Teton/Yellowstone
Aug 11th, 1999, 09:46 AM
#1
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Teton/Yellowstone
Going West Sept 1-10. 3 nights at Teton at Signal Mt Lodge, 3 nights at Yellowstone at Old Faithful Inn and 3 nights in W.Yellowstone at Best Western. Any warnings/recommendations. Anyone been at the Best Western Motel in W. Yellowstone? Jack in Va.
Aug 11th, 1999, 10:10 AM
#3
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Hi Jack. The Signal Mountain Lodge is my son's favorite place to stay in that region. He just got back from a great trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons and he enjoyed his stay at Signal Mountain Lodge. He is a veteran traveler and knows his motels and lodges.
Old Faithful Inn can vary, depending on what type of room you have. The last time I was there, we had a room with two beds and a private bath. It was very comfortable for two adults
The Best Western in West Yellowstone: is it the Three Bears? If it is the one I think it is, then it is a normal 3-star motel. Most Best Westerns are clean and comfortable.
I don't think you can do better accomodation wise and still be in the Parks themselves, or close to them. I would not hesitate to stay were you are staying. I think you made good choices.
I will be there myself in a few days. We are staying at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge Cabins, which are my personal favorites. But that is because I can drive right up to the door.
Old Faithful Inn can vary, depending on what type of room you have. The last time I was there, we had a room with two beds and a private bath. It was very comfortable for two adults
The Best Western in West Yellowstone: is it the Three Bears? If it is the one I think it is, then it is a normal 3-star motel. Most Best Westerns are clean and comfortable.
I don't think you can do better accomodation wise and still be in the Parks themselves, or close to them. I would not hesitate to stay were you are staying. I think you made good choices.
I will be there myself in a few days. We are staying at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge Cabins, which are my personal favorites. But that is because I can drive right up to the door.
Aug 11th, 1999, 10:18 AM
#5
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Thanks Bob, are you at Univ of Ga?
I'm getting pretty excited about the trip. Looks like the Wyoming fires are out and the weather should be good. I'm a nature photographer and have a site at www.jnevitt.com I'm looking for more pictures to post. I'm taking a 4X5 out to take scenics of the Tetons,I hope they come out OK. Pictures from Signal Mt over the lake look absolutely beautiful, can't wait!
I'm getting pretty excited about the trip. Looks like the Wyoming fires are out and the weather should be good. I'm a nature photographer and have a site at www.jnevitt.com I'm looking for more pictures to post. I'm taking a 4X5 out to take scenics of the Tetons,I hope they come out OK. Pictures from Signal Mt over the lake look absolutely beautiful, can't wait!
Aug 11th, 1999, 10:39 AM
#6
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Bob,
We're headed to Jackson Hole the end of august. Not fortunate to stay in the parks...so JH is our base for 8 days. Is Beartooth Hwy [think that is correct name], the section in WY, very far from JH? If you could shed any light on this I would really appreciate it.
We're headed to Jackson Hole the end of august. Not fortunate to stay in the parks...so JH is our base for 8 days. Is Beartooth Hwy [think that is correct name], the section in WY, very far from JH? If you could shed any light on this I would really appreciate it.
Aug 12th, 1999, 02:11 PM
#8
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Be sure to see some of the other geysers besides Old Faithful. Echinus Geyser (forget which basin it is in) also erupts mostly around every hour like Old Faithful but you can get right up close to it and I found it a more interesting experience than watching Old Faithful from a distance. The tourist info center near Old Faithful keeps track of eruptions and predicts them the best they can, but none of them goes off on schedule and most are fairly unpredictable. On the other hand, the special I watched on the Discovery Channel the other night said that Yellowstone sits smack dab on top of the largest volcano in the world. This volcano erupts every 600,00 years and last erupted 600,000 years ago, producing about 500 times the amount of ash that Mt. St. Helens did when it last erupted. Could be an exciting vacation for you. Have fun.
Aug 12th, 1999, 02:16 PM
#9
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Oh, and eat at Bubba's in JH. Great food, reasonable prices. In Yellowstone, avoid the cafeterias. Overpriced and so-so food. We bought pre-packaged sandwiches (not much you can do to turkey and cheese to mess it up) and fruit at the convenience stores, kept a cooler of pop in the car, and stopped at one of the many picnic groves in the park when it was time for lunch.
Aug 12th, 1999, 05:13 PM
#10
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The Beartooth Highway is reached from Yellowstone by driving out the northeast gate. It is a ways from Jackson, Wyoming, but the trip, to my view, is special enough that a little effort to take the drive is well justified.
For Jack: yes, the uga in my email address is the University of Georgia.
I am semi retired from UGA.
For those of you taking pictures of the Tetons from Signal Mountain. For some reason, I have had trouble getting a good exposure. My light meters (plural) always seem to play tricks in the light. I think it is because of the distance and the fact that the view is toward the southwest and into the mountains shadows. If you really want a good picture, I suggest you bracket the shot. Set your shutter speed and lens opening on the mark given by the light meter, click the shutter, and then vary one full F stop either side for the next two exposures. Hopefully 1 of the 3 will turn out correctly exposed. However, heavy shadows are not good for color slides.
The most predictable geysers in the park are Old Faithful, Castle, Daisy, Riverside, Grand, Echinus, and Great Fountain. The problem with Great Fountain is that it is irregular and there is a long window of time for the moment of eruption. If you can catch Grand doing its thing, it is worth the wait in my estimation. It frequently draws rounds of applause from the gallery. More than once, I have taken my picnic supper out to the benches by Castle Geyser to wait for the show. Even at night it is thrilling; the darkness adds something to the mystery. Watching Riverside Geyser erupt by moonlight is also nice. The water plays over the Firehole River and, if the moon is out, it catches the silver light.
For Jack: yes, the uga in my email address is the University of Georgia.
I am semi retired from UGA.
For those of you taking pictures of the Tetons from Signal Mountain. For some reason, I have had trouble getting a good exposure. My light meters (plural) always seem to play tricks in the light. I think it is because of the distance and the fact that the view is toward the southwest and into the mountains shadows. If you really want a good picture, I suggest you bracket the shot. Set your shutter speed and lens opening on the mark given by the light meter, click the shutter, and then vary one full F stop either side for the next two exposures. Hopefully 1 of the 3 will turn out correctly exposed. However, heavy shadows are not good for color slides.
The most predictable geysers in the park are Old Faithful, Castle, Daisy, Riverside, Grand, Echinus, and Great Fountain. The problem with Great Fountain is that it is irregular and there is a long window of time for the moment of eruption. If you can catch Grand doing its thing, it is worth the wait in my estimation. It frequently draws rounds of applause from the gallery. More than once, I have taken my picnic supper out to the benches by Castle Geyser to wait for the show. Even at night it is thrilling; the darkness adds something to the mystery. Watching Riverside Geyser erupt by moonlight is also nice. The water plays over the Firehole River and, if the moon is out, it catches the silver light.
Aug 13th, 1999, 08:45 AM
#12
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Don't forget Mammoth Hot Springs at the northern end of the park. These formations are quite beautiful and unearthly looking. Also, there is a museum between JH and Yellowstone - I can't think of the name right now, but it is very worth a visit. The building itself looks like it is part of the surrounding rock and the exhibits were wonderful.
Aug 13th, 1999, 12:23 PM
#14
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Have a great trip!!!
My son just returned from Yellowstone and the Tetons and reports that much of Mammoth Hot Springs is now dormant.
But the GC of the Yellowstone River, down stream from those awesome falls, is still as beautiful as ever, with its hes of yellow, red, brown, and gold.
And yes, the geysers by early light are a treat. Not many people around, so you feel the solitude of the wilderness, albeit somewhat artifically because the mobs is just rousing up.
And the northeastern part of the park is where you can view bison, as well as around Old Faithful. The last time I was there, a herd was munching on the grass between the hotel and Castle Geyser. The paved walkway goes through some nice grass, so those huge creatures were on the walk. Some brainchild decided to shove one to get it to move.
That takes something I don't have. No one was injured, but the bison (male) made snorting sounds that should have conveyed a message.
By the way, you must now be told the official Yellowstone Bison joke.
Long ago when Indians were the only primate inhabitants of the Great Plains, a young Indian boy decided it was time to leave his family and take out on his on. As he left the tepee, his mother bid a farewell by saying "Bye Son".
Now you are initiated.
My son just returned from Yellowstone and the Tetons and reports that much of Mammoth Hot Springs is now dormant.
But the GC of the Yellowstone River, down stream from those awesome falls, is still as beautiful as ever, with its hes of yellow, red, brown, and gold.
And yes, the geysers by early light are a treat. Not many people around, so you feel the solitude of the wilderness, albeit somewhat artifically because the mobs is just rousing up.
And the northeastern part of the park is where you can view bison, as well as around Old Faithful. The last time I was there, a herd was munching on the grass between the hotel and Castle Geyser. The paved walkway goes through some nice grass, so those huge creatures were on the walk. Some brainchild decided to shove one to get it to move.
That takes something I don't have. No one was injured, but the bison (male) made snorting sounds that should have conveyed a message.
By the way, you must now be told the official Yellowstone Bison joke.
Long ago when Indians were the only primate inhabitants of the Great Plains, a young Indian boy decided it was time to leave his family and take out on his on. As he left the tepee, his mother bid a farewell by saying "Bye Son".
Now you are initiated.
Aug 13th, 1999, 12:34 PM
#15
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A general guide for travel in Yellowstone this time of the year: Start out early before the crowds are up and around. Not only is it beautiful in early morning hours, but you'll also probably see more wildlife. It gets very, very congested with traffic as the day progresses this time of the year.
