Commence Decompression

I am not sure that there is any better way to release tension than to take the camper and spend three days in Yellowstone. That is just what we did last weekend. Note that I did NOT say, "Haul the camper 'into' or 'through' Yellowstone." That would only increase stress!

We got to Yankee Jim Canyon about lunchtime on Friday. Our first choice of spots was already occupied, but our second choice campsite was open. The funny thing is, now it is our first choice! We had nobody near us, and it felt like we had the place all to ourselves. 

Undine Falls

We didn't really have an agenda or itinerary for the afternoon, so we decided just to drive. We drove out to Norris, across to Canyon, over Dunraven Pass, and down to Tower. More or less on a whim, we pulled into the Calcite Springs Overlook, where we found a flock of big horn ewes and lambs. We watched them for a while, then moved on to Undine Falls, where the late afternoon sun was at the perfect angle to light the falls. 

As we approached Mammoth, we spotted a herd of elk, cows and calves. I was out of the truck almost before Dan had it in park. I quickly climbed to a high point overlooking the herd and finally got pictures of baby elk! (I have only obsessed over it for two or three years now.)

We went to bed early Friday night, but we were awakened at about 12:30 by torrential rains beating on the camper. (I couldn't stop thinking about the mountain sliding down behind us and burying the camper forever!) It happened a couple more times that night, but by morning, there were some holes in the clouds allowing sunshine and blue skies to poke through. 

We started our morning with a bear sighting, a quick stop at Tower Falls, and a reverse ascent up Dunraven Pass. We debated about where we wanted to hike, and settled on Cascade Lake, a four to five mile in-and-out hike. We had the lake in sight when we heard the first rumbles of thunder. I declared the hike "close enough" to complete and we retreated to the truck. 

After a quick snack, we hit the road once again. But we really hadn't had enough hiking yet. We picked another "short" loop hike (another four and half or five miles) to Ice Lake. I didn't read the description in our hiking book well enough though, because I was not anticipating crossing the creek, not once, but twice, on fallen logs. It was worth the effort, however, as I thoroughly enjoyed the lake and Little Gibbon Falls. 

The biggest mammal we photographed on either hike was this photogenic pine squirrel. 

We both slept better on Saturday night and awoke much refreshed. After a leisurely breakfast, we visited Gardiner Baptist Church. We found the people friendly and welcoming. They even invited us to stay for their potluck lunch. 

After lunch, we had time for one last hike. We have hiked parts of the Beaver Ponds Trail numerous times, but we have never made the entire loop. This time, we actually made it to the Beaver Ponds. It was such a beautiful afternoon in such a beautiful place. Six miles of hiking left me hungry, so we grabbed a pizza on the way out of Gardiner. Then it was back to the campground to pack up and try to make it home before dark. (We didn't... maybe next time.)  

*** Bonus Pics***

I am always amazed at how at ease these sheep are on the steep cliffs! 

Little Gibbon Falls 

Another Day in Paradise

There are a few places on Earth that really make me wonder how Heaven could be any more beautiful. Yellowstone is one of those places, and the best way to experience this heaven-on-earth is to leave the crowds behind and go hiking. 

Yesterday, we hiked to Crevice Lake. It was a great day for a walk, sunny and warm. We left the car just after noon and began our hike with an uphill jaunt. The trail soon leveled out and even began a gradual descent across a meadow full of gophers. At the far side of the meadow, the trail dropped into the valley and followed Blacktail Creek. The swiftly moving water provided a nice soundtrack to our walk, and we were even surprised by an unexpected waterfall. 

Eventually, we reached the suspension bridge across the Yellowstone River. Here we found another surprise. An osprey had built a nest on one of the support towers, and it watched us intently as we crossed the bridge. 

From the bridge, it was only a little bit further to our destination. We reached Crevice Lake and found it totally deserted. Having met a few other hikers throughout the day, I fully expected that we would have to share. We sat by the serene lake shore and ate a snack and photographed a few ducks. It was so quiet, in fact, that the humming of the mosquitoes seemed akin to a roar! 

The only problem with an in-and-out hike that is downhill all the way in is... you guessed it... it's uphill all the way out! We were both feeling our age as we stopped frequently to catch our breath. The creek that was so pretty on the way in was even more beautiful on the way out and kept us motivated. After the first mile from the bridge, we were back on the "flat" and walking was easier. It was fun playing Whack-a-Mole with the ground squirrels. One would pop up along the trail, only to retreat about the time we got a camera up, while another would whistle from just a short distance away. 

We got back to the car about 8 pm, with 9.64 miles behind us. We were tired, dirty, and hungry, but very satisfied with our day. 

Check out our Facebook page
 Photography by Dan & Tammi Capron
for a short video clip of this spectacular bird. 

Water, Water Everywhere!

All right, Mother Nature! 

These temper tantrums of yours have got to stop! 

Near-daily thunderstorms with torrential rainfall have Montanans on edge! Communities all along Montana's rivers have been on flood alert for weeks. While we watch the Yellowstone out of concern for our drinking water, we keep an eye on the Boulder River for purely aesthetic reasons. 

We took a drive yesterday afternoon up to Big Timber to see how high the water was in the Boulder. The river was running high enough that we proceeded out to Natural Bridge, despite the occasional shower and the mostly cloudy skies. Yes indeed, the riverbed was full, and the Boulder was putting on a show! The upper falls were flowing! (See She's Over the Top for an explanation of this geological phenomenon. For a short video, go to our Facebook page: Photography by Dan & Tammi Capron) The rain held off as we photographed the falls and the flowers and the birds. Eventually, a light sprinkle became more steady, so we returned to the car. 

Driving in, we had noticed a road that we have never driven. Since the sun was once again peeking out, we decided to explore. The road climbed steeply up from the valley floor, and before long we were overlooking the ranches and the river below, as well as the Crazy Mountains beyond. We never spotted the bear for which we were looking so hard, but we did spy some nice bull elk sprouting new racks. 

My new favorite view of the Crazies

The afternoon was waning, so after some debate, we turned around and left the rest of the road for another day... hopefully a day in the not-too-distant future. 

*** Bonus Pics ***