Yellowstone 2020

A few pictures from my latest trip through Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.  It was beautiful weather and a lot fewer crowds thanks to COVID.   Enjoy!

Sometimes you get lucky with a close visit from a bald eagle

Or maybe a Harlequin Duck?

Grand Prismatic Springs

Sunset over Natural Bridge

The Lower Falls never disappoint

Columbine

Sunset over Hayden Valley

One of the many bull elk we saw

Moose Falls

Grand Tetons

Diamonds Are Forever - or at least 60 years of marriage

I celebrated, with many of my family members, my parents 60th wedding anniversary in Yellowstone National Park.  Yes, 60 years!  Yellowstone was fitting because my parents not only went their for their honeymoon but they go just about every year.  It was certainly the genesis for my love of the outdoors.  While there was more silver (or grey hair) than diamonds it was a lot of fun.

Our most dependable yearly activity is taking a family picture at Artist Point with the Lower Yellowstone Falls in the background.  Here's the whole passel of family that came (4 generations represented) - and we even all had our eyes opened and smiles sparkling like diamonds!

That's Us!

Of course we needed to do some fishing.  Our fish ranged from over 100 little gems to some big lunkers:

Little Brookie

My brother with a big cutthroat

Animals are always abundant and even though the weather was hot for early July we did manage to see a wide variety of animals, even a coy grizzly bear - all looking stronger than ever.

Grizzly

Fox

Okay, this mountain goat may not look strong but she is - she's just shedding!

I took my nieces and nephews up Mt. Washburn which showed just how durable they all were.  It was fun to see baby mountain goats and a fox walking right beside us!

On Top Of Yellowstone

View of Grand Canyon and Hayden Valley

And, I had the chance to stop and take some pictures of a few sparkling waterfalls:

 Gibbon Falls

Big Falls (now Upper Mesa Falls)

All in all it was an amazing trip and I'm so thankful to both my family for helping celebrate this major milestone to my parents for creating such a good example for me.  I'm not sure there will be 60 more (eek!) but, Mom and Dad, may the rest of your years continue to be happy and adventurous!

Great Fountain Geyser

Mom and Dad watching Old Faithful

You can view additional pictures in my Public Gallery. All pictures are available for purchase.

An Uphill Battle: Avalanche Peak

As a kid I was jealous that my brother went on a hike to summit Avalanche Peak in Yellowstone National Park.  I was too young to go at the time and by the time I was old enough the park system had stopped doing ranger led hikes.  I always looked across Yellowstone Lake at that peak wondering what the view was like from up there and thinking it was the one that got away.  Well...not so anymore!

This summer for the 100th anniversary the NPS brought back a lot of their guided hikes so I took advantage and hiked to the top of Avalanche Peak.  Located on the eastern border, Avalanche Peak is one of the highest peaks of the park at 10,568 feet and is rated as the toughest hikes in the park rising 2100 feet in just over 2 miles. And I'll say this - there aren't a lot of switchbacks!

We started the hike on a beautiful morning with a group of 8 people...with only 2 of them being from the US. I felt a little out-numbered! When in large groups you tend to move much slower than if you were on your own but this group did a decent job of walking at this high elevation.  We made it to the summit in about 2.5 hours and then descended in 1.5 hours.  The first half of the hike is in a lush wooded area with wildflowers and a stream.  You have to watch where you walk though as it is loose gravel on top of a dusty trail.  The last half of the walk is in sharp contrast to this as it is on shale above the tree line. 

 

Along the way we saw marmot and deer! 

The best reward however was the spectacular vista of the greater Yellowstone region.  It was breathtaking (in more than one way!) and I don't have to wonder what the view was like anymore.  It's definitely a great hike which I would recommend to people.

 

You can view these and additional pictures in my Public Gallery or by clicking on the Photo Gallery Tabs above. All pictures are available for purchase.

Wyoming is pretty...Really? Really!

This past week I got back from a lengthy trip around the greater Yellowstone area and was reminded that Wyoming actually has some virtue.  Yep, you heard me right.  I know...typically when I think of Wyoming I think of the times I've been stuck on I-80 in a snow storm that looks like this (thanks to weather.com for the picture):


or, the fact that it doesn't matter if I'm driving north, south, east or west but there is always a serious headwind blowing.  I'm just glad I'm not a biker in that state!

That being said, Wyoming really does have some amazingly beautiful scenery and outdoor activities to take advantage of.   Here's a few reminders from my latest trip.

Mountain peaks galore including some of the most prominent peaks in the world.

Mormon Row has both historic structures and the majestic Tetons for photo ops.

The Tetons truly are spectacularly rugged!

 

 

Canyons that rival any canyon.

Clark's Fork view at Sunlight Creek Gorge Bridge (a 1200' gorge! along the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway)

The Big and small of fishing.

Ya, and to think I caught one tinier than this guppy!

Flowers and more flowers.

On top of Beartooth Pass

Waterfalls and waterways.

The lesser known Moose Falls

 

And who can forget the wildlife!  I'm not sure what was going on but it was spectacular this year! I saw a Mountain Goat along Yellowstone River (really), a bison that has a serious rocky mountain oyster issue and a ton of bear! In fact, this year I saw an amazing 22 grizzly bear in a 5 day period! 

These are just a couple of the 22 grizzly bear!!!

 

You can't miss bison in the park now days...this guy has prostate issues - can anyone say Rocky Mountain Oysters?

Yes, there is a mountain goat right in the middle of the picture

So, despite what we typically think of Wyoming, it really is pretty.  Really!

You can find these pictures and more from my trip posted in the NEW gallery until my next post.  After that, you can find them under their respective "location" or "type" gallery.