Training Log Archive: SpikeIn the 7 days ending Jan 23, 2019:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| « | » |
| » now | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
| Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | |||||||
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019 #
Note
Some travel problems meant I was pretty much out of it all day. We arrived at KCI at 11:38 p.m. but didn't reach home until 5:00 a.m. I got a few hours of sleep, worked at home for a few hours, then made it to the office. Planning to go to bed before 8.
So it was a long and difficult day...but there was a highlight...Summer texted a snapshot of my new nephew. That was cool. I'm not sure when he was born (other than sometime when we were in Yellowstone).
So it was a long and difficult day...but there was a highlight...Summer texted a snapshot of my new nephew. That was cool. I'm not sure when he was born (other than sometime when we were in Yellowstone).
Tuesday Jan 22, 2019 #
other 1:30:00 [1]
Blacktail Plateau.
Our last day in the park. Mary slept a little late and we got going on the Blacktail Plateau trail. We had more fresh snow, but some one had already skied the trail and that helped make it less of a chore than the day before.
We met a few bison that weren't exactly on the trail but were certainly nearer than is ideal. We went quietly and slowly by them, hoping to minimize any stress for the bison. That worked ok.
We saw 3 other people out on the trails.
Our last day in the park. Mary slept a little late and we got going on the Blacktail Plateau trail. We had more fresh snow, but some one had already skied the trail and that helped make it less of a chore than the day before.
We met a few bison that weren't exactly on the trail but were certainly nearer than is ideal. We went quietly and slowly by them, hoping to minimize any stress for the bison. That worked ok.
We saw 3 other people out on the trails.
Monday Jan 21, 2019 #
other 3:00:00 [1]
Beyond Tower Falls.
Some snow fell overnight making the roads a bit tricky. Mary drove. A key to diving in YNP is that the driver drive and not watch scenery and wildlife. Mary did well. But the 4 German-speaking tourists ahead of us didn't. We rounded a corner to spot their all-wheel drive SUV stuck. They'd let the two right wheels slip off the road to the right side and into the deep snow. Judging by the scenery and wildlife, the driver was watching bison. Mary backed up a little and put on the hazard lights to warn any coming drivers. I helped push and we got the car out.
We went on the Tower Falls trail and went well beyond the falls. There was enough new snow that it was very nice, but also a little bit slower and harder work than it would have been without the new snow. We saw two other skiers.
Some snow fell overnight making the roads a bit tricky. Mary drove. A key to diving in YNP is that the driver drive and not watch scenery and wildlife. Mary did well. But the 4 German-speaking tourists ahead of us didn't. We rounded a corner to spot their all-wheel drive SUV stuck. They'd let the two right wheels slip off the road to the right side and into the deep snow. Judging by the scenery and wildlife, the driver was watching bison. Mary backed up a little and put on the hazard lights to warn any coming drivers. I helped push and we got the car out.
We went on the Tower Falls trail and went well beyond the falls. There was enough new snow that it was very nice, but also a little bit slower and harder work than it would have been without the new snow. We saw two other skiers.
Sunday Jan 20, 2019 #
other 30:00 [1]
Castle with Mary.
A travel day but still time for a little bit of skiing. I got Mary out the door just as the sun was coming up (but it was behind lots of clouds). We went over to Castle Geyser and then back before heading off to get breakfast.
Perfect timing again...as we went near Old Faithful, Mary said we should stop for a second. We did, and just then Old Faithful erupted. One fo the nice things about visiting in the winter is that you experience Old Faithful without a crowd. It turned out there were two other people watching the eruption (about 100 meters away), but it felt empty. When there's no crowd the sounds are more interesting.
After breakfast and packing up our stuff, we spent some time wandering around on the trails in the upper geyser basin. Part of the trail was closed because of some new thermal activity. Part of the trail was impassable because of bison not interested in moving.
We got a light lunch and took the snow coach back to Mammoth. Our driver was Darla! We met here on our fist YNP winter trip and have seen her occasionally since then.
Dinner was take out hot food from the Gardiner grocery store. They advertise hot food on Tuesday and Sunday nights. We stopped and asked the guy working the register where the hot food was. He explained that they didn't have hot food tonight. Another store worker corrected him. It turned out he didn't know what day it was. Fun. I got some not-too-terrible food and we went back and ate at the hotel and watched the KC football game.
A travel day but still time for a little bit of skiing. I got Mary out the door just as the sun was coming up (but it was behind lots of clouds). We went over to Castle Geyser and then back before heading off to get breakfast.
Perfect timing again...as we went near Old Faithful, Mary said we should stop for a second. We did, and just then Old Faithful erupted. One fo the nice things about visiting in the winter is that you experience Old Faithful without a crowd. It turned out there were two other people watching the eruption (about 100 meters away), but it felt empty. When there's no crowd the sounds are more interesting.
After breakfast and packing up our stuff, we spent some time wandering around on the trails in the upper geyser basin. Part of the trail was closed because of some new thermal activity. Part of the trail was impassable because of bison not interested in moving.
We got a light lunch and took the snow coach back to Mammoth. Our driver was Darla! We met here on our fist YNP winter trip and have seen her occasionally since then.
Dinner was take out hot food from the Gardiner grocery store. They advertise hot food on Tuesday and Sunday nights. We stopped and asked the guy working the register where the hot food was. He explained that they didn't have hot food tonight. Another store worker corrected him. It turned out he didn't know what day it was. Fun. I got some not-too-terrible food and we went back and ate at the hotel and watched the KC football game.
Saturday Jan 19, 2019 #
other 30:00 [1]
Morning in the geyser basin.
I like to get out early - before the sun rises. Mary likes to sleep a bit later. So I got up, put on my little headlamp, and headed out to Castle Geyser. I like the light as the sun comes up.
In the dark, I tried to keep an eye out for bison. I didn't see any. But, it turns out I skied very close to one that was hunkered down for the night. On the way back, that bison stood up and was easy to see. I took a bit of a detour to avoid going right by him. I think the rule is to get no closer than 25 meters from a bison. That's pretty close and I wouldn't intentionally go that close unless there wasn't an option.
I like to get out early - before the sun rises. Mary likes to sleep a bit later. So I got up, put on my little headlamp, and headed out to Castle Geyser. I like the light as the sun comes up.
In the dark, I tried to keep an eye out for bison. I didn't see any. But, it turns out I skied very close to one that was hunkered down for the night. On the way back, that bison stood up and was easy to see. I took a bit of a detour to avoid going right by him. I think the rule is to get no closer than 25 meters from a bison. That's pretty close and I wouldn't intentionally go that close unless there wasn't an option.
other 3:00:00 [1]
Visit to Lone Star Geyser.
We did another ski drop to avoid some climb and skied out to Lone Star Geyser. This was the first time we saw anyone else on any of our ski trips this year.
The fresh snow was really beautiful. We also arrived just as the groomer finished the trail. That was nice. Perfect timing.
More perfect timing...we arrived at Lone Star Geyser just as the geyser started to erupt. It erupts about every 3-4 hours and, unlike Old Faithful, you don't have any forecasts for eruptions. But, with luck you get to see it and it is really nice - another of my favorite thermal features.
We went a little bit beyond Lone Star. I think the trail that continues on toward Shoshone Lake will be on the plan for another trip.
We did another ski drop to avoid some climb and skied out to Lone Star Geyser. This was the first time we saw anyone else on any of our ski trips this year.
The fresh snow was really beautiful. We also arrived just as the groomer finished the trail. That was nice. Perfect timing.
More perfect timing...we arrived at Lone Star Geyser just as the geyser started to erupt. It erupts about every 3-4 hours and, unlike Old Faithful, you don't have any forecasts for eruptions. But, with luck you get to see it and it is really nice - another of my favorite thermal features.
We went a little bit beyond Lone Star. I think the trail that continues on toward Shoshone Lake will be on the plan for another trip.
Friday Jan 18, 2019 #
other 3:20:00 [1]
Garmin shows 5:44 moving time.
I'd always wanted to ski out to Fairy Falls, but we'd never done that. So we did. We got a ski drop to the trail head along the Firehole River.
Fairy Falls was a mix of frozen ice features and flowing water. Really nice. I took out my camera to take a snapshot and it didn't work - the battery needed to be recharged. I forgot that I had my GoPro in my pack. If I'd remembered the GoPro, I'd have a photo. Oh well.
On the way back we walked up to the overlook at Grand Prismatic Spring. Last time we were on the trail the overlook was closed. At the overlook I remembered I had my GoPro and I got a couple of wide angle snapshots of the view.
On the way back Mary spotted some fresh coyote tracks. The coyotes often follow the ski trails and it was fun to see how the coyote used the ski trail. Then after we crossed the river, we spotted the coyote that had just left those tracks.
The trail back to the geyser basin follows a power line. Along that trail we encountered a large bison. We made sure the bison saw us to see if that would encourage him to move. It didn't. We waited a while. The bison didn't move, just stood on the trail and kept eating. Eventually, we decided to get down to the road. That meant cutting off trail through deep snow. We reached the road, went a bit to get by the bison, and then cut back to the trail at a point where it was relatively near the road. That meant more deep snow - a tiring chore.
On the way back we stopped at Black Sand Pool. One of my two or three favorite thermal features. We hung out a little bit, but it was a bit chilly with the wind.
I'd always wanted to ski out to Fairy Falls, but we'd never done that. So we did. We got a ski drop to the trail head along the Firehole River.
Fairy Falls was a mix of frozen ice features and flowing water. Really nice. I took out my camera to take a snapshot and it didn't work - the battery needed to be recharged. I forgot that I had my GoPro in my pack. If I'd remembered the GoPro, I'd have a photo. Oh well.
On the way back we walked up to the overlook at Grand Prismatic Spring. Last time we were on the trail the overlook was closed. At the overlook I remembered I had my GoPro and I got a couple of wide angle snapshots of the view.
On the way back Mary spotted some fresh coyote tracks. The coyotes often follow the ski trails and it was fun to see how the coyote used the ski trail. Then after we crossed the river, we spotted the coyote that had just left those tracks.
The trail back to the geyser basin follows a power line. Along that trail we encountered a large bison. We made sure the bison saw us to see if that would encourage him to move. It didn't. We waited a while. The bison didn't move, just stood on the trail and kept eating. Eventually, we decided to get down to the road. That meant cutting off trail through deep snow. We reached the road, went a bit to get by the bison, and then cut back to the trail at a point where it was relatively near the road. That meant more deep snow - a tiring chore.
On the way back we stopped at Black Sand Pool. One of my two or three favorite thermal features. We hung out a little bit, but it was a bit chilly with the wind.
Thursday Jan 17, 2019 #
other 2:00:00 [1]
2x 60 minutes from Old Faithful
We took the snow coach from Mammoth to Old Faithful and arrived around lunch. The highlight of the trip was spotting a river otter at the Gibbon Meadows picnic area. It is an area where the snow coaches stop for a break/restroom stop. I'd never seen a river otter before. Everyone on the coach (7 + 1 driver) got to see the otter after Mary's sharp eyes spotted it. The driver hadn't seen a river otter all season.
We had lunch at our cabin and then went out for some skiing, visiting Morning Glory spring.
Mary noticed that her boot wasn't fitting right and went to the O.F. ski shop and traded it in for another model.
After changing boots, we went out on a bit of the Mallard Lake trail. The temp was around freezing and the snow was kind of sticky.
Here is a bit of video of Mary on the Mallard Lake trail (it is a bit more of a downhill than it looks on the video):
We took the snow coach from Mammoth to Old Faithful and arrived around lunch. The highlight of the trip was spotting a river otter at the Gibbon Meadows picnic area. It is an area where the snow coaches stop for a break/restroom stop. I'd never seen a river otter before. Everyone on the coach (7 + 1 driver) got to see the otter after Mary's sharp eyes spotted it. The driver hadn't seen a river otter all season.
We had lunch at our cabin and then went out for some skiing, visiting Morning Glory spring.
Mary noticed that her boot wasn't fitting right and went to the O.F. ski shop and traded it in for another model.
After changing boots, we went out on a bit of the Mallard Lake trail. The temp was around freezing and the snow was kind of sticky.
Here is a bit of video of Mary on the Mallard Lake trail (it is a bit more of a downhill than it looks on the video):