Yellowstone Lake adventure

M

Marco Flamingo

Active member
A record was set at Yellowstone and I was there. NOAA weather said nighttime temps would be in the mid-20s. The actual low at Bridge Bay was 20 degrees. Coldest temp on record for that day. I had two sleeping bags, one inside of the other, and slept in my clothes. At Lake Powell, I slept on top of the sleeping bags without clothes. I don't leave my heater on at night even though I have a CO detector.

When I started out the next morning, I couldn't get the engine above idle. Forward and reverse were fine, but only 700 rpm. The motor ran just great the day before. There was a heavy frost on the deck and engine cowling and I finally figured that the control cables to the engine may have had moisture in them that had frozen. I flexed all the cables and I could then get a little throttle response. As the day warmed up, the issue went away. Daytime high temps were low 60's, colder than nighttime temps at Lake Powell.

I learned that although you can get a boat inspection and launch permit up until 4:30 pm, you can't get a backcountry permit after 4 pm (apparently because they don't think that you can get to your designated camp/anchor/moorage spot in time??). Also, the marinas at Bridge Bay and Grants Village are closed. Even the docks at Grants Village had been removed. At Bridge Bay, the gangway to the docks had been removed and the docks were secured with extra shore lines that made walking to a slip dangerous (as explained to me by a Ranger who saw me tied up after launching). The gas station at Grants Village was also closed for the season.

I was the only backcountry boating permit issued and saw only Park Ranger boats, a research boat, and some kind of commercial? fishing boat that was setting nets.

Because I didn't have a high altitude prop, my top rpm was 3,300. I mostly travelled at 1,100 rpm, so I don't think I hurt anything. I did get to see the infamous Yellowstone chop that goes from flat calm to 3 foot nasties in about 20 minutes. And then, fortunately, it calmed back down after about an hour.

The highlight was anchoring at Plover Point for the night. The old burn is still evident all around the lake, but Plover Point has a large stand of timber that escaped the fire. As I was settling in for the evening I heard an elk bugle so close that it spooked me. Then a few competitors got involved.

The cows came out on to the shore to look at me. If I moved, they would make a loud huff and run back into the timber. 20 minutes later they would come back out for another look. The bulls bugled all night long, but didn't come out onto the shore until it was too dark for photos.

Mark
 
Yellowstone is a pretty special place. The summer we worked there, the last snow fall was around June 11th, as I recall. The ice didn't go off the lake until June 1st or so that year. Amazing diversity, and some real extremes.

As far as that "chop that can come up in 20 minutes": that is non-urban legend. I have seen the lake go from calm to seriously ugly in half that amount of time! :wink: When a thunderstorm blows in from the southwest, you get plenty of fetch there.

Many folks are not aware of how much things close down there after Labor Day. Did you get the chance to go 40 miles south and do some boating in Jackson Lake (in the Grand Teton National Park)? Yellowstone has more diversity, but the Tetons trump it for absolute scenic beauty.

Thanks for the post - always a delight to hear anything about the Park.
 
Hi Mark, you should try to visit Yellowstone Lake Bridge Bay marina before Labor day (things start shutting down the week of Labor day). There is nothing like it in July, August and early September, that's when our boat is there and other C-Brats pass thru.

Kevin
 
Mark, glad to see you did make Yellowstone Lake as you said you might on the way home & enjoyed your story shared about it.

We have had some great times on the Lake in late Sept & early Oct, after the Marina shut down, when people where not seen, weather great & more animals than any time other then late May & June. Cold nights, then make campfires really appreciated. Have seen it down to 17 degrees & even a quickly passing blizzard, but overall some of the best weather of the year, as we prefer cool to hot. If one prefers the Marina to be open with services available & pleasant people to enjoy sharing time, then as Kevin mentioned, June to Labor Day or until it shut down for the year, the week end after is the preferable time period. My personal favorite time there is June & the last two weeks the Marina is opened, followed by the rest of September. The Lake Powell Gathering being in the third week in September has made it a difficult choice the last 10 years or so to choose from being there or still on or back & forth to Yellowstone Lake. I would prefer the Lake Powell Gathering to be in early Oct, when the days are a bit cooler & water still warm enough to enjoy being in & making more Yellowstone Lake & as Jim mentioned Jackson Lake September time available.

Its Good also to see your good wild life experience at Plover, as we too have had wonderful times there & at the Eagle & Wolf sites with evenings into night before the fire, listening to the wolves howl & the elk bugle. Also some not so good nights at Plover with extreme thunderstorms & wind out of the South Arm really rocking the boat. Did you find Eagle & Wolf Bays with the boat docks & camp area similar to Plover?

Jay
 
The campsites with docks all looked to be more open on shore (less vegetation). That could be better for wildlife viewing and in some cases wildlife avoidance. The sites with docks also appeared to be more protected from wind (except Frank Island).

Although I've always stayed aboard at night, I can definitely see the advantage to camping ashore when at Yellowstone. The chines on the C Dory cause every little ripple to lap against the hull. Even the "protected" anchorages at Yellowstone are fairly open and the likelihood of hearing the little slapping all night is high. Camping ashore, or even an evening fire, could add a lot to the experience. Tying to dock might also be quieter. The nighttime noises are worth packing a tent.

The shoreline is commonly shallow and soft a long ways out, not a problem for a C Dory, but then there are cobbles right up against the shore. I didn't find any good stern tie areas for easy on-off while at "anchorage." I also wasn't sure my free backcountry permit allowed me to beach for the night or only anchor out.

Jay, I looked closely at those bear vaults in all the campsites. How do you get a bear in one? They seemed too small for a grizzly. Seriously though, they all seemed too close to the camping area.

Mark
 
Mark, the bear proof containers are put near the eating & cooking area, so the bear attraction odors are in one spot, away from the sleeping area, which is supposed to be 100 yards from the cooking area. We have seen tents set up very near the cooking area & not told by inspecting rangers to move, but have also have had to move our tents that were 150 feet away to over the 300 foot mark. The metal containers do make it very convenient to store food near the provided table & fire pit. Before the metal containers were installed all food had to be hung at least 10 feet off the ground when not in the actual process of preparation to eat. In the past when hiking in the back country or exploring the lake by canoe we did this. Since having the CD22 we most often sleep & store food on the boat, except when there were others with us, who tenting on land, while we sleep on the boat.

Most of the time Yellowstone Lake evening & night comes with a beautiful calm making tied up to the provided docks a conventient & unique boat camping experience, but all of the docks, especially Plover are as you noticed open to winds that can make for a very uncomfortable night. We have in these circumstances moved from the dock & anchored near by in more protected spots for the night.

Jay
 
It brings back lots of memory's looking at Far West two now docked in Friday harbor. Yellowstone John was always there at bridge bay on Yellowstone Lake to lead the group in visiting, advice and the five o'clock drinks. He was special. I hope his wife is doing fine, she didn't much care for White Sulphur springs. My experience with White Sulphur Springs was interesting, when our canoe bunch stopped at the local bar in that fine town. We were headed for the Smith River and our mistake was to stop in town, The locals didn't like us from the start and wanted to fight within the first three minutes or so. Something about tree huggers, and maybe a lack of cowboy boots with spurs on our part. Too each his own but a reminder to watch your back. Enough of that and sincere salute to Yellowstone John and any boat a Bridge bay!
 
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