Day 4 - Geysers and More

 We started off Day 4 going to the Midway Geyser Basin, one of my favorites. We got there before it was really busy, and the steam coming off the hot pools made an incredible fog.

 The highlight of this basin is the Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, and one of the most colorful. You can see some of the colors reflected on the steam.

 The patterns the hot water and bacterial mats make are fascinating. I could spend a lot more time looking at them!

 Off in the distance is even more steam rising, giving hints that this is a hot place.

 The kids were good about posing for a photo. What sweeties!

 And another, with the fog behind them.

 Desert Girl fortunately was very good about staying on the boardwalk. She did get on her belly to get a closer look.

 We saw a dragonfly dead on the bacterial mat.

 We also saw some bison tracks. I guess they didn't read the signs about staying on the boardwalk.

Next we headed to the Old Faithful area, which was a zoo. We went to the new visitor center and signed Desert Boy up for the Young Scientist program. We checked out a backpack with an infrared thermometer, stopwatch, magnifying glass, and rock samples. Then we headed down the path on our bicycles. The kids loved a change from hiking. So did I!

 We found that Riverside Geyser was supposed to erupt soon, so we waited, and in the meantime Desert Boy started measuring the temperature of everything he could find. He didn't really know what the numbers meant, but it was a cool gadget. He shared with a family that was waiting in the shade with us, and they enjoyed it too.

 He used the magnifying glass to get a closer look at the rock samples. It was a fun program, and I think he might have learned a little from it.

 Then Riverside Geyser began spewing water. It was beautiful! The eruption lasted more than 20 minutes, but folks watching it mostly lasted half of that before they started wandering away.

 We went to the end of the bike path and saw the beautiful Morning Glory Pool.

 On the way back it looked like Castle Geyser was going to go off, so we stopped. Desert Boy walked around to the side to get a better vantage point to draw the geyser.

 Little splashes of water teased us.

Finally it went off in a minor eruption. It seemed big to us!

It was a fun morning, and the bikes made a big difference. We had ample people-watching time. So many people looked like they just hung out for one eruption of Old Faithful and never went further back into the geyser basin where the more interesting geysers lay. The kids had had their fill of geysers, so we headed off to new adventures.

Day 3 - More Yellowstone

 Later in the afternoon we encountered a bear jam--a traffic jam caused by folks who wanted to see a bear.

My brother Ed took the wheel so I could hop out and see the bear.

 A grizzly was lunching nearby.

 We later encountered another bear jam. I wondered how fast the bicyclist could leave the scene if the mama grizzly got mad at him and charged.

We were hungry so we stopped at a picnic area and made dinner. We had the picnic area to ourselves. If you're ever in Yellowstone and everything seems crowded, try a picnic area. It might just be a quiet spot.

 From there we headed to Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest one in the park. I love it; it seems so otherworldly. The evening light made the Porcelain Basin seem even starker.

 The kids did awesome walking the boardwalk. I think Desert Boy walked about five miles that day between the bear hike and the geyser basin.

 The kids saw their first geyser--Constant Geyser. They didn't know what to think.

 Desert Boy was very curious about all the dead trees.

 It was really nice having my brother along, and the kids appreciated having their uncle joking with them.

Ah, this was the quintessential Yellowstone day: wildlife, traffic jams, geysers, and a feeling of serenity.

Day 3 - The Bear Hike

 Part of the Yellowstone Fish Crew reunion was a hike to an old bear den led by the park's bear biologist. We headed out on a trail and enjoyed some great views.

 Desert Girl did a little hiking with her new friend Josie.

Then, all of a sudden, the folks ahead of us got off the trail and waved us off. We had an inkling of what might be up ahead.

 A bear! Actually, two bears, a mom and her cub, were walking down the trail towards us. We moved well off the trail to give them plenty of room.

 I was grateful for my new camera lens with more zoom and for post-processing cropping!

 The bears were spell-binding, and we watched them for quite awhile.

 The little one wanted to get a better look at what was going on so stood up several times.

 Mom went back to eating, but the young'un kept an eye on us.

Finally they meandered out of sight, and we continued our hike to the bear den.

 The den was under a tree, a shallow hole. Desert Boy climbed into it.

 The kids thought it was pretty cool. I was surprised by how close to the surface the den was. It didn't seem like it would give all that much protection in the winter. The bear must have made it, though, as it wasn't inside!

On the hike back, my former boss took Desert Boy, which was a welcome relief. Desert Boy was a demanding train, so it was nice to get a little break.

We all enjoyed the spectacular views of Yellowstone. We saw lots of other hikers on the trail, soaking in the beautiful day.

Day 2 - To Yellowstone

 We picked up my brother Ed from the airport the afternoon of Day 1 and proceeded to head up the country. It wasn't too long till we were tired and stopped for the night. The next day we proceeded up I-15, stopping at a rest stop in Idaho that promised a geologic site. Well, that rest stop should have given their geologic site much bigger notice. It had a mile-long geologic trail through Hell's Half Acre, a neat lava field about 20 miles south of Idaho Falls.

We were the only ones on the lava flow trail, which was paved and easy walking. Although we did see a family do some geocaching at the picnic bench right at the beginning of the trail. We might have to give that a try on a future vacation.

 The kids weren't real enthusiastic hikers, but they did love the rocks. They had to choose their two favorite rocks. That caused a real dilemma.

Then it was more driving, with great scenery, like the west side of the Tetons as we approached West Yellowstone.

 We were only a few miles into the park when we had our first animal sighting--some elk in the river.

 We stopped to see a hot spring, which was fortunately uncrowded despite it being a weekend.

 Then we headed north for a fish crew reunion. One of the National Park jobs I held before I moved to the Great Basin was at Yellowstone, on the fish crew. I hadn't seen some of these folks for many years, and it was so nice to catch up with them. The kids had fun with the other kids there, and one of the highlights was roasting giant marshmallows and making s'mores.

 Desert Girl did her best to contain the mess.

 How much fun can you have with s'mores?

A lot!

We posed for a photo. I love how all the kids are holding hands. And the dogs just couldn't resist being in the photo.

It was a wonderful summer evening, and just the start of our fun adventures in Yellowstone.

Friends, Mather Overlook, and a Hike

 One of my best friends from high school, Alison, and her family came to visit a couple weeks ago. We decided to go up the scenic drive in Great Basin National Park and hike the subalpine trails. On the way, we stopped at Mather Overlook.

 This memorial for Stephen Mather (1867-1930) says "He laid the foundation of the National Park Service defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done."

Stephen Mather was the first director of the National Park Service. This memorial was stolen but later recovered (on eBay, I believe), and now is solidly reinstated to the overlook which bears his name.

 The views from the overlook are gorgeous, with the stately Wheeler Peak topping a 1,000+ foot tall cliff.

 Some recently installed telescopes make it fun to look in detail.

 Desert Boy could barely reach, but he was certain he wanted to try.

Then it was time to go up to the lakes loop.

 Desert Boy liked any obstacles he could find. He enjoyed having a new hiking partner.

 We were all glad when we got to Stella Lake.

 Desert Girl was happy to pose.

 Desert Boy launched some 'boats.'

 Desert Boy really wanted to go swimming, so I told him to go ahead. I don't think he quite made it up to his knees when he decided it was too cold.

 Meanwhile Desert Girl decided she had to go swimming, too.

 Desert Boy put his clothes back on, tried to retrieve some of his 'boats,' and promptly fell into the lake. Sigh.

 Desert Girl managed to stay dry enough that when we found this snow drift she was ready to play in it. She even tried to make a snow angel.

 She really liked having new friends to hike with.

 Still, the hike was long for her little legs, and she had a long rest on the trail. I hiked with the kids back to the vehicle while Alison and her family went on to the bristlecones. We passed several people heading up there for the wonderful afternoon light.

We enjoyed that light on the way down, showing the creases and folds of the North Snake Range.

It is so good to have friends visit so we can take time to enjoy our own backyard. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of what a wonderful place this is!