Day 3 - Sep 6, 2010 Last updated: 9/18/10 3:00pm PT
Yesterday ended about 14 hours after it started. We arrived at the Grand Tetons as the sun was setting. This meant driving in the dark through Yellowstone to get to our hotel. National parks do not have street lights. Yellowstone is at an average elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 meters). It was hard to tell exactly when the rain turned into snow, but at one point there were some big flakes coming down. That was about the time I almost hit the deer. I was going slow and the deer was mostly on the side of the road, so no one was really in danger, but it sure gave us a scare.
In the morning, it was 26F (-3C). I think this was the first time I scraped my car windows since moving out of Chicago 8 years ago.
But the snow sure looks pretty on the trees
Sheepeater Cliff was formed by a lava flow that solidified into columnar basalt, about 500,000 years ago.
Mammoth Hot Springs. These mounds and terraces are built by hot springs that seep mineral laden water, slowly building and reshaping the landscape. The areas with color have water actively pouring over them. The colors are produced by algae and bacteria.
It’s not ice (or frosting).
You can see the water bubbling out of this one.
A giant elk near the Mammoth Hot Springs Visitor’s Center.
Undine Falls. (One of many water falls in the park)
Mule deer at the side of the road.
Here is a petrified tree. It was buried by volcanic ash about 50 million years ago. There used to be 3 trees here, but souvenir hunters carted them away in pieces. That’s why this tree is locked up in a jail.
The next area is known as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. 1,200 feet deep, 4,000 feet across, and 24 miles long. We hiked down a metal (see through) staircase to get to the lower viewing platform. I mention that it is see through because they’ve strapped this staircase on to the side of a mountain, and looking down is not for the people with height aversions (Denise). It was quite a climb back up. We are not as young as we used to be.
The last stop of the day was at the Norris Geyser Basin. This area is the hottest and most active area of the park. And probably the smelliest. Phew. The worst rotten egg smell you’ve ever experienced. The still pictures are hard to show the motion of the water bubbling up from below.
I shot some video with my camera, but didn’t have the settings big enough, so you have to deal with a very small image.
Dinner was at Wild West Pizzeria in West Yellowstone, MT. It was surprisingly good.