Great Loop Section #4

9/18/14-9/22/14 243 miles down-Pebble Creek campground to Mammoth Hot Springs

Rain greeted us as we left the Pebble Creek campground, it would be our companion for the next two days as we made our way up and over Bliss Pass.

A small herd of big horn sheep on the east side of Bliss Pass.

Zack, soaked to the bone, approaching the pass.

As we approached Slough Creek the weather started to clear up. The sunlight gave us a well deserved reprieve from the downpour. I was muddy, cold, and wet. It is amazing how a little sunlight can turn your day around. When we walked into the Slough Creek campground the camp host approached us. “Sorry no sites available” she said. Dumbfounded we stared blankly back at her for a moment.

“You’ll just have to pitch your tent out in the field by my camper” she added.

Those words were music to our ears. Thank you!

During our trip planning for this adventure we had been invited by a friend to visit the Buffalo Plateau Patrol Cabin. He was working on the cabin on and off throughout the summer and he told us we could camp there if we passed through the area. We decided on a route that would take us north of the Park boundary for a few miles. We would then traverse along the Poacher Trail for two miles before reentering the park. The cabin was located just south of the Park’s northern boundary.

Buffalo Creek just North of Yellowstone.

Zack crossing Buffalo Creek.

View from the meadow south of the cabin.

Arriving at the Buffalo Plateau cabin turned out to be one of the great moments of the trip. A group of great friends had made the trek out to the cabin to meet us. We had a fabulous evening catching up with old friends and getting to know new ones. It was a great mix of like minded people that truly love Yellowstone. Good food, campfire, cold beer, and great conversation!

This is what I looked like when I found out that we would be having endless Sloppy Joe’s for dinner! Oh, and cold PBRs to wash them down.

It is the little things in life.

We had a late start the following morning, it was difficult to leave the comfort of friends. It was well after noon when we finally packed our things and hit the trail. The long downhill from the cabin was covered in sheds. There was seldom a moment when we couldn’t make out at least one antler in the tall yellow grass.

We camped at the confluence of Hellroaring creek and Yellowstone River.

I can’t remember exactly what we were discussing when I took this picture. Based on Zack’s expression I feel like he might be educating me on merits of his Jetboil. Nightly his water would boil several minutes before mine. Minutes are a big deal when it comes to dinner time on a long distance hike!