first grizz of the season

spring

It snowed on Wednesday, and then yesterday and today it's been 70+ degrees here.  Welcome to spring in the mountains!  

On Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. some of the interior roads in the park opened again for the season--you can now travel from the north entrance to Canyon, and on down to Old Faithful and then out the west entrance.  

We've been taking advantage of the warm weather by trying to spend as much time outside as we can.  Steve on the river, me running the dirt roads along the Yellowstone River. The great thing about our new apartment is having all of the National Forest land right across the street. 

We hiked a trail above the OTO this week, and then hiked off trail in a big loop to take in all of the views.  

And really, the most consistent part of spring in the mountains is...bones scattered on the ground, remnants of winter. 

so it snowed today...

the OTO dude ranch

Having lived inside the park for our first two years here, there's still a lot of the surrounding area (National Forest) that we've yet to explore. When we moved north of town, everyone kept asking us if we'd hiked up to the OTO yet. I finally made it up there today.

A friend and I parked at the gate, and then did a run/hike combo the 1.5 miles to the ranch. The first thing I spotted was this small outcropping of cabins.


The road continues on, winds through the trees, and then I finally got my first glimpse of the main building.



In addition to the main building, there are several cabins on either side,


and they didn't seem to be in too bad of shape either.


While the OTO isn't a functioning ranch any more, it's hard not to want it to be, given the incredible views.


On the property are several other small buildings in various states, and lots of pieces of old equipment.



A path off the main road leads the way back to the original buildings that I spotted,


with an outhouse


and more equipment.



Here's a little more about the OTO Dude Ranch, which closed permanently in 1939.