Snow in Yellowstone

[dale farley]

The snow had melted about a week ago, and Spring seemed to be on the horizon for Yellowstone, but today we got about 6" between 2 and 5 p.m. The trees and landscape are beautiful, and the 35 degree temperature is much more manageable than the 97 in Pensacola today.

[rfoster]

Dale: Great Photo and looks cool and Comfy. The best part is that it won't last long. Send us a load to cool us off.

Hope you and Paulette are having a great time.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Just wondering Dale, how many tourists shopping in your sports equipment shop at this time of year?

[dale farley]

Although our store has broken its sales projections several days,the overall tourist count is down a little at every entrance to the park. Probably a result of fuel costs and weather. The ice just broke up and floated off Yellowstone Lake last Sunday; and fishing won't be allowed on the lake until June 15th, but I have sold quite a few fishing license. Fishing has been open in some of the warm rivers for a couple weeks now.

I sell a significant # of binoculars, because many people forget and leave theirs at home. We have 10 different models ranging from $30 to $225, so just about anyone can find a pair that suits their need. More people are buying clothes (that say Yellowstone) than anything else. I assume this is because they can justify the purchase as something they can use when they get home and not just a useless souvenier.

The delayed warm weather has caused the animals to hang in the lower elevations, and this has made animal sightings much easier this year. More people have seen bears and wolves than in many years past.

As I sit in the bus and look out at the woods this morning, it is a beautiful sight. The evergreen trees are all loaded with tons of fluffy snow as if they had been flocked with a giant machine. I think I can assume God made this wonderful sight just for us to enjoy, and although I have made numerous pictures, I can't begin to capture the beauty of it all. It is currently snowing again, but as someone said, it will be gone very shortly.

Aside from the beauty of the landscape (that changes on a daily basis), and the exposure to all the animals living in their natural habitat, the next best thing is getting to meet and talk to so many different people from all over the world. Everyone is happy when they get to see a grizzly, a pack of wolves or a moose. Many were thrilled yesterday when they saw and felt snow for the first time in their lives.

I guess I better get out of the bus and make some more pictures before the snow starts melting. I don't envy those high temperatures that most of you are experiencing at this early stage of the year.

[JIM KELLER]

Dale, Great post ! Keep them coming. Remember my saying, " These Are The Golden Years ! "