Recent Updates

Recent Updates - Just click on the title beside each date

August 3, 2009 Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone, Montana
July 27, 2009 Barbecue at Fort Jax RV Park
July 21, 2009 The Secret Garden at The Playmill Theatre
July 13, 2009 Yellowstone Park with Doug's Parents
July 11, 2009 Justin's Band at Wild West Saloon
July 9, 2009 Midnight at Old Faithful
July 4, 2009 4th of July Parade & Fireworks, West Yellowstone, Montana
June 30, 2009 Yellowstone Park with Carol, Lee & Jerry Part 2
June 29, 2009 Headwaters of the Missouri River
June 29, 2009 Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
June 29, 2009 Earthquake Lake with Carol, Lee & Jerry
June 28, 2009 Yellowstone Park with Carol, Lee & Jerry Part 1
June 22, 2009 Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Mountain Man Rendezvous & Yellowstone Midway Geyser Basin

Today we visited the Mountain Man Rendezvous being held on the old airport grounds.
Vendors from around the country set up booths featuring items that would have existed in the 1800's.

The festival has become an annual event in West Yellowstone.
The IMAX Theatre presentations of "Yellowstone", "Bears" and "Alaska", on the other hand, are daily events.

We ventured in the park and followed Firehole Canyon Drive.
Firehole Canyon Drive should be a great place to spot some big horn sheep.

Or some swimmers braving the cold water in the swimming hole.
No diving allowed here.

The old-fashioned swimming is warmed by the runoff from distant hot springs and geysers.
Wonder if he ever goes to the swimming hole to cool off.
A bacterial mat, such as this one, is a layer of bacteria that may form in environments where other organisms are unable to thrive.

The Fountain Paint Pots are thin and watery from abundant rain and snow in early summer and gradually thicken as the summer progresses.

Small Spasm Geyser is somehow connected to the larger Fountain Geyser. It is quiet during and just after the larger one erupts and then pretty much erupts continuously.
Some of the sites along Firehole Lake Drive...

Hot Lake appears to be non-inviting.

A big cotton ball appeared over the trees.

Marlon came prepared to swim but decided to obey the sign.
Enjoy some more thermal features of this area of the park...

Watch a short video below of the thermal features viewed today.

For more pictures, click here .

To be continued...

Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone, Montana

Today we visited West Yellowstone's Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center.

When we arrived, a very lazy bear was resting after a busy morning.

This one was so tired it had to be propped up by a rock.

Some of the wolves lounged around in the morning sun.

Others stalked their prey.

Others wondered what those things were watching through the glass.

Twice a day groups of children get the opportunity to hide food in the bear habitat for the bears to search for.

Once the children are clear, bears Sam and Illie, orphans from Alaska, are released to begin their scavenger hunt.

I smell some food under this rock.

Sam and Illie continued their search for about 30 minutes before tuckering out.

Watch the video of Sam and Illie searching out food below.

This is the humane way to trap a bear.

Marlon contemplates a new sofa.

Periodically, tests are conducted at the Center on containers to determine if they are bear-proof.

The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center also has an exhibit area with informative, interactive exhibits and video presentations to educate visitors about the animals.

A brief drive up towards Big Sky produced this picture.

For a good meal, we visited Corral Bar & Cafe between West Yellowstone and Big Sky.

For more pictures, click here .

To be continued...

Barbecue at Fort Jax RV Park

Today, Fort Jax RV Park held a barbecue for those of us spending the summer with them. The barbecue was hosted by Marley, who ate more dog biscuits than anyone else.

Fellow IMAXers were there, including the popcorn girl...

the ticket meister...

the star t-shirt folder...

and the Day-Shift Duo.

Pedra wants everyone to know that, given the chance, she could eat more dog biscuits than Marley.

Chatfield agrees that Pedra could.

For more pictures, click here .

To be continued...

The Secret Garden at The Playmill Theatre, West Yellowstone

Tonight (okay, it was really 2 months ago or so) we ventured out to The Playmill Theatre to see this year's production of the musical adaptation of The Secret Garden, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The Playmill Theatre, in its 46th season (that's older than Marlon even!), presented three different Broadway shows this summer: Footloose, Guys and Dolls & The Secret Garden.

The main character of young orphan Annie Lennox was portrayed by Eliza Merrill. She did a fantastic job.

After the show, the cast gathers outside for picture-taking opportunities.

This actress with the big smile looks mysteriously like a Yellowstone IMAX employee...

The Playmill Theatre features a very memorable intermission.

A visit to The Playmill Theatre will definitely be worth your time and money. But you'll have to wait until the 2010 season as the last performance was September 5th.

And no, this is NOT a paid advertisement.

For more pictures, click here .

To be continued...