Yellowstone

It had been a few years since we'd gone to Yellowstone in the spring, so we picked a free Saturday (there weren't many to choose from, but gratefully April 29 was open), invited Grandma and Grandpa Scott and Aunt Jessica, and headed north for a day. The park had only been open for a couple of weeks, and not all of the roads were open. I assured the kids we'd be sticking to boardwalks, so they wouldn't need hiking boots or poles or anything.

Miriam's feet are still bothering her, so we borrowed a wheelchair to spare her some pain (hence our plan to stick to boardwalks). Aunt Jessica had a wheelchair, too. We should have realized that not all the boardwalks would be clear that early in the season.

We chanced upon seeing a few geysers that erupt less frequently than, say, Old Faithful. So that was cool. I thought it would be fun to take the boardwalk all the way to Morning Glory pool, but with all the snow on the boardwalk, that made it less than fun for those in the wheelchairs and those pulling the wheelchairs through the snow. Once we had made it that far, the choices were to continue on the trail until they hit the road by Biscuit Basin (which was a shorter distance), or turn around and go back on the snow-covered boardwalks. We split up: Seth, Grandpa Scott, Ana, Miri, Winnie and Aunt Jessica continued on the trail which quickly became just a path in the dirt while Grandma Scott, Rebekah and I went back for the vehicles. Their forging ahead and our retreat and drive worked out; we met up at Biscuit Basin at about the same time. 

At that point, we ate chicken salad sandwiches for lunch, then headed to the Fountain Paint Pots. Jessica opted to stay in the car while the rest of us traversed that loop, then we drove up to Mammoth for a quick look before turning around and coming home.

Miriam, Aunt Jessica and Seth waiting for Old Faithful.

Grandma walking on the snow that covered plenty of the boardwalks. Aunt Jessica and Miriam had to get out and walk several times because there was no way to push wheelchairs through that snow.

On the boardwalks around Old Faithful.

Andrea talking pictures of Winnie on the snowy boardwalk.

Watching geysers.

Watching Grand Geyser. This one erupts every 6.5 hours, so we were lucky to catch it.

Ana taking a picture of Rebekah along the Fountain Paint Pot trail.

Family selfie at the Fountain Paint Pot area.

Crowding on the petrified tree outside the Mammoth visitors' center. The center was about to close, so we stopped long enough to use the restroom. We had hoped to go on the Upper Terrace Drive, but (surprise!) it hadn't opened yet. So we made a quick pit stop and turned around to come home.