Bechler River Backpacking Trip
August 29- September 1, 2006
On Tuesday August 29th, Katherine, Miriam, Mary Larson and I drove to the cabin. The following day we started our backpacking trip at the Bechler Ranger Station.
The Bechler Meadow trail winds through a Lodgepole Pine forest with shrubs carpeting the forest floor. We stopped alongthe way in for a snack along the trail.
Our first campsite.
The first catch of the day. After setting up camp, we hiked a half mile to the River and fished. Most of the fish were this size or smaller.
This was my first fly-fishing experience. Using Mary's rod, and fishing where Boundary Creek enters the Bechler river, I caught two or three seven-inch Rainbow Trout. It was fun, and I am "hooked".
Our campsite was close to Boundary Creek which flows from the West side of the Park into the Bechler River. This cable bridge crosses the creek.
The second morning, we hiked north through the Bechler Meadow and up the Bechler Canyon. Our total mileage was about 7 1/2 miles.
The Bechler Meadow is two miles long. Looking South, one can see the Tetons in the distance.
Katherine and Mary crossing the Bechler River Ford, at the north end of the Bechler Meadow. From here the trail enters the Bechler Canyon.
The Bechler River contains half of the waterfalls in Yellowstone. Colonnade Falls at 150 feet, is the second highest fall in the Park.
The first morning whenwe woke up, it was 20 degrees. By the third morning it had warmed up to a balmy 34. Since we were camped in a no-fire campground, we huddled around the camp stove for warmth.
On our third day, we hiked four and a half miles up the Bechler River to a tributary that contains a thermal pool. This is a picture of Miriam crossing the river just above our camp. We made two crossings going up, then crossed again twice coming down.
These hot streams empty into the Bechler River about four miles from our campsite. There is not enough hot water to warm the Bechler, but a tributary another mile up is pretty warm.
Katherine and another hiker swimming in a hot pool not far from the Bechler River. This wa 4 1/2 miles fromour campsite. We still had to hike back down the canyon, and then backpack to our final campsite four more miles down the canyon.
This is the view of the Bechler River from our campsite the last night. Those of you who were on our trip last year, and remember the terrible thunderstorms that drenched us with rain, will appreciate the fact that we did not see even one cloud during our entire trip this year.
The last day, we hiked along the East side of the River, then crossed at Rocky Ford. We followed the River to the Bechler Meadow Cutoff, then hiked out back through the forest. As the sun lowered in the sky, it illuminted the green below.
On Labor Day, I sprayed ten gallons of shingle oil on the cabin. I was only able to cover the East side, the South side, and part of the North side. I ran out of oil, and we had to quit.
Miriam oiled the back porch and some hard to get spots with a paint brush.
On Tuesday August 29th, Katherine, Miriam, Mary Larson and I drove to the cabin. The following day we started our backpacking trip at the Bechler Ranger Station.
The Bechler Meadow trail winds through a Lodgepole Pine forest with shrubs carpeting the forest floor. We stopped alongthe way in for a snack along the trail.
Our first campsite.
The first catch of the day. After setting up camp, we hiked a half mile to the River and fished. Most of the fish were this size or smaller.
This was my first fly-fishing experience. Using Mary's rod, and fishing where Boundary Creek enters the Bechler river, I caught two or three seven-inch Rainbow Trout. It was fun, and I am "hooked".
Our campsite was close to Boundary Creek which flows from the West side of the Park into the Bechler River. This cable bridge crosses the creek.
The second morning, we hiked north through the Bechler Meadow and up the Bechler Canyon. Our total mileage was about 7 1/2 miles.
The Bechler Meadow is two miles long. Looking South, one can see the Tetons in the distance.
Katherine and Mary crossing the Bechler River Ford, at the north end of the Bechler Meadow. From here the trail enters the Bechler Canyon.
The Bechler River contains half of the waterfalls in Yellowstone. Colonnade Falls at 150 feet, is the second highest fall in the Park.
The first morning whenwe woke up, it was 20 degrees. By the third morning it had warmed up to a balmy 34. Since we were camped in a no-fire campground, we huddled around the camp stove for warmth.
On our third day, we hiked four and a half miles up the Bechler River to a tributary that contains a thermal pool. This is a picture of Miriam crossing the river just above our camp. We made two crossings going up, then crossed again twice coming down.
These hot streams empty into the Bechler River about four miles from our campsite. There is not enough hot water to warm the Bechler, but a tributary another mile up is pretty warm.
Katherine and another hiker swimming in a hot pool not far from the Bechler River. This wa 4 1/2 miles fromour campsite. We still had to hike back down the canyon, and then backpack to our final campsite four more miles down the canyon.
This is the view of the Bechler River from our campsite the last night. Those of you who were on our trip last year, and remember the terrible thunderstorms that drenched us with rain, will appreciate the fact that we did not see even one cloud during our entire trip this year.
The last day, we hiked along the East side of the River, then crossed at Rocky Ford. We followed the River to the Bechler Meadow Cutoff, then hiked out back through the forest. As the sun lowered in the sky, it illuminted the green below.
On Labor Day, I sprayed ten gallons of shingle oil on the cabin. I was only able to cover the East side, the South side, and part of the North side. I ran out of oil, and we had to quit.
Miriam oiled the back porch and some hard to get spots with a paint brush.
posted by Katherine and Rick at 7:38 PM
4 Comments:
What a fun backpacking trip! That is such a beautiful area with the fields, river, and woods. I'm glad you were able to go. I can't wait to see the biking trip!
The scenery is so beautiful. I feel like I'm starved for wilderness here. When you had to go in the river it looked pretty deep. Did you wear your clothes and change after or what? It seems like it would be pretty uncomfortable hiking in wet clothing.
Wow, you did a lot on that trip. Did you have to wash the cabin before putting on the oil? That looks like a very big project.
We did wear our clothes in the water. We wore nylon clothes, and they dry fast. I did wash the cabin on Saturday,two days before oiling it. It sprayed it off with the hose to remove layers of pollen and dust that had accumulated.
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