WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.919 From Yellowstone National Park where the sage 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:05.540 has been smelling amazing in the early morning 00:00:05.540 --> 00:00:08.820 hours after an evening rain This is that Scott 00:00:08.820 --> 00:00:11.140 guy you know and love with a brand new episode 00:00:11.140 --> 00:00:24.339 of this week in Yellowstone What's up everybody 00:00:24.339 --> 00:00:27.160 this week in Yellowstone National Park from August 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:32.130 20th to August 26th 2026, I talk about the dirt 00:00:32.130 --> 00:00:34.630 road that's found just outside of the park that 00:00:34.630 --> 00:00:37.549 few people ever drive. I tell you about the history 00:00:37.549 --> 00:00:39.950 of glaciers in the park and what they left behind, 00:00:40.469 --> 00:00:43.109 and offer a reminder to leave things where you 00:00:43.109 --> 00:00:45.710 found them in the park. I'll also give you the 00:00:45.710 --> 00:00:48.229 complete weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, 00:00:48.810 --> 00:00:51.009 the wildlife report, and everything else you 00:00:51.009 --> 00:00:53.630 need to have an incredible time this week in 00:00:53.630 --> 00:00:57.009 Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, I may miss 00:00:57.009 --> 00:00:58.990 a few details here and there. That's just me 00:00:58.990 --> 00:01:01.710 trying to be a little more brief. I could easily 00:01:01.710 --> 00:01:05.010 make this podcast two hours every week, but no 00:01:05.010 --> 00:01:07.430 one wants that. And if you do, maybe I'll launch 00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:09.670 a Patreon or something and you can hear me ramble 00:01:09.670 --> 00:01:12.930 for an hour or two a week. But until then, just 00:01:12.930 --> 00:01:14.810 know that I'm going to miss some details because 00:01:14.810 --> 00:01:18.290 I'm trying to be brief. Also know that I mentioned 00:01:18.290 --> 00:01:21.129 park locations very casually. So if you're unfamiliar 00:01:21.129 --> 00:01:23.409 with anywhere I'm talking about, a quick search 00:01:23.409 --> 00:01:26.219 can help or you can reach out to. to me directly, 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:31.739 you can text me at 406 -589 -1873 or shoot me 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:36.219 an email at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail .com. Now 00:01:36.219 --> 00:01:37.719 I do want to say that those of you that have 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:39.599 texted me and emailed me, I'm trying to catch 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:43.659 up. It's been a busy last month. So if you messaged 00:01:43.659 --> 00:01:46.680 me, sent me something, I apologize for not getting 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.000 to it. Everything just gets stacked up and I 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:52.079 do the best I can. So apologies. Please, if it's 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.260 pressing and coming up, reach out to me again. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:57.219 It's not a personal thing. I do try and respond 00:01:57.219 --> 00:01:59.939 to every single person that reaches out. So reach 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:01.879 back out to me. I'll try and catch up in the 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:05.159 next week or so, and I'll do my best. Finally, 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:07.980 please know that this podcast is a passion project 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:11.539 of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a review online 00:02:11.539 --> 00:02:14.139 at whatever, wherever you listen to it. So if 00:02:14.139 --> 00:02:16.319 it's like Apple podcasts, review their Spotify, 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:18.979 review it there, or just shoot me a quick email. 00:02:19.210 --> 00:02:22.389 I like getting those. It's really nice every 00:02:22.389 --> 00:02:25.750 week to get so many wonderful message from all 00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:28.090 of you listeners because, you know, I'm just 00:02:28.090 --> 00:02:30.949 recording this in my little studio office and 00:02:30.949 --> 00:02:34.169 there isn't like anybody here to tell me if I'm 00:02:34.169 --> 00:02:36.370 rambling or not. I know I'm rambling right now, 00:02:36.469 --> 00:02:40.669 but I appreciate all of your contact that you've 00:02:40.669 --> 00:02:42.389 done reaching out to me, telling that you like 00:02:42.389 --> 00:02:44.719 what I do. So thank you so much. If you want 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:46.939 to support me more, you can check out my hiking 00:02:46.939 --> 00:02:49.080 and wildlife watching guidebooks, or you can 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:51.620 join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's 00:02:51.620 --> 00:02:53.719 backcountry. For more information and all that, 00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:57.560 visit outdoor -society .com or contact me directly, 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:03.580 again 406 -589 -1873 or theoutdoorsocietyatgmail 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:08.419 .com. This week's Yellowstone news. The proposed 00:03:08.419 --> 00:03:11.560 highway near Yellowstone. If you've been online, 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:14.319 you may have seen that there is a proposed interstate 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:19.020 that will run from Texas to Montana, and there's 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:21.379 a lot of different rumors going around and a 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:24.000 lot of worry, and I want to talk about what that 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:26.520 proposed highway means to Yellowstone National 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:29.650 Park specifically. So here's what I wrote to 00:03:29.650 --> 00:03:31.789 summarize all of the news about it. A proposed 00:03:31.789 --> 00:03:36.750 interstate could bring major changes to US 287 00:03:36.750 --> 00:03:39.789 around the Greater Yellowstone Region, but it 00:03:39.789 --> 00:03:42.189 will not turn Yellowstone National Park's existing 00:03:42.189 --> 00:03:45.469 roads into an interstate or automatically widen 00:03:45.469 --> 00:03:49.409 the roads inside the park. The I -47 Future Interstate 00:03:49.409 --> 00:03:54.310 Act of 2026 would designate US 287, which runs 00:03:54.310 --> 00:03:58.810 from Port Arthur, Texas, to Montana, as future 00:03:58.810 --> 00:04:03.849 Interstate 47. Importantly, US 287 is officially 00:04:03.849 --> 00:04:08.009 discontinuous through Yellowstone National Park. 00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:10.810 The roads inside the park are National Park Service 00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:16.370 roads, not US 287. Again, this could be a new 00:04:16.370 --> 00:04:18.790 interstate, but it will not be an interstate 00:04:18.790 --> 00:04:21.870 through Yellowstone National Park. Their proposal 00:04:21.870 --> 00:04:24.490 could nevertheless have significant implications 00:04:24.490 --> 00:04:28.230 outside of the park, especially along that Greater 00:04:28.230 --> 00:04:30.430 Yellowstone ecosystem near West Yellowstone, 00:04:30.670 --> 00:04:33.790 Madison Valley, and then kind of that southeast 00:04:33.790 --> 00:04:37.949 side as well. Converting the mostly two -lane 00:04:37.949 --> 00:04:40.689 highway to an interstate could eventually require 00:04:40.689 --> 00:04:42.829 substantial improvements depending on how the 00:04:42.829 --> 00:04:45.350 designation is implemented and what projects 00:04:45.350 --> 00:04:48.470 are actually funded. The main concern is that 00:04:48.470 --> 00:04:50.990 the future highway upgrades on the existing two 00:04:50.990 --> 00:04:53.629 -lane highway to an interstate would increase 00:04:53.629 --> 00:04:57.209 traffic volumes, increase vehicle speed, and 00:04:57.209 --> 00:04:59.370 make the physical footprint of the road much 00:04:59.370 --> 00:05:02.310 higher which would result in fragmenting key 00:05:02.310 --> 00:05:05.170 habitat, impeding wildlife movement, polluting 00:05:05.170 --> 00:05:07.629 rivers, and impacting the heritage and rural 00:05:07.629 --> 00:05:11.470 character of our region. Obviously this is still 00:05:11.470 --> 00:05:14.550 just out there being floated but there's a lot 00:05:14.550 --> 00:05:16.889 of talk about it and I wanted to mention it because 00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:18.870 I've also seen a lot of people saying they're 00:05:18.870 --> 00:05:21.610 gonna build a four -lane highway through Yellowstone 00:05:21.610 --> 00:05:24.129 National Park and that is fundamentally not true. 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:29.259 Proposal for this interstate does not cover park 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:31.980 roads. They would have to change things substantially 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:36.519 and That's just not gonna happen. It's The amount 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:38.819 of funding the amount of red tape that there's 00:05:38.819 --> 00:05:41.160 going to be for this it's just not going to happen 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.540 now the impact of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem 00:05:43.540 --> 00:05:47.129 with A highway like this could be huge, especially 00:05:47.129 --> 00:05:49.910 if they decide not to do wildlife overpasses 00:05:49.910 --> 00:05:52.449 every mile or two or things like that. That's 00:05:52.449 --> 00:05:54.670 really going to negatively impact the region. 00:05:55.029 --> 00:05:57.449 I'll talk about that more as we get there, but 00:05:57.449 --> 00:05:58.829 I just wanted to mention that I've seen a lot 00:05:58.829 --> 00:06:02.050 of chatter online and had to address it. One 00:06:02.050 --> 00:06:03.829 other thing I'm going to talk about in the future, 00:06:04.149 --> 00:06:06.569 but not this episode because we're still waiting, 00:06:07.050 --> 00:06:10.769 is the fate of the molly pack. The mollies left 00:06:10.769 --> 00:06:13.730 Yellowstone a while ago and they are out of the 00:06:13.730 --> 00:06:16.810 park in Wyoming. And Wyoming is not exactly the 00:06:16.810 --> 00:06:20.009 best place for wolves to go outside of park protection. 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:23.050 I could talk about this again for a long time. 00:06:23.170 --> 00:06:25.730 I'm not going to right now, but just know that 00:06:25.730 --> 00:06:27.850 we're still waiting on confirmation if the mollies 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:30.269 return to the park or are still out. Right now, 00:06:30.389 --> 00:06:34.069 it's just a big question mark. My experience 00:06:34.069 --> 00:06:37.829 of the week. Grassy Lake Road. I often talk about 00:06:37.829 --> 00:06:39.910 scenic roads in the park tucked away off the 00:06:39.910 --> 00:06:42.569 main areas. I've also been known to constantly 00:06:42.569 --> 00:06:44.930 tell people to drive the Beartooth Highway, Chief 00:06:44.930 --> 00:06:47.689 Joseph, and the road between the east entrance 00:06:47.689 --> 00:06:50.560 and Cody. I even recommend driving Old Yellowstone 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.839 Road north of the park. This week, I'm continuing 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:55.759 my tradition of telling you to find the roads 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.319 less traveled while visiting Yellowstone and 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:00.660 highlighting the often overlooked Grassy Lake 00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:04.000 Road. Located just a few miles south of the south 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.459 entrance between Yellowstone and the Tetons, 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:10.160 Grassy Lake Road is a 36 -mile road, 35 of which 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.399 are dirt and gravel, that connects the John D. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.610 Rockefeller Memorial John D. Rockefeller Jr. 00:07:15.930 --> 00:07:19.110 Memorial Parkway to just outside of Ashton, Idaho. 00:07:19.949 --> 00:07:22.329 While you may already be perking up hearing about 00:07:22.329 --> 00:07:25.290 this hidden scenic road, I ask you to pump the 00:07:25.290 --> 00:07:27.970 brakes for a little bit. Grassy Lake Road is 00:07:27.970 --> 00:07:31.850 not a casual drive. The road is oftentimes washboarded, 00:07:32.149 --> 00:07:35.170 sometimes rutted, sometimes full of deep potholes. 00:07:35.810 --> 00:07:39.209 It is windy and always narrow. The National Park 00:07:39.209 --> 00:07:43.769 Service takes this one step further and recommends 00:07:43.769 --> 00:07:47.089 a high clearance vehicle. Usually I'm a bit lax 00:07:47.089 --> 00:07:49.370 about warnings like this, like, oh, you can make 00:07:49.370 --> 00:07:53.209 it. But this is correct. I want to say that even 00:07:53.209 --> 00:07:55.629 those route looks short on a map, the conditions 00:07:55.629 --> 00:07:59.490 of the road can easily take an hour to each way 00:07:59.490 --> 00:08:02.529 without stops. And this is not something to do 00:08:02.529 --> 00:08:06.689 in a camper van, in a RV or in a vehicle that 00:08:06.689 --> 00:08:10.810 does not do well on very, I'll call them rustic 00:08:10.810 --> 00:08:13.459 roads. Now, if you do have a car that's capable 00:08:13.459 --> 00:08:17.459 of driving on some really bumpy, not ideal roads, 00:08:18.259 --> 00:08:20.980 this is for you. Starting at Flag Ranch, the 00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:22.800 first couple of miles are probably the easiest 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.379 part of the drive. The road leaves the Snake 00:08:25.379 --> 00:08:27.639 River and passes through lodgepole forests and 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:30.300 meadows, and in the first few miles, you're still 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:32.399 close to the services of Flag Ranch, which is 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.059 also known as Headwaters, where you can get fuel, 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:38.210 food, and other supplies. After those first few 00:08:38.210 --> 00:08:41.350 miles, though, the pavement is long gone and 00:08:41.350 --> 00:08:45.049 the road becomes a very bumpy gravel route that 00:08:45.049 --> 00:08:48.169 continues west. This is an area where wildlife 00:08:48.169 --> 00:08:51.830 is common, so I'd take the curve slowly. I would 00:08:51.830 --> 00:08:54.750 stop at any place you have good visibility and 00:08:54.750 --> 00:08:57.629 scan for moose, elk, deer, and bears, especially 00:08:57.629 --> 00:09:00.169 as we get a little later in this month. At about 00:09:00.169 --> 00:09:03.230 11 miles in, you reach Grassy Lake Reservoir, 00:09:03.509 --> 00:09:05.669 and this is one of the landmarks that gives the 00:09:05.669 --> 00:09:08.710 road its name. It's a good place to slow down, 00:09:08.950 --> 00:09:11.049 take in the scenery, get out of the car, wander, 00:09:11.610 --> 00:09:13.750 because the road's just kind of settled into 00:09:13.750 --> 00:09:15.789 what it's going to be for the next little bit. 00:09:16.450 --> 00:09:18.690 At and around the reservoir, there are some trailheads, 00:09:18.769 --> 00:09:20.870 there's a couple side roads to get to another 00:09:20.870 --> 00:09:23.889 little lake. This is a good place to really wander 00:09:23.889 --> 00:09:25.970 and see what else is out there if you have time. 00:09:26.309 --> 00:09:29.850 I really like around the reservoir a lot, and 00:09:29.850 --> 00:09:31.850 if this is where you just decide to drive to 00:09:31.850 --> 00:09:34.590 and turn around, you've had a good time. I forgot 00:09:34.590 --> 00:09:37.919 to mention that when you're driving out here, 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:40.340 really make sure to keep an eye out just for 00:09:40.340 --> 00:09:42.720 cool spots to get out and wander for a little 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:44.840 bit. When you get out of the car, always carry 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:48.500 bear spray. This is a heavy bear area, but it's 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:50.759 worth it to just explore because it's a really 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:55.080 overlooked, very pretty section of country. So 00:09:55.080 --> 00:09:57.960 from roughly 11 to 20 miles, you're continuing 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:01.159 west through increasingly remote country. There's 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:04.320 more trailheads, there's more side roads, and 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:08.860 this is just So cool, so remote, so scenic. I 00:10:08.860 --> 00:10:11.600 really like being out here in the morning or 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:14.100 the evening, especially when the sun's low on 00:10:14.100 --> 00:10:16.320 the horizon. There's a little smoke in the air 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:18.960 and makes it all look very scenic as well. Again, 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:21.919 though, once you're driving out here, know that 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:24.159 you're not going to be driving fast. You're not 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:25.840 going to be able to make up time for all your 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:27.860 stops. You're going to have loose gravel, washboards, 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.139 potholes, narrow sections, and just everything 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:33.159 that's going to slow you down. And that's kind 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:36.080 of the reward of being here. This is not a road 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:39.480 to quickly go from point A to point B. You should 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.500 be out here to just enjoy the remoteness and 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:44.860 the scenery. If you want a remote picnic, this 00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:49.100 is where you go. So then around 20 to 35 miles, 00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:53.840 the road continues west and you just kind of 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:56.539 slowly exit. The way you kind of entered, you 00:10:56.539 --> 00:11:00.879 just exit everything and you're still... enjoying 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.779 some good views, some awesome wetlands, little 00:11:03.779 --> 00:11:06.679 lakes here and there, really nice quiet meadows, 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:10.320 good wildlife watching, but every mile you drive, 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.360 you're closer to the end of this road. By about 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:17.460 mile 36, you then get off the gravel and the 00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:19.940 road continues another dozen or so miles toward 00:11:19.940 --> 00:11:23.480 Ashton before you connect to all of the other 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:26.919 roads out there. The entire Flag Ranch Ashton 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:30.710 route is about 49 miles. but the character of 00:11:30.710 --> 00:11:32.990 that drive changes considerably between the remote 00:11:32.990 --> 00:11:35.490 gravel section and the approach to Ashton. So 00:11:35.490 --> 00:11:38.250 I really just am talking about the gravel section. 00:11:38.950 --> 00:11:41.669 If you're doing this drive in late August, it's 00:11:41.669 --> 00:11:43.870 a really good time of the year. I love it. You 00:11:43.870 --> 00:11:46.029 get those elk bugles in the morning and the evening. 00:11:46.190 --> 00:11:48.610 You start seeing moose out there. Moose are starting 00:11:48.610 --> 00:11:51.870 to hang out for their mating season. You also 00:11:51.870 --> 00:11:55.679 get just away from everybody. August is a busy 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:58.980 time in the parks for Tetons and Yellowstone, 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:03.940 and Grassy Lake is a little slice of heaven that, 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:07.299 yeah, it's more popular than it's been, but honestly, 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:09.759 the road conditions just kind of scare enough 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:12.480 people away. It's a very local, very niche thing 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:16.980 to do, so enjoy it. I think you'll love it. Just 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:19.799 be aware that when there are storms in the area, 00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:23.139 this area can flood pretty quickly. You know, 00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:25.580 we don't get a lot of heavy rains, so our drainage 00:12:25.580 --> 00:12:27.960 is not the same as some other areas. So if we 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:29.840 get a thunderstorm that rains an inch or two, 00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:34.080 expect some very muddy conditions. If you're 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.500 looking for a quieter road that gets you away 00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:39.059 from Yellowstone's main routes, Grassy Lake Road 00:12:39.059 --> 00:12:41.960 is well worth considering, but it's a road to 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:45.190 approach with respect. The scenery is beautiful, 00:12:45.470 --> 00:12:48.509 the country is remote, and the route offers exactly 00:12:48.509 --> 00:12:50.509 the kind of off -the -beaten -path experience 00:12:50.509 --> 00:12:53.610 I'm always encouraging people to seek out. Just 00:12:53.610 --> 00:12:56.289 remember that this is not a casual scenic drive. 00:12:56.789 --> 00:13:00.210 Again, the road can be rough, narrow, and slow 00:13:00.210 --> 00:13:03.690 going, cell service is unreliable and non -existent, 00:13:04.009 --> 00:13:06.909 and late August weather can change quickly. But 00:13:06.909 --> 00:13:10.509 go prepared, take your time, make sure your vehicle 00:13:10.509 --> 00:13:13.990 and supplies are up for the trip, if you do that, 00:13:14.190 --> 00:13:15.889 Grassy Lake Road can be one of those Yellowstone 00:13:15.889 --> 00:13:18.090 drives that you remember long after you've left 00:13:18.090 --> 00:13:23.009 the park. My tip of the week. So, most of you 00:13:23.009 --> 00:13:25.629 that listen to this, this will be completely 00:13:25.629 --> 00:13:28.809 known, but I do want to reiterate this so you 00:13:28.809 --> 00:13:31.509 can pass this message along, but this week I'm 00:13:31.509 --> 00:13:34.830 going to be talking about why no one should take 00:13:34.830 --> 00:13:37.350 anything from the park that includes antlers, 00:13:37.669 --> 00:13:41.169 rocks, bones, flowers, and feathers. Just leave 00:13:41.169 --> 00:13:45.200 them be. I know there's something almost irresistible 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.320 about finding a beautiful piece of Yellowstone 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:52.059 and wanting to hold onto it. Maybe it's an unusually 00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:55.419 colorful rock beside a trail, a wildflower that 00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:58.000 seems too perfect to leave behind, a feather 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.840 lying in the grass, or an elk antler resting 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.620 in the woods. It's easy to think, I'll just take 00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:05.980 this one thing home. After all, it's already 00:14:05.980 --> 00:14:09.340 laying here. How could taking one thing possibly 00:14:09.340 --> 00:14:12.879 hurt? In Yellowstone, the answer is simple. Just 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.460 leave it where you found it. This is not merely 00:14:15.460 --> 00:14:17.519 a suggestion from the National Park Service. 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:21.700 Removing or possessing natural resources, including 00:14:21.700 --> 00:14:24.740 wildflowers, antlers, rocks, and other natural 00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:27.940 objects is prohibited under federal regulations. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:31.899 Yellowstone's current laws and policies specifically 00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:39.919 identifies 36 CFR 2 .1 A1 as prohibiting the 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.820 removal or possession of natural or cultural 00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:46.259 resources. The Yellowstone Pledge puts it more 00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:49.539 plainly. Leave what you find. Don't take antlers, 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:52.340 artifacts, rocks, plants, or other objects from 00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:56.220 the park. There's a good reason for leaving these 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:59.700 things behind. Let's say you find a rock that 00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:02.980 you like. It may seem insignificant to pick it 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:05.620 up and put it in your pocket. But Yellowstone's 00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:08.960 geology tells a really cool story. And a rock 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:12.299 is evidence of an ancient lava flow, or a glacier, 00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:15.559 or an extinct volcanic event, or erosion of mountains 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:18.360 that existed long before Yellowstone became a 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:21.620 national park. Maybe it's a fossil, or some other 00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:25.059 geological object. While it is tempting to put 00:15:25.059 --> 00:15:29.019 it in your pocket, leave it there. It's part 00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:32.320 of the landscape. It tells the story. And other 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:35.519 people deserve to have that story too. By taking 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:37.840 things away from the park, we're altering how 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:41.000 the park is and we're changing the story and 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:43.019 putting ourselves in it. If you've listened to 00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:46.379 this podcast enough, you know that I do not ever 00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:48.899 have main character energy. The fact that I have 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:52.039 a podcast is funny to me because I really don't 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:56.659 like being the voice of something, but it's the 00:15:56.659 --> 00:16:00.159 same as like everything else in the park. I want 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:02.139 the park to speak for itself. And if you take 00:16:02.139 --> 00:16:05.440 a rock, something like that, then you're not 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.120 letting the park speak for itself. Now, I also 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.220 mentioned wildflowers. Yellowstone is home to 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:14.720 more than a thousand native plant species and 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.639 flowers are part of that ecosystem. They provide 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:20.720 food for insects and other wildlife. But more 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.000 importantly than that, they produce the seeds 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.320 that allow future generations of plants to grow. 00:16:26.669 --> 00:16:30.990 Picking a flower may seem harmless, but thousands, 00:16:31.389 --> 00:16:34.230 tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of visitors 00:16:34.230 --> 00:16:37.789 making the same decision would have a very real 00:16:37.789 --> 00:16:40.950 effect on how the landscape looked. If everybody 00:16:40.950 --> 00:16:44.490 hung out when the wildflowers were blooming around 00:16:44.490 --> 00:16:47.169 Mount Washburn and picked it, then the next year 00:16:47.169 --> 00:16:48.889 the flowers there aren't going to be as good. 00:16:49.350 --> 00:16:51.509 And every year everybody does that, it's going 00:16:51.509 --> 00:16:54.669 to get worse and worse. So... Again, straightforward 00:16:54.669 --> 00:16:56.970 message from the National Park Service, enjoy 00:16:56.970 --> 00:17:01.049 the wildflowers, but don't pick them. Antlers 00:17:01.049 --> 00:17:04.390 can be really tempting. Finding a naturally shed 00:17:04.390 --> 00:17:08.569 elk antler or a skull or a bison horn or a moose 00:17:08.569 --> 00:17:11.430 paddle, something like that, is really cool. 00:17:11.609 --> 00:17:14.150 I love going to the backcountry and finding these 00:17:14.150 --> 00:17:17.549 things. But that's precisely why it belongs in 00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:20.470 Yellowstone. Shed antlers are part of the natural 00:17:20.470 --> 00:17:23.720 environment and the park's regulations specifically 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:26.400 prohibit collecting them. The same applies to 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:30.619 bones, feathers, and other animal remains. I 00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:33.000 know it looks like an insignificant thing to 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.980 do, but there's still natural resources that 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:38.559 are protected by the park. If I could take things 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.440 from the park, I'd have an amazing collection, 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:43.700 but then I'd also take people into areas and 00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:46.299 there'd be no cool skulls or bones or antlers 00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:49.190 out there, and people deserve to see that. Along 00:17:49.190 --> 00:17:51.930 these lines, some of the other guides like to 00:17:51.930 --> 00:17:55.009 find antlers and bones and then hide them in 00:17:55.009 --> 00:17:57.509 special places so only they know where they are. 00:17:57.829 --> 00:18:00.170 I don't even do that. If I see something in the 00:18:00.170 --> 00:18:03.650 backcountry, we pick it up, we handle it, we 00:18:03.650 --> 00:18:06.009 take pictures with it, and we set it down exactly 00:18:06.009 --> 00:18:08.329 where we found it. And that's what I hope all 00:18:08.329 --> 00:18:11.869 of you do. Now there's another reason I like 00:18:11.869 --> 00:18:15.150 the idea of leaving things behind. It's that 00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:17.309 someone else should get to discover them too. 00:18:18.050 --> 00:18:21.029 Imagine finding an unusual rock along a trailhead 00:18:21.029 --> 00:18:23.730 and realizing that nobody has picked it up Maybe 00:18:23.730 --> 00:18:26.809 the next person stops to examine it Maybe somebody 00:18:26.809 --> 00:18:29.490 with kids is there and they wonder how it got 00:18:29.490 --> 00:18:31.670 there and they become a scientist because I don't 00:18:31.670 --> 00:18:34.230 know You know, there's something that can happen 00:18:34.230 --> 00:18:38.230 by coming across these things So one example 00:18:38.230 --> 00:18:40.390 of people leaving things behind that makes a 00:18:40.390 --> 00:18:43.289 really cool moment for everyone is there's a 00:18:43.289 --> 00:18:45.849 trail north of the Yellowstone River near the 00:18:45.849 --> 00:18:49.299 boundary of the park Where you're hiking along 00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:52.180 and if you know where to look There's a tree 00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:54.400 with an antler sticking out of the middle of 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:57.700 it. The tree is fully grown around the antler 00:18:57.700 --> 00:19:00.160 Somebody years and years ago when the tree was 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.980 kind of split Set an antler there and every single 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:08.099 person that walked by left it there That's what 00:19:08.099 --> 00:19:10.920 I hope happens everywhere is that you see something 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:13.640 you enjoy it and then you leave it behind for 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:16.819 other people to see Now, if I sound like, oh, 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:20.119 I'm just, you know, he's just saying all these 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:21.859 things because he just wants everything to be 00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:24.240 left there, I'm also saying that this is illegal. 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:27.559 There are real legal consequences for ignoring 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:31.480 these rules. Violations of the federal regulations 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:33.779 governing Yellowstone can result in fines up 00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:37.240 to $5 ,000 per person and imprisonment up to 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:41.200 six months or one or the other. The Yellowstone 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.180 superintendent also notes that courts can impose 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:47.180 probation of up to five years and court costs. 00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:50.579 There are maximum statutory penalties, not an 00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:52.599 automatic fine for every person who picks up 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:55.359 a rock, and the actual penalty depends on the 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.220 circumstances and the charge. Obviously, people 00:19:58.220 --> 00:20:00.480 pick things up all the time. And if the park 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:04.460 was like, here's five years in jail for or six 00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:08.440 months in jail for picking up a rock. for and 00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:13.000 it's a kid you know they can't do that but they 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:15.460 can go after people when they really start breaking 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:17.759 rules and a lot of those rules are for fossils 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:21.059 for skulls and antlers things like that yellowstone 00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:23.480 has demonstrated that park violations can lead 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:26.900 two significant consequences. In one recent case 00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:29.599 involving multiple illegal activities, a defendant 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:32.240 received jail time, fines and fees, probation, 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.559 and a temporary ban from Yellowstone and all 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.819 public lands. Other Yellowstone cases involving 00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:40.220 resource or safety violations have resulted in 00:20:40.220 --> 00:20:42.460 substantial fines, community service, payments, 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.339 jail sentences, and park bans as well. So why 00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:47.839 am I talking about this? That's usually the question 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:50.039 I ask myself and I know all of you ask when I 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:52.099 go on these rants. I'm talking about this right 00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:54.480 now because I've seen more people go out and 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:57.259 pick flowers. They're cutting little pieces of 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:59.980 sage. They're doing these things that I understand 00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:02.240 it's exciting. I've also seen people try and 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.140 take bones and antlers and then get tossed in 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:06.700 the back of a ranger car. This happens all the 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:09.059 time and I see it and I just want to mention 00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:12.140 it in case you're tempted to do that. Just know 00:21:12.140 --> 00:21:15.319 it's against the law. Don't do it. Enjoy the 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:17.960 things when they're there. Mark down where you 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:19.819 found them and go back year after year and see 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:22.900 how they've changed. That's more fun. That's 00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:25.660 the legal way to do it. And know that the best 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:28.299 Yellowstone souvenir is the one that you leave 00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:31.140 behind so you can continue to visit it and create 00:21:31.140 --> 00:21:33.119 more and more memories every single time you 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:36.420 go there. My random Yellowstone fact of the week. 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:40.210 Glacial history and glacial erratics. One of 00:21:40.210 --> 00:21:43.049 the easiest ways to begin understanding Yellowstone's 00:21:43.049 --> 00:21:45.670 glacial history is to stop and look at a rock 00:21:45.670 --> 00:21:48.650 that seems as though it shouldn't be there. Across 00:21:48.650 --> 00:21:50.750 Yellowstone National Park large boulders sit 00:21:50.750 --> 00:21:53.349 scattered across valleys, ridges, and plateaus, 00:21:53.690 --> 00:21:56.609 sometimes surrounded by a bedrock of an entirely 00:21:56.609 --> 00:22:00.069 different kind. These are glacial erratics, and 00:22:00.069 --> 00:22:02.250 they are among the most visible reminders that 00:22:02.250 --> 00:22:04.609 Yellowstone was once buried beneath an immense 00:22:04.609 --> 00:22:08.099 landscape of moving ice. An erratic is a rock 00:22:08.099 --> 00:22:10.359 that has been transported from its original location 00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:13.119 by a glacier and deposited somewhere else as 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:16.000 the ice retreats. In Yellowstone these rocks 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:18.900 provide tangible clues about the direction and 00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:22.779 extent of ancient glaciers. A glacier is more 00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:25.279 than a frozen sheet of ice sitting motionless 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:28.269 on the ground. As snow accumulates and compresses 00:22:28.269 --> 00:22:30.970 it into ice, the growing mass eventually flows 00:22:30.970 --> 00:22:33.829 under its own weight. Rocks can become incorporated 00:22:33.829 --> 00:22:36.490 into the ice, particularly along the base, where 00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:38.769 they're carried along the dragged landscape. 00:22:39.690 --> 00:22:42.430 Some are ground into sediment, and others, including 00:22:42.430 --> 00:22:45.150 enormous boulders, may travel for miles before 00:22:45.150 --> 00:22:48.190 being deposited. By identifying the composition 00:22:48.190 --> 00:22:50.250 of an erratic and comparing it with the bedrock 00:22:50.250 --> 00:22:52.829 around it, geologists can determine where the 00:22:52.829 --> 00:22:56.349 rock originated and begin reconstructing the 00:22:56.349 --> 00:22:59.750 glacier that carried it. This is really important 00:22:59.750 --> 00:23:02.130 in the northern range of Yellowstone where I 00:23:02.130 --> 00:23:04.170 do a lot of tours and I always point out these 00:23:04.170 --> 00:23:07.509 glacial erratics to varying levels of excitement, 00:23:07.690 --> 00:23:09.890 I'll be honest. Not everybody cares, but I'm 00:23:09.890 --> 00:23:13.579 talking about it now. These erratics help geologists 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:16.680 recognize the glaciers that impacted Yellowstone. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:20.220 The USGS scientists today combine evidence from 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:23.559 erratics, moraines, glacial sediments, and different 00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:26.440 things to reconstruct the movements and timing 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.039 of Yellowstone's ancient ice. Once we recognize 00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:32.519 the erratics as evidence of moving ice, we can 00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:35.420 zoom out and ask a larger question. When did 00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:39.119 Yellowstone become a glacial landscape? Yellowstone 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:41.720 has experienced repeated glaciation during the 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:45.440 last 2 .6 million years. Evidence for the oldest 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.940 episodes is limited because later glaciers, volcanic 00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:52.119 eruptions, rivers, and other geological processes 00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:55.559 have altered or buried much of that record. The 00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:57.839 National Park Service notes that a glacial deposit 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:01.240 near Tower dates approximately 1 .3 million years 00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:04.420 ago, demonstrating that glaciers occupied Yellowstone 00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:07.690 long before the most recent ice age. The two 00:24:07.690 --> 00:24:11.410 most recent major glaciations are known as the 00:24:11.410 --> 00:24:14.829 Bull Lake and Pinedale Glaciations. The Bull 00:24:14.829 --> 00:24:18.549 Lake Glaciation occurred roughly 150 ,000 -140 00:24:18.549 --> 00:24:21.470 ,000 years ago and produced an extensive glacial 00:24:21.470 --> 00:24:23.630 system across the Greater Yellowstone region. 00:24:24.269 --> 00:24:27.289 In some areas, Bull Lake glaciers actually reached 00:24:27.289 --> 00:24:30.730 farther than the later Pinedale glaciers. Much 00:24:30.730 --> 00:24:33.250 of the evidence they left behind, however, was 00:24:33.250 --> 00:24:36.910 later buried or destroyed by younger ice. The 00:24:36.910 --> 00:24:40.069 Pinedale glaciation was the most recent major 00:24:40.069 --> 00:24:43.009 glacial episode and corresponds broadly with 00:24:43.009 --> 00:24:46.589 the last ice age. At its maximum, an enormous 00:24:46.589 --> 00:24:49.609 ice cap covered nearly the entire Yellowstone 00:24:49.609 --> 00:24:52.990 Plateau and may have reached approximately 4 00:24:52.990 --> 00:24:57.250 ,000 feet thick. That's almost a mile thick. 00:24:58.049 --> 00:25:00.710 Mount Washburn was completely buried beneath 00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:03.079 the ice. It's important to know that this was 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:05.619 not part of the continental ice sheet that covered 00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:08.400 Canada and much of the northern United States. 00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:11.299 Yellowstone developed its own extensive mountain 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:14.119 glaciers and plateau ice cap, fed by abundant 00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:17.859 snowfall at the region's highest elevation. The 00:25:17.859 --> 00:25:20.640 ice did not simply sit over Yellowstone. It flowed 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:22.880 outward from the plateau and surrounding mountains, 00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:25.859 carving valleys, transporting enormous quantities 00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:28.579 of rock, and depositing debris as it advanced 00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:32.079 and retreated. In northern Yellowstone, an outlet 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.579 glacier flowed down the Yellowstone River Valley 00:25:34.579 --> 00:25:37.599 and eventually extended into what is now Montana's 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:40.400 Paradise Valley. Moraines and other deposits 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.099 left along its path allow scientists to reconstruct 00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:46.720 this glacier's retreat. The retreating glaciers 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:48.920 also help some of the landscapes we recognize 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:51.880 today. Glacial ice dammed rivers and altered 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:54.460 drainage patterns, while meltwater and sediments 00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:57.710 reshaped valleys. In Hayden Valley, for example, 00:25:58.069 --> 00:26:00.569 glacial blockage helped create a lake where sediment 00:26:00.569 --> 00:26:03.109 accumulated before the ice disappeared and the 00:26:03.109 --> 00:26:06.269 lake drained. The broad valley visitors see today 00:26:06.269 --> 00:26:09.569 is partly a product of glacial activity and its 00:26:09.569 --> 00:26:12.970 aftermath. Glacial dams also formed in Lamar 00:26:12.970 --> 00:26:16.230 Valley and the eventual failure produced large 00:26:16.230 --> 00:26:18.390 floods that helped shape the landscape around 00:26:18.390 --> 00:26:21.170 Yellowstone's northern entrance. Eventually the 00:26:21.170 --> 00:26:23.789 ice disappeared Most of Yellowstone's plateau 00:26:23.789 --> 00:26:26.509 was ice -free by roughly 13 to 14 ,000 years 00:26:26.509 --> 00:26:29.569 ago, and rivers, vegetation, wildlife, and eventually 00:26:29.569 --> 00:26:32.089 humans returned to the landscape that was already 00:26:32.089 --> 00:26:35.269 fundamentally shaped by glaciers. Archaeological 00:26:35.269 --> 00:26:37.549 evidence indicates that people were present in 00:26:37.549 --> 00:26:40.269 the Yellowstone region by around 11 ,000 years 00:26:40.269 --> 00:26:43.150 ago, and that's always shifting. A little aside 00:26:43.150 --> 00:26:45.150 for those of you who want to know me a little 00:26:45.150 --> 00:26:50.029 better, I have been really digging into early 00:26:50.029 --> 00:26:52.650 human history, and then some more modern human 00:26:52.650 --> 00:26:56.210 history. And it's interesting that when I grew 00:26:56.210 --> 00:27:00.069 up, we were always told that humans were in North 00:27:00.069 --> 00:27:02.970 America first around, you know, eight to 10 ,000 00:27:02.970 --> 00:27:05.250 years ago, and then it became 11. And now I've 00:27:05.250 --> 00:27:08.269 heard 14. And now there's been theories of 16 00:27:08.269 --> 00:27:12.250 to 18 ,000 years being floated about. And it's 00:27:12.250 --> 00:27:14.849 fascinating to see as we lock down how long people 00:27:14.849 --> 00:27:18.000 have been here and what life was like. If you 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:20.380 know of any good books about this, recommend 00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:23.259 them to me. I love this. I legitimately love 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:25.160 this. I listen to these audiobooks all the time 00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:27.500 when I'm driving to and from the park. I read 00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:30.460 them. It's great. Alright, back to glaciers. 00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:34.720 So, glacial erratics are something that I love 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:36.799 and I wanted to talk about because they're really 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:39.319 compelling. They sit out in the middle of the 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:42.160 prairie and they look nothing like the rest of 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:45.960 the landscape. What it does is it tells you that 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:48.900 something else was there. The glaciers are gone, 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:51.359 but their fingerprints remain across Yellowstone 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:53.920 and the valleys they carved, the sediments they 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.660 deposited, the lakes and drainages they altered, 00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:59.299 and the enormous rocks they carried far from 00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:02.759 home. A glacial erratic is, in a very literal 00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:06.000 sense, a piece of Yellowstone's ice age sitting 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.859 in the landscape that we see today, waiting to 00:28:08.859 --> 00:28:12.380 tell us where the ice once went. The weather 00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:14.980 for the coming week. I know I went from talking 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.299 about geology to weather I'm sure people are 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:19.900 sleeping by now the weather for the coming week 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:22.240 as always This is the best forecast for the week 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:24.539 at the time of the recording the forecast can 00:28:24.539 --> 00:28:27.259 change numerous times in a week But this should 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:29.359 serve within the ballpark of what you'll experience 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.519 when visiting the park. So let's start with Lamar 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:37.119 Valley on Thursday a high of 84 a low of 50 Friday 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:42.950 85 and 53 Saturday 77 and 50 with a 55 % chance 00:28:42.950 --> 00:28:45.829 of thunderstorms late morning afternoon into 00:28:45.829 --> 00:28:50.650 the evening Sunday 76 and 46 35 % chance of storms 00:28:50.650 --> 00:28:55.269 during the day Monday 76 and 46 19 % chance of 00:28:55.269 --> 00:28:59.789 rain Tuesday 76 and 46 22 % chance and Wednesday 00:28:59.789 --> 00:29:05.329 76 and 47 with a 24 % chance of precipitation 00:29:05.329 --> 00:29:11.160 Gardner, Montana On Thursday 89 and 52 Friday 00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:18.119 89 and 57 Saturday 81 and 52 50 % chance of thunderstorms 00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:22.859 Sunday 79 and 48 with a 35 % chance of thunderstorms 00:29:22.859 --> 00:29:26.519 Monday 80 and 49 with an 18 % chance of rain 00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:31.220 Tuesday 79 and 49 18 % chance of rain Wednesday 00:29:31.220 --> 00:29:36.240 80 and 49 24 % chance of rain West Yellowstone 00:29:36.569 --> 00:29:42.890 Thursday, 84 and 44. Friday, 86 and 51. Saturday, 00:29:43.470 --> 00:29:47.309 76 and 46 with a 44 % chance of thunderstorms. 00:29:47.450 --> 00:29:52.210 Sunday, 75 and 42, 24 % chance of storms. Monday, 00:29:52.630 --> 00:29:57.950 75 and 43, 20 % chance. Tuesday, 75 and 44, 15 00:29:57.950 --> 00:30:01.710 % chance. And Wednesday, 76 and 44 with an 18 00:30:01.710 --> 00:30:06.119 % chance of some storms. Cody, Wyoming. Thursday 00:30:06.119 --> 00:30:12.920 91 and 61 Friday 89 and 63 Saturday 86 and 63 00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:16.799 with a 21 % chance of thunderstorms Sunday 86 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:20.480 and 60 with a 25 % chance of thunderstorms Monday 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:25.680 83 and 58 with a 23 % chance Tuesday 81 and 59 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:30.440 with a 16 % chance and Wednesday 84 and 59 with 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:34.460 a 24 % chance of thunderstorms And finally Cook 00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:39.400 City, Montana Thursday 78 and 51 Friday 80 and 00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:45.019 54 Saturday 74 and 51 with a 61 % chance of thunderstorms 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:49.759 Sunday 72 and 47 with a 36 % chance of thunderstorms 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:55.920 Monday 72 and 47 19 % chance Tuesday 72 and 48 00:30:55.920 --> 00:31:00.240 30 % chance of storms and Wednesday 73 and 49 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:05.319 33 % chance of storms Road conditions no major 00:31:05.319 --> 00:31:08.160 park roads are closed right now. There's obviously 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:11.240 some construction here and there but Delays have 00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:13.420 been really minimal. I haven't really gotten 00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:16.680 too bothered by sitting in traffic. So it shouldn't 00:31:16.680 --> 00:31:19.400 be too bad I don't think they're doing much above 00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:21.900 and beyond that Please know that during these 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:23.859 thunderstorms if they're bad enough the park 00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:26.940 will close some of those dirt side roads and 00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:29.119 That's for good reason because they can't really 00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:32.339 get people out if they get stuck there. So know 00:31:32.339 --> 00:31:34.259 that after a thunderstorm those roads may be 00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:36.880 closed. I meant to mention that a while ago and 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:39.299 I forgot but some of you have already pieced 00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:41.720 that together when you're visiting and it's pretty 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:45.180 obvious as to why. For up -to -date road information 00:31:45.180 --> 00:31:49.980 you can call 307 -344 -2117 or you can sign up 00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:52.259 to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell 00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:56.539 phone by texting the number 82190 to the number 00:31:56.539 --> 00:32:01.599 888 -777. Don't know if you care, but I do a 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:03.599 little dance every time I say eight eight eight 00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:06.819 seven seven seven so enjoy that mental image 00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:10.099 camping information Everything that is going 00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:13.160 to be open is open so if you're camping enjoy 00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:15.960 it good time of the year to camp cooler mornings 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:19.079 it smelled so good this last week in the park 00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:21.480 every morning after some rain i don't know if 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:23.359 everybody else noticed it if you're in the park 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:26.700 but i absolutely loved it it reminded me of camping 00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:29.779 so i i hope that you're enjoying the weather 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:33.299 and the cooler mornings too the wildlife watching 00:32:33.299 --> 00:32:36.259 update so last week has been wild in the park 00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:40.220 no pun intended it's been really fun for the 00:32:41.349 --> 00:32:43.890 frequency of animals spotted in some areas and 00:32:43.890 --> 00:32:46.809 the absolute mystery of where the animals went 00:32:46.809 --> 00:32:49.690 and others. So I heard from a lot of people this 00:32:49.690 --> 00:32:53.029 week that there were no bison in Hayden Valley. 00:32:53.150 --> 00:32:54.690 People would go down there for the bison rut 00:32:54.690 --> 00:32:57.089 and they didn't see any and that happens. The 00:32:57.089 --> 00:32:59.509 bison move around. They're not in one spot all 00:32:59.509 --> 00:33:02.029 the time and sometimes they go a ridge or two 00:33:02.029 --> 00:33:04.049 over and they're not right next to the road. 00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:06.940 Since they were gone last week. I'm assuming 00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:09.019 they're gonna be back this coming week They might 00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:12.859 not be but they could be so check that out north 00:33:12.859 --> 00:33:16.619 Side of the park the northern range. I say this 00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:19.680 every week This is where the best wildlife watching 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:22.140 is happening the other day. There were wolves 00:33:22.140 --> 00:33:25.140 running around the bison Institute area There 00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:28.230 were moose out by floating Island Lake There 00:33:28.230 --> 00:33:31.549 were badgers and coyotes running together near 00:33:31.549 --> 00:33:34.109 Slough Creek. There are all of these experiences 00:33:34.109 --> 00:33:37.210 that were truly wonderful in the northern range. 00:33:37.430 --> 00:33:39.230 There are grizzly bears spotted in the distance. 00:33:39.789 --> 00:33:42.109 There are black bears up on the hillsides. The 00:33:42.109 --> 00:33:44.450 northern range was really popping off in wildlife 00:33:44.450 --> 00:33:46.690 watching last week. Now, does that mean it's 00:33:46.690 --> 00:33:48.950 going to be the same this week? Can't tell you 00:33:48.950 --> 00:33:52.529 that. I do also want to say that bighorn sheep 00:33:52.529 --> 00:33:56.720 sightings have been. Less than normal for me 00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:58.700 in the northern range. Usually I'm seeing them 00:33:58.700 --> 00:34:02.140 a lot by Junction Butte and things like that 00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:03.779 haven't really been seen them there even went 00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:05.900 out over to calcite Springs and scanned didn't 00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:09.079 see any there So they're probably on the north 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:11.840 side of the river from Junction Butte just hanging 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:14.360 out. So it's not like oh, no, where do they go? 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:16.019 They're gone forever. It's just they're somewhere 00:34:16.019 --> 00:34:18.900 else. The heat made it maybe did it the rainstorms 00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:21.389 maybe did it I've also been hearing that, you 00:34:21.389 --> 00:34:23.110 know, bighorn sheep have been pretty good over 00:34:23.110 --> 00:34:26.530 Dunraven Pass in the evenings and out the east 00:34:26.530 --> 00:34:29.570 entrance throughout. They've been there. There's 00:34:29.570 --> 00:34:33.130 also been some really good elk activity around 00:34:33.130 --> 00:34:36.909 mammoth around Lake, even heard somebody say 00:34:36.909 --> 00:34:38.969 that they saw some in Canyon the other day. So 00:34:38.969 --> 00:34:42.409 that was neat. So the elk rut is starting to 00:34:42.409 --> 00:34:45.010 pick up. Everything will say elk rut starts in 00:34:45.010 --> 00:34:48.820 September and those are rough. Estimates of when 00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:52.119 things happen the elk red is starting now, but 00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:54.800 doesn't really take off until September usually 00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:57.960 So if you're in the park now, don't think oh, 00:34:57.960 --> 00:35:00.199 I'm not gonna see any elk There's definitely 00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:03.019 elk that are starting to try and gather harems 00:35:03.019 --> 00:35:07.139 around the lake area around mammoth north of 00:35:07.139 --> 00:35:10.679 the park to in Like by the airport. There's a 00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:13.260 bunch of elk the airport in Gardiner. Not the 00:35:13.260 --> 00:35:16.139 airport in West Yellowstone And then there's 00:35:16.139 --> 00:35:18.300 a lot of elk that have been hanging out by Madison 00:35:18.300 --> 00:35:20.639 and things like that. So you're here at a good 00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:23.239 time. It's just harder to see things. The one 00:35:23.239 --> 00:35:25.280 other wildlife thing I want to mention before 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:28.239 I move on from the segment is that a lot of people 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:29.699 have been reaching out to me saying, well, I 00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:31.699 need to see a grizzly bear. Where can I see grizzly 00:35:31.699 --> 00:35:34.000 bears? This is the hardest time to see a bear. 00:35:34.989 --> 00:35:37.070 You're either going to see one or you're not. 00:35:37.190 --> 00:35:39.809 The best chance you have is going out the east 00:35:39.809 --> 00:35:42.269 entrance, going through Hayden, going through 00:35:42.269 --> 00:35:45.309 Lamar, and just putting in the time in the evenings 00:35:45.309 --> 00:35:48.590 and the early morning hours. It's the hardest 00:35:48.590 --> 00:35:51.230 time if you're dead set on wanting to see bears. 00:35:52.730 --> 00:35:54.929 Plan a trip for next year in May and early June. 00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:57.949 that is the best time to see dependable bear 00:35:57.949 --> 00:36:01.449 sightings. So if you're here now, I can't really 00:36:01.449 --> 00:36:03.570 help you see a bear. I can tell you that if you 00:36:03.570 --> 00:36:05.889 do see one, it's probably going to be a mile 00:36:05.889 --> 00:36:07.869 or two away. Maybe you're going to get lucky, 00:36:07.949 --> 00:36:10.030 but most people have been seeing them pretty 00:36:10.030 --> 00:36:12.590 far away. So spotting scopes, binoculars, good 00:36:12.590 --> 00:36:15.179 thing to have. If you need more wildlife watching 00:36:15.179 --> 00:36:18.179 tips, reach out to me. Happy to help. Also, I 00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:20.099 have a wildlife watching guidebook on my website. 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:23.260 Ebook copies are just $10. And if you want to 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:25.320 support the podcast and have some wildlife tips 00:36:25.320 --> 00:36:27.820 for your park visit, happy to send one of those 00:36:27.820 --> 00:36:30.639 out your way. I do have paperback copies too, 00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:32.300 but generally most people that are listening 00:36:32.300 --> 00:36:34.099 to this are in the park or headed to the park 00:36:34.099 --> 00:36:36.960 immediately. And my shipping goes through media 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:39.239 mail so it can take a week, week and a half. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:42.679 So ebooks get there within 24 hours of when I 00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.099 see your order. So pick that up. I also have 00:36:45.099 --> 00:36:47.940 a hiking one. But if you listen to the podcast, 00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:51.699 you know that I really dislike selling my products 00:36:51.699 --> 00:36:56.059 or like doing fake ad reads. So if you like what 00:36:56.059 --> 00:36:57.880 you hear, pick up a guidebook. If not great, 00:36:57.880 --> 00:37:01.860 keep listening. Happy to help you. Trail alerts 00:37:01.860 --> 00:37:05.179 and updates. No real trail closures right now. 00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:07.500 That could change, but right now there is nothing 00:37:07.500 --> 00:37:10.019 impacting your backcountry travel or hiking travel. 00:37:11.489 --> 00:37:14.449 Glanced at it. It's updated for the most part 00:37:14.449 --> 00:37:17.030 This has been a pretty bad year for this to be 00:37:17.030 --> 00:37:19.449 updated and it could be staffing issues It could 00:37:19.449 --> 00:37:24.250 just be that the amount of time that the backcountry 00:37:24.250 --> 00:37:27.849 Office has to update the website is not quite 00:37:27.849 --> 00:37:29.909 the same as previous years Maybe more people 00:37:29.909 --> 00:37:31.510 are hiking and asking them questions throughout 00:37:31.510 --> 00:37:33.869 the day or whatever But there is a link to the 00:37:33.869 --> 00:37:35.889 backcountry conditions page in the show notes 00:37:35.889 --> 00:37:39.449 of this I do that every week and will continue 00:37:39.449 --> 00:37:42.289 until the end of September, so check that out. 00:37:42.570 --> 00:37:45.190 If you are hiking, carry bear spray, have it 00:37:45.190 --> 00:37:47.309 readily accessible and not in the bottom of a 00:37:47.309 --> 00:37:49.989 backpack, and know how to use it. If you see 00:37:49.989 --> 00:37:52.510 a bear close by, you maybe have two to three 00:37:52.510 --> 00:37:57.090 seconds to react. And with that is the trail 00:37:57.090 --> 00:37:59.929 of the week. This week's trail offers a little 00:37:59.929 --> 00:38:01.630 more of a challenge than some of the previous 00:38:01.630 --> 00:38:03.230 week's hikes. I know I'm trying to mix it up 00:38:03.230 --> 00:38:05.269 a little, but if you're hoping for something 00:38:05.269 --> 00:38:08.300 easier this time around, I suggest dropping me 00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:11.380 a message or, you know, check out my hiking guidebook 00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:15.579 again, $10 for an ebook. Um, this week's hike 00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:18.739 comes straight from my guidebook and it's sepulcher 00:38:18.739 --> 00:38:21.820 peak. Now I call it sepulcher. Some people say 00:38:21.820 --> 00:38:24.199 sepulcher. I'm going to call it sepulcher because 00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:26.659 it pains me. It's the same as saying like tower 00:38:26.659 --> 00:38:30.539 fall. So sepulcher, uh, if that is cringy to 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:33.019 you to hear, I apologize in advance. I don't 00:38:33.019 --> 00:38:36.559 say it that many times. This hike near Mammoth 00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.420 Hot Springs is a good way to get away from Mammoth, 00:38:40.619 --> 00:38:42.380 because Mammoth can feel like one of the busiest 00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:44.679 and most developed corners of Yellowstone. There's 00:38:44.679 --> 00:38:47.300 boardwalks winding across the terraces, there's 00:38:47.300 --> 00:38:49.519 roads and buildings and plenty of people around. 00:38:49.780 --> 00:38:52.820 It's an awesome area. I love Mammoth, but sometimes 00:38:52.820 --> 00:38:56.179 you want to get away from it. It's really easy 00:38:56.179 --> 00:38:58.599 to assume that solitude is hard to find around 00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:01.380 Mammoth. I thought that too until I hiked Sepulcher. 00:39:01.739 --> 00:39:04.659 beginning near Liberty Cap, the route climbs 00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:08.300 in a much wilder landscape than most people expect 00:39:08.300 --> 00:39:11.320 exists in this area. The full loop is commonly 00:39:11.320 --> 00:39:13.780 described by the National Park Service at about 00:39:13.780 --> 00:39:17.500 11 miles, but every time I do this it's about 00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:21.079 12 to 13 miles. Either way, it's a strenuous 00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:24.119 hike. You're gonna have roughly 3 ,400 feet of 00:39:24.119 --> 00:39:28.860 elevation gain and top out at a summit of 9 ,652 00:39:28.860 --> 00:39:31.840 feet above sea level. From the top, you get sweeping 00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:34.219 views across Northern Yellowstone, including 00:39:34.219 --> 00:39:36.719 Mammoth, Gardiner, Swan Lake Flats, the Yellowstone 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:40.619 River, and Electric Peak, and all of the mountains 00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:42.780 of the region. You can actually see the Tetons 00:39:42.780 --> 00:39:46.760 from the backside of this hike. If you do hike 00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:49.309 this, know it's... very much bear country, the 00:39:49.309 --> 00:39:51.750 National Park Service specifically warns that 00:39:51.750 --> 00:39:56.369 this area is heavy in grizzly bears. So carry 00:39:56.369 --> 00:39:58.590 bear spray, have it readily accessible and not 00:39:58.590 --> 00:40:00.750 buried in your backpack, hike in groups when 00:40:00.750 --> 00:40:02.829 possible, and if you're hiking alone or with 00:40:02.829 --> 00:40:04.929 groups it doesn't matter, make a lot of noise 00:40:04.929 --> 00:40:07.449 by talking, clapping, singing, everything you 00:40:07.449 --> 00:40:10.510 can to let animals know you're coming by. Also, 00:40:10.929 --> 00:40:12.690 read how to use your bear spray and know how 00:40:12.690 --> 00:40:16.050 to use it confidently before you head out. If 00:40:16.050 --> 00:40:19.050 you start the route by connecting the Beaver 00:40:19.050 --> 00:40:21.650 Pond's trail and hike the loop counterclockwise, 00:40:22.090 --> 00:40:24.929 then this is the way that I hike and you can 00:40:24.929 --> 00:40:28.530 have that knowledge when you start. This isn't 00:40:28.530 --> 00:40:32.849 an easy hike. Again, you immediately start to 00:40:32.849 --> 00:40:35.730 climb. You move through the forest and open country 00:40:35.730 --> 00:40:38.329 before you climb even more toward the summit. 00:40:38.730 --> 00:40:41.989 The elevation gain comes quickly, expect a sustained 00:40:41.989 --> 00:40:44.170 climb rather than a leisurely stroll, and remember 00:40:44.170 --> 00:40:47.170 that you're starting at around 6 ,200 feet before 00:40:47.170 --> 00:40:50.650 eventually reaching 9 ,700 feet. But, you're 00:40:50.650 --> 00:40:52.809 climbing a mountain, the views are worth it. 00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:56.420 climb out of the woods a bit you get into some 00:40:56.420 --> 00:40:58.659 open sections and there's switchbacks and there's 00:40:58.659 --> 00:41:01.079 ridge lines and then there's another forest and 00:41:01.079 --> 00:41:02.980 then there's a really steep part and then you're 00:41:02.980 --> 00:41:05.519 at the summit that sounds very easy if you hike 00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:07.760 it you know exactly what i meant by all of that 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:10.320 but just know that you're going to be hiking 00:41:10.320 --> 00:41:14.119 steep and exposed for quite a while start this 00:41:14.119 --> 00:41:16.940 early because the weather can change and also 00:41:16.940 --> 00:41:19.960 doing this in the heat is no fun and there's 00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:22.239 not a lot of shade to be found I would rather 00:41:22.239 --> 00:41:24.760 come down the backside of this mountain when 00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:26.840 I'm in the sun even though there's no shade because 00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:29.239 you're losing elevation and the wind is usually 00:41:29.239 --> 00:41:33.239 whipping there. Once you're on the higher ridges 00:41:33.239 --> 00:41:35.280 this is when the character of the hike changes 00:41:35.280 --> 00:41:38.019 and the mountain really starts feeling like more 00:41:38.019 --> 00:41:40.559 of a mountain. The forest gives way to the open 00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:42.980 slopes and the landscape around Mammoth is really 00:41:42.980 --> 00:41:46.159 far away in spirit and distance. It's one of 00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:49.860 my favorite things about this hike is you just 00:41:49.860 --> 00:41:52.539 get so much contrast on it. You begin the day 00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:54.960 surrounded by cars and within a few miles you 00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:57.460 find yourself walking a high mountain ridge with 00:41:57.460 --> 00:42:00.340 very little evidence of civilization and very 00:42:00.340 --> 00:42:03.440 few people around it. I see people here sometimes 00:42:03.440 --> 00:42:06.039 but not that often. Last time I did this hike 00:42:06.039 --> 00:42:08.900 I didn't see a whole person in the 12 plus miles 00:42:08.900 --> 00:42:11.880 I did. The final approach to the summit makes 00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:15.530 the hike feel like a mountain climb but um well 00:42:15.530 --> 00:42:18.030 i shouldn't say a climb a mountain hike you're 00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:19.949 not using your hands you don't need to use your 00:42:19.949 --> 00:42:23.809 hands you get along this really sharp drop off 00:42:23.809 --> 00:42:26.469 there's marmots running around you can look down 00:42:26.469 --> 00:42:29.570 and see mountain goats on the cliff sides and 00:42:29.570 --> 00:42:32.070 then you're working your way up a decently steep 00:42:32.070 --> 00:42:35.539 section getting to the top on a clear day At 00:42:35.539 --> 00:42:38.639 the top, the panorama is fantastic. I do want 00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:40.840 to say if you're hiking this, you're going to 00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:43.059 get to almost the top and there's a boot path 00:42:43.059 --> 00:42:46.320 to the cliffs on the right side. That is where 00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:49.579 you want to go. Yes, you can turn and follow 00:42:49.579 --> 00:42:51.900 the trail and then go to the true summit, but 00:42:51.900 --> 00:42:54.750 the views there aren't as good. I mean, do that, 00:42:54.869 --> 00:42:56.329 but you're going to get the same views without 00:42:56.329 --> 00:42:58.269 having to do that little bit of a summit push. 00:42:58.750 --> 00:43:01.210 And I love sitting on those rocks by the cliff 00:43:01.210 --> 00:43:04.050 because the views are fantastic and you just 00:43:04.050 --> 00:43:06.329 get a look down at the Yellowstone River 3000, 00:43:06.530 --> 00:43:09.829 4000 feet below you. The summit isn't the end 00:43:09.829 --> 00:43:12.110 of the scenery, though. So after you have a break 00:43:12.110 --> 00:43:15.630 there, refuel, rehydrate, keep hiking along the 00:43:15.630 --> 00:43:18.230 trail past that real summit, and then you start 00:43:18.230 --> 00:43:21.590 descending into one of the more beautiful descents 00:43:21.590 --> 00:43:25.150 in the park. huge switchbacks on this open prairie 00:43:25.150 --> 00:43:27.809 as you work your way down towards Swan Lake Flats. 00:43:28.130 --> 00:43:30.610 You can see Bunsen Peak, you can see all of those 00:43:30.610 --> 00:43:32.570 other mountains, and way off in the distance 00:43:32.570 --> 00:43:36.090 on a clear day, you see the Tetons. Eventually 00:43:36.090 --> 00:43:38.949 those sweeping switchbacks fade away, you're 00:43:38.949 --> 00:43:41.289 back in the trees and you follow a creek. Along 00:43:41.289 --> 00:43:43.750 this creek is where I've seen moose, where I've 00:43:43.750 --> 00:43:46.250 seen lots of bear sign, so make a lot of noise 00:43:46.250 --> 00:43:47.690 when you're working your way through the creek. 00:43:48.590 --> 00:43:51.769 eventually you then reach another open section 00:43:51.769 --> 00:43:54.590 of prairie and there's a trail to the left and 00:43:54.590 --> 00:43:56.789 you want to take that and head back toward mammoth 00:43:56.789 --> 00:43:58.670 you can kind of pick and choose the way you go 00:43:58.670 --> 00:44:02.110 back there's multiple trails to follow so you 00:44:02.110 --> 00:44:03.909 might want to plan out before you go and know 00:44:03.909 --> 00:44:07.250 which trail to go on but one of the great things 00:44:07.250 --> 00:44:13.190 about this is that you get back after the mountain 00:44:13.190 --> 00:44:15.469 and you walk through the prairie and then you 00:44:15.469 --> 00:44:17.469 start dropping back down toward mammoth and you 00:44:17.469 --> 00:44:19.889 start seeing signs of all the mammoth thermal 00:44:19.889 --> 00:44:22.969 areas you're not walking through the hoodoos 00:44:22.969 --> 00:44:25.210 but all of a sudden you'll walk through a forest 00:44:25.210 --> 00:44:29.969 and there'll be a giant gap in the ground next 00:44:29.969 --> 00:44:32.789 to you and it's just a vent and then you get 00:44:32.789 --> 00:44:34.829 further and then there's a place where there's 00:44:34.829 --> 00:44:38.610 no Plants growing and it's just a barren wasteland 00:44:38.610 --> 00:44:40.369 and then you keep getting closer and closer to 00:44:40.369 --> 00:44:43.489 mammoth the contrast from what you were seeing 00:44:43.489 --> 00:44:46.030 up on the mountains lush and green and really 00:44:46.030 --> 00:44:49.730 fun and then this like Thermal wasteland is almost 00:44:49.730 --> 00:44:52.789 comical after spin and then it gets more comical 00:44:52.789 --> 00:44:56.329 because after spending hours in the quiet mountains 00:44:56.599 --> 00:44:59.840 all to yourself you suddenly find yourself back 00:44:59.840 --> 00:45:02.860 along that upper terrace loop road where there's 00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:05.900 cars driving there's lots of visitors there's 00:45:05.900 --> 00:45:07.699 the terraces and all of a sudden you're back 00:45:07.699 --> 00:45:11.320 in civilization after a few miles of just nothing 00:45:11.320 --> 00:45:15.500 and so this transition can be a little jarring 00:45:15.500 --> 00:45:18.559 but it's really fun because when you walk back 00:45:18.559 --> 00:45:21.860 down mammoth and you go down some of the boardwalks 00:45:21.860 --> 00:45:24.039 to make your way back to where you parked you're 00:45:24.039 --> 00:45:26.309 going to be Dressed like you went on a major 00:45:26.309 --> 00:45:28.289 hike and everybody's gonna assume that you just 00:45:28.289 --> 00:45:31.369 dress that way to do the mammoth terraces Which 00:45:31.369 --> 00:45:33.130 is really funny to me and every time it makes 00:45:33.130 --> 00:45:35.050 me laugh in my head because I'm like no I just 00:45:35.050 --> 00:45:38.429 did like a 12 or 13 mile day But I don't need 00:45:38.429 --> 00:45:40.989 to brag about it Unless someone asks and then 00:45:40.989 --> 00:45:43.329 they're getting an earful about what my day was 00:45:43.329 --> 00:45:46.190 because I love recommending this mountain along 00:45:46.190 --> 00:45:49.650 this mountain you get a semi demanding climb 00:45:49.650 --> 00:45:55.480 a nearly 10 ,000 foot summit amazing views potential 00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:58.900 wildlife, great forests and meadows, thermal 00:45:58.900 --> 00:46:02.059 features, and just this level of solitude that 00:46:02.059 --> 00:46:04.820 you can't find anywhere else unless you do a 00:46:04.820 --> 00:46:08.719 real hike in the park. If you are not a serious 00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:12.360 hiker, do not do this hike. But if you're looking 00:46:12.360 --> 00:46:14.980 for a hike that has substantial elevation gain, 00:46:15.360 --> 00:46:19.300 a long distance, and a ridge line that can't 00:46:19.300 --> 00:46:22.659 be beat, this is for you. If you want an easier 00:46:22.659 --> 00:46:25.530 hike, Pick up my guidebook, reach out to me, 00:46:25.610 --> 00:46:27.469 happy to recommend things, but if you're looking 00:46:27.469 --> 00:46:30.269 for a mountain day that's a fun loop and you 00:46:30.269 --> 00:46:33.010 never have to backtrack a trail, this is the 00:46:33.010 --> 00:46:37.050 trail for you. That's it for this week. In the 00:46:37.050 --> 00:46:39.190 next episode, I'm going to return with all the 00:46:39.190 --> 00:46:41.030 information you need to have a good week in the 00:46:41.030 --> 00:46:42.929 park, including the wildlife weather and trail 00:46:42.929 --> 00:46:46.130 updates. Until then, pick up a guidebook of mine. 00:46:46.409 --> 00:46:48.690 Please recommend this to your friends or anybody 00:46:48.690 --> 00:46:51.289 coming to the park. Recommend it on social media 00:46:51.289 --> 00:46:54.110 if you can. I know social media is a bit not 00:46:54.110 --> 00:46:57.190 fun these days, but everybody needs positivity 00:46:57.190 --> 00:46:59.090 and pretty things and Yellowstone is full of 00:46:59.090 --> 00:47:02.670 all of that. So until next week, happy trails. 00:47:13.509 --> 00:47:16.269 Abrupt ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought 00:47:16.269 --> 00:47:18.630 to you by The Outdoor Society. That's my company. 00:47:19.010 --> 00:47:21.309 It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love. 00:47:21.670 --> 00:47:23.909 If you like it, tell your friends. Rate and review 00:47:23.909 --> 00:47:27.250 it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening 00:47:27.250 --> 00:47:30.070 and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 00:47:30.070 --> 00:47:31.610 2026, baby!