A Quick Trip to Yellowstone

While staying in Jackson Hole last summer we drove up to Yellowstone for a little change of scenery, and what a change it was. Yellowstone's famous thermal features make a landscape that is truly other-worldly. 

We stayed in Gardiner, Montana, giving us easy access to Mammoth Hot Springs. But first we just had to drive (and walk) through the historic stone Roosevelt Arch, named, of course, for Theodore Roosevelt, who placed the cornerstone in 1903 and who as president was so effective in protecting many of our national treasures.

From there it was a short drive to Mammoth Hot Springs where we meandered along boardwalks to see  strange travertine terraces and mounds, formed by deposits of limestone from the hot water bubbling up through cracks in the rocks below.

Mound Spring

Palette Spring

Orange Spring Mound

Liberty Cap

The many dead trees around Mammoth Hot Springs give an idea of how dynamic this environment is: the trees must have thrived in the not so distant past before underground "plumbing" shifted and the trees were overwhelmed by mineral-rich waters.

From Mammoth Hot Springs we headed east to a different sort of hotspot: the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley. Driving was slow due to several herds of bison, but I thought that was great since it gave me some good opportunities for photos. Here is a classic bison on the road shot. The hills in the background are hazy because of smoke from last summer's fires.

This was the best shot I could get of the black bear we saw. It was tricky shooting around so many other people, several of whom got way too close to it as they tried to snap pictures.  

(400mm, 1/250th sec at f7.1)

We spent a good part of our second day in the Norris Geyser Basin, where you can wander around boardwalks and paths to see all kinds of thermal features including steam vents,

little bubbling paint pots,

pools vibrant with color from minerals and bacteria,

and gurgling mud pots.

I especially liked the milky blue pools in the Porcelain Basin.

Yellowstone of course has many other spectacular sights: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River to name a few of the best known. I don't think it's possible to take it all in during one visit so I am lucky indeed to have been able to visit multiple times and in different seasons.

Lots of Bears and Grand Views

Prior to departing for Jackson Hole several weeks ago I heard reports of significant amounts of bear activity in Grand Teton National Park.  This, along with having seen a post by Lucy of Quilting With the Past in which she showed off her knit bear, gave me the idea to knit one of my own.  I rummaged around online for a pattern and in my stash for suitable yarn and knit in odd moments here and there.   And here he is.

"Grand"

To give you an idea of his size, note that the squares on his quilt are one half inch on a side. I have named him "Grand" for the magnificent peak which dominates so many views in Jackson Hole.  He was fun to make, though sewing up the thirteen tiny pieces was a little tricky, especially because the hand spun yarn I used is so fuzzy that it was hard to see what I was doing. Next time I'll choose a yarn with better stitch definition.

Knitting a bear was indeed an appropriate choice for this trip. Altogether we spotted six bears, more than we have ever seen in a single season; in fact, more than we used to see over many summers combined.

The most entertaining encounter was in Upper Paintbrush Canyon, just above Holly Lake, where we spotted a mother and her two cubs.  In no time the cubs scurried forty or fifty feet up a tree, found themselves some comfy branches, and went to sleep. The mother stayed at the base of tree foraging for food and posing for photos, or so it seemed. In my excitement I made rookie photographer errors so unfortunately she is not as clear as she should be.

Black Bear cubs

Black Bear (Note that not all Black Bears are black)

Grand Teton National Park is of course named after its tallest and most famous peak, which is usually called, with equal measures of affection and awe, "The Grand." From every direction it looms up to capture your attention.  Its character seems to change depending on the vantage point, the time of day, the season, and the weather.

Since our overnight back country trip took us to the upper part of North Cascade Canyon in the evening we were able to take sunset photos of The Grand across the smooth waters of Lake Solitude.  For anyone wanting to make a similar trip, keep in mind that the area around Solitude is closed to camping so you will need to secure a permit (at the information center in Moose or the ranger station at Jenny Lake) for the North Fork Camping Zone located below the lake.  Violations can result in a citation and fine of $120.  Yes, the rangers do check.

Mount Owen and The Grand Teton across Lake Solitude

One morning we got up before dawn to take sunrise photos at Schwabacher's Landing, a location which offers stunning reflections in calm waters and a straight on view of a line of jagged peaks such as a child might draw. It turned out to be a great morning for photos with a sky full small puffy clouds.  If you want to go to Schwabacher's Landing note that the road has been closed to vehicles due to sequestration-induced budget cuts and is now being treated as a hiking trail.  We parked on the shoulder of the highway and walked down the road in about twenty minutes.

Sunrise at Schwabacher's Landing

The clouds hung around all day and made a dramatic sunset.

Sunset over the high peaks

From high up across the valley the peaks seem bigger.

Near Jackson Peak

From the south The Grand seems bigger yet.

Hiking down Taylor Mountain

In South Leigh Canyon on the western side of the range the top of The Grand sticks up like a shark fin.

In South Leigh Canyon

And from the upper slopes of Mount Saint John it feels as though you can reach out and touch it.

Climbing Mount Saint John with The Grand and Mount Owen (the darker peak with snowfields) as backdrop

Anyone wanting to see these mountains from a perspective other than the highway turnouts or Jenny Lake would do well to pick up one or more of Rebecca Woods' excellent hiking guides.  They are available at the Valley Bookstore in town, at the visitors' centers in town and in Moose, and online at The Jackson Hole Bookstore.  She describes hikes of varying lengths suiting a variety of abilities and interests so you are sure to find something that will appeal to you and your group.