Signal Hill Musings, Dec. 2017 ed., by Tom Shafer and Richard Seifried
Once again, these are continuing exploits of two L&Cers (Lewis and Clarkers) from their now annoying 2009 trip from St. Louis to one of our most emotional oceans, the Pacific (What lies at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and twitches? A nervous wreck). Journaling from the road for family (and presently heading east toward the Rockies), Richard and son-in-law Tom have now made their way to Wyoming. Spoiler alert: it’s not so easy to saddle a grizzly bear.
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 12:46 AM
Subject: We’re goin’ to Jackson!
Hey all! Actually, we’re in Jackson, Wyoming. We just got back from my favorite Mexican place on the planet, Merry Piglets. Dinner was delicious! Great atmosphere — oh, and I met and had beers with Harrison Ford here many years ago, but that’s another story. Yesterday was just a very long day in the car as we drove from Cascade Locks to Mountain Home, Idaho. No hiking, no sightseeing, just driving. Now, the drive was very pretty, which helped, but it was still a long, long day. The highlight was lunch in Prairie City, Oregon. Once again, road rules were in play, and we had to eat at a place with an animal on the roof. Okay, so it was a mannequin with a wolf head standing on the sidewalk, but close enough. And, as always with this rule, the food was excellent. Richard had a Mediterranean salad while I had a deliciously messy meatball sub. After that, we made our way to hot Mountain Home (97°) to bed down.
Now today was a different story. After a beautiful early drive on Highway 20, our road for the entire day, we first stopped at Craters of the Moon National Monument in south central Idaho. After some disorientation at the visitor center, we started looking at all the sights. For the uninitiated, Craters is the result of a volcanic eruption some 2000 years ago. Many lava fields flow over the hills and valleys while lava tubes tunnel under the landscape. We examined many of the features that were easy to reach from the road, then it was time to hit the trails. Our first hike took us to the summit of a cinder cone. It was steep, but a moderate twenty minutes got us to the top, providing us a very nice panoramic view of the park.
Cinder cone at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho
Next was a much longer hike to see tree molds and leaf remains. Richard decided he would walk out a little ways while I would take it to its end. After leaving Richard at a cool lava hole, I had the rest of the trail to myself!
Along the Tree Molds/Broken-Top trail at Craters of the Moon
I walked past a large, deep crater, then scrambled across a lava field, and finally found my way to the tree molds. Large trees were caught in the ancient lava flow and partially buried. The trees themselves eventually decayed away, leaving their bark mark forever in the flow. On the way back, I noticed some scratching on a couple of cedar trees. This place truly looks like cat country, but nothing in the literature or at the visitor center mentioned it. I happened to cross a park service ranger leading a group on the same trail a few minutes later, and he told me that they have had several sightings of mountain lions recently, including one on the tree molds hike the day before. What fun!
Tree molds at Craters NM
But it was time to head for the mountains, so here I am, word processing this e-mail for you while listening to Richard snore. Tomorrow we head into the Tetons for some short hikes and R and RM — rest and Rocky Mountains. All is well here at the Jackson Hole Lodge — oh, except for the snoring. the L&Cers
Bitterroot pushing through volcanic soil at Craters NM
Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 1:35 AM
Subject: Lions and coyotes and bears, oh my!
Hello all! Oh, and bears and eagles and antelope and mule deer and buffalo . . . you get the picture. Well, we are here in Teton and Yellowstone country, and of course, there are lots of animals. Yesterday was Grand Teton National Park day. We spent the day driving the loop and taking in practically every pull-out. The first pull-out of the day is one of my favorites, Beaver Lakes. This spot overlooks the Snake River and Snake River valley. Here we saw an eagle, lots of elk, and several buffalo. This was also the beginning of many pictures taken of the Tetons themselves.
The Tetons — perhaps America’s most striking mountains —
and some mules ears and sticky geraniums
We stopped at many other places and saw many more animals. One particular unnamed pull-off is now my new favorite. We pulled in to get nice pictures of a glacier just below Grand Teton. I took a trail back into the woods looking for an even better shot. I dropped down into a little glen and up on the bluff above sat a massive, house-sized boulder. One side looked like it had been sheered by glacial work. That side created a perfect little cave area, perhaps for a coyote or bear. After I moved closer, I snapped a picture and saw something move. I snapped another picture and saw a head and body lift up to look at me. It was a mountain lion, the first one I have seen in the wild for several years!! It quickly disappeared and I realized for the first time that I was alone and a mile or so from the car. I started walking warily out of the little valley, but I knew I was being watched from the bluff above me. I would move quickly ahead then stop to look around; on at least two occasions, I did hear the noises of walking coming from the bluff. As I cleared the tree line, I definitely felt relieved — and exhilarated!
Mt. Moran reflected in the Snake River near dusk, Grand Teton NP
We left there to have a nice lunch at Jackson Lake Lodge, then continued our tour of the park. At Oxbow Bend, we took a little drive to get down to the Snake River, where we got out and took a short trail along the river. There we saw the American pelican (many of them) and a pair of trumpeter swans. Richard and I took many more short walks and lots of pictures before we headed for dinner, once again at Merry Piglets — the other restaurants were too expensive for Richard’s taste and wallet, and he really loved the food! — even though I offered to pay. But we had another fine meal before bedding down for the night.
American pelicans on the Snake River at Oxbow Bend
Today was Yellowstone day. Because of constructions delays, it took us awhile to get there, but it was definitely worth the waiting! We saw lots of buffalo and elk almost immediately, as well as many other animals and sights. Because both of us have been here many other times, we purposely avoided the big touristy areas like Old Faithful and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Instead, we decided to hit the two big valleys, Hayden and Lamar, to spend our time looking for animals, especially Richard’s favorites, the wolves. Thunderstorms were rolling over the valley, peppering us with rain and hail, but we searched for animals nonetheless — and took lots of pictures.
We saw lots of the same animals as in the Tetons, but as we drove between the two valleys, we saw a bear duck into a tree line. We pulled to the side of the road, watched the area where the bear had disappeared, and were rewarded when he returned to the opening. In this remote part of the park, we watched spellbound (unbelievably by ourselves!) for several minutes as the bear fed on grasses and roots. The bear got very close to us as he worked along the small rise above us, but feeling no threat, we remained where we were until the bear, now finished with his ten pound dinner salad, scampered back into the trees to find a nice entrée. This is certainly a moment neither of us will ever forget!
Yellowstone grizzly bear at close range weighing dinner options:
Richard a la carte or Tom al dente — perhaps a dual entrée?
By the way, this is the moment he first notices us —
we’d been watching for several minutes.
Toward the end of the day as we started heading south to Jackson, we drove back through Hayden Valley and were rewarded with the sighting of two coyotes playing in a large, open field. We watched them hunt, jump, and run for about fifteen minutes (and perhaps twenty photos) before they sauntered out of sight. What fun! We missed out on seeing wolves – but I guess a grizzly bear and coyotes are a nice trade-off. As we exited the park – and in the middle of construction traffic – we saw a big bull moose nibbling on some willow. I slowed but couldn’t take a photo because of the traffic.
Coyote playing in Hayden Valley, Yellowstone NP
(Editor’s Note: I did not realize until pulling pictures for this Musing that I had spent an entire day in Yellowstone and had taken some forty pictures of a bear, twenty of a couple of coyotes, and two of a bison – and no other pictures whatsoever! No waterfalls, no thermal features, no mountain lakes, no mountains. Who does that?) Going back through Teton, again we saw lots of animals and a very nice sunset. After a Pizza Hut dinner – hey, we were tired and just didn’t want to go out – we are now bedded down for the evening. Tomorrow is Medicine Wheel day, so I’ll tell you more from Sheridan, Wyoming, tomorrow night. Over and out from our last night in Jackson. the L&Cers
Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 12:50 AM
Subject: Happy 4th from Rocky Mountain National Park
Hey all! Happy Fourth of July! Well, technically it’s the 5th of July now, though I think I started this before midnight. We are here in Estes Park and just finished watching their fireworks show from our quaint (and one of my favs!) little motel, Alpine Trail Ridge Inn — well, I did anyhow; Richard is snoring away! It was actually pretty awesome! Now, it’s time for some updating.
Yesterday was Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark day in the Bighorn Mountains. It is such a beautiful drive up, over, and through a 10,000 foot mountain pass. The weather was once again pretty spotty. When we first got there, it was sleeting and raining and hailing all at the same time. We waited for about half an hour, and at that time I told Richard I was just going to get up there. It is 4 miles round trip and is actually pretty steep. Though the NPS offers a shuttle (in the form of ATVs) for handicapped and elderly patrons, park service personnel could not take Richard to the site because of snow and ice on the trail, so he hung back and thoroughly enjoyed talking to rangers manning the little visitor center. For the uninitiated, Medicine Wheel is an ancient rock sculpture site (older than 6000 years) that was oriented for the equinoxes and solstices. Whom it was created by and why are still mysteries that will never be solved. Additionally, a trail that passes by the wheel has been used by Native Americans for over 10000 years. I started the hike in a very cold rain and sleet, but it all dissipated shortly and the sun came out. It turned into a beautiful afternoon and hike. I was the only person on the trail (once again) and enjoyed the solitude and scenery. I took lots of pictures along the way and at the wheel itself so Richard could enjoy them later. Native Americans — and actually Natives from all over the world — still travel here to show reverence for the site and the peoples who built it. Richard had put together a little prayer bundle for me to leave, but
View of Medicine Wheel in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.
The site is protected by roped wooden poles — and 10,000 feet of elevation!
we couldn’t find it in the mess that was once the interior of a Toyota 4-Runner, so I built a little cairn for us instead. Richard will mail the prayer bundle to one of the rangers he talked to, and a ranger will take it up for him.
The inner workings of the Medicine Wheel
After that, it was time to head to Sheridan, Wyoming, for sleep and laundry — and a stop at the famous Sheridan Inn for dinner. The Sheridan Inn (twenty-two rooms and a restaurant) was built and developed by “Buffalo Bill” Cody to take advantage of growing interest in the West – and the fact that the railroad station was across the street. He even staged try-outs for his travelling show on the inn’s wrap-around porch. Dinner was absolutely delicious; soup and salad for me, a steak and twice-baked sweet potatoes for Richard. And, of course, we both sat on the stool where Buffalo Bill enjoyed his time at the Sheridan (well, Richard did – the West is still not quite modern enough for two men to sit on the same stool). And, we think we have discovered why he always sat in this particular spot; right above and across from this seat is a painting of a naked woman – which has resided on the wall for over a century.
The Sheridan Inn — the ghost of Buffalo Bill can be found
24/7/365 on one particular stool!
Anyway, today was really just a driving day for us. We did follow the eating rules of the road again and found a lunch place in Casper with a bighorn sheep on the roof (we forget, but it may have been called the Western Grill). As usual, we both had excellent meals. Once we got into Estes Park — and after a particularly rainy day — we rested and had dinner at the attached restaurant, the Sundeck. Once again we had an excellent meal, and after that we took a first quick drive up into Rocky Mountain National Park (it is only a mile from the motel). What a beautiful evening to view a very little part of the park. Well, I am tired and look forward to a full day in the park tomorrow. Hope you all had a nice 4th!! We did!! the L&Cers
A grumpy — or sleepy — or happy — or angry (how can you tell?) bison
from our gazing perch above the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone NP
Watchful eagle above the Snake River in Teton NP
Moonrise from Upper Beaver Meadows on our first evening in Rocky Mountain NP
