geysers

waterfalls, geysers & bears – oh my

Published July 23, 2016

I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, and even some affection. But with Montana, it is love. — John Steinbeck

Original plan was to run not one – but TWO marathons back-to-back in Montana. Roped Ash & Tom into helping with the long drive north & scheduled a family vacation ’round Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks. Unfortunately an unexpected health issue caused me to drop from both events – but didn’t deter us from enjoying a couple days in the Rockies. LOVE LOVE this place!

After yesterday’s late check-in, slept ‘til 8 before heading west to Virginia City — Montana’s first territorial capital. Grabbed breakfast & toured a few historical Old West landmarks – but oddly, no Bonanza memorabilia…wrong state. Who knew?

Bonanza was a NBC television western series that ran from 1959 to 1973. The show is set around the 1860s and it centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the area of Virginia City, Nevada.

Boot Hill — fave day stop. Hilltop cemetery where 4 guys hung in Jan 1864. Not a vacation without a local cemetery stroll. LOL>

last Montana tourist destination before Day 2 park hopping? the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Safest way to see a bear, a wolf, a couple of bald eagles too 🙂 LOVED watching these massive lumbering giants scavenge under rocks & trees for food hidden by rangers. Whenever in Yellowstone, gotta add this [stop] to your itinerary. Highly recommended.

Quick lunch, second day of geyser trekking – then headed to the falls, Yellowstone Falls.

Lower Yellowstone Falls is the largest volume waterfall in the Rocky Mountains of the United States…308 feet (94 m) high, or nearly twice as high as Niagara Falls.

Hiked both upper & lower falls – a true butt buster, so pace yourself. Jogged back from Lower Yellowstone to retrieve our car (parked at Upper, a mile away), then drive-returned to our digs in Ennis. Watched a family of deer ford a local river. FAAANNNTASTIC!

Gorgeous pink sunset, followed by late nite nachos & live music at the Gravel Bar. Livin’ B-I-G in Big Sky Country 🙂

Day 3 plans? Grand Teton Nat’l Park – seeing these peaks on horseback. #noregretlife

: a little Old West history

: fave stop of the morning

: these boys swung in Jan 1864

: bald eagles too!

: Gibbons Falls

: Artist Paint Pots

: Emerald Spring (stinkiest geyser in the Park)

: Steamboat Geyser

: Upper Yellowstone Falls

: the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

: Lower Yellowstone Falls

: ‘Big Sky’ Montana sunset — SPECTACULAR!

Yellowstone: Part 2 – Yellowstone Falls

Posted in Rocky Mtn West | Tagged bear, buffalo, cemeteries, geysers, nat'l-park, waterfalls, zoo | Leave a comment

Yellowstone 2016

Published July 22, 2016

Work day done, on the road by 6pm. Thursday night in Casper, up early Friday & another 4 hours to Yellowstone – Ash & Tom’s first Park visit. geysers, Rocky Mtn peaks, travel ‘cross 4 U.S. states – Colorado, Wyoming, Montana & Idaho – what’s not to love?

Could’ve travelled the traditional 8-hour route [I-80 West to Rock Springs, 2 hours north to Jackson] – but added an extra hour crisscrossing Wyoming, in search for Sacajawea’s grave site. No regrets 🙂

traditional story: in 1805, the 15-year-old Shoshone travelled with Lewis & Clark and her French fur-trapper husband & an infant son. She died in 1825. Her son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, lived among Anglos, travelled Europe, led a group of Mormons to California & later settled in Montana.
the myth: after the Lewis & Clark expedition, Sacajawea resettled to the Dakotas with two children, no husband – remarried & lived out her life with the Comanche. After her husband’s death [in 1860], she returned to her people, the Mountain Shoshone, and died near Fort Washakie, Wyoming.

Fuel fill-up & another bag of pork rinds later, back on the road. Drove thru a forest fire just outside of Dubois, before entering Grand Teton National Park – 45 minutes later, Yellowstone. Tagged front-row benches at Old Faithful & experienced a first rate show – hot water sprayed from the Earth a full 5 minutes. Sharing the moment with Ash & Tom, even better. GREAT memory.

Walked the Upper Geyser Basin, passing named geysers along a wooden boardwalk — like visiting a ‘geyser’ zoo. Morning Glory Pool, Castle Geyser, Rocket Geyser…each unique, each its own story – some erupt, others shake, simmer & boil. Caught a 2^nd viewing of Old Faithful before car hopping further.

Fave place of the Park – Midway Geyser Basin – in particular, Grand Prismatic Spring. Reds, yellows, blues, greens & oranges – minerals rainbow-coloured the landscape. Steam from these geysers created a hot humid mist – like walking thru a steamy billowing fog.

No place else on Earth – gotta/hafta/MUST see.

Spent our remaining daylight exploring a family of geysers – Artists Paintpots – before exiting west into Montana & another hour north to Ennis, where our 2-day cabin digs awaited (lotta driving, thanks Tom).

No marathon tomorrow. historic Virginia City, Grizzly Discovery Center & a 2^nd half-day in Yellowstone – still must see the Falls!

: ever get that feeling someone’s looking over your shoulder?

: Sacajawea Grave Site

: 15-year-old Shoshone guided Lewis & Clark westward to the Pacific

: fire on Hwy 26 – just east of the Tetons

: road closed remainder of July

: the Tetons

: Old Faithful

: never miss: erupts every 75-90 minutes

: Morning Glory Pool

: Grotto Geyser

: Upper Geyser Basin

: Castle Geyser

: stayed long enough to catch a 2nd eruption — FAAANNNTASTIC!

: Midway Geyser Basin

: two of the largest hot springs in the world

: Excelsior Geyser

: vents boil & churn water within the crater, creating a dense layer of steam

: Grand Prismatic Spring

: WOW, WOW, WOW!

: rainbow-coloured landscape

: my favourite place in the Park

: geyser basin sunset

: an hour north of Yellowstone, our sleep digs for the next 2 days

Yellowstone: Part 1 – Great Geysers

Posted in Rocky Mtn West | Tagged cemeteries, forest-fire, geysers, mineral-springs, nat'l-park | Leave a comment

Yellowstone National Park

Published August 21, 2014

Left work early Wednesday & boarded a plane to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Not only running a marathon this weekend – my 10^th– but also celebrating a birthday. Chose to spend this year in Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Park 🙂

Short one hour flight from Colorado (vs 8+ hours drive), set up camp at the Flat Creek Inn & hit the road early Thursday – destination Old Faithful, 2 hours away in Yellowstone National Park.

The day’s weather was notably different from Colorado, misty rain & cool sub-60 temps. Unfortunately, Grand Tetons’ iconic peaks were completely obscured by cloud cover (would have to wait ’til Sunday). Another hour further, Old Faithful. Took a quick walkabout the Visitors Center, only 20 minutes ‘til this mighty geyser was scheduled to blow. Secured a premium spot & waited for geyser magic.

A thin white plume seeped from the ground, followed by larger puffs of white gas, then all diminished. The act re-commenced, this time water gurgled within the large gaseous plume. Another brief break & the show known as Old Faithful began. Approximately every 91 minutes, this geyser blows – spewing boiling water from Earth. AMAZING! What a birthday show!

Next stop: Grand Prismatic Spring

Listed #2 on gaperguide.com’s Top 5 Stops in Yellowstone – I was not disappointed. Because of the day’s cool weather, dense sulfuric fog formed from vapors pouring off colourful geysers in Midway Geyser Basin. The misty weather & geyser littered landscape was reminiscent of last year’s Icelandic adventure. SPECTACULAR orange & blues – crazy vivid hues. LOVED it!

Located in the Midway Geyser Basin is the brightly colored Grand Prismatic Spring. It is the largest hot spring in the U.S. and the 3^rd largest in the world!

Weather report for the weekend – rain, rain & more rain. Sounded like today might be my best chance to see Yellowstone – so stayed on the road & headed another hour west to Lower Yellowstone Falls.

The lower falls are 308 feet high, almost twice as high as Niagara Falls!

Parked a pull-off early & trail ran Red Rock & North Rim 2 miles to get a closer view of the Falls (& help altitude acclimate for Saturday’s Mesa Falls marathon). STUNNING VIEW of the Falls! The 2 mile return run UP however – now that was challenging 🙂

Didn’t see Yellowstone’s famous buffalo but did up my bear tally to 3 for the summer. A black bear crossed in front of my car – super exciting to see these huge predators when you’re not hiking (remembering last month’s 2 grizzlies in Glacier).

Finished at Mud Volcano before returning to Jackson via Yellowstone Lake & West Thumb.

Full 12 hour day – mountains, geysers, waterfalls & a bear! Happy Happy Birthday to me!