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21 September to 5 October 2002
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6.30 alarm call - too soon. Packed and ate a dry bagel left over from the last trip and down to the hotel lobby to meet the rest of the group. This time we had a full group of 12 people, 10 British, a Swede and George the Aussie from the last trip. Apart from two, everyone had been with TrekAmerica before.
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After a brief introduction we were on our way, stopping at Fred Meyers to stock up on groceries.
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The drive took us around the Puget Sound and over the Hood Cannel towards the Olympic Mountains. To the north, on the far horizon, stood Mount Baker, blanketed in snow against a clear blue sky.
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We stopped briefly at Sequim before arriving at the Koa Kampground near Port Angeles. With the Olympic Mountains to the south and the sun shining brightly we set up camp. The Olympic Mountains are the result of glacial activity and so are not as high as some other ranges in the west US.
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After lunch we set off to drive out for an afternoons hike. At the side of the road was a sign saying not to drink and drive which was erected in memory of someone, presumably the victim of a drink/drive accident, thought that was a good idea that really hit home,
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Lake Crescent - looking east
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Passed along the side of Lake Crescent with its expensive houses and boats on the far side and then around the end to the start of our trail from the North Shore car park, 3.5 miles and 735m ascent to the top of Pyramid Peak.
Clad only in our T shirts and shorts we were concerned to see the leaders putting on their jackets, but we needn't have worried, they soon had them off again.
In the shadow of tall fir trees we walk up a needle strewn path that was rarely more than a modest gradient. Moss clung to the tree trunks and ferns covered the forest floor.
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Gradually the sun broke its way through the thinning canopy to provide occasional patches of light. The distinct but narrow path was over hung with vegetation, which fortunately did not include the nettles that we would usually find in Britain.
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At the peak stood an old WW2 observation hut, derelict but still standing after all the years. After a brief look round we descended the way we had come.
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Pyramid Peak AWS Lookout
The Pyramid Peak Lookout was built as an Aircraft Warning Service (AWS) lookout in the fall of 1942 expressly for the purpose of spotting enemy aircraft during World War II. Under the direction of the United States Army, small ground based observation posts were activated throughout the Pacific Northwest beginning in that summer and continuing throughout the winter of 1942-1943. With the United States Forest Service as co-ordinating agency for the establishment of AWS observation posts, thirteen sites within the present boundaries of the park were established as AWS lookouts. Pyramid Peak and Dodger Point Lookouts are the only two remaining. Following World War II, Pyramid Peak Lookout remains in use as a fire detection lookout.
This building has not undergone any alterations other than the replacement of materials as they become deteriorated. The property appears much as it did historically. Please visit with care.
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Back at camp the leaders prepared dinner whilst we sorted ourselves out. The sun dropped and the temperature dropped with it. In as many layers as we could muster we ate diner and heard about the trip's itinerary before retiring quickly to the warmth of our sleeping bags. The fleece liners we had bought since our last trip proved a great asset and we were snug for the whole night.
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With most of the group being still on UK sleep time we were up early, packed, and away by 8.00, first for a short hike on Hurricane Ridge and then a drive to Mount Rainer.
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Drove up a winding road, with views to the north into Canada and to the east to Mount Baker. Snow on the peaks lay hidden from the sun in shaded gullies. The sky was perfectly clear except for wispy clouds on the distant horizons. Trees and occasional tunnels lined the way up passed the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center at 5242ft, to the Hurricane Ridge trailhead for a 1.6ml walk, 650ft climb.
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Olympic Mountains
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The Olympic Mountains are not very high - Mount Olympus, the highest, is just under 8,000ft - but they rise almost from the water's edge and intercept moisture-rich air masses that move in from the Pacific. As this air is forced over the mountains, it cools and releases moisture in the form of rain or snow. At lower elevations rain nurtures the forests while at higher elevations snow adds to glacial masses that relentlessly carve the landscape. The mountains wring precipitation out of the air so effectively that areas on the northeast corner of the peninsula experience a rain shadow and get very little rain. The town of Sequim gets only 17 inches a year, while less that 30 miles away Mount Olympus receives some 200 inches falling mostly as snow.
These mountains have arisen from the sea. For aeons, wind and rain washed sediments from the land into the ocean. Over time these sediments were compressed into shale and sandstone. Meanwhile, vents and fissures opened upon the ocean floor and lava flowed forth, creating huge underwater mountains and ranges called seamounts. As the plate upon which this portion of the ocean floor was located inched towards North America about 35 million years ago, most of the sea floor went beneath the continental land mass. Some of the sea floor, however, was scraped off and jammed against the mainland, creating the dome that was the forerunner of today's Olympics. Powerful forces fractured, folded and overturned rock formations, which helps explain the jumbled appearance of the Olympics. Radiating out from the centre of the dome, streams and later a series of glaciers, carved peaks and valleys, creating the beautiful, craggy landscape we know today. Iceage glacial sheets from the north carved out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, isolating the Olympics from nearby land masses. Surrounded on three sides by water and still crowned by alpine glaciers, the Olympics retain the distinctive character that developed from their isolation. Several plants and animals are unique to the Olympics - examples of how genetic diversification occurs when geographical isolation exists. The most striking example is the Olympic marmot, with its distinct chromosomal and behaviour patterns. Others include Flett's violet, Piper's bellflower, Olympic Mountain synthyris, Olympic chipmunk, Olympic snow mole, and Beadslee and Crescenti trout, as well as others.
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Hurricane Ridge Trail
The Olympic mountain range is relatively unknown to people outside the Pacific Northwest, and many visitors to the peninsula are surprised at the ruggedness of the landscape. A trip to Hurricane Ridge, however, will dispel any doubts that the Olympics contain some of the finest mountain scenery in the world.
Although the highest peaks in the Olympics are just under 8000 feet (Mt Olympus is 7954ft), they rise from sea level, catching the large amount of precipitation that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean. So much snow falls that over 60 glaciers are able to exist as low as 4500 feet in elevation.
The largest of the ice-covered peaks are visible from Hurricane Ridge. A road travels south from Port Angeles , rising 5200 feet in just 17 miles. Several spectacular turnouts provide views of the Cascades, Vancouver Island, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Often deer and marmots can be seen grazing along the road, and many visitors have seen black bear and bobcat as well.
A day-use lodge, picnic area, and many hiking trails provide plenty of activities for an entire day at Hurricane Ridge.
Begin your trip to Hurricane Ridge with a stop at the Olympic National Park Visitors Centre and Pioneer Memorial Museum in Port Angeles where all National Park trail, campground, weather and accommodation information is available, as well as exhibits and slide shows about the Park.
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Hurricane Hill Trail
The 1.6 mile trail to Hurricane Hill ascends gradually at first, then climbs more steeply through subalpine meadows. From the top there are views of the Olympic Mountains to the south, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to the north. Average hiking time to the top:1 1/2 hours. Elevation gain: 650 feet.
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Window on the Wilderness
On this hike you can get a taste of wilderness without packing deep into backcountry. No roads slice the interior. Except for the trail, there are few signs of human impact.
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First sign on the walk requested that we take 'No Pets, Weapons or Vehicles'. We climbed steadily on a tarmac path looking down into wooded valleys to our left, surmounted by the peaks of the Olympic Mountains including Mount Olympus. To our right we looked over to Mount Baker and as far as Gariboldi Mountain in Canada and over to Vancouver Island,
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In the clear still air Hurricane Hill was not living up to its name. Returned back down the same path to the start and to continue our journey. Stopping first at Safeways to stock up on food for two days and then the Dungeness Recreation Area, over looking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island, for lunch
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Returned down the road we had come the day before. As we crossed the bridge at Tacoma, Mount Rainier came directly into view before us, its snow-clad sides glistening in the sun.
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Drove through Tacoma and out the other side along a long parkway development of garages, banks, small malls etc, looking for a good stopping place to take a photo of Mount Rainier, but all the time there was clutter spooling the view. Then we were out into the countryside with tall pines lining the road. As we progressed south the road started to twist and turn as we approached Elbe and entered the foothills.
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Reached Mount Rainier National Park and set up camp at Cougar Rock campground. It was our turn to cook diner, so while the others set off on a short walk, we set to cooking a tuna pasta.
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It was a warm night and we also had a good supply of wood so we spent the evening sitting around the fire chatting.
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Mount Rainier in Reflection Lake
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Brokedown camp again, steller's jay, whisky jacks and a junco hopped about waiting to clear up the site. Headed east through the park stopping first at Paradise to hike up to Pinnacle Peak 1942m in the Tatoosh Range.
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Welcome to a mountain wonderland of dense forests, dazzling wildflowers, tremendous snowfields, and rugged glaciers. Enjoy the fresh smell of trees and soil, the soothing - sometimes deafening - sound of falling water, and the refreshing cold breezes off the glaciers. Towering above all this scenic display is magnificent Mount Rainier. This is a complex landscape, but the explanation of its origins are simplicity itself: fire and ice. The mountain is a volcano born of fire and built up above the surrounding country by repeated eruptions and successive flows of lava. It is a relatively young volcano, only about one million years old. By contrast the mountains of the Cascade Range that Mount Rainier looks down upon are at least 12 million years old, created by the folding, buckling, and uplifting of the Earth's surface. Mount Rainier is not an isolated volcano, for from Lassen Peak in California to Mount Garibaldi in British Columbia an entire line of volcanoes defines the north-south march of the Cascades. These peaks dominate the skyline, ever a reminder that they are only dormant and may at anytime, like Lassen Peak in 1914-21 and Mount St. Helens in 1980, erupt in fury and rage at the fragile world built by humans. One of the unexpected side benefits of these eruptions has been the deposition of ash and pumice layers that are rich in nutrients and support the abundance of wildflowers throughout the mountainous Pacific Northwest. Even as volcanic forces were building up this land, the slow, inevitable power of glacial ice began to shape and form it. Glaciers come from the snow that does not melt from year to year - it accumulates to greater and greater depths. The weight of the snow presses the air out, packs it tight, and compresses it into ice. Gravity pulls the ice down the mountainside, both scouring and smoothing the bedrock as it goes. Freezing and thawing break rocks from adjacent stones, and they fall onto the glacier's surface. More debris is picked up by the passing ice. This is an inexorable process that continues today and will alter the mountains in the tomorrows to come. Yes, the process is simple, but it deals in forces that are beyond the control, and perhaps comprehension, of humans. Take a look at this mountain; it may be gone in a million years.
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From the trailhead at Reflection Lake we walked up the Pinnacle Peak Trail, a good path through fir woodland. The sun was still low in the sky and we were in the cool on the shady side of the hill.
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Half way up we broke through into the open. Intermittently the stench of false helibor drifted through the air. Crossed over a scree slope on a constructed path with a wall to keep the rocks at bay.
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When we reached the saddle we were greeted with a view to the east with the peaks of Adams and Hood, a couple of locus could be seen and heard flying near by. Scrambled up Pinnacle Peak as far as we could, bringing Mount St Helens into view, to the north were impressive views of Mount Rainier.
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As we descended the sun was higher in the sky so we were able to enjoy its warming rays.
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After lunch outside the Visitors Centre we drove a short way up the road to Paradise Inn to walk the Skyline Trail in the heat of the day. At first, on the stretch where the tourists walk, the path was tarmaced but after Myrtle Falls it turned to gravel.
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Skyline Trail
This is the most popular loop trail at Paradise. It takes you above tree line to Glacier View and Panorama Point for views of Mt. Adams, Mt. St Helens, Nisqually Glacier, and the Tatoosh Range. 5.2 miles (8.3km); 4 hours.
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High Skyline Trail
A spur trail up from Panorama Point leads from the main Skyline Trail, enabling you to bypass the sometimes hazardous snowfield to the east of Panorama Point. This trail rejoins the Skyline Trail after 0.7 mile (1.1km), a 30 minute hike, one way.
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Having spent energy gaining height we then disappointingly lost it all again. The path became less populated and the meadows around were filled with autumn colours with some alpine flowers still in bloom. A ground squirrel sat by the path stuffing its face with leaves and not at all concerned with us.
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Under the clear skies we climbed higher - where is the shade when you need it? But even under a strong sun pockets of snow still existed and some people were practising their ice climbing techniques on the slopes. Restoration work was being carried out on the path and we had to wait a few minutes whilst the helicopter dropped off supplies.
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Finally we made it to the top and we were able to enjoy wide ranging views over the mountain ranges. All that was left was a steep descent back to the Inn.
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Continued east again travelling out of the park and across to Yakima, a journey through road works that took us 2 1/2 hours.
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Passed by Clearwater Lake and along the Tieton River, which appeared to be a popular with rafter. Then we were out of the mountains and into an area with extensive orchards.
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Called in at a service station for some milk, they were advertising 'geegaw' which mystified us. On enquiry we were told that it meant trinkets.
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Arrived at Yakima Koa Kampsite with just enough light to find our pitch and put up our tents within a mooted area in the dark. After a hot days hiking and long drive the shower was most welcome.
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Woke up early with the impression that we were camped in the middle of a motorway surrounded by ducks. Being unable to sleep we got up early, as did most of the group. As a result we were all ready to leave ten minutes early.
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After calling in at Wal-Mart for three days supplies and squeezing it onto and into the bus we were off, still heading east through low hills whose dry grass and bush didn't seem to have seen rain for months.
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As we entered flatter country around George, massive sprinklers on wheels were irrigating the fields.
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After miles of flat dry landscapes we left Washington and entered Idaho, hills started to appear in the distance. Soon we were back into a land of trees, canyons, rivers and winding roads.
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And then Montana, Billboards began to appear beside the road advertising casinos, not your bright lights of Las Vegas but small places attached to the side of roadside restaurants. On and on we went, through forest and canyons and into large rolling open hills. Patches of green fields irrigated by large wheeled dinosaur contraptions on wheels lined the roadside.
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Stopped for the night at Butte, a copper mining town with little to recommend it. Took a walk to the town centre but couldn't find it so squandered 25c on a casino slot machine and returned to the campsite.
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Some of the RVs parked at the campsite were the size of small houses. Not being content with their on-road size they also had bits that could be extended out, when parked, to create even more room, as well as awning gazebos and picnic tables to create outside eating areas.
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Another 8.00 start to travel through more rolling hills of Montana.
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Turned off the main Interstate road and followed the Yellowstone River down to the Park. Cloud hung over the broad valley and surrounding hills.
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Yellowstone National Park is a treasure that inspires awe in travellers from around the world. New Zealand and Iceland are known for geysers, but nowhere are there as many as in Yellowstone. At the heart of Yellowstone's past, present, and future lies volcanism. About 2 million years ago, then 1.3 million years ago, and again 640,000 years ago, huge volcanic eruptions occurred here. The latest spewed out nearly 240 cubic miles of debris. The park's present central portion collapsed, forming a 30 by 45-mile caldera, or basin. The magmatic heat powering those eruptions still powers the park's geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone gives a glimpse of Earth's interior: its waterfalls highlight the boundaries of the lava flows and thermal areas. Rugged mountains flank the park's volcanic plateau, rewarding both eye and spirit. Yellowstone's wildlife includes bison (buffalo), elk, grizzly and black bears, trumpeter swans, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Vegetation types range from near-desert vegetation near the North Entrance to subalpine meadow and forests on Mount Washburn. Longpole pine covers 60 percent of the park and makes up 80 percent of the forested areas. Yellowstone would be a premier national park for its scenery or wildlife, but its history abounds in colourful tales, too, for fur trappers - Jim Bridger and Osborne Russell - and explorers, surveyors, photographers, and artists. William Henry Jackson's photographs and Thomas Moran's sketches influenced Congress to establish Yellowstone as the world's first national park in 1872.
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After Gardiner the sun started to appear just in time for us to enter Yellowstone and drive down to Boiling River to take a dip in the water, at only about 30ft it's the shortest river in the States. The water of the Boiling River is too hot to bathe in but when it mixes with the cold waters of the Gardiner River it creates warm oasis. But the warm spots tend to move about making the temperature about as predictable as a campground shower. The flow of the river was quite strong, it was easy enough to move down stream to find warm spots but returning upstream to get out again was a bit of a struggle. However the worst part was standing in a cool wind on a gravel path drying off.
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Boiling River
This stretch of river runs warmer than most mountain streams. A half mile up the trail, underground discharge from Mammoth Hot Springs enters the current and creates a year round climate for water birds, trout, and aquatic plants. Over the years, delicate travertine terraces have formed along the thermal channel.
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Walking back to the bus two families of elk crossed our path and then the river giving an excellent photo shot.
In the 1980s a fire destroyed over half the Yellowstone forest so that now there are large tracks of young trees with older dead trunks rising above them.
For lunch we stopped at the Mammoth Hot Springs and then took a tourist walk along the boardwalks to view the thermal wonders of the springs.
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Elk in river
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Driving along to Norris we spotted buffalo and coyote but not near enough to photograph. The road through to our site for the night was closed until 6pm and so we walked first around Porcelain Basin and then Back Basin. In these areas are many geysers, some of the larger or more interesting with names but most nameless.
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In the highly dynamic thermal basin the earth's molten interior seems just below the surface. Wander slowly and see colourful minerals built up around the steam vents and a rainbow of algae and bacteria thriving in the hot water. Look for evidence of ongoing change, dying trees on hot ground and the crumbling mineral remains of once active thermal features.
Porcelain Basin Trail begins with panoramic view of the geyser basin. The trail takes you through a steaming landscape of small geysers boiling springs, and colourful features. Longest loop trail distance is approximately 1/2 mile (0.8km)
Back Basin Trail winds through forested areas and passes Steamboat Geyser for the worlds highest (but totally unpredictable) eruptions. Echinus (e-KI-nus) Geyser erupts several times a day. Longest loop trail distance is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
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Yellowstone's geysers and hot springs were once isolated deep within the vast wilderness of the West. Untamed land and abundant wildlife were common then; geysers were extremely rare and virtually unknown. Rumours and legends described "a place where Hell bubbled up."
The first photographs, sketches and written reports of geothermal features revealed their beauty and mystery. Congress was inspired to protect this area from private exploitation by placing it under federal jurisdiction. On March 1, 1872, Congress created the world's first national park "... for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."
The "Old West" gradually vanished during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. With it went vast, unspoiled wilderness and abundant wildlife. As these things became less common, Yellowstone's magnificent wildlife and spectacular scenery began to attract visitors as much as the geysers and hot springs. The Park's value to the nation changed with the changing character of the country.
By the 1950s and 1960s, ecologists confirmed that all living and nonliving things share intricate relationships and create ecosystems, where the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts. With this change in perspective, Yellowstone National Park took on new significance and value. Now the park was much more than a place to see spectacular scenery, boiling springs, or wildlife. Here, natural processes (fire, weather, earthquakes, etc.) operating on a grand scale could be observed and studied. Wilderness became more than just a recreational destination.
Wildlife, plants, and natural processes do not recognise park boundaries. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, as a concept, acknowledges this and provides a framework for protecting something far more valuable than anyone envisioned more than a hundred years ago.
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Park Preservation
Yellowstone's microscopic ecosystem have enormous value as well. A heat-loving, single-celled microbe, which lives in the park's Mushroom Pool, is now revolutionising science, medicine, and industry. The microbe, Thermus aquaticus, produced an enzyme that helps copy the human genetic code which then can be studied more closely. The enzyme has led to the development of DNA 'fingerprinting', now widely used in crime-solving, and has given doctors the most accurate test for the virus that causes AIDS.
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Steam Vents
High Heat and Low Water
The hottest of Yellowstone's geothermal features are steam vents (Fumaroles). Black Growler Steam Vent on the hillside in front of you, has measured 199 - 280 degrees F (93-138 degrees C). A plentiful water supply would help cool these features, however, steam vents are usually found on hillsides or higher ground, above the basin's water supply. They rapidly boil away what little water they contain, releasing steam and other gasses forcefully from underground.
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DANGER
In thermal areas the ground may be only a thin crust above boiling hot springs or scalding mud. There is no way to guess a safe path: new hazards can bubble up overnight and some pools are acidic enough to burn through boots. More than a dozen people have been scalded to death and hundreds badly burned and scarred.
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Echinus Geyser
Changing Behaviour
Ehinus (e-KI-nus) Geyser's behaviour can be inconsistent. When Echinus is predictable, it is usually the largest predictable geyser in the Norris area. The geyser usually erupts every 35 to 75 minutes with eruption lasting from 6 to 14 minutes. However, eruptions have also been known to last over 80 minutes. Watch the pool of this fountain-type geyser for bursts of steam and water reaching 40 to 60 feet high.
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Climbing the steps back we were surprised to feel short of breath, we had forgotten that we were at 2300m above sea level.
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Drove through the park to West Yellowstone following the Gibbon and then Madison River Valleys, hemmed in for part of the way by the caldera rim. The elk that we had been so eager to see and photograph earlier in the day had become common place, though we did manage to get a half-decent shot of a buffalo. Once out of the hills the Madison River took on a meandering phase, fishermen stood waste deep in its waters casting flies. Soon we were at the Grizzly Bear Camp site for a two-night stay, and a chance to catch up on the washing.
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The sign on the local shopping mall showed a temperature of 25 degrees F, but this was probably on the high side, a the cleaner at the campsite said it was 20 degrees F. This is the disadvantage of camping under clear skies at over 2000m. However, the plus side was that we would have a fine day again.
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Eagle
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Returned to Yellowstone to visit another area of the park. In the cool of the morning retraced part of our journey, travelled through meadows with a mist rising off of the Madison River, to Canyon Village. The highlight was the sighting of a Bald Eagle.
Followed a little used path to the south of the road, heading east. The smell of sulphur seemed stronger than we had experienced the previous day, or perhaps our sense of smell had revived. The path meandered over gently undulating ground through meadows, pines, past Ribbon Lake and Lily Pad Lake, until we came at last to the spectacular rim of the canyon.
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Canyon Colours
Mineral stains mark the sites of hot springs and steam vents in the canyon walls. For thousands of years, upwardly percolating fluids have altered the chemistry of the rocks, turning them yellow, red, white, and pink.
From the rim, the bright patches of colour are the most visible evidence of hot spots. Puffs of steam, visible on all but the warmest days of summer, mark areas of ongoing thermal activity in the canyon.
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The deep canyon sides were tinted with many pastel shades created by the mineral deposits thrown up from the depths of the earth. We walked along the South Rim Trail visiting Artists Point, one of the better lookout positions. There was some seriously expensive photographic equipment about.
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Drove on following the broad Yellowstone River through rolling grasslands when we came upon a heard of buffalo by the roadside which gave us a good photographic opportunity. Also flying around in the distance was what we believed was a golden eagle.
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Reached the Yellowstone Lake where we stopped for lunch before continuing on to Old Faithful, the best known geyser in the park. On checking with visitors information we discovered that Old Faithful was due to blow in the next 15 minutes or so, so we took up our position along with all the other visitor and almost on time it erupted, but not as spectacular as we understand it sometimes was.
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For the rest of the afternoon we were on our own and so we wandered along a walk that took us around Old Faithful and through various geothermal features. Stopped to watch Old Faithful erupt again in the distance but while standing The Castle Geyser, which was close by and only erupts twice a day went off, this was far more interesting.
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When the Washburn Expedition rode into the Upper Geyser Basin on September 18, 1870, the explorers were unprepared for the strange sights that awaited them. Until then, there were only a few wild rumours of a 'firehole' seen by Indians and mountain men. The expedition camped here for twenty-two hours and witnessed a dozen geysers erupting, including one that General Washburn named Old Faithful.
Within a few years the area became a tourist attraction, with buildings, roads, and crowds. To recreate the experience of the Washburn expedition, return in winter or at dawn or dusk to experience the geyser basin's primeval quality.
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Castle Geyser
The massive cone is a sign of old age. Eruption after eruption, probably for thousands of years, scalding water has deposited this silicate mineral formation. By contrast, Old Faithfull's fledgling cone may be only a few hundred years old.
Castle Geyser has dramatically changed its surroundings. By flooding the area with hot, silica-rich water, the geyser has devoured part of a pine forest and turned it into a thermal desert. Tree skeletons are entombed within the cone.
Castle Geyser's eruptions are predictable; two per day are typically recorded.
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Castle Geyser
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The clear blue skies of earlier had clouded over by the time we were due to leave, perhaps we would be in for a warmer night.
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We had the task of cooking the evening meal so we concocted a mixture of mash potatoes with carrots and cabbage mashed in, mince and onions, and sweet corn, plus a few extras. As the wind had picked up we had to move the cooker into the lee of the building
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Following a mild evening, we went to bed expecting a comfortable night but during the early hours the skies cleared and the temperature plummeted below zero again.
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Black Bear
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Off once more, now heading south. First retracing our route through Yellowstone to West Thumb and then down past Lewis Lake following the Lewis River. Just before leaving the park we came across a Black Bear by the side of the road, after watching and photographing it for a few minutes it swam over to the other bank of the river.
We are ashamed to report that a Brit in another car got out to follow the bear into the bush 'to get a better photo', until Toby shouted after him "Sir, do you want to get yourself killed?".
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Left Yellowstone and within a few miles we entered the Grand Teton (French for 'Big Breasts') National Park. Jackson Lake came into view on our right-hand side, an immense lake but somewhat depleted of water. Behind it were the Grand Teton Mountains with patches of snow on the slopes.
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Geologic Forces are still shaping this youthful landscape
With no foothills to obstruct your view, the jagged peaks and broad canyons of the Teton Range rise abruptly from the broad flat valley of Jackson Hole. The views are magnificent, unusual, and conductive to wonder. Sixty to seventy-five million years ago both the valley and mountains were a vast arched block of sedimentary rock that ancient seas had deposited. Some two to thirteen million years ago,, probably accompanied by earthquakes, the Teton Range began to rise. Movement of Earth's crust along the Teton fault and other major faults caused the mountains to rise while the valley floor dropped. At the same time - and this is still happening today - the valley itself slowly widened at the rate of one foot every hundred years. Continual fault action normally would create a steep-sided valley, but another geologic force, glacial erosion, also sculptured the Teton landscape. Several times massive glaciers 3,000 feet thick slowly flowed across much of the valley - eroding, transporting, and depositing huge quantities of rock and glacial debris. The valley's true floor, for example, lies buried beneath 26,000 feet of boulders, cobble, and gravel that form today's valley floor. Today's Teton skyline exhibits the most recent fine sculpturing by smaller mountain glaciers, which ground and transported rock from the valley walls to canyon mouths. These moraines hold back the small lakes at the foot of the range. The general colour scheme of vegetation in the park hints at this geological story.
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Pulled over by Jackson Lake Lodge to see our first moose, but it was over on a distant hill and too far to get a decent photo. Turned off the main road to cross the Snake River and spotted another moose but too far away again.
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Called in at the Jenny Lake Visitors Centre to pick up information and then on to the String Lake trailhead where we had an early lunch before setting out to walk through burnt Alders, besides Jenny Lake and up to Inspiration Point via Hidden Falls. The 4.5-mile walk was a pleasant stretch of the legs mostly on the level with views over the lake. A ferry also operated on the lake, taking visitors from the Visitors Centre over to Cascade Canyon.
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Jenny and Leigh Lakes were named after the daughters of trapper Richard 'Beaver Dick' Leigh who live in the area in the early 1800s.
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Yesterday ... and Tomorrow
September 2, 1999: lightning strike ignited a small forest fire near Hanging Canyon on the north side of Jenny Lake.
As permitted in Grand Teton National Park's Fire Management Plan, the Alder Fire was managed and allowed to take its natural course in order to benefit plants, wildlife habitat, and reduce years of accumulated fuels. Some areas burned hot, while others were slightly scorched.
In mid-October, high winds spread the fire rapidly in the direction of buildings and parking areas, forcing fire managers monitoring the fire to change tactics and suppress portions of the fire,
After the fire was contained, interior areas were allowed to smoulder until November snowfall, as the fire posed no risk to people or property.
From String Lake and north Jenny Lake trails, you can see the varying degrees of fire intensity of the Alder Fire and the positive effects to the forest as new plant growth greens up.
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The Ecology of Fire
Vegetation in the Intermountain West evolved with fire over many thousands of years. Plant communities depend on the cycles of fire to maintain structure and diversity. Wildlife species are adapted to the vegetation of their habitats, and have evolved with fire.
After a fire, plants sprout from roots or seeds growing on nutrient rich soils fertilised by ash. These 'pioneer' species are palatable to herbivores like bison, elk, and ground squirrels.
As plants create shade and compete for sunshine and water, different 'successional stages' begin. Overtime these stages tend toward mature, woody plants.
Eventually older woody plant communities accumulate so much burnable material that another fire is inevitable,
With fire, plant succession is interrupted and the cycle begins again. In some forests, this takes between 100 and 400 years. Fire frequency can be as short as 30 years in sagebrush.
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Continued on south for a few miles to Jackson Hole for an early finish to the day. Took a walk into town to have a look around, the architecture was very western with wooden buildings and sidewalks but appeared to be more for the benefit of visitors rather than genuine. The town square had gates constructed from elk antlers.
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Elk Antler Arches
Antler arches have been gates to the Jackson Town Square since 1960. The antlers are from elk that winter on the National Elk Refuge. About 7,500 elk spend each winter on the refuge. The bulls shed their antlers each spring. Antlers are picked up by local Boy Scouts and sold by public auction in this square each May. All four arches were built by the Jackson Hole Rotary Club.
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For the evening we visited the award winning Snake River Brewery, however its range of food wasn't as good as its beer.
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We had reached the eastern limit of our journey and it was now time to head back to the coast. After shopping we climbed, wound and descended the road out of Jackson Hole to the open rolling hills of the Snake River Plains.
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From Idaho Falls we head out along Highway 20. In a land of superlatives this would be described as supremely boring. Long straight stretches of road would occasionally bend if there was any danger of it heading for more interesting landscapes. A couple of hills looking like slag heaps pass by on our left, one littered with radar masts, but no indication of what they were. Places of interest were so far apart that they signpost them 20 miles beforehand to provide some level of anticipation. Marked on our map on a by-road to the left was Atomic City, - probably a couple of farms or a top-secret government installation, no one was saying. However a large area of low level buildings, including bunkers on our right, fed by electricity pylons, was not shown on the map!
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After 40 miles we reached Butte City, population 76 and shortly after Arco, things were starting to look a little more interesting, we made a left turn and headed down to 'Craters of the Moon'
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The strangest 75 square miles on the North American continent,' one early traveller dubbed the Craters of the Moon landscape. Others deemed it 'a weird lunar landscape', 'an outstanding museum of volcanism', and 'a desolate and awful waste'. Virtually unknown until 1921, the area became a national monument in 1924, and in 2000, expanded to encompass the entire Great Rift Zone, an area more than 50 miles long.
In the past, the extensive lava flows affected all visitors to southern Idaho. The combination of jagged rock and the extreme hot and cold climate of the high desert influenced travel and use of the area. Shoshone Indians never inhabited the area in large numbers, but they hunted here. Emigrants in covered wagons skirted the lava flows. Later, ranchers grazed their cattle and sheep on vegetated areas, as they still do today. Visitors to this odd landscape see an example of our earth's awesome forces
Surface patterns and formations found here are typical of basaltic lava associated with volcanism throughout the world. 'Where is the volcano?' you might ask. There is not just one, for here the Earth opened a great fissure and lava spewed out. These fissure vents, volcanic cones, and lava flows of the Great Rift Zone began erupting about 15,000 years ago and ceased only 2,000 years ago. Geologists predict that the landscape will erupt once again, but don't worry - it will give us ample warning.
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Although the landscape was certainly interesting, to call the area 'Craters of the Moon' was probably more marketing than anywhere near an accurate similarity. We briefly ate lunch near the visitor's centre and then called in to look at their exhibition and pick up a leaflet.
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Took a short walk around an interpretative loop and then set off to explore the area by walking the North Crater Trail. The path took us over cinders, up and down volcano cones and across lava fields. A few trees tried to gain a foothold in the crevasses and dried twisted tree trunks lay here and there. Patches of small white flowers were making a brave effort to establish themselves. Lava of various forms were to be seen- Aa lava which formed as a crust on top of the molten lava and then broke up as the lava flowed and carried along on the surface and Pahoehoe which hardened like flowing toffee into pleats giving a twisted rope type appearance. As well as the landforms there were also extensive views over Pioneer Mountains and Snake River Plains.
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North Crater Trail
This 1.5-mile trail hugs the contours of two cones - North Crater and Big Crater. Among its rewards are unmatched views into the mouth of a volcano.
At North Crater viewpoint look for:-
* the swirling effect in the lava flow as it churned around and then out in a broad river of molten rock.
* a break in the crater wall. Some fragments of the missing wall were dropped a half-mile from here, rafted that distance by a lava flow.
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Indian Tunnel
Craters of the Moon
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After the walk we drove around to some caves to explore them. Dewdrop and Boy Scout caves were nothing out of the ordinary but Indian Tunnel was different consisting of a long high lava tube open at both ends.
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The Caves Trail
At four places along the trail you can explore in the cool darkness of caves below the surface of this volcanic landscape. The 'caves' are actually empty tubes that formed when molten lava drained from beneath hardening crust.
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Continued on our journey to Twin Falls, returning to boring flat countryside that was being widely irrigated by sprays. The main crop of the area is potatoes but we also saw maze and grass.
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Arrived at our campsite in beautiful sunshine. Quickly set up and sat out in the warmth. 'Will we pay for it again tonight?' Just as dusk fell we spotted a large bird land in the top of a tree, inspection through the binoculars and discussions by the twitchers concluded that it was a Great Horned Owl
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Left Twin Falls in sunshine but as we drove down Interstate 93 a grey leaden sky closed over us, but it didn't last long and was behind us as when we arrived at Jackpot Nevada (the first casino town on the road into the state). As we enter Pacific Time we put our watches back an hour, with a long drive the extra time would be useful.
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Soon the road was cutting through low hills with scrub of sagebrush. We headed straight for some distant hills. At last we reached Wells, a junction town where we stopped to stretch our legs before turning west on Interstate 80 for our long drive to Lake Tahoe through sparse landscapes.
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Few people appear to live in Nevada, this would seem to be a most sensible decision.
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Turned off the freeway at Fernley and headed towards Carson City. Isolated farms and communities started to appear in the scrub for no apparent good reason.
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The late afternoon sun was stirring up dust devils. Anyone thinking of a good place for alternative energy generation should consider the sun and wind of Nevada.
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Carson City was a mixture of a modern low rise town centre set on large plots surrounded by older properties, mostly given over to autos and vacant scrubland, not an attractive state capital.
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Left Carson City and the parched earth became more able to support pine trees in greater abundance as we climbed into the Toiyabe National Forest. Crossed over the pass and soon Lake Tahoe was in front of us. A short drive along the lakeside and we were at the campsite we would be staying at for the next two nights.
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No packing up and so had a later start. Left at 9.00 and drove up into the hills behind Lake Tahoe to Echo Lake. From the dockside we walked along the right-hand side of the lake on a mostly level path through scattered pine trees and among rocks and slabs of granite. The sun was warm but a cool wind gusted off the lake. The path was part of the Pacific Crest Trail, a walk that could be worth considering in the future, as the going and the views were both good.
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After stopping for lunch at Lake Tamarack we returned down the same trail and back to Tahoe for an afternoon to explore the town, this was much too long as there was little of interest to walkers. Most roads were without footpaths and the beaches were private, so we sat on a seat at the side of a casino that seemed to be the staff entrance.
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Back to camp for a relaxing evening while the rest of the group went on a sunset booze cruise. When the last of the group returned to camp in the dark, they reported that they had come across a black bear at the rubbish bins, it could not be decided who was the most frightened, them or the bear.
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During the night we heard what we thought was rain on the tent, but in seemed that it was only pine needles falling. However, on the hills there was a fresh fall of snow and the roads on the way out had a sprinkling on them. The sky towards Yosemite was dark grey, was the beautiful weather we had enjoyed going to end with snow?
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Wound our way down from Tahoe back out east into the Carson Valley to follow the Highway 395 south, as far as Mono Lake. Intermittent snow and sleet accompanied us, windows misted up decreasing the views even further. We dropped into Mono Lake Visitors Center to learn that five small streams fed the lake that had no outlet, maintaining its level as the result of evaporation. This resulted in the wasters becoming concentrated with brine (2.5 times more salty than the sea) in which only brine shrimps could survive.
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Headed into Yosemite by the Tioga Road and reached the Park Entrance at Tioga Pass (approx. 3000m) snow was falling hard. But once over to the other side of the pass the change was miraculous, it stopped snowing, the sun came out and the roads and countryside was dry and snow free.
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As we came out of the shadow of the high ground the snow returned and continued on and off as we drove along, depending on each valleys microclimate.
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Yosemite National Park embraces a great tract of scenic wildlands set aside in 1890 to preserve a portion of the Sierra Nevada that stretches along California's eastern flank. Ranging from 2,000 feet above sea level to more than 13,000 feet, the park encompasses alpine wilderness, groves of giant sequoia trees, and Yosemite Valley. The story of Yosemite's landscape began about 500 million years ago when the Sierra Nevada region lay beneath an ancient sea. Thick layers of seabed sediments eventually were folded and twisted and thrust above sea level. Simultaneously molten rock welled up from deep within the Earth and cooled slowly beneath the sediment layers to form granite. Even as uplifts still were forming the Sierra, water and then glaciers worked at carving Yosemite's face. Weathering and erosion still shape it today. This constant shaping of the landscape by weather, water, fire, and other natural forces keeps Yosemite wild. Along with its towering trees, flowering meadows, and massive granite formations, it is this wildness that is protected here
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Stopped for lunch at Tuolumne Grove, just as it started to rain, stood around and made sandwiches as best as we could before taking a walk down into the grove, still in the rain, to look at the giant sequoia including one with a tunnel cut through it. But as we returned to the bus it started to dry out. A small fire was smouldering away; this had been deliberately set to clear out old undergrowth. In the past fire in woodlands had been suppressed but now they realised that this wasn't so good after all as it was only storing up more fuel for the future. It was therefore better to let fires burn provided they didn't cause any dangers.
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Giant Sequoia
Tuolumne Grove
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Fragile Giants
A culture is measured by what it preserves and what could be more appropriate to preserve than these trees?
Everyone marvels at their size and age. Even though they are not the oldest, or the tallest, by volume they are the largest living things on Earth.
In our attempts to preserve these trees we have made mistakes. At first we put out fires in the groves, thinking that would protect them. Later we found they needed the fire to survive. More recently we've learned that the trees can be damaged by trampling around their bases.
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Exploited
News of the big trees spread rapidly and it wasn't long before they had captured the public imagination. Sadly some of these people dreamed of huge profits. In 1878, a tunnel was cut in this dead stump so tourists on the Big Oak Flat Road could ride through a tree. Seedlings were exported and sold in England for $50 each (1850 exchange rate). Loggers regarded the giant trees as the ultimate challenge and cut them at a furious pace, destroying 34% of all living sequoias.
Fortunately the giants survived human exploitation to continue their role in the natural processes that have helped their species weather thousands of centuries.
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Almost Immortal
Though its roots spread out 150 feet from the tree, they are only three to six feet deep. If you think of a huge nail standing on its head, you can imagine the balancing act these trees must perform to remain standing. Eventually the combination of weather factors, such as wind and snow, and the shallow root system will cause the tree to fall.
Even after death the tree decays slowly, often taking hundreds or even a thousand years to deteriorate.
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Secret of Success
The cinnamon-coloured bark of a giant sequoia distinguishes this tree from its neighbours. The colour comes from a chemical compound, tannin or tannic acid, which is found in the bark of the wood; hence, the name "redwood".
Although many trees contain some tannin, the high content in sequoias is responsible for the tree's resistance to disease, insect infestation, and fire. After death the sequoia decays slowly, for the tannin acts as a natural preservative.
Today tannin is used commercially in fire extinguishers and flea powders. Tea owes its reddish-brown colour to tannin. This versatile chemical is also found in many other products.
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Arrived at Yosemite village and again the rains started. Looked around the general store and up to the visitor's centre to get what information we could for the next couple of days.
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El Capitan
El Capitan is famous for its massive bulk of largely unbroken rock and its sheer, vertical face soaring 3,000 feet into the air. This monolith is composed of a particularly durable granite, allowing it to withstand the pressures of glaciers and erosion.
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Tutokanula
The Ahwahneechee name for the rock we now call El Capitan is Tutokanula. Ahwahneechee legend tells how El Capitan was created in the time of the animal people. As two bear cubs slept on a large flat rock near the river, the rock grew until the bears scratched their faces against the moon. The mother bear called on the animals to rescue her babies, but none could succeed until the lowly inchworm (tutokanula) crawled slowly to the top and led the cubs safely down.
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Climbing the Monolith
El Capitan was first scaled in 1958. Since then, climbers have explored nearly a hundred routes. If you look closely, you may see climbers, like tiny specks, inching up the granite wall
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Drove out to the campsite and during a break in the rain managed to throw tents up and rig a tarpaulin for the kitchen. The facilities at the campground were the most primitive yet, with the showers about a mile away. The toilets were near by and although OK, could be better. Dried out as best we could and spent an uncomfortable evening eating our dinner under the tarpaulin. Went early to bed.
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During the night the rain cleared away and we awoke to a dry morning, being deep in the valley we were in shadows and in the cool.
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Yosemite Valley
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Yosemite Centennial
"Never before have I seen so glorious a landscape, so boundless an affluence of sublime mountain beauty... The noble walls sculptured into endless variety of domes and gables, spires and battlements and plain mural precipices - all a-tremble with the thunder tones of falling water" - John Muir
The force of Muir's eloquent words combined with the persuasive campaign by his powerful editor friend, Robert Underwood of Century Magazine, motivated Congress to enact legislation to establish Yosemite National Park around the original Yosemite Grant on October 1, 1890.
As 19th century Americans pioneered westward, nothing like Yosemite had ever been encountered. Some scholars believe that Yosemite was first seen from the rim by members of the Walker Party when they passed through the area in 1833.
"This most wonderful valley." as it was next seen and described on March 27, 1851, was visited by a group of volunteers - the Mariposa Battalion - who had been sent deep into the Sierra foothills to dissuade the native Indians from their violent attacks on settlers and local trading posts.
Four years later a young Englishman named James Hutchings led a party which included two Indian guides and an artist. Hutchings, who had heard rumours of Yosemite's spectacular waterfalls, was searching for material for a proposed illustrated magazine. The beauty of the scene far exceeded his expectations and his subsequent descriptions brought an influx of sightseers which continues to this day.
On March 28, 1864, Senator John Connes of California, inspired in part by a request from Yosemite resident Galen Clark, introduced a bill in the US Senate to grant Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees to the State of California for "public use, resort and recreation... inalienable for all time." he bill was The Yosemite Grant and was signed into law on June 30, 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln - during the height of the Civil War. It is considered to be the first recorded action by a government to set aside public land as a scenic preserve for the enjoyment of the people and is the foundation upon which subsequent national and state parks were established.
But perhaps no one captured the essence of Yosemite better than John Muir. He first visited the valley in May, 1868 and returned the next year to take up residence. He spent the following decade learning everything he could about the origins of this "mountain paradise" and devoted the rest of his life to its cause.
Muir's writings helped awaken Americans to the importance of conservation. He wrote, "When we try to pick out anything of itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe"
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Drove out to Mariposa Grove where we followed a trail up through the giant sequoia, these magnificent trees can live for 3000 years, growing to a massive height and girth, and resistant to both fire and pests. Their downfall, literally, is that they become too big for their root system to hold them upright. Chickaree (Douglas) squirrels scurried about nibbling at the large cones.
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Mariposa Battalion
Discovering the Scene
Just upslope from here members of the Mariposa Battalion came upon their first view of Yosemite Valley. They were not here for the scenery. The Battalion was formed in 1851 to capture Yosemite Indians who had made raids against prospectors swarming into the region. Following a route close to the present Wawona Road, the volunteer soldiers became the first non-Indians to enter the Valley.
The cliffs and waterfalls made a lasting impression on at least one member of the Battalion. Dr Lafayette Bunnell's published letters inspired Yosemite's first tourist parties.
Haze hung over the valley - light as gossamer - and clouds partially dimmed the higher cliffs and mountains. This obscurity of vision but increased the awe with which I beheld it, and as I looked, a peculiar exalted sensation seemed to fill my whole being, and I found my eyes in tears with emotion.
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Returned to camp after lunch and spent the afternoon gathering information on our options for the walks the next day.
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Peeling Domes
Three stages of dome formation are visible from this meadow, Half Dome, North Dome and the Royal Arches. Like a geological palm-reader, you can read the cliffs past and future in their crack lines. Instead of eroding grain by grain, these granites weather in peeling layers like an onion. Curved slabs 200 feet thick have popped loose from the Royal Arches.
Yosemite's granites were formed and compressed beneath miles of overlaying sediments. The rock remains subjected to enormous internal pressure even when exposed by erosion.
In relieving the tension, granite expands and cracks in curved sheets parallel to the surface. Royal Arches show the process in cross-section. Above domes like North Dome are typical of Yosemite's scenery.
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Our last walking day of the trip and so we made it a big one. Started off at 7.15, half an hour after sunrise, we made our way to the trailhead for the Half Dome trek. As we reached it a deer, that was completely oblivious to us, stood around eating acorns.
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The path, known as the Mist Trail, climbed steeply at first, and at second, and at third, as we made our way up a deep tree lined gorge. Whenever there weren't any steps to climb, the path was tarmaced over. From the bottom of Vernal Falls we climbed the path up the face of the cliff beside the fall to emerge on the level at the top.
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Numerous squirrels were busy setting aside their store of acorns for the winter. Steller's jay were flying about keeping watch. The now earth track was still in shadow as Nevada Falls appeared in before of us.
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Two and a half-hours after sunrise, after zigzagging up granite rocks and slabs to the top of small valley by the side of Nevada Falls, we finally emerge into the sunlight.
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This composting toilet has been installed to protect water quality and public health. It also serves to solve the difficult problem of human waste disposal in the backcountry.
In this toilet human wastes are broken down and stabilised through decomposition by micro-organisms. The composting process is further assisted by providing a warm environment through passive solar heat collectors. Solar panels provide electricity for fans which circulate warm air to the composting pile, evaporate liquids, and vent odours. The composted material is removed from the site by pack mule for proper disposal.
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For a while the path levelled off with a few ice covered puddles along the way. From the ranger station the climb began again, though not so steep, through fir, pine and redwood. The trail was quite busy with a steady procession of fellow walkers, including children. In shady spots patches of snow lay.
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We reached the pinnacle before the final cable ascent up Half Dome and cached our rucksacks. Took a long hard look and said 'no way'. Made our way out to the bottom of the cable and looked up at it and still thought 'no way'. A pile of gloves lay by the cable so we tried a pair on and thought 'perhaps a little way, just one section at a time'. Keeping eyes firmly fixed on the rock and holding tight to the cable we tried a section. And another section. And one more section until we were at the top of a rounded summit. Spent a few minutes looking around, then there was only one thing to do - go back down the cable, this time looking down the steep incline.
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Half Dome summit
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With a sense of achievement we returned back down the same path as far as the top of Nevada Falls. On the way we were able to see dark eyed junco, brown creeper and even a gopher snake.
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From the top of Nevada Falls we followed part of the John Muir Trail, this was a longer route but less steep with fewer steps and so easier on the knees. The path followed a broad ledge that zigzagged remorselessly down the south face of the valley wall. This was also a route used by horses to get up to the base of Half Dome, though we didn't meet any on the path there was evidence of their passing.
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After ten hours, 28km and a 1463m climb we were back at the camp site, tired but satisfied and ready for a good shower, which we had to walk another kilometre to reach!
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Last day and just a shortish drive to San Francisco, initially through parched rolling hills and then farms with a wide variety of produce, particularly fruit and nuts.
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Spent the afternoon touring around San Francisco to get orientated and to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
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At 4pm the trip came to an end and we made our way to the hostel to enjoy a night in a bed, but not before meeting up again with the group for a farewell meal.
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We saw more beggars and rough sleepers on the streets of San Francisco than at any time since visiting Kathmandu
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Spent the day walking the streets of San Francisco. First off we hoped to ride the cable cars but after the ones that passed were full we walked down to the visitors centre to find a 50-yard queue. The cars that only seemed to be running about every 10 minutes so we started walking down to Fisherman's Wharf.
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Part way there, a car arrived with a couple of spare spaces, we didn't know where it was going but it was too good a chance to miss and so we hopped on. Arrive at the shore and walked along to Pier 39 which is a focal point of the north shore and then followed the shore line west, stopping for lunch at a restaurant that served chowder in a large hollowed out roll.
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Cable Car
San Fransisco
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Continued on as far as Presidio Park and then turned inland to walk up over the hill to Haight, the area that saw the rise of the hippie era. Bought some CDs in Amoeba Music and then walked the length of Haight back into the city centre and back to the hostel.
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