Uncle Winslow's Rocky Mountain Vacation [Archive]

Winslow

07-19-2006, 09:02 AM

For the first two weeks of July, my family, my brother’s kids, my sister and her 2 kids, and my Mom and Dad took a vacation to The Rockies (Montana and Wyoming).

My Mom and Dad and my sister and her 2 kids stayed in motels. My wife and I camped (mostly KOAs) with our 2 kids, and my brother’s 2 kids.

To wrap up the drama of the pre-vacation planning, my “Noble” brother decided not to come camping with us after all. He DID let us use his Surburban and trailer in order to load up all the camping stuff. I learned my lesson – planning vacations with extended family is a bad idea.

My wife doesn’t like to camp – so I think I pushed her limits too far, especially tent camping in bear country, which kinda freaked her out.

But overall, it was fun, and we made some memories for our kids and got to see some beautiful country.

I’ll post some pics . . .

Winslow

07-19-2006, 09:03 AM

July 1st – Make the long drive to Michigan (12 hours) . . .

July 2nd – take inventory of camping stuff and get loaded up.

July 3rd through July 5th – travel through Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and most of the way through North Dakota

July 5th: Visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park (http://www.nps.gov/thro/); a cool National Park close to the border of North Dakota and Montana. Theodore Roosevelt’s ranch is located in the park. .

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050002.jpg

Winslow

07-19-2006, 09:05 AM

A Prairie “Dog.” There were acres of “Prairie Dog Towns” all over the place. One of the weird rodents would stand up and chirp, and the rest would head for cover. I figured he or she was the moderator of the community.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050004.jpg

We also saw a herd of wild bison:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050009.jpg

Winslow

07-19-2006, 09:06 AM

The pics don’t capture the beauty of the place:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050020.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050025.jpg

We took a couple of hikes, scaled some rather big hills, and saw some cool colors on hills.

StoneGold

07-19-2006, 10:05 AM

Eat any oysters?

Forefinger

07-19-2006, 10:20 AM

Looks like that was a nice trip, Winslow.

jessecuster3

07-19-2006, 10:40 AM

Wow, great pics. Did you get to see Rushmore while you were there ?

Winslow

07-19-2006, 11:10 AM

Eat any oysters?

No, but I had a Buffalo burger that most likely had some “oyster meat” in it. :D

Looks like that was a nice trip, Winslow.

Yeah, it was fun. It had some National Lampoon vacation moments. If the thread keeps getting hits/looks I’ll post some more.

Wow, great pics. Did you get to see Rushmore while you were there ?

Yup.

I have close to 200 photos. Like I said above, if folks are interested, I’ll keep posting the highlights. Have some sweet photos of Glacier National Park.

Maybe the late night insomniacs will want to view the thread to help them get to sleep. :D

tricksterpup

07-19-2006, 11:18 AM

Hey Winslow, what about your little love buddy Bruce?
http://www.grizzlybearhunts.com/images/grizzly.jpg

Winslow

07-19-2006, 11:19 AM

Hey Winslow, what about your little love buddy Bruce?

Notice Bruce is smiling . . . .

tricksterpup

07-19-2006, 11:21 AM

Notice Bruce is smiling . . . .
Yeah, you must've jarred something loose in him.

gary bolt

07-19-2006, 12:21 PM

Too bad about the complications with your brother and the complexity of having so many people involved and having to arrange motels and stuff. It looks like you camped in some gorgeous country. The Rockies are so beautiful! I camped in similar terrain north of the border a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

Slam_Bradley

07-19-2006, 12:38 PM

Glad you had a good time (overall). I'm always happy when people enjoy my neck of the woods.

Winslow

07-20-2006, 05:15 AM

Next stop: Makoshika State Park (http://fwp.mt.gov/lands/site_283890.aspx) in Eastern Montana.

We camped at the Park, and it was in a valley surrounded by hills. A hot wind gusted all night and actually blew out my tent stakes a couple of times.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7060034.jpg

In the morning, we hiked a little. That gray silt we’re walking on was deposited in the Creataceous era. We hiked up to a hill summit and saw a vertebrae fossil of a Trachodon.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7060035.jpg

Winslow

07-20-2006, 05:18 AM

Next stop – Glacier National Park (http://www.nps.gov/glac/) ~ Northwestern Montana.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7090067.jpg

Spectacular scenery. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

We camped/hiked in the Park. The regulations regarding food were kinda intimidating, but necessary to keep the Bears in the woods.

Morning in Glacier – it was high in elevation – so it was very cold over night. Down in the low 40s, high 30s.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100073.jpg

Saint Mary’s Lake (my favorite pic)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100076.jpg

Hiking across the Glaciers at Logan’s Pass:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100084.jpg

Winslow

07-20-2006, 05:19 AM

A friendly Mountain Goat greeted us at the top of the trail:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100089.jpg

Winslow

07-20-2006, 05:20 AM

Some views from Logan’s Pass:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100091.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100098.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100099.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100108.jpg

Winslow

07-20-2006, 05:22 AM

The campers / hikers:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100103.jpg

Another shot of Lake Saint Mary:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100120.jpg

J Dog

07-20-2006, 07:24 AM

A Prairie “Dog.” There were acres of “Prairie Dog Towns” all over the place. One of the weird rodents would stand up and chirp, and the rest would head for cover. I figured he or she was the moderator of the community.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050004.jpg

"We went all our way, and all we saw was one stinkin' dog!"

We also saw a herd of wild bison:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050009.jpg
That's cool. It's a shame that we decided to overkill them the first time we saw them.

Forefinger

07-20-2006, 10:43 AM

Great pictures, Winslow. Thanks for sharing.

I like the one of the goat.

Puma

07-20-2006, 10:48 AM

amazing scenery Winslow, just beautiful

TinMan

07-20-2006, 11:12 AM

Great pictures, Winslow. Thanks for sharing.

I like the one of the goat.

You would! Goat lover (and I mean that in a purely sexual way)!!

Kickass pics Winslow, keep'em coming (if you have time that is), I'm enjoying looking at them.

Forefinger

07-20-2006, 11:14 AM

You would! Goat lover (and I mean that in a purely sexual way)!!

Kickass pics Winslow, keep'em coming (if you have time that is), I'm enjoying looking at them.
Good one, bastich. I walked right into that one eh?

I don't want to mess up Winslow's thread.

Winslow

07-20-2006, 11:55 AM

Great pictures, Winslow. Thanks for sharing.

I like the one of the goat.

Also at the top of Logan’s Pass, we saw a mother goat with her kid:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100096.jpg

amazing scenery Winslow, just beautiful

It was gorgeous. Glacier bypassed Yosemite as my favorite mountainous National Park

Kickass pics Winslow, keep'em coming (if you have time that is), I'm enjoying looking at them.

Cool . . . I’ll maybe post some more tomorrow of Yellowstone.

jessecuster3

07-20-2006, 11:57 AM

Show us more Unca Winslow, pwetty pwease.

It really is beautiful country, and you did a great job of taking the pictures.

Slam_Bradley

07-20-2006, 12:02 PM

A friendly Mountain Goat greeted us at the top of the trail:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100089.jpg

Was this taken with a telephoto lens? I've never been very close to a goat, but I've been within spittin' distance of a big-horn sheep. They're smelly buggers.

Winslow

07-20-2006, 12:40 PM

Was this taken with a telephoto lens? I've never been very close to a goat, but I've been within spittin' distance of a big-horn sheep. They're smelly buggers.

Nope.

The feller was sittin right next to the path.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7100090.jpg

We also saw a bighorn - but he was at a distance, and I couldn't get a decent photo.

In yellowstone we observed Elk and Mule Deer doing a similar thing, resting in heavily populated areas.

Nobody was feeding them.

As a guess, I think they've figured out predators don't come around humans.

Jeff Brady

07-20-2006, 01:25 PM

That Saint Mary's Lake pic is my new desktop at work. Thanks!

tricksterpup

07-20-2006, 01:54 PM

A Prairie “Dog.” There were acres of “Prairie Dog Towns” all over the place. One of the weird rodents would stand up and chirp, and the rest would head for cover. I figured he or she was the moderator of the community.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050004.jpg
I mmmmPrairieDog.. you know I have a great Family Reciepe.. they taste like chicken.

We also saw a herd of wild bison:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7050009.jpg
and that just makes me want to go Grill'n.

Winslow

07-20-2006, 02:40 PM

That Saint Mary's Lake pic is my new desktop at work. Thanks!

Very cool Jeff. That made my day. Photography is my creative outlet during vacation, so it’s cool to know you thought enough of the pic to put it on your desktop.

I have a bigger one at higher resolution (I shrunk them down so they wouldn’t overwhelm the messageboard formatting).

If ya want the bigger one, PM me your email address.

I mmmmPrairieDog.. you know I have a great Family Reciepe.. they taste like chicken.

We did see a Coyote stalking some sport of rodent in Yellowstone. Looked just like a dog playing in the backyard.

and that just makes me want to go Grill'n.

Buffalo does taste good. Had some BBQ Buffalo in addition to the burger (form a Buffalo farm of course).

On another note – my Dad saw a wolf feeding on an Elk Carcass in Yellowstone.

Slam_Bradley

07-20-2006, 02:43 PM

Buffalo does taste good. Had some BBQ Buffalo in addition to the burger (form a Buffalo farm of course).

On another note – my Dad saw a wolf feeding on an Elk Carcass in Yellowstone.

The problem with buffalo is that it's so low in fat that it's hard to cook right.

Ray R.

07-20-2006, 02:46 PM

Beautiful pictures, Winslow.

When I drove cross-country from Washington, D.C., to Seattle, my friend demanded that we make a two-day stop at Glacier National Park. I was kind of on a tight schedule with taking time off from work, and thought we'd just be standing around looking at Glaciers moving an inch every year.

Stupid, stupid, stupid Ray. Glad he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Thanks for reminding me that it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been on Earth, and I've been to a lot of places in a lot of countries in my life.

Your family looks so happy. Good for you.

Winslow

07-21-2006, 06:38 AM

The problem with buffalo is that it's so low in fat that it's hard to cook right.

That’s the sell for buffalo farners – lean beef. Never had a steak though – but the burgers, sausage, and BBQ shredded beef were excellent.

Your family looks so happy. Good for you.

Yeah – it was great for the kids. It was little rough on the wife, I need to make it up to her somehow.

I named the thread Uncle Winslow ‘cause I brought my Indiana Brothers kids. The kids had a great time. From left to right: 13 yo niece, 13 yo daughter, 11 year old nephew, 10 year old son.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/LogansPass-1.jpg

I don’t know how two dark haired and dark eyed guys had so many blonde kids. A recessive gene coups de tat I suppose (our Mom is blonde) or [insert milkman joke here]

Winslow

07-21-2006, 06:40 AM

On to Yellowstone National Park. (http://www.nps.gov/yell/)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120188.jpg

Yellowstone is a caldera, a volcano which has collapsed into itself. This has created an area of fantastic geothermal features like hot springs and geysers.

Old Faithful:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120144.jpg

Hot Spring (the blue water is over the boiling point – high elevation keeps it from flashing into steam)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120166.jpg

Here’s castle geyser, eruptions for several hundred years have built up mineral deposits:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120165.jpg

jessecuster3

07-21-2006, 06:40 AM

The problem with buffalo is that it's so low in fat that it's hard to cook right.

Its not hard , you just cut off the wings and throw em in a fryer.

Yeah I know that was terrible.

Winslow

07-21-2006, 06:41 AM

This cute woman hung out with me at Yellowstone:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/OldFaithful.jpg

Winslow

07-21-2006, 06:45 AM

Yellowstone is home to Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Buffalo, Elk, Deer, Moose, Wolves, and a bunch of other large mammals I’m forgetting . . .

Here’s a pic of a Bull Elk:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120141.jpg

The Mammoth Hot Springs, these unique geothermal creatins are formed by boing water under limestone deposits. The limestone was deposited by the death of sea creatures millions of years ago when a sea was in the area. Bizarre to think of the changes in the Earth:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7120175.jpg

Winslow

07-21-2006, 06:52 AM

The worst day of vacation was this day in Yellowstone. As I was rounding a hairpin switchback climbing a mountain, the trailer popped off the hitch. Fortunately, the emergency chains held, and I was able to make it off the road. Also fortunately, my nephews cell phone had bars, so I was able to call for roadside assistance.

The problem was – it made us late for getting the East Entrance. The East Entrance Road was under construction, and closed at 8 pm. So we had to go out the Northeast entrance, and drive an extra 6 hours out of our way. Painful midnight driving though mountains with open ranges (I kid you not – cows could be in the road – we saw a few huge ones grazing on the shoulder). It was dangerous driving at night – and made a wreck of my nerves.

But hey – no one was hurt, and I can laugh about it now, and have a vacation disaster story to tell my grandkids.

Forefinger

07-21-2006, 07:05 AM

Ok. I'm down for the camping trip to these places, and then to the SDCC.

TinMan

07-21-2006, 07:11 AM

Yellowstone is a caldera, a volcano which has collapsed into itself. This has created an area of fantastic geothermal features like hot springs and geysers.

I don't know if you know this, but thats partially due to the fact that Yellowstone is a Supervolcano, as of last year there is a 40 mile x 20 mile x 10 mile deep magma chamber under the park. Its still expanding and has literally been pushing the ground up to the tune of 6 in. to a foot in the last 70 years (bodies of water have started to shift and cover trees and grassy areas, thats how this was studied).

The last time the volcano erupted was between 600 and 650 thousand years ago, it covered a radius of 3000 miles in 6 inches of ash and almost instantaneously prepared every living creature in the area for fossilization. The fossil record shows that the average time span for eruptions of the volcano is 600 thousand years and we've actually made it like 650 thousand now, so technically speaking its overdue for an explosion. Only time will tell what this thing is gonna do.

Gotta love the discovery channel, I watched a whole special about this thing a while back. :D

Winslow

07-21-2006, 07:16 AM

I don't know if you know this, but thats partially due to the fact that Yellowstone is a Supervolcano, as of last year there is a 40 mile x 20 mile x 10 mile deep magma chamber under the park. Its still expanding and has literally been pushing the ground up to the tune of 6 in. to a foot in the last 70 years (bodies of water have started to shift and cover trees and grassy areas, thats how this was studied).

The last time the volcano erupted was between 600 and 650 thousand years ago, it covered a radius of 3000 miles in 6 inches of ash and almost instantaneously prepared every living creature in the area for fossilization. The fossil record shows that the average time span for eruptions of the volcano is 600 thousand years and we've actually made it like 650 thousand now, so technically speaking its overdue for an explosion. Only time will tell what this thing is gonna do.

Gotta love the discovery channel, I watched a whole special about this thing a while back. :D

That's pretty cool.

I'm not sure I know the difference between a super volcano and a caldera. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldera) Maybe the same thing - that is, a super volcano is an explosive caldera.

The last Yellowstone eruption (640,000 years ago) caused the Earth to cool.

TinMan

07-21-2006, 07:23 AM

That's pretty cool.

I'm not sure I know the difference between a super volcano and a caldera. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldera) Maybe the same thing - that is, a super volcano is an explosive caldera.

The last Yellowstone eruption (640,000 years ago) caused the Earth to cool.

The caldera is whats left over after a supervolcano blows.

A regular volcano is created when there is an almost direct shaft from the Earth's core to the surface. When those blown they create you classic mountain shaped volcano and are far less potent.

Supervolcano's on the other hand are created when magma makes its way up a shaft from the planet's core but hits an open pocket in the Earth's crust. Instead of making it directly to the surface the magma fills the pocket (just like the big one under Yellowstone), eventually when the pressure builds to the point that the crust can't hold it, it'll burst out of the weakest point of the crust. The weight of all the dirt and rock on top of the pocket caves in and literally forces all of the magma out of the pocket in one massive explosion creating the recessed "caldera" that you were standing in up in Yellowstone.

I'll see if I can find a link to something that can explain it in a bit more detail, matter of fact Wikipedia is probably a great source. Edit: Yep, here ya go- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcano

Also I didn't know that the last Yellowstone eruption caused the earth to cool, theres another interesting fact!

Winslow

07-21-2006, 07:40 AM

I'll see if I can find a link to something that can explain it in a bit more detail, matter of fact Wikipedia is probably a great source. Edit: Yep, here ya go- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcano

Also I didn't know that the last Yellowstone eruption caused the earth to cool, theres another interesting fact!

I learned something today.

Most of these things are in the U.S.. Probably explains why this area was settled by human life so late, since the eruption wipes out everything on a continent.

TinMan

07-21-2006, 07:45 AM

I learned something today.

Most of these things are in the U.S.. Probably explains why this area was settled by human life so late, since the eruption wipes out everything on a continent.

Pretty much, when the Yellowstone volcano went the last time it covered half the country in ash. Would be a catastrophe if it blows again, millions of people will be shit outta luck.

Guapo Méndez

07-21-2006, 08:44 AM

Pretty much, when the Yellowstone volcano went the last time it covered half the country in ash. Would be a catastrophe if it blows again, millions of people will be shit outta luck.

Not to mention a pic-a-nic fancying, smarter-than-the-average-bear bear.

Slam_Bradley

07-21-2006, 08:47 AM

Painful midnight driving though mountains with open ranges (I kid you not – cows could be in the road – we saw a few huge ones grazing on the shoulder). It was dangerous driving at night – and made a wreck of my nerves.

This is an important point to remember when driving in the intermountain west. Cows and sheep are presumed to have the right-of-way.

Winslow

07-21-2006, 09:07 AM

This is an important point to remember when driving in the intermountain west. Cows and sheep are presumed to have the right-of-way.

What I don't understand, is why do they make the speed limit 70 mph in those areas?

I assume (an admittedly Eastern assumption) that that means it's safe to drive 70 mph.

There's no way I'd drive that fast at night in those areas. I drove around 40 mph.

Winslow

07-21-2006, 09:12 AM

(double post)

SPOON!

Forefinger

07-21-2006, 09:32 AM

(double post)

SPOON!
Awesome use of a SPOON! there brother Winslow!

Slam_Bradley

07-21-2006, 09:36 AM

What I don't understand, is why do they make the speed limit 70 mph in those areas?

I assume (an admittedly Eastern assumption) that that means it's safe to drive 70 mph.

There's no way I'd drive that fast at night in those areas. I drove around 40 mph.

I'm a little surprised the speed limit was 70. Here it's usually 55 in an open range area, as the roads aren't that great. But this is Montana, we're talking about (North Entrance, right?).

Everybody figures the cows and sheep were here before the cars. And it would be extraordinarily expensive to fence them. I'm a little surprised that the area that close to the park isn't in a herd district, though.

Winslow

07-22-2006, 11:26 AM

I'm a little surprised the speed limit was 70. Here it's usually 55 in an open range area, as the roads aren't that great. But this is Montana, we're talking about (North Entrance, right?).

Northeast - tip of southern Montana - but mostly Wyoming.

Curves and hills obstructed vision - I wouldn't have doen 70 mph in the daylight in an open range area.

It's possible there was speed reductions next to ranches and I missed 'em.

Everybody figures the cows and sheep were here before the cars. And it would be extraordinarily expensive to fence them. I'm a little surprised that the area that close to the park isn't in a herd district, though.

Don't know what a herd district is . . . and it wasn't too close to the park, actually. A few hours outside of it.

Winslow

07-22-2006, 11:51 AM

Last place we visited - Mount Rushmore. It has changed substantially since was there as a kid in 1971. The cool things - a Presidential trail that takes you right up to the foot of the mountain. They also had the original 1:12 SCALE sculpture that was used as a guide in making the mountain carving.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7140190.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7140211.jpg

Winslow

07-22-2006, 11:55 AM

The Presidential Trail gives some cool perspectives of the monument:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7140198.jpg

At the foot of the mountain:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7140200.jpg

and the sculpture used for reference while constructing (unfortunately the mountain got "washed out" in the window)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/WinslowSolomon/P7140206.jpg

Pbdi . . . Pbdi . Pbdi . . .that's all folks! . . .