After visiting Yellowstone and Jackson Hole in the summer of 2005, I kept thinking how great it would be to see this beautiful country in the winter and maybe get some neat photo's.  Looking through the pamphlets I had accumulated, I found snowmobile trips to the continental divide and into Yellowstone to the lower falls and to Old Faithful.  I opted for the continental divide and the lower falls for February 2006. Now try finding cold weather clothing in Florida. Trips to several stores and I had ski pants, fur lined water proof boots, wool socks, etc. I worried about battery life in the cold, so purchased two extra batteries.

I arrived in Jackson Hole at 7 in the evening and caught a shuttle to my hotel. By the way, Jackson Hole airport is the only airport located nside a national park. The next morning I walked two blocks to the snowmobile tour office and checked in for the next day trip and had breakfast next door at a diner I had eaten in during the summer.  Needing something to do, I went across the steet to the visitors center where I found a sleigh ride tour of the Elk Refuge. Back to the hotel for my camera.  A great outing, a wagon outfitted with runners and pulled by a beautiful Belgin team. Hundreds and hundreds of elk ,what a sight. In the aftenoon I caught a bus to the ski resort area and road the aeril tram.

Time for my first snowmobile ride. I was picked up at the hotel, dropped off for breakfast then walked next door. I need not have worried about clothing as they had everything to keep you warm.  Six of us loaded into a van with our snowmobiles in tow and off we went to their staging area. We had a five minute lesson on driving a snowmobile and off we went. Wnding through the trees, down the valleys and upward to the contentinal divide where we stopped to enjoy the view and take pictures. We continued on to Lucy Lodge for lunch, more pictures and the return trip back down the mountain pass. 

On to Yellowstone. Same routine as the day before, except we didn't take the snowmobiles.  Our journey took us just outside the south entrance to Yellowstone. There we boarded our snowmobiles for a six hour round trip to the lower falls. We stopped only once, at Lewis Falls on the way up. Arriving at the falls, I was agog, as I wanted a winter shot of the falls to match my summer one. (you have seen it in my photos) Of course, it started snowing as we pulled into the parking lot. I could not beleive my eyes. three hundred feet of frozen water fall and mist. I nly wished the sun had come out.  After about 45 minutes we started our way back, stopping for some shots of the buffelo, a warming cabin for lunch and Moose Falls for our last photos.

Flew home the next morning.  What a great experience.  I put together a short slide show to send to friends and family. Hope you like it!