Yellowstone mob scene help

[john reed]

We are going to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons in the middle of July and I'm, of course, taking my Sinar F1 along for the ride. I've perused the forum entries for topics on these locations and have come away with the impression that I'm heading into the National Park's version of Shinjuku Station at rush hour. I've talked my long suffering wife into getting a ridiculously early start to beat the crowds but, since we're at the West entrance, this tactic will only cover the Old Faithful and canyon areas, I'd like some advice as to what other LF photogenic areas of the Park would be less populated later in the day (like say 8:00 AM on). We only have three days so I have to make them count.

Thanks for your help,

jr

[Heroique]

8:00 a.m. is pre-crowd, but not for long.

If you can possibly manage it, best is 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – the park is yours alone at every mud pot and fumarole.

It's also "best" because in summer, Yellowstone light is magical at this time.

If it has to be 8:00 a.m. or later as you describe, the further away your photo area is from park entrances, camp sites, and the Lodge, the better!

[goamules]

The nice thing is it's a huge park, with several roads leading into different directions. That helps dilute the crowds.

[Jim Noel]

Although there are thousands of people in the park at any one time, I have never had a problem using LF equipment.

[Light Guru]

I've talked my long suffering wife into getting a ridiculously early start to beat the crowds but, since we're at the West entrance, this tactic will only cover the Old Faithful and canyon areas

The other areas of the park don't get as busy so you would have more time in the AM before they start to get crowds.

[lenser]

I remember mid summer several years ago walking across the parking lot from Old Faithful Inn to the geyser at about 6:00AM. I was totally alone except for a car circling the parking lot who oddly enough turned out to be a friend from my home town half a continent away. Anyway, no one was around the Old Faithful site for about the next half hour and then only a handful of other visitors. If you can stay near where you want to shoot and be on site just after sunrise, it may be easy to be alone at even the most visited areas.

[Leszek Vogt]

If the park is is too far away (for some) you can watch it via webcam near the Old Faithful. The geyser doesn't always hit the time mark....the last one was 20 min late (or too early for the next spouting).

http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/web...Streaming.html

I think you'll gain lots of elbow room if you go another time like Sept/Oct.

Les

[goamules]

I concur that the early bird gets the worm. I've always been an early riser, and never am I up later than any single person in any in camp. Same was true my recent National parks trip, I'd be up a 5:00AM, heave out and trice up, and be sitting in a camp chair with a book and a sleeping bag draped over me. Only hours later would the other camps start moving. If you want to take pictures, that's the time to do it, at dawn. Most tourists sleep til 7 or 8.

[john reed]

Thanks for the help folks. It will be early to rise and hit the road (my wife has offered to truncate her normal morning ritual... a greater sacrifice could not be asked). I'll post anything that looks good.

Dakotah: any idea where I can rent a bear?

jr

[David Schaller]

I also found that if you can walk more than half a mile from the trailheads, most of the tourists have turned back. Not so easy with the Sinar perhaps, but the farther you can walk away from the parking lot, the more solitude you will have.
Dave