Quick trip thru Montana

[Roaddog 52]

It has been awhile since I visited or posted so I have been trying to get back into seeing what's going on at Dgrin

Day 1 We headed for NW Montana, arriving at the NW entrance to the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Bison</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Range</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in the late afternoon.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Bison range with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Mission</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Mountains</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in the background

#1<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>
http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3446/952872911_mRWMC-L.jpg

After capturing a few landscapes, with no Bison in sight we left and headed for the Nine Pipes area. There was a storm blowing over and thru the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Mission</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Mountains</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, but we stayed until sunset and managed to capture a few more images.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Summer Storm,<o:p></o:p>

#2

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3523/952873023_FirSU-L.jpg

After sunset we drove north up the east side of Flathead lake towards <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Glacier</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">National Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Near midnight we found a secluded place to park the van and slept until about 3:00 A.M. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Day 2<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I wanted to be in the park for sunrise and we got there with plenty of time to spare.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sunrise</st1:place></st1:City> image from the Westside of Going to the sun road.<o:p></o:p>

#3

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3570-Edit/950474484_YR29V-L.jpg

Having not put much thought into our trip other than we were going, we were very fortunate that we got into Glacier on the first day that the Going to the Sun Rd was open all the way over to the other side<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

East side of going to the sun image

#4

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3599-Edit/952873057_vfo6h-L.jpg

Continuing east we passed <?xml:namespace prefix = st2 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st2:place w:st="on"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas:contacts" /><st1:Sn w:st="on">Saint</st1:Sn> <st1:middlename w:st="on">Marys</st1:middlename> <st1:Sn w:st="on">Lake</st1:Sn></st2:place>,<o:p></o:p>

#5

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3616-Edit/952873119_o5Bpb-L.jpg

Heading further south and east we arrived in <st1:place w:st="on">Livingston.</st1:place>


Day 3. leaving Livingston we head south for the north entrance thru Gardiner <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montana</st1:place></st1:State>. Near the Sheepeater Cliffs we stopped to stretch our legs with a couple mile walk along the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Gardiner</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> and on the way back we came across this fine specimen.

Bull Elk in full velvet.

#6

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3273-Edit/962377566_br3yr-L.jpg

Returning to the van we headed for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Midway</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Other than last winter I hadn't been in this area for a few years and was intent on capturing some images in the area of the Grand Prismatic Springs.

Grand Prismatic Springs

#7

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3656/949278291_UZNTx-L.jpg

Opal Pool

#8<o:p></o:p>

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3673-Edit/965888540_iVcaZ-L.jpg

During the busy season this area can get quite crowded during the day so we headed back to the van and ventured down the road to a place in the shade and got some sleep while waiting for the evening light. Returning to the Grand Prismatic Springs at sunset I captured this next image. In this low angle light you can see the terraces that build up around the springs as water spills out at about 500 plus gallons a minute.

#9<o:p></o:p>

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3739-Edit/966212497_JRCnK-L.jpg

#10

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3791-Edit/965888823_V7XY3-L.jpg

We missed the last camping spot at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Madison</st1:place></st1:City> so we had to do some stealth Parking to get some sleep before an early sunrise. Captured this just before crashing for a few hours.


#11 Great Fountain Geyser

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3803-Edit/962378600_ayBzZ-L.jpg<o:p></o:p>

Up before sunrise to capture a couple more before flying low, headed for home.

#12 White dome Geyser<o:p></o:p>

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3910-Edit/966212653_RhwAZ-L.jpg

#13 Firehole Loop


http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3284-Edit-2/962412898_2Aeov-L.jpg

#14 captured north of Livingston

http://roaddog52.smugmug.com/Other/New-Images/IMG3623-Edit/952905857_ykBFH-L.jpg

[StueveShots]

What beautiful shots! Yellowstone is one of my favorite places in the world...so dramatic, so breathtaking. Thanks for bringing me back there for a while...

[Homer]

Awesome, #13 looks like the aftermath of a nuclear detonation with the branchless trees, and the underlying smog.

[Roaddog 52]

Thanks for viewing.


What beautiful shots! Yellowstone is one of my favorite places in the world...so dramatic, so breathtaking. Thanks for bringing me back there for a while...


I try to get to Montana 3-4 times a year and down into Yellowstone at least twice a year, usually October and February


Awesome, #13 looks like the aftermath of a nuclear detonation with the branchless trees, and the underlying smog.


If, or when that Caldara ever blows again it will make a nuclear explosion look like a fire cracker<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[kdog]

Excellent series, RoadDog. Really top notch. :thumb