Category Archives: Geology

Things I always want to know before taking a trip:

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

1) Sunrise/sunset times I like to get up before dawn to hike because some of my best wildlife encounters have been just before or just after the sun comes up.  Sunset provides similar opportunities. 2) Moonrise/moonset times When I’m in … Continue reading →

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Seeking Solitude at Great Basin National Park

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Great Basin National Park is located in east-central Nevada and is one of our country’s least-known and least-visited parks. Back in 2013 my wife, her friend and I drove a few hours north of Las Vegas to get a taste of what this remote … Continue reading →

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Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Of all the caves administered by the National Park Service, a visit to Timpanogos Cave National Monument requires a bit more effort than most. Located in American Fork Canyon southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah, this particular cave happens to be … Continue reading →

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The Great Salt Lake, Utah

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Beyond the Great Lakes that surround my native Michigan, the next largest lake in the United States is the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. Although the lakes of both states share similarly impressive surface areas they are incredibly different in … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Culture, Ecology, Entomology, Environment, General, Geology, Invertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology, Weather and Climate | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Redwood National Park Revisited

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Back in 2013 a friend and I made a quick trip through Redwood National Park in northwest California. Our visit here was too short, so last summer when my wife and I were in the area we made a point to spend … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 4

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Earlier on day three our trip up to Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido was kind of a bust, but we did see some cool things along the way. With half a day left we set out to find some more cool … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 3

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Re-energized from our day of relaxation in the peaceful Pyrenees, my wife and I spent day three further exploring the mountainous countryside of northern Spain. From our hotel near Janovas we drove west and north on N-260 toward Parque Nacional de Ordesa … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 1

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Late last summer my wife and I headed to Spain for a few days. She had previously visited France and Italy and knew a thing or two about Europe, but this was my first trip to the continent. At my urging … Continue reading →

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Stuff I’m Reading: “A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir” by Donald Worster

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”  — The Yosemite by John Muir (1912) Widely regarded as one of the first … Continue reading →

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Acadia National Park

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Known to the native Wabanaki people for millennia and then battled over by European colonial forces for almost 200 years, Maine’s remote and serene Mount Desert Island didn’t enter widespread American awareness until the late 1800s. Although the inhabitants have changed over … Continue reading →

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The Grand Canyon From 34,000 Feet

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

The other day I was on a flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor to Spokane International Airport, traveling at an altitude of about 34,000 feet (10363 m). Knowing the plane would pass over Grand Canyon National Park I had my camera … Continue reading →

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Lava Beds National Monument

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Located within the Cascade Range in northeast California, Lava Beds National Monument preserves over 72 square miles (186 square km) of cinder cones, lava flows, and the largest collection of lava tube caves to be found in North America. These remarkable features … Continue reading →

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This is cool you should watch it: “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea”

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

From the founding of the United States until well into the nineteenth century, words like “expansion,” “settlement,” and “development” were at the core of the American psyche. Laws ranging from the Northwest Ordinance to the Homestead Acts encouraged the people to expand across the continent, … Continue reading →

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Evolving Thoughts on Exploring the World

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

When I was a kid growing up in Michigan I loved spending hours staring at maps and globes and memorizing geography facts. In the sixth grade I came in third place in a geography bee against seventh- and eighth-graders. But … Continue reading →

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Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Hidden within the remote Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon are a number of unique and interesting marble caves. The most impressive of these was discovered in 1874, and in 1909 its superlative value earned it a designation as Oregon Caves National … Continue reading →

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2015 Countdown: 20 Favorite Landscape Photos

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

In the long and proud tradition of year-end countdowns, I thought I’d mark the end of 2015 with one of my own. This series is “20 Favorite Landscape Photos.” Out of all the scenery I managed to photograph this year, I like these shots the … Continue reading →

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Waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

Forming much of the border between Oregon and Washington, the Columbia River bisects the volcanic rocks of the Cascade Range. Over the last 12-17 million years the volcanoes of the Cascades have built themselves skyward while the relentless erosive action … Continue reading →

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Mount Shasta, California

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

Standing alone in north-central California, the stratovolcano known as Mount Shasta dominates the skyline and can be seen from over 100 miles (161 km) away. At 14,179 feet (4322 m) this peak is the second-highest in the volcanic Cascade Range, only 232 … Continue reading →

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Crater Lake National Park

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

Around 7700 years ago the Oregon volcano known as Mount Mazama exploded in one of the most devastating eruptions known to man. Blasting about 3000 feet (914 m) of material from its summit, the ash fell as far as western Wyoming … Continue reading →

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Mount Hood, Oregon

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

If you’re ever lucky enough to fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) on a clear day, chances are you’ll be treated to a scenic view of Mount Hood. At 11,240 feet (3426 m) this stratovolcano is the highest point in the … Continue reading →

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