This trip... . Hmm. It started out easy enough to plan. But there was recreation . gov and its ability to mess up plans before they ever get started, and then there was a family medical emergency, and it was just kind of a mess. Ultimately it worked for most of us.
On the appointed day, Mary, Alex, and I did our shuttles, and started hiking down Yellowstone's Delacy Creek Trail. I always like it. It is scenic, mostly shady, and mostly downhill. Downhill is my favorite.
Much of the trail is next to a beautiful meadow, and after a couple of miles, there is a wonderful view of Shoshone Lake.
The grass is still green here, though in lots of other places in the park it is already prickly and brown. There are still blooming flowers, though there are lots of seed heads, too. There was plenty of smoke, as well.
Alex found this tag attached to a tree. Does anyone know what this is?
After a bit, we got to the lake, and had a break. We didn't sit on the log because it was hot in the sun. Back a little ways, was shade. We sat there. It was a great place for a snack and some water.
We were headed to the second site from the foot of the lake. Mary, a geologist, marveled at the black sand beach. Obsidian--everywhere. I just kept plodding along. We were fairly close, and I knew I just had to keep moving my feet.
The caretaker of the campsite, Chippy, watched us as he redecorated. He was just about everywhere, and quite nosy.
The view from camp was beautiful. Though, if you've been there, you realize that there's a whole mountain range over there, that isn't visible. Stupid smoke.
Chippy had a bird friend, Merganzer. Merganzer and some buddies came by periodically.
Still no distant mountain range.
Ahhh, finally, a little hint of mountains.
Sunrise. I interrupted my coffee drinking long enough to take this picture, then returned my attention to the coffee.
Day two included marching through the woods, uphill some, downhill some, and sometimes flat along the water.
There were a few views of meadows, but mostly, we were in the woods.
We walked along the lake on day 1, day 2, and day 3.
Some of the hike reminded me of hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We were next to a fairly large lake, in evergreens. It smelled great.
I'd not been to this campsite before. It was the only one on this trip that I'd not been to before. It was quite nice.
Mary spotted a Martin.
Home sweet home.
We're headed that a way.
This day featured a number of ups and downs. Frankly, I don't think of them as features. Annoyances, maybe?
Mary and Alex waited patiently for me. At least I think they were patient.
The trail was lined with grouse whortleberries, though I didn't see a single ripe one.
OK, there was some flat ground.
From the campsite, you could see where the geyser basin was--behind the little hill.
To the left was a big meadow. Alex saw two moose in the big meadow.
This campsite featured a Chippy, too. He seemed to be eating a mushroom.
He needed a napkin.
Looking back down the hill toward the campsite. The side trail to the campsite is long, and should be considered its own long-distance trail.
I'm not sure how to describe this, other than to say that the geyser basin looks like nothing but a geyser basin.
This is the Shoshone Geyser Basin.
As you proceed, you hear gurgling and splashing and air rushing about from fumaroles.
It's my third trip here. It takes effort, but it's worth it.
I dubbed this little geyser Splashy. Don't go looking for information about it in the geyser book, at least under Splashy. It did just keep going on and on and on, though.
This hot spring looks like it has teeth, to get you, in case the hot water doesn't.
SNAKE!!!!!!
Oh, wait.
Nevermind.
Gentian.
I don't feel very comfortable balancing my way across logs, but I succeeded!
Our final camp.
The tents looked out over a pretty meadow.
Grandmother and grandson, filtering water together. (Anybody else jealous?)
The meadow.
OK, it isn't a great picture, but in the morning, this bull elk was out in the meadow. He was a long ways out, maybe 200 yards. He looked at us, and walked away behind some trees.
I shall go that way.
Mary and I had worked together at Lake Superior State University, in Michigan. She's going to try to get our picture in the next alumni newsletter. (We're gonna be famous!)
The first couple of miles after the campsite go through a thermal area. Things go blurp and blop and it smells all "thermally."
We got to Lone Star Geyser at about 9:45. The notebook indicated it had gone off at 4 pm the previous day. We sat and waited. The minor erruption went off at 10:30. Boy, was it minor. I gave it a D-. Since they are faster, I headed toward the trailhead, while they waited to see the major erruption.
Back at the trailhead. They thought the main erruption was pretty impressive, and I was happy they got to see it.
We'd had a good five day trip, seen some wildlife, seen two geyser basins, and watched a geyser go off.
Kevin, thanks for being willing to let us join you on your trip! Sorry you didn't get to go along.
On the appointed day, Mary, Alex, and I did our shuttles, and started hiking down Yellowstone's Delacy Creek Trail. I always like it. It is scenic, mostly shady, and mostly downhill. Downhill is my favorite.
Much of the trail is next to a beautiful meadow, and after a couple of miles, there is a wonderful view of Shoshone Lake.
The grass is still green here, though in lots of other places in the park it is already prickly and brown. There are still blooming flowers, though there are lots of seed heads, too. There was plenty of smoke, as well.
Alex found this tag attached to a tree. Does anyone know what this is?
After a bit, we got to the lake, and had a break. We didn't sit on the log because it was hot in the sun. Back a little ways, was shade. We sat there. It was a great place for a snack and some water.
We were headed to the second site from the foot of the lake. Mary, a geologist, marveled at the black sand beach. Obsidian--everywhere. I just kept plodding along. We were fairly close, and I knew I just had to keep moving my feet.
The caretaker of the campsite, Chippy, watched us as he redecorated. He was just about everywhere, and quite nosy.
The view from camp was beautiful. Though, if you've been there, you realize that there's a whole mountain range over there, that isn't visible. Stupid smoke.
Chippy had a bird friend, Merganzer. Merganzer and some buddies came by periodically.
Still no distant mountain range.
Ahhh, finally, a little hint of mountains.
Sunrise. I interrupted my coffee drinking long enough to take this picture, then returned my attention to the coffee.
Day two included marching through the woods, uphill some, downhill some, and sometimes flat along the water.
There were a few views of meadows, but mostly, we were in the woods.
We walked along the lake on day 1, day 2, and day 3.
Some of the hike reminded me of hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We were next to a fairly large lake, in evergreens. It smelled great.
I'd not been to this campsite before. It was the only one on this trip that I'd not been to before. It was quite nice.
Mary spotted a Martin.
Home sweet home.
We're headed that a way.
This day featured a number of ups and downs. Frankly, I don't think of them as features. Annoyances, maybe?
Mary and Alex waited patiently for me. At least I think they were patient.
The trail was lined with grouse whortleberries, though I didn't see a single ripe one.
OK, there was some flat ground.
From the campsite, you could see where the geyser basin was--behind the little hill.
To the left was a big meadow. Alex saw two moose in the big meadow.
This campsite featured a Chippy, too. He seemed to be eating a mushroom.
He needed a napkin.
Looking back down the hill toward the campsite. The side trail to the campsite is long, and should be considered its own long-distance trail.
I'm not sure how to describe this, other than to say that the geyser basin looks like nothing but a geyser basin.
This is the Shoshone Geyser Basin.
As you proceed, you hear gurgling and splashing and air rushing about from fumaroles.
It's my third trip here. It takes effort, but it's worth it.
I dubbed this little geyser Splashy. Don't go looking for information about it in the geyser book, at least under Splashy. It did just keep going on and on and on, though.
This hot spring looks like it has teeth, to get you, in case the hot water doesn't.
SNAKE!!!!!!
Oh, wait.
Nevermind.
Gentian.
I don't feel very comfortable balancing my way across logs, but I succeeded!
Our final camp.
The tents looked out over a pretty meadow.
Grandmother and grandson, filtering water together. (Anybody else jealous?)
The meadow.
OK, it isn't a great picture, but in the morning, this bull elk was out in the meadow. He was a long ways out, maybe 200 yards. He looked at us, and walked away behind some trees.
I shall go that way.
Mary and I had worked together at Lake Superior State University, in Michigan. She's going to try to get our picture in the next alumni newsletter. (We're gonna be famous!)
The first couple of miles after the campsite go through a thermal area. Things go blurp and blop and it smells all "thermally."
We got to Lone Star Geyser at about 9:45. The notebook indicated it had gone off at 4 pm the previous day. We sat and waited. The minor erruption went off at 10:30. Boy, was it minor. I gave it a D-. Since they are faster, I headed toward the trailhead, while they waited to see the major erruption.
Back at the trailhead. They thought the main erruption was pretty impressive, and I was happy they got to see it.
We'd had a good five day trip, seen some wildlife, seen two geyser basins, and watched a geyser go off.
Kevin, thanks for being willing to let us join you on your trip! Sorry you didn't get to go along.
Attachments
Last edited:
