Wyoming/Idaho/Montana: 16.-25.06.2009

After we said our farewells to the red rock country, the plan was to head north. And so it went a giant leap forward, that wasn’t actually planned. But what to do, Nisto’s crew was playing ‘computer games’ and drove past the desired Campground. Well passed is gone is gone, so we continued to the next place that was just a few miles before our actual destination, the Grand Teton National Park.

As we passed the entrance the next day we couldn’t believe our eyes anymore, they signaled us “home”! Alpine mountains where ever you look and on top of them a snow cap. We followed the park road to the Jenny Lake; we wanted to take a short hike to the hidden falls and the inspiration point. That should be enough for the day also because the weather forecast didn’t promise too well. We didn’t get far though, we read the sign at the beginning that there are constructions and the trail might be partly closed until 3pm, our chronometer told us that this point has already gone by, so we went anyway. Construction workers on the other end had different opinion and we had to return without any inspiration, unfortunately for another trail it was too late and the upcoming clouds chased us northwards, to the borders of the Yellowstone National Park. Here we wanted to settle for a few days. We were sure to find a campground that had a spot for us, it was neither high season, holidays or weekend, but at the entrance of the park there was a big sign that we did not want to read: Campground full, all of them that where open. Well we’ve learned already in Florida if you don’t ask you cannot win. So we drove up to one of the campgrounds. Quite some distance ahead since the park covers about 10‘000 square Kilometers (1/4 of Switzerland). Miraculously on the screen of the lady behind the counter, who shook her had no several times already, a spot showed up on another campground about 25 Kilometers from there, no question we’ll take it, the other option would have been a 200 Kilometer drive out of the park. Let’s just get there; but we did not get far, a Grizzly thought to have dinner ‘close’ to the parkway. Well let’s have a look, so we stud with many others in safe distance, guarded by a ranger on a field and gazed at a point slowly moving up the hill on the other side of the valley. With the eye you could barely make it out, with the binoculars you could not complain but with the tele lens it was a pleasure. Unfortunately dawn set already in, so we can’t even show a proof picture.

The next two days were set to explore the park. Also the weather was kind so our first target where the Yellowstone Falls, before we continued to the ugly smelling Geyser fields, mud pools and hot springs. Rotten Eggs are a pleasure compared to them. Besides it made us clear that we are on a living planet, everywhere it was blubbering and boiling. Of course we have also seen an eruption of the famous Old Faithfull and he did not disappoint, also two other Geysers in the field did not hold back and them we could enjoy almost by ourselves.

We also visited the Mammoth Hot Springs. An old Thermal Bath, but in the meantime its springs have dried up. Instead somewhere close by new springs developed and these are now starting to build terraces just as the old ones used to do.

As a grand finale a Black Bear Mama showed off her two kiddies and a bit later another Grizzly Bear stumbled around close to the road, both encounters in a good distance from the road, which is for eyes and camera. On Saturday morning we moved on, fortunately for us, because at the entrance the weekend visitors piled up, let’s just get out of here before we get suffocated.

With a little detour to the Craters of the Moon, we headed to the beautiful Flathead Lake and Kalispell, where Nisto got a new set of tires. Our last visit before we would continue to Canada should be the Glacier National Park. Unfortunately the Logan Pass was still closed, so the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ that crosses the park was not possible. We anyway enjoyed the fabulous views and even had a little snowball fight. On the way to Avalanche Lake we met a Black Bear, this time on a walk without protection of Nisto. The bear was in the bush just a little further up and was heading parallel to the walking trail. Hmm, what have we heard about minimum distance? Ok, fits, let’s take pictures, however always weary, you never know.

A day later we went towards the Canadian border. Our passports have been ready and there were just a few corner to go, however behind one of those we almost ran into a brown Black Bear Mama (we were told that black bears do not have to be black) and her three cubs. The four of them had settled on the road, which caused skid marks from us that are most likely still visible today. For the first time we also heard the threatening roar of a mama bear and have seen three cubs racing up nearby trees. As shock was contained on both sides, for them the feeding along the road continued and for us the photo session started. But mama bear always had an eye on us and every now and then another roar erupted, that sent the little ones up the trees and Markus’ foot from the break to the clutch. It was amazing to observe this family. As another car came up Mama Bear showed off her strength, she rose up and bent a little tree (10 centimeters in diameter) to the point that it almost broke. Ok, we got the point; we do not get out and pet your cubs. Another recognition was, that the darkest of the cubs was a real scaredy-cat. While the other two were happily running around, that one was still up the trees.

After three quarters of an hour our little Bear Family went off into the forest and we stood minutes later at a completely deserted Canadian border.

How we did there you can ready in the next report. Just as much: We are in Canada.

Love

Sonja and Markus

Here it goes to the pictures...