Headwaters of the Yellowstone Bed & Breakfast

Yellowstone December

We woke this morning to the first truely cold day we've had in awhile and while the grass is still brown and visible, full on December has come to Electric Peak and most of the Yellowstone plateau.  

It's a time to settle in here a little bit and to get out the knitting needles, the cider and the cookie cutters in preparation for all the activity ahead.  

We wish all our guests and friends plenty of time together in the coming month...and plenty of quiet moments just to reflect on the passing year.  

PEACE.

The Reid Family 

The Riverview Cabin Story

 

If you ask me to tell you about the Riverview Cabin's history, I'm afraid there would be holes in my story. During much of it's construction I think you'd find me hiding somewhere (avoiding work) reading comic books or National Geographic back issues (many of which still grace the shelves of the cabin).  If you did catch me hiding, I would be sure to complain about "the land" and give you a number of good reasons why my parents were torturing me on a weekend by making me sit around while they worked on it's construction.  If you think it brings satisfaction to my parents to know that it's my idea of paradise now, you'd be absolutely right.  

The land that the Riverview Cabin sits on was purchased by my parents in 1969.  At that time I was 7 years old; my siblings were 5 and 3.  My father was the resident minister in Yellowstone National Park and we lived in Mammoth Hot Springs, 8 miles to the south.  Since my memories get a little fuzzy here (see above), I've asked my dad to tell the early story of the cabin's construction.

 
 Merv Olson:  We purchased the land in 1969 from Tony and Agnes Stermitz.  It was Tony’s winter horse pasture and was virgin land covered with large sagebrush – some were nearly 10 feet tall!  The first project was to eliminate the sagebrush by pulling it out with a pickup and a chain and burning it.  The kids would ride in the back of the pickup until the sagebrush took over all the room.  We left one large sagebrush on the hillside behind the Riverview Cabin to remind us of those days. 

 We decided that a well was needed so we worked on a joint well with Ted and Holly Scott, our neighbors then and now, located on the property line.  We dug that well by hand and cribbed it with some lodgepole logs and sheets of plywood as we got deeper.  It was below the top of the water table so we had a pulley with a five-gallon bucket to lift the muck out.  We had a cave-in that scared us so we gave up on hole #1 and decided to each have our own well.  Our well was dug with a backhoe and then dug to 28 feet by hand.  [It is now used for irrigating our landscape and garden and for water for the bathhouse.]  This well served us until 1999 when Van Dyken drilled out current well to about 70 feet which now serves all the other buildings on the property.

After the well we put in a septic system with my brother, Dale’s help.  He lived with us during the summer during his teen years.  First we rented a trailer spot.  After we saved a little income from that we started building a cbain in the summer of 1972 for our vacation cabin.  Warren Wagner, a local contractor, dug into the hillside for the foundation.  I dug a trench, mixed the concrete and poured the footings.  Mr. Lundgren from Livingston was hired to build the foundation walls with concrete block and I mixed the concrete mortar.  We were a great team.

      
 
The subfloor was laid and the trusses were assembled on the subfloor and then laid on the hillside while we framed the walls.  Fred Bent and Leon Shaul, family friends, helped raise the trusses.  The first day we tried to do this we put one truss up but realized that the wind was too dangerous so we completed the job another day.  There was no deck in front so it was a long way down to the ground from the roof peak!

The cabin was enclosed just before we left Yellowstone and moved to Malta, Montana.  [Where my dad accepted a pastoral call to a Lutheran church.]  The joke was that every intern had to work on the cabin the day after Easter before the annual pastoral conference at Chico Hot Springs.  The rafters were salvaged from the flat roof of the Gardiner Community Church when an addition was made to the church annex in 1974. 

The deck was added in the summer of 1978.  The 2x12s came from the railroad tressel tht was dismantled just north of the Gardiner school.  We hauled them in the back of the pickup and nearly blew the tires they were so heavy! 

We enjoyed using the cabin for vacations but when the gold mine in Jardine opened there was a demand for housing and Charissa was entering college, so we rented the cabin from then to about 2000.

Some remodeling projects included new windows in the 80s and a new bathroom in 2002.  The cost of the windows was bout 2/3 of the cost of the building of the original cabin.  A new room was installed (metal) after the fires of 1988 by Tim and Charissa’s brother David.  David frightened us all by falling from the room during that project but, thankfully, he was not seriously hurt.  Tim and Charissa have made many changes as well since they moved here in 2009.       

My parents, Merv and Joyce, shared this cabin with many, many people before it became a part of their business.  It hosted youth groups, hunters, friends of friends of friends, and our family on holiday.  Many hands have worked on it's walls; Tim and mine among them.  It's on going project.  

This year we celebrate its 38th year of keeping people warm and dry while they gaze at the amazing Yellowstone National Park view.  All thanks to the foresight and imagination of my parents.  (No thanks to me....but ask me anything about those National Geographics!)  We consider ourselves very lucky to be a part of that legacy. 

Our Montana Summer Reboot

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.  ~Author Unknown

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.  ~Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.  ~Ovid

It’s been over a year since I posted on my blog. The weight of having to write something fantastic keeps me away from another run at consistency.  I got nothing – so I’m jumping right in! 

Last year we ended another successful season on the brink of exhaustion.  Maybe it exposed some weakness in my character or spoke to the workload of a growing family and a business – either way, we were worn out! 

After lots of talks about family and balance and lots of long looks at our growing daughters, we decided to take the summer off.  We needed to see Yellowstone ourselves this year.  Get up early and go wolf watching.  Soak in the Firehole River.  Go to the Livingston Farmer’s Market and the new Harry Potter movie. Sit on the edge of Antelope Creek and watch grizzly grazing.  Sleep in. Breathe. 

So, we’ve spent the summer enjoying our visiting friends and the Olson Family Reunion (so fun!).  We built a bathhouse near the garden (with amazing outdoor showers!) and Tim built a beautiful shade shelter on the beach.  We crossed all sorts of small things off our to-do list and added a few for good measure.  I baked like crazy and tried out a number of new breakfast recipes.  We breathed a big sigh of relief when my dad finished his cancer treatments and we cheered on my mom’s golf game.  Our kids traveled far and wide (Utah, Texas and Illinois) and ended their summer by leaving Tim and I alone for a week.  We became acutely aware of how quiet it was going to be around here soon.  Tim caught a few fish and Olivia took a great course with Yellowstone Country Guardians that gave her a great fly fishing introduction. We enjoyed our cabin guests and the camaraderie of the Flying Pig overnight guides (thanks Brogan, Tyler, Michael and Paul).  We watched the Yellowstone rise and fall and counted drift boats when they started to appear in August.  We played Scrabble and Kick the Can.  We took in all the Montana summer had to offer.  It was sweet and all too short.     

So, the summer Is over.  And with trees full of apples and the cool morning signaling that winter is just around the corner, we are starting to think about bears and snow boots.  It’s time to get back to work. 

We will be making a few small changes here but our business’s mission remains the same.  We want to provide everybody who stays here with the opportunity to relax and enjoy this special place.  When my parents wisely purchased this property over 40 years ago, they instilled in me a respect for its location.  Being on the banks of the beautiful (sparkling, green, fish filled, un-dammed, rushing) Yellowstone River and on the boundary of Yellowstone National Park is a privilege AND a responsibility.  We want to continue to make good decisions that preserve what’s good about being here. 

And, we want to find away to enjoy it ourselves.    

So, here’s to what’s ahead.  And to even better cookies.  

 

Salmonfly Hatch - Trying to Get Excited About Insects

 

When it comes to bugs and snakes and many amphibians, I'm a bit of a wimp.  Like most people, I find it hard to enjoy what they bring to the table.  Because we live on a big body of moving water, bugs are rarely an issue here.  Mosquito are few and the only real irritation are the teeny tiny non-biting bugs that come through our window screens in late summer and set off the smoke detectors.  

With my bug prejudices but aside, I can appreciate the one big bug that is an anticipated hatch here in this part of Montana.  Home to the Robert  Redford film, "The River Runs Through It", this part of Montana is flyfishing paradise.  Fly Shops are plentiful - from the world famous Bud Lilly's in downtown Livingston, to Sweetwater Fly Shop (they took President Obama on his maiden fishing voyage last summer) to our own second-generation Park's Fly Shop in Gardiner; there are plenty of places to pick up a license, buy some cool gear, and get great local advice about fishing conditions both in the park and along the Yellowstone River.  

I leave the flyfishing to my husband, but even I can appreciate the salmonfly hatch.  It's a spectacular event - a yearly reminder of the vibrant cycles that characterize the longest free flowing river in the western United States - the Yellowstone River.  Usually the hatch coincides with the Fourth of July.  This year, it is a little late.  We saw the first bugs on our beach on the 7th.     

Salmonflys are the largest member of the stonefly family.  These aquatic insects move towards the river shores in a larval state called a nymph.  When the water temperature and levels are just right, the nymphs crawl out of the water and hold on tight to the river shore willows.  When the case that surrounds the developing insect breaks open, and adult emerges - they can be up the three inches in length.  Their life cycle is a fairly quick one - they emerge, let their wings dry and prepare for flight, and then fly out over the river to lay eggs for next year's hatch.  In just 4-6 days, it is all over.  

If you are a trout, the large twitching legs, four wings and clumsy manner make them the perfect prey.  Catching a trout for dinner this time of year, usually reveals a stomach stuffed full of the black and orange bugs.  It is a veritable trout smörgåsbord!

News of the hatch spreads slowly up the valley.  We usually hear when they've hit Livingston and expect them to move upstream at a rate of about 5 miles a day.  When they hit, it's the talk of the town.  

Here's to bugs!  (or at least to this one...)

Yellowstone's Boiling River Opens for Summer

Finally.  Thanks to a few warmer days, the snow pack is slowly melting away.  The rivers are slowly responding to the drop in water flow. Our rocky beach has yet to appear but the willows are marching in that direction.  The cool spring has made the salmon fly hatch later than usual (last report it was about 1/2 way up the Paradise Valley) and even the greens in the garden are making only a tiny appearance.  

It's summer.  Kinda.  

One sure sign that we have reached that blessed summer season is that the Boiling River is open again.  Situated between Gardiner and Mammoth, this section of the Gardner River is blessed with a large supply of hot springs water pouring out of its banks - making the river hot in some spots, warm in others and cool on the edges.  Something for everybody.  My favorite is the section where the current cools your feet while the hot water ripples on the surface - a study in the contrasts that characterize our mountain home.  

Bring a towel (it's a quarter mile walk to the springs and a wet walk back) and a contemplative attitude.  To me, sitting in the Boiling River evokes both memories and awe. It's a great place to meet people in the summer (the middle of the day can be crowded), a wonderful place to watch the elk rut in the fall and (my favorite) the quietest place in the whole park on a steamy winter morning.    

A few tips: 

1.  This is a very  special place.  PLEASE treat it with respect.  Obey all posted signs (they are for your safety as well as the safety of this place) and clean up after yourself when you leave.  

2.  Remember that it is NOT legal to soak in Yellowstone's hot springs anywhere in the park. The only other designated swimming area is in Firehole Canyon near Old Faithful; another river way that is blessed with warm water pouring into it.  

3.  The Boiling River is CLOSED at night.  Alcohol and nudity are prohibited.  

Black Bear Cub Comes Ashore at Gardiner Cennex Station

Whew!  It's been a big day here.  First the high water (talk of the town) and now a black bear cub came ashore - in the middle of town.  He climbed a tree and looked about as pathetic as an animal can until, finally, law enforcement held back the crowd long enough to give him an escape route.  It was actually quite dramatic as he emerged soaking wet and his mamma bear was on the other side of the river (upstream about 500 yards) in Yellowstone National Park while he was perched in the top of a small tree just outside the Subway sandwich shop.  We saw many neighbors and friends (word spreads fast in a small town).  In the absence of a movie theatre, this definately passes for Gardiner entertainment!

 

 

Yellowstone River - High Water!

We woke up this morning, after days and days of heavy rains, to the Yellowstone River overflowing onto the edge of the lawn, obliterating the beach, lapping at the edge of the shed and moving HUGE lodgepole logs (some 50 feet plus) down the river at amazing speeds.  Our friends at the Shooting Star Ranch up Cinnabar Creek lost the bridge between our house and their house.   We have their daughter - so I'm sure they'll make it out eventually.  (Secretly, we'd love to keep her!) 

  
We know that the river will recede, depositing fresh clean sand on the beach, leaving us lots of lovely driftwood and cleaning out the dead willows from the flat bench that is visible in summer.  But, the drama of today is worth watching!   

First Yellowstone Bison Calf of Spring! (and Fox Kits and Bear Cubs...)

Bison calves have been seen in the park for a few weeks now, but I've been so busy refinishing chairs and getting ready for the summer season that I had yet to see one.  I set out this afternoon determined but was waylaid by a red fox on Swan Lake Flats who spent the better part of an hour moving three small kits from one side of the main park road to the other.  She was bleached almost white across her muzzle.  Beautiful creature. 

Imagine my surprise when I returned home from picking up the kids at school and found that there were two bison AND a calf on the low bench just across the Yellowstone River.  They were soon joined by two rangers on horseback who made sure that they headed back towards the park.  Not the greatest pictures, but certainly an exciting rodeo! 

Last night we had a late night call from our neighbors who reported a sow grizzly and cub in their backyard and heading our way.  We stood out on the deck in the gathering dark and tried to spot her but she evaded our efforts.  The wind and rainy day erased any sign of her by today.

IT IS SPRING! (kinda)

Our Wonderful Guests - Daria and Bernardo & Tortilla Espanola

We've just confirmed that Daria and Bernardo have nearly closed in on the purchase on a new RV and are planning a maiden voyage our way in September.  I'm sure our excitement puzzles you; don't we own a bed and breakfast that we'd much rather have them stay in?!?  Well, with Daria and Bernardo we don't' feel the need to worry - we'd chase this lively pair down no matter where they are staying.  Tim's holding onto Bernardo's gift of a Cuban cigar to smoke it in his company (and besides, I'm not sure he really knows HOW to smoke it!) and Daria still owes me a few cooking lessons! 

Daria and Bernardo originally came to us because I'd bragged confidently about the easy accessibility of fishing from our shores over the phone.  Imagine my chagrin when they arrived and I realized that the rainy spring meant that our river was far from fish-able!  Bernardo bore my "bad intelligence" with a smile and used the time to research his next fishing trip and thoroughly enjoy the park and the company of his lovely wife. I'm quite certain, however, that he'll ask to speak to Tim about all things fishing in the future.  We loved hearing about Bernardo's experience with AFS (American Field Service)as we are hosting a Finnish girl at our home for the school year.  (I'm sure we'll have more to say about Liisa once she arrives in early August - we can't wait!)  

Daria became an immediate friend; not just because she kept her promise to teach me how to make THE BEST Tortilla Espanola I've ever eaten, but because her warmth and kindness towards our entire family were evident as soon as they walked through the door.  We had a lot in common and I was sorry to see them leave. 

About Bernardo:  I was born and raised in Spain and at the tender age of 16 I became an AFS foreign exchange student spending a fantastic year in Reseda, CA and graduating again from HS. Returned to Spain and finished a BS in Chemistry at the University of Madrid. Spent two of my college summers in Germany (Berlin and in 1965 I was fortunate to get a Fulbright scholarship to Purdue University where I completed a MS in Environmental Engineering and more importantly met Daria and got married in 1967. Returned to Spain for a couple of more years to complete my military service as a 2nd lieutenant in the Spanish Army. Returned to the US in 1969 and got a job with Nalco Chemical (Fortune 500) where I had several jobs from R&D to management including a stint in Japan and Mexico. Since 1992, I have managed two start-up companies in Chicago and in Columbus, OH and after 42 years in the business world, I retired on December 2008.

About Daria: I majored in Spanish and studied other foreign languages after spending my sophomore year of college in Spain.  We returned to Spain after college and our two sons were born in Madrid.  Our daughter was born in the States.  I spent the next 23 years raising our children and “dabbling” in various other pursuits like banking and retail.  We moved around almost every two years and two of those years lived in Japanand wish we never had to leave.  While the kids were in college we spent two years in Mexico City with Bernardo’s career and then returned to Naperville, IL. 

After all three children were married I started teaching ESL for a local college and loved working with adults who wanted to learn!  We tried “retiring” to Floridabut Bernardo wasn’t ready for retirement and neither of us was ready for year-round Floridaso we moved to Columbus,Ohio to be near our daughter and her family. 

A few years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and was lucky to be near The Ohio State University and The James Cancer Center.  Because of the wonderful people there I decided to volunteer at The James.  Presently I am co-chair of an advisory council focusing on patient/family centered care and also volunteer weekly in the Family Waiting Area. 

We have 8 grandchildren – 4 boys and 4 girls from ages 5 to 14.  Three of the boys live with our son and his wife in Guatemala.  Three of the girls live in Atlanta with our other son and his wife and the other two here in Columbus.   So, we spend a lot of time traveling to see each other….and love it, though I wish we were all closer.

Why did you decide to come to Yellowstone? 

For years I have talked about going to Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore and finally decided last summer to make reservations and “just do it”.  I am so glad we went!  It was an awesome experience.  Neither of us was prepared for what we saw and the incredible people we met.  We had never been before and are now planning our return in the Fall.  A close friend asked me what my favorite three things were.  I could not answer.  It was all combined into one set of favorite “things” for two weeks.  We drove 4400 miles in the two weeks and loved every mile.  Of course, when we got back home we realized how often we had to get out of the car to see whatever other wonderful sight was out there.  We think you are two of the luckiest people to have all that at your doorstep everyday! 

What were the highlights of your visit?

As for highlights?  all the wildlife sightings.  We never tired of the bison, though we saw many!  We loved seeing the baby bison and baby sheep climbing down the rocks….and of course our one baby bear with his mother.  We’re glad we spent the extra money and had a guide for one day.  Steve was terrific.  (Yellowstone Glacier Adventures)  It was like taking a private class and surprisingly, I do remember most of the wonderful things he taught us about Yellowstone wildlife and plant life.  He was more than knowledgeable.  He was gracious, accommodating, perceptive and enthusiastic.  We never would have seen the Great Grey Owl without him.  He knew where everything lived and also gave us a binder with material to take home and study!  And no tests, afterward…..

But, we can’t leave out finding Headwaters of the Yellowstone B&B.  People have asked how we found you and all I can say is that I got a good feeling from your website and then your call.  We were so lucky!  The four days we spent at HYBB were not only fun, but relaxing.  I really felt like we were with good friends who really loved having us there.  And, of course, I love being with someone who loves to cook and explore new recipes.  The “tortilla lesson” was great fun.  You daughters were so cute about helping.  I loved every minute of it!

Do you have any trip planning advice for your fellow guests?

Yes, don’t “overplan” every day.  But do plan ahead for places to stay.  If possible, go very early in the season or later in the Fall (did I mention we’re coming back?).  Dress in layers and be ready for colder weather.  We loved having our own picnic stuff for lunches along with plenty of water or other drinks in the car.  It’s a lot easier and cheaper than relying on restaurants every day.  Get up early! Keep a small journal of places and events along the way.  It’s fun to look back.  Talk to people who have been there before and compare notes about places not to miss.  We were so glad we listened to other families who had been there before. 

And, last but not least, Bernardo, how was the fishing?

I am an avid fisherman and for the last two years I decided to add another challenge to my life by taking up fly fishing. My one-day fly fishing at the Firehole River was incredible (8 rainbow trout), helped by my guide Travis Hansen of the West Yellowstone Fly Shop. Travis is 23 years old and not only knows fly fishing in Yellowstone but he is also a great teacher with a combination of patient and skills. My other big hobby is photography which has been enhanced by having a chance to watch wildlife in Yellowstone.  Among other things I would like to fish the Yellowstone and a great small lake (Trout Lake) that we discovered while hiking in Lamar Valley.  I also promised Daria to do something besides fishing!

We promise to give Bernardo better advice the next time he comes to visit (at least about fishing) and look forward to more cooking lessons over a glass of wine as well.  Daria and Bernardo are part of the reason we enjoy this business so much; we get to meet lovely people who remind us how to enjoy life fully and not to take our surroundings for granted.  Daria's tortilla espanol is a favorite at our family dinner table and, if I get a little better at the flipping part, it might be joining our breakfast repertoire soon.  With a lightly dressed salad and a glass of red wine it is the perfect meal. 

 

Daria's Tortilla Espanola

• 4 large Yukon gold potatoes
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• salt
• olive oil

For each tortilla you'll need a 8 inch non-stick frying pan.  Peel and slice the potatoes.  I use the food processor slicer disk. 

Heat about 2 cups of olive oil in a 10 inch frying pan.  Add sliced potatoes and cook on medium-high until tender.  Add the onions during cooking - near the end so they get tender, too.  I like to have a little crust on the edges of the potatoes.  It really adds a nice flavor, but some cooks do not. 

Drain the potatoes and onions, reserving the oil.  Let the potatoes cool in the colander, and then slightly beat the 4 eggs in a separate bowl. Add a little of the reserved oil to a 7 or 8 inch sauté or frying pan.  When it’s nice and hot, add the potato mixture to the eggs and pour into the pan.   During cooking, push the sides of the tortilla in so that it cooks evenly.  It’s really like making any sort of omelet, but it’s not folded over.  Instead, take a plate larger that the pan,  put it on top and holding it very carefully flip the tortilla over and slide it back into the pan and let it cook until done.  This is the hard part.  If you press the middle with your fingers you can tell when it’s cooked through.  This just takes practice.  You can also pierce it with a knife to see if it’s cooked through.

When it’s done, slide it onto a plate.  If you’ve used a lot of oil, I put it on a paper towel to get rid of some of the oil.  My sister-in-law told me to never put the tortilla in the refrigerator because it will dry out.  In Spain they are left out of the counters.  Usually they’re eaten up the same day.  They are great to take on picnics and of course, all Spanish kids take tortilla bocadillos to school for merienda.  (A bocadillo is a sandwich made with a baguette).

Signs of Yellowstone Spring: First Baby Bison

The snow may still be falling but it is getting spring-ish around here.  The big news last night was that the first baby bison we've seen all spring (Yellowstone is such a big place I'd never claim it's the first anywhere) was born on the high school football field yesterday.  I spotted it this morning on the way to work.  Many of the cows in this small herd looked heavy with calves themselves so I'm sure it won't be long before this little fella has a few friends to run around with.  This calf still seemed a little wobbly but it is amazing to think that it made the transition from mother's womb to late spring snows so quickly.  HAPPY SPRING!