Storm Over the Tetons: Grand Teton National Park, WY

Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

It is hard for me to imagine approaching the Tetons from the northeast and not being awestruck as they come into view. There are no foothills or other obstructions to mask their size or beauty; just a row of serrated peaks lined up behind a series of wetlands, lakes, and the iconic Snake River. Darla, who was seeing this all for the first time, wondered aloud why it had taken us so long to visit this area given that it is only an hour south of Yellowstone.

Storm clouds were gathering over the mountains as we arrived at the Willow Flats overlook. Twenty-one years earlier I had taken a photograph of the moon over the Tetons from nearby. I wanted to see how much I remembered. We wouldn’t be here at dusk this time—and we wouldn’t be catching any views of a setting moon—but it was a dramatic and memorable scene nonetheless.

By the time we arrived at Oxbow Bend, a short distance further south, it was all but certain we would be seeing lots of clouds but no color as the sun dropped behind the mountains. As darkness fell and we continued on toward Jackson, the clouds opened up unleashing a violent mixture of rain and hail, thunder, and lightning. Some strikes were so close that they lit up the interior of the truck as if it were the middle of the day, eliciting a lively discussion about the likelihood of getting struck by lightning while in a moving vehicle.

[Click on a thumbnail to view the entire image.]

©2011 Timothy Linn. All Rights Reserved.

The Race: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2011

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Papa T had been asking for a number of months prior to this trip whether or not Lewis was faster than me. My answer was always “maybe”; I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my knees to find out. Lewis had challenged me to several races on this trip and I had won my share of them—but always through the use of trickery and distraction. If it was a foot race of any distance and he was prepared and paying attention, he would always win. The whole time Papa T had been sizing up his competition and, on the way back from climbing up to a viewpoint of Grand Prismatic Spring, decided to give it a go. One second we were all walking back together; the next, they were gone.

The Boy won. As Papa T tells it, the race was close until Lewis left the trail and cut across some rough ground while taking a more direct route to the camper. I’ll let the viewer examine the evidence and decide for him/herself. Regardless, my money is on The Boy this year. We’re going to have to start calling him Secretariat. He’s fast.

©2011 Timothy Linn. All Rights Reserved.

Grand Prismatic Spring: Yellowstone National Park, WY

Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

One of the most impressive sights in Yellowstone is Midway Geyser Basin’s Grand Prismatic Spring. Yet, despite being able to walk right up to and over it, it is impossible to fully appreciate from the official park viewpoints. Yes, one can get a sense of it from the pastel blue steam cloud rising from its center; and by following the boardwalk over its burnt orange tendrils. But this provides just a hint of the spectacular beauty that inspired its name. Grand Prismatic Spring can only be fully appreciated from the air.

If you’ve seen a park video featuring a flyover of the spring you already know what I mean. However, unless you’re willing to sneak an ultralight into the park (and suffer the consequences) this isn’t an option. Fortunately the higher ground that surrounds Midway Geyser Basin on two sides provides an alternative. There are no officially sanctioned trails leading up in either direction but there are trails nonetheless. They are steep and slippery with no railings at the viewpoints—in other words, proceed at your own risk—but they offer the best and only means for an aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring.

Which view is better, looking east or looking west, is going to depend on the light. A nice day with the sun shining at your back while you view the spring is ideal. Cloud cover dulls the colors dramatically so be patient and wait for a sun break on a partly cloudy day.

The view looking east is accessible via a trail-bike path that takes visitors north along the back of MGB to Fairy Falls and Goose Lake. Park in the first parking area south of Midway Geyser Basin to access the trailhead. (RV’s will have to park in a pullout along the main road.) Follow the bike path north for a short distance until you see distinct trails leading up the side of the hill. There are many paths up which should all lead, more or less, to the one clearing on the hillside that provides a relatively tree-free view of the spring.

The view looking west is accessible via one or more roadside pullouts to the south of the parking area for MGB. They are on the east side of the main road, opposite of the Firehole River. Parking at Midway Geyser Basin and crossing the road is also an option. You’ll see ad hoc trails going up from the road. It’s worth emphasizing that, while you don’t need to be Ueli Steck to climb up to this viewpoint, carelessness could get you killed at the top. It’s straight down. Parents keep track of your kids.

I find it a little surprising that the park service doesn’t provide a reasonable trail to either of these viewpoints but the upside is that neither viewpoint is particularly crowded. We shared the western viewpoint with a handful of other people; the eastern viewpoint we had to ourselves. That’s something that can’t be said about very many places in Yellowstone at this time of year.

[Click on a thumbnail to view the entire image.]

©2011 Timothy Linn. All Rights Reserved.

Firehole River: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Posted on Saturday, May 7, 2011

Monday, July 26, 2010

We were about ready to return to our campsite after a long day of exploration when one of us, probably Darla, spotted an osprey fishing in the Firehole River. We parked along Fountain Flat Drive and walked down to the river to watch. This is where Lewis made an unexpected discovery; the grass along the riverbank was thick with blue damselflies. Lewis and Mimi were both delighted by this turn of events and each sought to enjoy it in his or her own way: Mimi, by photographing them; and Lewis, by touching as many of them as he could sneak up on. This conflicting set of priorities had them working at cross purposes for a while but eventually Mimi got her shot, which they both paused to enjoy.

Darla gets photo credit for the second image.

[Click on a thumbnail to view the entire image.]

©2011 Timothy Linn. All Rights Reserved.