Journey Day 394 | CDT Day 57

Yellowstone lake shore, 1987.

8/9/87

 Up about 6 a.m. to avoid arrest, the outlaw campers head back out to the trailhead, find trail and slow creek. Boil water and cook breakfast of granola and coffee. Horsemen go by as we huddle, cold in full rainsuits, polypro until the sun comes out.

Hike hard toward Heart Lake. Stop to take off extreme weather clothes. Spot the lake, Factory Hill ahead. More geysers as we pass two couples heading to the lake.

Eric stashes his pack after our breaks. I get his goodies, rope and straps. We leave geysers, push down to the lake. We pass a woman donning a shirt by the ranger station, push along lakeshore to a campsite where I ditch my rig, camera, lensbelt. We hike to the Sheridan Trail. Eric turned off by the time shortage the seven-mile roadtrip is to add to his hike out. So we check out Rustic Geyser and amazing green and orange colored pools in the complex.

Backcountry geyser, 1987.

Back to the site, we nap, munch out. Philly tourist awakens Eric, gets me talking. We rap about my hike, the area and Glacier.

Eric takes off. Feeling lonely, I mellow, pitch, bail water on the lakeshore while taking a dip. A pelican is a rare sight on this mountain lake.

Head up Mount Sheridan, excellent views of the Absarokas in Yellowstone, lakes, Tetons after coming out of the trees and to the other side of the ridge near the top of the mountain. Meet a group, plus a single guy heading down. Talk, eventually get to the last ridge, where I fire my last shot of the views. No photos on the excellent viewpoint. Jim, a 24-year veteran ranger at the lookout seems burnt, upset by my barging into his dinner time activities. Still great views, some talk, identification, sign register before heading down.

No film, a bit nervous around cow moose and calf munching in the meadow at the bottom. Down to the site, photo pelican on the lake, cook big dinner. Hang food. Alarmed at fuel shortage. Heading to other campers for resupply when spot what first looks like someone carrying stools. It's a huge bull moose heading to the lake.

Shook, I head back for my camera. Not at the same spot, but near the other camp. Get them out, we watch bull munch unconcernedly. No light for photos. Give up as moose wanders away. We talk until darkness. I get ready, prepare pack. Check guidebook update as exhaustion dogs my desire to write on. Good night...