history Archives - Loree Johnson Photography

America’s Public Lands – Malheur NWR

by Loree | Sep 17, 2018 | Deserts, Public Lands, The Vagabond Lifestyle, Wildlife

At the northernmost end of the Great Basin in western North America lies Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Set aside in 1908 as a bird sanctuary by President Theodore Roosevelt, and added to over the century since, Malheur today consists of 187,757 acres of wildlife habitat, including Malheur, Harney and Mud Lakes, plus the Blitzen River Valley. Interestingly, in learning about the history of the Harney Basin, I discovered that we all owe a debt of gratitude to a wildlife photographer–William L. Finley. His photographs and advocacy are largely responsible for the designation, which eventually came to be a wildlife refuge, both here and in the Klamath Basin, roughly 200 miles to the south and west.

Crane Training

On this day, the fourth anniversary of the day I pulled up roots and went vagabond, it seems appropriate to look back, not only over the summer spent here, but the ever-evolving journey of life on the road. As a direct result of the 2016 election and its ensuing assault on the environment in general, and public lands in particular, my travels have morphed from a random list of desired places to see, to a more focused effort of doing a small part to help save our precious public lands for future generations. As a volunteer, I hope to add value and provide information for those who visit these extraordinary places. Over the summer, I have found Malheur to be not only a refuge for wildlife, but a respite for people. It seems almost as many visitors come here for the peace and wide open spaces as the wildlife.

Barn Owl Hiding

If you have heard of this place, it is likely because of the armed occupation that happened in January of 2016. However, there has been conflict here for well over 100 years. The competing interests of cattle ranchers, farmers and wildlife protectors have been vying for limited water and resources since the early settlers arrived in the late 1800’s. At the same time the lake was set aside as a wildlife sanctuary, the Bureau of Reclamation was busy draining wetlands in an attempt to create more agricultural land. By the 1930’s, the draining of natural marshes had caused even more damage to bird populations than the original plume hunters the sanctuary was created to protect against.

Owl Scowl

Despite many conflicts over the years, including the armed occupation of 2016, the people of Harney County have forged relationships and compromises over many years, with the deep ties to the land here as literally, common ground. As my time here winds down and I contemplate moving on, I can’t help but feel a sense of hope that the efforts of those who work hard to bring people to the table in order to hammer out agreements and accommodations is paying off.

Natural Friendship

One of the greatest gifts of volunteering at a wildlife refuge is the opportunity to learn about the history, biology and geology of the place. As year five on the road begins, I look forward to the abundance of experiences and education that await me. If you would like to help preserve and restore Malheur, consider becoming a member of the Friends of Malheur Refuge. For a more detailed look at the history of Malheur NWR, see this article.

Young Hawk Soaring

Editor’s note: It was super hard to pick just a few photos for this article. To see the entire collection of photos from this summer at Malheur click here.

The National Treasure That Almost Wasn’t

by Loree | Aug 23, 2017 | Blog, History, Mountains, National Parks, Public Lands, Wildlife

It was April 6, 1930 when the citizens of Jackson Hole, in Teton County Wyoming, and the adjacent area learned who was behind the recent and prolific purchases of land and ranches in the valley. The Snake River Land Company had spent the previous two years acquiring vast amounts of real estate in western Wyoming near the recently dedicated Grand Teton National Park. It was on that day that Wyomingites learned John D. Rockefeller Jr., a New York billionaire, was the money behind the Snake River Land Company. The nefarious motive behind the plot was to donate the land to the federal government for annexation to Grand Teton National park in order to conserve and protect it for generations to come! How dare a rich guy do something good for humanity and the environment! Of all the nerve!

Autumn Fog Below Mt. Moran

Rockefeller made good on his intentions by offering over 30,000 acres of land he had amassed as a gift to the country. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, recognizing a political hot potato when he saw it, stalled and delayed. For more than ten years, the president refused to accept the donation. Hearings were held on the local and national level, congress played politics with the plan, but they weren’t willing to act on it.

Moose on a Mission

Finally, in 1942, Rockefeller gave the president an ultimatum. He threatened to sell the land to developers if the government didn’t take it. Roosevelt, not wanting that to happen, needed a way to accept the land, without approval from congress. Using his authority under the Antiquities Act (which had previously been used only for protection of archaeological sites), he created Jackson Hole National Monument.

First Light

The predictable political ruckus ensued in congress, but that was nothing compared to what was happening in Wyoming. In a fit of outrage, the local ranchers staged a protest worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. The locals organized a “posse.” They set out on horseback, whooping and hollering, and drove over 500 head of cattle out to graze on the newly minted National Monument. In their eyes, this egregious act of federal overreach could not stand. In the ensuing years, a bill to abolish the Monument passed both houses of congress. President Roosevelt vetoed it. At long last, in 1950, after numerous debates, and bills passing and failing, the Jackson Hole National Monument was absorbed by Grand Teton National Park.

Snake River Crossing

Cliff Hansen, the cowboy who led the rebellion over the monument, later went on to become Wyoming’s governor and a U.S. senator. He was also a big enough man to admit he was wrong. “I want you all to know that I’m glad I lost, because I now know I was wrong,” Hansen said during a luncheon in New York in 1967. “Grand Teton National Park is one of the greatest natural heritages of Wyoming and the nation and one of our great assets.”

Bull Elk Bugling

America’s Public Lands – Bears Ears

by Loree | Jan 4, 2017 | Deserts, National Parks, Public Lands

From the moment I arrived in the quiet little town of Bluff, in the southeastern part of Utah, I had the sense that I had stumbled upon a little-known area of scenic wonders and sacred history. My usual practice of asking the RV park operator for suggestions of things to see and do in the area yielded a list too abundant to possibly complete in my one-week scheduled visit. Having just spent several days in Monument Valley, witnessing some of the most breathtaking views the four-corners region has to offer, I was not expecting to be stunned. I was in for a surprise!

Bluff, Utah Est. 650 A.D.

One of the first things I noticed is that the “Bluffoons” (as the locals like to call themselves) have a wicked sense of humor, along with a mighty sense of pride in the long history of the area.

These Anasazi ruins in Utah’s Mule Canyon have been nicknamed the “House on Fire” ruins because the textures of the cliffs above the ruins resemble flames.

Having seen photographs of the House on Fire, I wanted to see it with my own eyes. It was not easy to find. After much searching on the internet, and quizzing a few locals, I found what seemed to be the correct trail through BLM land in the Mule Canyon area. I remember thinking to myself how strange it was that such a unique place was so little-known and sparsely visited. I spent a morning hiking to the ruins and a couple of hours there taking in the energy of the place without ever seeing another person. It felt as though I had connected with the spirit of the ancient people who built it.

A sandstone butte in Valley of the Gods known as The Lady in the Bathtub. Valley of the Gods is located in a remote area of southern Utah just 25 miles north of Monument Valley. With its red rock mesas, towering sandstone buttes, and balancing rocks that seem to defy gravity, this place is every bit as inspiring and beautiful to behold as Monument Valley.

Another place I decided to visit, per suggestion of the RV park management, was Valley of the Gods. Wow! Some people refer to it as “the other Monument Valley.” The terrain is very similar, but the access road is better–as long as it hasn’t rained recently. I was able to navigate the entire 17 mile scenic drive in my compact two-wheel drive car. I only saw a handful of other people while there, including a few people who were camping.

Battleship Rock in Valley of the Gods, Utah.

The sandstone buttes in Valley of the Gods are every bit as majestic and breathtaking as the more famous formations in Monument Valley. And once again, I found myself wondering how this amazing place was so unknown by so many.

During my too-short visit to the area, I was unaware that it had been under consideration for National Monument status for over two years. Looking back at the wonder I experienced, I was thrilled when I heard the news that President Obama had designated the Bears Ears National Monument.

Not only that, but five tribal nations are represented by a council whose responsibility is to advise federal agencies regarding administration of the monument. It is the first time in our history that Native Americans have been given authoritative input into the management of the lands their ancestors occupied. The area is home to abundant numbers of burial grounds and cliff dwellings, which have lately been the target of “pot hunters.” A term used to describe those who scavenge the ruins for artifacts and sell them illegally. The Antiquities Act (which is the authority used by the President to designate the monument) was written expressly for the purpose of protecting such artifacts and historic dwellings.

As the sun sets on the tiny town of Bluff, Utah, the bluffs which give the town its name light up in the glow of the days last light. Storm clouds above the bluffs take on a momentary golden glow.

This new Bears Ears National Monument is long overdue, and should prove to be economically beneficial to the little towns like Bluff, where they seemed to me to be trying to convince the tourists to stay a while, rather than blast through on the way north to Canyonlands and Arches. There is indeed, much worth seeing in this remote section of Utah. And I am happy that it will be protected for future generations to appreciate, and even for me to visit again.

Time Travel – Mesa Verde NP

by Loree | Jul 19, 2015 | Deserts, History, Legends and Folklore, National Parks

For the longest time, Mesa Verde National Park was on my list. You know, The List. Things I must see if I’m ever in the area. Not because it’s filled with spectacular photo opportunities, but because it’s fascinating to see the dwellings and communities of ancient people. Looking at these structures that were built seven hundred to a fifteen hundred years ago, I can almost imagine what life would be like living there. Almost.

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The Cliff Dwelling known as Oak Tree House at Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.

Surprisingly, Mesa Verde National Park does not have the highest concentration of preserved ancient pueblo dwellings in the US. That distinction belongs to Chaco Canyon National Historic Park in New Mexico. But Mesa Verde has plenty of ruins to see and explore if you are interested. The sites there range from basic “pit houses,” which are little more than holes dug into the ground with connecting passages between them, to the elaborate cliff dwellings built into the naturally eroded archways high on the cliffs of canyons. I found the so-called “mesa top” dwellings to be the most fascinating, maybe because I could really see and get a feel for what life must have been like in these highly organized villages.

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Within the Far View complex of sites at Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park, lies an ancient community known as Coyote Village. This site is very interesting and fun to explore. It is an intimate look directly into the lives of the Anasazi more than 500 years ago. This is the view of one of the living quarters believed to house a family.

While the pit houses are the earliest type of dwellings, dating back to around 600 A.D., the mesa top dwellings came later. According to archaeologists, these dwellings were in use around 900-1000 A.D.

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Coyote Village. This is the view looking down into a kiva, which is believed to be a family or community gathering place used for dance, worship, and other social rituals.

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This is the central tower of the village. It is unknown what the towers were used for. Some archaeologists believe they were ceremonial, based on their common proximity to kivas, others speculate they were part of a village to village communication network.

The elaborate cliff dwellings, such as the Cliff Palace, were the most recently occupied sites, being in use around 1200-1300 A.D.

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The Cliff Palace at Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park is the largest preserved cliff dwelling of its kind in the United States. The Anasazi, or “Ancient Ones” are believed to have occupied this community, and others like it, from about 1200-1300, after which it was abandoned.

The inhabitants of these complexes used a series of ladders and “toe trails” (notches carved into the rock) to enter and exit the village for farming and hunting activities. There is some speculation that the cliff dwellings were built out of a need for defense against other tribes. All of the dwellings at Mesa Verde were abandoned by late in the 1300’s. Archaeologists believe that a prolonged drought caused the inhabitants to move south in search of more fertile ground for farming.

We are very fortunate these sites were set aside and protected as a National Park in 1906. Even by that time, many of the ruins had been plundered by those seeking relics. If you ever wanted to travel back in time, a visit to Mesa Verde provides the perfect opportunity.

The Road Less Traveled

by Loree | Feb 1, 2013 | History, Locations, Photography, Siskiyou County, Waterfalls

Making the decision to retire early was not an easy one, but knowing that I wanted to spend my time capturing the world in photographs rather than inside four walls helped me decide. The ultimate goal is to travel the highways and byways of this beautiful country and record what I see. I took this step with that goal in mind, also knowing that I cannot just pack up and go immediately since I still have a son in high school.

My plan was to explore and shoot the surrounding area in hopes of further honing my skills and artistic vision. As it turns out, it has been even more rewarding than I expected. Even in the middle of winter, there is so much beauty and history to explore. Having lived in the area for more than fifteen years, you would think that I have seen all there is to see. Oh no! Far from it, in fact.

In the last few days, I have seen places that I never would have seen if I was working a day job. From old cabins left over from the gold rush,