Yellowstone National Park

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May 29th 2006

Published: September 24th 2006

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StuartSmith

Yellowstone Lake

The Great Yellowstone Lake, visible from the East entrance road.

Unlike other National Parks we have been to Yellowstone is by far the most remote. Set predominantly in the Northwest corner of Wyoming with parts of the park crossing into both Idaho and Montana. The nearest major city was Salt Lake, which was back in Utah some 350 miles away. However the seclusion and remoteness only added to the mystery and tranquillity of this place.

Entering at the Southeast entrance it was still a further 27 miles before we hit the main 167-mile loop road. Along the way there we spotted a Bison and desperately stopped the car in order to take a picture, not realising that Bison are in abundance all over the park and that this was one of many that we would eventually see.
The road, lined with snow in places and at some points as thick as 4 feet deep, gave us a small indication of the likely whether we should expect. During the drive towards the main loop we passed the enormous Yellowstone lake, surrounding the lake were pine tree forests and large snow-capped mountains, scenery that excelled expectation and, for that, imagination.

As we arrived late in the day we were unable to

Gizzly Bear

A Grizzly bear resident of Yellowstone National Park.

obtain a backcountry permit for that night, instead we headed to Bridge Bay Camp site, a large privately run campground. As soon as I stepped out the car I felt just how bitterly cold it was and whilst struggling to erect the tent, without hat or gloves, it started to snow.
After the tent was up we both cooked dinner on the gas stove, by this point everything was covered in a thick blanket of snow.
That night was bitterly cold, however the new sleeping bag worked a treat and kept me warm and snug.

The next day snow still lay everywhere and it was still extremely cold, a trip to the shop became an absolute necessity in order to purchase warm hats and gloves. We also stopped at the local backcountry ranger office and for two hours discussed which hikes we would do and where we would spend each night. We also had to watch a safety video on bears and geothermal activity, which purveyed our expedition into the wilderness with a solemn sense of gravitas.
Another trip to the camp shop to purchase rope (the reasons why will become clear later) and we were set.

Just

Old Faithful

Old Faithful, Yellowstones famous erupting Geyser.

outside the Bridge Bay Village a large crowd had gathered we stopped to see what was happening. Just down a short slope we saw a small grizzly bear. We took some pictures and observed this magnificent animal for a while, which seemed oblivious to all the attention it was receiving. The bear looked so gentle and unthreatening, however this was only a young bar and we had the reassurance of 5 park rangers to protect us. If we met a larger bear out in the wilderness I think my perception of cute and cuddly would have been quite the opposite. Needless to say, seeing such a beautiful animal in its natural habitat, especially one as endangered as the Grizzly Bear, was exceptional.

We headed North on the loop road stopping first off at a geothermal site where we saw some Mud Pits and some Hot Springs. These interesting features bubble away and, due to the minerals and elements brought up from the earth’s core, produce wonderful colours and mystifying rock formations, as well as some smelly gasses.

The next stop on route was at Artists Point; this overlooked the Yellowstone Grand Canyon and the waterfall that drops down

First Night Snow

Our first night in the park saw heavy snow fall.

into it. Further along at a similar lookout over the canyon at a place called Inspiration Point was where we were to start our first backcountry hike. Whilst preparing for the hike we got hit by a hailstorm, huge hailstones pummelled us and the car.

The hike was about 6-miles in length and took us along the canyon ridge then down to the riverbed. Mainly down hill the hike was relatively easy, when we arrived we set up the tent and hung our food 10ft above the ground to prevent bears from reaching it, (hence the reason for the rope) It was recommended that we purchased Bear Pepper Spray, this, however, was tremendously expensive so we decided to risk it without and purchased Bear Bells instead, simply a bell warning on your pack which startles the bears so they run off before you come into contact with them. The only problem with this is that it scared off all the wildlife not just the bears.
At the backcountry office we had been instructed that if a bear charges at you, you should stand still; it is highly likely the bear is making a bluff charge and will turn away

The morning after the snow

The next day we awoke to see these snowmen on the campsite next door.

at the last moment. Even if a bear does attack it is best to fall to the floor and play dead as this will shorten the attack as the bear will not see you as a threat. The only occasion to be really concerned about, we were told, is if the bear attempts to enter your tent at night. In this instance the bear is seeing you as food and you should fight back however and with whatever you can. Ben had taken this quite literally and had fashioned a flamethrower weapon from an aerosol can of athlete’s foot cream and a cigarette lighter.
All these Bear warnings had caused me to be a little concerned and I spent most of the nights at Yellowstone in a state of half sleep, waking up with every slightest noise. It also didn’t help that at two of our backcountry campsites were fresh bear tracks in the mud running right through the centre of the camp.

We carefully cooked our dinner and made sure not to leave any traces of food and went to bed relatively early. We awoke early the next day initiated our ascent back up the canyon. After the

Grizzly at the roadside.

The Grizzly Bear we saw at the road side.

falling snow and hailstones the day before my boots had become wet and had started to rub, the steep incline exacerbated the rubbing and by the end of the hike my feet were incredibly blistered and sore.
The hike was hard work especially because at points we had to walk uphill through deep snow at high elevation were the air was thinner.

At the top we were glad to be back to the car, we rested for a while then continued our journey around the loop. We stopped off at Tower Falls and observed the waterfall but we mainly stopped to use the toilet and have a brief wash.

Departing from the main loop road we headed northeast to the start of our next trailhead; Slough Creek. The trail took us through low lands and animal grazing grounds. Taking us through two large fields and passing a watering hole, the hike gave us plenty of opportunity to view wildlife from a distance. About half way into the walk we met two hikers coming in the opposite direction. They informed us that they had just spotted a bear on the path and that they had had to circumnavigate around

Bison

One of the many Bison that roam the park.

to prevent being seen by it. We continued cautiously over the brow of the hill ensuring our bear bells were constantly ringing. Unfortunately the bear had gone, I say unfortunately but perhaps in hindsight we were quite fortunate not to encounter a bear due to the lack of repellent equipment we had upon us.

The campsite was situated just off the path in the woods and gave us a good vantage point across the upper field. We were also surrounded on three sides by a river, which after we set up camp and hung our food in the air, I proceeded to rest my weary blistered feet within. This was the first of two sites that allowed campfires, so we immediately set about trying to collect kindling. The evening was very relaxing; we listened to music, talked, ate melted marshmallows, became hypnotised by the fire and watched the sun set across the Savannah-like plain.
Despite the bear footprint smack bang in the middle of our campsite, I was able to get a reasonable night sleep, in part due to the subtle rhythmic sound of the river that drowned out any little noises.

The next day we made our

Deer

Deer were also a common site across the park.

way back across the fields again by the end of the 6-mile hike my feet were in agony and walking was becoming almost impossible for me. Unfortunately my feet were not getting anytime to heal and the constant pounding and rubbing that they were receiving was started to cause serious damage to them, I decided that I would make a stop at the park shop at Mammoth Hot springs for some much needed medical supplies.

Back on the loop road we now headed west along the northern part of the park. We passed a petrified tree, a number of waterfalls and our next trailhead; Blacktail Deer creek. We eventually arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs, the parks headquarters and a mini-village in itself complete with school, chapel and post office. I picked up some foam pads to protect my feet, filled up our water containers and then explored the Mammoth Hot Springs.

The Hot Springs are an extraordinary geothermal delight. Powered by An underground magma chamber, water is heated and pumped to the surface collecting limestone minerals such as calcium carbonate along the way. At the surface the calcium carbonate is deposited in the form of travertine and creates

Marmot

These little creatures are called Marmots and were usually found in pairs.

natural rock terraces. Small heat loving mircoorganisims called thermopiles are then drawn to this mixture of heated water and calcium carbonate adding a spectacular tapestry of colour. Here endeth the lesson.

I have a tremendous respect for human achievement, the enormity of what man can do amazes me, however every so often nature puts us back in our place and goes one better. This is one of those occasions. The combination of colours, shapes and movement are more beautiful than any manmade sculpture could ever be and sit harmoniously among the lush Yellowstone Mountains adding another layer of decadence to this most beautiful wilderness.

After a couple of hours exploring the hot spring terraces we headed back towards our trail head at Blacktail Deer creek. The 7-mile hike followed the path of the Yellowstone River, the lifeblood of the park that criss-crosses throughout the entirety of it and headed deep into Bear country. About half way in and we crossed the State borderline and entered Montana.

Our campsite for the night was situated over the river and along side a lake. We set up camp and then realised that we had positioned our tent too near to

Another Marmot

Marmot's tended to climb to the top of rocks and sniff the air.

our food source and cooking area, so took it down again and set it up some 60yds further away. That night, again, was another restless occasion, sitting up for every little sound that I heard. I think I must have been running on pure adrenalin at this point as I was getting very little sleep.

The next morning we hiked out and started our 70-mile journey south towards our final trailhead. We again stopped at Mammoth Hot Springs this time to sneakily charge my camera batteries, thank goodness for the 15-minute charger! During the journey we stopped at a variety of natural attractions such as waterfalls, Geysers and Hot Springs. The number of geological features in such a small area was astonishing; all of which had formed in different ways, from different compositions of minerals producing unique colours and shapes.

Arriving at our trailhead, Firehole Creek, a short 3-mile hike through marshy forest. Our campsite was located on the banks of a swamp and from the moment of our arrival we were under constant attack from an army of mosquitoes. Ben constructed a campfire and we toasted a few marshmallows again, however being outside the tent was so

Pika

Small mice like creatures that live in fields.

unbearable that I went quickly to bed just to get away from the little bastards. (I’m referring there to the mosquitoes and not Ben)

The following day we hiked out and made our way to Old Faithful, a Geyser, that despite not being the biggest, erupts more frequently than any other in the park. Eruptions from old faithful last about 2 minutes, during which time it expels 4,000 gallons of boiling water, which reach heights of up to 55 metres. Called Old Faithful due to its regular eruption cycle which occurs approximately once every hour or so.

We sat down on the bench and waited with the large crowds for nature’s next performance. During this time we spoke with an American couple that were travelling from Miami to Alaska, they had seen many national parks along the journey and for them this area of the country was the most spectacular.

When Old Faithful final erupted it was quite a sight, the power and pressure involved and the sheer quantity of water that is ejected is unbelievable. Knowing how Americans can exaggerate and overplay things, I was not expecting much from Old Faithful; I was therefore taken aback

Uinta Ground Squirrel

Another Yellowstone resident.

by the scale of the eruption. The hot water and steam bellowed high into the sky and a constant steam of water spewed out for 2 minutes. It was very impressive and I had to remind myself that this was not computer controlled but was powered and controlled in every way by Mother Nature.

After the eruption we got back in the car and completed the loop and joined the southern exit road towards the South entrance. Ahead of us was a long straight road lined with forest and trees on both sides. In front of us, in the gap between the trees, we could see the sharply cut, perfectly shaped, snow-capped mountains of the Grand Teton’s; Our next destination.

Reflecting back on my time spent in Yellowstone, it really was an experience with nature; seeing endangered animals in their natural habitat; visiting one of only three global sites for geothermal activity and seeing erupting Geysers, bubbling Mud Pits and running Hot Springs; and being in a place, so filled with natural untouched beauty. It was a truly unmissable and unforgettable experience.

Yellowstone, however, is an unforgiving place, where survival skills and intense preparation are essential to

Snake

We were not expecting to see snakes so this was a bit of a suprise.

staying alive. We battled the extreme elements from the baking hot heat to snow hail and the bitter cold, conquered terrains such as canyons, mountains and swamps, whilst carrying full kit. And survived natures unforeseen’s, such as deadly Black and Grizzly Bears, unpredictable charging Bison, scolding Hot Springs and Geysers, thin crumbling crust and dangerous toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. True this place can be deadly and deaths do occur, however the rewards outweigh the risks tenfold.

We spent 5 nights in the park and we barely scratched the surface to everything this place has to offer. Yellowstone Park is nature’s theme park: A truly remarkable place.

Additional photos below

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