Fall in Yellowstone 2013

We had to time our fall trip to YNP between personal things and the weather there.

Usually we try to be there about the middle of Sept.but this year we had to be more flexible,so the trip started near the end of the month.

We timed our drive to stay behind the small weather front going through the route.This worked will as we got to enjoy some nice light snow views but didn't have to drive in any heavy weather.

Our original plan was to go in through Teton first for a couple nights,but changed that to go through West Yellowstone first,thinking we would go out through Teton.All that sounded good until the "shutdown",we still could have gone out that way but there would be no stopping to sight see or fish,with the park shut if you were found stopped along the road enjoying nature you could be fined.

Most of our time was spent in and around the Lamar Valley and the drive there through Mammoth Hot Springs area.

Our idea of getting to the park later thinking animals would be out and about ,with the weather driving them,was a good plan.This trip we saw more animals than some of our past trips,and the dusting of snow made some nice photo shots.Some of the animals we saw but didn't get pictures of,a large heard of big horn sheep around the road work area of Canyon,below Dunraven Pass,which was closed due to snow.A nice pair of Bald eagles along the Madison near the west entrance and watched an Osprey munching on a fish it had just caught.We didn't see and wolves or coyotes this trip.I think some people were viewing a wolf from about over a mile away but that's not our fun.We like our animals up close. 

Unfortunately our stay wasn't long enough.but we will go back again.This is one of our special places.I enjoy the fishing and we both can just watch the animals for hours.I did catch a nice 14" Yellowstone cut in the Fire hole River.If you are a fisher person and haven't fished this river it is a must.

Along the way we met some very nice fellow campers and also a WTW member,"wango".I was fishing the Fire Hole and noticed a pop up drive by,pull over and turn around.He stopped at our rig and came down to the river to talk to me.It's so great to meet fellow members.We had a nice chat than he needed to go his way.

 This is actually the last of the trip.Mosquito Lk. below Ebbetts Pass. To the west.

 Before we even entered the park,at the last crossing of the Henry's Fork River we came across this moose.They are often hard to find in the park area,but this one was where you would expect one to be.

 Lamar Valley area with some nice color and just a dusting of snow.

 This is the NE area of the park at Pebble Creek CG

 Watch this black bear for some time.He was just sitting on a rock out crop above the Yellowstone River.

 Loads of Mule Deer along the road.

 Over the years we have come here we haven't seen this many Pronghorn,they were all over the place.must have been 50 or more.

 This pair of Mule Deer bucks were within yards of each other watching to see who moved first.

 And of coarse the Wapiti Elk,here at the Mammoth area being watched by the visitors.

 Had to put this in.A "modern" woodie from California pulling an old air stream.

 We sat for almost 3 hours watching this grizzly.It was just searching for food,digging around trees and rocks.
We came along some "pro" photographers waiting for it to come back out of the trees.So we found a place to park and just watched.I even got up on top of the camper to get some better shots as the passing large campers were blocking my view.
This is one of if not the best views we have had of a griz.It was as close as 40'or so.

 Not much color as we had expected,but still beautiful.

 This bull was munching on a downed Juniper before he decided to take a rest.

 The sunset our last night was beyond words.Watched this for almost half an hour.

Our return trip took us through Austin NV,along US 50 and over Ebbetts Pass to our "home away from home".I even caught a nice 14" German brown in the Stan river down below our cabin,sometimes your home waters are just as good.
Frank



 

North coast redwoods,Pt.Reyes to Ft. Bragg

Our trip started out for a couple nights at Samuel P. Taylor SP. This is the closest stay to Pt.Reyes National Seashore.
Having been to the area at Christmas time and wanting to get back to explore more of Pt.Reyes this is where we started out trip north.
We didn't want to do a lot of long driving on this trip,just see nature and relax.
Pt Reyes offers some nice walks from along the San Andres fault to the long walk to the northern tip of the point.
We had hoped to see the Tule Elk this time as we saw them all herded up in December.That was quit a sight.
Walking north on the trail the elk were scattered out more this time,with the bull elk rounding up their "ladies".
Our next stop was Russian Gulch SP just north of Mendocino.In Sept the park is first come first served and of the 30 or so sites only a couple were taken.This is a nice quiet place back in a canyon of the Russian Creek.
Wandered through Mendocino locating the bakery  we had visited years ago.It was still there and the goods were just as good as remembered.
The Big rived flows out to sea near town so this was a good place to take our new kayak for a nice sunny paddle on the river.
Didn't see any wildlife except for a heron,but there were few people on the water so it was peaceful.
Our last stop was Ft.Bragg to stay at MacKerricher SP.
In times past this place is usually full but after Labor Day they don't take reservations so there were some nice places.
Did some walking along the "haul"road and just enjoyed the ocean,not many people which was nice.
On our way home "south"we checked out some spots but being Sunday and with all the heat inland it seemed like everyone was at the coast.
The plan was to stay out last night back at Samuel P.Taylor,so we stoped and checked out things along the way.
Ft.Ross was nice hadn't been there for 30 years.The state has restored the buildings and made the place more like the original.
The long and twisty road is nice as long as there isn't a lot of traffic,which there wasn't.Everyone was still at the beach enjoying the cool fog.
Even though this trip was almost 700 miles being stretched out over the week made for short day drives.


                                          Tule Elk at Pt. Reyes

                                         Hwy 1 bridge at Russian Gulch SP

                                         One of my favorite buildings.The bank at Mendocino

                                         Had to snap this one of the weather vane.

                                         Our paddle on Big River,nice and quiet.

                                          The only wildlife.

                                         This sequence of the sun set I just couldn't pass up.

                                         Great surf,looking toward Shelter Cove.

                                         Don't know the scientific term for this,but I call it a "fog bow".
                                          It followed us most of the walk as the sun was coming up.

                                          This church caught my camera,I think it's in Elk.

                                         Ft. Ross in the fog.It was great seeing it after many years.