YELLOWSTONE – some snowy investigations

Wednesday – good morning, welcome to Old Faithful Snow Lodge and what a great night’s sleep!  A wonderful comfy bed and soooo quiet – I really could get used to this.  It’s great just to lie here and think about where I am and what today is going to bring. First though it is time to have a look out the window and see what sort of day it is.  I open the shutters and see this.  What a great view although I certainly wouldn’t want to be stabbed with that little toothpick!

But then again, it would make a good murder weapon as it would melt away without a trace – but I digress once again.  After the initial shock of what is hanging just above my head – albeit on the outside of the window – I just stand and look at what surrounds me.  There was a mega snowfall last night which certainly puts paid to my ‘not much snow’ comment in an earlier post!

We did not get to have a great look around last night so today will be exploration plus.  Looks like the snowmobiles are getting ready for a big day although I think that maybe these might be for the park workers.  The main body of holiday snowers come from West Yellowstone which is outside the park.  Apparently they come for a bit of a ride, some lunch at the Geyser Grill and then they go back home.  But back to us – look at that snow.  I wonder how we are going to trudge through that but first things first.

Time for breakfast – dressing comfortably it is down to the Obsidian Dining Room which is very rustically decked out.  We are given a warm welcome and led to our table.  The waiters are most attentive and we have water and hot coffee within a minute or so.  There is an a la carte menu or we can go to the buffet.  Seeing we are in no hurry I order bacon, breakfast potatoes, juice and of course toast with my well travelled vegemite.

It is nice to sit there in this relaxed atmosphere and talk about what we are going to do today.  Kylie is still a bit crook but she will soldier on.  Bit of a bummer to be sick on holidays – I think more medicinal alcohol is needed for sure.

Looking at the amount of snow out there I hope there are some nice and easy paths for us to tread.  Once our tummies are happy it is back to the room to gather cameras, lenses, batteries and anything else.  It is also time to dress in our ‘snow gear’ so that we are toasty warm.  This snow gear comprises the following – inner thermals, mid thermals, outer thermals, snow pants, jacket, two pair socks, fur lined snow boots, my Ron Weasley Hat and of course my famous heat gloves – and if you think that all of that is easy to get on then give yourself a slap!

One thing I will mention, even though the Lodge and rooms are comfortable the air is so dry it is just like being on a plane – you know that stuffed up nose feeling?  There should be some sort of humidifier in the rooms for sure or at least a place where you can hire them if they are too stingy to put them in the rooms free of charge. But back to the adventure – –

We decide to walk over to the Visitor Centre as the paths have been groomed and hopefully we won’t disappear.  In some areas the snow is shoulder deep on either side of the path as we walk along – let’s hope it doesn’t collapse or you may not see us again until the Spring thaw!

This is the front of the Visitor Centre.  These windows look out onto Old Faithful although today you may need a ladder to see anything.  This certainly has changed since last time we were here.  Before it was just a small shed type building – this new building has a large viewing area, a store, a Ranger theatre for lectures etc and a huge display area telling us about the Caldera and its features.  Most impressive – and I suppose they had to update due to the large amount of tourists that descend on this place like a plague of locusts in the warmer weather!

Giving up our warmth it is outside to see more attractions.

This is the Old Faithful Lodge which is not to be confused with the Snow Lodge. This Lodge is not open during the Winter season but during the warm season the view of Old Faithful would be great, and speaking of Old Faithful we are enjoying our walk, the skies are dreadfully bleak but improving (I think) and as long as it doesn’t snow or rain we will remain happy.

As luck would have it, we do not have long to wait for Old Faithful to strutt her stuff.  In the many times we have been here, we have been lucky enough not to have waited too long for the eruptions.  It always amazes me that this geyser has been the centre of attention for so long – and it doesn’t look as if it will stop being that anytime soon.

You can never have enough photos of her, in Summer you can actually see the water spray but now with the colder times as the hot water hits the cold air it turns to steam.  Nevertheless it is still a miracle to behold.

Once the steam dies down and after we have finished our visit, we continue to walk along the path which heads to Castle Geyser.

On our way we pass by the Old Faithful Inn – another Summer only building. We have been inside on previous visits and it is incredible.  To think that it was nearly lost in the great fires of 1988 – well it would have been just a disaster.

Arriving at Castle Geyser – there is no set time for an eruption – we brush the snow and ice from the seats and sit for a while.

Every now and again there is hissing and a rush of steam, we get positioned with our cameras and – – – nothing. Watching, waiting and hissing goes on for a while and soon I think what else is there around here?

Time for a little walk, not too far just in case the Castle goes off and I find this walkway beside Shield Spring.  It will give you an idea of just how deep the snow is knowing that you can only see part of the middle rail and the bottom rail and walkway is about the same distance under the snow.

Another little walkway and we have Crested Pool and the Firehole River with some more munching bison.  I must admit that the springs look wonderful with the snow around them and I am lucky that there is not much steam which means that we can see the colours.

On our way back to our Lodge I get a good view of the Inn and right on schedule, Old Faithful erupts as soon as we get near.

This little journey has taken about two and a half hours and we head back to the Geyser Grill at The Lodge for some lunch of a cheeseburger and a drink – how adventurous!  After that it is back to the room to relax so that we are ready for the tour tonight.  I decide not to have dinner as the cheeseburger is still sitting in my tummy like a lump of lead.

We meet in the lobby for our Steam, Stars and Soundscapes tour.  Our guide is Jesse and it looks as if it is a full coach – yep mainly Fakers.

Outside it is snowing and there are clouds so consequently no stars. We joke that we should get a discount as there is only Steam and Sound – but we are given a choice to go or not to go – we decide to go but there will be no photos tonight. Jesse is very knowledgeable about the parks and the areas so he keeps us interested until it is time to get out and walk.  We are touring the Upper Geyser Basin and I am glad that I brought my head torch – Jesse has torches for anyone who needs them.

It has stopped snowing and there is a light gust of wind every now and again.  We walk single file just like the bison, taking our time to walk in the footsteps of others so that we do not disappear in the soft snow.

This is not my photo – it is from the web but it will give you an idea of what we are missing!  The night sounds are wonderful – it is incredible to hear the bubbling and hissing of steam in the dark.  Every now and again I miss the path and land hip deep in snow – what a hoot.  Tyler has to play snow crane to get me out.

There is a pushy old fart behind me who wants to walk as if he is in the Olympic Games – really, what are you going to achieve getting there faster?  I feel the need to tell him there is no free food on this tour but I just keep my mouth shut.  Needless to say that my legs disappear into the snow on more than one occasion as I try and get out of his way.  There are a couple of walks that we do and it is a bit frightening to think that the path has hot springs on either side.  I have decided that I will remain at the back of the pack.  Jesse keeps an eye out for us all and helps us over the dicey bits of the paths.

When it is time to head back and we are comfortably seated in the coach Jesse gives us all a mug of steaming hot chocolate.  It is in our very own Yellowstone Steam & Stars mug which we get to keep and this is given to those who have done the tour.  It is not for sale anywhere.

Even though there were no stars it was a great experience and we all had a good time.  Back at The Lodge there is hot apple cider and warm cookies.  Yum – the cider becomes a nightly favourite.

After saying goodnight to K&T and in the warmth of my room, it is time to take off all the gear and between dancing and prancing around peeling off the many layers of thermals and falling on the bed trying to get the boots off, I am exhausted!

Highlight of the day : Being hip deep in snow in the middle of the black night!