Today a friend and I visited the Corona Divide one last time before the weather conditions that create these scenes subsides and found that today there were islands in the sea of clouds.
Ice crystals formed in the track of a wolf.
December 12, 2017
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Montana Outdoors 
They do look like islands. What a beautiful effect the clouds have looking from above. The wolf track would give me shivers.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — December 12, 2017 @ 11:47 pm
I can sit and watch clouds like that for hours.
There is really very little to fear from the wolves. I just wish I could been there to see them leave those tracks. (It was a pair, most likely hunting snow shoe rabbits.)
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Comment by montucky — December 12, 2017 @ 11:55 pm
I suppose. They’re pretty elusive most of the time.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — December 13, 2017 @ 10:16 am
They are quite shy and curious, as are most of the predators.
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Comment by montucky — December 13, 2017 @ 11:35 am
Absolutely stunning 🙂
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Comment by neilirving — December 13, 2017 @ 2:12 am
I think so too. But in the valley below those clouds it appears as just a dark gray day.
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Comment by montucky — December 13, 2017 @ 11:24 am
I’ve always enjoyed being above the clouds, wondering what is below
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Comment by neilirving — December 14, 2017 @ 12:16 am
That cloud cover is very beautiful, but the wolf print would be a little worrying for me. The ice crystals in the wolf print are interesting though.
I’m sure you are so used to the wild animals, a paw print would be pretty much an everyday event 🙂
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Comment by Vicki — December 13, 2017 @ 5:22 am
One of the nice things about snow is that it displays all kinds of stories about who was there, where they went and what they did. I love reading those stories!
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Comment by montucky — December 13, 2017 @ 11:29 am
I’ve never seen a photograph of ice crystals forming in a wolf print. How common a sight is that up there?
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — December 13, 2017 @ 7:30 am
Wolf tracks are quite common in the wilder areas as well as the tracks of many other critters. This is the first time that I’ve noticed distinct ice crystals in their tracks though. Probably caused by an unusual period of the weather up there.
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Comment by montucky — December 13, 2017 @ 11:31 am
Very beautiful.
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Comment by Cornell — December 14, 2017 @ 10:47 am
Thanks Cornell!
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Comment by montucky — December 14, 2017 @ 9:03 pm
I love the way the mists roll down through the valleys. Unfortunately cold air does the same here and we saw -3 this morning.
Glad all you saw was the track of that wolf!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — December 15, 2017 @ 4:43 pm
We had 30 this morning and then it started to snow. I wish I could have seen the wolves myself. There were the tracks of a pair, probably hunting show shoe rabbits.
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Comment by montucky — December 15, 2017 @ 4:48 pm
Oh, my. You were right about it being different, but equally beautiful. I’d forgotten about a holiday dessert my mother used to make, called “floating island.” They were meringues in some sort of sauce — fully as delicious as your photos. I’m especially fond of the third and last photos, but the wolf track is unusual. I heard some conversation last week about claimed sightings of a red wolf in far east Texas. We have some wolves, but the red was purposefully removed from its territory in order to save it. The story’s interesting. Whether they’ll be able to save it from the coyotes is still to be determined.
I just saw a video today of big horn sheep being released by the Texas Parks and Wildlife people. I suppose they’re happy enough in their new Texas home, but I’ll bet they’d really like your mountains.
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Comment by shoreacres — December 15, 2017 @ 8:51 pm
The wolves here are Gray Wolves and are pretty large. The foot print in the photo was about 4.5 inches long. I’m afraid that they will soon be driven to extinction now by the lawless animal killers and those who cultivate an absurd fear of them. It’s wonderful to hear them howl (I heard some this afternoon while walking with Buster, enjoying a late afternoon snowstorm just north of here).
I would guess the big horns being released there would be of the sub-species called Dessert Big Horns, and I think they would be very happy in Texas but probably not do very well in these mountains. The big horn sub-species up here is the Rocky Mountain Big Horn and I suspect they would not be able to live in the southwestern part of the country. The programs of re-introduction of sheep that I’m aware of are usually quite successful.
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Comment by montucky — December 15, 2017 @ 10:35 pm
Beauty abounds here, and your photos are stunning. The wolf track is a great treat.
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Comment by Jet Eliot — December 16, 2017 @ 8:43 am
Winter, even with temperature inversion can be very beautiful. I love seeing wolf tracks and knowing that they are still living out there.
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Comment by montucky — December 16, 2017 @ 9:25 pm
Always helps me so much in my daily life! Don’t have always time or ‘power’ to comment but I am always happy to look at your newest captures. Thank you for brightening my day.
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Comment by paparadu — December 16, 2017 @ 10:56 am
I’m so glad that you get some enjoyment out of the photos. That is the wild country that I love so much!
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Comment by montucky — December 16, 2017 @ 9:26 pm
“Islands in a sea of clouds,” is a beautiful phrase and these are beautiful photos. Love the wolf track …
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Comment by Teresa Evangeline — December 17, 2017 @ 6:00 am
Thanks Teresa. Now if those were palm trees…
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Comment by montucky — December 17, 2017 @ 9:51 am
Stunning photos Terry! Winter has started off a bit differently than last year. It’s chilly but not very much rain, yet. I am hoping and praying that California will get some moisture to help settle down the fires..
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Comment by Mother Hen — December 17, 2017 @ 11:25 am
I keep posted on the California fires too, but we don’t get much news of them up here other than we have sent several fire crews down there to help. I wish we could send a day of snow down that way!
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Comment by montucky — December 17, 2017 @ 1:16 pm
It still is not good.. Now they are saying that perhaps the utility company had something to do with it, or rather one of the fires. I think the wind is supposed to increase again today.. ugh!
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Comment by Mother Hen — December 20, 2017 @ 12:45 pm
Well isn’t that wonderful, ice crystals in a wolf track.
And islands above the mist. Beautiful.
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Comment by Tammie — December 17, 2017 @ 6:04 pm
Don’t you just love these Montana winters!
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Comment by montucky — December 17, 2017 @ 6:17 pm
Stunningly beautiful! That little tree in the last photo would certainly get one in the Christmas spirit.
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Comment by Candace — December 18, 2017 @ 2:24 pm
I went out today and cut a small tree for Christmas. It wasn’t a nicely decorated as the one in the photo though.
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Comment by montucky — December 18, 2017 @ 10:33 pm
Yes indeed. What a wonderful set of beautiful photos. Third from the bottom is my favorite.
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Comment by Sartenada — December 19, 2017 @ 1:25 am
Thanks! It was an interesting weather condition.
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Comment by montucky — December 19, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
How fortunate you are to live among such beauty. Your posts on Corona Divide capture a real sense of wilderness. And to live where wolves travel — how exciting! It’s sad that some people still suffer from Little-Red-Riding-Hood syndrome, believing, it seems, that these magnificent creatures are intent on harming them. Too many of us live too far removed from any semblance of wildness. Thanks for being a bridge to better understanding the natural world.
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Comment by Sally — December 20, 2017 @ 3:56 pm
It’s true that too many people live away from the wild and natural country. It’s not good for the wilderness because too few understand, appreciate and love it; and it’s not good for people either to be un-associated with the world that gives them life.
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Comment by montucky — December 20, 2017 @ 9:18 pm
True words, Terry. And frightening too. People unconnected to nature are unlikely to stand up for it when push comes to develop. So keep on sharing the wonder that you find.
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Comment by Sally — December 20, 2017 @ 10:17 pm
So beautiful, Terry…how wonderful for you and your friend.
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Comment by seekraz — December 22, 2017 @ 3:18 pm
Hi Montucky, Wonderful vistas of the low clouds from above. Such interesting views. I used to enjoy seeing such in the Smoky Mountains at times. Also in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Have a wonderful Christmas! Thanks for your fine support of my blog – I appreciate your participation via comments!
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — December 22, 2017 @ 11:07 pm
Thanks! Have a very Merry Christmas!
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Comment by montucky — December 22, 2017 @ 11:14 pm
I like warmer weather (because I always feel kind of cold) but your photos of Montana make me wish I was there to experience the beauty.
The mountain views are beyond incredible.
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Comment by Mary Strong-Spaid — December 27, 2017 @ 8:40 pm
Winter here is a beautiful season but not everyone enjoys it (other than some of the winter scenes). We have just gone through about a week of very cold temperatures and now are expecting somewhere around 2 feet of new snow in the next few days. It should be beautiful again!
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Comment by montucky — December 27, 2017 @ 10:57 pm
This gives an impression of fairy-tale islands. And then, as I’ve read in the thread here, in the valley below it’s just grey daylight, like dusk all day. We had that here today, but then the sun broke through just before setting beyond the mountain ridge in the West-South-West. All of a sudden the grey turned gold and some finches that had been preparing for night took a flight to one of the gilded tree-tops for a last snack of birch buds. Thanks for letting us see some of the beauty of your land.
Ellington
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Comment by Arletta Ellington — December 28, 2017 @ 11:16 am
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note! Winter does indeed produce some fairy-tale scenes.
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Comment by montucky — December 28, 2017 @ 7:49 pm
What a stunning scene! Fantastic!
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Comment by Watching Seasons — January 8, 2018 @ 8:46 am
Thanks!
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Comment by montucky — February 8, 2018 @ 7:46 pm
Wow I love it!
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Comment by annicaaktiv — February 8, 2018 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks! I’m glad you do!
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Comment by montucky — February 8, 2018 @ 9:44 pm