Yellowstone Adventure - Day 27

   Got up very early today to get ahead of the tourists. If there is one thing I have learned since coming here is that if you want to see the spots that are high on the tourist visit list then start early. As most tourist don't get up early. Their day seems to start around ten thirty in the morning. I had a great breakfast of granola and ham. Picked up my sack lunch of a turkey sandwich. Ha I fooled you. Decided to try something different today.  I packed my hiking gear and headed to the car. The car temperature for the outside read forty three degrees and I think the high was going to get to sixty four degrees but chance of rain also. It was chilly but then again I was going to be hiking so colder is better for me at least.  As I headed out of the geyser basin I called Cathy and talked to her until our cell signal dropped. The scenery was great and I decided to turn into the Virginia Cascades drive for a look. The drive went up for about two miles and I pulled off the road at the top for a look at the Cascades. They were very pretty and at this time of the morning it was just me and the Cascades and a few chipmunks. It was sure peaceful but I pulled myself from the tranquility and got back into the car to head to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. 

  To give you a little background the canyon for tourists is divided into two viewing areas. The north rim and the south rim. The Yellowstone River drops through two falls into the canyon. The upper and the lower falls. After filling my car with gas I headed to the north rim and the lower falls. Now you can park your car and walk a short way and see the falls from a distance but my plan was to take the trail to the lower falls. This trail drops eight hundred feet and puts you right at the edge of the lower falls. The eight hundred foot drop is done gradually using the tried and true method of switchback trails. I headed down the switchbacks and I could tell right off my arthritic knees did not like the downhill moves. Going uphill was no problem but downhill put a lot of pressure on them. I was glad I brought my hiking stick and a fanny pack with water. After several switchbacks the trail leveled out at the edge of the Yellowstone River.  It was sure beautiful down there but that did not compare to what awaited me further down the trail. I knew the falls were there because I had heard it's roaring since getting out of my car but now at the bottom the sound was deafening. I could see up ahead where the trail ended at two platform. The platform on the right was right next to the falls and the platform on the let was ten feet higher but gave the tourist another vantage point to see the river as it flowed into the falls. I went to the left platform first. Folks I cannot begin to describe the power of those falls. The Yellowstone River came roaring to the falls with a monster force and then dropped off more than a hundred feet to the bottom and then proceeded to flow down into the canyon. The mist and spray the falls made made it look like it was creating it's own cloud at the bottom. Looking across the falls to the other side you could see where other tourists were lined up on the south side for a look at the lower falls. There was even a set of stairs on that side that would take a person down over the canyon for a great look at the falls but I heard that it was closed due to ice building up on the steps.  I stayed down in that area for about a half an hour just looking at the power of the river and listening to the roar of the falls. Very few tourists were down there yet so I practically had both platforms to myself.  After a while, and several pictures, I headed back up the eight hundred foot switchback trail to the top. I can tell you this folks it was tough going but not as bad as I feared. I think my lungs are getting used to the altitude finally.  Once I made it to the top I found the north rim trail that would take me through the woods on top of the canyon rim and over to the upper falls.

  The north rim trail was a hike of about two miles up and then two miles back to where I parked the car. So it was not a bad hike. Since I was the only one on the trail I paid particular attention to the woods to my right as I did not want to surprise a bear or wolf. So I whistled while I walked and created enough noise that anything or anyone on the trail would hear me coming. The trail skirted the edge of the canyon over the Yellowstone River and there was many opportunities to step out on an overlook and take some pictures. The trail even had to go over another water fall created by small streams coming off the hills into the Yellowstone. It was a very pretty walk and mostly level ground.  I reached the tourist area where they could view the upper falls and was grateful to see there was a bathroom. I still cannot get over how cold those out house type bathrooms can be on a delicate rear end. :)

  The upper falls was very good also but after seeing the lower and it's drop into the canyon, the upper was not as loud but it's drop is still spectacular and I think about eighty to a hundred feet also.  By this time there were many tourists taking up the small space that the platform had, but eventually I was able to get close enough to take some good pictures and videos of the upper falls.  One of the things most tourists do learn is etiquette when it comes to cameras.  Mostly all the tourists stay out of the way if you are trying to get a good shot of something and that makes it pleasant when you are packed on a platform overlooking a gigantic water fall.  After spending several minutes looking at the falls I decided to get out of the crowd and head back into the woods for a hike back to my car.   

   I took my time walking through the woods back to the car as I wanted to explore some areas that were over the canyon and into the woods.  Mostly to get better pictures but also to see if I could spot some wild life.  The park does a great job at identifying the trails in the park with markers and flags on certain trees.  So it is real easy to follow a trail and not get lost.  Once back at the car I decided to drive to the top of the canyon at a place called Grand View.  As this spot gave a person a great view of the grand canyon of Yellowstone.  I found out that the north rim trail continues in the area and I was able to walk it some more down to other view points on the rim of the canyon.  I was able to see an osprey nest on one of the spires jutting out of the canyon close to a viewing area.  She had two chicks in the nest and the tourists were waiting for the mate to come back so that the one on the nest would move to allow the photographers to photo bomb the chicks.  As I proceeded on the trail I found another area that would allow a tourist to drop down several hundred feet to the side of the canyon.  I looked down the trail and decided I already did my major climb for the day and would try that climb another day.

   I hiked back up to the car and got there in time for the rain to start.  I have found out that the weather in the mountains can come and go really quickly.  So the rain may turn into sunshine in ten minutes.  I drove out of the canyon area and headed in the rain to the Yellowstone valley where a herd of bison usually graze.  The rain continued because I was following the clouds heading south east.  I decided to pull off to a view point that overlooked the valley and the Yellowstone River to eat my lunch.  A few bison were in the distance and I happily ate while watching them through the rain.  Canyon area has great cell coverage so I took that opportunity to call Cathy and get filled in on what was happening at home.

  After lunch the rain turned to sprinkles and the temperature dropped to 55 degrees, so I decided to call it a day and head back to the dorm.  I took the long route back as I took the road next to Lake Yellowstone for a more scenic drive.  I arrived at the dorm around two PM and decided I could do my laundry.  After laundry was done I met with Bob, a coworker, and we decided to head into West Yellowstone.  Me, so that I could get my cell phone updated with a WiFi connection and Bob so that he could pay some medical bills and pick up some cigars.  After we got our stuff done we decided to eat at the local Chinese restaurant.  Folks let me tell you that this is the first Chinese restaurant that I have ever been in that Chinese outnumbered Americans.  It seemed like every Chinese tourist in town was in the place, but the food was good and pricey.  It is the first meal I have had to pay for since I got here as the EDR does a great job to feed us.

  Well that is about all for this exciting day.  I hope to do another hike tomorrow at a local geyser basin and then head into Cody for a movie or just to see the museum again.  I have heard that Yellowstone workers get in free to the museum and I am always looking to save money.  You all take care and I pray you all are doing well.