Thursday, 28 February 2013 - A snowcat tour through Yellowstone Park in the winter. No tourists on the roads only animals.
While everyone went skiing Cal was offered a trip into
Yellowstone National Park. Spending the day in the park was
a great photography opportunity.
The day was cold and a light snow was falling. The bison
were out in a large field just after our snowcat
entered the park.
Our guide spotted a Bald Eagle in a tree on the other
side of a river. We all tumbled out to take a photo.
You can see the falling snow against the dark feathers.
Besides the animals we stopped at several of the thermal
features. Echinus Geyser, the largest acidic geyser known, has the PH of vinegar.
Very infrequent eruptions.
A tree which has died from the caustic water in Echinus Geyser.
The sun was having a hard time breaking through the clouds and
the falling snow.
The bison looked very cold as they moved through the snow.
Cal climbed the mountain trail over Old Faithful to take a picture from above. It was so
cold his tripod froze up and would not collapse until he returned to the snowcat warmth.
Solitary Geyser bubbles while snow covers the trees around the hot pool.
Steam rising from a geyser in the valley leading away from Old Faithful
Kepler Cascades on the Firehole River which is near Old Faithful Inn.
Beautiful Castle Geyser with a plume of steam in the cool air.
Poor little tree covered in snow and ice near a hot springs in Yellowstone Park.
Interesting little formation on the edge of a hot springs - reminded me of a bunny.
A large pool - which sometimes erupts like a geyser - the water is over 200 degrees. Pretty but dangerous.
Algae can survive through winter in the hot water.
Water bubbling up at a small pool.
A dead tree which succumbed to the chemicals in the hot water.
Firehole Falls in Firehole Canyon carved by Firehole River - that is a lot of Firehole.
The snow is thick on the roads - we were in a tracked vehicle so no problems getting around.
He just looks cold.
The we watched them cross the Madison River - simply walking and then looked like they were swiming.
We stayed well away form the mighty beasts. A telephoto zoom is handy.
We were shivering as they hit the midpoint of the river as they crossed.
An elk moves along the Madison River and the heavy snow. Shot from across the river.
