Our lodgings were at Buck's T-4 Lodge a former hunting and fishing lodge located in the beautifully scenic Gallatin Canyon 15 miles from Yellowstone National Park. Big Sky is a year-round resort community at the base of Lone Mountain. Elevation 6,200'.

This was the first of many wild life we were to see.

Nowhere else in the world can we find the array or number of geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles found in Yellowstone. More than 75% of the world's geysers, including the world's largest are here in 7 major basins.

Cliff Geyser is located on the edge of Iron Creek and is quite picturesque. It was named for the low cliff-like wall that separates the geyser from the creek. Cliff is a fountain-type geyser. Intervals and durations have ranged from a few minutes to hours. During much of the history of the park, Cliff was dormant or an infrequent performer but for a number of years now, Cliff has often been in eruption more than half the time.
The eruption starts from a low pool with the water slowly rising as the eruption continues. Many eruptions stop shortly after the pool reaches overflow but some long duration eruptions may continue long after overflow is reached. Short duration eruptions rarely reach overflow.
Because there is little water to impede the bursts at the start of the eruption, the bursts tend to spread out and be erratic in shape at the beginning. As the pool fills the bursts become more focused and the height increases. The maximum height of about 35 to 50 feet is often reached towards the end of the eruption.

Vivid Colors

This Elk trumpeted to his harem but was ignored.

We had our lunches here and observed the Geyser activity.

This picture is updated each minute. This picture is provide by the Yellowstone National Park WebCams

View of the main lobby.

Just before that rock trapped us.

Click here to view photographs taken of the Gallatin River Raft trip

Missouri Headwaters
This park encompasses the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin Rivers. Lewis and Clark anticipated this important headwaters all the way up the Missouri River.

The entrance to the caverns appears after a long trail.

It was necessary to slide through this portion of the cavern.

Denise Wade is a University of Colorado graduate, in Land Use Planning with a minor in Biology. The love of the outdoors and wild places brought her to Montana in 1984. Denise has worked as a naturalist and Nordic guide for Lone Mountain Ranch for 11 years. Denise has an avid interest in ecosystem management and has taken many trips to Alaska, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe, and within the continental US. following species habitat management patterns, especially those concerning migratory birds and indicator species. Denise can be found regularly hiking or cross-country skiing around SouthwestMontana and the Yellowstone National Park

Keith and Marilyn - on the way up

View from the top.

View of the Lone Mountain cirque with glacial ice under gravel.

View going down