With Denise with me I left Minnesota last Saturday morning. We came into Yellowstone via the Beartooth Pass. I've been over the pass a few times before but each time is an experience. Being her first time west Denise was in awe of the beauty of the Beartooths. Once inside YNP we stopped in Lamar Valley, brought out my chairs and sat in a pullout eating sandwiches and watched (and listened) to a herd of bison while an antelope stood behind us across the road. Thinking that she had pretty much experienced everything we could fit into one day we both were amazed when we came across a grizzly by Chittenden Road as we started over Dunraven Pass. It was an incredible day, especially for Denise.
On Sunday and Monday, during my breaks, I took Denise around to the sites around Canyon. Monday night I took her on the north loop where she saw her 2nd grizzly bear which was on Blacktail Plateau. Then we had a picnic and continued down to Old Faithful where she got a room at Old Faithful Inn. I left here there and headed back to Canyon as I had to work the next day. Tuesday night I returned to Old Faithful and stayed with her in a cabin. Wednesday we took off for the Tetons. Once again she was amazed at the beauty of the parks. We were on the look out for a moose but I checked both Moose Jct. and the Oxbow and were unable to find one. We did find a herd of bison and I snapped a few pictures of the herd with the Tetons as a backdrop. We stopped in Jackson Hole and bought a few shirts and then it was off to Jackson Hole Airport for her to catch her 5:00 flight. It was great to have an old friend here.
This evening Carl and I went for a drive up Dunraven and saw a HUGE grizzly bear. I was upset with myself for not grabbing my 35mm (which I decided to use more often) but I did get a couple with my digital. Carl will have to leave on Sunday because of some issues back in Colorado. My hiking buddy and friend will hopefully be able to return yet this year. Time will tell......but I sure will miss him.
