Beyond Foundation Workshop: Yellowstone in Winter (Day 5)
The Mini-Grand Tour
Snowcoaches Awaiting Their Guests
Bill and I were up early hoping for an opportunity for some shots at a colorful sunrise, but an overcast sky greeted us. We opted instead for working on images in Lightroom and Photoshop and, finally, a good, hot breakfast in the Firehole Grill at the Snow Lodge.
The snowcoaches arrived just before 9 am and soon we were off to Canyon via West Thumb and Lake, a long distance and our drivers had to do some rethinking of how they were going to manage the refueling.
Our drivers/guides were Scott and Dave, both from West Yellowstone are passionate about keeping the park as pristine as possible. Both are extremely knowledgeable about early aspect of the park, but they were impressed by George’s years of experience in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
Dave was our driver through most of the trip and is very interested in the science of the park and the indirect benefits that the microbiology of the thermal features are and, potentially will be, providing.
Scott is a prototypical outdoor adventurer, who has climbed many of the peaks around the park and has backpacked all over.
Our first stop was Shoshone Point on the section of road to West Thumb between the two crossings of the Continental Divide. From the pullout you can see a small section of Shoshone Lake and, if the weather’s clear enough, the Grand Tetons on the horizon.
Shoshone Point
At West Thumb, I discovered a surreal place of snow and steam and color. It was so beautiful. I can’t believe I haven’t visited it before. We only had about 30 minutes to shoot, while the coaches were refueled at Grant Village.
Cat Hair and Good Photos Don't Mix
Fumerole and Trees -- West Thumb Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Our drive to Lake and its famous hotel took us along the northwest shore of Yellowstone Lake. The Absorka Mountains to the east and the Red mountain range including Mount Sheridan to the south provide a beautiful back drop to the lake.
At Lake, I was so intent on talk to our drivers, I actually forgot to take any pictures, even record shots. The light was incredibly intense, so I wasn’t that anxious to do any serious photography (but after seeing what the others in the group showed at the evening’s critique I’m learning that impressive images can be taken in that situation).
The Mud Volcano was our next stop on our way to Canyon. I took “the road less travelled” and headed across the road from the parking lot to the Yellowstone River.
Yellowstone River
Our transit across the Hayden Valley uncovered signs of wolves, but no animals. Need I say we say bison?
As we turned onto the South Rim access road to Artist Point, there was one other coach there on the Chittenden Bridge who had observed a family of river otters. We looked and looked, but no sightings.
View from Chittenden Bridge
Photographing the Lower Falls
It was off to Artist Point and the Upper Falls on the South Rim, then to Lookout Point on the North Rim.
Photographers -- Lookout Point
We took a rest break and the Canyon Warming Hut/Rest Rooms while the coaches were refueled. When changed coaches so the other half of the group could be with Dave and we could listen to George and Scott as we completed our loop Tour.
By then we had already traversed over half of the 98 mile loop and most of us just wanted to get back to Old Faithful. The sun set without any significant color, so we didn’t stop at any points on our way. The road was extremely rough and the coaches need so new shocks. Those of us in the back seats had to stay in a “ducked” position to not keep hitting our heads on the ceiling.
On our return, we rushed off to download our images and prepare them for the evening’s critique session. Dinner at the Firehole Grill was great again.
The critique was assuming as there were so many beautiful images. These were mine.
Tomorrow’s assignment for critique: Three images with one of some aspect of Snow Lodge itself or of our experience in and around it.