BISON GEYSERS AND CUTTHROAT…

Old Faithful

We arrive in The Yellowstone National Park (hereafter referred to as YNP) and check into the Fishing Bridge RV Park.  We have arranged to stay here for four weeks.  Seems that most RVers have a love hate relationship with this park.  The good news: this is the only YNP campground with full hookups (electricity, water and sewer) and it is centrally located for touring all of the sights.  The bad news: this campground was created before the advent of the super sized RV’s that are so popular these days, and it is not uncommon to have your neighbor’s pop-out just inches away from your bedroom window.  Armed with this knowledge, we ask at check-in if it is possible to switch spaces after Labor Day (when the season starts winding down) if our site is a bit cramped.   The woman at check-in suggests that they find us a good space now so we don’t have to move later.  All three clerks discuss the pros and cons of each available space.  The gentleman using the computer suggests space D-127.  This earns oohs and aahs from the other two. Then they inform us that there is a 10% discount if we stay 30 days instead of the 28 we have reserved. Quick math tells us that those 2 extra days are free and we’ll even get a refund.  So 30 days it is. 

Bison Spa

We have to wait a few minutes before proceeding to our site – seems that the bull bison are chasing the cows through the D loop – ahh buffalo love! Since we have just arrived, we view the bison as wild and exotic and exciting.  Within 24 hours we realize that they are everywhere, and a real pain in the ass when they decide to cross the road en mass, and then decide to go back the other way again. Regardless of their lumbering slow pace, these are wild animals – they may act like cows – but many of these are bulls…horny bulls with really large huevos. It’s breeding season – their one chance at love for a whole year and they will not let anything interfere when they choose a lovely lady from the herd and wait for cupid’s arrow to strike.  It’s actually scary watching the other tourists move in on these behemoths – no picture is worth being gored by these beasts!

Once we get to our site, we see that this really is one of the best sites in the park. It’s on the end with views of the lodgepole pine forest, and three small trees surrounding our space.  With the awing out we have a great little private exterior living space.  (Dave and Dimples YNP- RV tip: If you plan to stay at Fishing Bridge – ask for space D-127!)

Pumice Point
Yellowstone Lake

Osprey

Our first week is spent hitting some the sights and taking tons of pictures.  We see lots of wildlife: In addition to hundreds of bison, and an annoying little chipmunk that runs around our feet every time we sit outside, (OK he’s cute but we are absolutely not going to feed him!!!) we see osprey, pelicans, ginormous ravens, blue herons, coyotes, otters, elk, antelope, deer and wolves.

The geothermal attractions are spectacular.  Exploding geysers and bubbling pools taunt all of the senses, we see the colors created by the thermophiles growing in high temperature low PH water, hear the rumbling as the steam rises from the earth, feel the heat of the spray, smell the sulfur, and taste the vaporized minerals. The rivers, waterfalls, lakes and forests are also awe-inspiring.  We are thank-full that this land is protected for future generations. (Ok enough of this sappy sentimentalism.)

Lower Falls
Yellowstone River

We take a number of hikes around the park’s attractions.  The most ambitious is Uncle Tom’s Trail. This is a series of paved inclines and over 300 steps that leads about 500 feet down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. At the bottom is a platform where we experience the beauty and power of the Lower Falls. Although paved and civilized this trail is tough especially considering the altitude. Tough but so worth it!

Touring in Style

To enhance our experience and improve our photo skills, we sign up for a guided photo tour around the Old Faithful geyser area.  The tour starts at 6:30 AM and we get up at 4:30 AM to chug a latte and make the hour and a half drive to the Old Faithful Inn where we meet up with three other amateur photographers and our guide Winn. Winn is a professional photographer who lives in the area all year round. He drives us about in one of the park’s original touring busses. (Ok riding in this was one of the reasons we signed up.)

He takes us first to the Kepler Cascades, where he helps us improve our waterfall capture techniques.  Next we stop and photograph the early morning sunrise backlit geysers and work on improving the drama of our pictures and finally we walk along the Firehole Lake Drive, working on capturing the light and colors of the geothermal features.  Winn points out that the Great Fountain Geyser is estimated to go off that evening between 7:30 and 9:30 and with sunset around 8:30 there is a chance for a sunset back lit photo of this geyser that sometimes spouts over 200 feet.  Not wanting to miss an opportunity, we return to the Great Fountain Geyser around 7:30 that evening and wait…  and wait… and wait… and watch the sun set… and wait… and watch the almost full moon rise… and wait… and finally around 10:30 the geyser begins to churn and bursts forth with a huge plume of steam.  And for the next half hour we watch nature explode in the moonlight. It is after midnight when we finally get back to Dimples.  It was a long and satisfying day.

Great Fountain in Moonlight

Great Fountain Sunset

early morning geysers

Cutthroat

The next morning we are up early again. Our destination: the Bridge Bay Marina where we have chartered a small boat and a guide. Yesterday was all about catching the light today it’s trout.  Our guide Mark takes across Yellowstone Lake and we slowly troll.  Most of the trout in YNP are of the catch and release variety and rules regarding equipment are strictly adhered to: no bait, only lures and flies and no barbed hooks.  The only fish that can be removed is the lake trout. We’d like to catch something to eat, i.e. a lake trout, and Mark sets our equipment to maximize our chances.  As we slowly make our way around the cove, Chris gets the fist hit… unfortunately it’s a tree standing straight up in the water.  After unhooking we continue on and I get a hit.  I start reeling and the fish has no fight.  This is a sign of a lake trout.  I continue to drag the fish up; only to land a good sized cutthroat.  It’s a truly beautiful fish and I gladly return him to the lake. (After taking his picture of course.) Next, Chris gets another hit.  This time it’s the real deal, and it’s fighting mad and clever.  Just as the fish is brought to the surface, and we see that it is another cutthroat, larger than the last one. Then it spits out the hook and swims merrily away.  Mark calls this the in-water release.  Shortly thereafter our time is up and we head back. We may not have caught dinner, but it was a great day!

Note: for our followers... WIFI is almost nonexistent in YNP - something about technology not being conducive to the YNP experience...sigh... 


Dave and Dimples Observation: most of the wildlife are tagged, wired or collared - humans are discouraged from using their electronic leashes... LOL  But never fear...we will keep track of our adventures and post as we can - including more photos...

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