swalker
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 1,592
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 07/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- CO
- City
- Vail
We just returned from another awesome trip to Yellowstone.
The weather was challenging, with rain and snow for most of the trip. We had 4 good weather days in 4 weeks and another 4 so-so days. The rest were cold and wet. We saw rain, sleet, snow, and hail -- sometimes all at the same time!
Despite the weather, the trip was wonderful. We saw amazing wildlife and were able to spend some quality time watching geysers and touring the backcountry. We really pushed the X4 four wheel drive wheelchair a bit and it performed very well.
One adventuresome day we did the hike to Fairy Falls (8.8 mile round trip for me, as my wheelchair can't quite get to the falls). We decided to have my wife complete the loop and I took a different wheelchair-friendly route to meet her in the middle. This would make the entire trip almost 13 miles for the wheelchair, all of which was on dirt trails. I was not paying attention to my battery level and managed to get the flashing red lights indicating that I needed to plug in immediately. Unfortunately, I still had 3.5 miles to go to the van! We limped back to the van and the chair completely died as I was loading it into the van. Fortunately, I have a charger in the car and was able to charge the chair sufficiently to finish loading it.
On this trip I was finally able to see Fan and Mortar geyser erupt. That is a pretty rare treat and I was able to watch it with a bunch of friends in the geyser gazing community.
I was also able to do some wildlife photography, though the opportunities were limited by the weather and my mobility. I have attached some pictures, all of which were taken a few feet my the van or my wheelchair. It is such an enjoyable diversion to watch and photograph wildlife. I never tire of it. The pictures are:
1. A bull elk in beautiful light along the Madison river. It was the rut and bull elk will decorate themselves with all sorts of vegetation. The grass was really flying as he was doing so.
2. The same bull elk with one of the cows in his harem
3. A black bear sow near the top of Dunraven pass. She had two cubs and they were feasting on seeds of whitebark pine (a major food source for them in the fall).
4. A bighorn sheep ram near Rainy lake. This was one of a pair I was able to photograph that evening.
5. A great gray owl near the brink of the upper falls of the yellowstone river. I have only seen 4 of these magnificent birds in all of my travels to Yellowstone. Being able to photograph this one was one of the highlights of the trip.
6. A grizzly bear cub named Snow. Snow is the offspring of Raspberry, who is the daughter of the very famous bear named Blaze. Blaze was euthanized last year after she was implicated in the death of a park employee who was breaking all the rules for backcountry travel in bear country. Unfortunately both he and Blaze paid the price. Snow is an unusual blond grizzly bear and is quite the character. I sure enjoyed watching her.
We had such a great time that we booked three trips to Yellowstone for next year.
Steve
The weather was challenging, with rain and snow for most of the trip. We had 4 good weather days in 4 weeks and another 4 so-so days. The rest were cold and wet. We saw rain, sleet, snow, and hail -- sometimes all at the same time!
Despite the weather, the trip was wonderful. We saw amazing wildlife and were able to spend some quality time watching geysers and touring the backcountry. We really pushed the X4 four wheel drive wheelchair a bit and it performed very well.
One adventuresome day we did the hike to Fairy Falls (8.8 mile round trip for me, as my wheelchair can't quite get to the falls). We decided to have my wife complete the loop and I took a different wheelchair-friendly route to meet her in the middle. This would make the entire trip almost 13 miles for the wheelchair, all of which was on dirt trails. I was not paying attention to my battery level and managed to get the flashing red lights indicating that I needed to plug in immediately. Unfortunately, I still had 3.5 miles to go to the van! We limped back to the van and the chair completely died as I was loading it into the van. Fortunately, I have a charger in the car and was able to charge the chair sufficiently to finish loading it.
On this trip I was finally able to see Fan and Mortar geyser erupt. That is a pretty rare treat and I was able to watch it with a bunch of friends in the geyser gazing community.
I was also able to do some wildlife photography, though the opportunities were limited by the weather and my mobility. I have attached some pictures, all of which were taken a few feet my the van or my wheelchair. It is such an enjoyable diversion to watch and photograph wildlife. I never tire of it. The pictures are:
1. A bull elk in beautiful light along the Madison river. It was the rut and bull elk will decorate themselves with all sorts of vegetation. The grass was really flying as he was doing so.
2. The same bull elk with one of the cows in his harem
3. A black bear sow near the top of Dunraven pass. She had two cubs and they were feasting on seeds of whitebark pine (a major food source for them in the fall).
4. A bighorn sheep ram near Rainy lake. This was one of a pair I was able to photograph that evening.
5. A great gray owl near the brink of the upper falls of the yellowstone river. I have only seen 4 of these magnificent birds in all of my travels to Yellowstone. Being able to photograph this one was one of the highlights of the trip.
6. A grizzly bear cub named Snow. Snow is the offspring of Raspberry, who is the daughter of the very famous bear named Blaze. Blaze was euthanized last year after she was implicated in the death of a park employee who was breaking all the rules for backcountry travel in bear country. Unfortunately both he and Blaze paid the price. Snow is an unusual blond grizzly bear and is quite the character. I sure enjoyed watching her.
We had such a great time that we booked three trips to Yellowstone for next year.
Steve
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