Oo Yellowstone!

Went out to dinner at a Peruvian restaurant in Portland last night.  The people we went with were friends of the owners and we were showered with all sorts of Peruvian specialties.  Tried another yummy cocktail.  Don't ask me the name because I wouldn't have a clue about any of the names on the menu but it had ginger and wasabi in it and I wouldn't mind another one.  The place was extremely busy and literally packed to the rafters and I can see why.  The food was well priced, authentic (I'm told), healthy and tasty.  It was starting to empty out a little when we left at about 10pm.  Seems like a lots of people go there after work on Friday night.  Yesterday was wet and freezing here.  I had to go to get a hair cut and wasn't prepared for the weather.  Someone said it was like a November day.  The longer I stay here the more I think the weather is very unpredictable.

Anyway, back to Yellowstone.   I forgot to mention one small detail - Yellowstone and the surrounding buffer National Forrest is an amazing 18 million acres.  It's bigger than huge.  It's the only place in the US with the same range of animals as when white man first arrived and that is only because of the careful management that has taken place.  Bison were on the verge of extinction and carefully nurtured back to where there are about 3000 in the park now.  Wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and there are about 100 in the park now.  Moose are becoming rarer, they think, because the area is becoming too warm for them and are migrating further north.  There are only about 20 cougars left and they live mainly in the north side of the park.

On our first field trip we went across the road on the north side and it was an afternoon/evening trip because that is the best time for viewing.  We did the same for our second field trip but we went south along the western side and then down the middle and to higher altitudes.  We were looking more at the geology of Yellowstone and hopefully seeing more wildlife.  MBE & MBB (more bloody elk and bison) and lots of birds but not so many of the bigger animals.  Apparently they were still lower down and would go to higher altitudes as the weather warms up.  We did see a muskrat busily tending his nest in the middle of a freezing lake.   He would swim to the side of the lake collect something and then swim back to his nest and again and again.  Guess it's the only way to keep warm!   We also had a closer viewing of a grizzly.  Love those grizzlies!  Just to show off my spectacular photography skills, I'll include a photo of a Mountain Bluebird.  Spot the Bluebird.  I'll give you a hint - click on the photo first.

We also saw a Hairy Woodpecker busily making a hole in a tree.  I wonder if they get terrible headaches and bad necks doing what they have to do?

However, the day belonged to geology and the weather.  It was extremely cold for li'l ole me but it was fantastic.  Not much sunshine but some snow.  Often the mountains looked dark and threatening and the rivers were full of melting snow.  This is   a Thompson Falls and it is famous because a painting of it first drew attention to the beauty of the Yellowstone area.  The photos of thermal activity are of Mammoth Springs and the Norris Geyser basis.  The little Whitetail Jackrabbit was enjoying the warmth of Mammoth Springs.

Gene told us a little about the geological history of the area.  It was formed over about 17 million years by a series of volcanic explosions, the latest being about 640 00 years ago.   If you look on some maps, you will see an area marked called the caldera.  That is the crater for the volcano.  My rough estimate is that it is more than 1/3 of the area of Yellowstone.  There is volcanic activity everywhere.  In some places it looks like a little steam rising out of the ground in the middle of nowhere.  In other places it is permanent mud pools or boiling water fumaroles and on a grand scale.  Smells disgusting but is stunning to see.  I wasn't too comfortable using pit toilets in these areas!

I had a surreal experience.  I was standing looking at one formation called the Dragon's Cave, so called because every 30 seconds or so the boiling water and steam explode out and make a rumbling noise, and it started to snow.  I was so excited - all that thermal activity and snow at the same time.  Just loved it. We drove all the way down to Yellowstone Lodge (and it's painted a very yucky yellow colour!) and Y. Lake.  The lake was still frozen but, apparently, there are areas of thermal activity under it so it's not advisable to try to go across it.  It was over too soon so back to the motel for a sleep and to get ready for our last field trip around Yellowstone.  Arriving home at 9.30 pm in daylight does wonders for my body clock.  Bloody fereigners!