I
was a little nervous about my first adventure on a snowmobile, fearing
I would have trouble controlling it...they are powerful, heavy
machines...capable of traveling at speeds over 100 mph....Naturally, I
never got CLOSE to that!!

After
we were given a whole fifteen minute lesson; we were on our way.  We
traveled slowly in a group to give us a chance to get the hang of how
to operate the machine.

If
Yellowstone is beautiful in the summer, it is spectacular in the
winter.  The geysers glisten off the snow; the trees can barely stand
erect from the weight of the snowfall.

Notice
the steam to the left.  Yellowstone sits on top of an active volcano. 
Throughout the park, one sees steam rising from the earth.  Old
Faithful is one of many, many geysers in the park.  We stopped here to
snap some pictures.

In
addition, we had been told to watch for animals crossing the
road...particularly bison, who roam in Yellowstone by the thousands. 
They are so numerous that they have become a problem, leaving the park
to graze in summer, often on cattlemen and farmers' crops.

There
is now a buffalo hunt once a year off the park to thin the herd.  We
did in fact have to stop several times to allow the bison to meander
across.

(Taken From Internet with permission)

The
Yellowstone River originates in Yellowstone and cuts through the valley
where we entered.  We saw the most wildlife along the river as the
animals stay close for water.  The interesting thing about this river
is that it never freezes in the winter, because  waters from the
geysers and hot springs feed into it, keeping it from freezing.  So,
the animals who do not hibernate always have a water source.  Food is a
bigger problem, with the heavy snow covering the grass.  Animals roam
throughout the park searching for what little grass they can find not
buried under the heavy snow.  Starvation can be a problem in years when
the winters are especially brutal.  Winter lasts about six months in
Yellowstone--from October to April.

As
we were stopped to let the bison cross in front of us, a buck elk with
a magnificent rack walked out of the trees on the left directly toward
us.

The
animals are not afraid of people, as they see them all the time.  We
just were warned not to make any sudden movements toward them.

One
of the hot streams flowing from steam rising from the earth.  Notice
the pockets.  These streams constantly bubble and hiss as more steam
escapes from beneath them.

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