The Yellowstone Expedition Day 6-8: Yellowstone and Grand Teton

The sixth day of our trip was the summer solstice. It seemed appropriate at this time of energy. I found myself eager to reach our destination as we left that morning. We passed through a state park and national forest, both with their own beauty and intrigue. It was the promise of Yellowstone, however, that drew all of my thoughts.

Up, up we climbed thousands of feet to ascend over the caldera. We passed beyond the snow line to behold the site that had drawn us from our far away home. We could see the vast expanses before us in all of their magnificence. Where as the trek there had been through the rough scrub land with trees few and far between, the park was covered with them. There were young pines and old. There were entire mountainsides of those that had fallen to fire. Even amongst these, new growth was arising. The great lake that lay down bellow seemed to stretch on for an unimaginable distance.

Just a bit of traffic

There was no need to wait to see wildlife. Traffic slowed to a crawl behind a buffalo. A coyote on a hillside through drivers into confusion. The creatures that most fascinated me on our initial arrival were the giant ravens. These dark avians were the size of a hawk and likely more bold, not even flinching at my approach for a picture. There would be more sittings through out the day. Bison were the most common, but I was fortunate enough to spot an elk with a giant set of antlers and later on a moose. There were pelicans, ducks, and ground squirrels all to be seen. The most elusive and drawing of creatures, wolves and bears, were not in site yet.

Rivers, rapids, and waterfalls are a central part of Yellowstone. We stopped to watch their staggering flow. I traveled down a series of ten switch backs to watch the mighty lower fall pour their vibrant green waters down into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I believe that only a man devoid of soul could behold this great art rendered by nature and not have something stir within him. I find that there is a smell that comes with the tumbling of water and it charges me.

A fun stop was at the National Park Ranger

The First Park Ranger

Museum. It gave the exciting history of the Park Rangers inside of what had been one of the first park headquarters. It made me wish once again that I had been able to find my way into the park service. Maybe someday still yet I shall join those ranks.

I have always thought of the wilderness of Yellowstone with great forests and prairies for wolves, bears, and buffalo. All of that cannot overshadow that Yellowstone sits above a volcano and that this drives a great aspect of the park. Watching Old Faithful erupt was undeniably majestic. That was not the only geyser to watch in the park. There seemed to be a never ending string of geysers, hot springs, vents, and mudpots to gape at. Some had color and beauty. Others had a starkness to them that still draws one in. For me, it was a spark to the imagination. I started to think of alien landscapes or fantastic settings. What a mad adventure it would be to try and cross a plane of these unpredictable eruptions. I must note though, that while the steam was amusing, the sulfurous smell did get to me after a while. It paid to watch for changes in the wind.

After a day of hiking, taking pictures of wildlife and wild flowers, and constant elevation change, it was time for rest. We set up our camp and cooked a hearty dinner of redbeans and rice. I had been looking forward to doing some actual camping. I try to get it in at least one camping trip a year.

My trip has provided me an excellent chance to practice my Mandarin. I met a nice Chinese woman to talk with on my hike back up some switch backs to dad where waited. We camped next to a nice couple from China. I helped them get their fire started. Despite having eaten, they served me some of their dinner.

Old Faithful

The night was cold, chilling me to the bone. For all that I had prepared, I am not a cold weather creature. I sat in the car waiting for the showers and laundromat to open. A fine time for reflections on the trip so far, yet dominated more by dreams of hot water. Nothing is so glorious as a hot shower on a cold day, nor so hateful as stepping out of it into a cold room.

Once recharged, we set back on the road. For the morning that consisted mainly of hitting sites we had skipped the day before as we made our way northward. One cannot throw a stone without hitting a hot spring or geyser in Yellowstone.

It was as I tread a boardwalk path that I saw one of the most astounding natural formations the park has to offer. While so much of the park awes the mind with grandiose scale, this was a work of art painted by the hand of a god. Sapphire Pool is a hot spring of clear blue waters. You can see deep into its depths as though it might descend in the very heart of the earth. Reflecting on this beauty was a moment that left me feeling a great sense of serenity.

Sapphire Pool is one of the most beautiful things to see in the park

A shot out the car window was as close as I dared

The path from their led us up and down mountains. Our ultimate goal was Lamar Valley, the place best suited for the viewing of wildlife. The valley was home to a thousand or more bison. It allowed us the closest interaction we could have dreamed up, close enough we might have reached out to touch the massive beasts if we were so foolish. It also allowed for a near disaster when we almost collided with a gargantuan specimen that likely outweighed our car.

While no where near as frequent as the great bison, there were other fauna to observe. Elk here and there. A handful of pronghorns, including a young one. Even an eagle did a flyby to complement the various waterfowl. By evening we had largely surrendered hope of seeing one of the great grizzlies. As we drove to our campsite, however, we spotted a prime specimen walking along a ridge.

Sadly, we came up short on some of our hopefuls. We saw neither mountain goats nor bighorn sheep. My father had hoped to find one of them. As such I had worked hard to spot one out for him, but I fell short. The biggest disappointment was not seeing any wolves. I lament deeply that fate was plotting against us seeing the noble grey wolf.

Our evening was finished in camp. A fire warmed our flesh, and our dinners. Baked potatos and spam sandwiches. That is camp food. I managed to keep warmer that night for the most part. Still, I shall make a point of being more prepared for the chill the next time I venture to the northwest. 

We broke camp on a gray monday morning. My hands were numb by the end, but a hot shower waited. It was a long, hot shower, but I felt alive by the end. By the time I was out, the sun was starting to shine.

From our camp it was a short drive to the southern exit of Yellowstone and the entrance to Grand Teton. The sun was out in full to shine on the magnificent sight that greeted us. As we came around a bend the forest opened up to show us the magestic mountains being reflected in the great blue lake. Their tops were frosted in glacial ice that shimmered in the morning sunbeams. It was the kind of thing one would expect to find on a postcard.

Our first view of the Grand Teton range

Throughout the day, those great mountains would be constantly in sight. We moved from one angle to another, catching more and more views. At a central point, we could even see them stretching off in both directions to give us a scope of just how monumental they truly are.

Just me and some buffalo

We initially chose the path that seemed most likely to grant us a view of wildlife. There was something spotted at a distance. Bear, buffalo, moose? We cannot be sure, but I like to think grizzly bear. The heard of buffalo that we encountered was nothing compared to those in Yellowstone, but they still made for a spectacular view. Pronghorns and deer also made appearances, including a young pronghorn up close.

We visited a historic site, the log cabin of a rancher that had helped with the creation of the park. Dad was fascinated by the history and what it would have been like to live there a hundred years ago. I was slightly distracted by trying to take picture of uinta ground squirrels. Dad also enjoyed the discovery of some massive mushrooms, but realized he could not actually cook them given our lack of supplies. 

Dad loves the pioneer stuff.

We circled around the park, seeing almost everything that could be seen from our car. Grand Teton is more of a hiker and biker friendly place with a number of roads that require fourwheel drive. I look forward to returning someday to backpack into the backcountry. For me, looking at those mountains gave rise to a desire to hike up them as far as I can, to see just how far I can go.

Like seeing the backside of the Badlands

It was eventually time to bid the parks farewell. We drove out, heading eastward on a path that took us through the national forest. More mountains to see, including a few lookbacks at what we were leaving behind. There was even a point where it looked like we were back in the Badlands. 

Soon enough we reached Debois and found a hotel for the night. Its rooms were made to look like a log cabin, lending a great deal of atmosphere. After seeing the world's largest jackalope (and getting my picture on it), we searched for dinner. A surprisingly difficult task. Finally, we found a donut shop that served dinner (and beer for dad). 

So we reached out great goal and took in the many sights, sounds, and smells that the natural world had to offer. Tomorrow we start the grand journey home.

Me riding the world's largest jackalope. Could not get dad to get up there for a picture.