Hike #18: Norris Geyser Basin (8/4/2012)

Nicholas and Erin came in for the weekend (the first of 4 out of 5 weekends in a row that we saw Nicholas!).  I has been up to Norris Geyser Basin for work earlier in the summer to look at some parking lot updates and trail safety updates, but had not been out for fun yet or really gotten to walk around.  We went first thing in the morning to try and avoid some of the heat (90 degree day plus really hot thermal features plus no shade = not much fun).  The geyer basin was beautiful and amazing.  We have learned that there are two things that you really affect the thermal features, the temperature and the fluid flow (including gases).

Funny little story, I was out for work with the park geologist shortly after a visitor walked on some fragile ground (off-trail) and severly burned himself.  People were talking about the visitor and his injuries and the park geologist interupted and said, "What really matters is that the thermal feature is okay, and will recover from the injuries."  No love-loss for dumb visitors here. :)

Can you believe there are idiots that come to a NP and throw garbage in the featues?!

Pretty remarkable view.

Later that day we stopped very briefly at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone North Rim Overlook to get a photo.  Ilija was asleep in the car and since we hadn't done any "real" hiking that day Austin was itching to hit the trail. 

North Rim of the canyon--not a great pic, but every year people fall trying to get the perfect picture op so, I stayed on the trail

We headed south from the Canyon towards Lake into Hayden valley, the Bison were in rut and all over the place kicking up dust.  We decided to do the first portion of the Mary Mountain trail,  but were soon stopped by roaming bison.

Big old Fred kicking up dust

Out on the trail

Ilija and his ride, er, Daddy

After we were turned around on the trail and decided to head back to the Yellowstone River we ran into a mangy coyote that stalked us all the way back to the river.  Then when we got back to the river and our car, we made bets on how long it would take this poor animal to cause an animal jam--approximately 4 minutes!