Hiking Mt Washburn in Yellowstone National Park
Every Miles A Memory
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We've been in the park off and on since June 1st and had yet to Hike Mt Washburn. We had went up there on one ocassion planing on hiking it, but when we got to the Chittenden Trail Head, the winds were whipping something awful and the temperatures were about 20 degrees colder than when we had left the Old Faithful Area.
So yesterday we headed up there and what an amazing day it was. Probably one of our best days in the park yet, and if you've never hiked this trail, do yourself a favor and put it on your list the next time you're in the park.
Started around 10am with clear blue skies and a nice cool breeze! Couldnt ask for better weather and scenery
Our first friend we met was a little squirrel who made sure we snapped a few pictures of him. I mean he almost wouldnt let us walk past him he was making so much noise and posing for the cameras so good.
Our next set of visitors was a herd of Big Horn Sheep that was walking down the trail right towards us. We know all too well that we are not supposed to be this close to the wildlife. We both were questioning what to do and figured we'd just sit still and let them walk past us. We really had no where to go as there are drop offs on one side of the road/trail and steep inclines on the other.
We sat on the trail as the sheep walked right up to us, sniffing and checking us out like a dog might. We sat snapping away as the herd gathered around us and decided that if we were to continue walking up the trail, maybe they would just stay grazing and we wouldnt risk getting in trouble.
As we started walking up the trail, they started walking right along with us and kept nudging us almost like they wanted us to pet them.
I finally said to Cindy, my wife, lets just stay still and see if they get bored with us. I leaned up against a rock legde that was head high and a few of them jumped up on the ledge to come check me out from above.
One little sheep came right up to me, started pawing a clump of dirt and picked it up in its mouth and tossed it around a few times like a dog would with a chew toy like it wanted me to tug on it or play a game of fetch with the wild animal.
Pawing at the clump that was right beside my head as I leaned against the rock ledge
Playing around with the clump of dirt which was showering me and the camera with dirt
This was like nothing we've ever seen and I've never had a wild animal want to interact with me like these sheep were
After the little guy played with me for so long, a few new hikers came walking up the trail behind us which turned their attention away from us and the group walked down to meet the new hikers
It was cool to see the big stud in the group mosey on up the hill with all his harem following him around like some king
Our next new friend we ran into scared the hell out me at first. We were walking along when I noticed something move out the corner of my eye right by my foot. I was expecting to get attacked by a badger or some vicious animal.
Instead, we watched a Yellow Bellied Marmot scurry down into its den.
Cindy and I both sat down right in our tracks and waited for the Marmot to come back out. This took all of about two seconds before it popped its head out to see what we were doing.
The Marmot crawled up on the rocks only a few feet in front of us and sat checking us out.
As the three of us all sat checking each other out, another head popped out and the Marmot's mate came crawling out to see who the new visitors were.
Now the four of us all sat lounging in the sun just keeping an eye on one antoher. I was cracking up at the fat one on the right because of how laid back he looks just lounging on the rocks
When the hikers behind us caught up, it turned into a paparizzi moment, so we said our goodbyes and moved up the trail towards the 10,000' peak
At the peak, we spotted one of the critters we've been trying to find the entire time we've been in the National Park.....A Tiny Pica!
We were so geeked to finally get a few shots of these big eared little rodents. Doesnt it look like he should be on a motorcycle....LOL
The views atop Mt Washburn are amazing and the hike is so worth the effort!!
On a clear day you can see the 75 miles to the Teton Mountain Range! It's jaw droppingly beautiful....Not me, the views off the mountain...LOL
So yesterday we headed up there and what an amazing day it was. Probably one of our best days in the park yet, and if you've never hiked this trail, do yourself a favor and put it on your list the next time you're in the park.
Started around 10am with clear blue skies and a nice cool breeze! Couldnt ask for better weather and scenery
Our first friend we met was a little squirrel who made sure we snapped a few pictures of him. I mean he almost wouldnt let us walk past him he was making so much noise and posing for the cameras so good.
Our next set of visitors was a herd of Big Horn Sheep that was walking down the trail right towards us. We know all too well that we are not supposed to be this close to the wildlife. We both were questioning what to do and figured we'd just sit still and let them walk past us. We really had no where to go as there are drop offs on one side of the road/trail and steep inclines on the other.
We sat on the trail as the sheep walked right up to us, sniffing and checking us out like a dog might. We sat snapping away as the herd gathered around us and decided that if we were to continue walking up the trail, maybe they would just stay grazing and we wouldnt risk getting in trouble.
As we started walking up the trail, they started walking right along with us and kept nudging us almost like they wanted us to pet them.
I finally said to Cindy, my wife, lets just stay still and see if they get bored with us. I leaned up against a rock legde that was head high and a few of them jumped up on the ledge to come check me out from above.
One little sheep came right up to me, started pawing a clump of dirt and picked it up in its mouth and tossed it around a few times like a dog would with a chew toy like it wanted me to tug on it or play a game of fetch with the wild animal.
Pawing at the clump that was right beside my head as I leaned against the rock ledge
Playing around with the clump of dirt which was showering me and the camera with dirt
This was like nothing we've ever seen and I've never had a wild animal want to interact with me like these sheep were
After the little guy played with me for so long, a few new hikers came walking up the trail behind us which turned their attention away from us and the group walked down to meet the new hikers
It was cool to see the big stud in the group mosey on up the hill with all his harem following him around like some king
Our next new friend we ran into scared the hell out me at first. We were walking along when I noticed something move out the corner of my eye right by my foot. I was expecting to get attacked by a badger or some vicious animal.
Instead, we watched a Yellow Bellied Marmot scurry down into its den.
Cindy and I both sat down right in our tracks and waited for the Marmot to come back out. This took all of about two seconds before it popped its head out to see what we were doing.
The Marmot crawled up on the rocks only a few feet in front of us and sat checking us out.
As the three of us all sat checking each other out, another head popped out and the Marmot's mate came crawling out to see who the new visitors were.
Now the four of us all sat lounging in the sun just keeping an eye on one antoher. I was cracking up at the fat one on the right because of how laid back he looks just lounging on the rocks
When the hikers behind us caught up, it turned into a paparizzi moment, so we said our goodbyes and moved up the trail towards the 10,000' peak
At the peak, we spotted one of the critters we've been trying to find the entire time we've been in the National Park.....A Tiny Pica!
We were so geeked to finally get a few shots of these big eared little rodents. Doesnt it look like he should be on a motorcycle....LOL
The views atop Mt Washburn are amazing and the hike is so worth the effort!!
On a clear day you can see the 75 miles to the Teton Mountain Range! It's jaw droppingly beautiful....Not me, the views off the mountain...LOL
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Comments
Definitely have to add that hike to the bucket list!
What were the temps when you started and then once you got to the top?
We didnt want to carry the jackets with us so we figured once we got hiking it would warm up.
This was a good idea because it warmed up fast and by the time we got back down, it was probably in the mid to upper 70's.
But remember, at this elevation, storms can blow in pretty fast and weather can go from blue skies to thunderstorms in under an hour.
We always try and carry at least a rain jacket in our backpacks incase something blows in.
Make sure if you're ever visiting the park, you bag this hike!
www.everymilesamemory.com
www.patbonishphotography.com
All Who Wander Are Not Lost
Very well done on the pictures.
Cheers,
-joel
Link to my Smugmug site
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the wonderful story and the super photos! Nice to see that you are still in YNP. I enjoyed meeting you in June.
Who put that guy in the panoramic photo?!
Bob
Maryville, TN.
http://bhowdy.smugmug.com/
www.capture-the-pixel.com
The hike is great in and of itself, but the wildlife we incountered brought it up to the top of the list on our favorites.
Bob, Cindy snapped that photo, she's a much better photographer than I am, she just leaves the editing and posting of photos to me...
www.everymilesamemory.com
www.patbonishphotography.com
All Who Wander Are Not Lost