Wade's photoblog: 2009

(pics are below my novel)

Last Friday some guys from work and I took off for Yellowstone for 5 days of camping and fishing!! I was excited because I think it had been around 15 years since I been to Yellowstone and I had never fished there. We camped up by Mammoth.

The 2nd day (1st full day) we fished a small stream near camp. It took a while before we learned what they were hitting, once we did though we caught a bunch. They were all pretty small brookies, but still fun!

On the 3rd day we played tourist and drove around the park site seeing. We also went and took some showers (best $3.25 I ever spent!!!)!

On the 4th day we had to move camp to another campsite as the one we were at closed for the season (found that out the day we checked in). We got up early and packed everything up and headed over to another campsite to get there before they filled up. It was a good thing we did, because withing a half hour of us getting there it was full! After setting up camp we took off for the Yellowstone River to fish it!! The fishing here was much better (bigger fish, much bigger)!! My first fish was a HUGE cut-bow hybrid! I estimate it was somewhere between 2-3 lbs!! Because it had cutthroat marking I had to throw it back. All the fish we caught on the Yellowstone ended up being "cuts".

Right after I took the last picture I dropped my camera in the river trying to unhook a fish I caught. It went under about 6". Luckily it was in one of the few shallow calm areas next to the shore. I pulled it out, yanked the battery out, dried it off, wrapped it in a fleece jacket, and put it in my backpack. When I got back home I took it the shell of off it and saw there was water inside, so I setup a fan and left it blowing on it all the next day. After I got home from work the next day I decided to see the damage. So I popped in a battery and hit the power button. To my relief the camera powered on. I put the case back on it and put in the memory card and powered it on and gave it a test and everything seemed to be working!!! Boy, am I lucky!!!

After fishing we did another hike down to the river so Rob could show us how sulfer burns (it also STINKS when it burns! BAD!). I breathed in some of the fumes and ended up coughing for about 10 mins after. When we got back to camp we were sitting around resting before dinner and all of a sudden it sounded like a raging river was coming down the canyon by camp. It was the wind! Luckily we had a nice ridge about 30' high that blocked us from the wind. Further down the canyon the campsites weren't as fortunate and they really got the wind. Trees where swaying back and forth and dirt flying everywhere. One tent started to roll away and we had to run over and save it! Then all of a sudden we heard a noise and turned to see a tree falling over (a big tree). We ran down to the end of the campground to find a tree on top of the camp hosts camp trailer with the side/top smashed in. Luckily they were outside and could tell it was going to fall and they had just gotten everyone and their cars out of the area when it fell. The wind soon died down and after about 30-40 mins it was dead calm. We figured a micro-burst had hit just south of us and caused all the wind. All I know, was that I was sure glad the wind let up because I didn't trust a tree that was right in line to nail my tent!

SO ME AND MY CAMERA SURVIVED YELLOWSTONE!!!!

Some unknown mountains north of Jackson.... Notice the moon?

Rustic Falls - near Mammoth

Upper Yellowstone Falls

Lower Falls from Uncle Tom's Trail. This trail will kick your butt! You hike down 500' and 320 steps that you "get" to climb back up!

Yellowstone Canyon below the falls from Artist Point

Lower Falls from Artist Point

Can you believe that we went to Old Faithful and walked all around the Old Faithful area and we never went and watched Old Faithful? I guess I'm not that impressed with it.

Some pool around Old Faithful