This years Lake and East Entrance rangers. A very diverse group with lots of different specialties to make everything run smooth and keep the tourists safe. (I'm on the end to the right of the pic) 

 
This is what they practice for. This suv was upside down when we got on scene. 7 people....3 kids and 4 adults. The driver was ejected because he didn't wear his seatbelt. Everyone lived! Only minor injuries...sprains, concussions and stitches. Nobody had to be cut out this day. They all crawled out on their own. Wear your seatbelts folks! 

 
Laura prying a door open. This thing was heavy!!!! I didn't envy her job in 40lbs of turn out gear in direct afternoon sun. Some of us went out for icecream after :) 

 
Using the door might be easier, but this is extrication training for the fire dept. We get occational rollover and other types of accident here, so the fire dept needs to practice how to use all the extrication equipment safely. Becides, I think they really enjoy destroying cars. 

 
Barbie getting ready to catch Brian if he falls. He didn't fall and climbed a really nice "crack" in the rock. 

 
A picture of Brian after he finished setting the route. He lead climbed the route to set up topropes so the rest of us could climb safely. 

 
Rock climbing in Cody, WY. Most climbing pictures end up being shots of the other persons butt since the pics are taken from the ground. Kind of funny actually. Four of us went. A nurse, a PA(physician's assistant), a paramedic and a LE ranger. At least if we got hurt, there was enough people to help out. 

 
A view looking west on the same trail. Snake river to the east, Grand Tetons to the west, sunny, 75F and no humidity.......life is such a terrible thing where I live :) 

 
A view of the snake river in the back ground. A friend and I mountain biked 30 miles on sat. 15 off road and 15 on. I slept really good that night :) 

 
This female elk actually came out in the water after us. We were pretty close to shore, getting ready to explore a little cove when she came charging down the hill and into the water. It's a good thing we weren't inside the cove yet or we would have been trapped. She was very determined to take the boats out. They are very protective when it comes to their babies. I didn't see a baby near by, but that doesn't mean it wasn't bedded down in the bushes somewhere. As deep as the water was, I'm sure she could have flipped the kayaks if she got close enough. 

 
Momma otter carrying one of her babies back to the den. I'm definately not as close as it looks. She got plenty of space while she brought all three back home. 

 
Check out all the faces on the rock! Momma river otter and her three babies. Very cute! 

 
More great run off colors. Check out the gieser in the back ground. Every time it went off, it created a mini waterfall into the lake. 

 
I absolutely love the colors that the basins produce. No two areas are ever alike. 

 
A hot pot right in the middle of the water. There's a couple of these that just pop up in the lake neer the basin. You always have to pay attention to what's in front of you. 

 
West Thumb Gieser Basin from the water. Some of the mist is from the thermals and some is the cloud that hasn't lifted yet. 

 
The mist coming off the water looks really creapy. When I first put the boat in, I was paddling in a cloud. As the cloud lifted it turned out to be a great day to be on the water. 

 
Would you even dare ask for a nicer, flatter day on the water? 

 
The cave wasn't very big. Just large enought to get our two boats inside with a little room left over to turn around. The walls were covered with algea and fungus, but no bats. The smell was terrible inside. Not sure if it was from the fungus or the fact that it sits below a thermal area. 

 
Pics from within! 

 
We found a cave below Steamboat Point. And of course we had to go check it out! 

 
A bald eagle looking for breakfast. It was hanging out on the edge of the lake the other day when I was paddling. 

 
If it wasn't for the green backdrop, one would think we were walking on the moon. 

 
The thermal areas are cool because they just pop up all over the place. Rolling green hills or forest and then suddenly a giant, hot, bleached out area of earth. The area we were in was pretty large. The size of the thermals varies quite a bit throughout the park. 

 
Mmmmmm.....left over bison. Karen got hungry on our hike and descided she needed a snack.I think she prefers hers cooked.