Greetings from
Yellowstone!
This national park –
the country’s very first -- is so huge that it’s hard to grasp the scale of its
2.2 million square acres (for comparison, it covers an area about one-quarter
the size of Switzerland). Despite the expansiveness of the ranges, grasslands,
and forests, I still expected to have herds of bison crossing in front of my
car and black bears pressing their noses against my windows like we’ve all
seen in photos and newsreels.
 |
| I should be so lucky |
But there's nary a large cloven-hoofed
or clawed furry mammal near or far.
Of course, that’s the thing about creatures in the wild, isn’t it? Granted, I got here in the heat of the day
when most animals of this sort are slumbering in the shade, or at least staying
out of the sun. I consider striking out
on one of the many trails to improve my chances of spotting something in the
woods, but I have neither bear bells nor bear spray and both items are highly
recommended by the park service, which also advises against hiking alone. So I’m confined impatiently to the vehicle…wait,
what’s happening up ahead? A traffic jam…dozens of camera-laden people lined up
on the roadside…they must see something impressive…I inch forward, pull over in
the turnout, get out in eager anticipation…peer through the trees…and spy one
single solitary elk. Sheesh.
Day 2: I go to check
out the geothermal features -- at least I know where to find them.
And what luck: Steamboat Geyser, the “World’s Tallest Active Geyser”,
erupted last night and is still gurgling and belching huge amounts of steam.
The day is promising…on
to Old Faithful and a series of other geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. The landscapes are eerie and desolate where
the scalding soil has killed the trees; the ground bubbles, oozes, hisses,
sprays; and the repugnant smell of sulfur fills the air.
Really very
impressive and at the same time pretty freaky when you realize you’re standing on
top of one of Earth’s largest active, unstable volcanoes.
Day 3: I get up well
before dawn to join a “Wake Up With Wildlife” safari in hopes of finally seeing
significant numbers of animals. It is
below freezing here at almost 8,000 feet (2400 meters) and I have to scrape the
windshield with a credit card, but it’s
a glorious day, warms up quickly, and by sundown I can check off herds / flocks of all these:
- bison
- pronghorn antelope
- elk
- sandhill cranes
- bighorn sheep
- Canadian geese
Glad you found your bison after all!
ReplyDeleteDid you taste one of these guys for dinner as well?