Fine Art Portfolio | Firehole Falls There’s nothing like Yellowstone in the winter. It’s my favorite time to visit. The falls are located about half a mile upstream from the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers at Madison Junction. With only a 40 foot drop, Firehole Falls aren’t real tall; just majestic, with unsurpassed rugged beauty. It was a cold, overcast dull day in the middle of winter. This image looks better to me in B&W.
The Back Story Capturing this image was not so simple. Do Not Try This! Several People Have Been Injured! The falls lie about a hundred feet below the road. It was bit of a decent and climb back up to get this shot. In fact, it’s dangerous. Actually, the park rangers have now blocked off the way down to the river. Probably, too many people were falling; it’s really steep. I was the only one from the snow coach foolish enough to make the trip to the river bottom. I would not try it again without an experienced climbing buddy and a rope. Once along the river, what a reward. To capture this image, I used a tripod with its feet in the water. The river bank hugs the canyon wall so there’s not much room to maneuver. I tried to fall in the river, but luckily was unsuccessful. For more images and information about Yellowstone, see Yellowstone NP Wild | a 7 Image Story.
Details…
| Event | A Winter Day Trip to Yellowstone NP via Snow Coach |
| Location | Yellowstone NP at Firehole Falls |
| Date/Time | 2/22/2009 10:50 am Local Time |
| Weather | Overcast Skies | 3°F | CALM Winds |
| Method | Leave snow coach, climb down steep river bank (trail now closed, too dangerous), put tripod in water, capture images without falling into the water, climb back up the river bank (really need a rope), be happy you are still alive. |
| Gear | Nikon D200 with 18-200mm lens |
