Yellowstone National Park always provides gorgeous views, but backcountry travel there isn't for the unprepared. After visiting Fairyland Basin (see yesterday's post), our 3 hikers headed for home.The GPS trackback feature didn't work because satellite connection wasn't good in the lodgepole. But did that stop our explorers? No way!
Sometimes man must defy technology and return to basics like a map and compass, which is still a surprisingly effective method of navigation.
While traveling through an open meadow on Mirror Plateau on the return trip, they encountered a huge pile of scat. Amazingly, no one thought to take a picture of this obvious bear sign. What kind of photographers are these guys anyway!?They had no actual bear sightings on the trail, thank goodness.
They passed more thermal areas,
saw beautiful flowers (common self-heal, shooting star, and an unknown yellow one),and finally, after a 12 mile hike that day, they reached trail's end at Artist's Point, where a friendly tourist took their photo.
They don't look too bad for guys who just walked 35 miles in 3 days, do they? (You probably wouldn't want to catch a whiff of them, though! Good thing they were headed for a cabin with a shower.)
They don't look too bad for guys who just walked 35 miles in 3 days, do they? (You probably wouldn't want to catch a whiff of them, though! Good thing they were headed for a cabin with a shower.) To hear more about this hike, visit my son's blog here.
For more skies from around the world, click here.
I really hope people won't forget how to use map and compass :) Thank you for sharing this interesting story.
ReplyDeleteOh, what great shots and what wonderful memories they brought of my many trips to Yellowstone! Breathtaking! Thanks, Janie, and have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat kind of trip is not for the out of shape nor experienced in backpacking and camping.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures but I loved the last one best.
Wonderful shots. I just went back and read the other parts too. Looks like it was a fantastic trip. I had to laugh at the shot of the only snow they saw after the warnings.
ReplyDeleteWonderful guided walk we have had with these fellows.
ReplyDeleteGreat photography too. Thanks for sharing
lovely captures...and glad that they have returned without any encounters of the bear kind.
ReplyDeleteweather looks like it was perfect.
have a wonderful weekend.
What a great trip in a gorgeous landscape! I'm so sorry that I cannot join you for real, but I'm so glad that I can at least follow you virtually :))
ReplyDeleteHow could they not take a picture of scat? All great hike photos need shots of scat...especially if it was bear. Did they say if they noticed any bells in it? (Old joke).
ReplyDeleteI'm debating whether or not to show these posts about Yellowstone to my husband. We are heading there in late September. I don't want him getting overly-ambitious ideas (I won't be able to keep up)!
Great posts and it looks like it was such fun.
Great trip, one I would like to take (maybe not the backcountry) someday.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend.
What a beautiful sky and landscape. Interesting story too, as the three carry on their trip. Looks so exciting---and a little scary! Bears!
ReplyDeletethat last picture is a great shot! What a great trip
ReplyDeleteThat's some scenic walk!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adventure!!!! Love all the photos and story to go along with them!!!
ReplyDeleteWow---what an experience. Love the waterfall in that picture of the 3 dirty guys... (You know I'd see that!!! ha)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this 35 miles back-woods trip... I didn't get any bug bites, nor did I see any bear scat, nor did I even get tired... BUT---I enjoyed going on that trip also.
Hugs,
Betsy
Thanks for taking us through the journey of these three brave men. We will never think of make such a trip, even at our younger years. The images are certainly stunning and definitely worth the trip if you can do it.
ReplyDeleteGrisly (grizzly?) looking bunch! Skeeters are fierce this year. Mebbe the unknown flower is a buttercup species, perhaps R. glaberrimus? I couldn't make out the leaves for sure.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots...I haven't been to Yellowstone but would love to go there some day...don't think I would take this walk, but I enjoyed it today.
ReplyDeleteVast expansive view, I could smell the fresh air! And I would agree with the GPS, and nothing beats the good old compass. Yellowstone is one of the in my wish list.
ReplyDeleteWhew, 35 miles....
I'm glad they made it back safe and sound without the GPS and without meeting a bear. It was quite an adventure and I thank you for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteYour adventure out in the open plains and mountains sound thrilling. I had few adventures about that hiking life but in those times, I did not view like that. But here, you bring me back to the old memories which were unfortunately not captured in a camera as we had no such thing as camera of our own. What a pity!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love all your outdoor activities here. Awesome view and awesome place for meditation and contemplation. You even reach the height close to Heaven!
That is enviable!
Thanks the wedding day was excellent with perfect weather at daytime.
I have loved going along on this wonderful hike. Great, great photos!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery glad they made it back OK. This was one awesome 35 mile hike. And even if they missed the scat shot, they did good otherwise.
ReplyDeletewow must have been a fun trek!!
ReplyDeleteMen! If you want something done, do it yourself! ;) Glad their only bear encounter was with poop though - much as it might have been blogworthy otherwise!
ReplyDeleteWow! That's impressive!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots and adorable wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots and adorable wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteVery nice story and amazing place to visit. They look so happy!
ReplyDeleteGreat series of posts Janie but I am really sorry it is over....I was just getting warmed up! Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and smiles
Gorgeous views and what memories they must have stored up :-)
ReplyDeleteThat view behind the *whiffy*:-) guys, is really spectacular. What a great acheivment on their part !
Wonderful captures !!
What an amazing hike through the back country of Yellow Stone. They will definitely have some terrific stories to tell family and friends. I love this last photo as I'm sure they do too... what a lasting memory!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the journey, I'm not tired at all :D
People tend to forget that GPS is not infallible - even on a crosstown tour.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing what must have been an extraordinary tour!
Janie: Those are some great mountains skies, thanks for the trip.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they were looking forward to that cabin and a shower, but that had to be the best 3 days! Gorgeous sky pic at the top.
ReplyDeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness they returned safe and sound! Sounds like a great hike.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly interesting for me to read the article. Thank author for it. I like such themes and anything connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more on that blog soon.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI rarely leave responses, however i did a few searching and
ReplyDeletewound up here "Fairyland Basin, Part 4". And I do have some
questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Is it only me or does it seem like some of these responses come across as if they are left by brain dead people?
:-P And, if you are posting on additional places,
I would like to keep up with everything fresh you
have to post. Would you list of the complete urls of all
your communal sites like your Facebook page, twitter
feed, or linkedin profile?
My weblog :: please click the following internet page