Settling in at Yellowstone

The first string of pictures out of Yellowstone... will not be shown now. Unfortunately, the internet connectivity at the park is very limited. In fact, I'm not able (at least today) to upload pictures on my blog.

Most of the geysers in the immediate area are all concentrated in a large, barren area, as the photos will (eventually) reveal. Some of the thermal features are more solitary, such as "Solitary Geyser."

Today was the first day in a while that these trails have been open. The park closed off many of them due to dangerous bear activity. The thermal activity here is absolutely astounding. I hiked alone, which isn't wise, but I called a friend and talked loudly to him as I hiked in the forested area in order to scare off nearby bears. There have been many sightings lately. One of my friends here had to abandon a hike because halfway through she witnessed a bear up ahead chasing a bison.

I spent about three hours wandering the geyser trails today. Tomorrow is my first day off. I'll probably try one of the longer trails. I've signed up for several group hikes as well, that lead to some pretty cool areas of this section of the park. One of the groups goes to the Tetons for an entire day of hiking, but I fear I may be on duty that day.