Mammoth Hot Springs 2024

   So many times I pickout small vignettes of the bigger scene. Building and weaving together shapes and relationships excites me more than simply what, or where the location is. Later in the Story is a photo of the camera setup for a peak into the literal scene. Mammoth Hot Springs is a travertine terrace, a form of terrestrial limestone creating white, tan and rust colored stone born from mineral hot springs. Interestingly, the water that surfaces begins at 170 degrees and cascades down the tiered formations, notice the steam at the top of the color photo below. Yellowstone NP is home to over 10,000 thermal features, half of the geysers found on planet earth are within the Yellowstone eso-system. 20 people and numerous pets have died in Yellowstone’s geothermal pools, geysers, mud pots, steam vents and other thermal activities. 

   This image was made this past summer when my wife and I visited the greater Yellowstone National Park area during a six week trip out west. This was a pre-dawn setup when crowds were yet to descend on the boardwalk where I was setup. Several young people did venture by me on the boardwalk, strangely, without a word in spite of my friendly “Good Morning”. The image may not look quite as sharp because of the water cascading over much of the surface in the image. The thin layer of water resulted in moving reflections from the brighter sky above which diminished detail seen by the negative and reproduced in the final print. In hindsight, a polarizing filter would have help reduce reflected light.

   VicMom as she was affectionately named after we were the first to begin a new generation for her large, and very close Italian family. VicMom has always wanted to vacation in Montana, so a nice BnB would simply add to her experience and dovetail perfectly with my focus on photography. Gardiner Montana is home to the northern entrance to Yellowstone NP and only a mile from our BnB destination. Mammoth Hot Springs where the opening photograph was made is only 5 miles from Gardiner by way of one of the most amazing 5 mile stretches of roadway I’ve ever been on.

    We took the Beartooth Hwy out of Cody, WY on our way Gardiner, MT. named for Beartooth Mountain, seen in the photo below. The late Charles Kuralt of CBS mornings and the “On the Road with Charles Kuralt labeled US 212, the Beartooth Hwy, “The most beautiful drive in America.”  Not yet into Yellowstone NP, VicMom wrote in her daily journal, “the scenery is absolutely breathtaking” !

   An exciting and unexpected bonus to our 3-night stay in Gardiner was the Gardiner Guest House BnB located at 112 E. Main St. in Gardiner, MT phone # 406-848-9414. No website, but scores of very positive reviews on numerous travel sites. Richard and Nancy Parks own and operate the Gardiner Guest House. Richard was born in Gardiner MT and by day operates Parks Fly Shop and has an extraordinary knowledge of all things fishing in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Nancy migrated from Maine at about 20 years old, met Richard and married. In our daily breakfasts Richard would lend invaluable insights for the photographer in me as to areas only a local would have knowledge, times of day, crowded areas to avoid and so forth. Paraphrasing some quotes from VicMom’s daily journal, this BnB is one of the most charming places we stayed in, our hosts, Nancy and Richard made us feel right at home. Each gourmet breakfast was different and filled you for the day, at day’s end there would be fresh baked snacks under a glass dome by the entryway. When it came to hospitality Nancy was in her element, engaging and invested in our background and adventures that lie ahead. Eager to get out in the mornings to make photographs it was hard to leave Nancy’s breakfast table. Our amazing stay can be seen in a few photos that have been combined into a composite seen below. Being away from home for exactly 42 days there were so many memories to recall, the Gardiner Guest House BnB and Nancy and Richard was definitely a highlight for both of us. 

    Wishing all a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season, by the way, April of 2025 will be the 100th Story Behind Every Photograph…stay tuned !!