What to see in Yellowstone in 2.1 days during the off season:

We had three days scheduled in the park but a snowstorm closed most of the park and made staying much longer that day rather silly, giving us an entire 2.1 days to enjoy the entirety of a park that might take months (or years) to explore.  We stayed just north of the North Entrance, which is open all year, the rest of the park opens gradually throughout May and was mostly open when we arrived, but closed due to snow.  The first day was beautiful and we spent it driving around the lake and checking out Artist's Point and were very glad we did, as that section was closed for the rest of our stay.  The second day it snowed, we were 5 miles on the road to Old Faithful and decided those curvy mountain roads combined with the ever increasing wind and wet, sticky snow were a bad combination: we didn't want to see the bottom of any of those cliffs too close and turned around; they closed the roads shortly thereafter.  We did bum around Mammoth Hot Springs for a bit, which was rather interesting and strangely pretty in the midst of a snowstorm, then we went home and had a quiet day.  The third day the south of the park was still closed but we were headed to Lamar Valley anyway and the north section is usually open (saving blizzards) year round.  We missed Old Faithful and the geyser basins but there will be other visits!  So what is worth seeing when the park is deserted and half frozen over?  Here are a few of our highlights:

The South Section (Day 1):

Artist's Point/Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone/Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River:

An easy walk to view this spectacular waterfall and the gorge through which it flows (and the photo everybody on the planet undoubtedly has taken!).

Yellowstone Lake:

A giant lake with mountain views (and ice), what could be better?  You drive along it for miles too!  Look for Harlequin ducks around the Le Hardy rapids and Barrow's Goldeneye along the lake.

Hayden Valley:

An expansive mountain valley with rivers, trees, grass, and wildlife.

West Thumb Geyser Basin:

This is the Black Pool, I thought this was a nice place to stop and view the lake but discovered it was actually a geyser basin, which as it turns out, was a good thing we stopped the first day since we would never get back to the others.

Snowstorm (Day 0.1):

We hung around Mammoth for a while (after chickening out of driving on towards Old Faithful) and it was really cool in the snow, but eventually we gave up and went home!:

Mammoth Hot Springs (snowstorm optional):

The North Section (Day 2):

The North section is always open and even though the rest of the park was closed, we still had quite a bit to see on our last day.

Undine Falls:

A very nice waterfall just off the road.  Wraith Falls is nice too and is only a short hike through some pretty conifer woods.

Calcite Springs:

I had no idea what this was, I just stuck it on my list, thinking it just another geyser basin, but it is actually a beautiful overlook of the river (with steaming geysers on the cliff face).  Very cool!  The Tower Falls are also nice; there were also several black bears in the area.  Tower Junction is also the place to look for Bighorn Sheep:

Lamar Valley:

Another mountain valley, this one more sagebrush than grass.  Supposedly the place to see wolves, but we only saw bison and pronghorn and a coyote or two.

Yellowstone in the off season

We live about six hours from Yellowstone and have never ventured thither until last week, I really didn't expect much for some reason.  Even with my research I was ill-prepared for what the park encompasses.  I remember the fires when I was a kid and everyone mentions Old Faithful, and then there are the bison and the springs and geysers but all that really isn't that interesting to me.  I thought it would be okay but I can name ten other parks I'd rather see first; much as I have no interest in going to Disneyland (crowded, expensive and likely over-rated), but unlike Disneyland, Yellowstone was convenient, so we went.  I started planning late (read: not a year or more in advance) and I wanted to avoid the crowds (millions of people cramming in every summer to stare at a bison, really?!) so we went in the off season.  Summer has its crowds and Winter has its attractions and enthusiasts, but what about Spring and Fall?  Does anyone venture thither in the awkward seasons?  We did and here is what we learned:

First off, the park is so much more than geysers and bison, way more!  I was very impressed and we will certainly be going back.  I wanted mountain scenery and wildlife and was not disappointed.  You can't throw a rock without hitting a bison or an elk, but there are all sorts of things to see: bighorn sheep, moose, bears, wolves, various small furry things, unique birds, there is something for everyone.  Terrain is mostly mountainous with plenty of waterfalls, rivers, geothermal features, overlooks, valleys and a huge lake.  The forest is mostly coniferous with a few aspen type trees that covers most of the park but there are vast areas of grassland/sagebrush too.  Regardless of season or what you want to see, you'll find many things to love and it is big enough that you could spend years exploring it.

As for the off season, it has its ups and downs, pros and cons, which I'll outline below.  Obviously I am not an expert, as I've literally spent only 2.1 days in the park and that in the Spring.  I can only hypothesize about Fall, but in general it should hold true.  Also note that I am a photographer and a bird watcher, if your thing is camping, fishing, etc.,  my observations aren't really going to reflect those pursuits but you can still get a general idea.  Here goes:

Pros of visiting Yellowstone in the Off Season (late April to Memorial Day, Labor Day to mid October):

• The crowds you see in all those pictures are not there, which means you can actually move around, drive/hike/gawk at a more leisurely pace, find lodging, take pictures without 876 people in them and so forth.  There are plenty of people about, but they aren't swarming everywhere and I was far more concerned about dimwitted tourists trying to pet the nice bison than being eaten by a grizzly bear.  If you are antisocial and hate crowds, it is a very nice time to go to one of our most visited national attractions.
• The changing seasons offer some unique photo/scenic opportunities: snow and new growth in the Spring and changing leaves and snow in the winter.  Some of the waterfalls/rivers/creeks are also at their peak in the Spring when the snow melts.  We had a snowstorm right in the middle of our stay (hence the 2.1 days instead of 3!), which added a unique aspect to the whole scene.
• Wildlife seem more approachable/visible.  Maybe it is only because I'm not sharing them with 10,000 other people, but it seemed like you were able to see a lot of wildlife (countless bison and elk, 7 black bears (including 3 cubs), 9 bighorn sheep, assorted pronghorn and mule deer, birds and small mammals in droves).  You are there during the bird migration offering a chance at species you might not otherwise see.  Spring yields babies (baby bison were everywhere along with those bear cubs) while Fall gives you a chance to see rutting elk, bison, and bighorn while the bears are getting fat.  The snow/winter drives the animals into places where they can find shelter and food while summer lets them spread out and the thicker foliage gives them better cover and makes them harder to see, not to mention you are competing with 20 times the people to see the bear in the ditch.

Cons of visiting Yellowstone in the Off Season:

• Weather is unpredictable.  We planned on 3 days but ended with 2.1 as 6-12 inches of snow blanketed the park.  It was nice to have a quiet day and it was fun to see the Mammoth Hot Springs in the snow, but it might also have prevented us from getting to the park or delayed us when it came time to leave, happily it all melted the next day, but the South of the park was still closed due to bad roads, thankfully we had done the Lake and Artist's Point the day before.  We missed Old Faithful and the geyser basins but as those weren't high on my list, it was okay and we'll catch them next time.  You may get snowed in or snowed out or things may unexpectedly shut down or close.  Be prepared to be flexible!
• Road Construction: this may just be a constant thing, not just an off season thing, but it was everywhere, anticipate delays.
• Closures: some things don't open until later in the season or are closed due to weather (or bears) or are being worked on.  We wanted to drive the Beartooth Pass but it was closed until Memorial Day and several roads closed due to the snow while certain trails are closed until late in the summer due to bears.  A lot of the attractions (restaurants, campsites, stores, etc.) are not open until the summer season too.  The North end of the park is open year round.

Overall, even with a snowstorm, it was a great trip and I can't wait to do it again.  Part of me is curious to see it with all the people, but another part of me would be happy to go off season from here on out.  As long as you are flexible and prepared, the off season is still a great time to visit one of America's greatest landmarks!

Anachronistic and proud of it!

I've been accused of being Amish since my early teen years, being a lover of hiking boots over heels and long skirts over short shorts; more often to be found slogging through a soggy field in quest of migrant birds than to be doing whatever it was teenage girls did in the '90's (talk on the phone?).  I'm not sure what my predilections had to do with the Amish Community or their habits/lifestyle, save perhaps a shared dislike of certain modern affectations, but I might as well be called a Victorian or a citizen of Ancient Rome by that standard.  I'm slowly learning the difference between fashion and style, fashion being what the world values at the moment while style is your own personal taste, preference, personality, and flair.  Growing up, I was told so often what I couldn't/shouldn't do and be that I didn't even try, no one ever told me what I could do or be, or even that I could be something but a drab, homely, colorless disappointment, that it was okay to be myself.  I tried so hard to be what others thought I should and still disappointed them that I thought myself worthless and hopeless as a person.

I've learned differently since then.  And I'm not Amish, I'm not sure if you can classify me, an enigma  perhaps?  For example I've always envied Lydia Bennet (from the 5 hour Colin Firth 'Pride and Prejudice') a certain straw bonnet (the only thing I envy Lydia Bennet!).  In the scene with the girls walking along while Wickham is ahorseback, I think she has the nicest hat!  And I repeat, I am not Amish!!!  I'm not a prude or a stickler for women always having their heads covered, but rather I miss the days of socially acceptable, flattering, feminine headwear that keeps the sun off your face.  I own any number of floppy hats and ball caps and wear them hither and yon, but I have nothing for dressy occasions.  I abhor outdoor weddings, as I'm bound to end with a migraine.  But I found that bonnet, or something similar enough, recently that I went and bought it.  And it is adorable, not elegant or fashionable, but cute and fun and yes, functional!  Even my husband went so far as to say, 'it isn't my favorite fashion-wise, but on you it fits and is so much fun!'  That's high praise indeed!

I'm learning to love myself, to enjoy my quirks and whimsy, to be who I am, not trying to mold myself into a shape not my own.  The people that weren't happy with me before will never be happy with me, no matter how I mutilate and distort myself for their benefit, and doing so only makes me miserable, so I might as well be me, even if I have a dubious love of Regency head gear!  Though, if my siblings ever see my hat, I'll be accused of being more Amish than ever!  At least I'm not yearning after togas or powdered wigs...

Update: I just ran across this little delightful blurb whilst reading 'Pride and Prejudice': 'That she should have walked three miles so early in the day, in such dirty weather, and by herself was almost incredible..."  Nope, I'm not Amish, apparently there were ladies thus afflicted 200 years ago, and probably well before that! 

Ups and Downs

First off, for anyone wondering if you can ferment the 'secret' ingredient in Japanese Milk Bread, you can, but it probably isn't worth the trouble.  I made three batches: one original recipe, one with 1/3 cup of added amish friendship bread starter, and one with fermented tangzhong, adding the starter added both flavor and 'puffiness' and was definitely better than the other two.  I'll just keep my regular starter going, since it is so much more versatile, but it was worth a try!

Second, and far more important, or at least tasty, I've started roasting corn and don't think I can go back.  I tried some that had been grilled and that was really good, I've seen recipes for doing it in the oven and those were good, but what about the stove top?  I just used frozen corn, first I cooked some onion and turkey bacon in a little oil, and once caramelized, I added the corn and seasonings (seasoned salt, garlic, pepper, worchestire sauce) and cooked over medium heat until slightly golden brown, stirring often.  Eat on its own, add to chili or salads, or tonight we tried it on tacos and it was great.  Enjoy!

A tortilla recipe that actually works!

Here is a fabulous tortilla recipe, I've tried others and come away with a bland flatbreadish sort of thing that was way too much mess and work.  These are super easy (just keep your work surface well floured) and the results are wonderful: they are actually a tortilla!  I'll be taking this item off my shopping list from here on out, enjoy!