Yellowstone Dawn

I have heard that most people who visit places like Yellowstone National Park rarely leave their cars--something like 90%. They drive the Grand Loop, pull over to look at things out their car windows. Perhaps they walk far enough to see Old Faithful, or the Terraces, but for the most part they only leave the comfort of their vehicles to go to the gift shop.

Edward Abbey, in his book Desert Solitaire, wrote way back in 1967 how he thought cars--and all motor vehicles--should be banned from the national parks and everyone should have to travel by bike, or on foot, or horseback. His argument was that you cannot possibly fully experience a place from the climate controlled confines of your car. He was right. Oh, you will see stuff, for sure. Driving through Yellowstone is like driving through a zoo--the animals are right there, wandering around on the road in some cases. But to really experience a place--to hear it, to smell it and feel it--you need some solitude, some space, and we fully intended to find it, even if we only had four days to do it in.

Since we took a plane out west instead of driving we couldn't really bring camping gear and were left with a hotel room in West Yellowstone. Little did we know at the time we made the reservations that most of the wildlife is on the east side of the park. So, we were up before dawn each day, out on the road to get to a place where we hoped to see some wildlife before the heat of the day forced them into the woods. Each morning at 5:30 am we could be found headed down the West Entrance Road. This road follows the Madison River and Madison Canyon until the road joins the Grand Loop Road and the Madison meets the Gibbon River. This area was great for elk viewing, and in the morning there were almost always elk cows and calves right by the road. Later in the day as traffic increased they moved farther into the plains. These elk were our first sighting of wildlife in the park.




The grasses were just beginning to ripen and cast the meadows and prairies with yellows and golds. What movement the up-ended roots of this old pine convey, like a dancer twirling by the stream.



We saw a lot of elk in the park, and it was hard to not stop and take pictures of all of them. This group glows in the sunrise.


Yellowstone is, as you probably know, a HUGE volcano caldera. Scientists believe that some of the largest eruptions in the planet's history occurred with this volcano, eruptions that would have changed life on earth. I couldn't help but think that if the thing was going to blow, I would rather it do so while I was there and save me the suffering of the aftermath of such an event!

Thanks to the heat that lies just below the surface, the park is replete with geothermal features such as geysers, sulfur springs and bubbling mud pots. Steam rises seemingly at random from fissures in the ground. Again, this is something best seen in the early morning when the air is cool. The morning sun had just crested this rise to light up the steam.



Along the Madison river, quite near the road, was a bald eagle nest. The area was roped off to discourage people from pulling over and disturbing the birds. By late July the youngins had flown the nest, and I think this may have been one of their brood, perched in a tree several hundred yards from the nest. I will confess I shot this from the car.




There is a line from an Indigo Girls song that has resonated me since the first time I heard it:

"Everywhere I turn, all the beauty just keeps shaking me."

This is exactly how I felt on this trip. We couldn't go ten feet, it seemed, without running into another stunning scene. This is Gibbon Falls, easily seen from the road. I was most mesmerized by the tree in the foreground. It was lit it up like a firebrand even though the sun had not yet touched it.



More geothermal activity. I long to return to Yellowstone in the winter to see bison, caked with snow, warming themselves near these vents.




I am not certain but I think this is Secret Valley Creek. After two years I have to rely on the order of my photos and a map of the park to help me remember where we were! The reflection of these towering dead trees surrounded by the next generation caught my eye. This area of the park was ravaged in the North Fork Fire, one of nine named fires that laid waste to the park in 1988. I can only imagine what the landscape looked like before the fires.



Not everything in Yellowstone is big, not all of the beauty and majesty is in the panorama, the raging river, the mountain range. Those who remain confined to their vehicles will never see the small things, the things of delicate beauty, the subtleties. They won't hear the cry of the hawk, or the howl of the wolf, and they will miss the hair bells and yarrow, growing along a stream at the base of a pine in the early morning light.



Hell, they probably aren't even out of bed yet.


Next: Artist Paintpots

From Tetons to Yellowstone

Day two of the trip dawned clear and bright. We didn't have any definite plans except to get to West Yellowstone by dark, so we had some time to explore. We got back on Moose Wilson Road and saw the cow moose again, pretty much were we'd left her the day before.


From there we took a side road toward the Death Canyon trail head (I just love the names of some of theses places). I don't recall if we intended to hike there at all, but on the way in we spotted some movement off in the woods. Lisa slowed and from out of the firs trotted three elk, the first I'd ever seen! I managed to get a few quick shots off before they disappeared across the road.



We were still on a mission for moose, something that would stay with us the whole trip, so we drove back down Teton Park Road toward Jenny Lake and parked in the boat launch parking lot. There was a short trail around Moose Pond, which seemed like a good place to find moose, and we set off with camera gear at the ready.


As we descended the steep trail down to the pond it became clear we weren't going to see much. The pond was edged with thick, 8 foot tall willows, and as we moved farther down the trail, the other side grew thick as well. I was not comfortable hiking where I couldn't see more than 10 feet down the trail in front of us, or to either side. This is grizzly country, much less moose country, and not having clear sight lines made me very uneasy. We turned around and found a comfy place to sit near the creek flowing out of the pond.






While no moose were spotted, we did find another fritillary butterfly...

...and this little fellow who refused to give up on his pine cone even though he was clearly unnerved by us, not that he looks all that unnerved in this photo. Must not get as many visitors down here as they do on Inspiration Point!

We got back in the car and decided to take the drive up Signal Mountain. There are a few ridges and bumps between Jackson and Jenny Lakes and the Snake River that offer spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. We dutifully climbed out and took a few pictures.

Here a survey marker for Signal Mountain, 7593 feet...

...and here a look at the Teton range across the Potholes area of Jackson Hole.

Near where Teton Park Road joins US 89 the Snake River emerges from Jackson Lake and forms the Oxbow Bend, another popular moose viewing area. But by now it was mid-day and any animal in its right mind had made for the shade in the mid-80's temperatures. So, a few more photos of Grand Teton Mountain.

From there we stopped at Colter Bay Village and had lunch looking out over Jackson Lake, and then we left Teton National Park.

Somewhere along US 89, near the Yellowstone border, the Snake River passes under the highway. We pulled off and stripped to our bare feet and waded in.

A bit of advice to anyone interested in wading in to a rocky, cold river--bring water shoes. The rocks were not particularly slippery, but they are quite painful to walk on.

Oh those big fluffy summertime clouds! What a treat to see them again when it's 30 degrees (and falling) with 40 mph wind gusts and snow outside.

We spent some time cooling off and looking at the pretty rocks, then continued on to Yellowstone.

We knew there wasn't a whole lot we were dying to see on the south end of the park, so we pretty much made a bee line to West Yellowstone, a Montana town on the west edge of the park. We stopped to take a few photos, and this, dear reader, is the first picture I took in Yellowstone National Park, somewhere along the West Entrance Road:

See, they aren't all majestic animals or panoramic scenes! This is a burned out stump of a long dead tree with woodpecker holes. Notice the ridge in the background, littered with dead trees. The fires of 1988 burned about 70% of the park, and it was amazing, 20 years later, how much of that was still apparent. These skeletal trees made for some interesting subjects, as we'll see down the road a piece.

Next: sunrise in Yellowstone National Park

The Moose of Wilson Road

After dinner at Moose Junction we decided to take a back road to Highway 22. Moose Wilson Road runs more or less parallel to US 89 but stays on the west side of the Snake River. It twists and turns and isn't in great shape, but what did we care? The scenery was amazing.

We came upon a turn to find a bunch of cars pulled off to the side. We couldn't see what was going on so we passed by, found a place to turn around, and parked. I grabbed my gear and we walked down a short slope to the edge of a pond. And who did we find there? Well, let's just say the road is aptly named.



There was a small group of people gathered in a clearing next to this beautiful cow moose. I was absolutely elated! I had never seen a moose up close and personal before! I stated shooting as soon as I could see her. She was browsing on alge and didn't seem to mind the cluster of facinated humans photographing her every move.



Slurp slurp. It was so quiet you could hear the water dripping off her snout.



While she didn't seem bothered much by us, she kept turning to her right and listening to something off in the grass, something none of us could see or hear. I don't think she had a calf nearby--I don't think she would have been so gracious with us if she had, and she didn't appear to be lactating, although by late July a calf might be weaned. Whatever the case, she was quite alert to the sounds behind her.




I like this one, seems like she's looking right at me. Perhaps she is.




What a beautiful creature. I had heard that moose can be quite aggressive, but she was very calm, even with all the cameras clicking and beeping.

I wonder if the alge on her nose is from her supper or if it's growing there. She looks a lot like a horse in this image. Moose are actually the largest member of the deer family--a bull moose can reach seven feet at the shoulder. A full grown bull moose wouldn't fit in most people's houses. This pretty lady was probably around five feet at the shoulder, still a formidable animal.



Slurp slurp....




I could have stayed there all night watching her. I must have taken over 100 photos (gotta love digital photography!). Picking a handful to post was difficult. We'll leave her with my favorite pose.



We returned to Driggs before sundown and I busied myself by downloading the day's images to our laptop and clearing my camera cards. One of the windows in our second-floor hotel room faced east, with a repsectable view of the Teton range. I happened to look up just as the sun was going down. There before me, in all its glory, was Grand Teton Mountain, flanked by Teewinot, under a haze of rain-filled cloud, illuminated by the setting sun.



I grabbed my camera, popped the screen out of the window and took this shot. What a moment.

Our first full day in the West had been absolutely spectacular--pronghorn, mountain streams and moose!-- and I didn't see how Yellowstone could top this. Boy was I in for a pleasant surprise!

Cascade Canyon

The most strenuous part of the hike into Cascade Canyon was leaving Inspiration Point and moving up into the canyon. Jenny Lake sits at 6783 feet, while the canyon floor is at approximately 8,000 feet. We took our time moving over the rocky trail, pausing often for snacks and cool downs. It was a hot day (temps were in the 80's and low 90's the whole trip) and we did our best to not overheat.

Lisa cooling off in Cascade Creek.





The scenery was spectacular. Firs. Cold mountain streams. Crystal blue skies. Could it get any better?

Oh, sure it could! As we moved farther up into the canyon the peaks came more fully into view. I believe this is Teewinot Mountain, still with some snow above the treeline, even on July 18.

As we crested a rise, the full canyon came into view. I was dumbfounded. Pictures don't do this place justice.

Cascade Creek flowed down the south side of the canyon, cold and clear.

We'd made it about halfway down the Canyon Creek Trail when we decided to stop for lunch. I don't think I've ever eaten lunch in a more amazing place!

There were a few other people enjoying this spot too, and we learned from a couple of young men that there were two bull moose at the end of this trail, where the Lake Solitude and Teton Crest trails meet the Cascade Canyon trail. We really wanted to see some bull moose, but we also recognized our limits. We were out of shape, and had already hiked about 8 miles up into altitudes we weren't used to. We both felt pretty good but knew that the farther out we hiked, the farther back. So we lingered here for a spell, relaxing under Teewinot, enjoying this place.

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Interestingly enough, Grand Teton Mountain is not visible from down in the canyon. Its view is obscured by Owen and Teewinot Mountains which lie somewhat to the north of the big peak. One would have to climb up the south side of the canyon to see Grand Teton.


Before heading back down, I cooled my toes in Canyon Creek. More liked numbed them, actually--boy was that water cold!

Another picture of Cascade Creek as we headed back to Jenny Lake. The views were just a good leaving as they were coming.

We passed a couple of younger girls hiking up into the canyon, and we asked them to take a picture of us. So here we are, hot, sweaty, and thrilled to be alive. (As I recall, we were so tired it took a great deal of effort to climb up these rocks!)

One last look at Teewinot and Owen Mountains. As promised, the weather took a turn, cooling and clouding up. We decided to take the ferry back across Jenny Lake as we were both done in.

In all we hiked about 12 miles, gaining nearly 1200 feet in elevation. Not bad for two poorly conditioned flatlanders like us. But we had the next day to recover, as we were leaving the Tetons and driving up to Yellowstone.

We went back to Moose Junction and had some dinner, then started the drive back to Driggs. But the Tetons had one more jewel to reveal that day....

Jenny Lake

After leaving the pronghorn alone--OK, not alone since there were several other folks there watching--we finally reached Jenny Lake. We parked in the lot near the ranger station/giftshop at South Jenny Lake and shouldered our packs. I had packed a day-pack, into which we loaded snacks, lunch, lots of water, rain gear, down vests...you get the idea. Everything we'd read warned of the sudden changes in the weather that often come about up in the mountains. Even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky, I wasn't taking chances. Lisa carried my camera gear, so that I could easily get to it when I needed it. I needed it a lot.


Walking east from the parking lot we first came to Cottonwood Creek which flows--I believe--out of Jenny Lake and eventually to the Snake River. This area at the base of the Tetons reminded me a lot of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with its spruces and firs and rocky terrain.








Past Cottonwood Creek the trail crosses the access for the boat launch and continues along some fairly flat terrain with awesome views of the lake. I don't know which peaks these are--the bare slopes to the right are on the north side of Cascade Canyon.





Stunning views were everywhere, and it was impossible not to be awed at every turn of the trail. I believe the peak in the background is Teewinot Mountain.


This is moose country, and while we didn't see any on this hike we saw evidence of their presence. That's a quarter in the photo for scale.

Butterflies too were everywhere, and I spent a fair amount of time chasing them around. The one below I believe is a White Admiral.

This one is in the Fritillary family but I haven't figured out which one. Lovely though, even if I don't know its name!

I do love my birches. Beautiful sights in the Tetons don't always have to involve mountains!

We rounded a bend and came upon a tall, 50's-ish man standing still in the middle of the path. Not sure what was going on we stopped too. He turned to look at us and grinned, told us a black bear had just crossed the trail in front of him and ambled off into the woods not more than a minute before we'd arrived. He showed us a fuzzy picture on his digital camera. I was bummed and grateful all at the same time. Not sure I want to be that close to a bear, but I did want to see one. However, try as we might, we kept missing them by just a few minutes throughout our trip. Ah well, next time.

As we made our way around the south shore of the lake, the trail turned north and the elevation began to rise sharply. The Tetons are unique among mountain ranges as they to not have any foothills to speak of. They rise suddenly out of the sagebrush flats and wet meadows some 5,000 to 7,000 feet. By the time we reached Hidden Falls we'd gained about 500-700 feet in elevation.

There is a ferry that one may take east across Jenny Lake to the base of Inspiration Point. I am not much for crowds and rather enjoy taking the long way around so we had elected to hike. By the time we reached the overlook it was time for a snack and to rest a bit. Since this seems to be a great picnic spot, the ground squirrels are quite tame. This one thought my pencil eraser looked like a peanut.

I did a little sketching, took some photos, we caught our breath, and then pushed on up into the canyon, escaping the crowds, but not before one last look over Jenny Lake.

Next: Into the canyon!

Pronghorn Delight

Our first full day Out West dawned clear and bright. Driving back on Highway 22 over the Tetons brought us up above Jackson Hole, the valley that holds the city of the same name. Thanks to the clear skies and high pressure, the valley was filled with fog.

Lisa stopped the car so I could take some pictures,

then I shot this one from the car. It was bright and sunny up on the mountain side, but once we hit the fog it was as if the sun hadn't yet arisen.

We had researched for months about what we wanted to do once we got to Wyoming. We picked a hike that started at Jenny Lake and went up into Cascade Canyon and below Mt. Moran. Driving north on Hwy 89 we made a left at Moose Junction (I don't recall the name of the road) and headed toward the mountains.

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But before we ever reached Jenny Lake, we spotted a group of pronghorn out in the tall grass of Baseline Flats. We spied a female with two youngsters and I snapped off a few shots.

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Hungry little critters, I'd say!

Mom walked off before the duo was finished.

Here they are watching mom walk away. I love the ears on the calf in front, very alert.

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The family was soon joined by another adult, possibly a yearling daughter of the nursing mother. I just love the pines in the background, and somewhere behind this ridge lies the Snake River.

I have since learned a bit about pronghorn. Although often called antelope, they are not related. They are only distantly related to deer, descended from a common ancestor millions of years ago. They are actually considered to be the only members of the family Antelocapridae (this I learned from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website). They are the second fastest land mammal behind the cheetah, and can reach speeds of up to 60mph. While both sexes grown horns, the male's are bigger and get that split which gives them their name. Their horns are shed annually.

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Like the bison, huge herds of these animals once roamed the plains from Canada down into northern Mexico. But over hunting lead to their near extinction. Now there are around one million and hunting seasons have been re-established.

These two are probably chewing their cud, but I like to think that maybe they're singing "Home on the Range" in two part harmony.

We did eventually make it to Jenny Lake, but this was not the last pronghorn encounter we would have. I heard that these animals tend to be more shy than other species, but I had one of my most memorable experiences of this trip with a beautiful male pronghorn later on when we were in Yellowstone--but that story will have to wait.

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Next: Jenny Lake and into the Tetons.