Rescue Creek

It is, as in this case, hard to imagine where the names of the various sources of water around the park came from. I know, as in a sub-division, the former landscape often becomes the street names. For instance, when I first bought my horse, I was able to board him at a barn that was so old the boards had petrified. We literally could not pound any new nails where we wanted them, and forget about removing ones that were there. It was the most wonderful of barns that I ever saw and still quite water proof and solid the 100 plus years later that we all happened to be able to use it.

But, alas, the property was bought up and all the structures including this barn were destroyed and replaced with wonderful, new, suburbia homes and the street names were the likes of "steeplechase" and "arabian." I've seen this happen time and again throughout the years. Ahh, I digress...so Barbara, Bob and I decided to enjoy the hike along a trail called Rescue Creek. It starts across the creek then heads straight out into a flat land that is fairly barren and then turns gradually right and disappears into a valley between 2 mountains in Yellowstone.

We decided to make this hike an adventure, so we veered off to the left when the trail went right and we forged our way through the low sage brush and last year's winter tracks of bison, elk, deer, etc. Our hoped for destination was the Yellowstone River which is the same water we see from our cabins. I will note here that this whole plain/meadowland is also what we see from the cabins, which is why we wanted to hike on it. So we did make it to the river and had some fabulous views. Along the way we saw another herd of elk and we disturbed a herd of about 10 long horn sheep. We were close enough to hear their baa's as they left their comfy sleeping spots and headed upward a close by mountain. Perhaps the most intriguing thing we saw were 2 ospreys flying around the canyon walls above the river before disappearing and their (we are assuming) nest. So, enough said, here are the pictures.

Although quite desolate looking during the summer, we were told that this area is teeming with sheep, bison, elk, deer, coyote, wolves, and  whatever else is up in the mountains, during the winter.

This skeleton was one of many we have run across but was the best example of a full spine/backbone. This we surmise is from an elk due to the large size of the skull. Bob ran out of water and we threatened to leave him there.

Even Mother Nature enjoys a good joke now and then. Here is 'her' rendition of the Mickey Mouse outline on an outcropping of rock.

You can't beat lunch with a view! This job is tough but someone has to do it!

Here is the osprey nest. It was perched high up on a pointed rock so that nothing could climb up to get to it. When the wind starts up, it's hard to imagine how it doesn't just blow off and disappear down in the gorge below.

Elk herd on the hill not far from where we wandered.











And here is the first sheep we spotted on our trek to the river.

And here we are, just crushed under all the responsibility we have on our shoulders out here. Okay, well, maybe not!!