Most of Mark's family met at West Yellowstone and took some day trips into the park. We were expecting better weather for this time of year, but were hit with an early winter storm. Some of us drove up on Friday morning and got to town about noon. It was snowing so we found a shelter to eat our picnic lunch. The Visitors' Center recommended a "warming hut" used by skiers but this early in the season it wasn't heated so we hurried to finish. It cleared up some when we drove into the park and we saw some elk and bison.
Our plan was to see the Old Faithful geyser and maybe walk around a little. We got to Old Faithful and bundled the kids into their winter gear. It was about an hour before the next predicted eruption and snowing so we stayed in the visitors' center and watched Yellowstone videos until 10 minutes before it was supposed to erupt.
It was snowing and the wind was blowing the snow into our faces as we looked at the geyser, so everyone in the crowd had their back to it, with occasional glances to see if anything was happening yet. It was cold and Henry especially was miserable and kept asking to go back to the car and "the man's house" which was what we called the cabin we were renting. Mark kept trying to drum up enthusiasm for the national landmark, but was not getting very far. Nora fell on the slick walkway and was covered in snow. 
Finally Old Faithful erupted. We couldn't see it. The snow drifting toward us and the steam combined to make a large white mass. We could hear the geyser, but there was nothing to see.
On Saturday we had sunny weather for a little while in the park but then it started snowing. We saw deer and a large elk with his harem and a bison walking in the other lane of the road. We wanted to leave the park early before the roads got too slick, but got stuck at a roadblock for an hour anyway while they cleared up an accident (someone overturned in the river, the ambulance that had come to the scene slid off the road and needed a tow truck, another ambulance had to come...). Our family spent a quiet afternoon and evening at the cabin while the rest of our relations drove back via Bozeman, MT because they closed the interior roads in Yellowstone.
The kids had fun playing together and we celebrated Cindy's birthday a little early since we were together. Our cabin was perfect, plenty of space for everyone. It was a fun weekend.
Dan, Mark, Cindy, and Becky and all of the grandchildren so far.
Our plan was to see the Old Faithful geyser and maybe walk around a little. We got to Old Faithful and bundled the kids into their winter gear. It was about an hour before the next predicted eruption and snowing so we stayed in the visitors' center and watched Yellowstone videos until 10 minutes before it was supposed to erupt.
It was snowing and the wind was blowing the snow into our faces as we looked at the geyser, so everyone in the crowd had their back to it, with occasional glances to see if anything was happening yet. It was cold and Henry especially was miserable and kept asking to go back to the car and "the man's house" which was what we called the cabin we were renting. Mark kept trying to drum up enthusiasm for the national landmark, but was not getting very far. Nora fell on the slick walkway and was covered in snow. 
Finally Old Faithful erupted. We couldn't see it. The snow drifting toward us and the steam combined to make a large white mass. We could hear the geyser, but there was nothing to see.On Saturday we had sunny weather for a little while in the park but then it started snowing. We saw deer and a large elk with his harem and a bison walking in the other lane of the road. We wanted to leave the park early before the roads got too slick, but got stuck at a roadblock for an hour anyway while they cleared up an accident (someone overturned in the river, the ambulance that had come to the scene slid off the road and needed a tow truck, another ambulance had to come...). Our family spent a quiet afternoon and evening at the cabin while the rest of our relations drove back via Bozeman, MT because they closed the interior roads in Yellowstone.
The kids had fun playing together and we celebrated Cindy's birthday a little early since we were together. Our cabin was perfect, plenty of space for everyone. It was a fun weekend.
Dan, Mark, Cindy, and Becky and all of the grandchildren so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment