Visitors

Last Wednesday I was cleaning the bunkhouse when the radio crackled. My first thought was "Oh no, the lunch group is here and I haven't made coffee for them yet". It turned out that the visitors that John was telling me about didn't want any coffee, they were just passing through. When I opened the bunkhouse door to greet them they decided to veer across the parking area instead. This is probably a good thing because I don't think they would have fit through the door.

Republic Pass II

We finally got back to Republic Pass on a sunny day. This time we could really see the mountains surrounding the pass. I think this is my favorite of the places we have skied so far. Perhaps that should not be surprising because these mountains are part of the Absarokas. When our friend Ben first introduced me to the Yellowstone ecosystem we backpacked in the Absarokas and most of Dave and my subsequent backpack trips have also been in this range. The range extends for 80 miles so we still have lots backpacking to do! The name "Absaroka" is what the Crow people called themselves. It translates to "children of the long beaked bird" and probably refers to ravens rather than crows.

Specimen Ridge

One day last week we decided to head to the top of Specimen ridge. The ridge got its name because it has petrified trees on it. Unfortunately for us, the trees are on the steep sides of the ridge and hard to access in winter. We snowshoed up to the top of the ridge as the climb was too steep for skiing but once on top there were just rolling hills and we were able to just amble along and enjoy the views.

The petrified trees are located somewhere in the conifers off to the left. We'll have to wait for a summer visit to see them up close rather than just through binoculars.
The weather was funny while we were on the ridge. There were snow showers over some of the distant ridges but we had sunny skies over us.
From the ridge we had a nice view of Mt. Washburn. Our friend Don skied up to its top the same day we were walking the ridge (26 miles 3,000 feet elevation gain).

East Rim

On a recent day off we skied along the east rim of the Yellowstone river canyon. The park grooms a trail on the opposite rim and we could hear people laughing and talking on that side but we had the east side to ourselves. At least we thought we did. After we were back at the ranch we found out that one of the institute instructors was filming a cougar on the rocks beneath the trail that day. We did see cougar tracks but didn't see that cat itself.
When we got near the top of the trail we saw some big horn sheep. We went into whisper-mode thinking that we needed to be very careful not to spook them.
As it turned out, they actually walked towards us and seemed more curious than afraid.
Only when they got pretty close did they finally begin to run off in the other direction.
Some eventually went over to the edge of the rim. That's the Yellowstone river down below.

Howling

It's 1 am. I'm in the bunkhouse, and just finished the Slough Creek post. The wolves are howling up a storm and they are close by. Will be an interesting walk in the dark back to the cabin.

Slough Creek

Bette and I have made several ski trips up Slough Creek. Slough Creek is one of my favorite spots in the park. The first time I was there was back in September 1978 with my friend Don. We were on our way back from an attempt at moving out west. Recall us sitting by the campfire at night cooking hotdogs on a stick while listening to bugling bull elk. My brother and I made several fall fishing trips to Yellowstone in the late eighties and both times we camped in the campground there, and fished the lower sections and first meadow. Then in the early nineties while Bette was backpacking with our Wisconsin friend Ben in the Absarokas southwest of Cody, I was fishing there and saw two whooping cranes plus a helicopter that was flying in to pick up a hiker mauled by a grizzly bear.

Our first trip up was during a period when it seemed that all our days off and ski trips were on cloudy days with light snowfall. You missed some of the more spectacular mountain views, though skiing through a light snowfall in the mountains is beautiful too. The first picture is looking down after climbing up most of the way from the trailhead. We started way down at the bottom. The second picture is of Bette up in the first meadow with the patrol cabin in the background.

We went back on a sunny day with our co-volunteer John (aka Yellowstone Jack of the Wolf Collaring - Bison Stampede Fame). Snow was great and someone kindly broke trail ahead of us. Made it up farther but still didn't make the second meadow. Another time for that.

Bison in the meadow were pretty feisty. Must be the relatively mild winter. These two were knocking heads. Not sure what the one is doing with its tongue out.

Then it was back out. The snow was soft enough so that the downhill was a lot of fun. Managed to make it out without crashing for a change.

Cabin 8

Earlier we posted photos of the bunkhouse. Here is what are cabin looks like.

Below is the view out the front door.

That's it.