When we first left Cody and headed towards Yellowstone National Park early one morning last week Gary, LC and I had decided that we would just take the day as it came, and would stop and see whatever we wanted to see.
Better to travel less and see more, than to spend the entire day speeding in the truck and (at the end of the day) seeing nothing.
Without running into multiple herds of bison crossing over and walking in the center of the road, and with only very light traffic, we were actually making good time.
Traveling much and seeing much, all three humans and one pup were greatly enjoying the trip,
There is a quietness, a less frantic, a more serene feel to this amazing place in late fall than there is during the beautiful, hectic and busy summer season.
I was not getting stunning blues and greens and endless animals in pictures, but I realized last week that I love this time of year at Yellowstone...............
Last summer my Mountain Boy and I stopped at the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River.
As we were pulling into the hugely busy parking lot LC dropped me off at the road, so that I could cross over and take pictures of the huge buck that was sitting on top of a rise lazily watching over the traffic and the picture takers and the gawkers..................
On an increasingly cold early November day there were no bucks, no traffic, no gawkers or picture takers or excited pointers of elk.
The lot was empty and we all climbed out of the truck and wandered alone and quietly down the wooden ramp, and then headed on dirt trail towards the falls................
Instead of turning right out of the parking lot and heading straight back to the two lane highway we had been traveling, LC surprised me and turned left.
I had seen the sign but it had not really registered with me, so when LC told me he wanted to see Artists' Point I was pleased.
We were going to see something we had not seen before, and I was suddenly curious to know what this place was about.
The drive was only a mile from the falls, and we again pulled into an empty parking lot, climbed out of the truck (with spoiled Jamie-dog barking in protest because we had left her in the truck), and battled the strong and freezing cold wind as we headed down the empty walkway.
I am not sure why, but this walkway reminded me of the walkway that leads from the parking lot to the Visitors Center at Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.
Winding walkway, pine trees, volcanic rock..........yes.......definite similarities..............
Definite similarities until a break in the trees gave me a small taste of what was to come.
Rock in hundreds of different and subtle shades of red and brown and gold...............
And my first view of the falls from this vantage point a mile away..............
The paved walkway was flat and only about 1/4 mile long, and it dead-ended at a steep set of stone stairs that led down to a paved flat area, and then ascended via a second set of stairs leading to..........I had no idea what.
This picture, of the beautiful waterfall and the canyon that had been carved far below, was taken at the top of the steps.
LC and Gary were ahead of me, and I lingered at the top of the stairs for a few extra minutes, greatly enjoying the sight and sound of this rushing water.
Stunningly beautiful. Incredibly rugged................
Eventually I turned my attention from the falls to the bottom of the stairs, and stood wondering what had LC's attention..................
This place was called Artists' Point and there was indeed an artist hard at work - trying valiantly to capture the beauty and ruggedness and subtle colors of the view in front of him................
I had no idea what was at the top of the stairs, but I left Gary to continue reading the informational sign and followed LC.
At the top were views of endless rock in a million different shades and colors, and when I saw it I immediately understood why artists come to this place, and understood the challenges they must face in trying to capture subtlety and extreme beauty.
I couldn't capture it in photographs. I will never know how artists can capture it in oils or water colors on canvas............
So far we had run into very few animals, and I had been disappointed about that.
But there really was new adventure around every bend in the road and I was loving this trip.............
No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied — it speaks in silence to the very core of your being.................Ansel Adams
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