Jeff Lubeck

Surgical Strike into the White Clouds

Fall-time is magnificent in the White Clouds of Idaho. The period of time to travel in them unencumbered by inclement weather is short. Too short in my book.

So I seized a break in the afternoon and headed into the White Clouds Wilderness at Big Boulder Creek.

Big Boulder Creek with Cardiac Peak (11,202) in the background.

The trail starts near the junction of Big Boulder Creek and Jim Creek. It is at relatively flat spot in the middle of steep canyons – located above, below and at either side. It is also located at the remnants of the lower portion of the Livingston Mill. The Trail is named the Livingston Mill Castle Divide Trail.

Big Boulder Canyon is 1,400 feet deep (7,600 feet to 9,000 feet) one mile into the hike.

The trail has some elevation gain after the first 1/2 mile, but it is tree-covered and the trail-bed is very good.

Big Boulder Creek has many spots were it is gentle and meandering.

At the Wilderness Border.

Into the Cecil D. Andrus White Clouds Wilderness.

At 2.25 miles there is a junction in the trail. At the junction, the Big Boulder Creek Trail officially starts and heads west towards Walker Lake and D.O. Lee Peak. The Livingston Mill Castle Divide Trail continues south.

I have travelled both trails to their end spots. On this day I will hike a bit farther on the Big Boulder, such that I will get in a five-mile out and back with the Border Collies (Sage and Willow) and return home by dark.

*** Jeff’s Thoughts and Other Worthless Trivia ***

This region keeps calling me back. For more about the region a link is located [here] and [here].

U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson (2nd District Idaho) deserves a great deal of credit for making this Wilderness Region (as well as Boulders and Jerry Peak) happen. After multiple years of effort, his bill for Wilderness designation was approved in 2015. This region was renamed for Andrus in 2018.

Now, the guy I am about to name, will probably get mad at me, but here I go… The three Wilderness regions do not exist in their current form without Ed Cannady. no way, no how! Ed was the Recreation Ranger for the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) for decades. Ed hates (I know this is a strong word, but I think it applies here) getting credit or recognition for most any thing – especially these magnificent places. However, Ed was the author of the plans and worked out all their smallest operational details so that we have exists today.

Ed Cannady is also a terrific landscape photographer.

Clark’s Nutcracker Comes on the Scene

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifrago columbiana) is a bird native to the mountains of Idaho. It normally resides near peaks and at tree-line.

However a pair of Clark’s Nutcrackers have decided to join their cousins – the Stellar Jay – at the feeders of our home in Stanley.

The Clark’s Nutcracker grows to about one foot (12″) in height and lives to about 10-12 years of age. The bird was first documented on August 22nd, 1805 by William Clark at the North Fork of the Salmon River (in today’s State of Idaho) during the Lewis & Clark Expedition. A wonderfully descriptive story about the first encounter and complete background is located [here].

On this morning I notice a Clark’s Nutcracker sitting a top a Lodgepole Pine on our property. The bird is located about 150 feet in the air and 300 feet from the deck of our cabin.

The bird makes calls and surveys all 360 degrees of the territorial view for a number of minutes before flying off.

The Stellar at the Lubeck Cabin. The number of Stellar Jays at the feeders has grown from three to eight in the last week.

Stellar Jay with the Grosbeak fly-by

*** Jeff’s Thoughts and Other Worthless Trivia ***

The onset of fall-time in the Sawtooth Mountains and Stanley brings the regular return of sub zero evenings (20 degrees) and warm dry sunny days (mid 70 degrees). The colors of the vegetation begin their turn to gold and red. The sun rises and sets with more reds. The amount of daylight has passed below the 12 hour threshold. It is my favorite time of year.

Dawn on Highway 75 at Phantom Hill. Duncan’s Ridge, Hyndman, Old-Hyndman and Cobb Peak are in the distance.

The implication of the weather change is that a good portion of the birds visiting our feeders this spring and summer have moved to other locations.

The photographs of the Clark’s Nutcracker were captured with the Nikon Z9 Camera and the Nikon Z 800MM/f6.3 Prime Lens. I captured the images with manually configured settings either hand-held or using a tri-pod.

Aperture: f8 to f11

Speed: f/2000 to f/4000

ISO: 640 to 1000

Color Depth: 14Bit RAW

Color Temperature: 5000

Attempting to establish light reading at 1 Stop Down

For more images of birds with the Z800MM Prime lens, a link is [here].

For an example of action images captured with the Z800MM Prime lens, a link is [here].

The images of the Stellar Jay were captured with the Nikon Z9 Camera and the Nikon Z 50MM/f1.2 Prime Lens. I captured the images with manually configured settings using a tri-pod.

Aperture: f3.5

Speed: f/3200

ISO: 800

Color Depth: 14Bit RAW

Color Temperature: 5000

The image of Dawn was captured with the Sony RX1R with the Zeiss 35M/f2.0 lens. I captured the image with manually configured settings hand-held.

Aperture: f2.8

Speed: 1/250

ISO: 100

Color Depth: 10Bit RAW

Color Temperature: 4000

Girls Fighting… What’s a Guy to Do?

There is nothing more dangerous than being in the middle of girls fighting.

However, let me back up, and provide some background.

My name is Cassin. Cassin Male Finch.

I rest my wings on Goat Creek in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) and Sawtooth Wilderness in the State of Idaho in the United States of America (U.S.A.). I live here year-round.

I love to eat meals on my deck that looks out on Thompson Peak, Williams Peak, Merritt Peak and the Goat Creek drainage. The Lubeck’s think the deck is theirs – but it is decidedly not. However, that is a story for another day.

Usually when eating, I take in a few seeds and keep to myself. The seeds at my place, while not Boujee, are most assuredly Bussin’.

On occasion, the neighbors will stop by for a bite to eat. Lately, the Stellar Jay, Grosbeak, and Wooley Woodpecker have come over for a visit.

On this day, things are different. Two Cassin Female Finch’s decide to drop in, and before you can say YOLO, a fight breaks out. It was Salty!

I am kind of old-school. I do not own a camera-phone. Besides, Selfies seem so 2020.

Technically, I was not stuck in the middle, but it sure felt like it. Luckily someone nearby captured some pics.

Incoming… Keep the head down, keep the head down!

I guess she is upset?

I hope they will not come for my seed next.

Time to Exit – Stage Left!

Surgical Strike into the White Clouds

Clark’s Nutcracker Comes on the Scene

Girls Fighting… What’s a Guy to Do?

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