Introduce/Reintroduce Yourself

[richandamy]

Hi everyone! Rich and I took our first trip to Yellowstone last August. The second morning there we decided to go to Lamar at sunrise and saw our first grizzly on a carcass with several wolves and coyotes lurking around. We were hooked! We will be back in the park this Sunday for the week and I just wanted to let you folks know that this forum has been very helpful in planning our trip. I can really feel the love you have for this very special place and we both feel that love too. Anyway, if you're out there and you see a tan Explorer with Nebraska plates, a woman chattering non-stop and a rather weary looking man, please stop by. We will be looking for you as well.

Thanks again!
Amy

[mcelvaindl]

We are Donald (60) and Laurie (53) McElvain from Polson, Montana. We are leaving today for the Park and will arrive at Fishing Bridge RV Park, September 10. We will be there until early the 20th. This is not our first time, maybe the 5th or 6th? Anyway, we are new to Y-Net. Feel free to approach us but carry your bear spray. We have a pewter, 03, Suburban with Montana "15" plates and will have a homemade 5 1/2 x 8, orange, Y-Netter sign in the back window. Cameras, spotting scope, binoculars are all loaded. Have to go to the dentist first Hope to meet you!

[Nate]

Hello,
My name is Nate and I'm 24 and currently live in Portland, OR. I have been using Ynet as a resource for the past year or so and it has helped me tremendously in finding the best locations to visit when I'm in the park. I'm going to be moving to Bozeman on October 1st and will be working at Big Sky resort this winter. I've been coming to the park from the NW since I was about 9 or 10 I would guess and have probably been there now about 15 times I would guess. My primary interest since I was in 5th grade has been seeing the wolves, and the last few trips have proved extremely successful. I'm hoping to meet some people on here to share the park with and maybe even some from Bozeman since I won't know a single person when I move there and it would be great to make some friends. Thanks to everyone for their detailed trip reports and information, like I said, it has definitely helped me in the past. Glad to be a part of the board finally!

-Nate

[deemur]

Hi,

I'm Dee and a newbie to this forum and I find it very helpful.

I live in the Great Smoky Mtns. of Tennessee and when I'm not dreaming of our mountain trails, I'm dreaming about Yellowstone! It is an awesome place and I'll be there very soon - Tuesday, as a matter of fact - we head out to Red Lodge, drive the Bear Tooth and then to Cook and into the park. We will also spend time in the Tetons. All of this mostly for photography and some hikes to get the views.

Looking forward to getting back. This will be my fourth trip - I've spent two winter sessions there - it's a wonderland for photography but it can get cold

Enjoy,
Dee

[grinman]

hey everyone!

My name is Barrett and I'm a noob to these forums. I just found out about them last week.

I know this will probably sound a bit cliche, but Yellowstone literally changed my life. I am almost 32 and had never been to the Park until 3 years ago. I had moved up to Butte, Montana and was too close to YNP to justify not going at least once. I instantly fell in love. I've been back every since and don't ever plan on missing a year. Next year (or maybe the year after), I'm going to try and plan a trip where I can actually stay for a week or so.

How did it change my life? I finally decided to make a leap and become what I've always (hidden deep down) wanted to do.... study wildlife. I am now on my way towards a degree in Wildlife Biology and would, one day, love to work in Yellowstone!! I'm also a very amateur photographer and love taking photos of wildlife. I'll have to post some of our most recent trip in the photo section.

Well, like I said... i'm 31. I'm married and our first child is on the way in December (a boy!). I live in Utah now, but my heart is in Yellowstone.

[clarebv]

Hey, Barrett ... and wife and upcoming "addition" -- WELCOME!!!! Good to meet another "convert" to the YNP "way of life"!!!! As I am writing we are at our motel in Mitchell, SD -- to arrive in the park on Saturday for 2 weeks (Tetons included) -- Sounds like you have a great career path going for you! Glad you joined the forum and look forward to photos!!

[JTen]

Hi,
My name is JTen (JT) and I am a new member of YNet. I'd like to start by saying that this group is excellent!
I’ve picked up more useful and current info in just a few hours of reading here, than Googling for a solid week. It’s nice to find a group where it's possible to learn things about the area that will help to really enjoy your visit to this amazing piece of land. I’ve only been to YNP & GTNP a few times, but each visit left me wanting more, and moreover, wanting to know more about what's going on while I'm there! This is why I joined YNet.

Anyway, my current plan has me driving up from Phoenix on the 25th (Sept) and arriving GTNP on the 27th. I plan to camp at Gros Ventre for a day or two and spend some time looking for my favorite mammal, the Moose. While there, I’ll be checking in on the forums to see what else is going on throughout the rest of the parks and plan my days accordingly. I think it’s possible to learn about sightings and happenings almost in real-time by using the Forum. (WiFi permitting, anyway)

So, in closing, I love the Fall season. I think it’s the best time to visit the parks. The crowds are gone. The weather is great. The critters are all active and getting ready for the upcoming winter. Sweet.

In my mind I'm already here....
JTen

[ACtendance]

Hi! I'm new to the forum. I've been reading through the threads for a little while now, but this is my first post. I really love the information everyone shares. I'll be heading to yellowstone next June and hopefully spending at least a few days in the backcountry. If anyone has any good suggestions for a base camp in the back country, I'd love to hear it. I'm hoping to find a way to drop camp so we can get pretty far in without having to hike a couple days. Anyway, I'm sure I'll get all the help I'll need to plan and get excited for my trip next year.

[Redbdie]

I came upon this site when I was looking for Yellowstone information. I had been hanging back and reading, absorbing the culture, and getting ready for a trip for a YAI class. I guess my first post was the trip report. Kind of putting the cart before the horse since I hadn't introduced myself.

I'm in Helena, MT. I enjoy wildlife viewing, identifying plants, hiking. I have no professional education in those. I volunteer at my Humane Society and walk dogs there. I'm in a program to learn more about training and behavior of dogs.

I enjoyed the class I took, The Wolves of Yellowstone. I hope to get back to Yellowstone periodically. I think I should try to buy a van for camping so I can do more cooking and less driving. The food choices in Gardner were abysmal this time of year and most of what I ate wasn't very good. But, on a good note the Tumbleweeds cafe and bookstores was great.

Robin

[kristielee]

Greetings all. I've been lurking for a couple of years now whenever the Wyoming withdrawl gets to be too much. I can't begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed everyones photos and trip reports. Makes it feel not quite so far away.

About me? I first visited YNP in the early 90's while living in Denver. For a New Englander born and bred it was quite a sight to behold and have felt drawn to the park ever since. Now a busy mom to 2 beautiful kids who have come to share my passion with all things Yellowstone. First baby made the trip at 15 mo old and will be 12 this year. Can't wait to go back. Plans for 06/10 are completed with 3 nights at the Snake River Lodge, 3 nights at Dunraven, 3 nights in Cody (Best little town in the west!), 3 nights in Custer, SD and the a couple back in Denver before flying back east. Counting down the days!

Long term dream is to live long enough and, God willing, be healthy enough to have a fabulous retirement doing anything that allows me to keep a roof over my head and food in my belly within the vicinity of YNP. Don't want for much, just a good pair of boots, a spotting scope, and great friends to share this wonderful place with.

[clarebv]

kristielee ... Welcome ... we'll help you count down the days

[kristielee]

Thank you for the kind welcome, Clare
I had my ACL reconstructed this week, so thank goodness for a laptop and this website. Otherwise the boredom would be making me looney. Trip planning is a great diversion. LOL

[lah]

Kristielee,
Glad you are posting here, and I hope your surgery heals well so you'll be able to scoot all over the park on your next visit.
linda

[kristielee]

Thanks, Linda. BTW, I love your profile picture. Wow, what a great shot!

[lah]

Thanks Kristielee. It was my first encounter with wolves, May 2008 at Sheepeaters, the collared Canyon male 587. Helene I think has a better shot, but I was thrilled with this with my little point-and-shoot.

[Z_Ghost]

Hello everyone.
Philip
Born in Ohio, live in Texas.
Wishing I lived in Wyoming.
I love being up in the mountains.
I made my first trip to Yellowstone Sept 2006 and my second trip Sept 2009.
I was there for the fire and then the snow this year.

Camera equipment:
20D and 40D (soon to sell the 20D and get a 7D)
Lens
16x35 F2.8
100x400 IS
70x200 F2.8 IS

Living in Texas makes it hard to get to the park more then every few years.

Pictures from my 2006 trip here.
http://www.pbase.com/z_ghost/yellowstone_fall_2006

Pictures from my trip this year are here.
http://photobucket.com/Yellowstone_Philip

[Bogo]

About time I introduce myself. I'm yet another Bryan and I'm a farmer from Iowa. I've also been a software engineer, UNIX systems administrator, and was formerly a photographer. I quit because I didn't like who I had to deal with for clients. Should have gone into nature photography or farming back then. Would have saved myself 25 years of the hassles of trying to work for others. Anyways I'm back to doing photography as a hobby with dreams of maybe doing it again for $$$. I've visited Yellowstone a couple of times and really want to go back for more, More, MORE... Anyways I'm always on the lookout for interesting natural places to visit. Over the past few years I've collected a long list.

[Rhyolite]

Hi Everyone! I am very new to this site and I love Yellowstone!

My husband and I have been visiting Yellowstone National Park (YNP) almost every year since 1999. We both love the wolves, bears, bison, elk, geology/thermal features, etc. . . just pretty much everything about Yellowstone! We spend HOURS glassing for wolves and bears each year. We also enjoy canoeing Lewis Lake.

I was 38 when my husband and I first “discovered” YNP! It literally changed our life! It’s hard to put into words - but when I am in YNP, I feel like I am “home.”

We live in Texas and I am always thinking about Yellowstone and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem!

There are so many knowledgeable YNP experts on this Board! (Even though I've visited YNP several times, I still consider myself a novice in many ways.) I look forward to meeting you and conversing with you.

[DrForr]

Hi all, I'm Jeff. I first went to Y'stone with my family back in the early 80s and at that time fell in love with the thermals. We stopped going just before the fires of '88, so when I came back on my own in '07 it was quite a shock, especially seeing the Artist Paint Pots trail for the first time in... 20 years. The coyote den made up for it somewhat though.

I've been working in the IT industry (telco, healthcare, education) for about the last 20 years, and currently live in the East Bay with a parrot for company.

I'm probably going to be returning in May or June of '10, this time with a D-80 and a rented supertelephoto lens out in the Lamar/Hayden valley waiting for the wolves.

[Mike]

I'm probably going to be returning in May or June of '10, this time with a D-80 and a rented supertelephoto lens out in the Lamar/Hayden valley waiting for the wolves.

Welcome newcomers,Jeff I highly advise if possible early May for wolves,more winter kills,less people,only caveat is you will still be getting snow showers,some facilities not open yet

I highly recommend these fine folk for lens rentals http://www.lensrentals.com/category/sup ... /for-nikon

[THESTORE]

Hi-
My name is Nels, and am an avid amateur photographer. I am a senior citizen, an unable to walk very far from the car, but found Yellowstone very amenable to my limitations. I live in Southern Oregon, and made my first trip to Yellowstone last October, and planning another trip in May. Does anyone have any idea of crowds this early in the season? I spent 4 days there last trip, and did all the tourist stuff, and some more adventuresome places. This trip I would like to spend more time in Lamar Valley, looking for animal and landscape images. My trip research was good for everything except for crowds. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.
Nels (THESTORE)

[lah]

Nels, there aren't a lot of people in the park in May. Enough to help spot animals but not enough to crowd things. I think late May is one of the best time for photography because all the baby animals are on display, and the animals haven't gone up high, as they do in the summer.
The downside is that it can be cold or snowy, and not all of the park roads and facilities are open. Dunraven usually opens around Memorial Day, depending on snowpack, and some of the campgrounds, hotels and stores don't open until late May or even June. But there's usually enough open.

[THESTORE]

Nels, there aren't a lot of people in the park in May. Enough to help spot animals but not enough to crowd things. I think late May is one of the best time for photography because all the baby animals are on display, and the animals haven't gone up high, as they do in the summer.
The downside is that it can be cold or snowy, and not all of the park roads and facilities are open. Dunraven usually opens around Memorial Day, depending on snowpack, and some of the campgrounds, hotels and stores don't open until late May or even June. But there's usually enough open.

Thanks, Lah. I stay in motels, so don't anticipate problem there. May stay in Cook City, if accessible. I don't mind driving in snow (4WD Jeep Cherokee), but don't want to walk much in it. Really unsteady on feet, although physically able. Will check on conditions closer to departure date. Was thinking of mid May, but may postpone it until the end of May. I guess this is the proper way to reply to your message- I haven't found any instructions on how to use or access the various forums. (how to post, reply, do private messages, etc.). Navigating this website seems a bit cumbersome.
Is there a forum for photographers?
Thanks again for your reply.

[fiznatty]

Nels, if you click on the link that reads "Board index" (under the fox), it will take you to a listing of all of the forums. We have a couple photo forums: one dedicated to Yellowstone (and the Tetons) and one dedicated to any other sort of photography. The Other National Parks forum also doubles as a photo forum dedicated to... other national parks around the world.

Max

[jerusalem1]

I came upon this site when I was looking for Yellowstone information.

So, yeah. Hi everybody! I'm Peter.