Wednesday, September 5th, 2012
After lunching in sight of Mammoth Hot Springs (and perhaps feeding some wildlife*), rescuing a butterfly from a lake (yes, a 3 ft puddle qualifies as a lake, if you're a butterfly), and seeing a petrified redwood tree,
we set off on a hike.
While researching Yellowstone, the Mount Washburn Chittenden trail was one of the things that I really, truly wanted to do. It is one of the highest peaks in the park, and on a clear day one can see all the way to the Teton mountain range 60 or 70 miles away. At the summit of Mt. Washburn there is a fire tower with a small
visitors' center and an observation deck.
Or so I've read.
I never actually got to see the tower close up.
We didn't even get any pictures of it.
We started out with the best intentions. Dad and I were even going to break in our custom-made walking sticks! True, it was chilly, but once you get going you don't even notice it.
The three of us hiked to a copse a few hundred yards up the trail, then stopped to admire the view (of buffalo).
Once stopped, we noticed the wind. The cold wind.
Once stopped, we noticed the sun had gone missing.
Once stopped, we noticed how incredibly long the trail was.
Once stopped, we...never started again.
I wish we'd had time to do everything in Yellowstone. I wish we'd had time and energy to finish this hike. BUT, since I didn't get to do it this time, you know what that means, riiight?
Right.
I have to go back. Oh rats. ;)
On our way down from the Failed Mount Washburn Attempt (as it came to be known) Mom took some pictures of the fireweed.
This goes to show that good things can come out of something bad.
~Kiwi
*They were sparrows, and they were practically tame, and can I help it that I accidentally dropped cracker crumbs by my picnic table?
