It’s Snowing in June . . . ? — Mary and Forrest Heaton Publications

Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field

“Yellowstone Lake”

“Largest lake in North America at this elevation”

“Seven thousand feet”

Makes its own snow!

“Explosive eruptions”

“Profound collapse of ground”

”Thick lava flows”

“‘Flowing water and ice.”

The National Park Service and Forrest W. Heaton July 2022

The words in quotes are the National Park Service’s words, describing how the “Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field” was formed over the last two million years. I separated them to be more in the format of a poem. And, yes, at this size and elevation, the lake makes its own snow, even in June!

Photography. We received many kind comments/emails/calls complimenting our post and the moose photo. Thank you to all! We do, however, have a reminder we feel will be helpful: Almost all visitors to the parks take their photographs with their cell phones (I took the moose photo with my cell phone.) Even though the camera technology is excellent, most people do not have long-range zoom capability on their mobile phone (or know how to use it.) It can be complicated learning the options for adding an external lens to your cell phone to increase focal size (magnification.) If one in your group owns and still uses a digital camera with a telephoto lens, that is a good solution for visiting parks with abundant wildlife such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We have included in this post a photo of a bison taken four years ago at GTNP by son Matthew’s spouse, Ondrea, with her digital camera and telephoto lens. She got a shot that would have been too dangerous to attempt were she shooting without a telephoto lens. Park rangers advise: “Stay at least one hundred yards from wildlife; they are unpredictable and can quickly hurt you.” Your safety is one of the reasons for this post.

Planning. National Park visitation jumped from 26 million visitors in 1974 to 297 million visitors in 2021! Larger numbers are anticipated for 2022. The best planned trip will still experience mis-haps and mis-adventures. But planning and anticipation are essential in minimizing the negative and maximizing the positive. Planning ahead is now even more important due to climate-related issues such as fires and flooding. A key resource in your planning are the websites of each park accessed at www.nps.gov. Here’s to your good planning and good execution!

Education. Increasingly, park rangers and other personnel will be working on the important objectives of recreation experience (before/during/after), recreation norms, Trail Etiquette, Pack It In/Pack It Out principles, Leave No Trace principles, Take Only Photographs. We visitors (at least our U.S. 330 million population) need to learn what are the effects of climate change on our national parks and their inhabitants? What can we do to successfully get involved in the complexities of these situations? We as visitors to these often over-crowded and usually under-funded treasures have an increasing responsibility of destination stewardship!

Geology. There is no other place in the world that has all the features found in Yellowstone. In the northwest corner of Wyoming, it is 2.2 million acres huge (more than 3,400 square miles.) It has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features (geysers, hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, steam vents), more than 500 active geysers (this is more than half of the world’s geysers), 67 species of mammals (the largest of any of the lower 48), more than 1,000 miles of hiking trails, and Old Faithful (currently erupting approximately 17 times/day, the most well-known and observed geyser in the world.)

Geologically, Yellowstone is a supervolcano—thousands of times more powerful than a regular volcano. Historically, it has had three truly enormous eruptions: 2.1 million years ago, 1.3 million years ago, and 664,000 years ago. Whereas no further eruptions are forecasted, one must respect the power directly underfoot. For most places on earth, the hot magma is at least 20 miles down under the solid rock of the earth’s surface. At Yellowstone, the hot magma may be as close as 4 miles below the rock surface. This explains the temperature of the ground, the proliferation of volcanic features, and the care one must employ when visiting.

Flooding. Due to heavy rainfall and melting ice, the Yellowstone River flooded 13Jun22 destroying roads, bridges, homes and more. The Park Service had to close Yellowstone. The primary reason for the large road destruction was the main road’s close proximity to the river. Working at both great neck speed and with many park personnel from other parks, Yellowstone was reopened 22Jun (even though on a limited basis.) By the date of our arrival, 26Jun, more of the Park was re-opened. Crews continued their spectacular work as more visitors were able to come each day. We take our hats off to Park Superintendent, Cameron “Cam” Sholly, whose teams have accomplished the almost impossible—and continue to do so! We invite your travel to this park and your further research at www.nps.gov/yell.

Grand Teton. Grand Teton, at 310,000 acres, although smaller than Yellowstone, inspires your imagination, invites you to explore, is rich in wildlife, and calls you to return. Located just a 45-minute drive south of Yellowstone, visits to both parks are manageable. The 40-mile long mountain range running north-south through Grand Teton National Park is a young ten-million years old, yet the rock that makes up the mountains is half the age of the earth, approximately 2.7 billion years old. These mountains have no foothills. They start at the valley floor at approximately 6,000 feet and rise dramatically to 13,000 feet. Although global warming/climate change is melting the glaciers on the mountains, the snow/ice on the mountains has been permanent at least through recorded history. One paragraph cannot do justice to describing this park. It is one of the most beautiful of all of our national parks. Its wildlife is spectacular and accessible, the alpine terrain is captivating, the over two hundred hiking trails beckon, the Snake River commands your attention while floating, the serenity . . . sooths deep . . . into your soul. We similarly invite your travel to this park and your further research at www.nps.gov/grte.

Happy 80th Birthday, Mary! Established 1 March 1872, Yellowstone is the world’s FIRST national park! Happy 150th Anniversary, Yellowstone!