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 … “
Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway, MT. After the snow banks just seen the area is relatively level and 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.
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(Photo = 106-0640cz2.8 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 140i 10920ft. Photo at = 148`|k|' ft)

A Celebration of Wildflowers Pinpoints the High Country With Dots of Color!
“ … and then small wildflowers, the tiny pink and blue and yellow and white ones which seem to pop out, sun-brilliant, from black shadows. Everywhere it’s like this! Little pins of colored light shoot forth to me from a background of somber dark green and black.“
Beartooth Highway, MT. As noted earlier, I looked for, but did not see “pink and blue flowers“ until after I came down to elevations below 9600 feet. New topic. The ZMM passage above describes the sharp black shadows that result from intense sunlight in high altitude low humidity air. These are also the conditions for the Narator's “black blue” sky directly overhead. However, my photos of the high country do not. show the Narrator's high altitude sun illumination polemics. My photos were taken in opposite conditions: high humidity and dark very cloudy skies. Thus you see no. dark shadows nor even hardly any shadow. But even with, or because of the overcast conditions, my photos still show lots of somber browns in the dead grass.
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(Photo = 106-0639cz1.2 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 140i2 10920ft. Photo at = 148`|w|' 9578ft)

Looking South From Montana Border Towards the Wyoming Border and Mountains of Wyoming.
“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.“
.Beartooth Highway, MT. Now we have passed the first maximum elevation on the Beartooth Highway. My notes and my GPS both show that we come down slightly to elevation 10968 feet. My photo vantage point is on the edge of the pavement. Note the 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. You can see the continuation of the curved road at left descending down into the low area (valley) behind the snow covered mount at right. Just beyond this valley you see another plateau practically level to here. Remember this! I will help you understand the next six Photos. Also please note general appearance of the rolled edge of the storm clouds, which are North to South. And note the opening in the clouds with the white blue sky (Southwest). Remember all this. It will help you stay direction oriented in the photos to come. For example, seven miles further south, you will see a photo taken on the far side of that snow speckled closer range. You will see the same patch of sky, but the final downward descent from the high country will be evident.
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(Photo = 106-0625 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141`|w|' 10968ft)

An Over View Showing the Switchbacked Road 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.“
Highcountry, Beartooth Pass, MT. This photo was taken from a vantage point about a mile previous to the upcoming “twin walls of snow" found by the Narrator. Above you see the road ahead just over the rocks left center. Then it turns somewhat and starts up a narrow "hogback" and follows a series of swithchbacks to the land beyond. After the next photos are two snow photos. these are respectively prior to and just after the second switchback seen above. They will show the Narrator's ""ever deepening snow and the twin walls of snow. In traveling this road twice, I did not appreciate the dramatic nature of how this road crosses over that narrow "razorback". In fact it's the onlyway to transfer between two broader highland plateaus, and thus to get to Yellowstone National Park. So, if you plan to travel this way, study this photo to prepare your eyes and mind to really see what is here!!
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(Photo = Summer2006 0075 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141i)

Although This Photo Was Taken To Show the Angry Clouds, It Does Show a Larger Overview of the Switchbacked Road and Land Bewond “The Twin Walls of Snow".“
“ .... we see we’re at the summit.“
Highcountry, Beartooth Pass, MT. This photo was taken from the same vantage point as the previous photo but shows a wider view of the countryside and land beyond. Double click the photo to get the largest view, where you can study the switchbacks to the highest elevation. On the horizon at the extreme right you will see, very faintly, the outline of twin peaks of very distinctive shapes. These peaks called the Beartooth for obvious reasons, are a famous local landmark and will be shown in my later photos.
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(Photo = Summer2006 0074 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 141i)

We Again Encounter Deep Snow. 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. “
Second Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway MT My notes and the GPS both show that we have gone down a long hill, through a lower area and come back up a small amount of elevation to 10736 feet. The topo map contours are hard to read but it looks like this WayPt is about 10540 feet. This is just a bit lower than my GPS at the ski lift area 10982 feet. Why is the snow again so deep here? First it is on a North facing slope away from the sun. And again, it is apparently local snow “drop-out” from the strong NW wind coming up the very, very, long and very, very, steep slopes of the (quite close by) edge of Rock Creek Canyon. You will see this in later photo 106-0627. NEW TOPIC: In the previous photo the Narrator said: ""Dark sky now ...... He means the "black sky" that somewhat has the look of outer space. This is quite contrary to my photographs of the high country. My photos show high humidity spring time atmospheric conditions as indicated by dark clouds, hazy long distance views, no sun, and no shadows. My photos do not “bring out the stark illumination contrast of brilliant sun, & black shadows which the Narrator uses to emphasize the look of the High Country.
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(Photo = 106-0626cz1.7 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142i)

Twin Walls of Snow. View South west.
“ We move through twin walls, almost a tunnel of snow. “
Second Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway MT Note grass and mud in melt water stream. The rock piled from road construction bulldozers, shows however no evidence of topsoil. The poles help guide the snow plows not to loose the pavement. Elevation is 10736 feet, so it’s deep snow is again due to another low area, combined with also a second North facing slope. Here we pause to note the factual accuracy the Narrator has worked into his enthusiastic grass/flowers/ snow fields page: I summarize the Narrators high country series:" Stunted trees; no trees, just grass; grass and flowers and lichens; into the snow fields; and finally between banks of old snow." (Go over a crest unmentioned by Narrator.) Then more"grass, flowers, mud, melt water." (Some of the Narrator’s flowers may correspond to going down and along a long South facing slope and into low area which most assuredly would have an even deeper snow-melt stream.) Then "heavy snow, and finally the highest twin wall tunnel of snow." (A second crest is ahead, also unmentioned by the Narrator. This is just what we have seen and will see)!! As you can see, the narrative step by step, accurately fits the ZMM travel experiences. Omitting four switchbacks, the factual accuracy continues, as we move, in the high country, towards the physical high country climax at “the summit” and factually the highest elevation of this highway. This accuracy seen so many places in ZMM, is indeed, “consistently responsible to the landscape” scroll down to find Professor Robert Nelson on my links page..
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(Photo = 106-0626 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142w)

The Narrator Has Almost Finished His Poetic Preparation for His "High Country of the Mind". Lets Review His: 1) Before the "Tunnel of Snow", 2) In the "Tunnel of Snow" and 3) After the "Tunnel of Snow".
“ Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again “
Second Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway, MT. In earlier captions I reviewed the Narrator’s accuracy of grass & flowers alternating with ever deepening snow. This double emphasis is "poetic preparation" for the Narrator's upcoming Philosophy Chautauquas he calls the "High Country of the Mind"!. To see this, let's summarize his three statements:
1) Before the "Tunnel".=> We have the alternating contrasts of: “Dark sky now and cold.
2) In the "tunnel". => We leave the hum drum world of ordinary daly 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. .
Of course the “ dark sky again“ means black-blue sky that almost no sky at all. This very thin high altitude air, totally devoid of 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 totally black shadows. Just like photos taken in outer space. But all this is quite contrary to my photographs of the high country. The photos you are seeing show higher humidity spring time atmospheric conditions. Hence clouds, hazy, no sun, no shadows. Where there is a break in the clouds, the sky is light blue. Hence my photos do not “bring out the stark illumination contrast “on-off-on” before – inside -- after the “tunnel“. of thin hi altitude thin air atmospheric humidity and brilliant sun which starkly contrasted with the cold dark of the “tunnel“
Click here an extreme example of dark sky and black shadows. Will open in a new browser window.
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(Photo = 0106-0622 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 142i2 10580ft. Photo at = 139`|w|' 10982ft)

Does the Scenery, Beyond the Twin Banks of Snow, Fit 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."
Second Snow Fields, Beartooth Highway MT I must confess that I do not remember what the country looks like precisely straight ahead immediately after these two 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 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 photo showing the entrance to the tunnel shows a bit of what the Narrator tells us. 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. Since the next photo is a NW view, it is a good representation of what the country beyond the tunnel of snow looks like. However the Narrator is only partly correct to say they are at "the summit." As you will see from the next four photos, our ZMM riders must climb four more switch backs and drive SW a mile, before they can say "we see we’re at the summit.". The next nine photos will show what’s beyond the “tunnel of snow.“. On the above mentioned Topozone Map, click on "large" and click "Update Map". You will see the layout of Narrator's “Mountain lakes and pines and snowfields ...... The high country."

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

Rock Creek Canyon and Three Tiers of Switchbacks Are Seen Four Minutes After the Tunnel of Snow. We Climb the Summit. View Northwest.
“[Then the tunnel opens onto dark sky again and when we emerge we see we’re at the summit.“
Beartooth Highway, MT. The Narrator omits any mention of these switch-backs. Despite this, I thought you should see this and the next next two photos of the scenery on the way to his climatic narrative “summit”. Here, on the fourth tier up, is the scene practically the same as that immediately after emerging from the twin snow banks. Standing on this higher tier, we see the curve of the tier below. Beyond this, and looking carefully we see the loop of the tier next below. I believe the tunnel of snow is at the very right of this photo, just beyond the next (barely perceivable) crest in the green grass, with the line of snow beyond. This shot was taken 4 minutes after my “twin banks of snow“ photograph. Thus we have just finished a series of 3 or 4 switch backs on the way up. (The next photo, one tier further up, will show this same foreground stretch of guardrail.) Although the Narrator does not mention seeing "The Gorge" a second time, what we see here is the upper reaches of Rock Creek. We now have an even better view of "The Gorge", which over eons of time was carved by Rock Creek. On the nearside of the valley wall right (but out of view), are all those zig-zag switch-backs and the rest area that we saw on the way up. In this view Red Lodge and “down valley”, is to the right some 18 miles “as the crow flies”. “Up valley”, to the left in this view, points Southwest to central Yellowstone National Park some 80 miles by the same measure. Of course the distance by road is considerable greater! Note: Road Maps not generally not good enough to show all these switchbacks at Beartooth Pass. The Pilgrim, especially since they really need to "go hiking", should bring good topo map. Consider the Topozone Maps already mentioned. You of course may print one of these directly off your computer, or order a color plastic coated version from Topozone. .
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(Photo = 106-0627 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 143w)

Rock Creek Canyon and One More Switchback Is Seen Eight Minutes After the Tunnel of Snow. We Continue Climbing to the Summit. View Southwest Includes White and Yellow Wild Flowers and Slope Down To the Marmot.
“And when we emerge .... “
Upper Rock Creek Canyon, Beartooth Highway, MT. 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 also seen a previous photos. That previous photo, and two others, was taken on my way down this very Southwestern facing slope. 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. He is in the center of the highway right lane, this side of the melt water patches. (To see the Marmot close up in my Personal Experiences Album click here.) Prior to my climb down here, I had entirely missed these wild flowers! I thus discover that it is easy to miss even what had been looking for ever since arriving up here!! For example, I had just driven the highway seen below, parked some what beyond this photo location and had walked around down there to take the previous photo over the guard rail seen lower right. Despite all this I had seen none of the flowers here (or down this slope) until I started the climb-down this slope! Again the message: Stop. Get out of your car. Some times you will be sad. Some times you will be surprised even delighted by what you find!! Either way participate! Note washed out white sky. This is the effect of photographing in a direction towards the PM sun. Contrast to photos next. That wood pole is NOT a tree! (Answer in later photos.) For Map, Click on WayPt Number below. To see a good example of hi-altitude “dark sky & black shadows“, Click till largest view. =

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(Photo = 106-0630 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = WayPt = 144w)

This Is the Highest Road Elevation, and Thus Really Is 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.“
Beartooth Pass Highway, MT. Click on the photo to get a larger view. Strictly speaking, the road immediately after the tunnel, is in a relatively low place (10736 feet) and we must climb all those four switchbacks to arrive here “at the summit“. Topo maps confirm that this is indeed the factual climax of our travel over Beartooth Pass. Here the highway maxes-out at a “bench mark”(BM = 10947 feet), just nine feet higher the previous highway maximum mentioned earlier. As before, there is knoll near by, just to the East, named “Stockaid”. This knoll has the highest altitude anywhere around here (11029 feet). If you clicked on my WayPoint = 144 Beartooth Plateau topo you will see this is indeed “the summit “!! And here 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 in a previous photo. However we are now seven miles further South. From here, you can see three small lakes as mentioned in the above passage. You see as well, a nearer range of 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 horizon are snow covered, and thus considerably higher (13140 feet). But in the photo the road at left, is on the way down into the lower valleys ahead. Ahead we thus will again see rushing mountain streams. Note poles by highway to guide the snow plows.
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(Photo = 106-0635s ...... ZMM Page = ...... WayPt = 146w)

The ZMM Turnoff Where Tourists Take Pictures. .
“We stop and park at a turnoff where a number of tourists take pictures and look around at the view and at one other. At the back of his cycle John removes his camera from the saddlebag. From my own machine I remove the tool kit and spread it out on the seat, then take the screwdriver, start the engine and with the screwdriver adjust the carburetors until the idling sound changes from a really bad loping to just slightly bad.“
Second Roadside Rest Area, Beartooth Pass Highway, MT. In 2002 I somehow I missed the “turnoff“ to the place where “tourists take pictures“. This turnoff area with Parking Loop is shown in the topo map link below. This topo map also shows that the knoll beside the turnoff parking lot is high enough to have a dramatic full panorama view in most direction except East. This would include Beartooth Mountain to the West and Granite Peak to the Northwest. Granite Peak is the highest in Montana at 12799 feet. An East Panorama view is a short hike away. The topo also shows, there are numerous lakes all over the place, as attested by the Narrator. But ZMM Traveler, such as myself, only sees a few of them, due to the the irregular landscape and return of the dense forests! Topo showing turnoff and Stockaid.
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(Photo = Summer2006 0092 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 146i)

Loose “Topsoil” and Rocks Pushed Out By Bulldozer to Level the Roadbed. Beside Pavement Southwest Sun Exposure Brings On New Grass and Tiny Purple Flowers
“I’m surprised at how all the way up it backfired and sputtered and kicked and gave every indication it was going to quit but never did. I didn’t adjust them, out of curiosity to see what eleven thousand feet of altitude would do. Now I’m leaving them rich and sounding just bad because we’ll be going down some now toward Yellowstone Park and if they aren’t slightly rich now they’ll get too lean later on, which is dangerous because it overheats the engine.“
Beartooth Highway MT My notes say “Marmot digging hole in gravel area.”. My memory says it was this very bank of road fill beside the pavement! (Or a place just like it!) There were Mormot burrows all over this area. I should have taken a photo of one. Later my notes say “Saw two more big fuzzy-wuzzy Marmots. A Marmot is a ground burrowing vegetarian rodent. Apparently this elevation and these mountains are a favorite habitat, because I saw all together some seven of them. But I was never able to get a good photograph, because they are very hard to pick out in the brown grass. The only time I actually saw them, they were rapidly scampering directly to their burrow!
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(Photo = 106-0637...... ZMM Page = ...... WayPt = 146w)

Five More Swithcbacks Are Ahead As We Head Down.
“The backfiring is still fairly heavy on the way down from the summit with the engine dragging in second gear, …. “
Beartooth Highway, MT. Immediately after the “a turnoff” the highway starts another series of five switchbacks on a slope down as steep and as scenic as those on the way up! Soon after that there are two more, which bring the ZMM traveler to the valleys with “ mountain lakes and pines ”. These switchbacks and the lakes are shown in the next two phtos.
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(Photo = 106-0636 cz2.6. ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 146w)

This Photo and the Next Show Adjacent Views of the Series of Swithcbacks As We Head On Down To the Lakes and Valleys Below.
["The backfiring is still fairly heavy on the way down from the summit with the engine dragging in second gear, …. "]
Beartooth Highway, MT. Immediately after the "a turnoff" the highway starts the slope on the way down. This photo and the next (showing view to right) were taken From the Rocky Pinnacle seen in my previous turnoff photo.
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(Photo = Summer2006 0100 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 146i)

Continuing View To Right of the Previous Photo We See the Swithcbacks and Lakes Ahead. As We Head On Down, We Leave the Real High Country and Enter the Narrator's "The Highcountry of the Mind, Where He Reviews Western Thought and Western Philosophy.
["The backfiring is still fairly heavy on the way down from the summit with the engine dragging in second gear, …. "]
Beartooth Highway, MT. Immediately after the "a turnoff" the highway starts down in another series of five switchbacks on a slope as steep as those on the way up! And soon we are in the Lakes and Valleys of the Narrator's Philosophic Highcountry. To get to YNP (Northeast gate), this road must go South deeper into Wyoming as it swings around the mountain range that forms the headwaters of Rock Creek. After that it goes West for ~10 miles, then heads somewhat Northwest thru a different and wider valley and leads to crossing yet another mountain range.
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(Photo = Summer2006 0101 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 146i)

Oh Ho!! So That’s the “Beartooth”!!
“ …. but then the [engine].noise diminishes …. “
Beartooth Highway MT Suddenly, the mountains and trees to the West opened up, and there it was! The “Beartooth!”! More properly the twin peaks of Beartooth Mountain. Until this split second of recognition, I never knew why my Rand McNally said of this road “Bear Tooth Pass (sic) Elevation 10940. The next split second my car was slowing to a stop! My “take a photo” reflex was finally becoming reliable! Remember this view as we travel the next 30 miles, first towards this mountain, and then skirt around its Northern flank. In the process you will see a good example of the reasons why a name, such as Beartooth Mountain, gets singled out and transferred from the original landmark to other local land forms. For example, the name Beartooth is “applied to” this entire geographical area of the country, and even this highways. You have seen many examples of this. Even cities are named after geographical areas. As we travel the next thirty miles you will also see why “Beartooth!” was historically so important as a point of reference, in this otherwise trackless rough mountain terrain.
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(Photo = 106-0638 ...... ZMM Page = 110 ...... WayPt = 147w)