Yellowstone and Grand Tetons trip
I don’t really know if there is any rhyme or reason for the places we end up going to but in June 2010 Tanya and I landed in Salt Lake City on the way to the Yellowstone National Park. I had mixed feelings about this trip, even though it was my idea. I envisioned hordes of tourists with their oversized paparazzi cameras crowding over scared animals, giant warning signs at every step, friendly but annoying educational boards that make you feel like you never left the classroom, souvenir shops with children begging for toy animals they never really care to see in real life – in short, all the trademarks of the well-oiled machine of mainstream American tourism. And well… there was some of that. But then, there was more: the raw splendor of erupting geysers, each on its own time, roaring waterfalls with clouds of rainbow mist, wild, truly wild, animals, large and small, that seem to pay no heed to tourists and their stinky cars and RVs. In fact, there is so much more in Yellowstone that the touristy side can even be comforting at times, after several days of backcountry camping. It is also amazing how accessible Yellowstone is to everyone from a guy on a wheelchair or parents with babies to hardened backpackers (more so than us) – all can find a piece of the park they can enjoy. And nowhere else, including Iceland and my native Kamchatka, I felt so strongly how fluid and shaky our solid earth really is. With all the boiling water squirting from every possible opening on miles and miles of land and steaming fumaroles in least expected places, you really get a trite but true sense that half a million years since the last super volcano eruption that formed the Yellowstone caldera (640,000 years to be precise) is hardly any time at all for this earth. And our 10000 year old civilization is a mere instant in the 4.5 billion year history of our planet – an overly confident and self-centered mosquito (of which there were plenty) on the skin of a giant. But I may be getting my metaphors all mixed up at this point…Then again, before the next big sneeze, which may be another several thousand years, there is lots of fish in the Yellowstone lakes and rivers (I saw it jump out of the water a few times), so next time we may try to catch and cook some, right in the earth’s heat. And bring the kids along for the ride.
Day 1:
Chicago/New York – Salt Lake City– Jackson Hole.
After lending in Salt Lake we rented a car got some camping gas at Big 5 by the airport and headed up to Jackson Hole via Bear Lake (on Rt. 89). After a couple of hours of driving, somewhere near Paris, Idaho, we got a sense that we entered another world – cars will only get you so far in these parts. With some scenic stops on the way, we got to Jackson in the evening and after a meal at a local slightly overpriced by decent bistro called it a night in Motel 6 (reservations needed).
Day 2: Jackson Hole – Grand Tetons (Jenny Lake)
We got an early start out of Jackson, stopping for a quick
shot at the famous antler arches around the town square. Several miles
out, we got a first look at the Tetons (meaning ‘nipples’ in French) 
whose sharp snow-clad piques suddenly sprang out on our left as we
drove through the valley. After getting to the park, we went straight to
the Jenny lake campground to got our site for the night (these are first come -
first serve and seem to fill up 
before 10 – 11
AM). Then we went clockwise around the Jenny Lake to the Inspiration
Falls, the Hidden Point and a little further down the Cascade canyon, where
snow was still on the ground. (Our original plan was to hike the Cascade Canyon
trail overnight but we weren’t that enthusiastic about camping on the snow
without a fire and using a snow axe to get around; so, in the end we settled
for this abbreviated version). As we walked, the on-and-off drizzle
changed to heavy rain and we returned on a ferry that shuttles people back and
forth across the lake. By the time we got back, the rain stopped and we
drove around the park some more: Signal Mountain (for a nice meal in the Dead
man’s bar with good views) and a walk around Colter bay.
Day 3: Jenny Lake – Yellowstone (Mammoth Springs)
Right after crossing the Yellowstone boundary from the South
entrance we noticed some steam coming from the 
ground. After 
another
40 min. we got to the Old Faithful, clouds of steam everywhere rising behind
the tree line as we approached the exit. Breakfast 
at the
historic lodge (что-то
между
теремком и
избушкой на
курьих
ножках
гигантских
размеров), and, following the
crowds, went to the viewing area just in time for a big eruption (they come
about every 45 min.) Then hiked a couple of miles around the geyser
basin, and got our first encounter with a bison who was sitting right next to
the path, sleepily watching unsuspecting tourists pass by. Driving north
toward the Mammoth Springs (where we reserved a cabin), we hiked for a little
over an hour to the Monument geyser basin (in retrospect not as spectacular as
other places, but with good views from the mountain and practically no one around)
and stopped at Norris for a walk around the Porcelain geyser basin. In
the evening, after a home-cooked meal with visiting elk, we went for a night
walk around the Mammoth Spring geysers.
Day 4: Mammoth Springs – Lake Lodge
Right
after breakfast, we went to get trail info and permits for two overnight
camping trips. Then went around the most beautiful, out of this world,
Upper Geyser basin and, after lunch, drove East in the Tower-Roosevelt
direction. On the way, we stopped to take a look at the 50 million year old
petrified tree, wondering what’s holding it up for so long, and hiked a little
to the Lost lake, but after about 30 min decided to come back to the main
road. Getting to our final destination for the day, Lake Lodge, took the
rest of the day, with many stops to look at a grisly with her two cubs,
countless bison and elk, great canyon and giant caldera views. We walked
and smelled the sulfur around the Big Caldron, visited Mad Volcano and the Big
Dragon Mouth before finally checking in to our cabin right after the full moon
rose over the mountain tops around the Yellowstone Lake.
Day 5: Lake Lodge – Fairy Falls
On the way to the
Fairy Falls trail head in the morning we pulled over next to a bunch of cars,
not far from the West Thumb junction. Everybody was looking at a grisly
within about 10-20 yards of the road, who did not seem to pay any attention to
the crowd. A seemingly popular day hike, the walk to the Fairly Falls was
short and easy (< 1 hour, which was good since this was the first time we
carried backpacks in a while); the path moving through a mostly flat terrain
with tall trunks of burned out trees, characteristic of this part of the park
from the big fires in the 80s, some new pine trees and fresh undergrowth – pretty
exposed overall. The falls were pleasant and cool and we admired myriads
of tiny mist drops as they danced in the sunrays, at the top of the falls.
Then a short 20 min. walk to the restless Imperial geyser, with some mud
pods around it and only an occasional tourist and another 30 min walk to our
campsite. After hoisting all our stuff on a bear poll (two backpackers we
had met on the way recommended not putting up the tent right away because of
bison roaming around the camp – very true) we headed to the nearest hill
through the muddy marshes for views of the grassy meadows frequented by the
bison, the Fairy Falls stuck within a fold of the mountain, and the steam
rising form the Imperial geyser and, to the east, the Midway geyser
basin. In fact, anywhere you looked – steam was rising. After diner
by the camp fire (no shortage of firewood), we went to the tent as the full
moon lit up the valley.
Day 6: Fairy Falls – Canyon Lodge
We ate breakfast
under a watchful, if somewhat intimidating, eye of a visiting bison, then took
a shorter leg of the loop back to the trail head (without Emerald Meadows and
Queens Laundry), and went past some umarked steaming hot pools and a nameless
lake where we went for a quick refreshing 
swim (the water
wasn’t 
freezing, but pretty cold). Before reaching the
parking lot, we climbed the hill to look at the Grand Prismatic, like a giant
blue iris looking at the world from the Earth’s very core. Next, back to
the Old Faithful to get a camping permit for tomorrow (must be picked up within
48 hours), a couple of espresso shots, and another well-timed eruption.
Heading to the Canyon lodge through the Norris junction, we made quite a few
stops at the Fire Hole lake and the White Dome geyser, Fountain Paint Pots
(just in time for a once in 6 hours eruption of the Fountain Geyser and its
friends) and the Artist Paint Pots spitting mud blobs at especially curious
onlookers. We got back to the Canyon Lodge in time to eat and do laundry
for the rest of the trip.
Day 7: Canyon Lodge – Shoshone Lake
On the way to the DeLacy Creek trailhead, we saw some elk with giant antlers right by the side of the road. Starting around 11, we walked mostly nonstop for the next 6 hours. First a short leg: couple of miles to the Shoshone lake, then, after a mile or so along the lake shore, again through the forest, which looked old and seemingly untouched by major fires. Mosquitoes were everywhere, and had we not been so tired from walking 12 miles (probably the distance we typically walk in a month without heavy backpacks), we would be screaming. But near our campsite, within a mile from the geyser basin, we got some breeze from the lake that blew off the blood thirsty pests and we could swim (freezing cold!) and eat in peace, enjoying the evening sun and looking at the huge thunderstorm with lightinings zigzagging through the sky on the other side of the lake. In another hour the storm clouds reached us and we got inside our tent surrounded by tall pines just in time to avoid the drenching rain and heavy wind, watching the flashes of lightening illuminate insides of the tent and listening to the nonstop thunder claps – a bit scary.
Day 8: Shoshone Lake – Lone Star Geyser
It rained on and off
all night and in the morning we discovered several leaks in the tent – but
nothing major. Around 7 we got out during a break in the clouds and after
a quick breakfast (while ourselves being devoured by hordes 
of
merciless mosquitoes) we quickly packed our wet gear and headed to the Shoshone
geyser basin before the next wave of rain came over. As we reached the
geysers though, the clouds cleared and we took the opportunity to dry
everything up for the next night and explore this desolate basin. This
place was definitely worth the long hike. Hot water was everywhere, big
and small, some squirting right into the river, fumaroles, hot pools – you name
it. After some exploring for a couple of hours and a second breakfast we
headed back to the main path (we decided against a possible loop through a
south Shoshone trail before heading north again – the path seemed to go through
the mosquito infested marshes). We walked about 6 miles to our next
campsite; the path winding through the forest, crossing several streams, with
light descents and ascents – all together an ideal hike, if it weren’t for the
mosquitoes, although during the day they weren’t as bad. After setting
our camp, a dip in the Bechler River and some food, around 6, we went to look
at the Lone Star Geyser which was less than a mile away. As we
approached, it welcomed us with a sudden 30 feet high eruption (these come
about every 3 hours), complete with a rainbow across the steaming mist.
Day 9: Lone Star Geyser – Lake Lodge
Getting
back on the main road around 11, we tried to hitchhike 6 miles back to our car
(it’s legal in Yellowstone). Cars were slowing down, checking us out and
then speeding away, until about 20 min. later, we got picked up by a park
ranger-naturalist George Heinz, who makes short video clips about the park (http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/insideyellowstone/0043general.htm)
and had a nice chat on the way. After some souvenir shopping (being in a
store was a bit overwhelming after 3 days in the wild), we walked around the
West Thumb basin, checked in the Lake Lodge, walked some more along the
Yellowstone Lake by the lodge, then went to admire the rainbow-clad Upper Falls
and views from the Artist Point by the Canyon Lodge, exhausted but still trying
to get the last glimpses of the park before heading out tomorrow.
Day 10: Lake Lodge – Antelope Island Park
Most of the day we
spent driving, taking a last look at the Tetons from our car. Around 7 we
got to the Antelope Island State Park in Utah, the 
biggest island in
Salt Lake, about an hour away from Salt Lake City. On the causaway, it
almost smelled like a sea, but with some stale dampness in it. We went
for a sunset float in the Salt Lake (just like in the Dead Sea, you can lay on
the water). Just as the sun went down a strong wind picked up from the
lake, so pitching a tent at our completely exposed campsite (no trees on the
island) was a slight challenge. We ended up cooking dinner inside the
trunk of our car to block the wind and it seemed to work. For a few
hourse we were listing to the wind beatting up the fly against the tent, which
was pretty annoying, until around 3 we took off the fly completely, and, as
things got quieter, we fell asleep right under the stars and a bright moon that
shone through the net of our tent.
Day 11: Antelope Island Park – Salt Lake City – New York/Chicago
In the
morning we went for a short hike to the Bison point for a view of the salty
shoreline and drove around the island stopping at several points, visiting a
historic ranch and looking at local bison. Then, a quick lunch and across
the causeway and to the airport before taking off to our separate destinations
and meeting one day later at home in Chicago.
You can see more pictures from out trip here: http://picasaweb.google.com/firosha/GrandTetonAndYellowstoneNP#
-----------------------------------------