August 1999
Our first stop was at Niagara Falls. This is the Horseshoe Falls as seen from the Canadian side. The sun was just setting and cast this beautiful rainbow over the falls.
My first time in Chicago. We went out on a pier onto Lake Michigan to see the Chicago skyline lit up with city lights. The Sears Tower is at the left of the photo. Notice the streak of light in the sky at the far right - that is an airplane on final approach into O'Hare.
The rain was just subsiding as we entered Yellowstone Park from the east entrance. We made it down to the shore of Yellowstone Lake as the sun was setting and we were witness to an absolutely amazing sunset. The clouds were beginning to clear near the horizon, but there was still a lot of moisture in the air, making the colors of the sky ever so brilliant. We stood at the side of the road, about 100 feet above the waters of Yellowstone Lake. The air was cool, with the smell of pine and damp earth around us. The horizon was lit up in a bright orange fire silhouetting the trees along the shoreline and the mountains in the distance. The vibrant orange faded into shades of blue and violet all of which were reflected on the still waters of Yellowstone Lake. We stood there and watched as the colors of the sunset evolved and eventually faded. Welcome to Yellowstone.
Old Faithful. It's not the highest or the most spectacular of the many geysers in the area, but it remains as the very symbol of Yellowstone National Park.
We saw this coyote right near Old Faithful. Since the time for the next eruption was approaching, there were quite a few people assembled at the viewing area. Then this coyote comes scampering out in front of everyone, causing a commotion. Suddenly bewildered, the coyote quickly exits stage left, with a throng of tourists, cameras in hand, in tow.
We were lucky and drove by Great Fountain Geyser as it was erupting. Unfortunately, I parked my car right in the spray zone, so it was showered by geyser water.
On the way back to our campsite at Norris one night, we stopped at the Gibbon Geyser Basin to watch the vapor rising from the many hot springs and geysers into the moonlit sky. This photo was taken with a 30 second exposure which is why it looks so bright.
As we drove into Grand Teton National Park from the north, this was our first sight of the magnificent Teton Range. With no foothills to obstruct the view, the Tetons are really quite a sight as they rise straight up right from the shores of Jackson Lake.
On our first day in Grand Teton, we took a short hike in the Colter Bay area near the Jackson Lake Lodge. We did a short loop to Heron Lake and Swan Lake. We didn't see any herons in Heron Lake, but we did see a pair of Trumpeter Swans in Swan Lake. These bluebells were in bloom along the shore of Heron Lake.
As the sun begins to set over the Tetons, it casts a brilliant reflection on the meandering waters of the Snake River.
The sun, having set behind the peaks, is casting its last light before night falls upon us. The clearly discernable shadows from the peaks was an amazing sight.
The water in the Oxbow Bend of the Snake River is amazingly calm, especially in the early morning before the wind picks up. The crystal clear water reflects Mt. Moran as if it were a mirror.
We saw this beautiful sunset in the Montana countryside just south of the town of Choteau.
Goose Island and St. Mary's Lake, one of the first sights you see upon entering Glacier National Park.
Hidden Lake, near Logan Pass sits just under the Continental Divide. It is only a 3 mile hike from the Pass, but is about 1500 feet below it, making the hike there and back pretty tough. We didn't make it down to the shore, having been satisfied with this beautiful bird's eye view.
The mountain goats that hang around the trail from Logan Pass to Hidden Lake are so accustomed to humans that it is very easy to approach them. While we were walking along the trail, a pair of goats began to cross the trail. One crossed about 5 yards in front of us, and the other crossed right behind us. The one behind us was so close that we could have reached down and petted its back as it walked by!
