Surprise! New Friend Takes Us on National Parks Tour de Force

Hi!

  

Welcome to Day # 69 of our "365 Parks in 365 Days" adventure! When I first saw the photograph below, it took my breath away and I knew immediately that I had to include it in one of our adventures. To me, it captures the essence of love and committment between two gorgeous people, made in a spectacular setting. Wow!

 

  

Passionate outdoors woman Carolyne Richardson Sutton and her husband Rick chose the Knik glacier outside Anchorage, Alaska as the peerless site to exchange their wedding vows. 

 

 My new Facebook friend Carolyne Richardson Sutton and I were just getting acquainted as she'd bought a copy of Our True Nature and wrote to tell me she finished it in one day. She was excited by my stories that rekindled memories of the places she's been, and others that I have yet to visit. So great is her passion for the parks and nature that talking to her felt like I was talking with my other half.  I asked her to be our guest guide and my generous new sister not only said yes, she also agreed to let me share her wedding picture. I hope it ignites your passion as much as it inflamed mine.

 

 In the past couple of weeks, Carolyne has shared photos and videos from her "meet up" group snow shoeing at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch (Video) and last Sunday  she rode the Pikes Peak Cog Railway with the "Beckwourth Doers" to the top of that formidable mountain. (Railway)

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     The bear wanted her fish, so Carolyne  severed her line and readily gave it up! 

 

A federal government representative with Staples, she arranges her free time around getting outside with family and friends. Today the Colorado-based nature photographer takes us on a journey from Katmai National Park in Alaska where she spent her honeymoon, to the mountain top in Acadia, down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, through  the spires and buttes of the Badlands, and finally alongside the gently flowing waterfalls of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Photographs are by Carolyne Richardson Sutton, and here's her story:

  

"The National Park System became an indelible part of my life back in 1997 as I visited Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine.  I'd learned about the national parks by watching documentaries and various publications that piqued my interest. My primary reason for visiting this particular park was because it is widely believed that it is one of the places where dawn first touches the continental United States.  It is also said that here is where the mountain meets the sea.  Although Acadia is one of the smallest national parks, it is one of the ten most visited by almost three million people yearly.  The highlight of my visit was driving along the 3.5-mile mountain road with switchbacks to the parking lot near the summit.  From here, the Summit Trail provides an east-facing niche in the rocks.  This location is on the highest east coast mountain north of Brazil.

 

 

 It takes much greater effort to get out of the Grand Canyon than it takes to get down, Carolyne discovered.

 

 

"Since that iconic trip to my first national park, I have ventured on to many more.  I love the National Park System so much that I spent my honeymoon in Katmai National Park adjacent to Kodiak Island in Alaska.  Here, I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with many brown bears in their natural habitat.  I literally stood about 30 feet from an 800+ pound grizzly bear without any type of fence in between us.  That was truly an awesome experience. 

 

"While staying at the Brooks Lodge in Katmai, I went fly-fishing and caught several 20+ pound sockeye salmon. I had to share the river with the bears and one decided that he wanted one of the fish I was reeling in.  To err on the better side of my better judgment, I severed the line and presented the bear with my catch.

 

"Without a doubt, the Grand Canyon is my all-time favorite national park.  With each visit, I marvel at the sheer majesty and grandeur of this phenomenal natural masterpiece.  My most memorable visit was when I backpacked to the floor of the canyon with friends.  I was totally exhausted as I reached the Bright Angel Campground 7.5 hours after I started.  This was the most challenging thing that I had done since the birth of my sons.  But, oh was it rewarding when I fell asleep looking up at the radiant stars in the moonlit sky and hearing the soothing sound of Bright Angel Creek.  The return hike took me a grueling 12.5 hours as I literally crawled out of the canyon.  I swore that I would never hike the canyon again. "Never" came the following morning at breakfast, when I began planning my next hike on a different trail to the floor of the canyon.  Like Alaska, the Grand Canyon always beckons me to return time and time again.

 

 

 Serene waterfalls accessible from Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains is part of the delight of visiting this park.

 

"Badlands National Park in South Dakota was a complete surprise to me.  After the purchase of a new RV, we decided to drive to Devils Tower, Badlands, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton for our first road trip.  One night while we were staying at one of the campgrounds, a woman told us, 'There is nothing in the Badlands, it's just bad.'  That did not deter my enthusiasm one bit as I had done plenty of research and was so looking forward to the visit.  There is a subjective view on the natural beauty of our world that gave credibility to that old adage, 'One man's junk is another man's treasure.'  The Badlands did not disappoint me.  The dramatic pinnacles and spires rise above the dry plains and dominate the surrounding area.

 

"Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the nation's most visited national park.  Most visitors see the park from the mountain-skimming scenic highway that on a typical weekend day during the summer draws 60,000 people, bumper to bumper.  There are 800 miles of hiking trails from a half-mile to 70 miles long.  The park also preserves the humble churches, cabins, farmhouses, and barns of the mountain people who began settling here in the late 1700's.  As an outdoor photographer, I love the Cades Cove loop area for its abundant flora, fauna, and waterfalls.  Clingmans Dome Road is a superb location to enjoy sunrises and sunsets.

 

"Our National Parks are places where we can find peace, inspiration, and open space away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.  As citizens of this great nation, it is our responsibility to promote and protect these magnificent lands and landmarks.  Far too many people are not aware of these precious jewels that for many, are only a stone's throw away.  It is incumbent upon each of us as American citizens to visit, explore and preserve these national treasures for future generations. . ."

 

Thank you, Carolyne! I hope you will come back often and lead us on more of your fabulous adventures in our national parks!

 

 

   If you've missed any of our "365 Parks in 365 Days" adventures, find them here (Archive

 

 

 It's almost spring! Time to start planning your visits to our natural treasures. Get ready with Our True Nature! Buy your copy today and if you already have one, consider getting one for a friend or relative or a student you want to inspire. (www.legacyontheland.com)

 

Publication of "Our True Nature: Finding A Zest for Life in the National Park System" is supported by Delaware North Companies, Inc., Forever Resorts and Guest Services.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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