Yukon Goes Fishing (YGF): yellowstone national park

Monday, May 30, 2011

End of the Worlders in Yellowstone National Park

If you were in Yellowstone National Park on Thursday, you may have seen the End of the World RV. I ran into the driver of said RV in the visitor's center. His pressing questions were not about any major upcoming eruptions in Yellowstone. Instead, he inquired about which of the Yellowstone's campgrounds were open. I guess he was trying to appreciate the little things in life with the rapture coming in a couple of months and all.

Where is the nearest campground? Is it open? Will my End of the World RV have a spot there before the End of the World.

In other news, YNP was open to fishing this weekend. I left on Friday, so I wasn't able to participate in the opening weekend, but, the Unaccomplished Angler was. The UA hinted at the bad weather that was predicted for West Yellowstone this weekend. Joshua Bergan from Troutbugs confirmed it. During my time there on Thursday and Friday, it snowed. Only a couple of inches, but snow nonetheless. It made for a unique opportunity to view the park's hydrothermal features that wintery white stuff.

Upper Falls - Yellowstone River

Lower Falls - Yellowstone River

Grand Prismatic - a bit foggier than usual - cold weather to blame

Bison

Sex Dungeons - fresh and ready for the Big Hole

Boogie Men and Heifer Groomers - hopefully grooming and boogying some heif in the near future

Big Hole Browns - Eat These Please

I fished for about a half-hour this weekend. I did stop by the Slide Inn and picked up some streamers for the season. I could have gone for broke there. So many articulated streamers, so little money. But, I am making up for it with a day trip to the upper Big Hole or Beaverhead with Joe from Evolution Anglers on Tuesday. I am looking forward to it. Should be a good time.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Winter in Yellowstone

I visited Yellowstone National Park this weekend with some friends. On Saturday, we drove the northern road from Gardiner to Cooke City and back to Gardiner in search of some Yellowstone wildlife. We saw our fair share of elk, buffalo, pronghorn, mule deer, and a singular weasel, decked out in it's wintery white. Unfortunately, the weasel came and went before we had a chance to capture in on film.

We ran into some of the wolf watchers that frequent the park some of whom were following the slough creek pack and others following the blacktail pack. We were not able to spot any wolves through the scopes or in the binoculars, but we were assured that they were just there, over on that far slope, behind those trees, across that divide. We have seen wolves during our past trips to Yellowstone, but no luck during this trip.

On Sunday, we went snowshoeing on the upper Terrace Loop near Mammoth Hot Springs. My friend Laura is an exceptional outdoor photographer and she took some excellent shots of YNP during our visit. Check out her website, VERHAEGHE PHOTOGRAPHY. Hopefully, I can get her out to the Big Hole for a day of fishing and photos.