(posted Thursday evening Oct 4)
After we left Bozeman early AM Sunday Sept 30
we started hearing ugly metal-on-metal noise from the rear brakes
so we went directly to Diane's in Bellevue, WA (suburb of Seattle).
Turned out to be a frozen caliper, and the repair shop
was chasing parts for three days before they got the right stuff
(not their fault, I've run into this wrong-part problem in VWs before)
but they got it all sorted out. Glad I did go to Seattle
and not try to get it fixed out in the boonies,
hundreds of miles from the parts suppliers.
Forecast in the mountains is mostly snow all week,
and we are meeting Dan's niece Cecile on Friday,
so instead of Mt St Helens we are tonight in
Anacortes, on Puget Sound north of Seattle.
Hope to see San Juan islands tomorrow,
then a few more unplanned days,
then Oct 9 we're on the plane back East.
==============
Thursday, October 4, 2007
XC_text_5: Yellowstone
XC_text_5_Yellowstone_926.doc
Wednesday Sep 26
For our first day in Yellowstone, we started with a ranger orientation talk.
The park loop road is 142 miles, with a crossover making it a figure-8
so you can do the south half one day, and the north half another day.
The south half includes the most famous geyser sites
including Old Faithful. The ranger explained there are
different forms of water, mud or steam releases and the
chemical composition can vary form and color. He also
told us about Grand Geyser which he thought was due to
blow at 12 noon. In fairness to the ranger he did say
Geysers are unpredictable except for Old Faithful which
blows every 65 to 90 minutes.
We spent almost three hours in Geyser Basin, hoping to see Grand Geyser erupt;
we could see that it was building towards an eruption but we decided to move on
before it actually blew. We did see three eruptions of Old Faithful
and saw some smaller ones erupting as well.
Our next stop was Yellowstone Lake.
This is the largest glacier lake.
It was interesting to see hot springs right on the shore line.
There was one steam pot right in the lake. They say
fishermen caught trout from the lake and steamed it immediately
by swinging the pole around and lowering the fish into the hot spring.
Naturally the park service does not allow this anymore.
On our way to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,we looked at some bubbling mud pots.
It reminded me of making pudding.
Of course it didn’t smell as good.
We hit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at sunset so the
colors reflected off the canyon walls.
As is true of all the places we visited the pictures really don’t reflect the full
beauty of the place.
Our ride back to our motel (A small motel called
One Horse Motel in West Yellowstone, which we would highly recommend, very clean but small) was filled with wonderful sunset views.
Driving in the park after dusk is not highly recommended
because the animals wander on the roads and are difficult to see.
So far we have seen elk, bison and a wolf on the road.
136 miles today (south loop).
= = = = = =
Yellowstone_927
Thursday Sep 27
Highlight for today was a hike to Mount Washburn
(some other Washburn, not “our” Brad Washburn).
After some pretty edgy mountain driving up the
east side of the park loop road, we turned onto an
even-edgier steep winding gravel road, to a
parking lot in the sky at about 8600 feet.
Most of the terrain up here is treeless so the views are magnificent,
And there is *nothing* around. No 60-cycle hum here.
From there we hiked six miles round trip to the summit at 10243 feet,
for about 1650 feet vertical gain.
Excellent cell phone service up there, because on the summit is a
fire lookout tower / hiker wind shelter / antenna farm.
The trail up is actually a service access road for the antenna farm;
I wouldn’t want to drive *anything* on it, but on our way down
we were passed by a SUV-type car going up (then down, VERY slowly!)
which I presume was comm. equipment service because it wasn’t
Park Service, and the gate is securely locked.
We finished driving the upper loop which had some
steam holes but especially around Mammoth Springs there
were more mountains and cliffs and canyons.
Extremely picturesque again!
The “town” of Mammoth Hot Springs was invaded by a herd of elk;
they were EVERYWHERE, on lawns, crossing roads and walkways,
seeming almost to go into the buildings.
Needless to say this caused quite a disruption in traffic flow,
what with people taking pictures and park rangers
trying to keep the people and animals separated.
126 miles today (north loop).
= = = = = =
Yellowstone_928
Friday Sep 28
Another beautiful day.
Started out driving with top down, T-shirt weather;
Drove up the west side (which we drove down in late dusk last night).
More stunning and varied scenery;
made many small stops at scenic outlooks and picnic areas.
Attempted to do a hike to Bunsen Peak but the trail directions were sketchy. '
We walked down a dirt road we believed would take us to the peak.
We saw Bison grazing in the meadow we were winding
through so I was a little nervous. Everytime we came to
pine groves I would ask Dan to blow his whistle just to assure
that if there were any bears around they would know
we were there and leave.
After a respectable time and our intended mountain seeming
to be farther away rather than closer, we returned to the car
and moved on.
Got very windy and cold as we got to higher elevation.
Lots of stuff happening in the sky at different altitudes.
As we stopped at the top of Golden Gate Canyon the wind
was so strong I had difficulty holding the car door.
After coming down an incredibly scary road we stopped at
Mammoth Springs. The most impressive thing about this was
how the Spring sits high on a plateau and the base is bleached.
It looks like a mountain of dry ice with occasional streaks of color.
57 miles today (west side to north entrance).
Total 319 miles inside Yellowstone National Park
Started making miles, stopped before dark in Bozeman MT.
Weather report is a snow storm front moving through the
mountains and passes west of here with snow warnings
until 6PM tomorrow (Sat 9/29), so we’re holing up
here another night to let the storm front pass.
I like snow, but I’m not real eager to drive through
mountain passes during a snow storm, and, since we’re
only going this way once, we want to see the scenery.
= = = = = =
Bozeman_929
Wednesday Sep 26
For our first day in Yellowstone, we started with a ranger orientation talk.
The park loop road is 142 miles, with a crossover making it a figure-8
so you can do the south half one day, and the north half another day.
The south half includes the most famous geyser sites
including Old Faithful. The ranger explained there are
different forms of water, mud or steam releases and the
chemical composition can vary form and color. He also
told us about Grand Geyser which he thought was due to
blow at 12 noon. In fairness to the ranger he did say
Geysers are unpredictable except for Old Faithful which
blows every 65 to 90 minutes.
We spent almost three hours in Geyser Basin, hoping to see Grand Geyser erupt;
we could see that it was building towards an eruption but we decided to move on
before it actually blew. We did see three eruptions of Old Faithful
and saw some smaller ones erupting as well.
Our next stop was Yellowstone Lake.
This is the largest glacier lake.
It was interesting to see hot springs right on the shore line.
There was one steam pot right in the lake. They say
fishermen caught trout from the lake and steamed it immediately
by swinging the pole around and lowering the fish into the hot spring.
Naturally the park service does not allow this anymore.
On our way to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,we looked at some bubbling mud pots.
It reminded me of making pudding.
Of course it didn’t smell as good.
We hit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at sunset so the
colors reflected off the canyon walls.
As is true of all the places we visited the pictures really don’t reflect the full
beauty of the place.
Our ride back to our motel (A small motel called
One Horse Motel in West Yellowstone, which we would highly recommend, very clean but small) was filled with wonderful sunset views.
Driving in the park after dusk is not highly recommended
because the animals wander on the roads and are difficult to see.
So far we have seen elk, bison and a wolf on the road.
136 miles today (south loop).
= = = = = =
Yellowstone_927
Thursday Sep 27
Highlight for today was a hike to Mount Washburn
(some other Washburn, not “our” Brad Washburn).
After some pretty edgy mountain driving up the
east side of the park loop road, we turned onto an
even-edgier steep winding gravel road, to a
parking lot in the sky at about 8600 feet.
Most of the terrain up here is treeless so the views are magnificent,
And there is *nothing* around. No 60-cycle hum here.
From there we hiked six miles round trip to the summit at 10243 feet,
for about 1650 feet vertical gain.
Excellent cell phone service up there, because on the summit is a
fire lookout tower / hiker wind shelter / antenna farm.
The trail up is actually a service access road for the antenna farm;
I wouldn’t want to drive *anything* on it, but on our way down
we were passed by a SUV-type car going up (then down, VERY slowly!)
which I presume was comm. equipment service because it wasn’t
Park Service, and the gate is securely locked.
We finished driving the upper loop which had some
steam holes but especially around Mammoth Springs there
were more mountains and cliffs and canyons.
Extremely picturesque again!
The “town” of Mammoth Hot Springs was invaded by a herd of elk;
they were EVERYWHERE, on lawns, crossing roads and walkways,
seeming almost to go into the buildings.
Needless to say this caused quite a disruption in traffic flow,
what with people taking pictures and park rangers
trying to keep the people and animals separated.
126 miles today (north loop).
= = = = = =
Yellowstone_928
Friday Sep 28
Another beautiful day.
Started out driving with top down, T-shirt weather;
Drove up the west side (which we drove down in late dusk last night).
More stunning and varied scenery;
made many small stops at scenic outlooks and picnic areas.
Attempted to do a hike to Bunsen Peak but the trail directions were sketchy. '
We walked down a dirt road we believed would take us to the peak.
We saw Bison grazing in the meadow we were winding
through so I was a little nervous. Everytime we came to
pine groves I would ask Dan to blow his whistle just to assure
that if there were any bears around they would know
we were there and leave.
After a respectable time and our intended mountain seeming
to be farther away rather than closer, we returned to the car
and moved on.
Got very windy and cold as we got to higher elevation.
Lots of stuff happening in the sky at different altitudes.
As we stopped at the top of Golden Gate Canyon the wind
was so strong I had difficulty holding the car door.
After coming down an incredibly scary road we stopped at
Mammoth Springs. The most impressive thing about this was
how the Spring sits high on a plateau and the base is bleached.
It looks like a mountain of dry ice with occasional streaks of color.
57 miles today (west side to north entrance).
Total 319 miles inside Yellowstone National Park
Started making miles, stopped before dark in Bozeman MT.
Weather report is a snow storm front moving through the
mountains and passes west of here with snow warnings
until 6PM tomorrow (Sat 9/29), so we’re holing up
here another night to let the storm front pass.
I like snow, but I’m not real eager to drive through
mountain passes during a snow storm, and, since we’re
only going this way once, we want to see the scenery.
= = = = = =
Bozeman_929
Yellowstone 9/28
Third day in Yellowstone, Friday Sept 28
Only took 22 pictures this day
Only took 22 pictures this day
(driving out of YNP and up to Bozeman MT)
P9280001 Madison River
P9280001 Madison River
P9280004 Sheepeater Cliff
P9280006,7 views downstream & upstream at Sheepeater Cliff
P9280015, 17 Golden Gate Bridge
P9280020 Another nice view,
our last long range scenic picture taken in Yellowstone NP
Yellowstone 9/27
927_Yellowstone_Selected
Second day in Yellowstone, Thursday Sept 27
Took 110 pictures this day
P9270001 Gibbon Falls
P9270010 Traffic Jam; 128 was never like this
P9270012 Parking Lot In The Sky at 8600 feet,
up a narrow, steep, windy, mountain dirt road
P9270013 Starting up the trail.
P9270013 Starting up the trail.
Note little bump on top of highest visible peak;
that’s the summit of Mt Washburn, 10243 feet.
P9270016,18 Lunch spot about half way
P9270020 Looking back at lunch spot.
P9270023 Approaching end of trail, three miles later.
Structure includes fire lookout, visitor shelter, restrooms,antenna farm.
Structure includes fire lookout, visitor shelter, restrooms,antenna farm.
Excellent cellphone signal !!!
P9270029 A view from the summit.
P9270053 Driving down the dirt road
P9270091, 92, 100 A viewpoint along the road, North area of YNP
P9270107 Elk Invasion at Mammoth Hot Springs
Yellowstone 9/26
First day in Yellowstone Wed Sept 26
(South half)
Firehole River
Requisite photo of Old Faithful faithfully doing its thing
Looking over Thumb Geysers, across Yellowstone Lake,
to distant snow-covered mountains
The Yellowstone River Canyon
Couple of happy campers.
(South half)
Firehole River
Requisite photo of Old Faithful faithfully doing its thing
Looking over Thumb Geysers, across Yellowstone Lake,
to distant snow-covered mountains
The Yellowstone River Canyon
Couple of happy campers.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Bozeman Note 9/30
Sunday morning Sep 30
Got into Bozeman, Montana Friday evening.
Forcast then was for snow in the mountains west of here,
snow warnings active till 6PM Saturday,
so we holed up here for another day.
Almost caught up on posting pictures.
Look for pictures and notes from three days in Yellowstone
to be posted soon.
Planning to make miles today on I90 West.
Not going to Glacier NP because the
"Going To The Sky" main park road is closed;
might visit either Mt. Rainier or Mt. Saint Helens
before going to Seattle.
===
Got into Bozeman, Montana Friday evening.
Forcast then was for snow in the mountains west of here,
snow warnings active till 6PM Saturday,
so we holed up here for another day.
Almost caught up on posting pictures.
Look for pictures and notes from three days in Yellowstone
to be posted soon.
Planning to make miles today on I90 West.
Not going to Glacier NP because the
"Going To The Sky" main park road is closed;
might visit either Mt. Rainier or Mt. Saint Helens
before going to Seattle.
===
Grand Teton NP 9/25
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