Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Park

September 9&10, 2007: Jackson Lake Lodge at Grand Tetons National Park




We checked into a pet friendly cabin to experience beds for the first time in a couple days. It is like running long distance, it feels so good to stop (Goose loved it too). The wildlife continued to amaze us as we saw this moose calf on the side of the road with mom just into the woods (I read later that they raise young near the roads because bear don't like to go near the roads). The main lodge was so impressive with two massive fireplaces and a huge viewing window onto Jackson Lake, the Tetons from the northeast and the marsh below with animals coming in and out of view. The Grand Tetons is French for "Grand Bosom" (roughly). A French trapper named them one morning after a night of drinking. He must have thougth he was seeing double. This is the Tetons from the Jackson Lake Lodge looking over the marsh. We bought another camera memory card and headed into Yellowstone.





September 11 to 14, 2007: Yellowstone National Park

We headed north through the south gate towards Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. This area is full of geothermal activity and the Plume Geyser to the right just recently became active again. It went off right as we arrived so we ran down the boardwalk and knocked the other tourists out of the way, most likely to their doom. Yellowstone was once a huge volcano. It is not our fault.

Goose hated posing for this shot outside the Old Faithful Inn in front of the 1937 Yellowbus. These used to be one of the only ways to tour the park in the late 30's. This season marks their return and were purchased from owners in the US and internationally. The interior of the Inn showcases this impressive stone fireplace and chimney. Notice the knotty pine railings and supports. All locally grown.

The Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River. It was cool to think that this water would pass through our new hometown of Billings, MT.

You can't beat relaxing by a campfire after a great meal A La Megan. Warm fire, cold night at 7733 foot Grant Village. Our secret for warmth? Goose doubles as a "meat blanket."

In the town of Mammoth Hot Springs the elk were in rutting (mating) season. This was trying to wrangle his posse of doe. Below I pose with his ladies. Note the park ranger to the right trying to keep stupid tourists safe. Later that night this herd was in our campsite. The bull was bugling all night. Megan woke me up about eight times. Then I rolled over and fell asleep. Our plan was to wake early to possibly see grizzly in the Lamar Valley. At 5:30 am I told Meg the Elk was right outside the tent and we should stay still and not move. That worked twice and I think I got about 20 more minutes of sleep.

Serious Yellowstone traffic---->





Goose sniffed it out. Bison are huge!

The last morning, on our way to the Lamar Valley we were blessed to see this mother and cub black bear on the side of the road. They didn't mind us taking pictures. They were upset when a delivery truck drove by. The cub ran up a tree with ease as mom guarded the base. It was amazing to see.

We did get to see grizzly, wolf and eagle in the valley that morning. Too bad our camera was not powerful enough to capture it properly. We continued on through Cooke City on the Beartooth Highway and into Montana.