson Continued:
….To really see "what is there" on any trip, you must stop and get out of your car and go on short hikes. … Even if you don’t want to! … Even if you have no expectation of finding something … you must go explore!
….It is an important real fact => Some of my most enjoyable experiences were when I least expected them! Some of my best discoveries happened, and best photos found, when I was forced to stop, even when I did not want to!
….Or course, once stopped, you must get out of the car, and go for a long hike, like the Narrator.

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(Photo = 106-0634 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 136i3 …… Photo at WayPt = 145w)

This Photo, Taken At The Highest Beartooth Highway Elevation, Really Is The ZMM Narrator’s “The Summit” !
….Valleys, Lakes, and Snow Covered Mountains Are Seen Twenty Two Minutes After the Tunnel of Snow.

….[ “ …. and when we emerge, we see we’re at the summit. Beyond is another country. Mountain lakes and pines and snowfields are below. Above and beyond them as far as we can see are farther mountain ranges covered with snow. The high country.“ ]

About A Mile SW Of BM 10,947 feet, ”Beartooth Pass”, Beartooth Highway, WY. Click on the photo to get the largest view.
….As may be seen in a Topo Map (link NEXT Photo) the road before the Hogback Formation had traveled down a hillside, gone thru a low area close by a Benchmark (BM = 10,536 feet), and then slowly changes to a steady climbs at ~6 % Grade up the Hogback with all those four switchbacks. Going by the “Twin Wall Snow”, the road is at 10,736 feet, and must then continue climbing another 211 feet “Up The Hogback”, to arrive at /\ Above /\ Photo, AND The ZMM Narrator’s “at the summit“.
….Topo maps confirm that this is indeed the factual climax of our travel over what is officially here called “Beartooth Pass”. Here the highway elevation maxes-out at a Benchmark (BM = 10,947 feet), just nine feet higher the previous highway maximum mentioned earlier.
….As mentioned in NEXT Photo, there is knoll nearby, just to the East, named “Stockaid”. This knoll has the highest altitude anywhere around here (11,029 feet). If you clicked on my WayPoint = 144 = Beartooth Plateau Topo Map, you would see this is indeed a yet higher “summit “!!
….And in the /\ Above /\ Photo we are high enough to again to see the Wyoming high country to the South. You saw this same cloud formation and patch of light blue sky (West & Southwest) in previous photos.
….However, we are now seven miles further South. And from this high vantage point, you can see (mid screen) three small lakes, fitting those mentioned in the above ZMM Passage. You see as well, a nearer range of partly snow covered dark brown low mountains not seen in that previous high area photo.
….We are again on a high vantage point, somewhat level with the ridge in the medium distance: But the mountains on the far distant horizon are completely white snow covered, and thus considerably higher (13,140 feet).
….Be sure to notice in the /\ Above /\ Photo the road at left: This is Beartooth Highway, now on its way down, down, down, into the lower valleys ahead, which are before the Blue Haze Mountains, seen above the highway. And in these lower valleys we will again see lakes & rushing mountain streams.
….Note poles by highway These are to guide the snow plows.

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(Photo = 106-0635-0636stitch ...... ZMM Page = ...... WayPt Assigned = ~145r = About a mile SW of BM 10,947ft)