Day 105: Down the Lamar Valley and over Specimen Ridge

Miles: 27.9 miles (1892.7-1920.6)

Today was probably my favorite day hiking in the park so far. I started out around 7:15 after some coffee and getting all my stuff together. I had my poptart on-the-go, trying to not spill crumbs all over the trail.

Heading down the valley, the trail undulated up and down green and copper hills on the east bank of the Lamar River. I startled a few Mule Deer and was thankful they weren't a family of Grizzlies. I'd taken to making plenty of noise wherever I hit a blind spot (e.g. over a hill or into a thick clump of trees) to startle any bear before I actually got close. The Lamar River Valley is known as home to a lotta Grizzlies and wolves, and is perhaps one of the wildest valleys in Yellowstone.

I ran into a couple Backcountry Rangers at Chalfee Creek Ranger Cabin and we talked for awhile, making fun of other park visitors, what it was like in the winter here, and other parks they worked at. It was nice talking to people on the same wavelength.

I got all the way down to end of valley and then started up Specimen Ridge, a brilliant trail with 360 degree views. The tread itself was faint and marked with Elk antler cairns almost the whole way. I actually found quite a few antlers myself when I got off trail by accident for a little while. They must be up there hiding from wolves or other predators while they shed their antlers in late autumn. It's the perfect spot to keep lookout because there aren't any trees and you can see for miles. 

The rolling hills peaked at 9,600' at the summit of Amethyst mountain, where the largest pile of Elk antlers I'd ever seen was laid. I'd climbed 2,600' up from the Lamar Valley so I savored the views on my way down towards Tower Junction. I'd miscalculated the mileage and realized I actually had ten more miles than I thought, so instead of a late lunch I was going to be lucky to get dinner at all.

I was treated to sights of a large buffalo herd on my way down, as well as getting closer to Pronghorn Antelope than I ever had. The mountains were covered in green and gold grasses which sustained the buffalo and pronghorn through the long winters. Up close, the Bison looked almost like Sumo wrestlers: huge and hulking upper bodies, but very small backsides and hindlegs to support them.

Finally making it to the road, the only guy I passed on the trail all day drove by and picked me up with his wife. We'd been heading opposite directions on the ridge and I had wondered how he was going to get back. Lucky I stopped and talked to him. He didn't seem too friendly at the time, but now I saw his true colors. He was an older, gruff fella, but when I saw him smile I knew he was a good guy.

They dropped me off at Roosevelt Lodge where I got a meal consisting first of two ice cream sandwiches and a beer as an appetizer and then a Bison burger, fries, and some chips and salsa. I spilled half my chips on the ground and a nice bartender went and grabbed me a whole new box. I inhaled everything except the huge amount of chips and set out to hitch over to the campground 2 1/2 miles away. Probably 50 cars passed me as it started to get dark and pour rain - literally from one passing cloud - but finally, the campground hosts picked me up and delivered me right to the hiker/biker site. I thanked them and they invited me down for coffee the next morning. I talked to Laura for a bit and headed to bed after some writing and reading.