Reflections of Summer

  In some ways our 2014 Summer in Yellowstone seems like a distant memory.

Lake Yellowstone - Storm Point Hiking Trail

Winter has come early in most of the country, and the weather reports indicate that our summer home in Canyon Village is beginning to get buried under sheets of snow.  The bears are getting ready to go into hibernation and the wolves lay in wait to reign supreme over the vast winter wilderness of Yellowstone.

I'm comfortably back in Florida. My recovery is ongoing and I've made great progress. After 10 weeks of non-weight bearing recovery it has been a welcome change to finally be able to walk, drive and be more independent. I've moved back to into our house, and begun the tasks of winter cleaning and getting ready for the holidays while James is working in North Dakota. Jimmy has completed his Peace Corp training and was recently sworn into service.  He is settling into life in Santa Marta Colombia where he will complete his Peace Corp Service. 

2014 has definitely been a year of change. 

I find myself reflecting on so many amazing experiences this past summer. Our last time together as a family in 2014 was the week before my accident when Jimmy visited.  I find myself thinking about that visit and how special it was to be able to spend that time together hiking and enjoying camp life-- in what is arguably one of the most incredible places on the planet.

Here are some pics from that visit:

Indian Pond - Starting point of the Storm Point Hike

Storm Point Ranger Led Hike

South Rim Walk - Canyon 

Canyon - Lower Falls

Mammoth Hot Springs

Norris Geyser Basin

We also enjoyed some great wildlife sightings:

Coyote in Hayden Valley

Elk near the Roosevelt Arch

Our family time in Yellowstone is a treasured memory.  What an amazing place to spend those last days before Jimmy's departure from the USA.

Saying Good-Bye at the Bozeman Airport

Rescue on the Ridge

On Sunday, August 17^th, 2014 our boss, Terry, invited us to hike with him in Lamar Valley so we could see some of Yellowstone’s standing petrified trees.  It was a beautiful sunny day, so we grabbed our packs, walking sticks and sun screen and prepared for another great day of Yellowstone adventuring.

The hike was steep. There were a couple of parts of the trail where we almost had to crawl up using our walking sticks and holding on to trees…but once we got past the first steady incline, the views were stunning.  We reached the top of the ridge and continued making our way further into the backcountry to the area where the petrified trees were standing.

We were just hiking and talking… and that is when James asked the magic question; “What happens if someone gets hurt up here? How do they get them out?”  Of course with his background in the Fire Service and training in particular, he was naturally curious about rescue operations. Little did we know, that we were about to experience a backcountry rescue firsthand.

We made our way to the standing petrified trees. They were truly amazing to see. After taking some photos and a break. Terry invited James to hike further down the hillside to see some trees that were not visible from the trail.  It was a very steep hillside, so I decided (being the cautious one) that I would stay behind and wait for the guys to hike down and take some pictures.

I sat and enjoyed the amazing view. I took some pictures of my own and watched some hawks and ravens in flight until the guys returned. When they got back, we gathered our packs and headed back to the trail for the return hike.  We made our way down the trail stopping to take pictures and look at the stumps of petrified trees on the hillside.

My View of the Valley 

Heading back on the trail after a great hike!

And that’s when it happened. 

I lost my footing on some loose rocks…slipped and fell. I came down hard on my right leg. POP!  I lay on the ground writhing in pain.  As I came to my senses I knew something was terribly wrong. We waited a few moments to see if it was just the shock of the fall.   James tried to splint my foot using a camp shovel and some gauze, to see if I could hike down.  But the pain was too great. I knew that the bone was broken…and that the steepest part of the hike was ahead. So we needed to get help.

James, being a paramedic, decided it would be best if he stayed with me in case I passed-out or showed signs of shock etc. So, Terry, our boss, hiked down the trail to the road to call for the rangers.
 

I lay on the ground on the exposed ridge with the wind blowing and the sun beating down. As I watched him hike down the trail out of sight, the severity of the situation started to become real.  The view that minutes ago was stunningly beautiful—now seemed to be filled with danger. What if a Bison herd were to walk up on us? Or a Bear?  What if the whipping wind brought in a thunderstorm? James and I were alone on a remote exposed ridge. The road was just a tiny line in the valley that we needed binoculars to see and it would be hours before help could arrive.

James started going through our packs to get us ready for the long wait.  First he gave me some Ibuprofin, then we put on some sunscreen to help protect us from the beating sun, and then he pulled out our rain jackets to help protect us from the whipping wind. I dragged myself to a nearby rock, and James used the pants from our raingear to cushion my back against the rock so that I could sit up. The waves of pain would come and go, and waves of fear would come and go, and all the while James would calmly keep me focused on my breathing and drinking water.  With the binoculars he could see Terry calling for help from the parking area and the entourage of ranger vehicles arriving from all directions. 

Help had arrived.

The first two rangers, a paramedic and EMT Team, hiked up the ridge in record time to reach us.  They began treatment right away.  The pain medicine provided a welcome relief from the waves of pain that would have me almost in tears. As they treated me on the ridge, Rangers started appearing from all directions on the ridge. They took a variety of trails to determine what the best option would be for getting me off the ridge.  After careful study and deliberation they decided that the best option would be to call for air transport. 

The amazing team of rangers that hiked up to help me!

With air transport on the way, they moved me into a rescue basket.  The ridge were I had fallen would not be a good place for the helicopter to land so they prepared to carry me to the next hill once the chopper arrived.

The 20 minute flight went smoothly and soon I was at the Bozeman Hospital and being prepped for surgery. The flight nurse and medic were terrific.  And even with the pain in my leg, it was hard not to marvel at the views of Yellowstone from above as we flew over the park, Paradise Valley and into Bozeman.

The X-rays had determined that I had a Tib/Fib Fracture that would require surgery to correct. A plate and eleven screws were attached to my Tibia to correct the diagonal fracture that completely severed the bone.  The Fibula was also fractured, but surgery was not needed. It would heal with time.

After I was flown out of the Lamar Valley, James made the hike down the ridge.  Terry, who had hiked down for help, was waiting in the parking area to drive James back to camp. We are very grateful to him for getting help so quickly and for helping us through this ordeal.

Once he arrived at camp, James grabbed some items and set out on the three hour drive to Bozeman. He arrived at the hospital while I was still in surgery.  The staff allowed him to wait in my room until the surgery was over. After such a harrowing day, it was wonderful to see him as I woke up from the anesthesia.

I am ever grateful to the amazing team of Yellowstone NPS Rangers for rescuing me from the ridge, and I am ever grateful to my wonderful husband who helped me through every step of this experience and continues to help me heal and get better every day.

The Hike to Mount Washburn

One of the most popular hikes in the Canyon area of Yellowstone is the Mount Washburn Hike.  It is a 5-6 mile hike with an elevation gain of 1,400 ft. There are two trail heads for the hike, Dunraven Pass or Chittenden Road.  We chose to use the Dunraven Pass Trailhead since we had heard from some experienced hikers that the trail on the Dunraven side is more wooded and scenic.

We had been waiting for nice sunny day to do that hike, since conditions can change significantly at the top of Mt. Washburn.  Sunday, August 3rd was a beautiful summer day so we got our packs ready and headed to the trailhead. We decided to bring the new camera so that we could practice some more.

The trail leading up to the Mount Washburn Observation Tower

The view from the top

View of the trail from the observation area

Top of the world!

Top of the world!

It was a terrific hike!  The wildflowers were in bloom and the views are incredible all the way up. Unfortunately there was a haze in the area due to smoke from wildfires in neighboring states so our pictures didn't turn out as clear as we would have liked.

We were hoping to take some photos of Big Horn Sheep since they tend to frequent the high elevations of Mount Washburn.  But there were none to be seen.  Our wildlife sightings on the hike were limited to ground squirrels and butterflies.

Ground Squirrels entertained us during our hike up Mt. Washburn.

A curious ground squirrel checking us out from the rocks

Beautiful Monarch Butterflies

Summer in Yellowstone

I have not posted in a long time due to connectivity issues. Our connectivity has gotten a little better... And we are looking at some signal booster options to see if we can improve it even more.

That being said, even though we've not been able to share as much as we would have liked to at this point, it has still been an amazing experience to be working and living in Yellowstone National Park.  July is almost over and we've been able to experience so much since the snows have melted and the landscape has changed into a lush green wonderland.

A Beautiful Sunrise in Hayden Valley
July 2014

James has started to learn to fly fish! One of our co-workers is an avid fly-fisherman and has been a great teacher.   Here is a picture of James doing a little fishing one morning on the Gibbon River.

We've also invested in a new scope and camera and have enjoyed wildlife watching in Hayden and Lamar Valleys. We've added a wildlife page to this blog to share our sightings.

In the meantime... Life is good in Casita de Everett and Yellowstone is proving to be the adventure we had dreamed of.

In one short week Jimmy will be visiting before heading off on his adventure of a lifetime to begin his Peace Corp Service in Colombia. We are very excited to share the wonders of Yellowstone with him before he leaves to be an ambassador for our country.

Casita de Everett in our little corner of paradise

Mud Volcano, Yellowstone National Park

I've not been able to post for some time due to technical difficulty with our internet connection.

Late in May the Mud Volcano boardwalks opened and James and I had a chance to visit.  Unfortunately, we are not able to post all of the videos of these amazing features. But we are glad to share some photos of our visit.

Mud Volcano Thermal Area

MUD VOLCANO

Thermal features in Yellowstone are truly amazing. Not just visually, but the sounds that come from the Earth are truly awe inspiring.

This is Dragon Mouth Spring --It is one of my favorite features in the Mud Volcano area.  It truly sounds like you might imagine a dragon would sound like deep in the cave...water comes out in waves and smoke comes out with a steaming hiss.

Dragon Mouth Spring

Mud Volcano is the key thermal feature of the area:

Mud Volcano

Thermal Springs appear in a variety of brilliant colors

Settling Into Life in Canyon Village

Our first weeks in Yellowstone have been wonderful.  James and I are settling into our new life and finding enjoyment in the simplicity of just living.

Lower Falls, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

The snow has receded in the weeks since we’ve arrived as spring makes its way to the upper elevations.  James and I have been taking walks in anticipation of the hiking trails opening so that we can condition ourselves to the altitude. The general store sells a shirt that says “Got Oxygen?” …which is very appropriate since the air is thinner here.  We have to be very careful to drink lots of water to stay hydrated and healthy.
As the snow started melting we were anxious to get to our picnic table and fire ring that were buried in the snow.  James did a great job digging them out and we enjoyed our first campfire of the season.

Campfire Trout

Other highlights of our first few weeks in the park:

Chico Hot Springs:  Our new boss took the Central District group out to Chico Hot Springs for soaking and dinner.  Chico Hot Springs is located in Paradise Valley. It is a resort that channels water from the nearby hot spring into soaking pools. One Pool is about 98 degrees, and the other is 104 degrees.  It has a hotel, formal dining room and a grill.

Chico Hot Springs Saloon & Grill

Pool at Chico Hot Springs

National Park Service Training – On May 22, 2014 we went to Mammoth Hot Springs for the National Park Service Resource Training. We heard from park experts on Bison, Wolves, Fish and Birds, as well as management issues and challenges that the NPS faces with managing Yellowstone National Park. It was very eye opening. I have a new respect for the Park Service and the amazing and passionate work that they do to help protect Yellowstone.

The park has 3.5 million visitors every year. Managing that level of human impact on the Yellowstone ecosystem is a monumental task in and of itself…add to that the challenges of performing that job with the limited resources that the NPS has and you quickly realize that the protection of this park is in danger.  There are issues with Non-native species (such as Lake Trout that are destroying the native Cut Throat Trout), and political issues from special interest groups (such as the legislation that is on the Senate floor to open all of Yellowstone’s waterways to boating/paddling and tubing) without consideration to the impacts on the ecosystem and wildlife (not to mention visitor safety). These issues and others endanger this magnificent national treasure and are challenges to the future of this amazing place. It makes me very proud to work for the Yellowstone Association, which provides so much support to the park to help educate visitors with the hopes of inspiring them to help protect and preserve Yellowstone.

We ended our park service training day with a Yellowstone Association BBQ at the Arch Park. After spending the day learning about the park and the challenges it faces, the words on the Roosevelt Arch are becoming more significant to me: “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people”.  Yellowstone is a place that should be preserved and protected for future generations.

Paradise Valley-- The Road into Yellowstone

Friday, May 2, 2014

The drive between Livingston, Montana and the North Entrance (Gardiner, MT) to Yellowstone National Park is beautiful.  It is called Paradise Valley and it basically follows the Yellowstone River into the park.

Paradise Valley

The views are absolutely amazing and the wildlife is plentiful. Before arriving in Gardiner there was Bison that was in the road. Some folks on horseback were trying to herd it out of the road and back into the park lands.

Paradise Valley --Bison in the Road -- being herded back to park lands

We followed our new friends, Dave and Sue, as we made our way to Gardiner to the Yellowstone Association headquarters and then entered the park through the legendary Roosevelt Arch. The day was clear and beautiful with a little bit of wind.

"For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People" The Roosevelt Arch

We followed the road into the park past Mammoth Hot Springs.  Thermal features are one of the things I find the most fascinating about Yellowstone.  You are just driving along and the landscape completely changes and you see steam and mud gurgling up from the earth. Even the ground is wild and alive.

Mammoth Hot Springs

We wanted adventure… and that is exactly what we got on the drive in. 

After passing Mammoth Hot Springs we began our assent to Canyon Village (elevation 7918 ft. – the highest habitable area of the park) though the winding roads that led to the Norris Geyser Basin.  This turned out to be a whole new experience in white-knuckle driving.  I had read that the drive from Mammoth to Norris was one of the easiest for folks taking an RV to the upper elevations.  I don’t even want to know what a “difficult pass” would look like. 

We are definitely flatlanders. The drive to Norris had James with a kung-fu grip on the steering wheel while I had a death-grip on the console and the armrest, as if that would somehow keep us from falling over a cliff.   I think we both began to question our sanity about undertaking this adventure…as the words “what have we done?” seemed to escape my lips on few occasions. 

But we pressed on…following Dave and Sue to Norris.  At Norris we stopped in the picnic area to take a bathroom break.  The look on our faces must have been priceless as we looked around and shook the blood back into our arms and hands. Dave and Sue assured us that the worst was over and the drive to Canyon would be fine. 

They were right.

We headed into the employee campground at Canyon Village to find our site plowed and with banks of snow that were about 4-8 ft high and began to set up camp.

We had arrived. The journey across our beautiful country was over, and now we had the privilege of calling Yellowstone National Park home for the summer. 

Our adventure is just beginning...