Thursday, November 1, 2018

Yellowstone National Park (6-14)


[1. 簡介] [2. 旅遊建議/食宿交通] [3. Sightseeing] [4. Winter Activities] [5. Wildlife Watching] [6. Day Hiking] [7. Other Activities] [8. Who's Who in the Park] [9. More about the Park] [10. 感想]


6. Day Hiking

[6-1. Mount Washburn] [6-2. Artists Paintpots] [6-3. Trails at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone] [6-4. Natural Bridge] [6-5. Ranger-Led Hike: Lupine Loop Walk] [6-6. Mystic Falls] [6-7. Bunsen Peak] [6-8. Beaver Ponds Loop] [6-9. Lone Star Geyser] [6-10. The Hoodoos] [6-11. Petrified Trees of Specimen Ridge] [6-12. Pelican Creek Nature Trail] [6-13. Cascade Lake] [6-14. Monument Geyser Basin] [6-15. Fairy Falls/Imperial Geyser] [6-16. Elephant Back Mountain] [6-17. Hellroaring Creek] [6-18. Yellowstone River Overlook] [6-19. Trout Lake] [6-20. Riddle Lake] [6-21. Point Sublime] [6-22. Storm Point] [6-23. Lake Overlook] [6-24. Wraith Falls] [6-25. Little Gibbon Falls] [6-26. Osprey Falls] [6-27. Narrow Gauge Terrace] [6-28. Slough Creek] [6-29. Harlequin Lake]

6-14. Monument Geyser Basin

公園有很多的geyser basin,除了馬路邊那些容易到達的地方,也有一些是在backcountry,而Monument Geyser Basin就是其中之一。這個不算大的地熱區位於Madison Junction與Norris中間,大概在Gibbon Falls北邊一點的Gibbon River橋邊。停車的空間不算特別大,但有興趣與美國時間走這步道的人應該不會太多,不太會被停滿才是。

到達Monument Geyser Basin的路算短,來回只有2 miles,不過需要爬個600 feet多一點的高度,所以算陡。加上終點大概有8,000 feet高,所以爬坡時對有些人可能會很喘或是腿沒力,中途可能需要停下來休息個幾次。沒花太多時間在終點的話,來回大概只需一小時左右的時間。

IMG_8813 Monument Geyser Basin Trail
Figure 6-14.1: Monument Geyser Basin的步道口在Gibbon River旁的橋邊。

IMG_8826 Monument Geyser Basin Trail
Figure 6-14.2: 步道一開始沿著Gibbon River走。

IMG_8827 Monument Geyser Basin Trail, Yellowstone National Park
Figure 6-14.3: 一旦lodgepole pine長得夠大,長在低處的樹枝就會死掉。

IMG_8840 Monument Geyser Basin Trail
Figure 6-14.4: 這地方已經開始往上爬。

IMG_8848 Whitebark Pine
Figure 6-14.5: 公園高一點的地方會看到五針的松樹,因為pollen cone是紅色的,所以這是棵whitebark pine。

IMG_8880 Monument Geyser Basin
Figure 6-14.6: 已經到達Monument Geyser Basin,最好不要走超過那些樹,以免發生危險。

雖然步道沿途以lodgepole pine的樹林為主,但有些角度可以從樹叢裡看到Gibbon Meadows,尤其是回程的時候;快到達終點前也有角度可以看到Gibbon River Canyon,終點則還可以看到Gallatin Range這遠方的山脈。

因為終點有8,000 feet高,你會分辨的話可以看到whitebark pine這公園很關切生長在高海拔的松樹。最容易的區分方式是算針的數目,二針的是lodgepole pine,五針的是whitebark pine。實際上公園五針的松樹還有limber pine,這樹比較容易在Mammoth Hot Springs那邊看到,公園內部且較高的地方以whitebark pine為主。想進一步確認的話得檢查樹上的cone,但未必總是看得到就是。

終點的Monument Geyser Basin維持著完全自然的樣子,沒有用欄杆圍起來,裡面也沒有boardwalk,看起來似乎可以用最自然的方式走在地熱區裡,但最好不要,因為沒人曉得地殼穩不穩定,你踩的下一步有可能會是你這輩子的最後一步。公園有在地上擺幾根倒下的樹做區隔,乖乖待在外面比較保險。如果覺得太遠看不清楚,可以用望遠鏡或長鏡頭。

IMG_8874 Monument Geyser Basin
Figure 6-14.7: 雖然有在冒煙,但不算很active。

IMG_8867 Monument Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
Figure 6-14.8: 這角度有Gallatin Range當背景。

IMG_8312 Monument Geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Figure 6-14.9: 這根就是所謂的Monument Geyser,不過大都在冒煙,偶而噴點小水花。

IMG_8335 Monument Geyser Basin
Figure 6-14.10: 這地方也有一點煙,但不想冒險走過去看,所以只用長鏡頭照close-up。

IMG_8886 Gibbon Canyon
Figure 6-14.11: 這是Gibbon River Canyon。

IMG_8915 Gibbon Meadows, Yellowstone National Park
Figure 6-14.12: 從步道上看到的Gibbon Meadows。

Monument Geyser Basin(目前)並不算是active,但可以看到幾個地方在冒煙,包括Monument Geyser這一根看起來很另類的geyser。跟馬路邊的那些地熱區比起來遜色不少,但詭異度也許高一點,如果有烏雲與適當的光線,現場可能會有不錯的地獄或是萬聖節氣氛。

對大部分的遊客來說,這步道的投資報酬率低了點,這時間用在其他地方大都有更好的收獲。不過Yellowstone是個很dynamic的地方,目前可看性不高不表示永遠如此,一個地震之類的地質事件可能讓這地方變得很有趣,但等不等得到這一天就再說了。

Previous Next


[6-1. Mount Washburn] [6-2. Artists Paintpots] [6-3. Trails at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone] [6-4. Natural Bridge] [6-5. Ranger-Led Hike: Lupine Loop Walk] [6-6. Mystic Falls] [6-7. Bunsen Peak] [6-8. Beaver Ponds Loop] [6-9. Lone Star Geyser] [6-10. The Hoodoos] [6-11. Petrified Trees of Specimen Ridge] [6-12. Pelican Creek Nature Trail] [6-13. Cascade Lake] [6-14. Monument Geyser Basin] [6-15. Fairy Falls/Imperial Geyser] [6-16. Elephant Back Mountain] [6-17. Hellroaring Creek] [6-18. Yellowstone River Overlook] [6-19. Trout Lake] [6-20. Riddle Lake] [6-21. Point Sublime] [6-22. Storm Point] [6-23. Lake Overlook] [6-24. Wraith Falls] [6-25. Little Gibbon Falls] [6-26. Osprey Falls] [6-27. Narrow Gauge Terrace] [6-28. Slough Creek] [6-29. Harlequin Lake]

[1. 簡介] [2. 旅遊建議/食宿交通] [3. Sightseeing] [4. Winter Activities] [5. Wildlife Watching] [6. Day Hiking] [7. Other Activities] [8. Who's Who in the Park] [9. More about the Park] [10. 感想]

3 comments:

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Anonymous said...

I am looking forward to your blog about Fairy Falls. We hiked the trail to the Lookout Point of Midway geyser Basin only in late September. It is good to know your assessment for next trip plan. Thanks.

itchiang(thor) said...

I plan to post it late this month.