Day Fourteen and Seventeen- YELLOWSTONE

We have arrived!!!! 

Yellowstoneeee!! 

I am combining the days of Yellowstone into one not because the park is not freakin awesome, but becuase we have been so busy and I have to limit myself in how much I write about Yellowstone. 

A few days ago, we arrived in Americas first park. I immediately got chills hearing the ranger tell us welcome to Yellowstone- I know I'm a lame-o. However, I think everyone should gets chills entering this amazing park that is conveniently right here in the United States. Below Yellostone lies the largest super volcano on this planet! Half of the entire North American continent would have seen this super volcano erupt millions of years ago. Earthquakes occur daily in Yellowstone- they are just so far below the surface that we do not feel them. This huge plume of magma just a few miles underground is responsible for creating the prehistoric looking landscape that is Yellowstone today. Seriously, I feel like dinosaurs should be roaming around not tourists. On our arrival, we traveled to one of Yellowstone's most iconic attractions- Old Fatithful. The area surrounding Old Faithful is kind of like the head quarters for the park. Everything is very commercialized, but the architecture is  rustic and beautiful. After running around the gift shop and buying multiple park paraphernalia, we walked over to Old Faithful just in time to see it erupt. I looked over the heads of photographing tourists to see this historic event. I have to be truthful, I think I built Yellowstone up so much in my mind, that it could not meet my real expectations. I looked around me at hundreds of people perched in stadium seats cliking away as the geyser quietly erupted, and I could not help but think I was at some football game. I could not find this euphoric feeling that filled me at our previous locations, and I thought Yellowstone would instill in me the strongest sense of nature compared to these past trips. 

I tired not to focus on this feeling too much. Instead, I focused on just Yellowstone, as a park onto itself and not compared to others. I walked on every designated path and viewed the various geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles. We did not really hike in Yellowstone like we did the other parks because the professors were not familiar with the trails, and we had a time constraint with the park being so big and there so much to see.

Our campsite here was vastly different than Gros Ventre in the Tetons. Here, we were right next to our neighbors and about 15 feet from the bathroom (I can't complain about that).  However, at Stockade Lake and Gros Ventre, I felt like I was an explorer, like I was the person who was discovering the beauty of the Tetons for the first time. At least, I was discovering it for myself the first time. Since I was young, I wanted to travel and see places outside of Alabama. I am so close to my family, but I knew that I would have to one day leave them and find my own happiness. I would have to find myself. That is why I was fixated on going to college out of state, even if it is a few hours away. In my mind, I felt like if I did not leave the state for college, then I never would. Anyways, this brings me back to Yellowstone. The park was amazing, a place that contains so much history and everyone should see. However, at Yellowstone, I felt like everything had been discovered for me, like in was being show someone else's accomplishments and I was supposed to be in awe and take a million pictures. After traveling and hiking around in our previous locations, I was not used to the feeling of waiting in line to see a geyser, or staying on the designated path, squished in by hundreds of others doing the same thing. 

I will never say that I am disappointed in Yellowstone. I really enjoyed my time there, just look how much I spent in the giftshop. Instead, I will say that my time there was just of a different experience that was necessary for me to have. Without this experience, I would not have valued aspects of the other parks that I did not value before. I would not have seen the bigger picture, and that is how being in the most least expecting places, places where I can only hear the wind and sometimes cannot find the trail, have had the biggest impact on me. The Grand Tetons are an example of a location where I always pictured my self exploring when I was younger. It now represents a place where I broke through the line of trees to find a breathtaking view of a valley. And I could look over this valley and see no one else. It would just be nature and myself and how we fit together to form something beautiful. (Oh the Granola Group would be there too but in my mind I am alone and dressed in traditional Native American garb). The Badlands now reresent a place where I could look out and not even be able to make out where the ground ends and the sky begins. They were harsh, and they reminded me of the respect the natural world calls for, and how lucky I am to live in a home where I do not have to worry about being cold at night. (The Badlands were freezinggg at night). 

Yellowstone is something different, and coming from an immigrant family, different does not mean bad. As a Sustainability major, Yellowstone made me happy to see so many people, traveling from all parts of the world, enjoying and respecting the natural world. It made me proud of the United States and to be a citizen. I had no idea that it contained this much beauty. Mainly, Yellowstone made me respect how this life is not simple and it is not all romantic. There are many parts to it. Just how I was caught up in a form of manifest destiny romantic idealism before I came to Yellowstone. It reminds me that we have to find our happy, which might not include following the millions of people to Yellowstone like I thought it would. Instead, finding my own personal happiness, might just mean I leave the path every now me then, as was done in the Tetons. 

I am not praising the Tetons over Yellowstone as we did get more time in the Tetons. It might have just been all the hiking that made me remember it more. There was one time in Yellostone when we went on a mini hike. It was a cloudy and slightly rainy day and we had gone to see our last site- the Grand Prismatic. I finally made my way over to this gaint pool to find it very beautiful, but masked by the amount of steam it was producing. It was hard to see the pool through this thick fog. The beautiful colors of the pool would reveal themselves every now and then through its white cloak and tease me with there vibrancy. After eating lunch, we decided to go on a short hike that would take us to an overlook of the Grand Prismatic. The trail took us straight uphill, and at times the steepness made me feel like I was crawling up instead of hiking. However, we finally got to the top and I gazed in wonderment down and the Grand Prismatic. Again, that feeling of adventure filled me and I could not help but feel in awe at th beautiful pool and it's surrounding landscape. I finally found my happy in Yellowstone. It happened to be a the top of a large hill, where I could see the true beauty of the Grand Prismatic cleared of its once shrouding steam. This is what I remember about Yellowstone, and I am so fortunate to have found it our last day there. 

 

Grand Prismatic!! 

Day Thirteen- I Climbed a Mountain and I Turned Around

And I saw my reflection in there snow covered hills and the landslide brought me down.

Sorry I had to throw in some Fleetwood Mac. It was totally appropriate. I know my blog posts have not been up to par the past few days. We have just been so busy and it has been hard to convey everything we do throughout the day in an eloquent manner. Today was our last day in the mighty Tetons. It is sad to say goodbye to them, but Yellowstone lies in our future, and I can not contain my excitement to visit a place I have wanted to see since I was a child. Today we decided to have one more smaller hike into Grainate Caynon. We once again loaded up and drove from Gros Ventre over to the mountains. Our hike started out in the sagebrush prarie and winded its way into a valley. At first I was just focused on going through the hike and getting to a good lunch spot. However, I realized that this would be the last time I would hike through the Tetons in a long time. Before coming here, I had never been in this much snow, or seen mountains this grand. I had never been so close to a buffalo, or mentally prepared myself to encounter a bear. I had never seen moose, and now I have seen four! I started to look around and take in the place that had given me so much.

We continued into the Caynon with the sun on our backs- the altitude just high enough to escape the humidity. We traveld alongside a river at the bottom of the Caynon. The water was so clear that I could describe every stone laying at the bottom. After eating lunch, we continued a little ways further until the snow yet again blocked our path. 

The sun started beating harder and it became impossible to resist the crystal river. So, a few of us took off our hiking boots and walked in. It was SO COLD that I thought my feet my freeze and fall off in the first thirty seconds. With the water being melted snow streaming off the mountains, and snow still present on the side of the banks, I should have guessed I was reenacting Titanic minus Leo. However, I do not regret it!

We arrived back at the van and I started mentally saying goodbye to the Tetons. While driving back to Gros Ventre, the professors all of the sudden pulled the Geologic Van of Discovery into Teton Village, a ski resort type place. They came back to the van with a surprise-we were going to ride the lift to the top of Rendezvous Mountain that overlooked the village!!!!!!!!!!

We all leaped from the van and squinted into the sun up to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. It is about 3000 feet smaller in height than the peak of the Grand Teton, but still a monstrosity. We joyfully went up the steps and watched the tram glide towards us. I was so somewhat nervous getting in the tram- every now and then it would sway by the high mountain winds. However, once we really started climbing in altitude, my fear was replaced by wonderment at the beautiful landscape below. We finally approached the peak at an elevation of 10,450 feet. I hopped of the tram, didn't look down, and ran up the steps to the very top. The feeling of making it to the top of the mountain, with the whole world unfolding in front of me, was very similar to when I made it to the top of the hill my first day in the Tetons. This time, I was actually on top of a mountain, and the view was breathtakingly indescribable. Every direction I turned was a new world that seemed to be untouched by society. The Grand Teton loomed in the background, representing a part of nature that will never be seen by the majority of man, and therefore calls for respect. I looked down onto Teton Village, this big town that now was so small, to the point where I could not even see its residents. I thought back to the Badlands, when I felt so small as I looked all the way to the horizon. I could not see the horizon here becuase of the mountainous landscape, but I did have a 360 degree view on the top of the world. Everything seemed so vast, beautiful, and peaceful. I did not feel small anymore, but instead, I felt empowered. I felt important, like all the mightiness I had seen was somehow now inside me. I have seen places that not everyone gets to see, and I feel a great deal of respect for these places. These places- with all their quite- have somehow spoken the loudest to me. I was on top of a mountain, and no matter where we go, I will never forget that. 

So anyways, there is a cute store (of course) on top of Rendezvous Mountain that sells pancakes, hot chocolate, coffee etc. After I ate a peanut butter bacon waffle, and the rest of the group indulged in a mixture of waffles and whiskey, we stepped back onto the tram and descended back to our world. 

One more story before I say goodbye to the Tetons. This is the story of the electronic bear. Pheebs, Katherine, and I were walking to the bathroom around 9 at night. We were almost to the isolated facility when we heard a low noise that sounded like a mixture between a whoosh and a growl. We stopped in fear and looked at each other with eyes as large as the dim moon. I took one more look into the darkness in front of us and without thinking, I turned, and sprinted the fastest I have ever sprinted back to the camp. I had made it about 20 feet in 5 steps when my friends yelled "Elly stop! You are not supposed to run!!" I whipped around and beckoned them to come. They stood there and ultimately decided that it was definitely a man-made noise. Still, I was done with any bathroom rituals tonight and this time I begged them to come back to camp with me. They were still slightly frightened and turned from their cemented spots to walk briskly back with me. We ran into Dr. Suresh who wondered why we looked so scared. He walked us back to the bathroom and we determined that the noise was the extra generator turning on for the facility. We could still here the faint hum of surging electricity. Feeling foolish for leaving my group for an electric bear, I apologized. They were not too concerned because if it was a bear, it would chase whatever was running. Still, if only I could run like that all the time, I would be an Olympian. 

Last hike in Grainate Caynon

Accidental GoPro selfie with Dr. Garihan

Dr. Garihan spelling FU with moose poop...

GoPro went in the water!

And so did I 

Tram selfie

I'm on top of the world hey!

Hello Mr. Moose!!

Day Twelve- Waterfallin

Today I'm pretty sure we woke up even earlier, if that is possible. I woke up hearing "come on folks you are wasting daylight!!" at 6:30 am. Is it even daylight at 630!? Anyways, today we traveld to Jenny Lake to meet with Ranger/Geologist Ann Mattson. In the visitors center, she spoke with us about the geology of the Tetons. It was somewhat hard for us girls to focus on account of the cute boy working the register, but overall we made it through. I think some members of the group contemplated becoming a park ranger for that reason. 

Ann lead us on a small hike around Jenny Lake, which is just as beautiful as Phelps Lake, just more populated with tourists. At one point I asked her for career advice to work in the Department of the Interior. She was very helpful; however, she did not know that I was between doing that and being President of the United States. Hey I'm just keeping my options open. Eventually, we settled down for lunch and said our goodbyes to good ol Ann. We decided to continue our hike upwards towards Hidden Falls, despite the warnings that the path was very much convered in dangerous snow, but when have we let that stop us?! After trekking and falling through deep snow, we made it to our destination (and had another snowball fight). Hidden Falls was beautiful. Our snowy adventure was worth such an amazing view. We eagerly hiked back down, this time on the lower path with the rest of the tourist. Our pace was rather quick becuase today was the day we were going to shower!!!!!!!!

We arrived at a very clean showering facility 15 minutes before they closed. It might have been one of the happiest moments of my life. 

After we returned to camp my cooking group made tomato soup and grilled cheese with bacon. Later, our fellow furman friends Alex and Maia came to join us for some s'mores by the campfire. We were just a little furman family sitting at the base of the Tetons telling stoies and sharing laughs. Alex and Maia were finishing up a 550 mile journey that they mainly biked from Denver! We thought we were roughing it, but they were taking it to a whole new level. I greatly admired their spirit and their positivity was infectious. I am in awe of their journey. 

Hidden Falls

Hike back down!

Marmot. I am the animal whisperer. 

Day Eleven- Wait Where's the Trail?? (The 8 hour hike)

Yes the title is correct. Our hike lasted 8 hours! But it's ok, we were (somewhat) mentality prepared for this as we knew that today would be a day hike. Also, a lot of fun can be had in 8 hours- don't underestimate it!  

We got up from camp early and each packed an individual lunch (I might have swiped a few extra poptarts to go with my sandwich). After our day packs were ready to go, we hopped in the Geologic Van of Discovery and drove over to Phelps Lake. Our hike was to consist of a loop around Phelps Lake, and then a short out and back into Death Caynon (this trail leads into the mountains).

Even though we were circling the lake, their were only select times when we could get a great view. We finally came across a large boulder that offered the perfect overlook. I climbed up onto the rock with my fellow granola groupers and it was there that I finally found my picturesque Nature Valley Commercial (if you are confused what I am talking about Nature Valley is a company that makes granola bars and they always have picturesque scenes of nature in their commercials).

The lake is a deep blue and so clear that one can see at least five feet down. Since the lake is mainly melt water, it is so clean and fresh with even the bottom being pleasant to look at. After eating lunch , we made our way into Death Canyon.  Eventually, our path was blocked by snow. We tried to scrape of the sides and continue, but we needed an ice axe to really get a good gripe of the slope. Our struggles soon transformed into a giant snowball fight. Let me tell you, the professors show no mercy.

On the way back down the cannon we tried to get back onto the lake trial; however, debris from a rock slide and melting snow obscured our path. After wandering around in a marsh that was similar to that of the one in Lord of the Rings, we realized that maybe we were very much lost. Everyone else seemed calm, but I got frustrated. We had to start bushwhacking, and it ran strIght into a tree. The combination of hot sun, tree bumped head, possible ticks, and the non-existence of a path made me have the urge to kick something. I stomped my REI boots over to a mound of snow and kicked it like I was in the World Cup. It was here that I realized I was being foolish. If the Native American women in my book were trailblazers, why could I not be one literally?? I channeled by inner Sacajawea and the Granola Group transformed into the Corps of Discovery with our professors now becoming Lewis and Clark. Eventually, we found our way back onto the lake trail. After eight hours, we arrived back at the van. Our campsite does not have showers, so we had not showered in about three days. We were going to find a shower place today, but getting lost made us run our of time. To make up for it, our understanding leaders surprised us with ice cream. Back at camp, some of us girls washed our hair underneath a spicket outside. Overall, I loved the hike. It just represented another adventure on our journey. 

Clear water

Entrance into Death Caynon

(Snow) baller

We are in Death Caynon now and Phelps Lake can be seen in the background  

This swamp looked like it came straight from Lord if the Rings

We got seperated from the group but we made it out ok!!