Bachelor Rams, Taos Mountain

Geraint August 22, 2019 4 Comments

Bachelor Rams, on the west rim with the Taos mountains as a backdrop. That’s Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak) on the right, with much needed rain falling directly on the peak. The Bighorn Sheep, all rams, are a band roaming the west rim of the Rio Grande Gorge. If you would like to join me on a photo tour/workshop we will visit all the usual locations and see if we can spot them. The second image shows how close we got to them grazing along the roadside. They seem to enjoy the lush plants that get runoff from the rains on the highway. Thanks for looking. G

Blooming Yucca, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Geraint June 10, 2019 2 Comments

Blooming Yucca in Wild Rivers Recreation Area on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim. That Yucca plant from a couple of weeks ago is finally blooming. Those few cold nights and days slowed things down but now this part of the state is in a super bloom. Yuccas and Indian Paintbrush go so well together. I hope you can take the time to get outside. Or… join me on a tour, I’ll show you the beautiful locations in this corner of the state. Thanks for looking. G

“Perky Sue” East Rim, Rio Grande Gorge

Geraint June 9, 2019 No Comments

“Perky Sue” East Rim, Rio Grande Gorge at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. Yes they are perky, indiscriminate and glowing in the morning light. It’s an appropriate name for these, “Perky Sue” in this particular arid climate. Not sure I’d be so perky. Thanks for looking. G

Yucca Bloom, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Geraint May 31, 2019 No Comments

Yucca bloom, on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. The blooms are plentiful this year. The potential for the flowers to manifest is great, but… the Bighorn Sheep seem to enjoy yucca blooms very much. They bite the succulent heads off them and leave the rest. The evidence? Their droppings in the vicinity of a number of the plants. We’ll be back up there again tomorrow so I’ll get to do some more sleuthing. Perhaps we’ll see some flowers like these I posted from Monument Valley, Arizona As always thanks for looking. G

Sheep’s Crossing, Rio Grande, Ute Mountain

Geraint May 24, 2019 No Comments

Sheep’s Crossing on the Rio Grande, is below me to the left, with Ute Mountain straight ahead, in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. It’s beautiful out here on the rim of the gorge watching the early morning light reach down into the canyon. The snow melt in the high country is making for great runoff and the subsequent river rafting season. Join me on a photo tour/workshop. Thanks for looking. G

Bighorn Sheep Ram, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Geraint April 12, 2019 8 Comments

Bighorn Sheep ram, on the rim in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The Bighorn Sheep were a “big” feature on a photo tour/workshop today on the Sites of Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge and Beyond. It was a grand day, filled with spectacular clouds, New Mexico blue skies, rain, hail, and snow, all in good company and image making. Thanks to my guest photographers and thanks for looking. G

Rio Pueblo Willows, Gorge Waterfall

Geraint February 4, 2019 No Comments

Rio Pueblo red willows, with an unseasonal waterfall cascading off the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge. This image is from February 2008. It was a day of temperatures in the mid to high 60’s. The Rio Pueblo, in the foreground lined with red willows, is flowing fast and furious for February. Here’s another image from the same week of the distant waterfall. Thanks for looking and indulging my reminiscing. G

Bighorn Sheep In The Rio Grande Gorge

Geraint March 20, 2018 4 Comments

Bighorn sheep in the Rio Grande Gorge Taos, New Mexico. Sometimes the image is mainly for the record. Two bighorn rams go at it as if in a ring with a referee ram telling them too keep it clean. When they butted heads the thunk, initially a delayed shuddering crack, echoed loudly off the canyon walls. Then after another go round it was over, and they all laid down. Thanks for looking. G

Igneous Forms On The Plateau

Geraint January 19, 2018 No Comments

Igneous rock forms on the Rio Grande Gorge rim. Any day, and any number of diversions in the arroyos and petacas, reveal geological wonders. A slow meander over prehistoric stepping stones; ancient causeways, where water worn rocks abound. We are not the first, next or last to pass this way. Thanks for looking. G

Milk Way Over The Anthill

Geraint October 29, 2016 2 Comments

Over the Anthill. The Milky Way glows bright in the October sky, and if I get far enough away from the light pollution (yes we have some here in northern New Mexico), even the landscape seems to reflect the light from the stars. The grains of the anthill excavation and the stars of our galaxy rotating in unison. And as my friend Colin says in the comments “I like the juxtaposition of the smallest of creatures against the vastness of space”. Me too! Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Rio Grande Gorge Rim