Exploring Yellowstone Hikes, Wildlife and Wonder! An AMC Adventure Travel Trip #1929 August 9-18, 2019 A trip to Yellowstone is a visit to the largest active geyser field on Earth. Established in 1872 as America s first national park, Yellowstone is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone are Old Faithful and a collection of the world s most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (right) and Yellowstone Lake. Enjoy eight days of hiking and exploration in all corners of Yellowstone National Park and marvel at the abundant wildlife and geothermal features. Our hikes and travels will take us through the wildlife rich valleys, to majestic vistas, across the continental divide, and along the painted canyon walls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone River. We will marvel at the multitude of geysers, thermal features and hot springs that Yellowstone is renowned for. We will visit visitor centers and attend Yellowstone Park Ranger programs as time and inclination permit. Day 1, Friday, 8/9/19 Fly to Bozeman, Montana where we will rent cars, gather supplies, check into our hotel and have a welcome dinner at a local brewpub. Day 2, Saturday, 8/10/19 Drive into Yellowstone National Park heading south towards Old Faithful, perhaps the most famous geyser in America. Along the way we ll take in amazing views and scenery. We ll be sure not to miss Artist Paint Pots (1.2 mile) and Monument Geyser (2.4 mile) along the way. We ll drive along Fire Hole Lake Drive, with its many geysers and hot pools, most certainly catching glimpses of the bison that summer in the park. We ll arrive at Old Faithful Village where we will spend the next two nights. Day 3, Sunday, 8/11/19 Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 1 of 7
Yellowstone is renowned for its numerous geothermal features, and we ll spend the day walking along the boardwalks and paths viewing many of the Park s wonders. Foremost, will be a viewing of Old Faithful (left), discovered in 1870 by the Washburn-Doane Expedition. We will hike along Upper Geyser Basin (5.0 miles) a classic hike through Yellowstone s many geysers and hot springs, as well as the world s largest concentration of hot springs, and will marvel at the wildlife and bison that are ubiquitous throughout the Park. Day 4, Monday, 8/12/19 As we drive east towards Yellowstone Lake and cross the Continental Divide at Craig Pass, we will hike to Riddle Lake (4.8 mile), which has one of the most beautiful lakeside beaches in the Park. We have a day in front of us full of wondrous geothermal features! We'll stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin (below) (1 mile) and hike through a rich geothermal area that features Thumb Paintpots, Seismograph and Bluebell Pools, Twin Geyser, Ephedra Spring and more! We will arrive at Lakes Village where we will spend the next three nights. Time permitting, after dinner we ll visit Natural Bridge (2.5 mile), to a feature that looks like it should be in the great canyonlands. Day 5, Tuesday, 8/13/19 We spend the morning hiking to 10,568 ft. Avalanche Peak, for a truly spectacular view of the eastern part of Yellowstone Park. This short, but steep 4.2-mile hike gains 2,120 ft. This hike provides some of the best views of the stunning scenery and expansive wilderness that make up Yellowstone National Park. The views from this rocky, treeless summit are quite spectacular, encompassing many remote peaks and valleys, Yellowstone Lake and the distant Teton Range, 50 miles away. We ll use the afternoon for a short drive to Mud Volcano and hike a 1.0-mile loop through the dirtiest part of the park! This area features extremely hot mud pots, fissures and craters, all of which give off a lovely, but really terrible, sulfurous smell. We can then replace those smells by relaxing on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. Day 6, Wednesday, 8/14/19 The Seven Mile Hole Trail combines all the best elements of the Park into one hike. It starts along the rim of the precipitous Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, passes through pine forest and meadows and descends into the canyon to the river s edge, passing an active geothermal area containing several hot pools and vents. This 10-mile hike with 1,400 ft. of elevation gain, all on the climb back out of the canyon, is hugely rewarding! While we are in Canyon area, we ll hike down Uncle Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 2 of 7
Tom s Trail - which is actually a staircase, and not a trail - into the depths of the Grand Canyon. We will view Lower Falls, a 308-foot drop, and the biggest in all of Yellowstone. After dinner, let s consider returning to view Lower Yellowstone Falls from Artist s Point during sunset, when the light on the canyon walls is magnificent. Day 7, Thursday, 8/15/19 What better place to snag sweet vistas of Yellowstone s stunning topography than the aptly-named Observation Peak? (right) This 10.5-mile hike with 1,400 ft. of elevation gain offers unbeatable views of the park. The trail winds through meadows and patches of lodgepole forest. We ll take in the scenery at Cascade Lake then climb to the 9,397 summit where panoramas become more picturesque with every step until we reach the best views at the top of the peak. On our way to the hike, we drive through Hayden Valley, which offers some of the best opportunities in the Park to see herds of bison and occasional elk. We ll check into our cabins at Mammoth Hot Springs where we ll spend the next two nights. Day 8, Friday, 8/16/19 Pebble Creek may have the most exhilarating views, at the least energy expense, of any day hike in the park. For almost the entire 12-mile length, there are non-stop rugged vistas full of 10,000-foot peaks and buttresses. The hike climbs 500 feet at its start and is downhill the rest of the way, fording the stream four times through ankle-to-calf deep water. Bring your sandals! On our drive to this hike, we go through the Lamar Valley, an area known for its bison traffic jams! Sam has seen badger and a wolf in this area. Day 9, Saturday, 8/17/19 We will hike around Garnet Hill, an 8-mile loop with 720 ft. of elevation gain. We ll hike through Pleasant Valley and rolling grassland where herds of bison graze nearby. The trail skirts Yellowstone River and takes in expansive views of the rugged Absaroka Mountains and Specimen Ridge. Before leaving the Park, we ll hike a short way into Boiling River (1.0 mile), where we will swim and bath in 100 water! Bring your bathing suits and water shoes! Leaving both the wild and the wildlife behind us, we ll head to Bozeman for our final night and farewell dinner. Day 10, Sunday, 8/18/19 Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 3 of 7
It s been a most wondrous time spent in one of Nation s premier national parks. We ll hold closely our memories and joy as we board our flights for home. Typical Participants This is a trip for experienced hikers who enjoy an active but relaxed vacation. You should be fit enough to walk 5 to 12 miles per day for several days (approximately 4-6 hours of hiking/walking per day) in a row with a day pack with your personal gear (i.e., rain gear, pack lunch, extra layers, etc.) in all different weather conditions. Elevation gain/loss are not large and will range between 100 and 2100. This is a group activity, and we will be spending many, but not all, hours together. We expect that everyone will pitch in and contribute to helping each other have a great time. It may happen on any trip that a trip member is or becomes unable to participate in one or more of the planned activities. Leaders in their sole judgment have the right and obligation to refuse participation in any activity to any group member for reasons of safety, whether it be of the group or of the individual. Illness, injury or lack of proper gear or fitness for a particular activity are examples of some conditions that might result in a participant s being unable to perform one or more activity. Leaders may try to find a substitute activity for the trip member, but this may not always be possible. Because we are renting vehicles, it will be necessary to have drivers and alternates for those vehicles (which are regular passenger sedans or minivans, not large 10-12 passenger vans). Participants who volunteer to drive will have their driving records checked by AMC, after they give permission for this. What to Expect This trip is rated moderate. Our pace will be reasonable so that we may enjoy the scenery and gain an appreciation for this beautiful national park and its wildlife. If you enjoy a fast pace, you may be disappointed as we intend to stop and take time to take pictures. Our accommodations will be at a comfortable motel in Bozeman and simple cabins in the Park. There are no single rooms available; all single travelers will be paired with a same gender roommate. Important Note mileages shown in the itinerary are estimates only. Leaders reserve the right to change our daily itinerary due to weather, trail closures and/or other unforeseen circumstances. We appreciate everyone s cooperation in this matter. Cost of the Trip The trip will cost $2,350 for AMC members, $2,450 for non-members. Non-members may join and enjoy the member discount. A single membership is $50 or $25 for seniors (70+). Included: lodging, intrip transportation, all dinners and most other meals and emergency medical and evacuation insurance. Your round-trip airfare to Bozeman which we currently estimate at $800 is not included. Leaders will be glad to provide information on suggested airlines and schedules and/or assist you in booking your flights. Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 4 of 7
The trip fee includes an AMC overhead charge to cover the administrative expenses of offering AMC Adventure Travel excursions and, in accordance with AMC policies, you are subsidizing some of the leaders costs. The trip fee also includes emergency medical and evacuation insurance coverage which is required by AMC. The price for this excursion is based on quotes or estimates obtained at the time the trip was submitted to the Adventure Travel Committee for approval. The final price of the trip will be adjusted in accordance with the best final arrangements we can make. If the trip s financial position is strong enough at the start, the leaders may make partial refunds during the trip, in the form of payments toward some additional meals and/or free time activities which would otherwise not be included. Any savings we achieve, as well as any cost increases we incur, will be shared by trip participants. Our cost estimates are conservative, and so a refund is considerably more likely than a price increase. All Adventure Travel trips are run on a non-profit basis and refunds, if any, are issued after the trip s financial accounting is complete. Note: The trip cost does not include insurance for travel delay, interruption or cancellation of the trip, or baggage loss. Purchasing such insurance is strongly suggested. The leaders will send you information to help you purchase this insurance through a preferred AMC vendor or you may purchase through your own preferred vendor. Please note that most of these types of travel insurance require you to purchase the insurance within a certain number of days after booking your trip, so once you have received a formal acceptance letter, please do not delay in purchasing your insurance if you choose to do so. Safety As participant safety is a high priority for all AMC-sponsored events, procedures and policies have been developed to attempt to limit participant risk. Participants are expected to work with volunteer leaders to reduce risks and make the experience successful for all. Participants should be aware that there are risks associated with outdoor adventure activities, including but not limited to adverse weather and environmental conditions, remote locations of our trips and camps, and transportation in vehicles, on foot, by boat, or on a bike. When you apply for acceptance onto a trip, please carefully read and sign the Adventure Travel Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks and Release and Indemnity Agreement and call if you have any questions. How to Proceed To apply to the trip, email the leaders letting them know that you are interested in receiving the trip application forms. We will send you the application, risk release, and medical forms which you will need to print, complete, sign and return along with the required deposit check of $1000 made payable to the Appalachian Mountain Club. Send to leader Sam Jamke at the address on the application. Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 5 of 7
Your official acceptance onto the trip will not happen until the leaders have determined by a telephone conversation with you that you and the trip are a good match. Once you have been officially accepted and the trip has the required number of qualified participants to make the trip a go, your check will be deposited and the trip s cancellation policy will take effect (see below). The rest of the trip fee ($1350, or $1450 if a non-amc member) will be due by May 1, 2019. Please note: Airfare, if booked by leaders, is due at time of booking. Cancellation Policy Our cancellation policy is based on several considerations. First, a cancellation shall not raise the cost to the other participants or to the leaders Second, we will charge a canceling participant for the expenses already incurred on his/her behalf and any unavoidable future expenses that will be incurred as a result of his/her registration, unless they can be applied toward another acceptable participant Third, to discourage uncommitted people from applying for the trip, we have a schedule of minimum cancellation penalties, applicable once you have been accepted: Cancellation Penalty $0 penalty if canceled (in writing) before January 1, 2019, less any funds that fall into the category of the second bullet above $250 penalty if cancelled (in writing) from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2019, plus any funds that fall into the category of the second bullet above. No refund if cancelled after April 30, 2019 THE LEADERS Sam Jamke Sam is a four-season hike leader with the NH chapter and former Chapter Chair. She has led about twelve Adventure Travel trips, including six hutto-hut trips in Patagonia and New Zealand, as well as the first-ever AMC trip to the tiny Duchy of Luxembourg in 2017. She is also a hike leader for AMC August Camp. She has climbed the White Mountain Four Thousand Footers and the New England Hundred Highest in winter. Her other hiking venues include many western states, Morocco, the UK, Scotland, Canada, and Antarctica. Sam is a former AMC Information Volunteer and a former member of the Club s Board of Directors. Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 6 of 7
Beth Zimmer Beth has been playing in the woods as long as she can remember, and she has been actively hiking since 1991. An all-season hiker, Beth has completed the W48, NEHH, NH200 and she has even red-lined the entire White Mountain Guide. Beth particularly enjoys bushwhacking and the rewards of off-trail navigation, as well as visiting new places. In addition to being an active hike leader, Beth enjoys teaching map and compass skills, GPS navigational skills, backpacking and winter hiking skills. Beth spent three years as the AMC NH Chapter's Secretary, and presently she is Co-Chair for the AMC NH Excursion Committee. Contact for More Information: Sam Jamke 96 Jenkins Road Bedford, NH 03110 603-472-2536/land samjamke@myfairpoint.net Beth Zimmer 294 Chemung Road Meredith, NH 03253 603-707-9498/cell btzimr@gmail.com Packing List Boots Gaiters if you like Daypack (big enough to carry your food, water, extra clothing, rain gear, camera, etc.) Personal first aid kit (blister care, medications, Band-Aids, whatever you generally need) Poles, if used (pack in checked baggage) Water shoes for hot springs and stream fords Casual clothes for evening and travel Non-cotton hiking clothing, including warm layers Sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses Insect repellent Rain gear Toiletries Camera, charger, extra batteries* Flashlight or headlamp and batteries* National Parks pass, if you have one and are willing to use for admission Water bottles or hydration system 2-3 liters/quarts Driver s license, if a volunteer driver *Note that certain types of batteries cannot be packed in your checked baggage see this site for info or check with your airline. Yellowstone 2019 Jamke-Zimmer 7 of 7