June 18, 2008
 Today we trekked through Grizzly country down Pelican Creek Trail to a sandy beach of Yellowstone Lake. In warm, sunny weather it was difficult to believe that only 2 days ago we were in the Beartooth Mountains making a snowman! Our task along the shore of the lake was to discover evidence of the wildlife that call the area home. We found tracks of various waterfowl, a Coyote, and sure enough, Grizzly tracks! We used Plaster of Paris to make casts of the tracks.
After lunch, our plans to hike West Thumb Geyser Basin were changed when the area was closed due to a Grizzly taking an elk near the trail! So, we moved on to observe some hot springs in Biscuit Basin. Finally, we made our way to Old Faithful to hear a ranger explain thermal features and watch the massive geyser erupt. The steam and boiling water blew up over 100 feet high! It is easy to understand why Old Faithful is one of the most popular stops in Yellowstone.
We ended the day with a peaceful hike, away from the crowds, to over look Grand Prismatic Spring. Grand Prismatic is a very large hot spring about the size of a small pond. It is extremely colorful, ringed in orange and yellow, with blues deepening in color toward the center and steam rising from the top. Knowing how hot the springs are, we were shocked to see a family of Bison walking along the edge of the pool. It was a magnificent view at the end of another magnificent day.
Q & A for June 18
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