Come along with me on a virtual Christmas hike through Yellowstone, set to Christmas music. 

You can get up-close and personal with Upper and Lower Falls in Yellowstone. If you ever wanted to see what it looks like right before you go over the falls, then you will love the look-out points above both falls.

Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first over Upper Yellowstone Falls and then a quarter mile  downstream over Lower Yellowstone Falls, at which point it then enters the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which is up to 1,000 feet deep.

The upper falls (44°42′46″N 110°29′59″W) are 109 feet high. The brink of the upper falls marks the junction between a hard rhyolite lava flow and weaker glassy lava that has been more heavily eroded.

Cascading from the 590,000 year old Canyon Rhyolite lava flow, Lower Yellowstone Falls is the largest volume waterfall in the Rocky Mountains of the United States.[citation needed] These falls (44°43′05″N 110°29′46″W) are 308 feet high, or nearly twice as high as Niagara Falls. The volume of water flowing over Lower Yellowstone Falls can vary from 680 cu ft/s (19 m3/s) in the autumn, to 8,400 cu ft/s (240 m3/s) at peak runoff in late springtime.[citation needed] The flow rate of Lower Yellowstone Falls is much less than that of Niagara Falls, as the Yellowstone River is only 70 feet at the point at which it goes over the lower falls, whereas the Niagara River is 2,600 feet in width as it approaches the crest line of Horseshoe Falls.

See Lower Falls in winter: https://www.peternoahthomas.com/2018/01/frozen-lookout-point.html

This video shows the beauty and magic that Upper and Lower Falls provide people lucky enough to experience them in person. =]:)

Brr! Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Grand Teton National Park rising 13,775 feet and is the second highest peak in Wyoming after Gannett Peak. The mountain is entirely within the Snake River drainage basin, which it feeds by several local creeks and glaciers.

Grand Teton's name was first recorded as Mount Hayden by the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition of 1870. However, the name "the Grand Teton" was around much earlier. In April of 1901 the USGS 1:125,000 quadrangle map of the area shows "Grand Teton" as the name of the peak. A United States National Park named "Grand Teton National Park" was made into law in 1929. By 1931, the name Grand Teton Peak was so common that it was recognized by the USGS Board on Geographic Names. The Board shortened the name on maps to Grand Teton in 1970.

Where it got its name is disputed. The common explanation is that "Grand Teton" means "large teat" or "large nipple" in French, named by either French-Canadian or Iroquois members of an expedition led by Donald McKenzie of the North West Company. Other historians disagree, and claim that the mountain was named after the Teton Sioux tribe of Native Americans.

There is a disagreement over who first climbed Grand Teton. Nathaniel P. Langford and James Stevenson claimed to have reached the summit on July 29, 1872. However, some believe their description and sketches match the summit of The Enclosure, a side peak of Grand Teton. The Enclosure is named after a man-made palisade of rocks on its summit, probably constructed by Native Americans.

Mountaineer and author Leigh Ortenburger researched the controversy in depth, using original source material, for his 1965 climber's guidebook. Ortenburger concluded: "Since historical 'proof' is extremely unlikely to be forthcoming for either side of the argument, perhaps the best way of regarding the problem, short of a detailed analysis of the probabilities, is to state that in 1872 Langford and Stevenson may have climbed the Grand Teton, in 1893 Kieffer, Newell, and Rhyan may have climbed it, and in 1898 Spalding, Owen, Peterson, and Shive definitely did succeed in reaching the summit."

In the mood for a climb? =]:)


Photo NPS/John Tobiason

If you like going swimming in clear blue green water, surrounded by mountains, but not by crowds, then this is your new favorite swimming spot. You'll likely run into a few other hikers here, but it just adds to the fun.

The water is a little cold as this is a glacier lake, but you won't care because you'll be too busy getting up the nerve to try a rather unique feature of this lake. Jumping rock.

Jumping rock is a huge granite boulder on the northeastern shore, ready to give you a thrill with its 20 foot drop straight down into the lake. Get ready for your stomach to tickle. Splash! You can even sit on top of it if you prefer to get a little sun first or if you chicken out!

You'll be hiking into this area, but it's not bad at all. You'll see great scenery along the way. You can even stay overnight at one of the camping sites along the western end of the lake if you have a mind to. I recommend it! Oh, and don't forget your bear spray just in case.

"This sounds great, Peter but you're talking too much. How the heck do we get there?"

Oh, that's easy! Starting at the Rockefeller Preserve, hike 1.5 miles to the southeastern shore of Phelps Lake, then cross the lake's outlet using the pedestrian/equestrian bridge and continue on the trail up the northern shore for 20 to 25 minutes.

If you want to head straight for Jumping Rock, you'll need to start from Death Canyon Trailhead. Hike in about 1.2 miles to the Phelps Lake Overlook and then just .75-mile down to the Valley Trail. Head east on the Valley Trail. You'll know you are getting close when you pass a few campsites. It will take you about 15 minutes from then on.

We were too busy to remember to take any photos of the area so I'm linking to this cool shot. If you are in the area, it's still warm enough to take a plunge or two. Otherwise, put it on your bucket list for next summer. You'll be glad you did.

Here is a small taste of Phelps Lake in the summer. =]:)

This grizzly bear put on quite a show. He seems happy and content to be awake and ready for the spring season. Enjoy the video below. It should bring a smile to your face.

Photo from NPS/Kimberly Shields

The bears are coming out of hibernation in Yellowstone, which means folks need to be bear-aware while hiking or walking in the back-country. Always carry bear spray and learn other tips to stay safe in bear country here: Be Bear Aware

Enjoy this video of a grizzly, who appears a little groggy from his long winter's nap. =]:)

Beehive Geyser is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. The 4-foot tall cone looks like a beehive.

The eruptions of Beehive Geyser last around 5 minutes and are about 200 feet high. The fountain of water stays at its full height for the duration of the eruption, dropping just slightly near the end.

Roaring steam at the end of the eruption can be heard a quarter-mile away. The time between eruptions ranges from 16-18 hours to one day during the summer. Winter eruptions are very erratic. Enjoy this video of Beehive erupting this winter, just a few days ago in fact. =]:)

A snowy, cold day at Lookout Point in Yellowstone. Below is the video. Enjoy! =]:)

Photo: Idaho Fish and Game Magic Valley

A female moose fell through an unlatched window into the basement of a home in Hailey, Idaho. It spent about 3 hours in the basement. Don't worry though, she was rescued and is fine. According to homeowner Julie Emerick, the officer darted the moose, which quickly succumbed and passed out in a corner. Eight officers rolled the approximately 600-pound animal onto a tarp.

The homeowner said the basement room suffered little damage and she called the moose "the most polite, gracious beast."

Check out the video below or find more information about this story at Yahoo News

Working in concert with the sunset last night, Old Faithful Geyser put on quite a show of natural splendor. What is one of your favorite memories of experiencing nature?

Video posted to Facebook by Yellowstone National Park on Sunday, January 29, 2017

Here's a video of a black colored grey wolf walking across the road in Lamar Valley. He looks a bit curious about the vehicle, but finally decides it isn't worth his time. Enjoy! =]:)

The bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) named for its large horns is native to North America . Their horns can weigh up to 30 lbs, while the sheep weigh up to 300 lbs, but occasionally exceed 500 lbs. The bighorn sheep rut starts in November.

What does that mean? Glad you asked!

Bighorn sheep rutting is when the males (rams) challenge one another by crashing their horns together. Ouch! How do they withstand the intense headbutts? Ram skulls have two layers of bone above the brain that function as a shock absorber for head-on fighting.

Bighorn sheep prefer alpine meadows, grassy mountain slopes, and foothill country near rugged, rocky cliffs and bluffs. Since bighorn sheep can't move though deep snow, they prefer drier slopes, where the annual snowfall is less than about 60 inches a year. A bighorn's winter range usually lies at lower elevations than its summer range.

Spotting bighorn sheep in Yellowstone is rare. There are only about 200 of them in the park. So, seeing them is quite a thrill. If you want your best chance at running into some, you might try the slopes of Mount Washburn along Dunraven Pass in the summer months, Year-round in Gardner Canyon between Mammoth and the North Entrance, and on the cliffs along the Yellowstone River opposite Calcite Springs; above Soda Butte; and in the backcountry of the eastern Absarokas.

If you'd like to watch a very short video of bighorn sheep rutting, (banging horns together) please click play on the video below. Enjoy! =]:)

Meet George Bumann, an artist living in Wyoming. So what draws an artist to Wyoming, anyway? Watch George explain why he fell in love with Yellowstone and Wyoming from the perspective of a working artist. Enjoy! =]:)

Yellowstone National Park has started using porous, or thirsty, concrete in walkways throughout the park. The new concrete, called Flexi-Pave, is made with stones and recycled tires, and Michelin has been helping install it all over the park. Forest rangers who work at the park have even donated their used tires to the project.

Flexi-Pave is a pour-in-place, rubber paving surface that is impervious to storm water. The rubber used to make Flexi-Pave comes from recycled tires. It's similar to porous pavement but has the advantage of a flexible surface that doesn't crack or develop potholes. It's been used for sidewalks, parking lots and roadways. The cost is approximately $6 per square foot installed.

Yellowstone will replace 4,160 feet of walkways throughout the park. It can absorb about 3,000 gallons of water an hour per square foot.

By using Flexi-Pave, rainwater and melted snow can be redistributed back into Yellowstone's aquifer which helps maintain the fragile ecosystem. Using discarded tires to help Yellowstone's ecosystem is a powerful example of recycling that helps the planet and in turn, all of us. Check out this short video. =]:)

Dunraven Pass was closed for a time because of snow in Yellowstone. It was a welcome sight, and will help to put out the remaining fires.

Let me tell you a little about the pass. Dunraven Pass, elevation 8,859 feet, is a mountain pass on the Grand Loop Road between Tower and Canyon in Yellowstone National Park. So that's kind of a strange name for the pass, no? Well let me tell you about that too!

In 1874, just two years after Yellowstone's creation, the Earl of Dunraven, a titled Irish Peer made a visit to the park in conjunction with a hunting expedition to the Northern Rockies. He was so impressed with the park, that he devoted over 150 pages to Yellowstone in his book, The Great Divide, published in London by Chatto & Windus in 1876. The Great Divide was one of the earliest works to praise and publicize the park.

Then in 1878, geographer Henry Gannett named a peak two miles southwest of Mount Washburn in honor of the Earl of Dunraven and the service his book had done for the park. In 1879, Philetus Norris, the park superintendent at the time, gave the pass on the Grand Loop Road between Tower and Canyon the name Dunraven because of its proximity to Dunraven Peak.

So that's how Dunraven Pass got it's name. See you on the slopes. =]:)

Here is a Canadian SuperScooper filling up in Jackson Lake. Mostly used to fight Canadian wildfires, this aircraft is also leased to California firefighting agencies for their fire season, and now it's helping with the Teton/Yellowstone fires in my neck of the woods.

SuperScooper is the nickname given to certain amphibious firefighting aircraft built by Canadair. The three aircraft known as "SuperScoopers" are the Canadair CL-215, the CL-215T and the Bombardier 415 turboprop.

It flies at about 100 mph just above the surface of a lake or reservoir, scooping up large amounts of water into its belly. In just 12 seconds, the plane can accumulate 1,600 gallons of water, to be dropped on nearby fires that would otherwise rage out of control. Because of its unique lake scooping ability, there is no need to return back to a water "refilling station" which could be far away. It takes a special pilot certified to operate a seaplane to ensure water conditions are calm enough and safe for scooping.

Thank you Canada! =]:)

Uh oh! Don't move a muscle. The Skunk family is on the loose.

This video was shot by Melba Coleman on March 25, of a cougar in Yellowstone near Mammoth Hot Springs, protecting an elk carcass. He or she wants to make darned sure no one comes along to steal it.

The cougar is fascinating to watch, isn't it? What a beautiful, sleek animal. Cougar sightings are fairly rare. In fact, some long-time local folks who witnessed this, saw their first cougar. If you'd like to learn more about the Yellowstone Cougar, sometimes called a Mountain Lion, I wrote about them here: http://www.peternoahthomas.com/2016/03/yellowstone-trail-cam-female-cougar.html

So, if you are coming to Yellowstone, be on the lookout for the beautiful cougars. And if you see one, make a wish, because luck is on your side. =]:)

It's one of the largest cats in North America, and a top predator. It's the Yellowstone cougar (puma concolor), also known as the mountain lion.

Unfortunately, in the early 1900's cougars, and wolves (canis lupus), were killed throughout the lower 48 states, even in the national parks. Even though cougars were eradicated from Yellowstone, the species survived in the west, probably because of its preference for rocky terrain where it is difficult to track. Thankfully, the survivors reestablished themselves in Yellowstone and thrive there today.

Seeing a cougar in Yellowstone is rare. If you do see one, consider yourself lucky, and go buy a lotto ticket! They are stealthy, and are good at keeping out of sight. One could be staring at you from a ledge, a tree, or the brush and you will never know it or see it. There are few documented cases of cougars attacking people in Yellowstone, even so, it's always wise to hike in groups. If you do encounter one, pick up any small children that may be with you, make noise, act dominate by staring into its eyes, and show your teeth while making noise. Yes, really. Never run. If you do, it will likely chase you. Never bend down, whether to pick up something from the ground or to crouch. In most cases, a bit of noise will scare it off.

The average male can weigh 145 to 170 pounds and live from 8 to 10 years. The average female weighs 85 to 120 pounds and can live 14 to 14 years. Their length, including the tail can be around 6.5 to 7.5 feet. Their litters usually include 2 or 3 kittens with a 50% survival rate the first year.

As I said earlier, cougars like rocky areas. They also like forested areas because it provides cover for hunting their prey and to get away from bears and wolves. They usually prey on elk, mule deer, marmots and other small mammals. many times, bears and wolves will chase the cougar away after it makes its kill and will claim the kill for themselves. Not very neighborly!

Male cougars will often kill other male cougars in their territory. Wolves are known to kill adult cougars as well as their kittens.

Cougars are beautiful, sleek creatures. I've only seen one a couple of times in the wild, but i'm always on the lookout. I hope to be able to photograph one sometime. I'll keep trying! =]:)

From the park's Facebook page: "It takes a lot to raise three cougar kittens in Yellowstone. This adult female, with her yearlings in tow, is one heck of a mother. Moving with stealth, hunting elk, and avoiding wolves are just a few of the many lessons taught. Soon, her offspring will head out into the big wilds of Yellowstone on their own."

Amy Smith and Annie (Smith) Jackson - See the whole show on Wyoming Chronicle - Wyoming PBS.

This is a rather beautiful video. The views are spectacular, and the music is sweet. It's about 5 minutes long, so sit back if you have a few moments, relax and let your cares melt away, and welcome home to Wyoming. =]:)