Yellowstone to the Black Hills

All previous photos seem to have been lost by Blogger. 

Thanks, Google. I will not restore them.

35 blogs were lost and countless hours wasted! Where are my pics???????

 

A fall trip to Yellowstone has always been on my list and it finally happened in 2012. There were stops at ND Badlands, Grand Teton NP and Mt Rusmore NP as well. There was plenty of sun, snow and wildlife included with several glorious sunrises at Big Sky. This is only a summary of one week's daily tours of the park and nearby areas.

 Waking up to this was really a bonus every day. We stayed at Lake Condominiums just under Lone Peak and had a beautiful drive to West Yellowstone each morning along the Galatine River.

 On our return we over-nighted at Spearfish, SD and found scenes like this on the trip to Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore

 A route over the mountains to Cody, WY presented vistas like these.

 Daily wildlife encounters were frequent with buffalo, elk, deer and eagles. Bears were absent from our view, but there was always the expectation. The two buffalo below put on a little exhibition for us one morning. They trotted down the river road right next to our vehicle without incident. When they begin glaring at you its time to move on.

 Elk were present near the west entrance on most days as we came into the park.

 Exploring the geyser basins is a bit of a thrill when you think about walking on top of an active volcano. We didn't hear any real rumblings, however.

 Our path to Yellowstone every day was south on 191 to West Yellowstone where we found a delightful bakery/deli which provided morning goodies and a sandwich for lunch.

 The river provided a nice backdrop for our daily travels to and from the park.

 The geyser basins are huge and immpressive. When this volcano awakens it will be very destructive.

 This bull elk had a large herd of females near the west entrance on several days. He also caused a minor traffic jam as tourists stopped along the road to take photos.

 Can you hear him bugle?

 Mom and calf were contented to let everyone watch them graze. Papa will be inserted here eventually.

 The Lower falls in the canyon is immpressive, but difficult to approach without an extensive hike. A quarter mile down isn't too bad, but you have to come back up sometime.

 Hot springs near the NW corner of the park present an eerie view. This is part of the Mammoth Hot Springs area.

This falls was along the northern route across the park. I believe it is Undine Falls and has a nice pullout for viewing.

 The guy didn't appear too thrilled with our presence so we left quietly.

Jim had a commanding view of the buffalo herds from here.

 Crazy Horse will dwarf Mt Rushmore when its completed. Its a fitting tribute to the Indian nations of North America.

Crazy Horse Memorial

In an effort to honor the rich heritage and traditions of Native Americans, Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear set out to carve a mountain just south of Mount Rushmore. In 1948, the two men agreed that this monument would be carved without any federal funding. Korczak and a handful of others began blasting the mountain and removing the rock.

Ziolkowski died in 1982 but his family, led by his widow Ruth, continues to work on his great vision. The face of Crazy Horse was dedicated in 1998 and today precision blasting is carving out the features of his horse. When completed, the mountain will be 563-feet high and carved in the round.

Mt Rushmore is still an awesome sight,however.
1) Who created the sculpture?
Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers.
2) How much did the sculpture cost?
$989,992.32.
3) How long did it take to build?
14 years
October 4, 1927 - October 31,1941
  Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents (in order from left to right) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.^[1] The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres (5.17 km²)^[2] and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.^[3] The tallest mountain in the region is Harney Peak (7,242 ft or 2,207 m).

The badlands of North Dakota are preserved in the Teddy Roosevelt Nat'l Monument.

 Grand Teton NP will always remain one of my favorites. These mountains have an appeal to all who get the chance to view them. Jackson Lake can provide a wonderful reflecting pool for viewing this range, but not on this particular day.

 There was still some fall color in Grand Teton NP and the mts make a great backdrop.

 We stopped at Dubois, WY after leaving the Tetons and enjoyed a meal at the Cowboy Cafe and a night at Twin Pines.

An all-in-one summary of our trip to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the Black Hills. I use Picasa to make these montages and usually like the effect. It takes some experimentation to get what you really want, but its an easy tool to use. Its also free.

Panorama factory does a great job of processing my handheld attempts. I've never tried a large print with one, but it could be interesting.

Teddy Roosevelt Badlands of ND

Wind River Canyon

 A light snowfall overnight made for a wonderful trip through the Black Hills. It didn't get as far south as Crazy Horse and the sun was shining there.