Out of Ditch - A Winter Trip to Yellowstone NP

[Peter Connan]

@iceI am having a problem with likes, so please assume that I have in fact "liked" every post in this TR.

 

Those snow coaches are awesome-looking vehicles!

 

As a South African, I have never seen snow like this. Truly beautiful! Thanks for sharing this report with us.

[ice]

no problem, @Peter Connan

The thing is, everybody I met was telling how mild this particular winter 2018 / 2019 was / is and how little snow had fallen...

Edited February 4, 2019 by ice

[wilddog]

Fascinating report. Thanks @ice

[ice]

DAY 9

 

Day 9 was my last full day at OFSL. I started off with a snow shoe lesson. It lasted for about 2 hours and covered roughly 3 miles in the area around the old campground. I had never snow-shoed before but found it surprisingly easy. We saw a bison from close up, so that was kind of cool. The forest we walked through was in parts very thick, so I saw another facette of the park.

 

When we returned my new cabin was already cleaned up - I had to switch from a frontier to a western cabin. Later in the afternoon I took some pictures of the Visitor Center and the Inn. Unfortunately I did not find access to a window to peek in - I was told that to look inside might feel kind of eerie, with all this furniture draped in white cloths.

 

The day ended with the Steam, Stars and Soundscapes Tour, sort of like a night drive. By then it had seriously started to snow. I still enjoyed the tour because it was even more quite than usual. We even caught glimpses of the blood moon eclipse.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2019 by ice

[ice]

DAY 10

 

Was transfer day, so not much to report here.

 

The first (snow coach) shuttle left OFSL at 8:30. Over night about 5 inches of snow had fallen, so driving was tough on our guide but she managed well. The shuttle had two scheduled stops, one at Fountain Paint Tops and one at the warming hut at Madison Junction.

 

We arrived at Mammoth around 11:30 am. The bus to Bozeman would not leave until 1:30, though. However, the lounge of the Mammoth Hot springs Hotel  is comfy and warm and has some decent cell phone / internet reception.

 

The bus to Bozeman was a 38 seater but there was only four of us on this particular run, including the driver and me. The road was icy in parts, especially on that I 90 mountain pass just before Bozeman. In total I saw three accidents / slide offs. We made a short truck stop stop at Livingston and then arrived at the airport at 3:30. As far as I understood the bus then made its final stop at the Best Western.

 

As you may remember, I had serious problems picking up my rental car in Los Angeles, so I was a bit nervous when I went up to the Alamo counter in Bozeman. However, everything went smoothly and I received keys for a Ford Explorer 4x4.

 

It took me another 2 hours to return to Gardiner, my next and final stop of this trip. Snow fall was thick in sections, and I also had dinner at Livingston. I checked into the Riverside Cottages and finally unpacked my bags, only to find out that I had forgotten my laundry bag in the cabin at OFSL.

 

 

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @ice

 

Those are the first images of Montana that I've seen in years. Thank you for posting them.

 

My childhood friend is an English professor in Western Montana University in Dillon.

 

BTW: I like your “snow in the headlights” shot above.

 

This trip report has reintroduced me to my own country, which I haven't visited since 2007.

 

Tom K.

[kittykat23uk]

Enjoying your report! I loved our week in Yellowstone and would love to go back sometime.  Did you spend any time in Lamar valley? 

[ice]

1 hour ago, kittykat23uk said:

Enjoying your report! I loved our week in Yellowstone and would love to go back sometime.  Did you spend any time in Lamar valley? 

 

I did - that's where the trip report will "go to" next

[ice]

DAY 11

 

Saw me return to the MHS Reception area. The night before I had called the reception at OFSL to inquire about my laundry bag but this morning I wanted to make sure they'd look for it. The lady at the reception spoke to housekeeping in no time and at my suggestion then managed to have it put on the afternoon shuttle, for me to pick it up at around 5 pm.

 

Stopping at the hotel meant that I started my drive towards Lamar Vslley slightly later than I had planned. However, it was a beautiful day, with clear blue sky - only my second within the last week. Driving seemed to be easy and yet I saw at least one car that had sled off the road. Animals I encountered included the omni present bison, dick horn sheep, elk and a coyote.

 

I drove through the famous Lamar Valley all the way to Silver Gate and Cooke City and then turned around. At that time  the sun had unfortunately disappeared again. At least I was indeed able to receive my laundry bag. A big thanks to all the staff that helped me out there.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by ice

[ice]

[ice]

Over my two weeks I've had about half a dozen sightings of a coyote - this is the only one I was able to get decent footage of

 

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by ice

[Tom Kellie]

~ @ice

 

Thank you for mentioning the excellent service of OFSL housekeeping. That speaks well of them.

 

The clear blue sky in the most recent images stands out. My eyes haven't seen North American blue skies for a quarter century.

 

Do the bison put their muzzles down in the snow anywhere is search of nourishment?

 

Your images give the sense that you were fairly close to them.

 

The resting elk in snow is a striking image. I've never seen anything like that as the only elk I ever saw in my childhood were in Summer.

 

The 45th Parallel sign with the snow-dusted terrain and blue sky is nice.

 

Your trip report has a gentle pace to it. Interesting yet not rushed. I admire that.

 

Tom K.

[ice]

@Tom Kellie

 

If you look a little closer to some of the other bison pictures I posted, you may notice that they have a huge "hump" on their back, an accumulation of muscles (not unlike the hump of whites rhinos) which enables the bison to use their head sort of like a shovel, digging away meters of snow to reach the grass underneath it.

 

A few weeks from now I should have finished the editing of my videos. I might well post some clips of "animals in action", like bison looking for food.

[ice]

this one shows them sideways, the hump is clearly visible

[ice]

[Tom Kellie]

14 minutes ago, ice said:

@Tom Kellie

If you look a little closer to some of the other bison pictures I posted, you may notice that they have a huge "hump" on their back, an accumulation of muscles (not unlike the hump of whites rhinos) which enables the bison to use their head sort of like a shovel, digging away meters of snow to reach the grass underneath it.

 

~ @ice

 

~ Ah! I see it. It brings to mind the ‘dowager's hump’ when advanced osteoporosis causes compression fractures of weakened vertebrae.

 

In this case, not a malady, but a tool. Thank you for explaining how the muscle accumulation powers their ‘shovel’. I didn't know that.

 

The rich brown of their coat is such a dramatic contrast with the white snow. For me, seeing your Winter images of bison is more impressive than seeing them in Summer might be.

 

I've never seen wild bison...only a few in zoos. Although I was born in Seattle and grew up in the Pacific Coast area of the United States, my life was centered around the ocean.

 

Your trip report and photos, as those of @Patty before, have shown me that I need to someday enjoy the American West more, as you did.

 

Thank you for the additional images and the helpful explanation.

 

Tom K.

[ice]

DAY 12

 

saw some more unexpected expenses.

 

The weather was rather bad, as soon as I left MHS to head to Lamar Valley it started to snow. When I had my first good sighting of the day (a moose eating) one could barely see it because of the flakes.

 

At around 9 am I had enough and decided to turn back. Near Soda Butte an RV was driving towards to me. Unfortunately I directed all my attention to the left side of my car (to keep enough distance to the approaching RV) and that's when sh*t happened: although I was driving extremely slowly I lost control of my vehicle and landed in a ditch. Thank God I was not hurt and lucky me minutes later one of those few rangers who were still working despite Donald J's shutdown came by. He radioed for a tow truck from Cooke City.

 

The next hour I spent waiting for them. A few minutes before they arrived the Ranger sped off. Apparently less than a mile away from me another car had fallen off the road (and, according to the jokes the two men with the tow truck were making, the other guy had come off much worse than me).

 

Anyway, the incident cost me 220 bucks but, as I said to my helpers: it's all part of the adventure and also, I finally knew how to name my diary / trip report.

 

On my back to Gardiner I was kind of compensates with the sighting of an otter. I even met people who had spotted wolves and who were kind enough to let me look through their scopes. However, I could not make the pack out.

 

Later in the afternoon I took another drive as far as Tower Junction but didn't see anything special. Snow fall was still pretty thick.

 

[ice]

[Tom Kellie]

~ @ice

 

“Towed From: Out of Ditch”.

 

Says it all. 

 

Really love the photo series. Makes it vivid and brings back memories of my youth.

 

Sorry that it happened, but glad that you weren't injured.

 

This trip report has a little bit of everything.

 

Tom K.

[ice]

DAY 13

 

was my last full and by far my best day in the Park. I had left Gardiner slightly earlier than the day before. Heading towards Y'stone one could sense a few lighter patches in the still dark sky - and yes, for at least half a day the sky was a perfect blue, once the sun had risen completely.

 

My getting up early was rewarded with a beautiful sunset from one of the pull outs near Blacktail Plateau. By chance I overheard somebody getting a message over a handheld radio "I think we've got something for you". I was pretty sure what "something" might be, so I followed the driver. And yes, closer to Petrified Tree the local wolf pack had been spotted again. In fact, it was the very same pull out and the very same group I had visited and met the day before; only this time I did see the wolves, too. I was able to make out four of a pack that, as far as I understood, is denning in this area and that consists of 11 wolves in total.

 

Just like the day before I continued until Pebble Crrek and then tunrned around - only this time I did not get stuck! The sheep were also grazing at the very same spot as the day before.

 

I hit Mammoth around lunch time and finally had look at the Hot Springs.

 

After lunch and a nap I drove back into the park around 4 pm. By that time the sky was again covered with snow clouds. I did not see much (except the usual suspects) until it was almost dark but then I spotted my second moose of the trip! It was a big female and I had her all for myself.

 

[ice]

I also used the rest of the blue sky for a return visit to the traveritne formations at Mammoth Hot Springs. The colours of the terraces and the bacteria in the water were not as bright as in summer but the steam and the midday frontlight made an interesting combination. 

 

 

[kittykat23uk]

@ice I was beginning to wonder if you would actually get to see any wolves! I am so glad you did!

[ice]

@kittykat23uk yeah, at long last, although it was only a few seconds. I've started to believe that to have decent wolf sightings I might simply tour my own country - wolves have made a tremdous come back in Germany. Scientist have counted 73 packs, 30 couples and 3 singles.

[kittykat23uk]

Wow! Cool. Finland is where I would recommend for best views but I've also seen them in Yellowstone,  Velavadar,  Hemis NP and Ruoregai. 

[ice]

DAY 14

 

was a mixture of bad luck and good luck.

 

I left Gardiner at 8 am. When I arrived at BZN 90 minutes later, it was snowing again. So much so that my plane to LAX left half an hour later than scheduled because its wings had to be de-iced and then the runaway had to cleared from slow.

 

Nevertheless we landed at LAX pretty much on time. I had about 3 hours until my int'l flight was scheduled to depart but still I decided to play it safe and walk straight to the Lufthansa counter. There I was informed that the flight to Germany was delayed for at least 90 minutes which would have meant that I would have missed my connecting flight from Munich to Frankfurt. However, while looking at the departure board I had noticed that there was a nonstop LH flight straight to Frankfurt about to leave. I asked the lady at the counter if she could not re-book me on that flight. After conferring with her supervisor she could, and I did not even have to pay for the change. I grabbed a fast lunch at KFC and then it was time to board.

 

In the end I was in Frankfurt 4 hours earlier than I had intially had booked. Unfortunately I missed my train to Cologne by exactly 1 minute. My train ticket had just become worthless. I decided to take my chances and did not buy a new one. And yes, during the one hour ride I was not asked for a ticket.

 

At 2:45 pm my two weeks trip to the USA ended.