Sunday, July 29, 2012

Up late to start sight seeing as neither of us listened for the alarm...so we got an extra hour and a half to sleep.  Departed for Mammoth, Gardner and several hydrothermal features.  We saw Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Roaring Mountain, the Grand Prismatic Pool, the swimming hole in the Firehole River, Midway Geyser Basin, and Firehole Lake Area.  We returned to West Yellowstone in time to enjoy supper with Jim's sisters and the clan.  Thanks to Jim's sisters & nephew, Craig, for a wonderful meal.  Jim's family is talking about their NEXT get together in two years.  Their tentative plan is to go to Northern Wisconsin and the Apostle Islands area. 
Now...here's some great photos of our 3rd day at America's (and the World's) FIRST National Park, Yellowstone!

Rustic Falls

Golden Gate (left)...Bunsen Peak (right)...note the highway built out on the edge of the mountain!

Mountains along Gardner Road

Fly fisherman in the Gardner River

Gardner Road with sage brush and storm

Gardner Road....headed north

Hoodoos over Gardner Road

Elk resting on the lawn outside Mammouth Hotel

Original stonegate arch at the north entrance of Yellowstone NP

Close up of the park's motto atop the arch

Interessting sign along Gardner Road



Cap Rock at Mammoth Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs

Prospect Spring

Orange Mound Terrace

closeup of Orange Mound Spring

Angel Terrace

Earthquake Rock Zone

Look out below!

Mountains to the west of Gardner Road

Firehole River Falls....LOTS of people go swimming the water warmed by geysers and springs in the area.

Hot water draining from Midway Geyser Bowl into the Firehole River...
Thus becoming the warm water to swim in at the Firehole Falls!

Excelsior Geyser

Grand Prismatic Geyser....amazingly beautful.  You need to fly above this in
a helicopter to truly see its beauty!

Miniature forests of algae surround the Grand Prismatic Pool

Opal Pool

Boiling hot water draining down into Firehole River from Midway Geyser Bowl



Blue Geyser



Dome Geyser

Black Hole Spring

Bubbling paint pot...light grey

Artist paint pot...azure bllue

Firehole Lake

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Headed for Yellowstone National Park again...first stop the Fountain Paint Pot area.  Then it's time to go to Old Faithful Geyser and watch another movie at this visitor center and see two eruptions of Old Faithful.  Next we left there for the West Thumb area of Yellowstone Lake, specifically the Grant Village Visitor Center, then West Thumb Geyser Basin with the fishing cove in Yellowstone Lake.  Then we traveled to the Mud Volcano Geyser area and walked around on the board walk viewing all the hydrothermal springs, femeroles, caldrons, and geysers.  We next headed for Fishing Bridge Visitor Center.  We got cancellation stamps at four of the five visitor centers for our National Park Passports!  One remaining to get is at Mammoth...we'll head there Sunday.
We headed back to West Yellowstone again and arrived just as everyone had finished eating so it was back to the Geyser Grill for us.  Jim, his family members and John enjoyed talking and watching some Olympic events together...then we headed back to the basecamp around 10:30 PM...another late night to bed.  Just as we were about to leave, Rebecca (Jim's daughter), Chris, and their dog, Wiley, arrived after driving their camper "Pegasus" up from Evergreen, Colorado and taking a wrong turn.  It cost them an extra four hours on the road.  So....we visited a bit more before heading off to bed around 11:30 PM.  (These late nights are killers!)  Check out the beautiful photos from this busy day!

America's majestic Bald Eagle

Paint pot

closer view of paint pot bubbling

Leather Pool

small geyser

another small geyser

and another small geyser

Bull bison ...in the roadway...and he CAN go ANYwhere HE wants to go!

Swallow baby birds in the hole in the dead tree.  Mother sits on a branch nearby.
The tree is dead because its roots were drawing water from the hot water in the pool below.

Saphire Spring Pool

mkcrobic growth in the hot spring run off create amazing colors

green thermohilic bacteral growth in hot water...brilliant colors

Guess who?  You're right...."Old Faithful Geyser" arrived in perfect time.

Old Faithful Geyser upon a 2nd eruption that we got to see

The amazing fireplace inside the historic Yellowstone Lodge

Outside roof and chimney of the lodge

West thumb geyser basin - fishing cone.  As the story goes, Teddy Roosevelt
caught a fish in the lake here, and immediately dunked the fish into the geyser cone water.
He pulled it out shortly and the fish was perfectly cooked for the future US President to enjoy!

Abyss Pool

Bull Elk

Bison herd

Dragon Mouth Spring...it makes EEEERRRRIE sounds as the water is spit out into the pool.

Colored grass beside the mud pots



Bison hrd in the meadow