Yellowstone in Winter

Our trip was the first week of October.

Yes, I know that isn't officially "winter",

but this year we went from 80 degrees to 35 degrees and snow in 1 day...

and it just happened to be during our trip.

Despite the frigid temperatures,

it turned out to be

THE BEST

Yellowstone trip I have had in my 34 years.

No Yellowstone trip is complete without a trip to

OLD FAITHFUL

It also happened to be the ONLY place we could get to

that first day

Thanks to road closures for a fire around Yellowstone Lake
and construction on the other side of the park

And just as I was completely fascinated by everything
I saw when I was a child...

My kids were totally into it, as well.

It doesn't matter how old I get

and how many times I go,

I am still awed by this place

What in the world did those first explorers think

about this steamy place

in the middle of a forest?

Anna spent most of the week on my back

and was just as fascinated as the boys.

Amazing stuff!

Anna was full of smiles for her Uncle Curtis

aka "Camera Man"

And more smiles...

Our forever family friends Dan & Cindy Bain joined us.

One of the last times I went to Yellowstone was with

the Kaysville group we always camped with:
Bains, Jensens, Weidhauers, Bowmans

Don't let those beautiful blue skies fool you.

It was COLD.

Which made those steamy hot pools look all the more

TEMPTING

(Ya right!)

Pop talked us into taking the hike to Morning Glory Pool.

It was his favorite memory as a kid...and according to him

we were always too whiney and didn't want to walk to it

when we were kids...

(I don't believe that)

So 25 years later, he got us there.

It wasn't as blue as he remembered--

thanks to littering men with moustaches and short pants

(Internal joke)

Castle Geyser

We thought it was better than Old Faithful

The boys commented that this was the

Real Volcano

We just happened to be there at the right time

For a pretty random geyser

Ben was trying to make it look like the geyser

is coming out of Colton's head...

Convincing?

We also hiked to ALL the water falls.

This was the brink of Upper Falls in

Yellowstone Canyon.

Looking down the falls.

Great picture, Curt.

The family hikers

including the dogs.

Pop is a happy man!

Love the smile, dad.

Colt the goat

What is it about rocks that say to little boys,

"Climb me!"

Camping is the best for little boys

with lots of energy

Lower Falls

Yellowstone Canyon

The token family picture

And Yes...that is a fox on Ben's head.

He was a popular man wherever we went

because of that hat.

Oh ya, sorry...it was because of him only;

not the hat.

Curt & Shae

Bright eyes and Rosy cheeks

Dave, Carly, Booke, Lily & Ian

Colton sporting his fur hat
just like his dad

Bryce sportin' his perma smile

Brink of Lower Falls

Now that is a HIKE!

These boys rocked on their

feet this trip

Tower Falls

The best part of driving up to this Falls

was what we saw on the way there & back...

First, it was a black bear

Just chilling on the side of the road

eating some "stuff."

There is something much more exciting

about seeing a bear in the

wild vs the zoo

But the BIG ONE

was the

GRIZZLY

I've been to Yellowstone 7 or 8 times

and only saw a grizzly through bincoluars

But this time...

We got to see TWO VERY CLOSE.

This one crossed the road right in front of

my brothers truck...

Then walked along the edge for quite sometime,

completely ignoring the mayhem of

cameras and cars right next to him.

It was UNFORGETTABLE!

We also saw THREE

of these Bull Elks

with their cows

grazing

along side the road

And TONS (Literally)

of these

BUFFALO

The kids with a heard

of Bison behind them

Obviously, they opened up the "fire closed" road

by Saturday. It was still burning on both sides of the road.

The forces of Mother Nature always fascinate me.

And our last and final token picture:

Colton burying his face in his coat

because he is DONE!

He is done walking.

He is done driving.

He just wants to go back to camp and ride his bike.

He does NOT want a picture in front of the

Yellowstone Limo.

So...goodnight!