Wednesday Words - Chouinard

Going back to a simpler life is not a step backward. ~Yvon Chouinard

#Simplelifeisforme

Happy, happy!!

These two are celebrating the two today...happy, happy!! Enjoy your STL trip; go Cards!

#STLCARDS

Jenny Lake Hike and then some...

We hiked Jenny lake today. Well, not the whole lake but a portion of it and then on up to the Hidden Falls. Great view, if you are doing the lake go the extra distance to see the falls, we ate our lunch there. On the way back we did the shoreline trail. I'm so glad we did the horse trail (highline route) on the way in because that was the absolutely BEST view. At the shoreline it was nice but the view from higher up was most stunning!

We also went around Moose Pond on our way back with the hope of seeing another moose sighting but no such sighting occurred! Bummer! The meadows brimming of wild flowers were so pretty, so many and everywhere you looked. Indian Paintbrush were plentiful. I don't know the varieties very well, but there were yellow, blue, white, red, pink, purple ones of all shapes and sizes!Another little bit of eye candy.

It was a LOOOOONG hike at 6.2 miles but it was a good hike! Loved all the views and fresh air! The scents were awesome as we passed the pine and cedar trees; so pungent and the fields of sage were incredible aromatic! A feast for our noses for sure!

Look very closely the picture above... there is a yellow warbler on the branch. He was the brightest yellow, it was almost like he was not real, but we saw him fly so he was!!! He was on the highline portion of the hike going in.

#GrandTetons

Bubblers, Poofers and Spouters

We stopped at Old Faithful, the most famous of all Spouters. I suppose a visit to Yellowstone wouldn't be complete without stopping to take in this icon. Our timing was good as he was set to go just after we arrived on scene. He is only erupting every 91 minutes or so nowadays, he used to spout more frequently but his pipes are changing and his frequency is less. The film we watched at the visitor center says he will eventually stop erupting completely if you can imagine that...

I personally like the poofers. They had their own special aroma, mostly sulpherish but some had slightly other scents. There are so many of these in the park but many cannot be seen if the temperature and humidity are not just right. Best to see them on cool mornings.

The Norris Geyser basin, or more specifically the Porcelain Basin within the Norris Geyser basin was a great stop. We popped our last evening in the park as it was hitting dusk. We were camped in Norris Campground so it was an easy stop on our way home. Worth the stop, had we had more time we would have done the longer hike to see the other side of this area but we were losing daylight so we did what we could.

 

On our way out this morning to the Tetons we walked one of the artist paint pot areas and got to see some great bubblers. I love the bubblers especially the mud ones. We had been on the hunt for them and met with limited success. There were watery ones, with little mud, but I really wanted to see the goopy muddy ones...we hadn't really spotted any so when we came upon them this morning I was really glad we took the time to stop on our way out!

#YNP

Uncle Tom's Trail

 On my word, I was huffing and puffing but I made it...seriously, this is NOT for the faint of heart for sure! Even taking it slow I was winded. View was pretty cool! Worth all those stairs...all 328 of them...I guess. I ate Twizzlers later as a reward! LOL

 

#YNP

Bears...yes, real live ones!

It's always a thrill to see wild life so seeing a bear, then another and then a mama and her cub was the bomb diggity!!!

First sighting was a yearling just outside our campground in Glacier. Ranger Mike had told us to be on the look out for this little guy who seemed to enjoy the area. We watched him foraged in the field, turning over rocks and just hang out in the area. Lots of other people also stopped to get a pic, we were walking back from the camp store when we saw him.

A little playful fella!

Next sighting was in Yellowstone as we were driving north on the park road towards Mammoth. I spotted him on my right as he made his way over and around the rocks, we stopped to watch him and he crossed the road RIGHT in front of us before disappearing among the rocks on the other side! It was certainly an amazing sight as he just meandered along.

The latest sighting was again here in Yellowstone as we stopped along the driving route to check out a petrified tree. We had to park in the upper parking and we were walking down when a passerbyer stopped to warn us of a mama bear and her cub just up ahead. COOL, we were excited! We made our way on up and there they were. Just frolicking in the grass and on a log, they were steadily making their way along and going further into the meadow. It was very fun to watch them, the cub was so inquisitive and exploring it all, going up ahead, then lagging behind as they traversed the landscape.
 

I have to say I loved seeing the wild life in Yellowstone, but I am sorely UNimpressed with YNP; especially after being at Glacier. The Rangers and staff are much more professional and actually enforce rules. Especially, cars parking in RV slots. We could not park at several pullouts due to cars being in the designated spaces at Yellowstone.

#BEARSohmy

Wednesday Words - Ashe

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

~Arthur Ashe