Yellowstone's Shoshone Lake, Ouzel Creek, and Three Rivers Junction -- September 13-16 2021

[Titans]

WOW- love the photos! Great TR @TractorDoc

 

[Q-see]

So many beautiful photos! My favourite one is the maeandering creek.

 

[scatman]

As I always say Hugh. . . its all about the trip report!

Snow in SLC? Sounds like its time to whip up some of your Scatman Special Chili with Rye Berries!

You've been waiting months? Were we not there in person just a month ago?

I'll admit to referencing a couple books on some of the thermal features. . . but I know a good portion of them.

At least a birthday balloon is lighter to carry than Fat-Man Pants!

A minor facial deformity is a small price to pay in order to experience the taste of an airborne circus peanut.

I'm just glad you did not scoop up a sample of the scat to take home with you. . . or did you when I was not looking?!!

I vote that we plan a future trip to return to Mr. Bubbles. So you can see it in the daylight. . . and so I can just see it again.

Oh we might just have to advertise our outrageous plan for next year one of these days to see if there is anyone else is crazy enough to make the trek with us. We cannot say they won't have a taste of what they are getting into after reading some of our tall tales.

It was great to make this trip happen this year with you Hugh. Thanks again for taking a chance on this flatlander and taking him into some areas of the park I'd never dream of travelling to myself. You are a talented guide that has provided me with much Yellowstone Enlightenment.

Some Dutch oven chili does sound good right about now - maybe on Sunday.

Ah, the Fat-Man Pants. They may need to make a future appearance also.

You never mentioned the extra rocks that somehow made their way into your pack?

I've been to Mr. Bubbles during daylight several times, once even with two old guys walking up and down Ferris Fork in the buff! The nighttime soak was special for me since I had never done that before.

Talented guide? You must still be sipping from that whiskey bottle.

@Rockskipper has to be on the invite list for next year. She won't go, but it'll give me something to tease her about in the future.

 

[scatman]

"You may have to click on each picture for a bigger view to see the nut."

Not sure why you'd have to make it bigger - the nut was very clearly visible. (Sorry, that was just too easy.)

Great TR - really enjoyed it. Awesome photos capturing the fall colors, and the writeup was really interesting. I love seeing photos of camp and food and such. Makes it feel more immediate or something.

I get the feeling that you are implying that I am a nut? Well, you know what they say:

"Sometimes you feel like a nut,
Sometimes you don't.
Almond Joy's got nuts
Mounds don't
Almond Joy's got rich
Almond Joy's got rich Milk Chocolate
Coconut and a crunchy nut, too
Mounds got deep Dark Chocolate
Chewey coconut ooh
Sometimes you feel like a nut
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Sometimes you don't
Oooh oooh
Almond Joy's got nuts
Peter Paul Mounds don't

 

[scatman]

The Buffalo Trace was enjoyed with my sister and her guy back in CO, very appreciated, very not needed

Seeing these photos makes me realize how amazing the weather was for our week in Yellowstone. This was a great way to end my Sept in the Rockies, thanks for having me.

P.S. Marshmallows and Circus Peanuts are disgusting

P.P.S. Can't wait to do it again, I'm in for the Pitchstone Plateau via Hugh's newly discovered trail

You just need to slowly train your palette to the exquisiteness of the Circus Peanut. Start with a very small chunk and over time work your way up to the full peanut. We'll practice next year.

 

[Rockskipper]

I hesitate to post this, because first you have to watch an ad (my ad blocker didn't work), and second, because it's just so...nutty! It's actually kind of fascinating in a weird way.

 

[scatman]

I hesitate to post this, because first you have to watch an ad (my ad blocker didn't work), and second, because it's just so...nutty! It's actually kind of fascinating in a weird way.

Brilliant!

 

[TractorDoc]

Cool to see you went up to Tendoy Falls. I made the exact same decision as you once I got there. The other waterfalls maybe were interesting, but I opted to turn around. Haha. I stayed up high so I didn't get the cool up close shot you did.

Although I ended up covering a bit of the same ground, I'm sad I had to miss out on this one with you guys! Looks like it was a blast.

There are so many interesting things to see in the area and the limit of one night per campsite makes it difficult to get everything in. I would have liked to worked up to Wahhi Falls but sometimes sacrifices have to be made. That just gives us options for future trips.

 

[TractorDoc]

Now I am truly scared of joining Hugh and his merry band on a Yellowstone adventure. “Be afraid, be very afraid “

While I'll admit that some concern and a healthy dose of caution is warranted I don't think you'd need to be afraid. Unless you are a Circus Peanut we don't bite.

 

[TractorDoc]

Some Dutch oven chili does sound good right about now - maybe on Sunday.

Ah, the Fat-Man Pants. They may need to make a future appearance also.

You never mentioned the extra rocks that somehow made their way into your pack?

I've been to Mr. Bubbles during daylight several times, once even with two old guys walking up and down Ferris Fork in the buff! The nighttime soak was special for me since I had never done that before.

Talented guide? You must still be sipping from that whiskey bottle.

@Rockskipper has to be on the invite list for next year. She won't go, but it'll give me something to tease her about in the future.

Extra Rocks in my Pack! No wonder I was sucking wind climbing up the divides. You and Scott must have snuck them out when I was not looking. . . or they made the trip home with me.

I know you've been to Mr. Bubbles in the daylight. I still think we need to go back. Maybe combine a visit there with a trek up the Ferris Fork to see the rest of those waterfalls.

Have not had a drop of the hard stuff since being home. In fact the flask I filled up with the last of the Bobcat Gold is still full and sitting on the shelf.

@Rockskipper definitely has an invite. I bet she would take the offer of a Circus Peanut.

 

[Rockskipper]

@Rockskipper definitely has an invite. I bet she would take the offer of a Circus Peanut.

Bring 'em on. A little Bobcat Gold and I like all kinds of nuts.

 

[scatman]

Extra Rocks in my Pack! No wonder I was sucking wind climbing up the divides. You and Scott must have snuck them out when I was not looking. . . or they made the trip home with me.

I know you've been to Mr. Bubbles in the daylight. I still think we need to go back. Maybe combine a visit there with a trek up the Ferris Fork to see the rest of those waterfalls.

Have not had a drop of the hard stuff since being home. In fact the flask I filled up with the last of the Bobcat Gold is still full and sitting on the shelf.

@Rockskipper definitely has an invite. I bet she would take the offer of a Circus Peanut.

Yeah, a circus peanut might do the trick. Be sure and tell her that day two is miles and miles of bog. If that doesn't lure her in, nothing will.

 

[Rockskipper]

Will Dooley be there? I'd go if I could ride him through the bogs.

 

[scatman]

Will Dooley be there? I'd go if I could ride him through the bogs.

Not sure on that. Remember the last that I heard from you, he was somewhere along the Grassy Lake Road fouling up my best laid plans.

 

[Rockskipper]

I saw him in Cody the other day, for real. He was hanging with a bunch of other mules. Wish I'd stopped for a photo.

 

[scatman]

I saw him in Cody the other day, for real. He was hanging with a bunch of other mules. Wish I'd stopped for a photo.

Cody you say? Next thing you're going to tell me is that he is in the Bighorns. It appears to me he is following you around and not me.

Does he kind of look like this -


Or more like this -


I need to gauge his state of mind.

 

[Rockskipper]

More like this:

 

[TractorDoc]

A thought came to me today as I was looking over (potential) backcountry campsites for next year.

During our trip Scott mentioned more than once that the campsite designations were confusing/did not make sense.

While my thoughts on the matter are certainly not definite and don't always fit there does seem to be a pattern.

In general the first digits may suggest where you are in the park North to South. Lower numbers (1, 2, etc.) are generally farther North and the higher numbers (8, 9) are farther South. I'm not sure how the "O" campsites fit in here -- at first I thought those were campsites closer to civilization but OE1 at Summit Lake does not support that.

A lot of times the second letter can be associated with a feature near the campsite. Many 9"B" campsites are in Bechler Canyon. 8"H" campsites are around Heart Lake. 3"L" campsites are along the Lamar River. 4"W" Campsites are near Wapiti Lake, etc. Again, this does not always work out. I'm still trying to think of what the 9"D" campsites refer to. . . Douglas Knob? And the 8"Q" campsites around Shoshone Lake? I'm open to suggestions. Maybe all the other letters were already taken. I'm seeing some Rs, Ss, and Ts, in there so maybe someone went alphabetical.

Lastly the last number is simply a sequential counting of the campsites. . . simple enough.

I know, I have too much time on my hands. Just wanted to post my thoughts here as I could hear Scott's voice in my ear as he was trying to understand how the park service designated the sites the way they did.

 

[Jackson]

A thought came to me today as I was looking over (potential) backcountry campsites for next year.

During our trip Scott mentioned more than once that the campsite designations were confusing/did not make sense.

While my thoughts on the matter are certainly not definite and don't always fit there does seem to be a pattern.

In general the first digits may suggest where you are in the park North to South. Lower numbers (1, 2, etc.) are generally farther North and the higher numbers (8, 9) are farther South. I'm not sure how the "O" campsites fit in here -- at first I thought those were campsites closer to civilization but OE1 at Summit Lake does not support that.

A lot of times the second letter can be associated with a feature near the campsite. Many 9"B" campsites are in Bechler Canyon. 8"H" campsites are around Heart Lake. 3"L" campsites are along the Lamar River. 4"W" Campsites are near Wapiti Lake, etc. Again, this does not always work out. I'm still trying to think of what the 9"D" campsites refer to. . . Douglas Knob? And the 8"Q" campsites around Shoshone Lake? I'm open to suggestions. Maybe all the other letters were already taken. I'm seeing some Rs, Ss, and Ts, in there so maybe someone went alphabetical.

Lastly the last number is simply a sequential counting of the campsites. . . simple enough.

I know, I have too much time on my hands. Just wanted to post my thoughts here as I could hear Scott's voice in my ear as he was trying to understand how the park service designated the sites the way they did.

This is the kind of scientific analysis that I come to BCP for!

 

[scatman]

A thought came to me today as I was looking over (potential) backcountry campsites for next year.

During our trip Scott mentioned more than once that the campsite designations were confusing/did not make sense.

While my thoughts on the matter are certainly not definite and don't always fit there does seem to be a pattern.

In general the first digits may suggest where you are in the park North to South. Lower numbers (1, 2, etc.) are generally farther North and the higher numbers (8, 9) are farther South. I'm not sure how the "O" campsites fit in here -- at first I thought those were campsites closer to civilization but OE1 at Summit Lake does not support that.

A lot of times the second letter can be associated with a feature near the campsite. Many 9"B" campsites are in Bechler Canyon. 8"H" campsites are around Heart Lake. 3"L" campsites are along the Lamar River. 4"W" Campsites are near Wapiti Lake, etc. Again, this does not always work out. I'm still trying to think of what the 9"D" campsites refer to. . . Douglas Knob? And the 8"Q" campsites around Shoshone Lake? I'm open to suggestions. Maybe all the other letters were already taken. I'm seeing some Rs, Ss, and Ts, in there so maybe someone went alphabetical.

Lastly the last number is simply a sequential counting of the campsites. . . simple enough.

I know, I have too much time on my hands. Just wanted to post my thoughts here as I could hear Scott's voice in my ear as he was trying to understand how the park service designated the sites the way they did.

How does WA1 on Gneiss Creek fit into all of this?