Training Log Archive: Spike

More snow over night. Lots of roads were closed (MHS to Norris, Norris to Canyon, Lake to Canyon, Canyon to Tower, and Tower to MHS). Soon after breakfast, Lake to Canyon opened, so we drove up there and did a short hike along the Canyon. The snow lightened up and the temp was rising, so I was hopeful that the road over Dunraven Pass would be open.

The ranger at Canyon said Dunraven Pass was only open if you had chains or snow tires (we had Kia Soul with all weather tires). But that just didn't seem right, so Mary said we should drive and see. Sure enough, the pass was open and fine.

Once we were over the pass, we headed out to the Bannock ski trailhead to take a look and see what it was like without a ton of snow.

A post shared by @okansas on Sep 19, 2017 at 6:43pm PDT

Sunny and hot weather changed...it was cool and a mix of rain/snow.

We hiked the Delacey Trail from the road to Shoshone Lake. The temp was in the mid 30s F and the precipitation was alternating between rain and snow. We were prepared (more prepared for this weather than for the hot weather a couple of days before).

Mary was walking in front of me as we neared Shoshone Lake when she said, "Bear...and cub." Sure enough, there was a bear and cub coming at us along the trail. We backed up and the bears kept coming at us, so we moved off the trail and the bear walked by. The cub followed and took a couple of steps off the trail and towards us, but then lost interest and followed its mother. It was an interesting, but kind of scary experience. We'd seen a bear on one of our other two September YNP visits, but that time we'd been on a road with a bunch of other people and a ranger.

Bear tracks along the trail. We met a bear and cub while we hiked to Shoshone Lake.

A post shared by @okansas on Sep 18, 2017 at 4:56pm PDT

Note the spike in my heart rate curve from the time we met the bear and cub on our hike.

A post shared by @okansas on Sep 18, 2017 at 4:58pm PDT

C • Both... 3

We hiked to Riddle Lake. We'd done this hike 20 years ago and it was a nice memory to re-hike it. We met a couple at the lake who live in Livingstone but had graduated from KU.

One the return trip, rain began falling.

One the way to Lake, we stopped at Natural Bridge and hiked a bit. The rain was getting heavier and the temp was going down.

Hiking on the Spring Creek Trail. We've skied this trail and it was interesting to hike it. It was also quiet.

20th Anniversary! What better way to celebrate than with some orienteering practice on a map I'd made (KP + OSM + some additions from air photos) around Old Faithful.

I designed two similar parallel courses (sort of like a relay) and Mary and I quickly walked the course. We started at our cabin and finished at the Snow Lodge (where we ate breakfast).

Super fun.

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A post shared by @okansas on Sep 18, 2017 at 10:51am PDT

C • Like! 4

We did a nice hike to Fairy Falls and then on to Imperial Geyser and then further and back via the old Fountain Paint Pots road. The hike was nice and the geyser was special, but we were in a lot of open areas and the sun was warm.

We went for a little walk around the Old Faithful area after dinner and I did a little course planning for Mary's O' practice.

We took a convoluted route to Old Faithful via Tower Junction, Canyon and Norris. There's construction between Mammoth and Norris. We spent a couple of hours walking around at Norris. The sun was hot.