Adventures in Yellowstone

Goodbye Yellowstone!

2009-08-16T08:23:00.006-06:00

This morning, Colin and I finished packing up the cars and I said my final goodbyes to my friends at the dorm before starting our long road trip back to Florida. We stopped in Gardiner on the way to get some breakfast at Town Cafe and take some pictures.

Gardiner, MT

Me in front of the Roosevelt Arch

Heading out of Gardiner

We drove to Livingston and picked up 90 East towards Billings. At Crow Agency, we took route 212 East. Just after turning on to 212, we stopped at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Thanks, Obama, for making this a fee free weekend in the parks! We spent a couple of hours there at the museum and battlefield site learning about one of the defining moments of American history. We walked up to Last Stand Hill, where Custer along with dozens of others were killed. The places where people died are marked with white stone markers. Custer's marker is black.

Custer's Black Marker

Last Stand Hill

We also took the interpretive drive and followed the exhibit panels on the way back that explained the chronology of events of the battle and pointed out important places. I am glad I got to see this place that I have read so much about.

From Little Bighorn, we continued East on 212, along the hilly one lane country road. After about 200 miles, we entered Wyoming and then soon after reached South Dakota. At Belle Fourche, SD, we took 85 South to Spearfish, where we called it a night. Tomorrow we hope to make it to Omaha, NE.

Bliss Pass

2009-08-15T07:24:00.005-06:00

Today Colin, Charlotte, and I hiked to Bliss Pass, a 15 mile out and back. The trail begins at the Pebble Creek Trailhead. We got an early start, leaving the dorm at 7:30 and began hiking before 9 AM. The weather was chilly when we began, at about 45 degrees.

The trail began its initial 1200 foot climb immediately. The climb brought us up and over a mountain ridge and down into a gorgeous valley on the other side.

A nice view from the climb at the start of the hike

Hiking down into the meadow

We hiked across the flat valley for several miles. We forded Pebble Creek once and crossed it a few other times before entering a short section of burned forest. At the 5.5 mile mark, we took the two mile spur trail to Bliss Pass.

Several hundred yards into the spur trail, we had to ford Pebble Creek once again. Afterwards, the trail started switchbacking steeply towards Bliss Pass. We enjoyed views of magnificent mountains in every direction on the hike up to Bliss Pass. While the mountains around us were very rocky and dramatic, Bliss Pass itself was a lovely, grassy spot between two mountains. We enjoyed our lunch and then took a short nap before heading back down to the trailhead.

Pebble Creek

A lovely view as we switchbacked up to Bliss Pass

Charlotte and me at Bliss Pass

As I am leaving Yellowstone tomorrow for school, this was a fantastic capstone hike. I will be very sorry to leave such an amazing place, but feel very lucky to have spent a summer here. I have made some wonderful friends and seen some incredible sights. I am very happy to say that I will be back next summer to complete my project in lieu of thesis at the Heritage and Research Center where I worked this summer. My project will be to make a disaster management plan for the museum collection. Already, I can't wait to come back to this place!

Wolf Watching

2009-08-10T23:42:00.003-06:00

Tonight after work, Colin and I headed to the Lamar Valley in the Northeast section of the park to look for wolves. I hadn't seen any wolves all summer, and really wanted to before I leave at the end of the week. We arrived in the Lamar Valley at around 7:30 PM and there were already several big groups of people out there with their big scopes searching the valley for wolves.

Lamar Valley

We just had a pair of binoculars, but they worked pretty well. At first, we just saw a large herd of buffalo, but then we started picking out other animals, including antelope, a coyote picking at a carcass, and several pronghorn. Some people with scopes said they could see wolves way in the distance, but we couldn't see them in the binoculars because they were too far away. We headed further down the road to try and get a better vantage point. There we were able to spot a group of three wolves far off in the valley, which was really neat! We also spotted more pronghorn, buffalo, and antelope.

As the sun set, our visibility diminished and we finally decided to call it a night. It was neat to see the wolves, but it was also great to observe all the other wildlife out in nthe valley.

Elephant Back Mountain and Avalanche Peak

2009-08-09T20:54:00.006-06:00

This morning, Colin and I got up early and drove to the Lake Yellowstone area in the Southern section of the park to hike Elephant Back Mountain and Avalanche Peak. Both hikes are exactly 4 miles and are out and back hikes. We hiked Elephant Back first.

Elephant back is a gradual, 800 ft. climb to a beautiful view of Yellowstone Lake. It was about 40 degrees when we started hiking, but we warmed up quickly as we climbed. The trail went through lush, green forest until the summit. Towards the top, we got some beautiful views of the lake below. From the top, we could see the Lake Hotel, the oldest hotel in the park, built in the late 1800s. After taking in the views at the top, we headed down to the trailhead so we could start our second hike of the day.

The trail up Elephant Back Mountain

At the top

Lake Yellowstone below

The trailhead to Avalanche Peak is about 19 miles away from the trailhead to Elephant Back. We got there at around noon, and started the strenuous hike to the summit. The entire hike up is a category H climb. Interestingly, H stands for "horrible" and I could certainly see why on this hike.

Although the hike up was only 2 miles, it seemed like 4. The first 1.2 miles are through the woods. Finally, we came to the tree line, and the terrain changed immediately. The forest was replaced with rocks - covering the entire mountain and the trail up, which was covered in skree. The trail went along the edge of the exposed mountainside, and the wind was so strong and cold that it took my breath away at times.

The treeline

The summit in the distance

We continued up to an open area that we thought was the summit. We soon realized that we were wrong - the summit was in front of us and still a big climb awaited us. We continued on the trail, which was now made up of red rocks.

At the summit

When we got to the top, we were rewarded with amazing views in all directions which made all our effort worth it. It was extremely cold and windy on the tiny, rocky summit. We stayed long enough to take some pictures and enjoy the view before heading back to the trailhead. The trail was so steep that my knees were very sore by the time we got to the bottom. The amazing views were definitely worth it though!

Pebble Creek

2009-08-08T20:10:00.004-06:00

Today Colin and I hiked the Pebble Creek Trail, a 12 mile shuttle near the northeast entrance of the park. The trail began climbing immediately and continued to do so for the first two miles of the hike. Green grass and bright wildflowers grew among the trees through which we hiked. At the top of the climb, we had a fantastic view of the mountains surrounding us.

The beginning of the hike

Meadows along the way

Enjoying the nice view at the top of the climb

We continued on, through several meadows and small sections of forest. After about 4 miles, we came to the first of four river fords along the hike. At this point, we noticed a cold wind blowing and dark clouds behind us. We wondered whether we should turn around or keep going. We finally decided to keep going, because the sky in front of us was much brighter and we did not hear any thunder.

One of four times we forded windy Pebble Creek

After fording the river, we entered a burned section of forest. The trail followed alongside the river until we came to the second river ford. After that, we continued through burned forest for a few more miles. After hiking about 6 miles, the terrain opened up, and we got amazing views of the dramatic mountains around us.

Burned forest

About 6 miles in, we got some great mountain views

We continued on, fording the river again, and finally entered a huge meadow. We saw dark clouds behind us and heard thunder rumbling in the distance. We quickened our pace to get into the woods and out of the open meadow before the storm reached us. When we got to the woods, we climbed up a ridge and then down the other side to the parking lot, about two miles total. We got rained on a little, but for the most part, we were lucky to avoid the storm.

The storm closing in on us

The "M" (Mount Sentinel)

2009-08-07T19:44:00.004-06:00

Last night, Colin and I headed to Missoula so that Colin could take the first part of the bar exam (about ethics) there. After he was finished with the test, we decided to hike to the big letter M in the hills above the campus of the University of Montana. The weather was cool and threatening rain, but we decided to give it a try anyway.

The hike began directly below the M and switchbacked up quickly and steeply. After about 15 minutes of hiking, we found ourselves at the big M. I had thought it was made of painted rocks, but when we got there, I discovered that it was a large concrete slab.

Missoula below as we climb to the M

Colin and me at the M

We continued on to summit Mount Sentinel. A few minutes into this part of the hike, we heard thunder above us on the mountain, so we turned around to be safe. As we got to the trailhead, it began raining very hard, so we knew we made the right decision.

Afterwards, we headed to lunch and then to the Big Sky Brewery. After tasting a few beers, we started the long, four hour drive back down to Gardiner.

Mammoth Terraces

2009-08-04T22:15:00.005-06:00

Tonight Colin and I walked the boardwalks of the Mammoth Terraces, a very beautiful and unique thermal feature just down the street from the dorm. We went in the evening as the sun was setting and the light made the terraces look amazingly beautiful. I hadn't done the terrace walk since my dad and I did it in May, and it was much prettier than I remembered.

The beginning of the boardwalk through the terraces

Mammoth in the distance

Lava Creek Canyon

2009-08-02T19:00:00.007-06:00

Today, Colin and I hiked the Lava Creek Canyon trail, a 4.5 mile shuttle hike in the Mammoth area. The trail started out fairly flat in a field of wildflowers. Less than a quarter mile from the trailhead, we had views of Undine Falls in the gorge along the trail.

The beginning of the hike

Undine Falls

A scenic view just past Undine Falls

As we continued on, the trail began to gradually descend into Lava Creek Canyon. As we descended, we got wonderful views of the Gardiner River Bridge on Dunraven Pass. At the bottom of the canyon, we enjoyed the beautiful ridge line to our right.

Colin on the trail as it began to descend into the canyon

Gardiner River Bridge

Hills along the side of the trail

Bunsen Peak behind us

Ridge line along the trail

Towards the end of the hike, we saw an enormous bird sitting by the river. I am not sure what kind of bird it was, but my best guess is an eagle or a raptor.

About a mile later, the trail brought us to a really neat metal suspension bridge across the Gardiner River. After crossing it, we noticed the sky darkening all around us. Luckily, the end of the hike was near, and we made it to the car before the heavy rain began to fall.

Suspension bridge

View from the bridge

The end of the hike is near

Darkening sky at the end of the hike

Colin Arrived Just in Time for the Gardiner Beer Festival

2009-08-01T18:17:00.004-06:00

This afternoon, I went with some friends to the beer festival down in Gardiner at Arch Park. The festival was very small, but I got to try some really good beers. I was really excited the whole time because I knew Colin was on his way from Denver. Colin finished work yesterday and will be here in Yellowstone with me until I leave in a few weeks. The weather was beautiful and the festival was not crowded at all, so it was just wonderful.

Me and Colin

Allison, Jake, Me, and Sam

Jake, Sam, Colin, and Allison

The beer festival

Colin got there a couple hours after the festival started. I was so excited to see him! We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking good IPAs and catching up. It was such a great day!

Grizzly Lake and Upper Terraces

2009-07-31T16:14:00.007-06:00

Today I hiked for the first time in almost two weeks. My knee had been bothering me, so I rested it last weekend. Today I solo hiked to Grizzly Lake, a 3.6 mile out and back to a peaceful mountain lake. At the beginning of the hike, it was raining lightly, but I decided to try the hike anyways with the hope that the weather would clear.

The trail began in a meadow full of wildflowers. After about a quarter mile, the trail switchbacked up to the top of a ridge, which flattened out at the top. The trail continued on through burned and unburned forest on top of the ridge for about a mile. Then, I got some glimpses of some mountains ahead of me.

Burnt trees in the meadow at the beginning of the hike

Beginning to climb the first ridge

Raining in the distance as I hiked up the ridge

Meadow on top of the ridge

Mountains come into view

Soon, the trail began switchbacking down a ridge to Grizzly Lake. On the other side of the lake, there was another ridge, beyond loomed a large chain of mountains. The best view of Grizzly Lake was from the top of the ridge before switchbacking down, because at the bottom of the lake, the ridge line was visible, but the mountains beyond were not.

Switchbacking down to Grizzly Lake

Grizzly Lake and mountains beyond

The shore of Grizzle Lake

Heading back to the trailhead

Wildflowers along the trail

On the way home, I stopped at the Upper Terraces in Mammoth. I walked the short boardwalk before doing the Upper Terrace drive, which winds up through terraces above the boardwalk.

Upper Terraces

Along Upper Terrace Drive

Goodbye Casey!

2009-07-23T18:42:00.000-06:00

This evening, Casey headed back to Bozeman to catch a plane home. Before he left, he came to visit me at work, and I gave him a tour of the storage area and museum collection, which he really enjoyed. Afterwards, we went to Town Cafe for dinner and then got some ice cream at Yellowstone Perk before he had to head out. I am really glad Casey was able to make it out here and that we were able to do so much and have a great time! Thanks for coming, Casey!

Sacajawea Peak

2009-07-22T18:00:00.008-06:00

Last night after the concert, Casey and I stayed in a hotel in Bozeman so we could do a hike in the area today. We chose Sacajawea Peak, about 25 miles outside the city. The trail began at the end of a seven mile, rough dirt road. The trail began in a forested area and started climbing right away. Within a quarter mile, we left the forest for open terrain for the remainder of the hike.

The road to the trail

The beginning of the trail

From there, we ascended up an open area at the base of two mountains, Sacajawea to the left and Hardscrabble to the right. The trail climbed to the base of the saddle between the mountains and then switchbacked to the top of the saddle.

Sacajawea Peak and the saddle

Hardscrabble Peak

Snow on the trail to the saddle

The view behind us

The trail to the saddle

Looking down from the saddle

The view on the other side of the saddle

From the saddle we headed to the summit of Sacajawea. At this point, the trail started climbing more steeply, and finally it headed almost straight up to the summit on loose dirt and gravel, which was harder to walk down than it was to walk up.

The steep trail to the summit

At the summit, we found several mountain goats. A mother and her baby were at the very summit, about 15 feet from where we ate our lunch. After eating and watching the goats, we started heading down to the trailhead. The hike down was much faster than the hike up, and we were back at the car in no time.

Goats on the top

View from the summit

Another shot from the peak

We headed back into Bozeman for pizza at McKenzie River before picking my car up in Livingston and heading back to Mammoth for the night. It was a great trip to Bozeman and we had a wonderful time!

Josh Ritter Concert

2009-07-21T17:41:00.000-06:00

Tonight Casey and I went to Bozeman after I got out of work to see Josh Ritter in concert. We met my friends Nick and Hillary out there. Casey and I got there at about 8:30, about 30 minutes into the opener, Langhorne Slim's set. Neither of us had heard of Langhorne Slim before, but we were both really impressed.

When he came on, Josh Ritter was amazing! Casey and I (and Nick and Hillary) agreed that it was one of the best concerts we had ever been to. Casey had never heard of Josh Ritter either, but is already thinking of seeing him again when he tours in the Northeast in a few weeks.

A Day at Lake and Around the Southeast

2009-07-18T17:15:00.004-06:00

Today Casey and I headed over to the Lake Yellowstone area, in the southeast section of the park. Casey hiked Avalanche Peak. Unfortunately, I couldn't join him because my knee was still bothering me. So, while he was out hiking I sat in the Lake Hotel and did some reading. After he was done hiking we had some lunch at the restaurant inside the hotel. Then, we stopped at Mud Volcano thermal area on the way home and walked around the boardwalk loop. The area was full of mud pots, thermal features that spray and gurgle mud instead of water. It was really neat! We also stopped at an overlook with a view of a thermal area across the street from Mud Volcano. Finally, on the way home, we stopped at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and took in the views from Artist Point.

Dragon's Mouth Cave

Me and Casey at Dragon's Mouth

Mud Pot

Gurgling muddy spring

Thermal area across the street from Mud Volcano

(notice the buffalo down there!)

Close up of the buffalo in the thermal area

Stormy clouds along the way

Casey at Artist Point

Drive Around the Northeast Section of the Park

2009-07-18T16:53:00.005-06:00

Since my knee was still hurting and Casey was up for a rest day after yesterday's hike, we decided to take a drive to the northeast section of the park, where it is very dramatically beautiful. On the way out, we stopped at a scenic overlook of a beautiful canyon.

The Canyon

Casey and me at the overlook

We continued driving east and found ourselves in a small "bear-jam." The bear was a black bear and it was only about 10 feet away from the road in a meadow eating grass. We stopped and watched it for a while and it was very neat that it was so close.

The black hear

A view near the Northeast entrance

From there, we headed out of the Northeast entrance and into Cooke City, where there happened to be a large motorcycle rally. We drove through the small town but didn't stop (there was literally nowhere to park with all the motorcycles everywhere. We did see one motorcyclist dressed from head to toe in black leather, with a while skeleton painted onto it. He was wearing a skull mask and a cowboy hat, and had a huge pistol on on each hip and he was just walking down the street. It was very strange!

We left Cooke City and headed back into the park. We stopped along the way and dipped our feet in a pretty little stream. On the way back to Mammoth, we saw a couple of large buffalo herds. It was great, because Casey had never seen buffalo before. All in all, it was a very nice, scenic and relaxing day and we both had a great time and saw a lot.

The stream where we stopped

Buffalo herd

A nice view in the Hayden Valley in the NE section

Fairy Creek

2009-07-17T16:20:00.004-06:00

Today Casey, Erica, Charlotte, and I hiked the Fairy Creek Trail, just North of the Old Faithful area. The trail started next to Grand Prismatic Geyser, so we hiked up to the hill above the geyser to look at the amazing colors below. A little ways past Grand Prismatic, we took a left turn onto the Fairy Creek Trail, which began in burned forest. A mile and half into the trail, we came to Fairy Falls, a long thin waterfall 197 feet high. We enjoyed the view for a while and had a snack before proceeding.

Fairy Falls

About a quarter mile past the waterfall, we came to Imperial Geyser, a gurgling geyser situated within a crystal clear blue thermal pool. It's always pretty neat to see a thermal feature off the beaten path, away from the touristy boardwalks near Old Faithful and the other geyser basins. This was no exception.

Just past Fairy Falls

Imperial Geyser

From Imperial Geyser, we headed deeper into the woods into partially burned forest. We started climbing up a ridge and from there entered a lush, unburned forest.

The partially burned ridge

The lush forest

We continued on for several miles, in and out of the forest until we finally got to Mystic Falls (about 11 miles into the hike). The falls were really beautiful and were in a very dramatically part of the trail. After checking out the falls, we pushed through the final leg of the hike, ending up at Biscuit Basin, about 2 miles down the road from our car. Casey was able to catch a ride to the other trailhead and get the car to pick us up.

Mystic Falls

The view above Mystic Falls

Unfortunately, my knee started hurting quite a bit during this hike. I am pretty sure it is an overuse injury related to my very tight IT band. I hope that a little rest will let it heal so I can do some more hiking before I leave in a few short weeks. I am sad I had to get hurt when Casey is here visiting as I was looking forward to lots of hiking with him.

Casey's Here!

2009-07-16T16:48:00.004-06:00

Today my brother Casey flew in to Bozeman for an 8 day visit! I took the day off work to meet him at the airport and bring him to rent a car (I needed to drop my car at the shop). We got the car and then went to leave my car in Livingston. From there, we went to one of my favorite places here - Chico Hot Springs Resort. We sat in the natural thermal spring fed hot tub and swimming pool before going to the restaurant for a good meal. It was nice to sit down and catch up over dinner and also to eat some good food, as I rarely cook out here. I am really excited about the week ahead with my brother and know we will have a great time!

The Thunderer (Chaw Pass)

2009-07-12T18:05:00.003-06:00

Today, Charlotte, Erica, Steve, Jake, and I hiked up Chaw Pass next to a mountain aptly named The Thunderer. The mountain is located on the east side of the park. I had not yet been out to that section of the park, and was amazed at how different it is from the rest of Yellowstone. It is much more dramatic in that area, and the mountains are rockier in the same sense that the mountains are rocky in Glacier National Park. This section of Yellowstone borders the Beartooth Mountains which are supposed to be absolutely incredible.

The view down the road from the trailhead parking area

About 100 yards into the hike, we had to cross a wide, but not very deep river. We carefully made our way across in our sandals, and Steve was nice enough to cross back and forth several times to help us cross. The river came up about as high as my mid thigh, but the current wasn't very strong. The rocks in the river were very slippery and the water was extremely cold. By the time we got across, my feet and legs were completely numb.

The river we crossed

After crossing, we changed into our boots and began our hike. The trail was pretty steep the entire way up, about 3.7 miles. The trail was entirely wooded, but we were able to glimpse some great views in some breaks in the trees on the way up.

A typical view of the trail

A nice mountain view from a break in the woods

After almost four miles of tough, muggy hiking we came to the pass, which was sparsely wooded, but allowed views of the amazing and dramatic mountains around us. We ate some lunch at the pass, and then got up to leave when we heard thunder approaching and saw dark clouds starting to surround us.

The Thunder above us from Chaw Pass

Erica, Charlotte, and me at the pass

It started sprinkling as we rushed down the mountain. We hurried down and never got poured on, but did hear thunder the whole time. After about an hour, we made it back to the river crossing and the end of the hike. The cold water definitely felt good on my feet and legs at the end of the hike!

View Places Hiked in a larger map

Divide Mountain and Grand Prismatic

2009-07-11T17:52:00.002-06:00

Today, a big group of people from the dorm hiked Divide Mountain. The trail was very short (1.7 miles each way), wooded, and extremely buggy. There were no vistas on the hike up, and when we got to the top we were all very disappointed. All we saw at the summit (if you can call it that) was trees all around us. To avoid being eaten alive by mosquitos, we hurried back down to the car.

On top of Divide Mountain

The top wasn't scenic

After that, we headed to climb the hill behind Grand Prismatic to get a view of the amazing colors of that enormous thermal pool. The hike up the hill took less than five minutes, and the views were absolutely amazing! I really want to take my brother, Casey to see this when he visit next week, and would also like to show Colin when he comes back up in a few weeks!

Grand Prismatic

Sevenmile Hole

2009-07-05T19:22:00.007-06:00

Today John, Charlotte, and I hiked the Sevenmile Hole trail, a ten mile out and back in the Canyon area. The trail began along the forested rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and offered several amazing views of the colorful canyon from breaks in the trees. We continued in this forested area for the first three miles or so, before reaching the Sevenmile Hole spur trail.

A view from a break in the forest

Another nice view of the canyon

Silver Cord Cascade across the canyon

We took this trail, which continued through the fairly level wooded area for another half mile before beginning to switchback sharply downward into the Canyon. Along the way, we saw a large dormant geyser to the side of the trail. We switchbacked for at least a mile before we found ourselves hiking down a steep volcanic area, covered in white sand and dirt.

The dormant geyser along the trail

The trail down into the volcanic area

The canyon in view from the volcanic area

We hiked through that area into a wooded area with several small meadows before finally reaching the bottom, where we were level with the river at the bottom of the canyon. It was a beautiful place – the canyon walls rose up in front of us with red and yellow hues. The green water rushed past us, roaring and full of white rapids.

The lovely colors of the canyon

Me, Charlotte, John

We rested next to the river for about 45 minutes before beginning the arduous ascent up the canyon. We climbed about 1,400 feet in under two miles, and we definitely felt it. Many sections of trail were in the open, with the sun blazing on top of us. Most of the trail us was incredibly steep. Somehow, we made it up the trail quicker than we had gone down (I think it’s harder to go down steep sections because it is hard on my knees).

From the top, we hiked back out of the woods the same way we came in. We noticed storm clouds in the distance and heard thunder, so we hurried to finish hiking before getting rained and stormed on. We just barely made it to the truck when it started raining. We really couldn’t have timed our finish any better. All in all, it was a beautiful hike, and I really enjoyed the steep ascent from the canyon. After hiking over 150 miles so far this summer, it feels good to be able to cruise up steep trails like the one we hiked today. Hikes like these will put me into great shape for some longer, steeper hikes later on this summer.

Crevice Lake (almost!)

2009-07-04T18:48:00.007-06:00

After driving back from Livingston this morning, Charlotte and I decided to hike to Crevice Lake, an 8.4 mile out and back, this afternoon. The trailhead is located about six miles East of Mammoth, so it didn’t take long to get there.

When we started hiking, the weather was very hot and sunny. We could see dark clouds in the distance, but we decided to try hiking anyways. We started out at the same trailhead that Erica and I used to hike the Rescue Creek trail a few weeks ago. We turned off that trail after about 0.8 miles. The first few miles of trail were through beautiful green meadows, and we could see mountains in the distance. We hiked through the meadow for about two miles, and then descended into a lovely ridgeline alongside a pretty stream.

The beautiful weather when we started hiking

The nice meadow we hiked through

Scary clouds in the distance

As we hiked along the ridge line, we started hearing thunder way off in the distance. We also noticed dark clouds in the direction we were heading. It wasn’t raining, so we decided to try and beat the storm, as we were pretty close to our destination by that point.

Hiking the ridge line

The ridgeline brought us to a very long metal bridge over the river. It was quite a sight to see such a huge bridge in the middle of nowhere! We crossed the bridge, and headed towards Crevice Lake. A couple of minutes after crossing the bridge, the weather turned very quickly. We saw a huge bolt of lightning a few miles in the distance, with loud thunder rumbling within a few seconds. The thunder shook the ground we stood on.

At this point, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry and turned around. It was hard to do, because we were within 0.1 or 0.2 miles from Crevice Lake, but it was definitely the right thing to do. Within a minute it was pouring down rain and the storm was right on top of us. We rushed down the trail as quickly as we could with lightning flashing and thunder shaking the earth.

It was a very scary ordeal for a couple of miles, but then, just as suddenly as the storm hit, it disappeared. All of a sudden, we were walking in sunshine and the storm was behind us. We continued walking in the bright sunshine for the remainder of the hike. It was hard to believe the weather had been so bad just a few minutes and miles before.

Clear skies again

Walking back to the trailhead

Me near the end of the hike

Driving back from the hike, we saw a billowing cloud of smoke behind the dorm. I wondered if it was a lightning strike fire, and sure enough, it was. Luckily, the fire department was already on the scene putting out the small fire.

After the hike, the few people around the dorm this weekend (most were in the Tetons or Beartooths) had a nice little BBQ outside with hot dogs, watermelon, and ice cream. It was a wonderful way to spend the Forth of July.

Bozeman and Livingston Trip

2009-07-03T19:00:00.000-06:00

Today Today I went to Bozeman with a bunch of people from the dorm. We made a lot of stops around town. Most importantly, I picked up my gorgeous engagement ring (which was being resized) at the mall.

We stopped and had a delicious lunch at Dave’s Sushi and checked out a great used/new bookstore in town. From Bozeman, we headed to Livingston to go to the Forth of July Rodeo, but when we got there, we were disappointed to find out the tickets were all sold out We had already gotten a hotel for the night, so we headed out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and then hit a few bars and saw the rodeo fireworks before returning to the hotel. Almost everyone went back out to the bars later on, but Charlotte and I stayed in at the hotel and enjoyed some cable TV, a luxury we haven’t had since we’ve been out here. All in all, it was a great day, but I really wish I could have seen the rodeo. I hope I will have the chance to see one while I am out here.

Garnet Hill

2009-07-02T17:57:00.005-06:00

Today Jake, Steve, Charlotte, and I hiked the Garnet Hill loop trail. The trailhead is located at Tower Junction, in the Northeastern section of the park. When we arrived at the trailhead, we noticed very dark clouds not so far away and could hear thunder in the distance. We decided to hike anyway, and turn around if the weather got dangerous.

Garnet Hill Trailhead

Threatening sky

The first few miles of the trail were in an open, fairly flat, meadow, with green grass and shrub brush all over. We hiked through the meadow and enjoyed the views of mountains, including Garnet Hill, in the distance.

After hiking a few miles, we descended into a forested area. We came out of the forest into a meadow alongside the Yellowstone River. On the other side of the meadow was Garnet Hill. We walked between the river and the hill for close to a mile before we began switchbacking onto Garnet Hill. The hike was not a summit hike, so the trail soon leveled out. We stopped for lunch under a shady tree (by this time, the storm clouds had dissipated and it was sunny and quite hot).

Entering the woods

After our break, we walked through a beautiful area with rocky cliffs on either side before heading back into a green meadowy area. We continued hiking through this terrain until we reached the road that we had started on and headed back to the car.

Birthday in Bozeman

2009-06-28T21:10:00.000-06:00

Today was my real birthday, but this weekend has been so great that I feel like my birthday has lasted 4 days straight! Colin flew back to Denver from Bozeman tonight, but before that we had a wonderful day together. We headed towards Bozeman at around 10 AM. On the way, we stopped at Chico Hot Springs and soaked our tired legs in the hot water. We stayed there about an hour and headed the rest of the way to Bozeman.

Right when we got to Bozeman, we went straight to Zales, where Colin had gotten my engagement ring. Because the ring was too big, we had to drop it off at the store here to be resized. They have to send it out, but I should have it by this coming Friday. I can’t wait!

After that, we got some lunch at Mackenzie River Pizza in downtown Bozeman. Our waitress there was amazing and made us a beer sampler even though it wasn’t on the menu. She let us try at least 10 different beers but only charged us for one pint. Not only was the beer delicious (all from local breweries) but the pizza was incredible. We got two kinds and shared them: a Thai pie with peanut sauce, mandarin oranges, chicken, roasted red peppers, and peanuts and another with asaigo cheese, roasted potatoes, onions, and rosemary. I know we will be going back there next time we are in Bozeman!

After that, we walked around town and eventually got some ice cream before it was time for me to bring Colin to the airport for his flight. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know I will see him again in just four weeks for more hiking adventures here in Yellowstone. Knowing that made saying goodbye much easier. We had the most amazing weekend ever and I can’t wait for some more in just a few more weeks!

Sepulcher Mountain

2009-06-27T20:25:00.008-06:00

Today Today Colin and I hiked Sepulcher Mountain, a strenuous 12-mile loop hike that starts and ends in Mammoth. We started on the Beaver Ponds trailhead next to the Mammoth Terraces. The first few miles of the hike were filled with beautiful yellow wildflowers.

The first five miles of the hike climbed steeply uphill to the summit, an elevation gain of 3,500 feet. The weather was absolutely perfect for hiking – sunny yet cool and comfortable. Soon into the hike we entered a burned section of forest, then climbed steep switchbacks up a tall ridge. There we were treated to the first of many amazing views – we could see Mammoth and the Terraces on one side and tall snowcapped mountains on the other.

A nice view at the start of the hike

A nice lake

The ridge we hiked up

Me at the top of the ridge with beautiful views behind me

From there, the trail continued to climb steeply alternating through meadows and forest. After a few more miles, we got our first view of the rocky summit ahead of us. During the entire hike up to the summit, it felt like we were going slow, but we made it to the peak in less than three hours which we felt was pretty respectable.

Another great view a little further up

Here we could see the summit ahead of us

We stopped at the summit for about an hour, where we ate lunch and took in the incredible views on all directions. We could see Gardiner, the Absorokas, and Paradise Valley on one side and Electric Peak looked as though we could reach out and grab it on the other side.

Electric Peak in the background from the summit

Colin and me at the top

View from the top

Another summit shot

Paradise Valley in the distance

Gardiner and mountains from the summit

Electric Peak

It was hard to leave the amazing views at the top, but we knew we better continue in order to finish the 7 miles left in the loop. We began switchbacking down the other side of the mountain from which we had ascended. The other side was a grassy meadow that offered amazing mountain views as we descended. It took us an hour and a half or so to get down the switchbacks. From there, we entered a forested area and then connected with part of the Terrace Mountain loop towards Mammoth. The trail was mostly downhill from the summit onward, which is harder than it sounds to hike. We finally finished the hike at around 6:30 PM and about 6 hours of beautiful hiking.

A view on the way down

Switchbacking down

One last look back at Electric Peak

Sepulcher Mountain was definitely one of the more difficult hikes I have done, but it was also one of the most beautiful. The views from the top were indescribable and the photos I took just don’t do them justice. I am really happy that Colin was here to share such an amazing hike with me!

After the hike, some of my friends at the dorm had a little birthday party for me. It was really sweet! Erica, Maeve, and Jess gave me really wonderful presents – a hand drawn card, a Yellowstone mug, a Junior Ranger badge (with my name on it!), and an arrowhead. Kate and Michaela baked me a delicious cake based on Michaela’s Italian grandmother’s cake recipe. It was delicious! Afterwards, we had a bonfire outside and everyone came down to hang out. Chris improvised a blues song and made up a verse about everyone at the fire – it was really memorable. What a great birthday weekend!

Mount Washburn

2009-06-26T20:02:00.005-06:00

Today Erica, John, Charlotte, Colin and I hiked up Mt. Washburn. We originally planned to do the hike as a shuttle, which would bring us down a steep section and through an area of hot springs on the way to Artist Point in the Canyon area.

The hike followed an old dirt road, built in 1905. Early tourists used to bring their Model-T’s up this road to the peak, but the cars could not handle the steep grade and had to make the trip in reverse. That is a scary thought, as many sections of the road are very close to large steep cliffs!

The road climbed upward steadily all the way to the summit, where there is a small interpretive center. About halfway up the mountain, we encountered deep, snowy sections of the trail. The views were amazing the entire way up the mountain and at the top we could see a great distance on all sides – even as far as the Tetons!

Mt. Washburn Trailhead

View from the beginning of the hike

About halfway up

The old dirt road that we walked up

My darling with an amazing view behind

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in the distance

Snowy path on the way to the summit

We could see for miles

The interpretive center at the top

Almost to the top!

As we enjoyed the views at the summit, we could see the sky darkening all around us. We decided to go back the way we had come rather than finish the hike as a shuttle – the steep sections of the trail would probably be hazardous, especially in the rain and we didn’t want to put ourselves in harm’s way. After a nice lunch break, we headed back down the mountain, making it to the car just as the sky opened up and it started pouring down rain. We definitely timed the hike perfectly – it was absolutely beautiful and we missed the bad weather.

We made it to the summit

We decided to stop at Artist’s Point really quickly to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It was amazingly beautiful and colorful and I was glad Colin was able to see it. Hopefully the weather will clear up so we can do some more hiking tomorrow.

Colin and I at Artist's Point

Why I'll Never Forget My Hike To Observation Peak

2009-06-25T19:15:00.007-06:00

Last night, Colin flew in to the airport in Bozeman and I picked him up and brought him here to Yellowstone for a long weekend together. This morning, Colin came to the public tour of the HRC and got to see what kinds of things I am working on this summer. I was able to use comp time to leave work early at around lunchtime so we had some lunch and then packed our bags for a hike up Observation Peak.

It was a beautiful, sunny warm day. We took Dunraven Pass to the trailhead, but on the way, my gas pedal stopped responding and my car was lurching up the mountain pass. I found a place to pull over and as soon as I did, my car stalled out. I tried restarting it a few times and it would start up but kept stalling out. I called AAA and they called the park service station to come tow me out (AAA is not allowed into the park for whatever reason, so they dispatch to the park service station and then reimburse their customers for the tow/service). The tow truck arrived within an hour. When I told him the situation, he said it sounded a lot like vapor lock, or the conversion of gas to vapor in extreme driving situations. Apparently it happens a lot on steep roads like Dunraven Pass, especially on days like this one that are very hot. He asked me to try starting my car and it started right up. He followed me to the service station and the car ran fine. I was just thankful that it wasn’t broken down, especially on Colin’s visit!

We got to the trailhead at around 5:45 PM and started hiking at around six o’clock. The hike is an 11-mile out-and-back up to Observation Peak, where there is a quaint little backcountry cabin and beautiful three hundred and sixty degree views. The first 2.5 miles were flat and oftentimes muddy and brought us to a beautiful blue lake. At the lake, we took a sharp right and started climbing through burned forest up to our destination. We were hiking fast to beat the sunset. Towards the top, we trekked across large snowfields.

The beginning of the hike

A nice stream along the trail

The turn for Observation Peak, next to Cascade Lake

Starting to climb

Cascade Lake below

Burned forest

Finally we came to the summit, which offered amazing views of the valley below and the mountains in the distance on all sides. As I sat eating trail mix, Colin came over and began a wonderful speech about how much I mean to him and how we are made for each other. I didn’t realize he was proposing until he got down on one knee, pulled out the most beautiful ring I have ever seen, and asked me to marry him. I must admit I was quite surprised and my jaw dropped nearly to the ground. Of course I said yes and just couldn’t be any happier or more excited! After meeting Colin up in Glacier National Park last summer, I suppose it was only fitting that we get engaged here in another amazing western park!

The summit ahead

The observation tower/patrol cabin

Nice view

Cascade Lake from the summit

Still in shock at this point

As the sun was beginning to set, we booked it down the mountain and back to the trailhead, excitedly talking the entire time about our future together. After the car trouble earlier in the day, things definitely worked out the way they were supposed to!

The perfect end to the perfect hike!

Ice Lake to Wolf Lake to Little Gibbon Falls

2009-06-21T20:13:00.000-06:00

Today Emily, Erica and I went hiking in the Norris area of the park. Our plan was to hike to Ice Lake, Wolf Lake, and Grebe Lake in a shuttle hike. We started by hiking to Ice Lake, about half a mile from the trailhead. We hiked all around the lake and then headed toward Wolf Lake, about two and a half miles away. The entire trail went through areas burned by the fires of '88, which scorched about a third of Yellowstone. Many burned trees still stand, and underneath, new lodgepole pines are growing. Lodgepole pine trees rely on fire - their seeds are released from their cones by the heat of forest fires. The young lodgepole pines are thriving in this area and all over the park.

Ice Lake Trailhead

Ice Lake

First makeshift bridge

Emily crossing another makeshift bridge

(on the way back, I lost my footing on this one, and my feet went into the river. The water went higher than my boots, so I was walking in puddles the whole way back)

We had to cross several makeshift bridges made of piles of logs across rivers and streams. After crossing a couple of these, we found ourselves at Wolf Lake. At this point, we lost the trail for a little while. After some searching, we realized that it crossed a slow moving, but deep stream. We didn't have sandals for a ford, so we went off trail along the river to look for a place narrow enough that we could jump over or a place where we could cross on a fallen tree. Unfortunately, we didn't find a place to cross so we headed back out the way we had come in, except we went out on the other side of Ice Lake so we could see Little Gibbon Falls.

Wolf Lake

Emily, Me, and Erica at Wolf Lake

Little Gibbon Falls

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Lone Star Geyser

2009-06-20T19:56:00.003-06:00

Today a big group from the dorms hiked to Lone Star Geyser, a few miles south of Old Faithful. Originally, we planned to combine this hike with Divide Mountain, but the weather was not agreeable. The trail was really flat and was even paved (it used to be a service road). It was about 2.3 miles out to Lone Star Geyser, which erupts every two to three hours. Lone Star is interesting because it is all by itself, far enough from the Upper Geyser Basin to be an anomaly. We didn't know whether we would be lucky enough to see it erupt, but thought it was worth a try.

As the trail was very flat, we made very good time, walking about 2 miles in 25 minutes. As we approached the geyser, a group of return hikers told us to hurry, because the geyser was still erupting. We started sprinting, and arrived to see the geyser erupt for another 5 minutes at least. While we didn't see the beginning of the eruption, when water went forty feet into the air, we were just really happy to see it erupt at all.

Mo, Andrea, Will, Nick, Kate, Emily, Chris, Agnes, Michaela, Me

As the geyser erupted, it began raining, and we could hear thunder getting closer. We hurried back to the trailhead, but were all cold and wet by the time we reached it. We decided to scrap our plans to hike Divide Mountain because the weather was just miserable. Next time we go out that way, we will probably hike Divide and go see Grand Prismatic, one of the most amazing thermal features in the park.

Wraith Falls and Rescue Creek

2009-06-19T18:12:00.010-06:00

Today Erica and I hiked the Rescue Creek Trail, an 8.6 mile shuttle that begins on Dunraven Pass and then ends in Gardiner. On the way to the Rescue Creek trailhead, we stopped at the Wraith Falls trail, which is a short half mile total hike to a nice waterfall. The weather was absolutely perfect - bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds and warm but not hot. It only took us about five minutes to walk to the waterfall, which was really pretty. On the way back to the car, we saw a marmot sitting on a rock. As we got closer, the marmot crawled under the rock and then peeked out at us. When we were right next to the rock, it came out from under the rock and started rolling around on the ground and looking up at us. It was really funny and adorable.

Wraith Falls

After seeing Wraith Falls, we headed to the Blacktail Ponds Trailhead, just another mile down Dunraven Pass. We started out in a green, grassy field and walked for about three quarters of a mile before we merged onto the Rescue Creek Trail. There were two constants on this hike: wildflowers and animal bones.

The Rescue Creek trail went to the left

Pretty wildflowers along the trail

We started seeing amazing white capped mountains in front of us after about three miles. After about four miles, we stopped for lunch at the top of a hill. We had a beautiful view of the Absoroka Mountains from our lunchsite. From there, the trail led into the woods, which were really green and full of flowers. In the woods, we started seeing lots of animal bones scattered about.

The view from our lunchsite

The first of many bones along the way

Deer Hoof

We emerged from the woods into a meadow with mountains on either side. We walked through the wildflower rich meadow for a mile or so before descending into a canyon. From here, we could see the town of Gardiner, so we thought we were almost finished with our hike. We ended up hiking another 3 miles or so before crossing the wooden bridge over a rushing river which led to the car we had parked there for the shuttle. After a few weeks of cold and rainy weather, this hike was just what I needed. It was wonderful to have such a beautiful day to hike and enjoy.

Hiking into the canyon

One more for good measure

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Backpacking at Slough Creek

2009-06-14T17:50:00.001-06:00

This weekend I went backpacking at Slough Creek with a group of friends from the dorms. We planned to hike to a campsite about seven miles in on Saturday and then hike up into Bliss Pass and then back to the trailhead on Sunday. When we started Saturday at around noon, it was bright, sunny, warm and beautiful outside. We hiked for about two miles and came into a beautiful valley with a pond on one side that had a log next to it. We decided this was the perfect spot to stop for lunch.

Flowers along the trail at the beginning of the hike

It was beautiful when we started

A nice field along the way

The mountains come into view

As we finished eating, we heard thunder in the distance hurried to put on our rain gear and pack covers. I didn’t have a pack cover so I improvised one by pulling a trash bag over my pack and cutting holes for my shoulder straps and camelback tube. I was happily surprised that it kept my pack dry throughout what was to become a rainy and wet weekend. As it began to rain, we hurried toward our campsite, about 5 miles down the trail. The rain continued off and on as we hiked and stopped just before we arrived at camp.

Our lunch site

View from our lunch site

Our campsite was really beautiful – situated along Slough Creek, it provided us with amazing views of Bliss Pass in the mountains ahead of us. Low clouds hung over the mountains and hills around us. Someone before us had set up three elk skulls adjacent to the campfire circle, one of which was still bloody.

The elk skulls at our campsite

Across the river from our campsite

As we arrived at the campsite early, we set up our tents and then relaxed by the river. I sat on a log and set my aching feet in the freezing cold water and enjoyed the view all around me.

At around 8 PM we decided to cook some dinner, and at around the same time, the sky opened up and it began to rain on us yet again. We gathered wood and got a fire going despite the rain. The warmth of the fire made the cold rain much more bearable. We endured the rain while we cooked and ate dinner and were more than a little excited when the rain stopped for the night. We went to bed at around 10 PM with the hope that the weather would be clear in the morning so we could hike up into Bliss Pass before hiking back to the trailhead.

We emerged from our tents at about 9 AM to another cool, cloudy, and overcast day. After breakfast and another campfire, the weather showed no signs of improving. We were still holding out for better weather around 11 AM when it began to rain again and we accepted the fact that the weather was not going to improve. We got our stuff packed up and headed back toward the trailhead in the cold rain.

The low clouds the next morning

After about 3 hours of hiking, we made it back to the trailhead thankful to be finished and out of the bad weather. Even though it rained a lot, it didn’t dampen the trip too much. I think we all had a really fun time and it was definitely better than sitting in the dorm watching the rain come down all weekend. The scenery was beautiful despite the rain and it felt good to carry my big backpack again. I am looking forward to some more backpacking trips this summer, but I do hope the weather will be a little bit better.

From the hike on the way out

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Osprey Falls

2009-06-12T17:16:00.008-06:00

Today Erica and I hiked to Osprey Falls. We started at the Bunsen Peak Trailhead and walked on a double wide dirt road towards the falls spur trail. At the beginning of the hike, we saw a large bird waddling on the trail in front of us. As we approached he walked over to a nearby pond and started swimming. About a mile into the hike, we saw a calm pond and soon afterwards the trail started following alongside an amazing canyon.

After four miles of hiking, we came to the Osprey Falls spur trail, which switchbacked 1.4 miles into the canyon we had just seen. The switchbacks were steep and numerous and they allowed us to quickly descend into the canyon. Soon we reached the falls, which were absolutely enormous and beautiful. The falls were so big and powerful that we were soaked with the mist standing 40 yards in front of them. We enjoyed the falls for a while and then started heading back up the steep switchbacks of the spur trail.

Osprey Falls was down at the bottom of this canyon

The trail descends into the canyon

Osprey Falls

We worked hard on the way up, but managed to get up the canyon quickly. When we reached the end of the spur trail, we continued on the double wide trail we had been on before, which led us back to our dorm. The rest of the trail was wooded with bright green grass growing in between the trees. There were lots of beautiful wildflowers growing along the trail. After a mile or so, we got a great view of the terraces, Mammoth, Gardiner, and the dorms. Within a half mile from the dorms, we hiked into a flat green field with an elk feeding and a view of the mountains in the background.

Mammoth and the terraces in the distance

A pretty stream along the trail

Elk near the dorms

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What I've Been Up To

2009-06-11T20:07:00.010-06:00

So I haven't hiked in over a week because the weather has been cold, rainy, and snowy all week. Yesterday and today the sun finally came out a little, but it has been chilly and windy. Today is my Friday (I work 10 hours M-R and have a three day weekend) so I am hoping for good hiking weather all weekend so I can get out into the backcountry.

After work yesterday, Erica and I drove through Dunraven Pass which connects Mammoth and Tower. I had not yet driven on that road and I was not disappointed. We saw tons of wildlife, including buffalo, elk, deer, coyote, and most exciting, a moose! There was a bit of a "moose-jam" along the road where the moose was standing in a pond eating. I am pretty sure this is the first moose I have ever seen, and it was really close to the road. It made me wish Colin's mom, Cindy was there to see it, as moose are by far her favorite animal. We stopped and observed the moose for about 20 minutes before continuing on down the road.

We also stopped at Tower Falls and it was really beautiful and dramatic. From there, we drove to Canyon, in the hope that the outfitter store there would be open. I really need rain covers for my hiking packs, as it has been raining a lot here. Unfortunately, the outfitter was closed, so we got some ice cream to cheer ourselves up and then headed back towards Mammoth. The drive between Tower and Canyon was really beautiful, climbing up and over a mountain pass. There was still lots of snow along the road and in the mountains and it was even more beautiful to drive through that area as the sun was setting.

Tower Falls

The beautiful pass between Tower and Canyon

Beautiful sunset

This morning I noticed a beautiful sunrise and took some pictures. Today definitely started off on the right foot. Today at work we drove all around the park to pick up a Moran journal from a courier and modify an exhibit in Fishing Bridge. To read more about this in detail, check out my internship blog here. We did stop for lunch at the beautiful Old Faithful Inn and watched Old Faithful erupt from a second story porch before heading to Fishing Bridge.

The sunrise this morning

The lobby of the Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful getting ready to erupt

Old Faithful begins to erupt

Snow!

2009-06-07T14:23:00.005-06:00

Last night it started snowing in Mammoth. Thick, white clouds moved in all around the dorm so that we couldn't see the mountains that surround us. At first it wasn't sticking to the ground, but I woke up this morning to a few inches of accumulation and the snow still falling hard.

The fog rolling in last night (you can't see it in this picture, but it was snowing)

The dorm in the fog

By around 11 AM, the snow had stopped and was already melting away. There was no more snow on the ground by 1 PM, but it was still visible in the mountains. Now, at about 2:30 in Gardiner, it is bright and sunny outside and it's hard to imagine that it was snowing just a few hours ago!

The snow on the mountains after it had melted from the ground

The dorm, with Bunsen Peak in the background

Bozeman and Chico Hot Springs

2009-06-06T14:02:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, Erica, Nick, Jake and I went to Bozeman for the day. On the way, we dropped Erica's car at a repair shop in Livingston and I brought mine in for a transmission flush in Belgrade. After my car was finished, we headed into Bozeman for lunch at a delicious sushi restaurant, Dave's Off Main. After lunch, we spent the afternoon downtown, checking out the cute little shops and just hanging out. I was really tempted to buy a raffle ticket for this Volvo 240 full of outdoor gear.

At around 5:30, we left Bozeman for Chico Hot Springs, a resort located on the way back to Yellowstone. It was Laura, one of our dormmates' birthday, and she invited us all out to Chico to celebrate. Pretty much everyone from the dorms met out there, which was great. Chico pumps water from a hot spring on their property to a large swimming pool and a smaller hot tub. There is no chlorine or chemical in the water, and they empty and refill the water daily. We had a delicious dinner at the restaurant there before soaking in the naturally heated pools until they closed at 11 PM.

Afterwards, we got changed into dry clothes and went down to the bar, where a live funk/reggae band was playing. We stayed out until the bar closed at 2, and I have to say that was the most fun I have had since being here in Yellowstone! Chico is only 30 minutes from the park, and I am sure I will go back to soak after some long, hard hikes. I am also thinking of doing something similar for my birthday, which is coming up at the end of the month.

Beaver Ponds Loop

2009-06-03T13:23:00.007-06:00

Today all NPS employees had to attend an all day training session. After the training, Erica and I decided to go on a hike to stretch our legs after sitting all day. It had been cold and rainy all day, but by the end of the meeting, the weather had turned beautiful. We chose the Beaver Ponds Loop, a 5.1 mile hike that begins and ends in Mammoth.

The trail began next to the Mammoth Terraces. Early on, we crossed a wooden bridge over a stream and then began climbing gradually. There were lots of pretty bright yellow flowers alongside the trail.

After about 2 miles, we came to the first of several ponds. We watched as a duck dived over and over into the water after fish.

The first Beaver Pond

Another Beaver Pond

Wildflowers along the trail

After passing several ponds, we entered a section of forest. There we saw a deer eating some of the grass growing between the trees.

Soon we left the woods for a flat, grassy section of trail that gave us a great view of the surrounding mountains and the full moon above. Here we saw a beautiful elk walking past us to the left.

Full moon and antler

Elk walking past

After about a mile more, Mammoth came back into view from the hills above where we were. From there, we could see not only the town but also the terraces and Bunsen Peak.

Mammoth comes into view

Mammoth from the trail above

Mammoth, the terraces, and Bunsen Peak

View from the trailhead at the end of the hike

After we finished hiking, we headed to the Mammoth community center, where we joined other park employees for pickup dodgeball. After sitting in meetings all day, the hike and the dodgeball were the perfect way to end the day!

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Cache Lake

2009-05-31T19:21:00.011-06:00

Today I did a 10.6 mile out and back to Cache Lake. Like the Terrace Mountain Loop, this hike began at the Glen Creek Trailhead, about 3 miles from the dorm. The weather was perfect for hiking when we started at 10 AM - warm and sunny with a cool breeze. The first 2 miles of the trail went through a green pasture surrounded by mountains. After a few miles, we entered a wooded area and began climbing gradually. As we continued hiking, we started encountering a lot of snowy sections of trail.

After we got into the woods, it started raining and hailing on us very suddenly. Luckily, the storm passed in about 10 minutes. By the time we reached Cache Lake, the sun was back out and it was beautiful again! The lake was absolutely beautiful, with an awesome view of Electric Peak behind it.

Electric Peak from Cache Lake

Laura, Chris, Erica, and me at Cache Lake

We sat at the lake and ate lunch before hiking the 5.3 miles back to the trailhead. All in all, it was a beautiful hike and a beautiful day!

Some of the people in the dorms had been talking about going out to dinner after the hike, but when the time came, no one wanted to go anymore. So only two of us went: me and Nick, a Minnesotan who shares my affinity for Glacier National Park. We headed over to the Town Cafe and then decided to explore one of the back mountain roads here in Gardiner. Nick is really into off trail mountain climbing and wanted to see how much elevation the driving up the road could eliminate on an upcoming off trail hike. I was just excited not to be sitting around the dorm watching TV!

Gardiner below in the distance

We could even see the Mammoth Terraces!

We headed up the road, and after a short time we could see the town of Gardiner below, as well as Mammoth in the distance. As we continued uphill, we looked down on the beautiful green hills that surround the area. It was really beautiful!

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Monument Geyser Basin

2009-05-30T16:51:00.010-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, we noticed a very large and very adorable bunny nibbling on grass outside the dorm. I named him whiskers (or whiskie for short) and the name has stuck.

Whiskers

Last night was an NPS employee's birthday, so he held a bonfire outside the dorm to celebrate. Everyone from the dorm was there, as well as some locals and NPS employees who live elsewhere in Mammoth. The bonfire was really fun. I met a lot of really nice people and enjoyed hanging out with my dormmates.

Today I went hiking with a group of people from the dorm. We went to Monument Geyser Basin, just South of Madison. Unlike the other geyser basins I have been to so far, this one was off the boardwalk and completely on trail. The path began gradually, following alongside a calm river.

After about half a mile, the trail began climbing steeply through burned forest. The weather had been threatening all afternoon, and just over a mile into the hike, it started to rain and hail. The hail definitely hurt, even through my rain jacket. Luckily, the rain and hail stopped just as we came to a scenic overlook of a large canyon.

The trail starts to climb steeply

Me at the scenic overlook, just after the hail stopped

The geyser basin was just a few minutes away from the scenic overlook, and it was really pretty. There was one especially interesting formation in the basin, which is a tall, thin smoking geyser.

Monument Geyser

A nice mountain view from the geyser basin

Our hiking group - Nick, Erica, Emily, Maeve, Andrew, Me, Chris

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My Daily Commute

2009-05-29T11:20:00.012-06:00

First of all, let me wish my brother Casey a very happy birthday! Interestingly, as we were born only 11 months apart, this marks the beginning of the one month per year that Casey and I are the same age. I hope you have a great birthday, brother!

After two days of beautiful hiking, I am taking a rest day today so that my legs will be fresh tomorrow for another hiking adventure. I figured I would share photos of my commute from where I live in Mammoth Hot Springs, WY inside Yellowstone Park to Gardiner, MT, where I work, get my mail, and check my email. It is an amazing drive, and beats commuting in Gainesville any day! The distance between Mammoth and Gardiner is 5 miles. The drive winds down through a hilly green canyon along the Gardiner River.

I start by going through the tiny town of Mammoth, where the park headquarters are located. I pass the Mammoth Terraces, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, the NPS visitor's center, Old Fort Yellowstone, and the post office. Mammoth is a really cute little town.

The Mammoth Terraces, as seen from downtown Mammoth

The historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

The NPS Albright Visitor's Center in Mammoth

Mammoth Post Office

Elk grazing in Mammoth - a very common sight (there are usually buffalo grazing, too)

After passing Mammoth, the road winds downhill toward Gardiner. The drive is incredibly scenic, and these pictures don't do it justice!

Just outside Mammoth, heading towards Gardiner

Leaving WY for MT a mile or two outside Mammoth

About halfway to Gardiner, the road crossed the 45th parallel

Gardiner can be seen in the distance

Main Street in Gardiner

The rest of Main Street in Gardiner

The iconic Roosevelt Arch - for more information on the arch, click here

The view from Main Street in Gardiner

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Bunsen Peak

2009-05-28T17:31:00.010-06:00

Since my security check still hasn't cleared, I had another day off of work today. Me and one of my other not yet working coworkers, Chris, as well as another coworker's boyfriend, Manuel, decided to go on another hike. We chose Bunsen Peak, which starts across the street from the Terrace Mountain Loop we hiked yesterday. The hike was only 4.2 miles, and it was the perfect day for a hike - warm, sunny and barely a cloud in the sky.

Bunsen Peak rises above the trailhead

The trail gained elevation surprisingly fast and soon we had a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We entered a section of the mountain that had been burned by a forest fire, possibly the infamous fire of 1988. As we continued up, we had to hike up large snowfields that had not yet melted.

The Golden Gate Bridge from the trail

Forest burned by fire

More burned forest - notice the butterfly on the plant in the foreground

We had a great view from this clearing

The trail covered in snow

From here, the trail started to switchback steeply. We continued up, crossing many more snowfields that covered the trail.

One of many switchbacks

Another snowy section of trail

Soon the summit came into view - a round dome covered in red scree. We switchbacked out way up and finally arrived at the summit.

The summit from the bottom of the scree field

The trail climbs up the scree

At the summit, there was a lot of telecommunications equipment - a large telephone pole, several transmitters, and a shed. It definitely blocked some of the view, but what we could see was really beautiful. We had a great view of three snow covered peaks on one side, and Mammoth, Gardiner, and mountains on the other.

Telecommunications equipment at the summit

View from the summit

Another summit shot

I could clearly see the employee dorms in which I live, and I snapped this picture of them.

Another summit shot

Me at the summit

After resting for a while at the top of Bunsen Peak, we headed back down. The views were just as beautiful coming down as they were going up.

The view on the way down

All in all, it was another great hike. We couldn't have asked for better weather, the views were amazing, and the hike was challenging. Since I couldn't work, this was definitely the next best thing.

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Terrace Mountain Loop

2009-05-27T17:24:00.012-06:00

Since the security checks for work still haven't cleared, me and my fellow interns Maeve, Chris, and Erica (and Jess' boyfriend, Manuel) decided to go on a hike. I looked through my Yellowstone hiking book and thought that the Terrace Mountain loop seemed like a good early season hike. At 6.2 miles, it isn't too long, and despite its name, it doesn't climb a mountain. Rather, it skirts all the way around it.

The first two miles went through a flat meadowy area surrounded by mountains. This part of the hike was pretty easy and really beautiful. We began at the Glen Creek trailhead and followed the Fawn Pass Trail.

Fawn Pass Trail

After two miles, we came to a junction with the Snow Pass trail, which we turned onto. The first half of this section of the trail was pretty flat as well, but it did begin to descend after about a mile. Shortly after turning onto this trail, we discovered part of an elk skeleton a few feet from the path.

Snow Pass Trail

The elk skeleton we found along the trail

The Snow Pass trail began descending into a pretty forest, which we followed for about another mile. In this area, we saw several elk, but they were moving too quickly for me to snap a picture.

We soon came to a junction with the Howard Eaton trail, which my Dad and I hiked a small portion of on Saturday. In this area, we discovered a small boulder field where several marmots lived and we watched them play for a while.

Marmot

This last leg of the trail started to climb pretty steeply into an area called the Hoodoos, which is a large white boulder field. It was incredibly beautiful.

The Hoodoos up ahead

The Hoodoos

From there, we ascended to a cliff face and them descended into the woods and back to the trailhead where we began. The hike took us a total of 3.5 hours and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day weather wise - it was sunny and in the 60's with a nice breeze. I guess if I couldn't work today, this was a great way to spend the morning. Tonight I am going to a meeting about the softball league here to see about getting onto a team. Wish me luck!

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First day of work (kind of)

2009-05-27T17:18:00.002-06:00

Today I started my internship at the Yellowstone Heritage and Research Center in Gardiner, MT. To hear about my work experiences, check my other blog, which I am keeping about my internship here. Long story short, the interns’ security clearances haven’t passed yet, so we had a short introduction about what we would be doing and a tour of the HRC before we were free for the day at lunchtime. Today I also found out that there is an intramural NPS softball league and that I will have access to a gym and rec center this summer.

We were hoping that the security checks would clear this afternoon so that we would be able to work tomorrow, but I just found out that they have not cleared, so I will have the day off. I am really disappointed that I can't start, especially after seeing the amazing facility, but I can't really complain about having a day off in Yellowstone. Me and some of the other interns are planning to do a hike tomorrow, so that should be fun.

Getting Situated

2009-05-25T19:06:00.001-06:00

Today I got situated in the dorm here in Mammoth Hot Springs, WY, which is five miles from Gardiner, MT where I will work. I did some laundry, decorated my room a little, and got organized. I am feeling better about living in the dorm now. My roommates and coworkers are really nice and easy-going and one of them is even a student at UF. I guess it’s true what they say – UF is in Gainesville, but the gator nation is everywhere…

Here are some pictures of my dorm and my room. There are a few buffalo that frequent the area right outside the dorm, which is also pretty cool.

The Dorm

The shared kitchen, which consists of 4 mini kitchen areas

My room

I put up this Yellowstone map. I am going to mark all the trails I hike this summer.

My and most of my coworkers' federal background checks haven't cleared yet, but we are supposed to report to work tomorrow to meet everyone and see the Heritage and Research Center. I am hoping my background check will clear soon so I can get started!

Museum of the Rockies

2009-05-24T18:09:00.006-06:00

After I brought my Dad to the airport this morning, I went back to the hotel and tried going back to sleep but couldn't so I eventually just got up. I extended my stay at the hotel by one night and then headed over to the Museum of the Rockies, located on the Montana State University campus. The museum is world renowned for its extensive dinosaur collection. There were also wonderful exhibits on Montana history and Native American history.

Museum of the Rockies

One of many dinosaur fossils

Fossilized dinosaur eggs

Huge fossilized shell

When I got there, this part of the museum was closed because 60 Minutes was filming a segment at the museum

I left the museum in the early afternoon and headed to downtown Bozeman, which seems like a really fun town. Unfortunately, most stores on Main Street were closed because of the holiday weekend, but I will definitely try and get back here sometime soon. There were lots of really neat little shops and boutiques - including a bookstore, quilt shop, outfitter, and some cute little restaurants.

Downtown Bozeman

After walking around Bozeman for a while, I headed back to the hotel. Dark clouds were rolling in, and I could tell a storm was coming. I got in just in time and am just enjoying my last night before I will be in the employee dorm in Mammoth. Tomorrow morning I will head back to Mammoth and unpack, go grocery shopping, and get ready to go to the Heritage and Research Center on Tuesday morning to meet my boss and see the facility. I don't know if I will be working Tuesday because my background check hasn't cleared yet. Hopefully it will clear in a day or two so I can start work!

Bye, Dad!

2009-05-24T06:47:00.003-06:00

I just dropped my Dad off at the airport in Bozeman for his 7 AM flight home. It was really hard to say goodbye. We definitely had a great time together exploring the park, and I don't think I could pick a favorite thing that we did. I am so glad my Dad was able to come on the road trip with me and able to spend a week in Yellowstone and the Tetons. I know it was great for him because he had never been to this area of the country before and he got to see things he might never have seen otherwise. I am really sad that he is gone, and will really miss him. I probably won't see him or the rest of my family again until Thanksgiving, and that made it even harder to say goodbye. I am just really glad we got to spend these last two weeks together and will always remember this trip.

Last Day with Dad

2009-05-23T22:28:00.007-06:00

Today was my last day with my Dad here in the Yellowstone area. My Dad flies out of Bozeman, MT early tomorrow morning. We got up early today and headed to Mammoth where I picked up the key to my dorm at my boss's apartment and then headed over to the dorm to see where I will be living this summer. We couldn't move in right away because someone was there cleaning the room. On the way to Mammoth, we saw a large group of buffalo, and there were lots of adorable baby buffalo, too. It was really neat to see!

Baby Buffalo on the way to Mammoth

When I began my road trip, I was under the impression that I would be sharing a house with two of the other interns. A few days into the drive out, I received word that the house had fallen through and I would be staying in a dorm for the summer. Obviously this is disappointing - I am 25 (26 in June) and haven't lived in a dorm in years. The rooms are small and crowded, with four people to a room. I haven't met my roommates yet, and I hope they will be respectful and quiet, as I will need to be at work at 7 AM for 10 hour days. I asked around in Gardiner about renting an apartment or house, but apparently there is little in the way of affordable housing in Gardiner.

After checking out the dorm, we did a couple of short hikes in the Mammoth area. First we hiked part of the Howard Eaton Trail, which starts in the woods and then traverses the side of a mountain. This section of the trail offered open views of Bunsen Peak (named after the creator of the bunsen burner) and the mountains surrounding Mammoth. We didn't hike the whole trail, because we wanted to do another short hike before leaving for Bozeman in the afternoon.

View from the Howard Eaton Trail

Howard Eaton Trail

After hiking the Howard Eaton Trail, we hiked part of the Lava Creek Trail, just off the windy road between Mammoth and Gardiner. The trail, surrounded by shrub brush, descended into a creek alongside a river. We walked about a mile out and decided to turn around and head back to Mammoth to move my stuff into the room. Just as we turned around, we saw a large rattlesnake next to the trail. We saw another rattlesnake about a minute into our walk back to the car. As we neared the beginning of the trail, we saw a third rattlesnake, a lot bigger than the other two we had seen. I had never seen a rattlesnake before, and it was kind of scary that there were so many along the trail!

The beginning of the Lava Creek Trail

Lava Creek Trail

A rattlesnake along the trail

After moving in, we headed to Bozeman, about an hour North. The drive out there was amazing - there were beautiful views the entire way. When we got to Bozeman, we went straight to Wal-Mart, where I got a prepaid phone for the summer. I currently have a prepaid ATT phone, but that doesn't work anywhere in the park. The only phone carrier that works here is Verizon, so I got a Net-10 phone, which roams on Verizon and is really cheap to use. I needed a new phone anyways... I will have a new phone number as soon as I activate it, so ask me if you need it!

My Dad flies out of Bozeman tomorrow at 7 AM, and I will be very sad to see him go. I had a great time with him these past few weeks, and am so glad he was able to make the trip out here with me! I just hope he has had as much fun these past weeks as I have!

I think I will hang out in Bozeman tomorrow after I drop my Dad off at the airport. I would like to explore the city a little and definitely want to check out the Museum of the Rockies.

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West Yellowstone to Mammoth

2009-05-23T08:40:00.008-06:00

This morning my Dad and I went to the West Yellowstone History Museum, located in the town’s former railroad depot. The museum was wonderful – there were exhibits about early travel and tourism in the park, bears, and the fire of 1988. The objects were great – wagons and stagecoaches that brought tourists into the park, artifacts from the early hotels, and much more.

West Yellowstone Museum Exhibit

Exhibit on the "Grand Tour of Yellowstone" that tourists used to take by train and wagon

In the front of the museum, there was a large group of buffalo sculptures. The sculptures were painted by different artists and they will be auctioned by the museum later this summer. All of them were really beautiful, and most had western or Yellowstone themes. What a great idea for a museum fundraiser!

Painted Buffalo Sculptures

After we left the museum we went across the street to the IMAX theatre. We watched two short movies there – one about bears and the other about Yellowstone. Both were great, but I especially enjoyed the one about the bears.

IMAX Theatre

After we left the theatre, we headed out of West Yellowstone towards Mammoth and Gardiner. On the way, we stopped again at the Artists’ Paint Pots. I took a great video there of the mud pots.

From there, we continued our drive to Mammoth. The road curved through a canyon along a river on one side and cliffs on the other. We stopped to look at a beautiful canyon and the Golden Gate Bridge, which curves around one of the rock cliffs. This section reminded me of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

The Golden Gate Bridge

Just before entering the town of Mammoth, we stopped to walk the Terrace trail. This thermal area was different than any other section of the park we have seen so far, The thermal areas were terraced in layers, and it was very interesting and beautiful. From the trail, we got lots of great views of the Mammoth area, where I will be living this summer.

Mammoth Terraces

Mammoth from the terrace trail

After hiking around the terraces, we drove around the very small town of Mammoth before heading the final five miles to Gardiner, Montana. We passed through the Roosevelt Arch, the cornerstone of which was set in place by Teddy Roosevelt himself. We drove to the Heritage and Research Center, where I will be interning this summer and then through the cute downtown before heading to our hotel for the night.

Roosevelt Arch from as we drove into Gardiner

It’s been another big day, and we have another big one tomorrow. We will be doing a short hike, moving me into my dorm, checking out the museum in Mammoth, and driving to Bozeman for the night.

Grand Canyon and Norris Geyser Basin

2009-05-21T21:49:00.011-06:00

This morning, my Dad and I headed over to the Canyon area of the park to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. On the way, we saw a sign for the Artist's Paint Pots, a thermal area with thermal springs and geysers and the paint pots, gurgling muddy pits. The paint pot areas in the park are caused by acid in the water that breaks down the rock into clay, which bubbles up from the ground.

Pools along the trail

The Paint Pots

The view from the paint pots

From Artists' Paint Pots, we went to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where we hiked the steep switchbacks of the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail down the canyon and next to the Lower Falls. The view from this area was absolutely amazing.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from the bottom of the Brink of the Falls Trail

My Dad at the Grand Canyon

After our little hike, we drove to some lookouts to see the canyon from some more angles. I thought the Lookout Point and Grand View areas were both especially beautiful.

Lookout Point

Grand View

After we left the Grand Canyon area, we decided to head back to West Yellowstone. As we entered the Norris area of the park on the way home, we saw a sign for the Norris Geyser Basin, so we decided to check that out before heading to the hotel. We discovered that Norris was a large geyser basin with boardwalk trails through the thermal areas. My Dad and I walked both loops of the Norris Geyser area, the Back Basin and the Porcelain Basin.

Porcelain Basin

Pools in the Porcelain Basin

Geysers in the Porcelain Basin

Algae growing in the Back Basin

Thermal pool in Back Basin

Geyser erupting in the Back Basin

When we got back to West Yellowstone, we went to dinner at the Wolf Pack Brewery here in town. The Wolf Pack brews their own beer and also offers a lot of great local microbrews. We decided to try a sampler, which included Wolf Pack Wapiti Wheat, Moosedrool and Scapegoat from Big Sky Brewery, Grand Teton Old Faithful Ale, and a local IPA (I forget the name). I really liked the Wolf Pack Wapiti Wheat, and drinking Moosedrool and Scapegoat brought back memories of working in Glacier.

Wolf Pack Brewery - West Yellowstone, MT

Tomorrow we are leaving West Yellowstone for Gardiner, MT. We hope to check out the museum in West Yellowstone before we leave, and also plan on doing a hike somewhere in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, about 5 miles from Gardiner. It should be another big day, and I am excited!

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Upper Geyser Basin

2009-05-20T22:43:00.014-06:00

Today my Dad and I explored the geothermal features in Biscuit Basin, Black Sand Basin, and the Upper Geyser Basin, the area in which Old Faithful is located. Our first stop was Biscuit Basin. On the way there, we saw a large group of buffalo grazing on the side of the road.

Buffalo on the way to Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin was amazing! We saw several small geysers and hot springs and pools. My favorites were Rusty Geyser and Sapphire Pool.

One of the thermal pools in Biscuit Basin

Sapphire Pool

Rusty Geyser

From Biscuit Basin, we headed to the Upper Geyser Basin. We arrived at around 12:30 PM, and Old Faithful was predicted to erupt about 15 minutes later, so we decided to wait and watch that before walking around the expansive Upper Geyser Basin boardwalks.

Old Faithful

It was neat seeing Old Faithful, but I thought a lot of the other thermal features were a lot more interesting and beautiful. We walked along the boardwalks all around Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin and looked at one thermal feature after another. I was surprised at how many there were. Apparently, 3/4 of all of the geysers in the world are located in Yellowstone, and after seeing so many today, I believe it. We walked around the 5 miles or so of boardwalk and paved paths through the enormous Upper Geyser Basin and saw more geysers and thermal features than we could count.

Castle Geyser

Shield Spring

Riverside Geyser - erupts for 22 minutes ever 5-7 hours... we made it just in time!

Beauty Pool

Wave Spring

Giant Geyser

Morning Glory Pool

Beach Spring

When we got back to the beginning of the Upper Geyser Basin loop, we decided to watch Old Faithful one more time before heading to the Black Sand Basin on the way back to the hotel in West Yellowstone. The Black Sand Basin was a lot smaller than the Upper Geyser Basin, but it was still absolutely amazing. There were several very large, blue thermal pools in this area, bigger than those in the Upper Geyser Basin.

Black Sand Basin

One of the thermal features in Black Sand Basin

One of the large pools in the Black Sand Basin

On the way home from the Black Sand Basin, we saw a group of five elk crossing the road in front of us. We pulled over for a close look. It is unbelievable that there is just so much wildlife in this park - I've never seen so many wild animals in my life.

I am amazed at the variety of different geysers and thermal features here in Yellowstone and am looking forward to learning more about them this summer. Tomorrow we will be hiking the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and I am very excited to see it!

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