Yellowstone Ramblings

Yellowstone · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 8:27 am Post subject: Yellowstone Ramblings

Took a drive thru the park yesterday - north entrance to west entrance. Saw no bears but the elk and buffalo are in abundance. The buffalo are calving now - saw 12 little ones in one small herd. Also, saw five (5) full curl rams cavorting around. These were Boone and Crockett specimans.

The snow pack is way down (compared to last year), and the big lake is starting to break up. For those interested in boating, the marina is open for business on May 25. The Farwest II will be in its slip ( B-8 ) for the season. Any "brat" wandering this way is cordially invited to stop and say hello. The fishing season on the lake doesn't begin until June 15, and the no limit on lake trout is still in effect.

Yellowstone John

jkidd · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 10:27 am Post subject:

Hope to make a couple of trips in August. Maybe a land trip with the teardrop in July.

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject:

John,

Good to hear news from you & Yellowstone also happy to hear the Farwest 11 will be back at B dock. We hope to come through Yellowstone on the way home in late July. Would be great to see you.

Say hi to Edna for us,

Jay

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 3:32 pm Post subject:

Montana Kev · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 4:11 pm Post subject:

We too made it down to YS Lake this weekend. It was a beautiful weekend in the park. We camped in the Teardrop at Mammoth. We will be back on "B" dock starting July, looking forward to seeing everyone.

Here is a link to the lake/volcano cam - http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/yellowstone_multimedia_10.html

Kevin & Laura

JamesTXSD · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:05 pm Post subject:

An early start to the season for you folks, John! Enjoy it; such a beautiful area. I know we will miss starting the day with the spectacular mountain vistas south of you (in the Tetons), but the San Juans have their own unique pull for us. Hoping for a great boating season for all!

Best wishes,
Jim

Yellowstone · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:30 pm Post subject:

Folks, et al. - Jay and Jolee - we have been following your adventures from time to time - coming back to Yellowstone Lake may seem a bit tame after what you are experiencing now - looking forward to connecting with you folks again - same to Jody, Ken and Lauira. and Jim.

Jim - the San Juans are really special to me as also are the Gulf Islands. But I believe I will never boat out there again, not by desire but rather by health and other circumstances. You and the wife will have my best wishes as you travel through those waters. Guess the Tetons will have to wait for another summer?

This past winter the YPS invited me and a few other interested folks to comment on their master plan for Fishing Bridge and the Lake area. We met in Bozeman for a good exchange of ideas. Plans are underway to put showers in the Bridge Bay campground/Bridge Bay Marina area,

But everything is dependent on funding, etc. One area of controversy is the proposed paving of a seven acre section just east and north of the current trailer parking area at Fishing Bridge to accommodate or shall I say pandering to the leave- nothing- behind- but- the -hot tub- or swimming pool- crowd driving bus like coaches pulling their SUVs.

Boats are allowed to berth at Bridge Bay Marina on May 25, but twenty (20) days must pass before one can fish the lake. This makes little sense because of the NPS's declared war on lake trout. After the ice goes out lake trout are easy to catch near the surface. Twenty days of prime time to help control the lake trout is wasted. The cutthroat spawners are moving to the streams and fishing near those streams can be prohibited easily by regulations.

Hope to see as many of you again this summer. John

jkidd · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 1:22 am Post subject:

John
Did yps talk about the cell tower at fishing bridge?

MOOSE · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 8:49 am Post subject:

It warms our hearts to hear you are gearing up for another season, John; best wishes to you and Edna.
Al & Myrna

Yellowstone · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:57 am Post subject:

Jody - Folowing is a long answer to a short question. I saw nothing in the master plan about a cell tower being errected at Fishing Bridge. But I have heard rumors sbout one. From a safety standpoint, it makes good sense, particularly for boaters and back country users.

But in terms of aesthetics, the "thought police" get exercised thinking about the ding -a-lings going off around other people because it is an alien intrusion into our wilderness experieice. No easy answer here. This may evolve in the future into a cell-free zone in and around buildings, but people being who and what they are, and the addiction to all our modern gadgetry, which has innundated all of us to the point of rudeness and crassness, the NPS may continue to resist accommodating the cybernetic beast which cries out to be satisfied and say "sorry, but no cell phones. "

Think of some young lovers pitching woo somewhere in the back country, and during those special moments, which old men now fantasize about, the damn cell phone starts playing Beethoven's Fifth, Da-Da-Da-Daaa!
Is there no escape from our technology?

But then again, my hypocracy is exposed as I anticipate using my newly installed Raymarine remote controlled auto pilot on Yellowstone Lake this summer. The manual says the signals work within 30' of the boat, although I am constrained to imagine when that would become useful on my 22' foot boat. My Swiss Army watch also states that it will remain waterproof to at least 200 meters. Really comforting to know, nonetheless. I guess.

Anyway Jody, we will have to continue to rely upon those known spots along the shoreline where cell service works. Take care,
John & Edna.

Yellowstone · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:10 am Post subject:

Al & Myrna - good to see the name of Moose come on the screen! I have always wanted to visit Rainy Lake, but probably will only do so vicariously thru you folks. Which brings me to a joke. "Why have they stopped telling Norwegian jokes in Minnesota?" "It is because the Swedes have a hard time understanding them."

I'm still able to get around and boat. And swap stories with other old grumpy men. Anyway best of all to both of you. John

rogerbum · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 12:02 pm Post subject:

jkidd · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 9:21 pm Post subject:

John
I understand what you are saying and I agree for the most part. I don't want coverage for the the whole park. I just see the ranger station at bridge bay close at 4:00 pm and no one listening to channel 16 for a mayday. If you happen to be in the right part of the lake you can make a call to get help. You could push 911 on your Spot or activate your plb. One tower at Fishing Bridge by the gas station ( I don't think gas stations have historical significance ) pointed over the lake would do it. I don't think it needs to be 200 feet in the air either. I guess it would be nice for my family to reach me if they needed too. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the lake.

Ps I got my autopilot working too. Sure makes fishing single handed a lot easier.

Yellowstone · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:28 pm Post subject:

Jody - Is your auto pilot a Raymarine? John

jkidd · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:34 pm Post subject:

I decided on the Garmin to work with the rest of my electronics.