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Posted by Paul (192.88.135.18) on 12:42:28 06/06/20
Day trip to Yellowstone to view the sights. Another affirmation of the stupidity of the American tourists chasing a mother black bear with two cubs as they emerged from Soda Butte Creek at the confluence. The traffic was stopped 45 cars in each direction. Half of them on the yellow line and thirty of them with 2 or more doors open. Not a ranger in sight. As we stalled about 50 yards from where the bear was trying desperately to cross the traffic line and get her cubs up the hill I could see another 15-20 cars racing from the Hitching post lest they miss the "action." And the best part? There were 40 people on the crest of the hill looking down on the bear trio climbing the hill directly toward them.
Several elk have dropped their calves in Gardiner town at various locations that are kept secret from the commoners. Really?
Rental rates are outrageous. Most breakfast grills are making up for loss of customers and supplying lunch boxes. Hotels closed. Campgrounds closed. And a very funny phrase in all the alerts "Day use only." Some rangers say that means no hotels/campgrounds/or parking and sleeping in your cars. Others say simply no traffic after sundown. A very unenforceable rule.
The dip in the road west bound just passed Floating island on the curve has gotten worse and could well pitch a car off the cliff. It was patched last year but the foundation is slipping away.
Floating island is vacant. Nothing, nada. 'cept coots and they don't count.
Restrooms are quite clean. The lines very long. The Upper Terrace is closed. Lamar Valley has many new channels feeding it, most right by the Bison Ranch. Lamar is flooded. The Yellowstone is running full and dirty and at the entrance narrows (Rescue Creek) erosion is taking its toll. The owl at the ranger residence had one chick and the two stand ceremoniously in the tree looking down and posing with polite disdain. There is a new fried chicken place across the parking lot from Outlaw Pizza. The bridge is upgraded and now open. Painting is next week. Tower closed. Washburn closed. Roosevelt closed, Lake Closed, etc., etc., etc.
This report is Mammoth to Pebble Creek only
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