Would just like to add my compliments to the list - great pictures hm.

Thanks!

I love that tree. It almost looks like it's wearing gloves.

Heh. It sorta does.

It straddles a narrow point on the cliff, so many hikers have probably used it to hold on to as they passed, and the thicker the branch, the more likely someone would use it, rubbing the bark off in the process.

Someone on Flickr has informed me that it's a California Condor. Wow.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/happymonkey/10835297/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://photos6.flickr.com/10835297_c706a290e9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Condor" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/happymonkey/10835114/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://photos5.flickr.com/10835114_fd14ae0692.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Condor Canyon" /></a>

Um...aren't California Condors like the most endangered species in North America or something?

Yup... http://hoppermountain.fws.gov/cacondor/

Slightly over 200 in the wild now. This one would be a juvenile owing to the fact that its head is black instead of that scary red.

After doing some reading on the US Fish and Wildlife site, I now know that you, HM, were privleged to see an incredibly rare sight that day. Did you report this encounter?

According to what I've just read, the captive bred condor population (which accounts for all but nine of the surviving birds) are known for being curious and unconcerned around humans. In fact, they apparently were known for this behavior even when there were ample numbers in the wild prior to their endangerment.

I thought it was a vulture of some sort, with the featherless head. It never occurred to me that it could be a condor. It certainly was unconcerned about me, spending more time facing away from the intruding humans than facing us. After 10-20 minutes, it hopped down to a slightly less accessible spot.