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- May 31, 2015
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August 5, 2017
The area immediately to the NW of West Yellowstone has been special to my family for a few generations now. This report is from one of their favorite spots up there.
@Jessica and I were visiting my grandparents at their cabin near Cameron, and we went on this 8-mile hike with my grandpa, my uncle, and my cousin. The wildflowers were still in bloom, and aside from three guys on horses and 2 very nice mountain bikers (who weren't supposed to be on the trail), we had the place entirely to ourselves.
This was the first trip where I used my Pixel to take all the photos. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn off the automatic HDR setting.
We started in the woods, and they were pretty thick, so I didn't take any pictures. Eventually, the trail comes into a large meadow that goes on for a few miles. Great views all around.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4417%2F36400190682_6f98db32bc_h.jpg&hash=d06f94560a8751291d9e431ce33f1a65)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4418%2F36171818480_31fbaca907_h.jpg&hash=10f8ce1773dda8841f6ebbe75a4594e7)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4430%2F35733656954_45a8522c33_h.jpg&hash=ae2bdc2d2b0b37f967b1c37bc4155bfa)
We came across a SNOTEL site. We were able to deduce what most of the equipment there measured, but some is still a mystery to us. I should've taken more pictures of it.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4385%2F36430339101_228b8057de_h.jpg&hash=9da7700dfda329c6df2c434bb6ff2c43)
We also saw some bear sign, but it was all quite old. I should've put my hand in this photo for scale. We're unsure whether it was grizzly or black. There doesn't seem to be a ton of curve to it, but I don't really know anything.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4338%2F36171813310_bd6c185f08_h.jpg&hash=bea0150890a647ea00837c6819c4d199)
The views behind us got even better as we got farther up.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4400%2F35733650814_4c5f7902ed_h.jpg&hash=8aedb986ff78ee9fd666ee8697d90c22)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4395%2F36171809590_11e0829257_h.jpg&hash=7c4efd7065846d845afc45737df2e719)
We could tell when we were getting close to the lake.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4431%2F35733645184_a684a5d3f9_h.jpg&hash=a5e80b7e120d0f3b25100647e03ab6d3)
And then we got there.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4390%2F36171806630_a631c97b84_h.jpg&hash=0d0b7b0269dbdcdb10053886e3bebf14)
There are some beautiful large mountains in this range, and we could see them from the lake.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4434%2F35733640694_66a530c863_h.jpg&hash=8c859d3bacb95540e7a297f4d8828195)
We spent an hour or so at the lake eating lunch and enjoying ourselves.
The walk back was nice.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4393%2F36171803540_da2f150538_h.jpg&hash=a606a9a113f89db8cd77c768694c26a0)
What a fantastic place.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4412%2F36521950846_ddfba08481_h.jpg&hash=e3eda5efbbcc04cad06f87909a1c4e71)
The area immediately to the NW of West Yellowstone has been special to my family for a few generations now. This report is from one of their favorite spots up there.
@Jessica and I were visiting my grandparents at their cabin near Cameron, and we went on this 8-mile hike with my grandpa, my uncle, and my cousin. The wildflowers were still in bloom, and aside from three guys on horses and 2 very nice mountain bikers (who weren't supposed to be on the trail), we had the place entirely to ourselves.
This was the first trip where I used my Pixel to take all the photos. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn off the automatic HDR setting.
We started in the woods, and they were pretty thick, so I didn't take any pictures. Eventually, the trail comes into a large meadow that goes on for a few miles. Great views all around.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4417%2F36400190682_6f98db32bc_h.jpg&hash=d06f94560a8751291d9e431ce33f1a65)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4418%2F36171818480_31fbaca907_h.jpg&hash=10f8ce1773dda8841f6ebbe75a4594e7)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4430%2F35733656954_45a8522c33_h.jpg&hash=ae2bdc2d2b0b37f967b1c37bc4155bfa)
We came across a SNOTEL site. We were able to deduce what most of the equipment there measured, but some is still a mystery to us. I should've taken more pictures of it.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4385%2F36430339101_228b8057de_h.jpg&hash=9da7700dfda329c6df2c434bb6ff2c43)
We also saw some bear sign, but it was all quite old. I should've put my hand in this photo for scale. We're unsure whether it was grizzly or black. There doesn't seem to be a ton of curve to it, but I don't really know anything.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4338%2F36171813310_bd6c185f08_h.jpg&hash=bea0150890a647ea00837c6819c4d199)
The views behind us got even better as we got farther up.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4400%2F35733650814_4c5f7902ed_h.jpg&hash=8aedb986ff78ee9fd666ee8697d90c22)
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4395%2F36171809590_11e0829257_h.jpg&hash=7c4efd7065846d845afc45737df2e719)
We could tell when we were getting close to the lake.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4431%2F35733645184_a684a5d3f9_h.jpg&hash=a5e80b7e120d0f3b25100647e03ab6d3)
And then we got there.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4390%2F36171806630_a631c97b84_h.jpg&hash=0d0b7b0269dbdcdb10053886e3bebf14)
There are some beautiful large mountains in this range, and we could see them from the lake.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4434%2F35733640694_66a530c863_h.jpg&hash=8c859d3bacb95540e7a297f4d8828195)
We spent an hour or so at the lake eating lunch and enjoying ourselves.
The walk back was nice.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4393%2F36171803540_da2f150538_h.jpg&hash=a606a9a113f89db8cd77c768694c26a0)
What a fantastic place.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4412%2F36521950846_ddfba08481_h.jpg&hash=e3eda5efbbcc04cad06f87909a1c4e71)