Hiking to Crevice Lake

Wednesday, May 23, Mike and I hiked to Crevice Lake.  We modified our route while hiking, so although we planned on only walking about 11 miles, we hiked a fraction more than 12.  This was the longest hike I've ever hiked, but I had a lot of fun doing it even though the weather couldn't decide if it was spring, summer, or winter.

We met about 9:00 a.m. at the Super 8 in Gardiner, and then drove to the Blacktail-Deer Creek trail head.  The creek is pretty full now because of the spring runoff, and Blacktail Plateau was very pretty.  We hiked for awhile along that trail through the rolling meadow, passing the intersections for the Blacktail Ponds Trail and Rescue Creek Trail.  Soon we were walking next to the creek itself when it decided to snow.  Being a bit experienced, we both had rain gear, and it wasn't very cold, so we were well dressed for the occasion.

Suddenly we happened upon Hidden Falls.  The falls is next to the trail, but unless you know what you're looking for, you can easily miss this beautiful waterfall.  It's a 20-foot cascade descending at the beginning of an unnamed canyon, which I will refer to as Blacktail Canyon, after the creek that runs through it.  Along the walls around the waterfall is some very pretty light-colored basalt with orange lichen.  Underneath us was basalt as well, but we didn't hike to the other side of the creek to see what it looked like.

Hidden Falls

The basalt at Hidden Falls

Blacktail Creek (also known as Blacktail Deer Creek)

From there, we continued to hike along the upper part of the canyon.  There were times which the canyon was quite deep--maybe even 100-200 feet.  We continued to hike down toward Yellowstone River.  The sun came out and it started getting warm.  Once at the river, we got to the Blacktail Suspension Bridge.  Previously, I've hiked to the suspension bridge along the Hellroaring Creek Trail.  This one is just about as long and is a great part of the trail.

Mike stands on the Blacktail Suspension Bridge.

We had just started hiking through forest, which Mike was glad for because he wanted to be able to see more animals, which might be more visible in a forested area.

Past the suspension bridge, we hiked toward the west along the Yellowstone River Trail to Crevice Lake where he and I had lunch.  We watched a few Barrow's Goldeneye Ducks on the lake.  Sometimes they would go underwater and swim for awhile before they came back up in another spot.  It was apparent that there were definitely fish in this pond.

Crevice Lake

From there we hiked along the Yellowstone River Trail toward Gardiner.  We came upon Crevice Creek (which does not connect to Crevice Lake, by the way).  It was so full of water that it looked like a waterfall itself.

Mike looks at Crevice Creek.

Eventually we got to Knowles Falls.  It probably wouldn't even be considered a waterfall except that it's on the Yellowstone River.  It's a 15-foot cascade that can easily disappear if there is too much water going down the Yellowstone River.  By the time we reached the falls it started raining again.

Knowles Falls

The Black Canyon of the Yellowstone is certainly long, and we hiked a portion of it before we got to some rapids.  By that time, it wasn't raining anymore.  At those rapids was a cave with water dripping down the front of it and ice inside.  The water was rushing pretty fast over there and the sound was very loud.

It wasn't too long before we got to Gardiner.  We picked up his car at the Super 8 and he dropped me off at mine.  Afterward I felt refreshed, and not too tired.

I had a good day.  I enjoy hiking in Yellowstone Park and wish I had more opportunities to do it (and I live here!).  Mike felt like the hike was too open (like the meadows) for his taste, and he didn't get to see a bear.  I grew up in this arid place.  I like all the diversity in landscape that we got to see in 12 miles.  If given the opportunity, I'd enjoy going on this route again someday.

The Yellowstone River Trail at Black Creek; Sepulcher Mountain is in the background.

Adam's Recent Visit

Last week Adam came to the house to visit and hang out.  He arrived late Sunday night, May 13.

Monday, May 14 while I was working, Adam went kayaking down the Yellowstone River.  Adam wanted to kayak in Montana, and he certainly got his opportunity!  He started at Point of Rocks and ended at Emigrant.  His little dog Douglas went with him and was sitting on the front of the kayak for a good share of the trip down the river.  When I got off work, he was already finished kayaking and I had to pick him up.

Once I picked him up, we went to Percie's Poolside Grille for a late lunch.  I must have been pretty hungry because I ate a salad and a half-pound cheeseburger.  It was good to catch up with him on everything.

Tuesday we had a lot of activity too.  I had to work for about half a day, and I got off work around 10:00 a.m.  Adam and I met Mike at Super 8 an hour later, and then we drove to Mammoth to start hiking to Cache Lake.

Because we couldn't see the beginning of the trail from the road, we started at the Upper Terrace Loop, where we found numerous crisscrossing paths that eventually led west.  We hiked to an intersection going in four directions--toward the Hoodoos, over Snow Pass, to Grand Loop Road, and to the Upper Terrace Loop.  To get to Cache Lake, we took the trail over Snow Pass.

Along the trail we came across a deep crevice in the ground.  We dropped a rock down it and realized that it was very far down--I'd say maybe even 50 feet.  Later we came upon a herd of mule deer as we gradually climbed the pass.  Near the end of that trail we started following a power line.  We saw Clagett Butte next to us, and then we got to a couple ponds.  From there the trail diverged in ways that weren't on the map.  It took us a little while to figure it out, but we eventually went to the northwest where we found the correct trail next to Glen Creek.  We followed Sportsman Lake Trail for quite a ways into a large meadow where we got a great view of Electric Peak.  While we followed the trail we saw a cow moose, a sage grouse, and heard a lot of frogs in a pond.

A large crevice next to the trail

Mike and Adam hike along Snow Pass Trail.

Glen Creek

A sage grouse hen

A cow moose

I'm standing in a meadow in front of Electric Peak.

For the last mile or so of the trail we had to hike through some big drifts of snow.  We were close to the lake, and the snow was just barely passable.  Finally there was an opening in the forest and we were suddenly at Cache Lake.  In the distance we saw a lone wolf, and right by the lake was a salamander, about a foot long.  We had dinner by the lake before we headed back.  Of course we had to trudge through the snow drifts for the first part on the way back.

Mike waves from Cache Lake.

A salamander

Adam in front of Cache Lake and Electric Peak

Wayne at Cache Lake and Electric Peak

Getting back to Mammoth was shorter since it was a downhill trail from Cache Lake.  Once we got to the intersection near Mammoth that I mentioned earlier, we chose the path that took us to the road instead of the Upper Terrace Loop.  We saw that the trail was unmarked at the road, so we really didn't miss it.  It is right before the grove of aspen trees before the two pullouts.

In all, we hiked about 10 miles and were out in the park for about eight hours.  It was definitely a hike that I would do again; I really enjoyed it.

That evening Adam and I watched Interstate 60, a comedy starring James Marsden. Adam hadn't seen it before, and he liked it as much as I did.

Wednesday and Thursday Adam and I hung out around the house.  Adam and I played some Army of Two (the original one) both days.  Jean came to the house on Thursday, and we all did a bit of nothing.  It was nice to have a couple days off to just mess around.

Friday Adam had to go back to Helena, and I had to go back to work myself.  We had a good week together, and we don't get to do it often enough.

Mother's Day Dinner with Grandma

I went to Evergreen on Sunday May 13 for Mother's Day to see Grandma.  The nursing home was hosting a dinner at 6:00 pm for all the residents.

Actually I guess Evergreen has a different name.  I've been using it for awhile, but their sign actually says, "Livingston Health and Rehabilitation Center."

Grandma was sitting at a different table than usual, so it took me a little while to find her.  She has to have a pureed diet, so she had pork roast, mashed potatoes with gravy, and yams.  Her meal didn't look bad at all.  She really liked the potatoes, but she always has liked potatoes.  The only differences between her dinner and mine was that mine wasn't pureed, and I had broccoli instead of yams.  The meal was pretty good except for the broccoli.  I literally gagged on it.  I think Grandma's yams probably tasted better!

While I was visiting with her, I told her about a funny story that happened to me last week.  I was sitting in the living room watching TV when a rabbit ran past me!  Following the rabbit were all four cats!  When I told her that all the cats were chasing the rabbit she couldn't stop laughing.  Here's a video of when I caught the rabbit:

We had a good talk together, but I didn't spend too much time with her because she was tired.  I was glad to have the time with her though!