Yellowstone!

 We have just returned from five amazing days in Yellowstone National Park. Heading to Old Faithful Snow Lodge in winter is an annual trek for us and one we enjoy immensely. The Park is virtually empty this time of year compared to any of the summer months and the cross country skiing is beyond compare.

Tomorrow I begin my second semester of classes so this was a last chance to get away before I am caught up in assignments and schedules once again.

Yellowstone can be a photographer's paradise but it can also be a source of frustration if you are always striving to capture the perfect wildlife shot. I have learned that one way to avoid the stress is to focus in on the details of more abstract landscape features. While I managed to capture a few wonderful images of elk, bison, swans and several other species, this post will show just a few of the other kinds of shots possible in a winter wonderland!

These are "bobby sock" trees in the snow. They are lodgepole pines that have drawn silica up into their trunks through the water in the thermal features. The trees are killed off but remain standing for years with their white socks showing.

 This nest - probably belonging to an osprey in the warmer months - was vacant and frosty.

 The bumps, above, were seen near Lone Star Geyser. The thermal features under the snow were causing major dimpling in the surface.

This shot was taken on Howard Eaton Trail one morning. I love the texture of the sky.