7/18/24 – 12hr drive to Fairmont MN. We were pulling a 5 x 8 U-Haul trailer with items for Kate’s house in Portland OR. We were surprised to see a herd of Texas Longhorns as we took an after-dinner stroll from our motel.
7/19 – stopped in Mitchell SD to tour The World’s Only Corn Palace. The first one was built in Sioux City in 1887, and then each year until 1891 when the city flooded. In 1892 Mitchel SD built it’s first Corn Palace and the tradition has continued every year. Each year the “palace” is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grains.
Of course, we had to have some popcorn before we left –
Made it to Rapid City SD in time to attend my first meeting at the Highpointers Club Convention
7/20 – we took advantage of the Convention bus trip to the Gordon Stockade in Custer State Park for the traditional watermelon feast and pizza.
1868 – Fort Laramie Treaty establishing the Great Sioux Reservation
Story of the Gordon Stockade
Black Hills of SD
In the evening, gave a slide presentation at the Annual Club Banquet, reviewed club history and encouraged members to participate in the Buy-A-Brick program to support the HPC Display at Campbell Hill, the highpoint of OH.
7/21 – 2hr drive to Devils Tower NM
We visited here in 1969 when we were moving from Seattle back to the U of MD to continue our graduate work. I then visited with Stacy in 1993.
2024
1,000ft across at base
How Devils Tower was created –
Again, did the 1.5-mile loop trail around the 867ft monolith.
The top is 180ft x 300ft and was featured in the 1977 movie classic “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” by Steven Spielberg.
I wanted to climb Devils Tower but could never fit it into our schedule. Climbers and standard routes –
Climbing history and some climbers on route –
A sacred place for Native Americans –
Prairie Dog Town – 1969
Continued West on I-90 until we blew a tire on the U-Haul trailer by Crazy Woman Creek in the “middle of nowhere.”
Fortunately, we had cell phone service and were able to call the U-Haul emergency number. A new tire was pre-mounted on a rim and brought to us from over 40-miles away. BUT, that made us late driving through Yellowstone NP.
West Thumb Geyser Basin and Yellowstone Lake
Crossing the Continental Divide
South Entrance
This was my sixth visit and Helen’s second, but this is my first entry on Yellowstone NP in this Blog. So, here is an overview of our first National Park (1872). According to Ken Burns, National Parks are “America’s Best Idea.” I have included some pics from each visit.
Yellowstone NP is in the Northwest corner of WY but also includes areas in the bordering states of MT and ID. It is a large NP and has four major areas: the #1 Geyser Basin, #2 Yellowstone Lake, #3 Mammoth Hot Springs, and #4 Grand Canyon and Falls of the Yellowstone River.
#1 – the Geyser Basin is roughly a 30- by 45-mile oval that is the result of a collapsed volcano. Someday I would like to stay at the famous Old Faithful Lodge (1991).
Lunch in Old Faithful Lodge 2007
There are more geysers in this basin than anywhere else in the world. Geyser Hill 2007
Heat from deep underground magma powers the geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mudpots.
Old Faithful is the world’s best-known geyser with regular eruptions varying between 40 and 126 minutes (1967).
It is great fun to walk through the geyser fields and see, hear, smell, and feel the activity. Grotto Geyser 2007
1991
Grand Prismatic Spring 1967
Morning Glory Pool 1991
Firehole River 1991
Riverside Geyser 1991
#2 – Yellowstone Lake is noted for fishing, underwater hydrothermal vents, and a great variety of birds. It is America’s largest high-altitude lake (7,733ft).
The forested slopes provide habitat for many large animals – Elk 1991 –
Note the buffalo eyeing the trout fisherman (1991).
There have been large forest fires in the NP, but the land has made a surprisingly swift recovery.
In the 1960s we saw bears all over the place, on the roads, and even in our camp – one knocked over our cooler, opened it, and ran off with a pound of bacon! In 2007, we did not see any. 1967 –
Twin Cubs
Feed Me!
Times and conservation practices have changed. Now, buffalo are more dangerous for tourists than bears! Buffalo Herd – I did not see any buffalo here in the 1960s.
Do Not Approach Buffalo (1993)!
Bison = Buffalo 2007
Elk 2007
#3 – Mammoth Hot Springs are in the NW part Yellowstone NP. The springs have produced colorful travertine terraces of calcium carbonate -1967.
There are boardwalks to take you through the formations (2007).
In October 2007, we awoke to snow.
Liberty Cap
#4 – Grand Canyon and Falls of the Yellowstone are in the north central part of the park. The canyon is 20 miles long and 800ft to 1,200ft deep. Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River in the distance – 1991.
There are spectacular views and excellent trails in this area. Inspiration Point 2007 –
In 1967 when I was young and foolish, I received a ticket for rock climbing there. My friend Jay and I had tied off our rope at Inspiration Point and rappelled into the canyon.
No seat harnesses back then, you worked the rope through your groin and over your shoulder – Yellowstone River below.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Upper Falls – 1967
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River 308ft – 1991
Stacy at Lookout Point Lower Falls – 1993
More Waterfalls! – Tower Falls (132ft) 1967
Stacy at base of Tower Falls in 1993
Gibbon Falls (82ft) – 2007
Lewis Falls near South Entrance – 1963
Artists Paintpots – which are different color mudpots.
America the Beautiful 2010 WY State Quarter
In 1972 Congress dedicated a 24,000-acre parcel of land as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway to recognize his generosity and foresight. Congress also named the highway from the south boundary of Grand Teton to West Thumb in Yellowstone in honor of Rockefeller. The parkway provides a natural link between the two national parks and contains features characteristic of both areas. Not only that, but wildlife can freely move between Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs. We stopped briefly at the Flagg Ranch Info Station along the PKWY.
Then entered Grand Teton NP about 9pm.
Lots of traffic on the Memorial Parkway as we drove to our Super 8 motel in Jackson Hole WY.
Jackson Hole has become extremely expensive with wealthy people buying up land and property. This basic old motel cost $325.86 for one night! See this Blog for June 2017 to see our 49th wedding anniversary activities and pics, including two days hiking in Grand Teton NP.
The following are pics from previous visits to Grand Teton NP.
I have visited Grand Teton NP seven times – note the year on each photo. The first is from 1963 – it is blurry because it was taken out the window of the car.
In 1966, I took my mother and three brothers on a road trip “Out West.” I have included one page of my mother’s diary from that trip.
Here is a “Hero” shot of me with an ice axe and manila rope from 1967. My friend Jay and I did a lot of climbing on a 10,000-mile road trip through the western states and Canada.
Stacy and I stopped in the park in 1993.
Helen and I did a 7-mile hike to Taggart and Bradley Lakes, a 7-mile trail around Jenny Lake, as well as other trails in October 2007.
View from Signal Mountain
8-mile hike to Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls, and String Lake
Jenny Lake
Hidden Falls
In 2007, we were invited to the National Geographic International Film Festival at the Jackson Lake Lodge by a friend who was displaying her work at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. A special treat was dinner on an Elk Ranch along the Snake River.
Elk Horns, Jackson City Square
7/22 – 4hrs to Craters of the Moon NM Visitor Center in ID. I visited in 1966 and have my mom’s diary entry, but did not have any photos from that visit. I visited Craters of the Moon National Preserve (a separate NP Unit) in May 2018 – see Blog. So, my objective on this trip was to fill the gap in my photo records.
Brochure
Monument Map showing 7-mile loop road.
Entrance
Our first stop was the Visitor Center to get a free cave permit.
We then did the North Crater Flow Boardwalk Trail (0.3-mile), the first of several short hikes.
Cinder Cone Fragments
Cinder Garden with dwarf buckwheat
We then hiked up Inferno Cone (0.4-mile rt) with an elevation gain of 164ft.
View from top, including Big Cinder Butte, one of the world’s largest basaltic cinder cones.
Return
We then did short walks to two Spatter Cones
One was called a “Snow Cone” because of the snow/ice in the bottom. In 1966 we were able to hike into an “Ice Cave,” which provided a wonderful respite from the 95-degree temperature that day.
Second Spatter Cone
Only two lava tube caves were open (with permit), along the Caves Trail (2-miles rt).
Dewdrop Cave
And Indian Tunnel
Lava Flow
Helen wanted to find out what was rattling in there –
Again, stopped at the Visitor Center
Followed by a 3hr drive to Boise ID, where it was 105-degrees!
7/23 – we awoke to a hot hazy day. Wildfires were burning along our route. After about 2hrs of driving on Interstate-84, we came to a location where it had just been closed, which resulted in a long detour on back roads. After returning to I-84 we saw a sign for “Blue Mountain Crossing Interpretive Park” and took the exit. It was a stop on the Oregon National Historic Trail.
There was a nice loop trail with excellent pictorial markers.
From the late 1830s until the 1860s, thousands of emigrants followed the trail to the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon. The trail then became a stagecoach line.
A “Parade of Survivors”
“On This Ridge” –
Arrived at Kate’s house, settled in, and walked to the food trucks for dinner. She was in TX on a business trip.
7/24 – 7/27 worked outside weeding, cutting, and cleaning.
7/28 – Sunday Mass at the Chapel of Mary at the Grotto. It is set in a beautiful park area with high cliffs and trails, including one featuring the stations of the cross.
Returned home, changed, packed, dropped Bennie and Greta off at doggy care and drove to Astoria OR. Our first stop was at Young’s River Falls Park, a location on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The Corp of Discovery spent the winter of 1804-1805 nearby at Fort Clatsop.
Continued into Astoria and drove up to the impressive Astoria Column dedicated in 1926.
Vincent Astor, son of John Jacob Astor, and the Great Northern Railroad paid for the land and construction. The city (10K population today), named for Astor’s fur trading company, built the access road. The column is 125ft high with 164 steps. The painted relief scrolling up the column covers Astoria’s history from 1792 until the arrival of the railroad in 1818. A fun tradition is to fly a small wooden glider plane off the top of the column. They sell them at the Visitor Center for $1.
Kate wanted to see two more sites. First the house from the 1985 movie “Goonies.”
And the John Jacob Astor Elementary School, which was the setting for the 1990 movie Kindergarten Cop with Arnold Schwarzenegger, which was only three blocks from the Goonies house.
Fish & Chips at the Rogue Pier 39 Public House, put bags in our room at the Holiday Inn Express, and then walked along the waterfront. Coast Guard ship passing under the bridge to WA – going out to the Pacific Ocean.
7/29 – Our first stop was the Oregon Film Museum, which is in the former city jail.
It was used in the Goonies movie and has several Goonie movie displays.
Made a short video clip
The next stop was the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
See Blog entry for October 2022 for description of previous visit to Lewis and Clark NHP.
Sacajawea and son Pompey – Helen and daughter Kate.
Ranger Program – Native American description of life at Fort Clatsop
It was a short drive to Fort Stevens SP to see what is left of the Peter Iredale Shipwreck –
Next, a beach walk at Cannon Beach – Haystack Rock
Continued south down the coast highway (101) to Short Sand Beach
Returning to car –
Stayed in a VRBO apartment, with a fifties musical theme, in Rockaway Beach
7/30 – bought coffee and scones near our VRBO apartment and then did a stroll on the beach.
Twin Rocks
Returning to car
Outside of town, did a short hike to a large old growth Western Red Cedar in the Rockway Big Tree Conservation Area, which was paid for by a transient lodging tax in Rockaway Beach.
Continued on to Tillamook OR and the Tillamook Cheese Factory. In the early 1900s local dairy farmers formed a cooperative and built a ship, the “Morning Star,” to carry their products to Portland.
In 2018, the Tillamook County Creamery Association opened a new factory where they make a wide variety of cheese products. We did the self-guided factory tour and then ate lunch – Tillamook Classic Cheddar, Double Cheddar Grilled Cheese, and Summer Blues Salad. It took about 1.5hrs to get back to Portland and pick up the dogs.
7/31 – 8/4 – continued work on the house and grounds, including painting the basement, which had incurred water damage earlier in the year. Next door neighbors Izak, Rachel, and son James had us over for a delicious grilled dinner.
8/5 M – dropped Helen off at the Portland Airport at 5:45am. Her flight flew east over Ohio to Washington DC’s Dulles Airport (in Virginia). After a three-hour layover, she flew back west to Dayton OH – that’s what happens when you use Reward Pts!
Meanwhile, I drove to Spalding ID and the Nez Perce National Historical Park.
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