Frozen

*Critters we’ve seen on our 2014 trip so far:  pronghorn, horse, llama, elk, bison, grizzly, bighorn sheep, mule deer

*Birds we’ve seen on our 2014 trip so far: bald eagle, grouse, osprey, magpie

[Click on any photo to enlarge.]

No, the title is not referring to the Disney movie but rather a phenomenon that occurs nearly every year in Yellowstone though we had not seen it before.  For roughly 6 months of the year, Yellowstone Lake is frozen over.  This naturally formed lake is the
   largest one at high elevation (above 7,000 ft.) in North America.  It measures nearly 132 sq. mi. and is 20 mi. long x 14 mi. wide with a shoreline of 141 miles.  Its average depth is 140 ft. with the deepest spot being 410 ft., and the thickness of the ice can vary
   from a few inches to more than 2 ft. topped with snow.  So we decided to take a drive one day and check it out, and what a sight it was!  That white area between the trees in front of us and the mountains on the other side is the lake!

 

Though there wasn’t any snow in Mammoth or much nearby, we encountered plenty along the way, and in the Hayden Valley at times it was higher than the car where they had plowed the road through.  While the lake was frozen, many of the creeks and the Yellowstone River were not and created such beauty as they cut through the snow.

 

 

   As we passed the Bridge Bay Marina, we could definitely see why this area was not yet opened for the season!  And it was amazing and fun to see trail signs and more buried at least halfway by the snow.  In fact we have stood next to this Continental Divide sign for a
   photo op in the past but not this day!  Occasionally we could see animal tracks in the snow, and even evidence of human activity was apparent when we spotted this little snowman (below right) not far from the Kepler Cascades.

We had heard that quite a number of grizzlies had been seen around the Mud Volcano area, but on this particular day we spotted only one off in the distance.

 

Instead of turning around to head home, we had decided to complete the loop which would take us past the Old Faithful area even though it would make the trip a little
longer.  Unfortunately we heard over the park radio that Old Faithful had just erupted meaning the next one would be about 90 min. away.  Time to keep going and head home.  Lucky for us we stumbled across a black bear not far off the road and only about 15 min. from home.  Timing is everything!