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Touring through Yellowstone & Grand Teton

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Touring through Yellowstone & Grand Teton

Old 05-21-17, 07:34 AM
  #51  
Pemetic2006
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I've camped in Yellowstone many times. My wife and I (and my father and step mother) will be camping in GTNP this August.
As far as eating in your tent is concerned I'll vote with the side that's saying don't do that.
In fact, two years ago at Tower Campground in Yellowstone our camp neighbors got a fine for leaving the campsite and leaving water bottles sitting outside instead of in their car or in the bear box.
Anyway, that cycling trip sounds great.
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Old 05-21-17, 07:14 PM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by Doug64
It was just outside of Lake Louise in Alberta.
Wow I rode a 1200k thru there the Rocky Mountain 1200k. I did see plenty of wildlife on that ride, A couple of riders had wolves cross the road in front of them.

Zman
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Old 05-21-17, 09:35 PM
  #53  
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During breakfast, this guy went right through our campsite. I was putting something in my bar bag, which put me close to my camera. This was in BC.


He went right between us and the green bear box. He was on a mission and did not even slow down. Our site overlooked the river.
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Old 05-21-17, 09:42 PM
  #54  
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This is a Yellowstone NP shot. The greatest danger we encountered there was when a pickup truck spooked a bison which shot across the road, going through the 15 foot gap between my wife and me. I did not get any pictures!


Last edited by Doug64; 05-21-17 at 10:01 PM.
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Old 05-21-17, 09:56 PM
  #55  
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We decided not to camp close to this location.
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Old 05-23-17, 10:14 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by Doug64
Give the Old Columbia Gorge Highway a try. It is a very scenic route with some challenging hills available for fun.
We've ridden out to Cascade Locks twice and camped at the campground there at the base of the Bridge of the Gods. Once we took 14 in Washington. The other time we took the Columbia River Scenic Bikeway and I think the road we used also was the Old Columbia River Gorge Highway. It's the narrow 2 lane road that parallels 84 right?
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Old 05-23-17, 10:17 PM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by Doug64
Give the Old Columbia Gorge Highway a try. It is a very scenic route with some challenging hills available for fun.
Originally Posted by Pemetic2006
I've camped in Yellowstone many times. My wife and I (and my father and step mother) will be camping in GTNP this August.
As far as eating in your tent is concerned I'll vote with the side that's saying don't do that.
In fact, two years ago at Tower Campground in Yellowstone our camp neighbors got a fine for leaving the campsite and leaving water bottles sitting outside instead of in their car or in the bear box.
Anyway, that cycling trip sounds great.
Water?

Yeah we are looking forward to it! My other half was in a bad bike/car accident in February so this will be his first go since then.

But we're in shape! Today we rode 38.78 miles in 3:00 flat with 2,300ft elevation gain. Still short of our longest day of this trip but today was easy so can't see us running into any difficulties.
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Old 05-24-17, 09:39 AM
  #58  
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Somebody mentioned the narrow roads and heavy traffic in Yellowstone. There could be bumper to bumper motor homes, trailers and buses. Chances are very good there will also be herds of bison on the road, and those guys are big, quick and unpredictable. There might also be "bear jams" with vehicles stopped to look at bears which might be black or grizzly, off the road or on it. I think being eaten by a griz while camping is only one of the concerns I would have.
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Old 05-24-17, 10:46 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by Bike Hermit
Somebody mentioned the narrow roads and heavy traffic in Yellowstone. There could be bumper to bumper motor homes, trailers and buses. Chances are very good there will also be herds of bison on the road, and those guys are big, quick and unpredictable. There might also be "bear jams" with vehicles stopped to look at bears which might be black or grizzly, off the road or on it. I think being eaten by a griz while camping is only one of the concerns I would have.
That was the beauty of riding through Yellowstone on a bike. We could go around stopped traffic, and stop wherever we wanted. Traffic was not a problem, when we rode through there is mid-July.

We did have a little excitement with a bison at one of the "bison jams".
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Old 05-24-17, 10:54 AM
  #60  
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I nearly got doored riding in Yellowstone when someone pulled over and opened their door because someone else thought they saw something with four legs and a tail up on a hillside. Good thing I was going up hill and thus slowly.
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Old 05-24-17, 12:13 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by Pemetic2006
As far as eating in your tent is concerned I'll vote with the side that's saying don't do that.
^ This. Ditto.

Was in a different spot than the GT/Yellowstone area, but years ago to avoid an infestation of kamikaze mosquotoes we opted to cook in the vestibule area, which saturated the whole tent and all its contents with "dinner" smells. Soon after which, a very large and hungry black bear came along (from the direction of the non-door side of the tent) ... and it proceeded to shred every inch of that tent and all our belongings.

Since then, we've always cooked near a stream, washed thoroughly, changed clothes, and avoided inundating the tent/contents with "dinner" smells. Only way to do it, I'd say. Once burned, and all.


Sounds like a fantstic trip planned. Enjoy.
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Old 05-24-17, 12:26 PM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Bike Hermit
Somebody mentioned the narrow roads and heavy traffic in Yellowstone. There could be bumper to bumper motor homes, trailers and buses. Chances are very good there will also be herds of bison on the road, and those guys are big, quick and unpredictable. There might also be "bear jams" with vehicles stopped to look at bears which might be black or grizzly, off the road or on it. I think being eaten by a griz while camping is only one of the concerns I would have.
We plan to ride early and late to avoid the midday traffic! We'll reach most of our campgrounds by noon and/or be within a few miles of them before it gets too busy.

Originally Posted by Doug64
That was the beauty of riding through Yellowstone on a bike. We could go around stopped traffic, and stop wherever we wanted. Traffic was not a problem, when we rode through there is mid-July.

We did have a little excitement with a bison at one of the "bison jams".
Good to know! When my other half rode through last year he didn't have an issue with traffic and they were really busy. He pulled over for motorhomes and otherwise every one was super nice he said!

We were told by a ranger via email that bison are actually more of a danger than the bears due to the shear number of them.

Originally Posted by indyfabz
I nearly got doored riding in Yellowstone when someone pulled over and opened their door because someone else thought they saw something with four legs and a tail up on a hillside. Good thing I was going up hill and thus slowly.
Was it in a "no parking" zone? Last year when my other half rode through he was following a car that pulled over in a "no parking" zone and a lady got out of the car and stepped into the road without looking. She was hit and killed instantly. He says the sound of it still bothers him

Woman killed in Yellowstone National Park was trying to take photo of an Eagle | fox13now.com
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Old 05-24-17, 12:33 PM
  #63  
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Originally Posted by BikeliciousBabe
Was it in a "no parking" zone?
Don't remember. That was 17 years ago. Haven't been back since.


Did you hear about the guy hiking in 2015 who was killed and cached by a grizzly? He was the ex-husband of a student and good friend of mine in law school. (I was a research and writing T.A.)


This is a highly detailed report about his death:


https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie...rt%20final.pdf
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Old 05-24-17, 12:50 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Don't remember. That was 17 years ago. Haven't been back since.


Did you hear about the guy hiking in 2015 who was killed and cached by a grizzly? He was the ex-husband of a student and good friend of mine in law school. (I was a research and writing T.A.)


This is a highly detailed report about his death:


https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie...rt%20final.pdf
I didn't hear about it but it's sad. I'm more sad they killed the bear. Humans take over animals territory and somehow it's the animals fault.

I'm sorry about your friend though!
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Old 05-24-17, 04:53 PM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by BikeliciousBabe
Water?

Yeah we are looking forward to it! My other half was in a bad bike/car accident in February so this will be his first go since then.

But we're in shape! Today we rode 38.78 miles in 3:00 flat with 2,300ft elevation gain. Still short of our longest day of this trip but today was easy so can't see us running into any difficulties.
Yes, water bottles are considered "food" and must be stored in your car or a bear box when you are not at your site. You also cannot keep cosmetics, soap, etc unoccupied or in your tent. They are very serious about this. And they should be. Bears should not associate humans with food and taking care to insure that doesn't happen keeps you and the bear safe.
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Old 05-27-17, 11:40 AM
  #66  
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Originally Posted by Pemetic2006
Yes, water bottles are considered "food" and must be stored in your car or a bear box when you are not at your site. You also cannot keep cosmetics, soap, etc unoccupied or in your tent. They are very serious about this. And they should be. Bears should not associate humans with food and taking care to insure that doesn't happen keeps you and the bear safe.
Hmm interesting. I can't sleep without a water bottle next to me cause I wake up all the time and have to have a drink. The other stuff is understandable.
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Old 05-27-17, 01:38 PM
  #67  
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so i'm gathering from this thread that when i caught a trout (Hidden Lake iirc), cooked it, setup camp and slept next to my tent in an impromptu camping site near the summit of Logan Pass in Glacier, i was putting myself at risk?

BTW, the park ranger that gave me permission to camp outside of the regular campsites (off hanging gardens), mentioned in passing that there was a Grizzly living up there, but he, or she, was a 'good one'. whatever that means. i have to admit i didn't sleep too well that night...

Last edited by hueyhoolihan; 05-27-17 at 03:24 PM.
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Old 05-28-17, 12:39 AM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by hueyhoolihan
so i'm gathering from this thread that when i caught a trout (Hidden Lake iirc), cooked it, setup camp and slept next to my tent in an impromptu camping site near the summit of Logan Pass in Glacier, i was putting myself at risk?

BTW, the park ranger that gave me permission to camp outside of the regular campsites (off hanging gardens), mentioned in passing that there was a Grizzly living up there, but he, or she, was a 'good one'. whatever that means. i have to admit i didn't sleep too well that night...
Pretty much! Glacier is on the agenda next year I think! It depends on where we move for work tho.
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Old 05-28-17, 07:42 AM
  #69  
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An odd question.
I'm an old guy so I pee often during the night. If camping I use a gatoraide bottle so that I don't have to leave the tent. So is the smell of urine included in the list of things that might attract bears?
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Old 05-28-17, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Squeezebox
An odd question.
I'm an old guy so I pee often during the night. If camping I use a gatoraide bottle so that I don't have to leave the tent. So is the smell of urine included in the list of things that might attract bears?
Good question. I keep a shewee in the tent and my other half keeps a bottle. Generally once we get in the tent we don't get out until the morning. If we use them they get placed outside the door.
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Old 05-28-17, 05:17 PM
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Water is not really considered food or a bear attractant but it is hard for staff to differentiate between that and juice, pop etc... Also, it's seen as a slippery slope thing as far as enforcement. People who leave one thing out will probably leave the other. It's far easier to enforce a blanket policy than to argue endlessly about various items.

If someone does like bears they should go along with the no food policy. A habituated bear is a dead bear is a common concept and the rule is to protect them as well as people.
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Old 05-30-17, 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted by BikeliciousBabe
Does anyone know if the campgrounds there take debit/credit or should we plan to have cash? Madison and Bridge Bay will be free for us but the others....?
The bigger campgrounds took card, if i remember correctly. The smaller ones were cash only. I didn't have cash for one of them and the camp leader(whatever it's called) pretty much said that she wouldn't know if I paid or not. I don't imagine any of the campgrounds rejecting a bicyclist or hiker to the distance and elevation changes in between. Even if the campground sign says full, go ahead and ask, they usually don't advertise their hiker/biker sites. i bought some wood at one of them and the staff drove it to my site for me.

I did the portion from West Yellowstone to the upper circle and down the east side. I probably ended up doing 40 miles a day due to weather and sightseeing. The traffic wasn't terrible and tourist were very talkative at the stops. Even had an RV group give me some Bison Spaghetti. I would be more worried about bear-jams in the middle of a downhill than speeding traffic.

The fish and game campground near Ennis was cash only.
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Old 05-30-17, 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Water is not really considered food or a bear attractant but it is hard for staff to differentiate between that and juice, pop etc... Also, it's seen as a slippery slope thing as far as enforcement. People who leave one thing out will probably leave the other. It's far easier to enforce a blanket policy than to argue endlessly about various items.

If someone does like bears they should go along with the no food policy. A habituated bear is a dead bear is a common concept and the rule is to protect them as well as people.

When we had that bear come into our campsite because of the chili on the rocks and later that day I came across some Park Rangers and they said they would close the campground down instead of getting rid of the bear. I saw a post earlier asking about whether urine would draw a bear into camp or not. I don't think so but I think this. At that campsite in Glacier they had trouble with bear in that area before. My 1st clue should have been the pit toilet about 300 yards or more from the campsite. There were claw marks on the wood all around the toilet. If I knew I was in bear country for that reason I probably would poop as far away from the tent as possible and make sure it is buried really well after that encounter in Glacier.

Zman
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Old 05-30-17, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Turkey222
The bigger campgrounds took card, if i remember correctly. The smaller ones were cash only. I didn't have cash for one of them and the camp leader(whatever it's called) pretty much said that she wouldn't know if I paid or not. I don't imagine any of the campgrounds rejecting a bicyclist or hiker to the distance and elevation changes in between. Even if the campground sign says full, go ahead and ask, they usually don't advertise their hiker/biker sites. i bought some wood at one of them and the staff drove it to my site for me.

I did the portion from West Yellowstone to the upper circle and down the east side. I probably ended up doing 40 miles a day due to weather and sightseeing. The traffic wasn't terrible and tourist were very talkative at the stops. Even had an RV group give me some Bison Spaghetti. I would be more worried about bear-jams in the middle of a downhill than speeding traffic.

The fish and game campground near Ennis was cash only.
All of the campgrounds in Yellowstone & Grand Teton take debit/credit. We were able to confirm this after I asked. Ty got in touch with his friends that are host there.

You mean bison jams I assume?
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Old 05-31-17, 07:23 PM
  #75  
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@BikeliciousBabe and I will be at Bridge Bay now instead of Fishing Bridge. They don't allow tents at Fishing Bridge and our friends who are host there were unable to clear it with the NPS. But we know the host at Bridge Bay as well.

A small edit to the original itinerary that Payton posted.

Maybe we'll see some of you on the road
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