Tag Archives: Yellowstone

Idaho – The Gem State

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Idaho

Surprise! Idaho seems to be a popular vacation state. Who knew? Idaho is a northwestern U.S. state known for mountainous landscapes, and vast swaths of protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas. 

 I think we’ve all seen the commercials for the Idaho Potato truck 

But Idaho is also know for gemstones. The mountains contain veins of gold, silver, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, and many other rare minerals. Some of these rare minerals are gems like star garnets (the state gem), jasper, opal, jade, topaz, zircon, and tourmaline.

Places To Stay

So now that I know what Idaho is known for lets see what resorts  my timeshare has to offer.

The first resort to pop up is Elkhorn Inn located in Sun Valley. I’ve heard of Sun Valley but primarily for skiing in winter but the internet write ups seem to make summer a good time to visit too.

Elkhorn Resort | Idaho | Diamond Resorts

Summer in Sun Valley!

The City of Sun Valley sits at the edge of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forests; with the Big Wood River, a fisherman’s dream, running through the Wood River Valley.

Sun Valley enjoys a pleasant mountain desert climate.  With an average humidity of only 30%, and 15 inches of precipitation per year, the northern latitude creates long days, with 15 hours of sunshine in the summer, giving the resort community its well-deserved name.  Average summer temperature is 78 degrees.

Located in Central Idaho is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. I’ve wanted to visit Craters of the Moon and it looks like it’s about 1.5 hours from Sun Valley. Point for Elkhorn Resort.

How to get to Sun Valley

By Air:

The most convenient way to access Sun Valley by air is through the Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) in Hailey, a short 20-minute drive south of Sun Valley.  During peak season months, there are daily non-stop flights from Seattle, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.  Please access Fly Sun Valley Alliance for flight schedules and ground transportation options to Sun Valley.

Other nearby airports include Twin Falls (90-mile south) and Boise (150-mile southwest).

By Ground:

Mountain Rides Transportation Authority runs public transportation for the Sun Valley area. Mountain Rides, a free town bus service, serves Warm Springs, Ketchum, Elkhorn, Dollar and River Run areas. In addition, to enable residents and visitors to get around the Wood River Valley in an economical and environmental friendly way, Mountain Rides operates the Valley Bus, serving Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley.

The 2nd Choice

Timbers at Island Park . This condominium style resort is located 22 miles from the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

The Timbers Condominiums At Island Park Village | Armed Forces Vacation Club

I’ve actually been trying to get a reservation here for a couple of years so I think I’ll keep this near the top of the list and keep trying.  I want to explore Yellowstone from the West Entrance. My previous visit was from Wyoming which brought me into the park from the south. Yes, I got to see Old Faithful 

Old Faithful Erupts

Old Faithful Erupts- 2017

Getting There

The nearest commercial airports are 85 miles away in Idaho Falls, Idaho and 110 miles away in Bozeman, Montana. The resort is 22 miles south of West Yellowstone, Montana. From there is a car rental for the drive.

Vail Colorado

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Funny but True

I planned to write about Vail, Colorado last week because that was next up on my Colorado list but the weekend got away from me. However I did hear a strange story that I just have to share before we “Dig in”. If you have ever been to Yellowstone you know those hot springs are very dangerous. Well I heard that a man was banned from Yellowstone for cooking chickens in the hot springs. Can you imagine? I’m not sure I’d want to eat anything cooked in one of those springs nor would I want to get that close! What do you think?

On to the Subject of the day

 

Vail, Colorado

Everyone has heard of Vail, Colorado. I bet the first thing that comes to mind is skiing and the second thing is the rich and famous. Vail is just a small town at the base of Vail Mountain  but the Ski Resort is massive.  Vail Ski Resort was founded in 1962 and the town came after in 1966. The area is known for its hotels,  dining, and for the numerous events the city hosts annually, such as the Vail Film Festival, Burton US Open, Vail Resorts Snow Days, and Bravo! Vail.

Ski Vail

Most visitors that come to Vail do so for the skiing . The Vail Ski Resort boasts 5,289 skiable acres, making it one of the largest single-mountain resorts in the country. Other nearby ski areas are up and coming due to their close proximity to Vail Resort. Vail skiing is said to be some of the best. Lots of pristine powder coupled with amazing views make Vail a ski capital of the world. But I don’t ski. I do like photography so if I were going to brave the cold it would be to see if I can capture an iconic ski photo.

Photo from web advertisement

What about Summer Visitors

Well summer activities also abound. This one caught my eye- hiking with a Llama. You can go hiking with a llama in Vail with Paragon Guides. According to their website, “Llamas have a curious, gentle and intelligent nature making them an ideal addition for your backcountry adventure.” Plus, they’ll carry your gear! Sounds like my kind of hike!

 

You’ve also got mountain streams to amuse you.

White water rafting tours abound in Vail in summer. Numbers Extreme Whitewater Rafting promises a white-knuckle ride for experienced rafters or fearless beginners. For something less intense, choose Browns Canyon Half Day Whitewater Rafting, suitable for most rafters including kids. For a truly relaxing ride, book the Lower Browns Canyon Midwater Float Trip, for which Viator says you can, “Pick up a paddle if you like, or simply relax and enjoy this fun and mellow river ride.”

Photo from web advertisement

 

I never knew there was so much to do in Vail in the summer!

 

Put Old Faithful on Your Bucket List

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Old Faithful is a Bucket List Must

Anyone’s Bucket List should have a geyser or two. There’s nothing quite like watching all that heat and steam burst into the air. But why Old Faithful? It’s not the biggest geyser in Yellowstone nor the most spectacular but it’s still impressive at heights of 100- 140 ft. It’s also pretty predictable. The mathematical average between eruptions of Old Faithful is currently 74 minutes, but it doesn’t like to act average! Intervals can range from 60-110 minutes. A lot depends on the force of the previous eruption. Finally, it’s easy to get to. No climbing up steep hills or clamoring over rocky trails. Enjoy a bit of time in a cozy museum or gift shop and sit on a nice bench to wait for the eruption. But the main reason to put Old Faithful on your bucket list is that its THE MOST FAMOUS  GEYSER IN THE WORLD!

Old Faithful Erupts

 

Getting Bigger90 Minute Countdown

Once I found a parking spot I headed into the Visitor Center. The expected next eruption was 90 minutes. Plenty of time to look around. I have to say that all of the Visitor Centers that I’ve seen this trip have been beautiful. They are large, spacious modern buildings with exhibits, gift shops and clean restrooms. (Always important). It was too early for lunch so eventually I found a seat to wait for the big moment. Since it was about noon the sun was almost overhead but I wanted the wind at my back. I didn’t want geyser spray soaking my camera or me. It can be caustic enough to ruin a lens.

It was a good one!Beautiful Blue Sky and steam

Old Faithful never really stops steaming so even when I first arrived it was puffing away. Old Faithful warming upI enjoyed watching it sputter and start then subside again. Once it began to approach the 90 minute mark you could see the change. The steam was heavier and water sputtered out. Finally it let loose. The plume climbed in stages higher and higher. I don’t know how long it went on but certainly longer than I expected. Eruptions can last 1.5 minutes to 5 minutes. If I had to guess I’d say this one was closer to the 5 minute mark. As the plume faded back down I joined the rest of the crowd as we made our way back to the Visitor Center.

Calming Down

Wyoming

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The last state on the list, #50, is Wyoming. You must have heard the phrase “You’re tried the rest, now try the best” or “Save the Best For Last”. I think Wyoming will fill either of those phrases nicely.

wyoming

I was surprised to learn that Wyoming is considered one of the Great Plains States. I don’t know why that surprised me but it did.

I almost made a brief visit to Wyoming when we visited South Dakota. If we’d had more time we would have made the drive to Devil’s Tower. An enormous monolith in northeastern Wyoming, it rises from a fairly flat plain so it can be seen for miles. Northern Plains tribes consider it a sacred place and Steven Spielberg had his aliens land on it in Close encounters of the Third Kind.

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Flowing north through Wyoming ranch country is the Bighorn River. A gentle flowing river winding through fields and pastures until it approaches the Montana Border, there the Bighorn begins to cut one of the grandest canyons in the northern  U.S.  Cutting through an uplift of limestone, it creates a ruggedly beautiful canyon. The river’s Yellowtail Dam backs up the river to create Bighorn Lake with bluffs rising 2250 ft, above the surface.

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While in the neighborhood of the Bighorn Canyon  you can enter Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range where you might be lucky enough to spot a band of wild horses . These wild horses are genetically unique and closely related to the original horses imported by the Spanish Explorers.

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Grand Teton National Park surrounds Jackson hole with some of the youngest, craggiest peaks in the Rocky Mountains.

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Jackson Hole is know for it’s winter skiing and snow sports while the surrounding mountains are known for their majesty. Nearby is an Elk Sanctuary where the migrating animals come to shelter and  calve in the spring. By now you know just the Elk will put this high on my list. But Wyoming only gets better.

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Perhaps the biggest draw in Wyoming is Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is the nation’s oldest and probably best known national park, first established in 1872. This is nature’s extravagant  showcase! The largest of America’s national parks outside of Alaska crosses volcanic plateaus, forested peaks, 2.2 million acres of steaming hot springs, crystalline lakes, thundering waterfalls, and exploding geysers. Over 3 million people visit the park between June and September. Expect traffic jams if you visit during these peak months but also expect to see amazing geothermal curiosities and abundant wildlife.

Yellowstone National Park

If you can tear yourself away from the wonders of Yellowstone, you might want to visit the  Big Horn Mountains and the Medicine Wheel. Three roads climb into the Bighorn Mountains, all designated national scenic by-ways but only one will take you to the Medicine Wheel, an 80 foot-wide wagon wheel of stone said to be over 700 years old.

MedicineWheel

Wyoming is the old west. From dude ranches to rodeos and cities with names  like Cody and Cheyenne, Wyoming may be last on my alphabetical list but it certainly doesn’t deserve to be the last state you visit.

My final tally for this time in 2013 is : visited 21, Still to go 29.

Missouri and Montana

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There’s a photo blog I follow and his post yesterday was that he wants to take pictures in all 50 states  before he’s 50. He’s been to 22 states so far. Check his blog out. For the most part its a photo blog. Not a lot of writing but some of his pictures are amazing http://placesunknown.com/2013/09/22/50-by-50/

But back to my quest to visit every state. For me, at my age it isn’t before 50, already passed that milestone. Talk about a bucket list!

Let’s see, we were running through the 8 states that start with “M” and we’ve reached the last 2.  And sad to say, I haven’t been to either, Missouri or Montana.

Lets see what I’m missing in Missouri.

I know Missouri is the “Show Me ” State so I’m sure there must be lots to live up to that slogan, plus my time share has an exchange there in Branson. They describe Branson, Missouri, as your destination for good old-fashioned family fun where you can choose from over 70 live shows (head for the famous ’76 Strip Country Music Boulevard), 50 restaurants, amusement parks, whitewater rafting and premier trout fishing. Whew! And that’s just 1 place!

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Missouri is another state that divides it’s area up into sections. There’s Central, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. One thing I did notice is that RT 61 seems to be a popular scenic drive right through the state.

mo

Parts of the Ozark mountains are also in Missouri.

Missouri played a part in the civil war and there are monuments and attractions celebrating that role as well.

After Harry S. Truman grew up in Independence, leading the allied forces to victory in World War II seemed like the next logical step. And to think, the newspapers at first reported that he lost his election.

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Samuel Clemens was born in Missouri.

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Then, he penned under the name Mark Twain and changed Hannibal, Missouri into America’s Hometown with classic literary characters like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

And how about St. Louis…meet me in St Louis Louie.

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I have to see the famous arch.

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Sounds like a neat state to visit as long as I don’t have to paint any fences. 🙂

Last but not least is Montana.

20100911 Montana

This state is high on my list. With one of the most diverse geographies of any state in the union, as well   as being the fourth largest in sheer size, Montana’s snow-peaked mountains,   lush valleys and flowing rivers make it a popular tourist destination. Known   as “Big Sky Country,” the state’s wide open spaces are home to national   parks like Glacier and Yellowstone.

St__Mary_golu_montana

To me Montana means ranching and cowboys and the west. Billings, Montana comes to mind. When you visit Billings you  visit the land where General Custer fought the Sioux and Cheyenne, where Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led their people through struggles and to victories, where William Clark left his signature as the Lewis & Clark Expedition passed through and where Calamity Jane raised a ruckus. Learn about the old Railroad history that Billings was built on and about its namesake: Frederick Billings.

Lake_McDonald_Glacier_National_Park_Montana-1

Well, I’m running out of space again. Time to post the tally of seen /to be seen states.

Of the 8 M states I’ve only been to 2, Maine and Massachusetts. That leaves 6 that still need a visit. So the  count is 8 visited, 18 still to go. (24 states left to review)