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  • Little remains of the Tlingit village located in the area of the Chilkoot River now known as the Chilkoot River Corridor, between Chilkoot Lake and Lutak Inlet. In the 1860’s there were 30 houses on the west bank of the river, with additional houses on the east bank, near what is know known today as the Chilkoot Cultural Camp. Landslides and Western diseases took its toll on inhabitants. Only four tribal houses and nine smaller houses remained by 1895. <br />
<br />
In the 1950’s a road was constructed through the village to Chilkoot Lake. Today the area is known as the Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area. <br />
<br />
This image is of a tombstone in a cemetery near the cultural camp. Today, forest keeps this tombstone and others like it in this cemetery hidden. Another cemetery near the entrance to the the corridor is more visible. In 1971, Tlingit people were outraged when the Alaska Department of Transportation bulldozed a roadway that unearthed remains. That work included the dynamiting of a scared site known as Deer Rock.
    Chilkoot River cemetery tombstone.jpg
  • A fishing boat slowly makes its way through the fog in Auke Bay near Juneau, Alaska.
    Fishing boat in fog.jpg
  • The Saksaia Glacier sits at the top of the Glacier Creek valley near the location of the potential mine site being explored by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan. The area of exploration, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area near Haines, Alaska.<br />
<br />
The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company.<br />
<br />
If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine.<br />
<br />
Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles.<br />
<br />
The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run.
    Saksaia Glacier 3.jpg
  • A humpback whale dives in the Sitakaday Narrows of the main bay of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in this view seen from Young Island located in the Beardslee Islands of the park in southeast Alaska. In the near background is Marble Mountain and in the far background is Mt. Abdallah.
    Sitakaday Narrows humpback whale 1.jpg
  • Three male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse perform a mating dance on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse dancin...jpg
  • A male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse is chased by other males on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse chase.jpg
  • Haines Brewing Company owners Paul Wheeler and Jeanne Kitayama recently moved their tasking room to Main St. (pictured) in Haines, Alaska. Their craft beers are revered by southeast Alaska locals and tourists alike.
    Haines Brewing Company.jpg
  • A small glacial lake adds bright color to the otherwise bright white Tsirku Glacier in Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park. The park, located in the very northwestern corner of British Columbia, Canada, sits between Kluane National Park and Reserve in the Yukon and Glacier Bay and Wrangell-St. Elias National Parks and Preserves in Alaska. All together, they form the largest protected area in thew world, approximately 21 million acres. The Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers are protected in their entirety making them the only large watershed in North America that is totally protected.<br />
<br />
The remote park is known for its spectacular glacier and icefields, rafting and kayaking, hiking and mountaineering. Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park is home to grizzly bears, Dall's sheep, wolves, mountain goats, moose, eagles, falcons, and trumpeter swans.<br />
<br />
The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.
    Small glacial lake-2.jpg
  • Glaciers flow from Mount Bertha (upper left) and Mount Crillon (upper right) to form the upper portion of Johns Hopkins Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.<br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
<br />
The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Johns Hopkins Glacier.jpg
  • The conflict over putting in a hard-rock mine near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska took a new turn recently with the filing of a lawsuit by an Alaska Native Tlingit tribe and three environmental groups. The group is suing the Bureau of Land Management, saying that the agency granted mineral exploration permits without considering how a mine could affect the Chilkat River's salmon and the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.<br />
<br />
Constantine Metal Resources and investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan are exploring a potential site for a mine on the steep mountain slopes pictured above Glacier Creek. This area is known as the Palmer Deposit.<br />
<br />
Joining the Tlingit village of Klukwan in the lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management are the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Lynn Canal Conservation and Rivers Without Borders. They are represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm. The group is asking for mining permits to be revoked.<br />
<br />
In August 2015, Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia submitted a plan with the BLM to extend their existing access road by 2.5 miles including a switchback road leading to a staging area at the 800 ft. level on the side of the 1,700 ft. mountainside (left). A proposed bridge crossing Glacier Creek would be located in the shadow area in the lower center of the photo with a switchback road leading from the Glacier Creek to the staging area for helicopter and ground-supported activities on the left. The road would also provide access for up to 40 new exploration drill sites. Pictured in the background is the Klehini River. A map showing exactly how this road would appear can be found here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/54990/65845/71485/Figure_6.4_accessible.pdf<br />
<br />
The group suing is concerned that copper and other heavy metals in mine waste might leech into the nearby Klehini River and the Chilkat River, 14 miles down
    Constantine Palmer Deposit aerial -3.jpg
  • Among the concerns related to the proposed Juneau Access Improvements Project is the Steller sea lion haulout at Gran Point (pictured). The haulout at Gran Point is a designated Steller sea lion Critical Habitat Area. According to the Alaska Department of Transportation’s 2014 Juneau Access Improvements Project: Draft Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, more than one hundred Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) have been counted at the haulout during the spring and fall. As currently proposed the proposed highway would be built just uphill from the haulout area, approximately 100 to 600 feet horizontally and 50 to 100 feet vertically.<br />
<br />
Highway plans near the haulout includes blasting steep rock-cut embankments and several tunnels with one tunnel entrance only 550 feet away from the haulout. There is concern for haulout abandonment by the sea lions during highway construction as studies have shown Steller sea lions are very sensitive to noise, both in and out of water. Because Steller sea lions frequent Gran Point nearly year round, the use of explosives and helicopters will be challenging during construction.<br />
<br />
There are two distinct populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska. The majority of Stellar sea lions that frequent the Lynn Canal are part of the eastern population of Steller sea lions which are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act; unlike the western population of Steller sea lions which are listed as endangered. That said however, there have been confirmed sightings of the western population Steller sea lions at Gran Point.<br />
<br />
The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million highway project to extend Glacier Highway out of Juneau for closer road access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau’s roads do not connect with the continental road network.<br />
<br />
Editors note: This is a cropped version of image# I00007z0NNeMhXeA
    Steller sea lions -6c.jpg
  • One of the exhibits at the recently opened $24.4 million Flint Hills Discovery Center, located in Manhattan, Kansas, is about dung beetles. In this interactive exhibit visitors lift a cow chip to expose a photo of dung beetles at work. Through interactive exhibits, Flint Hills Discovery Center visitors can explore the science and cultural history of the last stand of tallgrass prairie in North America – one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Other attractions of the Flint Hills Discovery Center include: a 15-minute ‘immersive experience’ film which has special effects such as fog, mist and wind which appear in the theater as the high definition film is shown on a large panoramic screen; an ‘underground forest’ depicting the long roots of prairie plants including the 7-foot roots of bluestem prairie grass; explanations of importance of fire to the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie; and exhibits about the people and cultural history of the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Discovery Center was designed by the museum architectural firm Vern Johnson Inc. with interpretive design and planning by Hilferty and Associates. The 34,900 square foot science and history learning center features permanent interactive exhibits, temporary exhibits, and areas for community programs and outreach activities. The Flint Hills Discovery Center received a LEED green building certification for their environmental design and energy efficiency, including their lighting and geothermal heating/cooling system.
    Flint Hills Discovery Center exhibit...jpg
  • The sun tries to shine through low lying clouds over the Chilkat River following a snowstorm in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. One of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world occurs in November along the Chilkat River. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Chilkat River snow scene 1.jpg
  • The moon sets over the Chilkat River during sunrise in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Setting moon on Chilkat River.jpg
  • The rising tide envelopes a rock encrusted in blue mussels and acorn barnacles on a beach near the Klotz Hills and not far from Maquinna Cove in Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska. Prominent in the background is Mt. Wright which is located at the mouth of Adams Inlet. EDITORS NOTE: The use of a slow shutter speed smoothed the action of the waves.
    Klotz Hills beach rock.jpg
  • A humpback whale engages in "tail slapping" in the Sitakaday Narrows of the main bay of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in this view seen from Young Island located in the Beardslee Islands of the park in southeast Alaska. In the near background is Marble Mountain and in the far background is Mt. Abdallah. It is unknown why whales engage in this behavior but speculation is that it is a way to ward off other whales or the opposite, an invitation to join a group of whales.
    Sitakaday Narrows humback whale tail...jpg
  • A humpback whale dives in the Sitakaday Narrows of the main bay of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in this view seen from Young Island located in the Beardslee Islands of the park in southeast Alaska.
    Sitakaday Narrows humpback whale 2.jpg
  • Mount Crillon of the Fairweather mountain range basks in the light from a late evening sunset in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in this view seen from Glacier Bay Lodge located in Bartlett Cove of the park in southeast Alaska.
    Mount Crillon sunset.jpg
  • An American black bear (Ursus americanus), eats dandelions just outside the boundary of Kluane National Park and Preserve along Yukon Highway 3, near Gribbles Gulch in the Yukon Territory, Canada. While most of a black bear’s diet is vegetation, black bears are omnivores meaning that they eat both plants and animals (grasses, berries, roots, insects, fish and mammals). Black bears typically weight 200 to 600 pounds. Not all black bears are black in color -- some are brown or even blond. They are most easily distinguished apart from grizzly bears by the lack of the pronounced shoulder hump found in a grizzly bear. The black bear is not considered to be a threatened species, though care to keep them from getting human food and garbage is needed to protect them from conflicts with humans. Kluane National Park and Reserve is known for it's  massive mountains, spectacular glacier and icefield landscapes including Canada's tallest peak, Mount Logan (19,545 ft.). The 5.4 million acre park is also known for it's wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep. The park is one of a collection of U.S. and Canadian national and provincial parks that form the largest international protected area in the world. Kluane National Park and Reserve was selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being an outstanding wilderness of global significance.
    Black bear eating dandelions - 1.jpg
  • Sun rises on Denali and the Alaska Range as seen from Wonder Lake in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Denali is North America's tallest peak at 20,310 feet and towers over 18,000 feet above the surrounding lowlands. Other mountain peaks pictured include: Mount Brooks, Mount Silverthrone, Mount Tatum, and Mount Carpe. SPECIAL NOTE: This image is a panorama composite consisting of multiple overlapping images stitched together.
    Denali sunrise panorama 9.jpg
  • A spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis or as it is commonly called, the northern lights, occurred the evening of November 8 through the early morning of November 9, 2013 over Sinclair Mountain and other mountains in the Kakuhan Range at Haines, Alaska. The luminous glow in the upper atmosphere stretched across the skies above the Lynn Canal from Skagway to Juneau. The bottom edge of an aurora is typically 60 miles high with the top edge at an altitude of 120 to 200 miles, though sometimes high altitude aurora can be as high as 350 miles. The collision of sun storm electrons and protons with different types of gas particles in Earth’s atmosphere cause the different colors. Green, the most common color, is caused by the collision of electrons with atoms of with atomic oxygen. *** EDITORS NOTE: Boulders in foreground were lit with a flashlight during time exposure***
    Northern lights over Haines, Alaska.jpg
  • Alley Spring is located in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways near Eminence, Mo. The spring is the 7th largest in the state with an average daily flow of 81 million gallons that flows past the historic Alley Mill and then into the nearby Jacks Fork River. The spring itself is 156 feet deep.<br />
<br />
The Ozark National Scenic Riverways was established in 1964, making it America's first national park area to protect a wild river system. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is known for its caves, springs, sinkholes and losing streams. Visitors can enjoy water activities, such as floating, canoeing, tubing, swimming and fishing. Additionally there are opportunities for hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Over 130 miles of waterways and 300 identified caves exist within the park.
    Alley Spring.jpg
  • A female Columbian sharp-tailed grouse surveys a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse - fema...jpg
  • Two male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse fight on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse fighti...jpg
  • A female Columbian sharp-tailed grouse is chased by other males on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse chase ...jpg
  • Two male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse faceoff each other on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse faceof...jpg
  • Male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse perform their mating dance on a lek during the pre-dawn in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse dancin...jpg
  • Two male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse faceoff each other on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse faceof...jpg
  • A  male Columbian sharp-tailed grouse performs a mating dance on a lek in southern Wyoming.<br />
<br />
The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is one of the seven recognized subspecies of North American sharp-tailed grouse. It is also the rarest and smallest of the subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse have experienced declines in distribution and population due to overuse and development of the mountain shrub and grasslands that it favors. It is native to the sagebrush steppe of the western United States and British Columbia. First described by the Lewis & Clark expedition, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grouse in the West. Today, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse no occupy less than 10 percent of its historic range. It is currently considered a Species of Concern in several U.S. states.<br />
<br />
Like other grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse congregate year after year in the spring on a small area known as a lek. Males perform highly animated dancing courtship displays to impress females to mate. These displays consist of rapidly stamping their feet at blur-like speed while keeping with their wings extended, often rotating in a circle.
    Columbian sharp-tailed grouse dancin...jpg
  • A mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat and its kid graze on grasses on the slope of Byers Peak. Mountain goats are protected from harsh winter elements with their wooly double coats. Their undercoats of fine, dense wool is covered any an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In the spring, mountain goats molt rubbing their hair against bushes, trees and rocks to shed the thick wool during the warmer months. Mountain goats are herbivores spending most of their time grazing on grasses, plants and shrubs of their alpine habitat
    Mountain goat and kid-2.jpg
  • A mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, surveys the Byers Peak Wilderness in Colorado from the slopes of Byers Peak. Mountain goats are protected from harsh winter elements with their wooly double coats. Their undercoats of fine, dense wool is covered any an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In the spring, mountain goats molt rubbing their hair against bushes, trees and rocks to shed the thick wool during the warmer months. Mountain goats are herbivores spending most of their time grazing on grasses, plants and shrubs of their alpine habitat.
    Mountain goat-2.jpg
  • A spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis or as it is commonly called, the northern lights, occurred the evening of November 8 through the early morning of November 9, 2013 over Sinclair Mountain and other mountains in the Kakuhan Range at Haines, Alaska. The luminous glow in the upper atmosphere stretched across the skies above the Lynn Canal from Skagway to Juneau. The bottom edge of an aurora is typically 60 miles high with the top edge at an altitude of 120 to 200 miles, though sometimes high altitude aurora can be as high as 350 miles. The collision of sun storm electrons and protons with different types of gas particles in Earth’s atmosphere cause the different colors. Green, the most common color, is caused by the collision of electrons with atoms of with atomic oxygen. *** EDITORS NOTE: Blue rocks are result of use of tungsten white balance at time of image capture. Boulders in foreground were lit with a flashlight during time exposure***
    Aurora Borealis over Haines, Alaska-...jpg
  • A meadow of tall fireweed booms in Brotherhood Bridge Park in Juneau, Alaska. In the background is the Mendenhall Glacier, one of the most accessible glaciers in southeast Alaska. Each year, 465,000 curise ship passengers visit the Mendenhall Glacier.
    Tall fireweed and Mendenhall Glacier.jpg
  • Death Valley National Park Visitors come not only to experience the record heat but also the beauty. Despite the desert conditions, the park is known for its spring wildflowers. Under perfect conditions, the park experiences a rare event known as a wildflower "super bloom" which produces a sea wildflowers. Most of the desert wildflowers are annuals. This ensures their survival as this allows them to lie dormant as seeds during times of drought. Here, a field of Desert Gold, also known as Hairy Desert Sunflower, explodes into a sea of yellow during the super bloom of 2016 in Death Valley National Park. In the background is Corkscrew Peak.<br />
<br />
Death Valley National Park, located in eastern California near the border with Nevada is one of the hottest spots on earth, holding the hottest recorded air temperature of 134 °F. The Park also is location of the lowest spot in North America, 282 feet below sea level at the vast salt flats at Badwater Basin. At 3.4 million acres, the park is the largest national park in the contiguous United States. Death Valley National Park sits between the Panamint Range on the west  and Amargosa Range on the east.
    Desert gold super bloom.jpg
  • Mount Crillon (12,726 ft.) rises above the clouds near the Johns Hopkins Glacier in Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.<br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
<br />
The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Mount Crillion.jpg
  • Boulders from a landslide sprawl across a glacier that descends from Coleman Peak in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. This glacier eventually joins the McBride Glacier.<br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
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The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Landslide near Coleman Peak.jpg
  • A glacier descends from Coleman Peak in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve to eventually join the McBride Glacier. Note the landslide in upper reaches of the glaicer.<br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
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The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Glacier near Coleman Peak.jpg
  • The brass ship's bell of the M/V LeConte is positioned at the bow of the ferry. The LeConte is a ferry in the Alaska Marine Highway system. It often travels the northern Lynn Canal route between Juneau, Haines and Skagway.
    LeConte ship's bell.jpg
  • An unnamed peak in Chilkat Range near Juneau is basked in the light of the sunset as seen from the Lynn Canal near Juneau, Alaska.
    Chilkat Range peak at sunset.jpg
  • The steep valley wall of the Tsirku River near Haines, Alaska were made by the Tsirku Glacier. This photo was taken near the U.S. and Canadian border, near the terminus of the glacier.
    Tsirku River valley wall.jpg
  • The gravel bars of the braided Chilkat River take on the form of a bird in done in northwestern coast art style.
    Chilkat River gravel bar art.jpg
  • The 19-mile long Fairweather Glacier flows past the Lituya Mountain (left) in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.<br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
<br />
The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Fairweather Glacier.jpg
  • Two large glaciers come together to form the main flow of the McBride Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The dark lines of rock debris are called medial moraines. A medial moraine is formed when two glaciers meet and the debris on the edges of the adjacent valley sides join and are carried on top of the glacier. <br />
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The McBride Glacier, the most active glacier and only tidewater glacier in the Muir Inlet, is retreating.<br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
<br />
The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Medial moraines, McBride Glacier.jpg
  • Deep crevasses of Margerie Glacier take on an other worldly look in early evening light in this photo taken at the uppermost region of the glacier just inside the U.S. at the Canadian border. The 21-mile-long glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is one of the park’s tidewater glaciers. <br />
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Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska. Known for its spectacular tidewater glaciers, icefields, and tall costal mountains, the park is also an important marine wilderness area. The park a popular destination for cruise ships, is also known for its sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. <br />
<br />
Glacier Bay National Park is home to humpback whales which feed in the park's protected waters during the summer, both black and grizzly bears, moose, wolves, sea otters, harbor seals, steller's sea lions and numerous species of sea birds. <br />
<br />
The dynamically changing park, known for its large, contiguous, intact ecosystems, is a United Nations biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Margerie Glacier crevasses-2.jpg
  • A fall frost delicately adheres to a spider web in a backyard in Springfield, Mo.
    Frost on a spider web.jpg
  • Hundreds of unidentified flies hover above a bison (Bison bison) during sunset in the Regal Prairie Natural Area located in Prairie State Park. <br />
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Among the flies that are a pest to bison are horn flies (Haematobia irritans). As many as 500 to 1,500 horn flies will feed on the blood of a bison 20 to 40 times a day.<br />
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Prairie State Park, located near Liberal, Mo. is Missouri’s largest remaining tallgrass prairie. The park’s nearly 4,000 acres is home to bison and elk. Panoramic hillsides of wildflowers such as prairie blazing star, sunflowers, and Indian paintbrush provide a canvas of color. In the fall, prairie grass such as big bluestem and Indian grass may tower as high as 8 feet tall. <br />
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Tallgrass prairie once covered more than 13 million acres of Missouri’s landscape. Today, less than one percent remains. The prairie at Prairie State Park remains because the rocky land was too difficult to plow, which protected it from being farmed. Hiking, animal viewing, camping, birdwatching, and photography are some of the activities that the park affords. <br />
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The Regal Prairie Natural Area is a 240-acre state natural area within the park that is especially noted for its wildflower display. The Nature Conservancy and the Missouri Prairie Foundation provided funding for the purchase of much of the park’s acreage. The area was dedicated as a state park in 1982.
    Flies hover above bison.jpg
  • A Golden crayfish travels in Rocky Creek at Klepzig Mill in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways near Eminence Mo. Crayfish are in important species in the Ozarks region. As omnivores and scavengers they eat dead animals or plants helping keep rivers and creek clean. Twenty-six species of crayfish can be found in southern Missouri.<br />
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The Ozark National Scenic Riverways was established in 1964, making it America's first national park area to protect a wild river system. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is known for its caves, springs, sinkholes and losing streams. Visitors can enjoy water activities, such as floating, canoeing, tubing, swimming and fishing. Additionally there are opportunities for hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Over 130 miles of waterways and 300 identified caves exist within the park.
    Golden crayfish.jpg
  • Male chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) make their way up the special spawning channel of Herman Creek to spawn with female chum salmon during the fall chum salmon run. The nonprofit Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, Inc. (NSRAA) built the channel to collect wild broodstock by harvesting spawning female and male salmon for their eggs and milt. <br />
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These chum salmon are returning to freshwater Herman Creek near Haines, Alaska after three to five years in the saltwater ocean. Spawning only once, chum salmon die approximately two weeks after they spawn. Both sexes of adult chum salmon change colors and appearance upon returning to freshwater. Unlike male sockeye salmon which turn bright red for spawning, male chum salmon change color to an olive green with purple and green vertical stripes. These vertical stripes are not as noticeable in females, who also have a dark horizontal band. Both male and female chum salmon develop hooked snout (type) and large canine teeth. These features in female salmon are less pronounced. <br />
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Herman Creek is a tributary of the Klehini River and is only 10 miles downstream of the area currently being explored as a potential site of a copper and zinc mine. The exploration is being conducted by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan. Some local residents and environmental groups are concerned that a mine might threaten the area’s salmon. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals, found in mine waste, leaching into the Klehini River and the Chilkat River further downstream. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles.<br />
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Chilkat River and Klehini River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration.
    Chum salmon -3.jpg
  • Unknown trees near the end of the Glacier Highway north of Juneau.
    Trees near end of Lynn Canal highway...jpg
  • The Milky Way stretches across the sky above the peaks of Mt. Emmerich and the Takhinsha Mountains in this photo taken along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska .
    Milky Way over Mt. Emmerich.jpg
  • The Milky Way stretches across the sky above Haines, Alaska and the Chilkat Mountains in this photo taken at Picture Point.
    Milky way over Haines.jpg
  • The stately historic officer's row buildings of the former U.S. Army post, Fort William H. Seward in Haines, Alaska are easily spotted by travelers on the Lynn Canal. Built in 1904, Ft. Seward was the first permanent United States Army post in Alaska. Today the fort is no longer owned by the military.<br />
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A recent addition to the Fort Seward skyline is the restored fire hall tower for the fort. After having been absent for approximately 80 years, the 60-foot tower of the fort’s fire hall has been restored to its original height. The building and tower, built about 110 years ago, was shortened to approximately half its height in the 1930s for unknown reasons. The restoration included rebuilding a missing 35-foot section of the 60-foot tower whose purpose was to dry fire hoses.<br />
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Haines, a picturesque town in southeast Alaska, is located on the Lynn Canal between the towns of Skagway and Juneau. Haines is one of the few towns in southeast Alaska that is connected with the North American highway system. The Haines Highway (Alaska Route 7 or AK-7) travels through British Columbia and the Yukon (Yukon Highway 3) to connect with the Alaska Highway in Haines Junction, Yukon.<br />
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Haines is also a stop on the Alaska Marine Highway System with ferries arriving from Skagway and Juneau.
    Fort Seward in Fall.jpg
  • Fishing boats slowly make their way through the fog in Auke Bay near Juneau, Alaska.
    Fishing boats in fog.jpg
  • Porcupine Peak (upper right) looks down on McKinley Creek. Just below the farm of this image, Mckinley Creek flows into Porcupine Creek, a placer gold mining stream. The area pictured is part of land from the Alaska Mental Health Trust being leased by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. for mineral rights only. Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a nearby potential site for a mine known as the Palmer Deposit.
    McKinley Creek aerial.jpg
  • This aerial photograph of a portion of the "Council Grounds" is the primary area where bald eagles gather on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Bald eagles come to the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku (center) and Chilkat (upper left to right) Rivers because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters in late fall and early winter. The open water is due to a deep accumulation of gravel and sand that acts as a large water reservoir whose water temperature remains 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding water temperature. This warmer water seeps into the Chilkat River, keeping a five mile stretch of the river from freezing. Photographers come to the Chilkat River in November and December to photograph one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In the background are the mountains that make of the Takshanuk Mountains. Chilkat Lake is pictured in the foreground. River on the left above the Tsirku River is the Klehini River which joins the Chilkat River right before the Tsirku River alluvial fan. Also pictured is Klutshah Mountain (top center), Iron Mountain and the village of Klukwan (in front of the left side of the alluvial fan).
    Tsirku River alluvial fan with Chilk...jpg
  • The conflict over putting in a hard-rock mine near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska took a new turn recently with the filing of a lawsuit by an Alaska Native Tlingit tribe and three environmental groups. The group is suing the Bureau of Land Management, saying that the agency granted mineral exploration permits without considering how a mine could affect the Chilkat River's salmon and the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.<br />
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Constantine Metal Resources and investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan are exploring a potential site for a mine on the steep mountain slopes pictured above Glacier Creek. This area is known as the Palmer Deposit.<br />
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Joining the Tlingit village of Klukwan in the lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management are the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Lynn Canal Conservation and Rivers Without Borders. They are represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm. The group is asking for mining permits to be revoked.<br />
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In August 2015, Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia submitted a plan with the BLM to extend their existing access road by 2.5 miles including a switchback road leading to a staging area at the 800 ft. level on the side of the 1,700 ft. mountainside. A proposed bridge crossing Glacier Creek would be located in the shadow area in the lower center of the photo with a switchback road leading from the Glacier Creek to the staging area for helicopter and ground-supported activities on the left. The road would also provide access for up to 40 new exploration drill sites. Pictured in the background is the Klehini River. A map showing exactly how this road would appear can be found here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/54990/65845/71485/Figure_6.4_accessible.pdf<br />
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The group suing is concerned that copper and other heavy metals in mine waste might leech into the nearby Klehini River and the Chilkat River, 14 miles downstream.
    Constantine Palmer Deposit aerial -2.jpg
  • The conflict over putting in a hard-rock mine near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska took a new turn recently with the filing of a lawsuit by an Alaska Native Tlingit tribe and three environmental groups. The group is suing the Bureau of Land Management, saying that the agency granted mineral exploration permits without considering how a mine could affect the Chilkat River's salmon and the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. <br />
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Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site for a mine (located on the upper left side of image) just above Glacier Creek (foreground) and the Klehini River (right side of image). The border with British Columbia is at the upper right. The area above Glacier Greek, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway.<br />
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The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver.<br />
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Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini River (shown) and the Chilkat River 14 miles downstream. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles.<br />
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The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration
    Constantine Palmer Deposit aerial.jpg
  • The conflict over putting in a hard-rock mine near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska took a new turn recently with the filing of a lawsuit by an Alaska Native Tlingit tribe and three environmental groups. The group is suing the Bureau of Land Management, saying that the agency granted mineral exploration permits without considering how a mine could affect the Chilkat River's salmon and the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. <br />
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Joining the Tlingit village of Klukwan in the lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management are the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Lynn Canal Conservation and Rivers Without Borders. They are represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm. The group is asking for mining permits to be revoked.<br />
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Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site, known as the Palmer Deposit for a mine (located upper center right) just above Glacier Creek (not visible) and the Klehini River (foreground). Pictured in the rear of the photo is Saksaia Glacier.<br />
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Support for a large scale mine is divided among residents of Haines. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini River (shown) and the Chilkat River 14 miles downstream. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles.<br />
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The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration.
    Constantine Mine 2, Palmer Deposit.jpg
  • A spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis or as it is commonly called, the northern lights, occurred the evening of November 8 through the early morning of November 9, 2013 over Sinclair Mountain and other mountains in the Kakuhan Range at Haines, Alaska. The luminous glow in the upper atmosphere stretched across the skies above the Lynn Canal from Skagway to Juneau. The bottom edge of an aurora is typically 60 miles high with the top edge at an altitude of 120 to 200 miles, though sometimes high altitude aurora can be as high as 350 miles. The collision of sun storm electrons and protons with different types of gas particles in Earth’s atmosphere cause the different colors. Green, the most common color, is caused by the collision of electrons with atoms of with atomic oxygen.
    Aurora Borealis over Haines, Alaska-...jpg
  • A spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis or as it is commonly called, the northern lights, occurred the evening of November 8 through the early morning of November 9, 2013 over Haines, Alaska. The luminous glow in the upper atmosphere stretched across the skies above the Lynn Canal from Skagway to Juneau. The bottom edge of an aurora is typically 60 miles high with the top edge at an altitude of 120 to 200 miles, though sometimes high altitude aurora can be as high as 350 miles. The collision of sun storm electrons and protons with different types of gas particles in Earth’s atmosphere cause the different colors. Green, the most common color, is caused by the collision of electrons with atoms of with atomic oxygen.
    Aurora Borealis over Haines, Alaska.jpg
  • Moss covers the forest floor along the Trail of Time Trail near the Mendenhall Lake and Mendhenall Visitor Center just outside Juneau, Alaska.
    Moss along Trail of Time Trail.jpg
  • A patch of evening primrose (family Onagraceae) blooms on the prairie near Buffalo Creek on the Selman Ranch near Buffalo, and north of Woodward in northwestern Oklahoma. Also pictured is sagebrush (background).
    Evening primrose.jpg
  • Early morning sunlight reaches the top peaks of Mt. Emmerich near Haines, Alaska in this photo taken in late October. On July 6, 2015, two Haines women, Jessica Kayser Forster and Jenn Walsh, summited Mount Emmerich. They are believed to be the first women to have summited the 6,400-foot mountain known locally as Cathedral Peaks.
    Mt. Emmerich sunrise - 2.jpg
  • Snow blankets the Chilkoot River valley near Haines, Alaska. The Chilkoot River corridor between Chilkoot Lake and Lutak Inlet of the Lynn Canal is a popular sport fishing spot and a culturally important Tlingit historic site. The river area is also popular with grizzly bears who also come for the salmon who spawn in the Chilkoot River. While this concentration of bears makes for exciting bear viewing for visitors, the narrow corridor in which humans and bears must pass can lead to dangerous encounters. The Alaska Legislature has approved $1 million for a bear-viewing platform aimed at reducing encounters between bears and visitors to the scenic corridor. This area is part of the popular Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site.
    Chilkoot River snow.jpg
  • Trees along the edge of Mendenhall Lake near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center are blanketed with new snow. The Mendenhall Glacier runs roughly 12 miles, originating in the Juneau Icefield, near Juneau, Alaska. The glacier is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau.
    Snow covered trees along Mendenhall ...jpg
  • The new snow blankets Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in the Tongass National Forest, located 12 miles from downtown Juneau, Alaska was the first such visitor center built by the U.S. National Forest Service. The visitor center was later expanded and now sees over 500,000 visitors a year. From the visitor center visitors can view the icebergs that calve into Mendenhall Lake.
    Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in...jpg
  • The new snow blankets Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in the Tongass National Forest, located 12 miles from downtown Juneau, Alaska was the first such visitor center built by the U.S. National Forest Service. The visitor center was later expanded and now sees over 500,000 visitors a year. From the visitor center visitors can view the icebergs that calve into Mendenhall Lake.
    Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in...jpg
  • New snow blankets Steep Creek near the Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier runs roughly 12 miles, originating in the Juneau Icefield, near Juneau, Alaska. The glacier is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau.
    Steep Creek snow -1.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies with a salmon carcass past ice covered trees sparkling in the golden light of sunrise at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. During November and December several thousand bald eagles come to the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers near Haines, Alaska because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters. The open water is due to a deep accumulation of gravel and sand that acts as a large water reservoir whose water temperature remains 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding water temperature. This warmer water seeps into the Chilkat River, keeping a five mile stretch of the river from freezing as quickly as other rivers in the area. The 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in 1982.
    Bald eagle flying with fish in golde...jpg
  • Bald eagles feed on salmon in the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in late afternoon light. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles in late afternoon light.jpg
  • A full moon sets above the partially frozen Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Chilkat River setting moon.jpg
  • Ice forms on the Chilkat River as the sun bathes the mountains of Takhin Ridge including Chunekukleik Mountain in early morning sunlight at sunrise. The fog-like layer is blowing dust from the river's silt. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Chilkat River ice sunrise.jpg
  • Early morning sunlight reaches the top peaks of Mt. Emmerich as fog-like blowing dust from the silt of banks the Chilkat River blows down the river. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Mt. Emmerich sunrise - 1.jpg
  • An American black bear (Ursus americanus), eats dandelions just outside the boundary of Kluane National Park and Preserve along Yukon Highway 3, near Gribbles Gulch in the Yukon Territory, Canada. While most of a black bear’s diet is vegetation, black bears are omnivores meaning that they eat both plants and animals (grasses, berries, roots, insects, fish and mammals). Black bears typically weight 200 to 600 pounds. Not all black bears are black in color -- some are brown or even blond. They are most easily distinguished apart from grizzly bears by the lack of the pronounced shoulder hump found in a grizzly bear. The black bear is not considered to be a threatened species, though care to keep them from getting human food and garbage is needed to protect them from conflicts with humans. Kluane National Park and Reserve is known for it's  massive mountains, spectacular glacier and icefield landscapes including Canada's tallest peak, Mount Logan (19,545 ft.). The 5.4 million acre park is also known for it's wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep. The park is one of a collection of U.S. and Canadian national and provincial parks that form the largest international protected area in the world. Kluane National Park and Reserve was selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being an outstanding wilderness of global significance. EDITORS NOTE: Image is a slightly cropped version of Image ID: I0000xjOvlNPfAYk
    Black bear eating dandelions - 5.jpg
  • Connelly Lake (center) is a 90-acre alpine lake near Haines, Alaska that drains into the Chilkoot River. Connelly Lake is the focus of a proposed $32 million, 12-megawatt hydroelectric project by Alaska Power and Telephone Company (AP&T). AP&T proposes to build a dam at the outlet of Connelly Lake that would create a 160-acre reservoir and a 6,200-foot-long penstock down the side of the mountain where water would be delivered to turbine generators located in a powerhouse near the Chilkoot River into which the lake water would be discharged. Some of the main features of the proposed Connelly Lake project (for example portions of the penstock, the powerhouse, access roads, and the transmission line) would be located in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and the Haines State Forest. Concerns include the impact construction and project operation would have on fish spawning and rearing habitat, and bald eagles. The eagles rely on the salmon that use the Chilkoot Valley in the fall and early winter when they are attracted to late spawning salmon runs. A hydro aquatic studies report prepared by the Shipley Group states that according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 41 percent of the sockeye salmon in the upper Lynn Canal come from the Chilkoot River with 25 percent of those salmon spawning in the Chilkoot River drainage above Chilkoot Lake. The value of the fishery is estimated at more than $1,000,000 annually. AP&T announced in June 2013 that it was putting the project on hold citing difficulty securing funding from the Alaska Energy Authority and the lack of community support. Despite these setbacks AP&T says that it not abandoning pursuing the project. In early September 2013, the Haines Borough announced that it was exploring possibly filing for a preliminary permit now that the project was no longer being pursued by AP&T. This photo of the ice and snow covered Connelly Lake was taken in mid-July.
    Connelly Lake, Chilkoot River - 1.jpg
  • Snow-covered Connelly Lake (foreground left) is a 90-acre alpine lake near Haines, Alaska that drains into the Chilkoot River (right). Connelly Lake is the focus of a proposed $32 million, 12-megawatt hydroelectric project by Alaska Power and Telephone Company (AP&T). AP&T proposes to build a dam at the outlet of Connelly Lake that would create a 160-acre reservoir and a 6,200-foot-long penstock down the side of the mountain where water would be delivered to turbine generators located in a powerhouse near the Chilkoot River into which the lake water would be discharged. Some of the main features of the proposed Connelly Lake project (for example portions of the penstock, the powerhouse, access roads, and the transmission line) would be located in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and the Haines State Forest. Concerns include the impact construction and project operation would have on fish spawning and rearing habitat, and bald eagles. The eagles rely on the salmon that use the Chilkoot Valley in the fall and early winter when they are attracted to late spawning salmon runs. A hydro aquatic studies report prepared by the Shipley Group states that according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 41 percent of the sockeye salmon in the upper Lynn Canal come from the Chilkoot River with 25 percent of those salmon spawning in the Chilkoot River drainage above Chilkoot Lake. The value of the fishery is estimated at more than $1,000,000 annually. AP&T announced in June 2013 that it was putting the project on hold citing difficulty securing funding from the Alaska Energy Authority and the lack of community support. Despite these setbacks AP&T says that it not abandoning pursuing the project. In early September 2013, the Haines Borough announced that it was exploring possibly filing for a preliminary permit now that the project was no longer being pursued by AP&T. The large lake in the background is Chilkoot Lake.
    Connelly Lake, Chilkoot River - 3.jpg
  • This 1997 photograph of a sign just outside Cottonwood Falls on Kansas Highway 177 is an example of the controversy that surrounded the formation of the nearby Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, formerly the Z-Bar Ranch. <br />
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Initially, the Flint Hills communities surrounding the proposed park were supportive, but then opposition developed. According to National Park Service document "Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Legislative History, 1920-1996" most local business owners were supportive but many ranchers had overall concerns about federal involvement and federal land ownership with some ranchers specifically concerned about land being lost by eminent domain. The park proposal became a divisive and heated issue between the two community groups.<br />
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In the end, an unique compromise was reached with a public/private partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy. Today, the 10,894-acre Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the only unit of the National Park Service dedicated to the preservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.<br />
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According to a National Park Service study, 13,548 non-local visitors in 2013 fueled $849,400 in spending at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and in communities near the park.
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  • Prairie grasses in the Kansas Flint Hills, like this prairie hilltop in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, are intentionally burned by land mangers and cattle ranchers in the spring to prepare the land for cattle grazing and help maintain a healthy tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Less than four percent of the original 140 million acres of tallgrass prairie remains in North America. Most of the remaining tallgrass prairie is in the Flint Hills in Kansas. The prairie has survived here because the soil is heavily laden with limestone and chert (commonly called flint) making it unsuitable for plowing. This rocky soil, combined with a cycle of wildfires and animal grazing has preserved the tallgrass prairie. The 10,894-acre Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located in Chase County near the towns of Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. Less than four percent of the original 140 million acres of tallgrass prairie remains in North America. Most of the remaining tallgrass prairie is in the Flint Hills in Kansas. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the only unit of the National Park Service dedicated to the preservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is co-managed with The Nature Conservancy.
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  • New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus, blooms near the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse located in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Kansas Flint Hills. New Jersey Tea was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes, tea, and for tanning hides. The pictured tree is a cottonwood, the state tree of Kansas. The Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse, on the National Historic Register of Historic Places, was built on land donated by cattleman Stephen F. Jones. Built in 1882, the one-room school had its first classes in 1884. Typical enrollment was between one to 19 students of all grades. The school was closed in 1930 and restored in 1968 by the Garden Clubs in the Mid-East District of Kansas. The 10,894-acre Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located in Chase County near the towns of Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. Less than four percent of the original 140 million acres of tallgrass prairie remains in North America. Most of the remaining tallgrass prairie is in the Flint Hills in Kansas. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the only unit of the National Park Service dedicated to the preservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is co-managed with The Nature Conservancy.
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  • The $24.4 million Flint Hills Discovery Center, located in Manhattan, Kansas celebrates the history, culture, and heritage of the Flint Hills and tallgrass prairie. Through interactive exhibits Flint Hills Discovery Center visitors can explore the science and cultural history of the last stand of tallgrass prairie in North America – one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems.<br />
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The Flint Hills Discovery Center was designed by the museum architectural firm Vern Johnson Inc. with interpretive design and planning by Hilferty and Associates. The 34,900 square foot science and history learning center features permanent interactive exhibits, temporary exhibits, and areas for community programs and outreach activities.<br />
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Attractions of the Flint Hills Discovery Center include: a 15-minute ‘immersive experience’ film which has special effects such as fog, mist and wind which appear in the theater as the high definition film is shown on a large panoramic screen; an ‘underground forest’ depicting the long roots of prairie plants including the 7-foot roots of bluestem prairie grass; explanations of importance of fire to the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie; and exhibits about the people and cultural history of the Flint Hills.<br />
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The Flint Hills Discovery Center received a LEED green building certification for their environmental design and energy efficiency, including their lighting and geothermal heating/cooling system.
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  • One of the exhibits at the recently opened $24.4 million Flint Hills Discovery Center, located in Manhattan, Kansas, is an ‘underground forest’ depicting plant and insect life under the tallgrass prairie. About two-thirds of the mass of prairie grass is below the surface, protected from fire and grazing animals. This photo shows the long life-size roots of prairie grasses. Through interactive exhibits, Flint Hills Discovery Center visitors can explore the science and cultural history of the last stand of tallgrass prairie in North America – one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Other attractions of the Flint Hills Discovery Center include: a 15-minute ‘immersive experience’ film which has special effects such as fog, mist and wind which appear in the theater as the high definition film is shown on a large panoramic screen; explanations of importance of fire to the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie; and exhibits about the people and cultural history of the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Discovery Center was designed by the museum architectural firm Vern Johnson Inc. with interpretive design and planning by Hilferty and Associates. The 34,900 square foot science and history learning center features permanent interactive exhibits, temporary exhibits, and areas for community programs and outreach activities. The Flint Hills Discovery Center received a LEED green building certification for their environmental design and energy efficiency, including their lighting and geothermal heating/cooling system.
    Flint Hills Discovery Center undergr...jpg
  • The $24.4 million Flint Hills Discovery Center, located in Manhattan, Kansas celebrates the history, culture, and heritage of the Flint Hills and tallgrass prairie. Through interactive exhibits Flint Hills Discovery Center visitors can explore the science and cultural history of the last stand of tallgrass prairie in North America – one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. The Flint Hills Discovery Center was designed by the museum architectural firm Vern Johnson Inc. with interpretive design and planning by Hilferty and Associates. The 34,900 square foot science and history learning center features permanent interactive exhibits, temporary exhibits, and areas for community programs and outreach activities. Attractions of the Flint Hills Discovery Center include: a 15-minute ‘immersive experience’ film which has special effects such as fog, mist and wind which appear in the theater as the high definition film is shown on a large panoramic screen; an ‘underground forest’ depicting the long roots of prairie plants including the 7-foot roots of bluestem prairie grass; explanations of importance of fire to the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie; and exhibits about the people and cultural history of the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Discovery Center received a LEED green building certification for their environmental design and energy efficiency, including their lighting and geothermal heating/cooling system.
    Flint Hills Discovery Center exhibit...jpg
  • Chunekukleik Mountain, a peak in the Takhin Ridge is bathed in morning sunrise light in this view seen from the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska.
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  • Unnamed mountain peaks near Sinclair Mountain in the Kakuhan Range bask in light from the setting sun in this sunset view seen from the Portage Cove harbor in Haines, Alaska. SPECIAL NOTE: DIGITAL COMPOSITE PANORAMA (multiple overlapping images stitched together)
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  • The sun envelopes the Chilkat River valley following a snowstorm in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. One of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world occurs in November along the Chilkat River. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In the background is Four Winds Mountain. Mountains in the Haines area are a popular destination for heli-skiing.
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  • The sun envelopes the Chilkat River following a snowstorm in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. One of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world occurs in November along the Chilkat River. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In the background are the mountains that make up Takhin Ridge.
    Chilkat River snow scene 3.jpg
  • The moon sets over Four Winds Mountain during sunrise in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. One of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world occurs in November along the Chilkat River. A close examination of this photo shows approximately 66 bald eagles on the Chilkat River gravel bar. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
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  • The Takhinsha Mountains near Haines, Alaska are bathed in the morning sunlight in this photo taken from the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River. Mountains in the Haines area are a popular destination for heli-skiing. SPECIAL NOTE: This image is a panorama composite consisting of multiple overlapping images stitched together.
    Takhinsha Mountains sunrise panorama.jpg
  • The dark intertidal zone is contrasted against snow along the beaches in this aerial photo of the Chilkat Peninsula near Haines, Alaska after a snow storm. Pictured at lower left is the Letnikof Cove Cannery in this view looking south, down the Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets towards the Lynn Canal. In the background are the mountains of the Kakuhan Range. The small snow covered bay at upper left is known locally as Mud Bay.
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  • The upper snowfield of the Casement Glacier is seen in this aerial photo taken along the border of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve near Mount Rice and the town of Haines in southeast Alaska.
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  • The upper snowfield of the Casement Glacier is seen in this aerial photo taken along the border of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve near Mount Rice and the town of Haines in southeast Alaska.
    Casement Glacier icefield aerial.jpg
  • The retreating McBride Glacier, located just off the Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska, is the most active glacier and only tidewater glacier in the Muir Inlet. McBride Glacier is approximately 1⁄2 mile wide and 14 miles long. Its ice face is approximately 200 feet high above the water and extends about 270 feet below it. This aerial photo, shot after an early November snow storm, shows Icebergs from the calving glacier traveling down the McBride Glacier inlet to the main Muir Inlet (background). The mountain ridge (center right) is McConnell Ridge. Ridge to the left is of McBride Inlet is Van Horn Ridge.
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  • The thousand foot cliffs of White Thunder Ridge are reflected in the Muir Inlet located in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska. This aerial view, taken in early November after a snow storm, is looking south, down the Muir Inlet (left).
    White Thunder Ridge aerial.jpg
  • The retreating McBride Glacier, located just off the Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska, is the most active glacier and only tidewater glacier in the Muir Inlet. McBride Glacier is approximately 1⁄2 mile wide and 14 miles long. Its ice face is approximately 200 feet high above the water and extends about 270 feet below it. This aerial photo, shot after an early November snow storm, shows Icebergs from the calving glacier traveling down the McBride Glacier inlet to the main Muir Inlet. The mountain ridge at left foreground is McConnell Ridge.
    McBride Glacier aerial.jpg
  • This aerial photograph of a portion of the "Council Grounds" is the primary area where bald eagles gather on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Bald eagles come to the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku (center) and Chilkat (left to right) Rivers because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters in late fall and early winter. The open water is due to a deep accumulation of gravel and sand that acts as a large water reservoir whose water temperature remains 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding water temperature. This warmer water seeps into the Chilkat River, keeping a five mile stretch of the river from freezing. Photographers come to the Chilkat River in November and December to photograph one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In the background are the mountains that make of the Takhin Ridge and Takhinsha Mountains. Chilkat Lake is pictured on the left, below the mountains.
    Tsirku River alluvial fan with Chilk...jpg
  • This aerial photo of the upper Chilkat River valley taken above Mosquito Lake shows the upper portion of the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. At upper left is the Kelsall River valley. Identifiable mountains include: Hiteshitak Mountain (left of center), Tohikah Mountain (center), and Mount Raymond (rear right in sunlight area). During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Upper Chilkat River valley aerial.jpg
  • Takhin Ridge (left) towers over the Takhin River in southeast Alaska near Haines. The Takhin River flows into the Chilkat River which is located at the base of the Takshanuk Mountains seen in background.
    Takhin River, Takhin Ridge aerial.jpg
  • An unamed mountain peak in the Takhinsha Range towers over the Takhin River in southeast Alaska near Haines. The Takhinsha Mountains are a popular heli-skiiing destination.
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  • A small peak on the slopes of Mount Wrather looks down upon the Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier runs roughly 12 miles, originating in the Juneau Icefield, near Juneau, Alaska. The glacier is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau. Each year, 465,000 curise ship passengers visit the Mendenhall Glacier.
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  • The Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse and a lone cottonwood tree are silhouetted against a dramatic fall sunrise at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The 10,894-acre Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located in the Flint Hills of Kansas in Chase County near the towns of Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. Less than four percent of the original 140 million acres of tallgrass prairie remains in North America. Most of the remaining tallgrass prairie is in the Flint Hills in Kansas. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the only unit of the National Park Service dedicated to the preservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is co-managed with The Nature Conservancy.
    Lower Fox Creek School sunrise.jpg
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