Places I have(n't) been

As some of you may know I have actually been to Yellowstone NP before. I was 14 the first time I experienced the awesomeness that is Yellowstone. I worked, selling cookies, doing odd jobs to save up for the camping trip with my aunt Lia. I paid my way (or most of it) and my aunt and I set off with camping gear and cameras. Needless to say it is interesting to see how much the park has changed over the years. This was most obvious at Mammoth Springs in the northwestern part of the park. Here the hot springs flow over and create complex limestone terraces. However, the flow is transient and the flow I saw when I was 14 was completely dry and new limestone deposited flows had taken over part of the old walking trail.





While we were in the northwest corner of the park, we took the opportunity to do something I did not have the chance to do when I was 14... go to Montana. Although, I don't feel like I have seen much of that state, we did have lunch there, so technically that makes it the 46th state I have set foot in. More impressive perhaps than having lunch in Gardiner, Montana was seeing the Roosevelt Arch at the northwest entrance to Yellowstone. It is a huge stone arch that was dedicated by president Roosevelt when the park first opened.



This afternoon we met my mother again at the Norris Geyser Basin to see some more amazing biogeochemisty at work and to say our goodbyes because tonight we travel to Cody, WY where we will meet up with my brother and his family.


We will be spending the next three days and nights with my big brother Don, his lovely wife Alisha, our 14 year old niece, Cassidy and 7 year old nephew named Clancy.


- Posted by Sara from my iPad

Location:Yellowstone NP