Wednesday, October 26, 2011

How to describe this place? This trip?


I've dreaded writing this post.  Not because I don't want to write it.  Rather, because I cannot find words adequate enough to describe both the location or the trip itself.

There are not words big enough to describe Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.  The words simply do not exist.  Photos will have to do.  With captions when helpful.

We began in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

As we set out to see both Teton & Yellowstone National Park on the first day we saw this bull moose within the elk refuge right in Jackson.  We hadn't even been in the car for five minutes.

And the elk.  In full rutting season.  At dawn.  Breathtaking.  For reals.



The Aspens were at their peak.

Lamar River Valley.  Probably my favorite place in Yellowstone.

Properly called bison.  We started calling them buffalitos.  Kinda in the voice like Eddie Murphy uses in that movie where he's dressed like a grandmother and claps his/her hand repeatedly while sort of chanting "Hercules!"  That's what I'd do whenever I saw bison . . . (hands clapping) "buffalito! buffalito!"



Razor had done his research and knew where wolves had been spotted in the days before we arrived.  The guy in the car is a world famous wolf biologist that was using the radio to listen for the collared wolves.  Razor was in this spot before he was.  And. We. Saw. Wolves.  . . . And. Heard. Them. Howl.  ::chills:: 

Buffalito!  Buffalito!  Certainly you may cross the road!

Yellowstone was very quiet as winter was knocking on the door and tourist season was over.  This PBS camera guy stopped to look at exactly what we were already.

Bald eagle

Park rangers and a bear biologist heading out to study an overnight grizzly bear that had died not far from the road.

The coyotes were waiting in the wings to take a look at the dead bear as well.  Oh, ho hum.  And another bald eagle too.

Razor and I knew there was a live web cam at Old Faithful so we timed it so we'd be there when the girls got home from school and they could see us jumping around and acting like fools in front of Old Faithful.

Thar she blows!

Amazing hydro-thermal activity in this place.

Trumpeter swans

And as big . . . .

and as grand as this place is . . . .

there was so much beauty in the small stuff as well.

wolf tracks along the river bank

See what I mean??  No words big enough.  This picture doesn't even do the place justice.

-dana

55 comments:

Ana said...

OMG! Those are amazing pictures! Now I know I want to visit this majestic place1
What kind of camera did you use?
Thanks for sharing this wonderful trip.

amylouwhosews said...

great photos! I've been to the Tetons, but never to Yellowstone. Must add it to my bucketlist.

Pattie D said...

Oh Dana! Wow! A great BIG thank you! I am sufficiently touched, big tears and shivers! I love that place....yep an Idaho girl! And well you now made this now Arizona doesn't wanna be transplant so happy! Happy to see snow capped Tetons, buffalitos (LOL) and fall, brilliant fall color. You have filled my heart today. THANKS!

Lisa said...

Total Goose Bumps!! Amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing!!

EG said...

Incredible!

**nicke... said...

i am so glad you enjoyed your vacation! the thought of you and razor jumping around for your kids to see totally cracked me up! it really is hard to depict the beauty and wonder of that place with pictures but you did a masterful job!

Unknown said...

Oh my word, such beautiful pictures and well written words to describe it all.

To hear a wolf howl, shivers. My most favorite animal.

Buffalitos! I love it.

Now I'm ready to tell hubby we're road tripping instead of painting/working this weekend. :D

Thanks for the reminder of a place I must see one day.

Dirt Road Quilter said...

No words is right. Such a magnificent place. I'm thinking you need to blow up those photos and frame them. They deserve a place of honor on your walls! Just breathtaking!

Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane said...

Those pictures are AMAZING. Thanks for sharing them. I've looked through them several times and showed my daughter. We would love to go out there one day when the kids are older- such an amazing place.

QuiltNut Creations said...

absolutely fabulous pictures Dana. I am so jealous you saw wolves, I've never seen them in the daylight; other than at a zoo lol.

Krista said...

your photos are amazing! I drove through that area in college on a trip from Alaska to Florida. I'll be honest, I didn't take the time to appreciate it. I definitely want to return someday.

Did you sit out at night and look at the sky? That is one of the things that really struck me there that I DID appreciate. The sky looks huge, and so many stars. Wowsers.

Em said...

Oh Yellowstone!! My happy place ...

This place holds a very special spot in my heart. I lived and worked there one summer when I was in college. The summer before last, I went back with my family. I've never been there at this time of year, though, and it looks magnificent. I'll have to put that trip on my Life List. Yellowstone in the Fall. Divine.

In the spirit of shared experience, if you're interested, here are a few posts from our trips there in summer 2010.

http://www.littlebitsandmore.com/2010/06/back-once-again.html

http://www.littlebitsandmore.com/2010/07/early-morning-rewarded.html

http://www.littlebitsandmore.com/2010/07/hot-hot-hot.html

http://www.littlebitsandmore.com/2010/07/to-tetons.html

Amy said...

beautiful Dana! I've only been there as a kid, I think the thing that excited my brothers and sisters and I the most was seeing the squirrels eat, Oh and the
Buffalitos :)

Jacque. said...

Dana...first of all...thank you for the ELK! Finally! {grin} Just have to tell you...those photos are simply awesome and fantastic. You rock! Glad you had a great time, too!

aSprinkling said...

Your photographs are great - and I don't mean the scenery, I mean the photography. Give us some tips!

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Those pictures are breath-taking. Thanks for sharing them with us.

audreypawdrey said...

Gorgeous! I have been twice, and it is one of my absolute favorite places. I want to go back!

leigh said...

Wow! Your photos are amazing! I've never been to Yellowstone in the fall - but now I really want to.

Trudi said...

Breathtaking! :) Thank you Dana

Ilona Katalin said...

what gorgeous place ... there's nothing like this ... natural, pure and beautiful plants and animals!!! this is where I would like to live... I'm close to such a space but we still have people too close!!

Kristie said...

Holy Dinah. That post was a big cup of ahhhhhhhh....

Jane said...

Planning our trip now!

Kar said...

So glad you had a fantastic time there! We love that place also. I'm so glad that it's only a few hours from our house. And you are so right about there not being words big enough. I can never find the right words to do it justice or even pictures. Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip! AWESOME!!!!

oversewn (Raven) said...

Dana!! Amazing pictures!! I spent the summer of '04 and '05 working at a lodge outside Yellowstone. I would love to live out there!!!
Thanks so much for the pictures! Made my day
xo

ladmquilter said...

Your pictures are amazing I have been out there twice but it was over twenty years ago, after seeing your pictures I really need to go back it is gorgeous.

Cassie @ You Go Girl said...

It's a magical place, isn't it? We live three hours away. We go To Yellowstone every year. It never gets old. Never! So glad you came for a visit.

scottylover said...

Was there MANY years ago (1976) and I know exactly what you mean. We still talk about the trip at family functions.

Thanks for sharing your pictures. They are wonderful!
Sandy A

DebbyMc said...

Well, you know I love the buffalitos =-) I knew you would love this amazing place. Your photos are fantastic! I bet the web cam thing for the girls was hilarious! Thanks for sharing...

Dena said...

I want to go! I want to go! Oh man. The pictures are awesome!!

badlandsquilts said...

Growing up not too far away, I have been to Yellowstone a few times. It is always interesting to compare photos taken in different years/decades.

Your photos are absolutely stunning and truly capture the beauty.

dolores said...

Been to both places...we feel ya!;)

dolores said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Teresa said...

AWESOME!

Marianne Penner said...

Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing them, Dana!

Tina Craig said...

So gorgeous, I've been moved to tears!

Miriam said...

We did a quick whirlwind trip to Yellowstone over Labor Day Weekend 2010 with our duaghter and son-in-law. Not nearly enough time to savor but just enough to whet our appetite for more.

We left Yellowstone via a "buffalito" escort...as in the animal was in the right hand lane leading traffic down the mountainside to the park exit! I took pictures and said thank you when we got to a passing point.

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit! Thank you for sharing the gorgeous pictures.

Salem Stitcher said...

Oh

my

gosh

There are no words...except...I want to go.

Rafael's Mum said...

Soooo beautiful Dana.... Thanks for sharing.

Stephanie D said...

Magnificent! Quick, where's my bucket list...

Elissa said...

so, so jealous. but in a nice way. great pics.

lindsey said...

You probably drove through my hometown of Idaho Falls on your way to Yellowstone. Which means, that this feels like home to me. I am living far away from the beautiful place and I miss it every day.

Grand Teton National Park is my favorite place in the world. Your pictures are some of the best I've ever seen.

I am so pleased that you liked it!

epban said...

Thanks for sharing those gorgeous pictures! I've never been out west.

Sara said...

Breath taking!!!!!!

We were almost chased by a bull once while in Arizona desert. The buffalito reminded me of that! They must be ok though eh?!

Those Aspen trees in yellow---WOW---And I do mean WOW!!!!

I can only imagine:)

Ann-Marie said...

YOur photos are amazing!! I'm glad you had such a great trip!

April (Polkadot Sparrow) said...

Hercules! Hercules! Glad I'm not the only one who gets that stuck in her head. ha.

When I saw your 5th photo down of the looming mountain I said, "Holy Crap!" Because it's that good. That better be framed, stat.

And then I saw the last photo. It was moving.

I've always wanted to go. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful photos and stories about your trip. I really enjoyed it.

Selvage Quilter said...

WOW! Your photos are amazing! Award-worthy. They say it all.
I've been to these places but you make it look better than I remember.

pescbrico said...

Your pictures are STUNNING!!! Oh I wish I could be their with you!! What kind of camera you use? (if you don't mind sharing :)) Thanks for sharing it all :)

Corinnea said...

How fun that you were able to experience this! I've always wanted to explore that part of the world. Your photos whet my desire even more. One day.... Thanks for sharing!

Mama Said Sew said...

Amazing!

kclily said...

Yellowstone is like being on another planet. Thank you for taking me back there for another visit. There is no place like it anywhere on earth.

Silvia LGD (Little Green Doll) said...

WOW!! What an incredible place!! Great photos!

Sarah Pead said...

Ugh. I'm amazed at the glimpses of God's beauty that you were able to capture on your trip. So breath-taking.

susan said...

amazing trip...mark has been a couple times i have not. kind of a dream trip for me. sure alot of antlers in that arch.
lots of nice photos.
we have choke bald eagles up here. michigan took them off the endangered speices list althou they are still federally protected. they said the other nite on the local news we have 600 nesting pairs of bald eagle in the UP...they are so kool. we see them all the time. so beautiful...
did you know, all young hawks and eagles are pretty much the same color. why? they tend to wander into mature raptors territory and since they look like anyones younguns they get a free pass... cool huh?

Deonn said...

Oh, Dana, this is my home! I worked at Signal Mountain Lodge between college semesters (31 years ago...) just across the bay on Jackson Lake from Mt. Moran, (your last picture) What a backdrop to wake up to every day. My, you were so lucky to be in the right places at all the right times and catch all the wildlife!! A wonderful time of year in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. Stunning photos, thanks for sharing your adventures with us!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

How I love everything about this post. Absolutely beautiful pictures and sentiments about some of the most beautiful places. Simply breathtaking. Hubby and I visited Yellowstone a few summers ago, but you've convinced me that we need to go after the tourist rush. Thank you for sharing your trip with us.