27 August 2009

Skywatch Friday: America & Montana in the Northern Rockies

Morning dawns on the Lexington "gallows frame" in Walkerville Montana. Butte/Walkerville was built on copper mining. The fog in the background is "pit fog" from the abandoned Berkeley open-pit mine--now America's largest toxic lake:

The miners liked beer and many brewed their own. Here, silhouetted against the sky, are hops berries that grow in my backyard:

Locals say "Butte America is just 15 minutes from Montana:" the nearby mountains are wilderness quality, as in this scene from Lake at the Edge of the World:

And this scene from Upper Many Miles Lake, tucked along the Continental Divide:

18 comments:

Martha Z said...

From the profane to the sublime.

Carol said...

Those Montana mountains and lakes are gorgeous! It looks alot like parts of Colorado. The slhouette against the bright blue sky is striking...

Photo Cache said...

Such beautiful nature. You captured it delightfully.

~ Sheepheads said...

Hey, I think your student Barry won the Cascade Cream Puff this year.

Janie said...

Amazing to have such contrast in your area, the pollution vs. the pristine. The mountain lakes are gorgeous.

~Chris said...

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

These pictures inspired me to come right out and SING! The mountains look purple ! The waters are crystal clear blue!

All the best, Maria

Maria said...

oops, husband, Chris, forgot to sign out... wife, Maria, forgot to check :)

~Maria

Jim said...

amazing scenery.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Dimple said...

I love Montana almost as much as Idaho! Nice shots. I also enjoyed your post on your fishing trip.

The Pink Geranium or Jan's Place said...

I love all of these, lovely ..

Regina said...

These are fantastic. Great view and shots!

troutbirder said...

We should never forget to clean up after ourselves. Wondering if you read Montana Outdoors Eco? Particularly the Letter To The Editor by the former state legislator in the most recent isue?

EcoRover said...

Troutbirder, I do read MT Outdoors (and have published a few pics with them)--I recall Maurier's column but will have to find my issue and read the letters.

Judy said...

If there is an Upper Many Miles Lake, does that mean there is also a Lower Many Miles Lake? What about East... and West...? Sorry, but names like that just send me sprialling out of control!
I think my favourite photo is Lake at the Edge of the World (Trying to control myself), with the sublime reflections!!

Anonymous said...

My husband has worked on superfund sites for years. That that one, though.

Who in their right mind would pollute an area so beautiful? Not that any place should be destroyed for gain.

Great photo.

Barb said...

Hi ER,
Thankfully, you have those pristine mountain lakes to enjoy - the mine pit, not so much. Hmmmm - I thought you were a professor, not a miner. How come YOU have hops in your yard? Yes - there are ptarmigan in the areas I hike - didn't see any recently, though.

The Crow said...

Simply, majestically beautiful.

CountryDreaming said...

When even a toxic lake looks good, you can only imagine how much better it would look if it were pure.