 'I believe any trip in search of wildlife can be coupled with physical activity and elements of cultural diversity to form a thrilling opportunity '
John H.Eickert |
This adventure does not take place in India. I want to share my favorite adventure here where I live in the central Rocky Mountains of North America. The adventure trip takes place in Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is a large
expanse of nearly wild land encompassing vast scenic vistas, mystical thermal areas, and sometimes-abundant wildlife. Almost three million people journey to Yellowstone every year, each seeking their own adventure, fulfilling their needs. While much of Yellowstone
is accessible via paved road, some areas are still remote. There are hundreds of miles of back country trail. Though it took 28 years of planning and walking I am proud to say I have walked all of these back country trails involving 52 separate trips.
My favorite time is fall and my favorite adventure takes place in the southeast corner of the Park, an area known as the Thorofare. It is a thru hike, not an out and back or loop. The length of the trail is perhaps 60 miles. If it
is hot, it can seem much longer and that is why I prefer fall. In the fall, the mornings are crisp, the aspen tree foliage takes on a dull yellow color, and fewer people visit the Park. It is possible to spend days in the Thorofare area this time of year without
seeing another person.
This adventure begins with a boat ride across Yellowstone Lake to the trail head. From there, the trail winds up a large "U" shaped valley, along the Yellowstone River, past ancient limestone bluffs, through modest forests of fir and
aspen, then over the Continental Divide at a pass named "Two Ocean." There is a creek at Two Ocean where the waters divide, one running to the Atlantic Ocean and the other to the Pacific Ocean. For me, this parting of the waters is a magical place. It pulls
me back time after time.
On this trek, I have seen grizzly bears, wolves, buffalo, mule deer, wapiti, eagles, and the North American moose. The encounters with these wild animals take place in a remote setting without any barriers. The weather can be uncertain.
There have been days where it snowed, rained, and became very hot, just in the morning!
One night Elizabeth and I were camped at Mountain Creek, deep in the Thorofare. We set up our tent, created a wonderful dinner, and then snuggled in for the night. The sounds of grunts, whistles, and shoving woke us from our sleep. Outside
our tent, in a quarter-moonlit meadow, two male wapiti were locked in combat over the right to mate with a small herd of females. Fall, in Yellowstone, is the mating season for these animals. We poked our heads out, watching this dim shadowy combat and enjoying
the sounds. That experience was wonderful and magic.
This fall, Elizabeth and I will once again take the ferry across the lake and begin the trek thru the Thorofare and over Two Ocean. I wish you could come along. Cheers.
(Note by IWC Team: Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S.A is located in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana - shown as a red dot in the map)
Visit http://www.numbum.net or call NumBum Adventurers at 406-777-2228