The Legendary Charlie Parr is coming to town!

Once or twice a year one of our favorite Midwestern musicians graces the stage at the Filling Station in Bozeman. Who may you ask, Charlie Parr. I have known Charlie Parr since 2006 when I met him at a Halloween party in the small town of Silver Creek, Minnesota. Charlie and our good friend Mikkel Beckman opened for local favorites Forty Watt Bulb. Forty Watt Bulb has since dissolved into legendary status in the local scene and plays very random shows here and there.

Charlie has persisted on making music his life and does it very well. He plays a National resonator guitar in the finger picking Piedmont blues style. He also plays a fretless open backed banjo. He has released thirteen albums to date which keep on getting better like a fine wine, although cheap wine is more his style.

He will be joined by Jack Klatt, Barabara Jean and Tales From Ghost Town this coming Saturday. Tickets are still available at Cactus Records so get them while you can because it will sell out, and always does. This is one not to be missed by any means!!! I hope to see you there dancing and having a merry old time!!!

Here is a link to the last show he played in Bozeman.

Check it out!

https://archive.org/details/cp2014-04-03

Seasoned Yellowstone National Park Hiker Killed By Grizzly Bear While Hiking Off Trail Near Lake Village

A man whose name had not been released has been killed in Yellowstone National Park by a grizzly bear. The man, a fifth season employee, was found dead off trail near the Elephant Back loop trail which is very popular with Lake Village employees. His body was found partially consumed and cached on Friday August 7th. A preliminary report confirms that the man has defensive marks on his forearms confirming a bear attack. The bears involved are possibly a sow with a cub of the year. There has been a large amout of rain in the park so collecting evidence in the investigation may be very hard. An official autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Here is a list of bear related deaths throughout the history of Yellowstone National Park taken from

(http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/injuries.htm)

During the 140-year (1872-2011) history of Yellowstone National Park, seven people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning, burns (after falling into thermal pools), and suicide than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (7 incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being struck and killed by lightning (5 incidents).

• August 2011 - a day hiker, hiking by himself, was killed by a grizzly bear on the Mary Mountain Trail in Hayden Valley.
• July 2011 - a day hiker in a party of two was killed by an adult female grizzly bear with 2 cubs on the Wapiti Lake Trail in Hayden Valley.
• October 1986 - a photographer was killed by an adult female grizzly bear near Otter Creek in Hayden Valley.
• July 1984 - a grizzly bear killed a backpacker in a backcountry campsite located at the southern end of White Lake near Pelican Valley.
• June 1972 - an old adult female grizzly bear killed a man in an illegally established camp. The man surprised the bear when he returned to his campsite at night. The bear was in his camp feeding on food that he had left out unsecured in the campsite.
• August 1942 - a bear killed a woman at night in the Old Faithful campground. The species of bear involved was not determined.
• 1916 - a grizzly bear killed a man in a roadside camp.
• A possible fatality supposedly occurred in 1907 when a man was attacked by a female grizzly bear after he prodded her cub with an umbrella. The account of the incident appeared in a popular book, "Book of a Hundred Bears" published in 1909 by F.D. Smith. However, the validity of this incident is questionable as there is no mention of it in official park reports or local newspapers from 1907. The "Book of a Hundred Bears" contains many stories without providing back-up documentation. The 1907 story appears to be an unsubstantiated legend.

 

To avoid conflicts with bears always make noise while hiking especially around blind corners and in thick wooded areas, hike in large groups and carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Bear spray does no good in your pack, have it accessible at all times!!!

 

Not a photo of this incident.



Albright Visitor Center's Grand Opening Sunday at Mammoth Hot Springs

Sunday July 12th marks the official re-opening of the Albright Visitor Center. The building has been newly renovated and has actually been open since Earth Day this year, April 22nd to visitors. The Albright Visitor Center is named after Horace Albright. Albright helped to establish the National Park Service in 1916. He then served as Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park for ten years, where he saw his mission as “improving Yellowstone and its services to visitors as the flagship of the National Park Service.”  After his stint in Yellowstone he served as the director of the NPS and drastically increased the amount of NPS sites east of the Mississippi River including expanding the scope of locations included in the system.

This will only happen once folks so if you want to experience a historic event in Yellowstone National Park and are in the area this is your chance.

The celebration is set to begin in front of the Albright Visitors Center at 10 AM or in the Map Room of the hotel if there is bad weather.

Historic photo of Superintendent Horace Albright, don't try this at home folks. You must be 100 yards from bears these days.

Horace Albright.



BOILING RIVER RE-OPENS!!!

This one goes out to all the coeds that come down to Yellowstone National Park to enjoy the thermal waters that are legally soakable.  It's time to bust out those bathing suits and get some soaking in.

The Boiling River has re-opened for the summer!

I personally never go the the Boiling River in the summer because the crowds are too large. I prefer the extra push of speeding back to the car with wet hair when it's 20 below zero, but that 's just me.

Come on down and enjoy the hot and cold.  I would get there in the EARLY morning if you want any bit of privacy.

 

 

Just make sure you look out for the locals that frequent the area, they can get a little cranky.

 

Enjoy your soak!!!

Memorial Day Openings In Yellowstone

In Yellowstone National Park Memorial Day weekend marks a few different milemarks for the year. Yesterday marked the opening of two favorite drives in the Greater Yellowstone. Dunraven Pass and the Beartooth Highway are now accessible to area visitors. These roads open so late in the season due to unpredictability of weather and the fact that most years there is a ton of snow late into the Spring and even Summer. They are both subject to closures at anytime due to these factors.

 

Starting on Monday, Memorial Day the backcountry permits for the park will have a required fee that will run through September 10th.

The fees will be $3 per night, per person with a maximum $15 fee per party. 

If you plan to stay over 8 nights in the backcountry there is a frequent user card available for $25.

Stock (horse) parties will pay a fee of $5 per person per night with no breaks. 

This is the first year the Yellowstone has enacted backcountry fees.

All the proceeds from fee collection will go directly into the backcountry program.

There are no fees to dayhike just to camp overnight.

Hiking the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River. 2007.

Today marks the opening of the 2015 fishing season in Yellowstone National Park.

 There are 3 day passes available for $18, the 7 day pass is $25 and season is $40.

Be sure to check out the regulations because they are different depending on where you would like to fish.

 

Follow this link to the regulations.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/15FishReg_revisionTW.pdf

 

Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish and Arctic Grayling are all native species and are native species and are catch and release only. The saying relating to Cutthroat Trout is, "if it has a red slash, put it back". 

 

Below are photos of three native species of Yellowstone National Park, catch and release only.

Cutthroat Trout. Source www.tripadvisor.com

Mountain Whitefish. https://wgfd.wyo.gov/fishexam/species/frmMoutainWhitefish.aspx

Arctic Grayling. www.fws.gov



Non-native species in the park include Rainbow, Brown, Brook and Lake Trout.

The regulations are different per watershed in the park.

 Make sure that you know the regulations for the specific waterbody you are fishing!

Always have your permit when fishing in the park. You can get them at any of the backcountry offices.

 

Summer is just ramping up here in the northern Rocky Mountains! Come and play, be safe and know the rules of engagement. This place is wild and amazing! I'm glad it has been preserved for generations to come! Keep up the good work America!!!  Oh and NO the Boiling River is not open yet.  

Copy of Yellowstone News Release Issued Today

Rangers Save Man After Fall into Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Date: May 18, 2014 Amy Bartlett (307)344-2015 YELL_Public_Affairs@nps.gov    Yellowstone National Park rangers saved a man from New York after he fell approximately 25 feet into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 10, a 71-year-old man was attempting to take a picture of a sign at Grand View at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone when he stumbled backwards over a stone barrier and into the canyon. After falling approximately 25 feet, he was able to stop himself at the top of a precipice by bracing his body and feet on opposing sides of a small crevice. A visitor that witnessed the man’s fall ran to a nearby parking lot to call 911. The first two rangers on scene threw looped rope down to the man and secured him to a sign and tree at the top of the canyon. National Park Service employees and members of the Yellowstone Technical Rescue Team responded to the scene and set up a system of ropes and pulleys to carry out the rescue. One harnessed member of the Technical Rescue Team descended to the man’s location and secured him into the pulley system. The man was then able to walk to safety with assistance from the ropes, pulleys, and ranger. According to staff on scene, the man was extremely lucky. The crevice and the angle of his body during the fall helped the man stop at the top of a 200 foot drop. A fall just inches to the left may have resulted in a fatality as the canyon wall is mostly steep loose rock. The man was transported by ground ambulance to a helicopter ambulance for a possible hip injury. Seventeen Park Service staff assisted with this rescue.    http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/15030.htm   These photos are from Yellowstone National Parks Facebook page. Man being rescued in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River Rescued mans location in the Canyon.

Geysers Galore!!!

This weekend marks the opening of Firehole Lake Drive and Fountain Flats Area. They have been closed because the area is considered a Bear Management Area. One of my favorite geysers seen to date is in this area, Great Fountain Geyser! It is a fountain type geyser as the name states. There are two types of geysers, cone and fountain.

 

From www.nps.gov/yell webiste

There are geysers all over the world. Many are still active but other have been wiped out because of geothermal energy research or natural disasters. The second largest geyser field on Earth, the Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia was partially buried under a mudslide on June 7, 2003 in an unfortunate event. It was captured on video by film makers of the series Wild Russia.

This landslide covered most of the valley.

 

Luckily there are geyser fields that are still intact like here in Yellowstone. 



From http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/geysers/geysmapw.html

Click on this link to see where the geysers are in more detail.



I have been fortunate to see many great geysers in eruption. These include many eruptions of Riverside and Lone Star, a few Beehives, Castle, Daisy and Grand. I was with my parents their first time to the park and we caught Beehive and Grand! Super great intro for them. The first time my girlfriend came with me we caught Beehive then Great Fountain. I caught a bit of Fan & Mortar and Giantess. Not to mention the countless Old Faithful eruptions. I still have a yearning for Giant and Steamboat eruptions, fingers crossed.

There are more geysers in Yellowstone than all other geyser fields on the planet making this a very special place unlike any other.

So if you in Yellowstone visiting or live in the local area take some time to move past Old Faithful and make some memories you will never forget. Explore the other geyser basins in the park and make sure to stay on the boardwalks because you never know what is lurking just below the surface...stay safe my friends!

 

 

The only thing left to check out are the space geysers such as the ones on Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons!!!

 

http://www.space.com/22181-saturn-moon-enceladus-water-geysers.html

Two Guests Gored By Bison In Yellowstone So Far This Year, They Are WILD Animals People, This Is Not A Zoo!

First it's people getting too close to a black bear mother and cubs, now this. Yesterday a girl was gored by a bison in the Old Faithful area. A 16 year old girl wanted to have her picture taken with some bison in the background. She was too close and was gored and pushed to the ground by one of these large animals. The girl is ok and probably scarred for life, mentally and physically. Bison can weigh up to 2000 pounds. There are two times a year when the bison are on edge, calving and the rut. Baby bison or "red dogs" are dropped around this time of the year. The herd are very protective of their young as most speices of animals are. The rut is when the males are fighting for the females attention and they are trying to mate. Yellowstone National Park offers the seasonal newspaper to guests when entering the park. On the front page there are the top 10 things people should know.

PLEASE READ AT LEAST THE FRONT PAGE!!!

A Second incident happened on June 2nd, again at Old Faithful. A 62 year old Australian man was within 3 to 5 feet of a bison taking picture with a tablet of sorts. Suddenly he was thrown in the air multiple times. This is not a zoo folks. These animals live here year round in the WILD...

There are links to stories on these events at the bottom of the page.
 

The ever so popular warning not many people read, maybe this should be on the front page.

 

The bison are wild animals that are very strong and can be bull headed (pun intended). We humans are only guests in their home. They live in the park year round and have to work hard to survive the winter. So when it comes to the more mellow seasons of the year give them a break and their own space. Please enjoy the wildlife in the park but be cautious. ALL of the animals in the park (besides workers pets, mostly dogs) are WILD! They don't rationalize like humans but then again maybe some of them do... Please obey the rules in any national park to keep everyone safe. Keep your distance and yourself safe.

Here is a link to the safety portion of the Yellowstone Website:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm
 

Unfortunately this is not my photo, source unknown.


Here is a link to an article on this happening:

http://www.krtv.com/story/29080413/teen-gored-by-bison-in-yellowstone-national-park

The link to the second incident...

http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/15034.htm
 



Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks Separate and Implement New Fee Structure

So this was bound to happen. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks have been on the same fee system for quite a while. Visitors have been able to access both parks for $25 for 1 to 7 days or get a yearly pass for $50. This will change starting June 1st, 2015 when the fees increase.

 

Fee increases are as follows:

 

Yellowstone National Park: 1-7 days

Car: $30

Motorcycle:$25

Walk/Bike/Ski up: $15 per person

Annual Pass: $60
 

Grand Teton National Park: 1-7 days

Car: $30

Motorcycle: $25

Walk/Bike/Ski up: $15 per person

Annual Pass: $60

 

Both Parks:1-7 days

Car: $50

Motorcycle: $40

Walk/Bike/Ski up $20 per person

Interagency Pass (All national parks): $80
 

If you purchase your Yellowstone/Grand Teton annual pass before June 1st it will be good for both parks until the end of May 2016 and still $50.

 

The best deal after this fee increase is the Interagency Annual Pass. This gives access to ALL national parks for a full year from the month purchased. The price for this pass will remain at $80. There are also passes available to United States senior citizens over 62 years old ($10 for the rest of your life), active military (with valid identification) and permanently disabled US citizens (with paperwork).

 

The great thing about these increases is that 80% of fees stay in the parks that they were collected at. The other 20% will be used to fund programs and parks that do not collect fees.

 

Don't be mad at the nice people that work at the gates the decisions for increased fees came from WAY above them.

These fees will be used to maintain the operations in each park. There are many costs associated with operating a place such as Yellowstone. There are 5 entrances, 9 visitor centers, museums and other contact stations that must be staffed.

 

It's not that fun when this type of things happen but inevitable. I remember when you could get a candy bar for .25, Pringles for $1 and even .01 gumballs at the post office. Things change so there is no use in getting mad. Just be glad that these wonderful places are here for us to enjoy and not developed beyond repair. If you live in the area and frequent these parks make sure to get the Yellowstone/Grand Teton All Access Pass for $50 before June 1st!!!  Happy trails!

 

I have taken most information from:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/15028.htm

 

 



New Black Bear Video Shows What Not To Do! Be Bear Aware People!!!

WOW! That's all I can say after seeing the video of the mother black bear and her three cubs being harassed by tourists in Yellowstone National Park (YNP)!  Check it out for yourself.

I do not agree with the title of this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HslURrpRgGE

Many media sources have reported on this video and said that tourists are being chased by the bears. This is definitely NOT the case. These bears are trapped on the bridge located east of Tower Junction in what is known as a Bear Jam. As you can see from the video there are cars parked on BOTH sides of the bridge. There are no natural escape routes for the bears, they are on a man made bridge over the Yellowstone River. Isn't the point of seeing wildlife in a place like Yellowstone to see the animals in thier natural habitat?

The top ten things to know about YNP are on the front page of thier quarterly newsletter:

1. Give wildlife a brake: Top speed in YNP is 45mph
2. Watch wildlife from pullouts: Don't impede traffic.
3. Campfires in designated areas only.
4. DO NOT APPROACH WILDLIFE.
5. Do not feed ANY wild animals.
6. Stay on designated trails and boardwalks.
7. Unmanned aircrafts (Drones) prohibited.
8. BE BEAR AWARE: Hike in groups, DON'T RUN under ANY circumstances!
9. Control your pet.
10. Cell phone service may not be available.

Three of the top ten things to know were disregarded by the people in the video. This information is offered to everyone coming into the park. I wonder how many people actually read it?

PLEASE BE MORE BEAR AWARE PEOPLE!!!

There are two different kinds of bears in the area. The black bear and grizzly bear. Luckily these tourists did not trap a grizzly bear on the bridge or the outcome could have been very different.

A few Bear Facts:

In Yellowstone National Park you must be at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other large wildlife. These people look to be 5 feet away and should be fined.
There were two grizzly related deaths in the park in 2011, four years ago.
Bears can run up to 35 miles per hour over varied terrain, much faster than humans.
There are an estimated 150 grizzly bears that make YNP thier home and over 1,000 black bears.
Male grizzly bears can weight up to 700lbs, females up to 400lbs.
Male black bears can weigh up to 320 lbs, females up to 200lbs.
Both are much stronger than humans!
Never turn and run from bears, people in the video were doing the opposite of what they should have.

If you live in the area or are just visiting PLEASE be aware that these are WILD ANIMALS!!! Yellowstone National Park is not a ZOO it's a park set aside "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people". Not the harassment of wildlife.

Yellowstone National Park's Mission Statement is:

 

Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and the majority of the world’s geysers and hot springs. An outstanding mountain wildland with clean water and air, Yellowstone is home of the grizzly bear and wolf and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. Centuries-old sites and historic buildings that reflect the unique heritage of America’s first national park are also protected. Yellowstone National Park serves as a model and inspiration for national parks throughout the world.

Please be part of that model and help preserve this place, it is wild, epic and amazing!!!
Hopefully this video serves as an example of what not to do. People need to respect this place and all of the amazing things that make Yellowstone National Park the place it is so that all generations to come can enjoy it as we do today!
 

Yellowstone National Park Resources and Issues and Yellowstone Science

So you are wondering what Yellowstone National Park is all about.

  

What are some of the most commonly asked questions about Yellowstone?

What's intersting about the history of Yellowstone?

How are cultural resources of the park preserved for future generations?

What is the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

How does Yellowstone work, geologically?

What about those funny looking orange things in the geyser runoff channels?

What kinds of plants are native to Yellowstone?

What about invasive plants?

How does fire impact Yellowstone?

and last but definitely not least

What kinds of animals are in Yellowstone?

 

These questions are basically a summary of the chapters in the Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook. This handbook is updated by the Yellowstone National Park staff yearly. It is an amazing resource for the expert and novice alike.

  

 

If you are old school like me when it comes to reading things you can pick up a hard copy at the Yellowstone Association (YA) bookstores which are located in the Visitor Centers and other places in the park. There are also YA bookstores in Gardiner, Montana, The Bozeman International Airport and the Quake Lake Visitor Center.

 

You can also find this resource online at:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/resourceandissues.htm

Next up is Yellowstone Science:

Yellowstone Science is dedicated to more up to date research projects happening in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). It also tells of conferences related to issues in the area and keeps the general public up to date also. This publication has been going strong since 1992 and is a wonderful resource. My favorite issue of Yellowstone Science has an article on the mushrooms of Yellowstone. This is a great subject because it's about that time of the year. The morels and oyster mushrooms should be popping soon. Be sure to know what you are doing before eating any mushrooms you find yourself.

The most recent issue focuses on climate change research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

To obtain a free digital copy of this issue please click on the link below:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/Accessible-PDF-prepared-for-WEB-of-Yellowstone-Science-23-1.pdf

For an index of all the back issues please follow this link:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/yellsci-issues.htm

I hope that this will satisfy the needs of some people. Both of these resources are full of amazing facts about Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the best part is they are available FREE in digital format.
Have a wonderful day and happy nerding out!

www.exploreynp.com





Yellowstone National Park Camping Rates and Dates 2015

So I have decided to take the time to address some of the common question that people want answers to when heading to Yellowstone National Park (YNP).

 

 It your are interested in when the roads are opening in the park please refer to my previous blog at: http://greateryellowstoneguru.blogspot.com/2015/04/yellowstone-national-park-road-openings.html

 

I would like to address is camping this time. As of today Mammoth and Madison are open and they fill up fast, especially on weekends. During the Summer months all of the campgrounds will fill up daily so get them early.
 

Here is a list of opening and closing dates as well as rates:

Mammoth Year Round $20 per night 

Madison 5/1-10/18 $21.50 per night

Fishing Bridge 5/8-9/20 (hard sided units only) $46.75 per night

Norris 5/15-9/28 $20 per night

Tower/Roosevelt 5/22-9/28 $15 per night

Bridge Bay 5/22-9/7 $21.50 per night

Canyon 5/29-9/13 $26 per night

Indian Creek 6/12-9/14 $15 per night

Pebble Creek 6/15-9/28 $15 per night

Slough Creek 6/15-10/7 $15 per night

Lewis Lake 6/15-11/1 $15 per night

Grant Village 6/21-9/10 $26 per night

 

 Yellowstone is home to many wild animals who go where they please. photo from: tripadvisor.com

In the past backcountry camping permits have been free, that will change this year on Memorial Weekend. The fee will be $3 per person per night or $15 maximum for a group. You will also be able to purchase an Annual Backcountry Pass for $25 good for the season from Memorial Day to September 10th. Permits will be free the remaining parts of the year.  

If you don't get a camping site in the park there are plenty of places outside the boundaries of the park available with rates that are usually cheaper. I know, you're not in Yellowstone but hey at least you have a place to crash! Cheers and we'll see you on the trail!!!

 

 Mammoth, Madison, Fishing Bridge and Norris NOW OPEN! 5/15/15

 

Yellowstone National Park's Boiling River Closed Until Further Notice

Sometimes things happen that we don't like, this is the time of the year that coeds from Montana State University in Bozeman take that 75 mile drive just to be dissapointed. The Boiling River in the northern part of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is CLOSED until further notice. The reason being a simple one or course, spring runoff from the mountains. It swells the rivers and makes them more dangerous and cold, it is in fact melting snow.  If you do decide to go around the AREA CLOSED sign you will most likely receive a citation...

Here are a few pics of the Boiling River so you can see what people will be missing for a while.



This is where the Boiling River comes out of the ground.

Watch your step, sandals are your friend.

This is what it's all about.

 

Best time at the Boiling River, Winter! Small crowds and warm water.

So you can't go soak in the Boiling River, there are always the pools at Chico and White Sulphur Springs, the later being my favorite because it's less crowded.

 

Well guess what, there is more to to YNP than the Boiling River! Yellowstone is the first national park on the planet Earth, and for many good reasons.

 

1.There is a Super Volcano which is set to go off, well no one actually knows and please don't believe the internet hype that it's going to explode. If it did I'd be the first to know.

2. YNP is home to more geysers than anywhere on the planet. They are like inverted waterfalls caused by superheated water and pressure build up. Most of the big geysers are located in the Upper, Middle and Lower geyser basins near and around Old Faithful.

3. There are grizzly and black bears, bison, elk, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, lynx, wolverines and many more animals that you might see if you are lucky.

4. There are over 1,100 miles of hiking trails in YNP!!! Yeah 1,100!!!

5. It's YELLOWSTONE!!!

 

So all of you Boiling River enthusiasts from Bozeman keep on coming down to YNP and hit the trails or go for a drive and get beyond the two mile mark!

Tap Into Montana

So this is a little different subject matter than I will blog about most of the time but its a great new event happening in Livingston. That event is Tap Into Montana, a craft beer event with a week of fun for all you sud lovers out there, and I'm not talking bubble baths.

 

 

Check them out at: http://www.katabaticbrewing.com/index.html

 

 

The new kid in town on the Montana beer scene, Katabatic Brewing is playing host to this first annual event Livingston, Montana. They have quickly became a community staple for great fresh craft beer and have played host to many community building events in their tasting room. Each Sunday they have Family Night with a variety of board games (and fresh Root Beer for the kids, at a cost). Monday nights there is a bluegrass jam and $1 off a growler and free pint while you wait. Tuesday nights $1 from each pint goes to the local non-profit of the week. Wednesday and Saturday nights there is live music, mostly solo musicians or small bands. Thursdays are Growler Raffle nights, enjoy a pint of your favorite beer and maybe you'll bring some home if you're lucky. Friday there are no events, it is in fact Friday.  

 

 

 

Check them out at: http://www.tapintomt.com/

 

There will be 12 Montana breweries at the Brewfest on Saturday, May 16th, that is the culminating event of the Tap Into Montana craft beer week including:

 

406 Brewing Company (Bozeman)

Beaverhead Brewing (Dillon)

Bridger Brewing (Bozeman)

Katabatic Brewing Company (Livingston)

Neptune's Brewery (Livingston)

Lolo Peak Brewing Company (Lolo)

Madison River Brewing Company (Belgrade)

Meadowlark Brewing (Sidney)

Muddy Creek Brewery (Butte)

Outlaw Brewing (Bozeman)

Philipsburg Brewing Company (Phillipsburg)

and

Uberbrew (Billings)

 

There are a couple of events that are going on all during the craft beer week including the Tap Into Montana Scavenger Hunt and Neptune's Brewery Tours from 4-6 pm Monday-Friday.

 

Here is a list of the rest of the events by the day:

 

Monday May 11th:

Beer and BBQ at The Sport (5pm)

 

Dessert Beers and Chocolates at The Office Lounge (5:30-7:30pm)

 

Tuesday May 12th:

Taco Tuesday and Beer Pairing at The Mint Bar & Grill (4pm)

 

Mosaic & Beer at Neptune's Brewery $25 (4pm)

 

German Style Beer & Brats  at The Office Lounge (5:30-7:30pm)

 

Wednesday May 13th:

Beer and Cheese Pairing from The Gourmet Cellar at Katabatic Brewing Company

Sample a range of beer washed cheese varieties paired with beer. $15 (5:30pm)

 

Hoppy Humpday - IPA's for Tasting at The Office Lounge (5:30-7:30pm)

 

Art on Tap at Wheatgrass Saloon $35 (6-8pm)

Art lesson with Betsy Hall and Edd Enders. This is for ALL LEVELS. Guides are available for beginners and anyone who needs help. Everyone will make their own finished piece on an 8" x 10" canvas. Cost includes lessons, materials, two pints of craft beer and light snacks.

 

Thrusday May 14th:

In-house Mobile Canning Demonstration from Montana Canning Company

at Katabatic Brewing Company (5pm)

 

Screening of Homebrewd at Katabatic Brewing Company (5:30-6:30pm)

 

Draught Works Brewery "Tap Take Over" at The Office Lounge (5:30-7:30pm)

 

Beer Trivia at The Mint Bar and Grill (7pm)

 

Friday May 15th:

Strange Brews Dinner at Pinky's Cafe  (Time TBD)

 

Brews and Burgers at The Office Lounge (5:30-7:30pm)

 

Saturday May 16th:

Yoga at Katabatic Brewing Company (10:30am, Free)

 

Get Ready for BrewFest: Bloody Mary Specials at The Office Lounge

Saturday Morning

 

Coffee Porter, Big Sky Camp Robber at The Office Lounge

Sunday Morning After the Brew Fest Special

 

Tap Into Montana Brewfest at Miles Park

Featuring 12 Montana Breweries, Local Food, and Live Music

1pm VIP Ticket Holders

2pm-7pm Regular ticket holders and general public

 

Other Events at the Brewfest

Art from Art on Tap will be auctioned during the Brew Fest

Fly Tying Competition

Home Brew Demonstration

Montana Canning Company Canning Demonstration

 

It looks to be an amazing event which any beer lover would not want to miss. So if you live in the area, are heading to Yellowstone from the north or just need an excuse for a road trip look no more. Make some time and Tap Into Montana!!!

 

Katabatic Brewmaster Jason Courtney doing his thing!

 

 

 

What about the drones?

With the roads just opening in Yellowstone I thought it would be a good idea to bring up some interesting news from last year. There was an interesting  Dutch citizen Theodorus Van Vliet crashed a drone into Grand Prismatic Spring and was fined over $3000 by a federal judge in the park. Yes I said federal, Yellowstone National Park is federal property  The iconic Grand Prismatic Spring is located at the Midway Geyser Basin which is in Yellowstone National Park, home to over 10,000 thermal features. The types of themal features include hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles or steam vents and of course the most famous of all, geysers.

 

My photo of Grand Prismatic Spring.

I understand why someone would want to fly a drone over this hot spring to get photos or video, it's amazing! The colors are stunning with each layer representing a different heat signature and type of heat loving micro-organism or themophile. These are an example of extremophiles, organisms that can live in very hot or cold environments, this being hot of course. This is where the problem lies. Grand Prismatic is 250 x 300 feet wide and up to 160 feet deep. The drone that dropped in was believed to be at 111 feet. From my perspective how could you get if out without disturbing the bacterial mats and the hot spring itself? You can't. If you took a hovercraft or helicopter over it would push too much air around and surely destroy too much. It you took some sort of boat the same would happen but with different damage. 

Click the link below for the official news release:
http://www.nps.gov/news/release.htm?id=1601

 A copy of the sign that was posted after this incident.

After this incident National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis signed a law into effect banning the operation of all unmanned aircraft on National Park Service Property on June 20, 2014. What happened next? A German tourist Andreas Meissner crashed another drone, this time into Yellowstone Lake on July 18th, 2014. A diver recovered the drone 10 days later.  He was ordered to pay $1600 in fines and restitution.

Although drones are becoming more and more popular with the advances in technology there are things that people must understand. Yellowstone National Park is one of the most heavily vistited and wild places in the lower 48 states. Drones can disturb wildlife in ways that would be new and harmful. Would you like to be watching a grizzly mother with cubs and see a drone flying over them? How about the incident above, being in a geyser basin, taking in the sounds smells and hearing a buzzing over your head? I sure wouldn't like that. No matter what it's a law now and hopefully there won't be any future headlines of this subject matter. So if you bring your drone to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem be sure to fly it outside of any parks. Happy droning!


Just after posting this yesterdsay this article popped up in the Billings Gazette.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/drone-businesses-pop-up-in-montana/article_64e63a69-a592-5150-ba67-71bc59ffdb71.html

 



Yellowstone National Park Road Openings

On April 17th 2015 the first set of roads opened in the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) 

We drove down on the 18th and had a grand old time. To begin I'll give you a synopsis of when the rest open.

 

The road openings are as follows:

(Sourced from the Yellowstone National Park Sping Newspaper)

Open year round:

 Mammoth to Cooke City

 

April 17th:

Mammoth to Old Faithful

Madison to West Entrance

Norris to Canyon

 

May 1:

Canyon Junction to Lake

Lake to East Entrance (Sylvan Pass)

 

May 8th:

Lake to South Entrance

Tower Junction to Tower Falls

 

May 22nd:

Tower Falls to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass)

Beartooth Highway

 

June 11th:

Old Faithful to Grant Village (Craig Pass)

Now that we have that taken care of lets get to the fun part. We took a drive on the 18th of April with our ultimate destination Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin which is only accessible during  the Winter months via snowmobile guides and concessionaire rides which are not in my budget ($95 each way from Mammoth per person with only a one hour layover which equals not enough time to check out the geysers). We were very happy to get down in the early part of the year when there are less tourists but plenty of large mammals.

 

Bison jam in the road construction area betwen Mammoth and Norris

 

After getting through this little bison jam we decided to skip Norris due to time restrictions and our need to see the majors go off. But we did decide to take the trip up to Canyon Village to check out this masterpiece of nature. We started with the South Rim Drive being that its an in and back and the fact that the North Rim Drive loops back to the village. It was amazing as usual! We got come great views of the canyon from both sides but we got some wildlife on the north side.

The Upper Falls of The Yellowstone River from the South Rim



The Lower Falls of The Yellstone River from Artist's Point

On the north side of the canyon we got to watch the Ospreys dive into the canyon in search of fish in its depths. Osprey always catch fish in their talons with their heads facing foreward like an attack from behind and they always ear fresh fish, never dead. 

Osprey nest in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River from Lookout Point on the north rim.

Further down the road we made it to Inspiration Point which is located just past the Glacial Boulder a favorite with rock climbers. You get a partial view of the Lower Falls but I was lucky enough to see this wonderful coyote. I'm wondering if he was interested in our dog Delilah a nine year old German Shepard... she's fixed so... I was actually the only one lucky enough to see him. Maybe coyote is my spirit animal.

Coyote near Inspiration Point on the north rim.

 

After these encounters we headed back to Norris and down the road to Old Faithful. On the way we passed many thermal areas in the distance and some not to far away from the road. Yellowstone is home to more thermal features than anywhere else on the planet including over 300 geysers which we were on the hunt for. Luckily we headed past them all and made it to Old Faithful when we did we caught the namesake geyser eruption within 20 minutes, Delilah got to see it too (not from the boardwalk but from afar. Always keep your pets on leash in Yellowstone, don't take then on trails, it's illeagal, they can only be 100 feet off the road, and please pick up their droppings). We checked the predictions in the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center and they were great. Riverside, Daisy and Castle set basically an hour apart, with Grand off a couple more hours.

 

Two american icons, the bison and Old Faithful Inn.

 

We took the tar path down to Riverside to catch it and this is what we saw. The only thing that we wish we had done is brought our bikes.  

Grotto Geyser is always fun when in eruption which can last over 24 hours.

On the way to Riverside we saw a great performance by Spa Geyser, one that is not as predictable as others, a treat.



Riverside is always an amazing performer and on a sunny day you usually get some rainbow effect.
 

 



Most people that do go further on the boardwalks usually make it to Morning Glory Pool.

 

At one time the color of Morning Glory was much more magnificant but due to people throwing items in as if it were a wishing well the color has changed dramatically though it is still beautiful.

 There was a sign that said there was bear activity past Morning Glory. Always make noise and carry bear spray in the backcountry of Yellowstone. If you purchase bear spray and are finished with it you can donate it to any entrance station or backcountry office in the park. Hiking past this point there are a few geysers and hot springs including Artemisia which is very beautiful. This path will eventually lead you to Biscuit Basin.

 

Artemisia Geyser is a beauty with amazing geyserite formations surrounding its pool.

We called this one the Iron Heart.

Next on the agenda was Daisy Geyser which is one of the more predictable geysers. It was really nice. I had only seen Daisy twice before so it was pretty neat, nevermind all geysers are really neat.

Daisy Geyser is pretty cool.

These are some pretty cool thermophiles, heat loving organisms that live in the runoff channels of Daisy Geyser.


After Daisy put on a show for us we headed back to the boardwalk to get a glipse of the pools along the boardwalk from Grotto to Castle Geyser. We are always wishful that the Giant will give us a show but it has not done so for anyone since 2010. It's still pretty.

Giant Geyser cone.

 We did however catch some of the fun little geysers between Grand and Castle. Including Spasmodic and Penta along with some more interesting thermophiles.

Penta,a small but amazing geyser.

Spasmodic is super sweet with its many vents and constant play.

 

Some more interesting thermophiles, with ephyrid flies that live on the thermal mats.

As the day was coming to an end for us we made our way to Castle Geyser. The sun was going down and it was getting ever so chilly by the minute we waited for over an hour and were about to give up and we (the lady friend and I) and one other gentleman were the only people that lasted, got a private show, totally worth the wait!!! A Castle major!

 

Castle Geyser is one that is predictable to a point but can be finicky.

 

We wanted to stay for Grand but it was getting cold out and the sun was going down. So we decided to hit the road for the long ride home. On the way back we got stopped in another bison jam which could have lasted longer but my superior hearding skills paid off and we got off easy. Thanks for reading and until next time. Sleep tight, be safe and always be bear aware, they're just waking up!