Kim McMahill

A recent road trip began with an annual pilgrimage which happens to be the location for t he inspiration for my new dystopian series, The Beartooth Chronicles.  I try every year to drive this amazing highway straddling the Wyoming-Montana border. Currently, the road over Beartooth Pass is open from approximately Memorial Day to mid-October, depending on the amount of snow. This year it has been struggling to stay open with the onslaught of late-season snow storms. We managed to slip in between two such storms in June and were rewarded with amazing views and a look at the depth of the snow still lining the road.   View of Pilot Peak from Beartooth Pass.

The garden is all but done for the season. Only a few hardy plants remain. I had decent production despite an odd summer. I had to plant a couple weeks later than usual due to cold overnight temperatures. It stayed cool and rained pretty much the entire month of June. July and August turned hot, some days reaching over 100 degrees. I had a good harvest of beans, bell peppers, lettuce, cabbage, and chilis/peppers (Anaheim, Serrano, Jalapeno). I got enough corn, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, and cucumbers to enjoy, but not enough to brag about. And, the brussel sprouts never matured. The one big surprise was our grape vines. It’s our vines fourth year and we finally got enough wine grapes to attempt a few bottles of wine. Overall, I’m satisfied, but I’m already looking forward to gardening season 2024.

I may have posted about this hidden gem before, but it is so interesting, that I wanted to share some more photos. Legend’s Rock Archeological State Park in Wyoming has some amazingly well-preserved petroglyphs. The site is located far from anything and not well advertised, but worth the effort of going a little out of the way.            

When I can't get too far away, I look for a few moments to enjoy the peace, solitude, and beauty of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and the Beartooth Highway. Here are a few photos I'd like to share of this spectacular place .

I didn’t think there could possibly be anything left to see in the Big Horn Basin that I hadn’t already seen, but I was wrong. A friend mentioned the Gooseberry Badlands, so we decided to check it out. The geology was definitely interesting and the short hike was a worthwhile stop. It turned out to be a fun part of a great day of exploring.

Heart Mountain is one of the most iconic views from Cody, Wyoming, and gazing at it from the McCullough Peaks is especially rewarding. This spring the McCullough Peaks were stunning. Due to seasonal rains the otherwise dry, rugged, and unforgiving landscape was awash in green and an abundance of wildflowers. It’s hard to plan for such a spectacular show with the unpredictable moisture, but when the Peaks are at its best it is amazing.   

Any time of year a drive up the North Fork Highway in northern Wyoming is a real treat. On my latest outing we saw bighorn sheep and elk galore and as usual, beautiful scenery. There is nothing like nature to uplift the spirit during difficult times. I hope everyone can find a bit of space for some fresh air and rejuvenation. Sorry the elk are a little blurry, but I didn’t want to get close enough to startle them, so took the picture from an appropriate distance.