Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks - July/2010

As our plane approached our destination - Bozeman, Montana, I could see the Grand Teton through the window. Watching those magnificent peaks with it’s top still covered with snow took my breath away, but even that spectacular view and the months of reading and planning could not prepare me for what laid ahead of us for the next 9 days.

The drive on 191 along the Gallatin river was, well…therapeutic!…it destroyed any fatigue I had from the long, early morning flight. We entered Yellowstone national Park via the West entrance. Within a few minutes of drive we experienced our first wildlife encounter of so many to come. There were Bisons as far as our eyes can see. A whole herd of them…bulls, cows and yes! …calves. The photographer in me felt like a kid in a candy store. Here is a shot I took of a bison calf lounging next to an adult.



We checked into the Old faithful snow lodge for a two night stay. For the rest of the evening we toured the nearest thermal feature - The Upper Geyser Basin. Here are a few of those photos taken during that hike.








At the end of this walk we came back to the Old faithful and waited for this iconic geyser to erupt, and by clock work, the geyser put on a show as it faithfully does and I tried to do my best to capture the event.



We went to bed with plans of visiting the rest of the thermal features in the area tomorrow - which include the Midway Geyser Basin, Lower Geyser Basin and Norris Geyser Basin and to finish the day off watching the Old faithful erupt in all it’s glory under the setting Sun.

TO BE CONTINUED…

[stevebrot]

Glad you enjoyed this spectacular part of the country. I have had the privilege of visiting Yellowstone about ten times and would like to go back ten more. Each time you see something different!


Steve


BTW...If you followed the Gallatin river to the park (US 191), you probably entered at the west entrance near West Yellowstone and traveled past the Spanish Peaks and Big Sky resort to get there. Spectacular drive...

[pcarfan]

Thanks - made the changes.

Steve: Stick around till the end (9 days) and tell me whether I was extra lucky to have done and seen all this in 9 days - the best is yet to come

[dadipentak]

Really nice! You got the photos I wish I had taken during my visit (before I was a Pentaxian ;~)

[dcmsox2004]

wonderful series !! love momma bison with baby... much cuter when young... dave m

[pcarfan]

Really nice! You got the photos I wish I had taken during my visit (before I was a Pentaxian ;~)

Thanks...the K-7 is just strectching it's legs and warming up

[pcarfan]

wonderful series !! love momma bison with baby... much cuter when young... dave m

I caught another one later on, with that cute face filling the frame...stay tuned!

[pcarfan]

Day2

The next morning we drove to the other areas I had planned, and on the way we encountered what everyone will at Yellowstone - a bison jam. We saw a lot more bison and deer on our way.



Here are some of the thermal features.











The Grand prismatic was too grand for even the 15mm lens.



There are just too many beautiful geysers and hot pools and I want bore you with more. I’ll finish it off with the Old faithful erupting under the setting sun. It was cold and humid which unfortunately meant we got a lot of vapor and the water was mostly hidden.



The next morning we had planned to drive to Grand Teton and was wondering whether it could match what we had spectacled in the last two days - it only kicked it up another notch.

TO BE CONTINUED..........

[mike.hiran]

this is exciting! thanks for taking us along. One day I hope to make this trip too!

[gawan]

Thanks for sharing these great shots! Love the colours on those hot springs!