At Tower Falls, we work hard! In one of my early posts, I talked about how exhausting and physically demanding my job in the fountain is. But strangely enough, after a few weeks it stopped feeling so hard. Thanks to building up muscle and stamina, I’ve found myself really enjoying my workdays. My feet don’t…
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Mount Washburn
Last week, we did one of the most iconic hikes in Yellowstone: Mount Washburn. One of the highest points in the park, its peak elevation is 10,219 feet and the lookout point at the top boasts panoramic views for about 20 to 50 miles. You can see the Tetons from here! There are two trails that…
I Am Chipmunk, Hear Me Roar!
“To know how to wonder and question is the first step of the mind toward discovery.”–Louis Pasteur In Soto Zen, we sometimes practice sitting with koans–teaching stories or poems from ancient texts that are designed to circumvent our logical thinking and thereby help us understand something on a different level. The Book of Serenity is…
Wonderland
A word you hear a lot around here, “Wonderland” is a term originally used by early White visitors to Yellowstone, possibly even before it became a national park. And the term seems apt. Because there’s so much wildlife here, but it’s not just the wildlife. The mountains are spectacular, but there are mountains everywhere. And…
Hellroaring
Although it was Wednesday for the rest of the world, today was our Saturday–the first of our two consecutive days off. Which means that there’s no better day for a hike and a soak. And it was an absolutely gorgeous day: blue skies, not too hot, no chance of rain. So we decided to do…
Snowy Day, Hot Springs
Ahh, it’s June 22, the first day of Summer! So of course, it’s time for our first summer snowstorm! Two days ago it was 84 degrees outside and I was covering the windows of the Airstream with reflective insulation, making the whole thing look even more like a burrito than it already does. But today…
Animal Menagerie
When driving around Yellowstone, you won’t go very far before you come across a traffic nightmare: seven or eight cars backed up in both directions, with people jumping out to go look at some animal. Rob and I have nicknamed them “bear-parazzi” and just this one photo demonstrates why. Typically, you get a professional photographer…
After the Flood
On our first trip to Yellowstone, back in 2014, we thought it would be fun to bike the road from our campground at Mammoth Hot Springs out to the North Entrance of the park, in Gardiner, Montana. And ever since, we’ve recalled this fondly as a pleasant 5-mile bike trip; nothing really out of the…
Working at the General Store
Welcome to the Tower Falls General Store! The store is where Rob and I spend most of our time these days. It’s nestled in a little valley just northwest of Dunraven Pass, the last road to open in the park every year due to its elevation and the massive amount of snowfall it receives every…
Old Bones
The road to Jardine starts in Gardiner, Montana, less than a mile away from the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone and heads up into the Absaroka Mountains. And as if you were traveling back in time, the road turns from pavement into dirt about 50 yards into your journey and reveals a treasure trove of ancient…