Watching "Trout TV Show" yesterday

Yesterday got to be a bit too much inside time. I eventually turned on the television, and I found "Trout TV"  (see www.trouttvshow.com)

I haven't seen this show before, mostly because I rarely watch tv, but it was a great distraction for the boys....and it turned into some teaching points for my four-year-old.

The show was dry-fly-fishing on the Teton River, a 90-minute drive from our house. It looked AWESOME! They were drift-boating, but I could see myself bushwhacking along the shore on that river. Definitely some great fishing to be had up there. I've always had the Teton River in the back of my mind, but now it has moved up to the front a bit closer. I think I'll wait a year til Paul is a bit older because it looked like the water is a bit "bigger" than I really want him to be around right now.

But they were catching nice fish on a beautiful river!

Then I checked out their website. It's easy to cruise around, and they have a cool shirt for sale.

Check them out when you get a chance.

Best backcountry campsites for really young kids (2-6 years old) in Yellowstone National Park

It's winter time, and we're all enjoying the great outdoors, skiing and ice-fishing, right?

Just around the corner on April 1 is the lottery for Yellowstone Backcountry campsites.  To get the good sites on the good days, you have to be ahead of the herd and get your "lottery ticket" submitted. This post is one of several from BackcountryCutts to help you in planning your Yellowstone Backcountry trips (see www.backcountrycutts.com). 

If you're thinking that you have to wait a few more years to hit the Yellowstone backcountry because you have little kids who can't walk too far or you don't want to risk all the things that can go wrong in the backcountry, this post is for you.

Or, if you are concerned about the physical abilities of someone in your group, these campsites can be considered as starting points for journeys into the backcountry.

There are indeed sites that are suitable for young children.  And, it's incredibly important to help your young children build a foundation of outdoor activity for their lives and also build a love of the environment to help our next generations maintain the "wildness" of places like Yellowstone National Park and the true "wilderness" sections of our nation.

This is THE YEAR that I get out into the backcountry with our four-year old. I wanted to do it last year, but the pieces just didn't fall into place. That was the first year that Paul was potty-trained, so I had great schemes and plans for that.  I don't think taking diapers into bear-heavy-backcountry is a good idea for various reasons. In any case, we got some good car-camping in but no backcountry.

So where are these magical places in the Yellowstone National Park backcountry that are good for little kids?

First, let's talk about the criteria for each spot.

1. Proximity to the car: I'm no idiot. I want the quickest and easiest bailout-plan possible. That means the spot has to be close to the car. This is generally less than two miles. I can cover that in 30 minutes while carrying my near-40-pound four-year old. This is for safety reasons as much as sanity reasons.

2. Flat trail: I want my kid to walk the entire way. That means it has to be flat so he can actually do it.  When he walks, he gets the satisfaction of walking a long ways, and he'll also (hopefully) get tired enough to go to sleep when the sun goes down. And flat is good for Daddy, too, because I'm carrying a bit of extra gear.

3. Near appropriate water: I like to camp near water, mostly to make camp-life (ie getting water for morning coffee!) but also for the  ambiance...you know, the "babbling brook" scene.  But when you put little kids into the picture, EVERYTHING CHANGES. You MUST be careful and ensure you have "appropriate" water. By "appropriate," I mean it's small enough that the child in question can play in and around it safely, weather permitting of course.

Of course, the physical ability of the people in your group is the limiting factor. Some four year olds might be able to hike five miles in a day, but an adult can only do three. Keep that in mind, please. There are some GREAT spots just four miles from the road. I've mostly limited the camps here to three miles from the road.  And if you're wondering about camps along the Yellowstone River and Slough Creek, they are not mentioned here because, even though they are only 4-5 miles from the trailhead, they include terrain that is not generally flat.

And, PLEASE be BEAR AWARE in your campsite.

1. A few campsites in the Old Faithful area, specifically OD1. This is probably the absolute easiest for young kids. It is one mile from the trailhead, absolutely flat, and you can bike in. There are no-kidding bathrooms (pit toilets) about a mile from your car (two miles from camp). The Firehole River is very pretty and manageable in this area, including good fishing.  Think about it....if you have a bike trailer of some sort, you can pile everything in the bike along with the children and bike one mile from your car.  If you need to bail out quickly, you grab all the kids and "bear-aware" items (like food, etc) and throw them in the trailer. Ten short minutes later, you are at your car, and three short minutes later you can be at a campground where your better-half is sleeping in your camper.  The first go for your child in the backcountry can't have a better setup than this!

OG1 is 1.5 miles west of the Fountain Flats trailhead. Completely flat. Can be "marshy," so might have some bug issues.  A creek.

OD4 is about 2 miles from the Fountain Flats trailhead. Completely flat. Can be "marshy," so might have some bug issues. A creek.

OD1 is away from the water and 4.3 miles from the Fountain Flats trailhead. You could bike half-way then walk. Try other sites first.

2. Up the road from Old Faithful, going north via Norris and fairly close to Mammoth, is Indian Creek and Campsite 1B1. This is a really nice area. A bit higher elevation, so it's cooler....just something to be aware of.  The campsite is about 1.8 miles from the trailhead and a flat walk. The creek is great beginning in July, and there aren't alot of bugs. Check with the Ranger Station to see if Indian Creek still has some special, kid-friendly fishing rules.

3. West of Canyon Area are Ice Lake, Grebe Lake, and Cascade Lake. Of the three, I prefer Grebe Lake.  During one of my trips to Grebe Lake three years ago, a couple of the group saw a large pack of wolves in this area, walking and fishing the Gibbon River between Grebe Lake and Wolf Lake (not listed here but in the vicinity).

Ice Lake has the closest campsites, and they are all between 1 and 2 miles of mostly flat walking. The lake is an average lake in Yellowstone.

Grebe Lake campsites (recommend 4G2 or 4G3) are a bit further, between 3-4 miles, with an undulating but generally flat walk in. These campsites have some nice tree coverage, and there are Arctic Grayling in Grebe Lake!

Cascade Lake campsites 4E3 and 4E4 are about two miles in after flat walking. This area can be quite marshy before mid-July and after heavy rains...that means bugs. The fishing in Cascade Lake can be pretty good. And if you have a more adventurous, older child, the view from Observation Peak is a must-see (but it is kind of tough for young legs to get to).

4. Near Roosevelt and Tower are the Hellroaring Creek campsites. These have a significantly steep hill to get down for starters, and that should be considered for both going down and coming back up on the way out. Outside of this hill, campsite 2H3  is AWESOME,and 2H4 is pretty nice, too. Hellroaring Creek is a great creek in August; the perfect size (ie depth, speed, volume, and with LOTS of rocks for little boys to throw) in August. On the way, there is a large bridge over the Yellowstone River that is sure to put any little boy or girl in awe. To get to 2H3, you have to ford the creek (not hard at all, but you might consider carrying little kids...still very doable), or you can take a long way around to go over a small bridge, adding a couple miles. 

You can spend a day exploring upstream from camp, or going down to the confluence of the Yellowstone River and Hellroaring Creak, which is a really neat area (and good fishing)....be careful with kids at this confluence because the Yellowstone River runs very fast through the canyon here! Also, know that this is significant bear country. Other family members could stay at Roosevelt area during your backcountry night.

5. Moving west some more are two sites on the Lamar River, one of which is a favorite spot of mine in the park. About 3.5 miles upstream from the trailhead are campsites 3L1 and 3L2 at Cache Creek. 3L2 is preferred because it is in a nice, old-growth section of trees, with clear ground for kids to run around. Cache Creek is about 30 yards away and a good size for little kids (and good fishing for them, too!), and it is close to the Lamar River for exploring and fishing. The hike in requires an easy ford, and it has beautiful views. I think some young children might get bored on this hike because you can see forever, which makes it feel like you are moving very slowly. But once you get to 3L2, there is plenty of great areas for kids to play. Again, Cache Creek is very nice and has far more rocks than any little boy could throw in a few days!  Be aware that this is significant bear country.

6. Lastly are the camps in the Bechler River area. They are last because you only want to go here in August and September. Before that, you will be eaten alive by mosquitoes. After that, you will be cold and wet. Neither are fun for adults or the kids. This is incredibly flat country, so walking is easy. But you can see a long ways, which makes it feel slow. The creek and river in this area are really slow and generally shallow, but very cold. Sites 9B1 and 9M1 are about three miles in, but if you can go another two miles (total of five miles), campsite 9B2 is really nice!

Backcountry Bucket List #3: Figure Out Who Pooped In The Park

This is #3 in the continuing series of posts from The Backcountry Bucket List.

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3.  Figure Out Who Pooped In The Park

One of my favorite books is "Who Pooped In The Park?" Say what you will, but it's a truly awesome book! It's one of my three-year-old-boy's favorite, too (and he can identify many of the animals!). Did you ever think that looking at poop could be fun?

I honestly don't know if "fun" is the right word here, but it is a great excuse to catch your breath while on the trail, identify who might be living in or near a campsite you've chosen, and could help you look smart around your friends. Not to mention that it is actually a safety skill that can come in handy.

This is admittedly strange if you've never thought about poop as other than a gross, yucky substance you want nothing to do with. But you're in the backcountry now, and you should really pay attention to this sort of thing. You don't have to be Grizzly Adams or his buddy Mad Jack, but just a little knowledge can go a long way and make for some interesting discussion.

While hiking in Yellowstone National Park, you might come across a big, fresh, steaming pile. Ok, it probably won't be steaming...I threw that in for a bit of eight-year-old-boy humor that has to accompany any discussion of poop.

In reality, that large pile, when accompanied with the appropriate tracks, could be identified as something non-threatening as a horse or something a bit more interesting like a grizzly bear. With a closer look, you could also tell what he's been eating, of course, and that might indicate how healthy or hungry he is. All of this is good information to have.

If along your hike you come across an area of flat grass, your first question is inevitably "I wonder who slept here last night?" Well, poop can help find your answer. Look around and see what kind of poop in the area is freshest. Maybe it was an elk. Maybe it was a deer. You'll be able to tell by the poop. Who knew?!?!

Poop and tracks go hand in hand. You really should know a little about both. There are some neat  info cards that combine diagrams of tracks and scat of the various animals in the area you might be in. Take one along next time you're hiking, and spend some time looking at the ground.

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On a side note, "Who Pooped In The Park" was an inspiration for my book "The Backcountry Kids."  If you have little boys, you MUST have "Who Pooped In The Park." 

   

Getting Yellowstone campsites and trails into Google Earth

I posted this a few years ago, I think, but it's worth posting again. 

** You have about six weeks to get your campsite requests in. See the backcountry planner page for more info. ****

As you plan your summer adventures, dreaming about the campsites and the trails and all the great places to see in Yellowstone National Park, a standard topo map is great. But Google Earth gives you some great information, too.

The Yellowstone Ecology website has the Google Earth files for campsites and trails. Download those files, then double-click on them, and the trails and campsites open up in Google Earth. Very nice!

Getting your kids outside to keep them healthy

Yes, I know this is a fishing blog. However, in the bigger picture, it is actually a "family show based in the great outdoors with a focus on fly-fishing" (as the blog description says.) So this post fits in perfectly.

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Reposted from The Backcountry Kids

One of the new and improved ways of presenting information using infographics. They can really make you see information in a new way, so the infographics are a great way to present complex data of any sort.

I saw this at the AdventureParents website, and I just HAVE to pass it on. It's originally from the National Environmental Education Foundation.

Let's face it, it is common sense that kids who get outside are going to be healthier. But sometimes, "how you say it" is more important that "what you say."

Thus, I don't have any other comments for this infographic other that please pass it on to everyone you know.

Cool bird fishing photo

This is from my favorite fishing blog, FlyFishYellowstone.blogspot.com  They didn't attribute the photo, so I can't. But it's SUPER COOL.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

AMAZING

Backcountry Bucketlist #2: Sit and Listen

Many of us go hiking or spend time "in nature" so we can "unplug" or whatever you want to call the act of getting away from the normal hustle and bustle of the world.

Of course, that hustle and bustle is normally loud, so we might tend to tune people out while we think about the hundred other things we need to be doing while talking to someone.

Nearly every communications skills and soft-skills leadership class will tell you that "active listening" is key to good interpersonal communications. Instead of thinking of our own comeback and what we'll say when the other person quits talking, we should be actually listening to what that person is saying! Crazy talk, right?! 

I'm here to tell you that "active listening" is a great activity for the backcountry. The soft-skill leadership books are right; if you want to truly understand what you're listening to, you have to really listen. Sit down. Shut-up. Just listen. Hear what nature is saying. It's kind of like the old saying "stop and smell the roses," but you're stopping to listen to the land. But what does that really mean? How do you do that? 

My favorite way to just sit and listen is to find a nice meadow or woodsy area in the backcountry that is only a short walk from the tent. A short walk is normally no more than a couple minutes, but it could be up to ten minutes.

Anyway, when you find that spot, start thinking of when you want to visit. Dawn and dusk are great and have the best opportunity to see animals like bears or wolves if you are in Yellowstone National Park. The heat of the mid-afternoon will be a fairly dull time to sit and listen, but on a cool fall day mid-day could provide a great nap-time, too.

Sitting and listening with a hot cup of coffee in the cool morning or a nice warm dessert of some sort or a hot tea at dusk is very soothing. My favorite time to sit and listen is in the middle of the night, and I'll add some specific moments about that at the end of this in hopes it will entice you appropriately to get out of bed at night. 

So how do you "sit and listen" and what's this all about? This is as simple as it sounds....you just sit and listen. Get comfy leaning up against a tree or something. You can take some minor distractions like a cup of coffee, binoculars, or pen and paper. You really should take a camera if you like backcountry photography. That's about it for distractions.

Don't take your cigarettes or Copenhagen because the smell really does travel a lot and might keep some of the animals away (once you get away from the smells for a week or so, you'll notice they really are that strong). A lot of people are hooked on their portable music, but I recommend you leave that in the tent, too, so that you have all five sense available to you for safety if no other reason.

Pretty soon, something will catch one of your senses. A deer walks through your meadow. A wolf pack trots through. A grizzly turns over stumps looking for breakfast. A sandhill crane sounds-off with its morning call. On a cool, October morning in the Rocky Mountains, a bull elk bugles for his girls. Fish start jumping. Geese honk as they fly overhead. A bald eagle cruises above the river looking for food. As the sun rises, the dew disappears from the ground cover. 

As the sun sets, the colors of the alpine-glow shift to deep oranges and then fade to black before the full moon returns to provide a contrasting white glow. 

Plan anywhere from 10-15 minutes to maybe an hour of "sit and listen" time. Get comfortable. Use the binoculars to zoom in on a particular bird fluttering in a nearby tree or to see if that big bird flying over the lake is an eagle or an osprey. I think you'll find at least a few memorable things each time you sit and listen. 

One thing that you might not think of but is actually really cool is to go to that spot in the middle of the night, especially if it's a full moon or new moon. The full moon in the mountains gives an incredible amount of light, and you'll be amazed at how everything looks and feels at night under the full moon. Hint, check the lunar schedule to know what night the full moon is and when during the night it is at its peak.

You probably won't see any animals in the middle of the night, but it will indeed be a memorable evening if a wolf starts howling, an owl starts hooting, or some animal starts making noises and you don't know what that animal is...or where he is! Sound travels incredibly well during the calm nights. 

A new moon is star searching time. If you haven't been out of the city-lights aura in quite some time, you really should schedule this during your trip to any national park or other nature area. The stars are amazing. If you don't want to set an alarm clock to get up, drink a lot of water before going to sleep. At 2:00am, you'll need to get up and pee, which is perfect!

You're already up and out of your tent, so spend a few extra minutes star-gazing. A word of warning....dress warm if you are in the northern mountains or make sure you have some bug protection on if you are in the humid south. 

I've seen a lot of stars in the backcountry, but there are three times that really stick out in my mind. I hope you get a chance to see something like these.

While at the Granite Park Chalet in Glacier National Park on a summer hike, my wife got up in the middle of the night and then decided I needed to get up, too. I had just barely got to sleep because of the very thin walls and noisy beds and mattresses in the bunk rooms, but I got up even though she hadn't told me why. Right after stepping out of the bunk room, I knew immediately why she got me up.

The most impressive star show was on full display! The view was directly out of the textbooks, with so many stars I had never seen before, even with the many nights in the backcountry. I'm pretty sure I could see the swirls of the Milky Way Galaxy. 

At Charlotte Lake in the Southern Sierra Mountains in King's Canyon National Park, the moon was full and the stars were bright. Two nights in a row, I woke up in the middle of the night, complaining that somebody was flashing a light in our tent.

My wife was kind enough to put me at ease by simply reminding me that the light was the full moon that was strong enough to wake me up! After the moon woke me up the second night, I got my wife to step out of the tent for a bit to do the "sit and listen" bit.

We sat on a rock by the lake and enjoyed the moment. Then we noticed that the stars were no-kidding twinkling on the water of the lake. I thought that was just in the songs and poetry, but there it was for real. All I had to do to see it was to be out of my tent late at night and then "sit and listen" quietly and notice what was going on around me. 

Finally, while staying near Hellroaring Creek in northeastern Yellowstone National Park, I lay awake one night listening to an owl hoot so loudly I swore he was in the tree above me. "This is so cool. He's right above me!" I thought. When I told my fishing buddy, Roy, about it the next day, he was certain that same owl was above his tent all night, too. In any case, the hooting was loud and went on forever.