It has been more than a decade since I hiked up the City Creek Trails in Pocatello, Idaho. I had gotten out of shape and gained a lot of weight, but I’ve recently lost some weight and felt like getting back on the trails. Unfortunately I discovered that my favorite part of the trail is now permanently closed to allow for ‘natural restoration’:
South Trail 2024: CHERRY SPRINGS NATURE AREA, IDAHO, THAWING
The Cherry Springs Nature Area is part of the larger multi-state Caribou-Targhee National Forest (Idaho, Montana, Utah & Wyoming), and is located in the Westside Ranger District of Southeastern Idaho. It is two miles of hiking trails, a north trail and a south trail.
On 22MAR2024, my middle daughter Aryssa, along with my dog Struppi (and I) took a hike through the thawing Cherry Springs Nature Area.
There was a heavy-wet snow storm a few weeks prior, causing power poles and trees across the region to snap, the final spur of the North Trail was blocked by downed trees:
December 2020: WALKING THE DOG IN CHERRY SPRINGS, WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!
Another walk-about on the Arctic cold evening of 15DEC2023, in a Chubbuck, Idaho, neighborhood near the Portneuf District Library, part-1:
Part-2:
A couple of homes in Pocatello, Idaho, 19DEC2023:
More Xmas Lights Walk-Abouts: 
CHUBBUCK, IDAHO
Checking out the various neighborhood light shows in Chubbuck, from 01DEC2023 to 11DEC2023.
Part-1:
Part-2:
Part-3:
Xmas Lights Walk-About: POCATELLO, IDAHO
The rain we’ve had for the past September/October 2023, is resulting in a lot of various mushrooms sprouting in my front and back yards, these are the biggest Pilze yet!
TROLL MACHT UND ISST OMELETT, TRINKT KAFFEE!
On 07SEP2023, the Michigan Army National Guard was activated to help local and federal agencies evacuate silly-vilians (civilians) from Mackinac Island!
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Helen Miller, 07SEP2023.
The 1437th Engineer Company had to use pontoon bridges to build a temporary port, some of which had to be airlifted by CH-47 double rotary wing Chinooks from Detachment 1-Company Bravo-238th General Support Aviation Battalion.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Helen Miller, 07SEP2023.
This first-ever training scenario was meant to evaluate an evacuation plan created by the Mackinac County Emergency Management team, in conjunction with federal, state, and local agencies.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Helen Miller, 07SEP2023.
Safe Harbor video part one, by Master Sergeant Helen Miller:
The scenario, called Operation Safe Harbor, was that the existing ports on the island had become blocked, and the residents needed to be evacuated. The motivation behind the creation of the scenario was not adequately explained.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Helen Miller, 07SEP2023.
Safe Harbor video part two, by Master Sergeant Helen Miller:
U.S. Disaster: 
Just a little bit of what the various U.S. state’s National Guard units were tasked with in August, 2023!
OREGON PREPS FOR WMDS & HAZMAT ‘INCIDENTS’ AT GLOBAL SPORTING EVENTS?
LAHAINA FIRE, FEMA RESPONSE, so far!
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 16AUG2023.
On 16AUG2023, more supplies for wildfire survivors arrived on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staging area, on Maui.
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 16AUG2023.
Volunteer with World Central Kitchen organizes cooking supplies delivered to the FEMA staging area.
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 15AUG2023.
On 15AUG2023, the FEMA opened a ‘one-stop-shop’ on the island of Maui for disaster survivors.
On 14AUG2023, the FEMA released this video of their Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) dogs in action. The K9 (canine) units deployed from states such as California, New York and Washington. Video by Dominick Del Vecchio:
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 14AUG2023.
On 14AUG2023, the FEMA began registering survivors for Disaster Survivor Assistance.
On 14AUG2023, the FEMA released this video showing that power lines are down all through out Lahaina. Cadaver dogs (K9s, canines) had to work around the Hawaiian Electric utility crews who were trying to secure the power lines. Video by Dominick Del Vecchio:
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 13AUG2023.
On 13AUG2023, the first of 32 large electricity generators arrived at the FEMA staging area, on Maui.
FEMA photo by Dominick Del Vecchio, 11AUG2023.
On 11AUG2023, the FEMA met with state agencies to coordinate the disaster response.
On 10AUG2023, the FEMA declared Disaster Response/Recovery-4724-Hawaii (DR-4724-HI). The DR-4724-HI web-site helps explain the application process for recovery assistance/loans.
U.S. Disaster, 2023: 
LAHAINA FIRE, JTF-50 DEPLOYS!
16 August 2023 (12:44-UTC-07 Tango 06) 25 Mordad 1402/29 Muharram 1445/01 Geng-Shen(7th month) 4721/16 Август 2023 года
Joint Task Force 5-0 (JTF 5-0) is a unit consisting of personnel from the various Department of Defense branches, and part of the U.S. Fifth Fleet command.
Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew A. Foster, 15AUG2023.
Hawaii Army National Guard video, by Staff Sergeant Matthew A. Foster, showing Lahaina fire devastation as of 15AUG2023, even the boats in the harbor burned:
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Brandon Aultman, 14AUG2023.
On 14AUG2023, Hawaiian Army National Guard personnel joined with Regular Army (RA) and Army Reserve units in deploying to Maui, under JTF 5-0, aboard a U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) KC-130J from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oahu, to the Kahului Airport on Maui. Hawaii Army National Guard video by Staff Sergeant Matthew A. Foster:
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Logan Beeney, 14AUG2023.
On 13AUG2023, the Hawaii Army National Guard used their Cold War era CH-47 Chinooks to transport dozens of JTF 5-0 Army National Guard, Regular Army (RA) and Army Reserve personnel from Kualoa Airfield, on the island of Oahu, to the Puunene Armory on the island of Maui. Hawaii Army National Guard video by Specialist Sean Walker & Specialist Tonia Ciancanelli (no audio at beginning of video):
U.S. Disaster, 2023: 
LAHAINA FIRE, HAWAII MILITIA DEPLOYS!
On 11AUG2023, the U.S. Coast Guard District-14 (Hawaii-Pacific) released this silent video of the fire as it happened in the city of Lahaina, on Maui Island, Hawaii:
Also on 11AUG2023, the U.S. Army’s 94th Army & Air Missile Defense Command released this video (by Sergeant ZaBarr Jones) of the collection and staging of donations (food, water, clothes, baby formula, bedding and toiletries) from the residents of Honolulu, Hawaii:
In the background is what’s left of Lahaina. In the foreground is a nearly empty fresh water reservoir, the islands of Hawaii are dealing with a drought. Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 09AUG2023.
Hawaii National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier, 10AUG2023.
On 10AUG2023, Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing helped deliver personnel and equipment of the Honolulu Fire Department to the island of Maui, using the Boeing C-17 Globemaster-3 cargo plane.
Hawaii National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier, 10AUG2023.
C-17 video by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier:
Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.
Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.
On 09AUG2023, the Hawaii Army National Guard deployed two Cold War era Boeing CH-47 Chinook rotary wings to fight the fires. 58 total bucket drops in five hours, totaling more than 100-thousand gallons, dropped on the fires!
Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.
CH-47 video report by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson and Master Sergeant Amber Monio:
On 09AUG2023, about 50 Hawaii Air & Army National Guard CERF-P (CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages) personnel were mobilized, and on 10AUG2023 joined with other emergency responders to conduct an initial ground recon/damage assessment of Lahaina on Maui Island, Hawaii. Video by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson:
Hawaii’s National Guard is also assisting the local police. Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 09AUG2023.
U.S. Disaster, 2023: 
VERMONT MILITIA FLOOD RESPONSE
WYOMING’S 1ST EVER VIGILANT GUARD, CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE, SOCIAL UPHEAVAL!
NATIONAL GUARD PREPS FOR ‘BIG ONE’ IN THE WABASH VALLEY, RIOTS & CBRN EVENTS EXPECTED!
MAFFS PREPPING FOR 2023 WILDFIRE SEASON!
Cherry Springs Nature Area, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho, 09DEC2020. Photo by me.
Aryssa takes Strupie for a walk in Cherry Springs Nature Area, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho, 09DEC2020:
Aryssa and Strupie. Photo by me, 09DEC2023.
Photo by me, 09DEC2023.
Photo by me, 09DEC2023.
June 2019:
Photo by me, 19JUN2019.
Aryssa likes the trees.
Strupie and Aryssa say “watch out for snakes!”
Snake making a run across the trail!
Yep, there’s snakes in Cherry Springs.
Pland-emic Road Trip: 
Southeast Idaho’s Bear Lake & Minnetonka Cave
East Idaho Road Trip:
HTRE-3
