Flying the Edge of America
Yellowstone National Park (Part One)
Julia and David departed from Glacier International Airport early on Saturday, July 12th, aiming to take advantage of the cold morning air and brilliant blue skies. Although David was slightly apprehensive about the flight due to the high terrain, the perfect weather made it the ideal time to embark. To avoid high ground, he charted a course through valleys and low terrain wherever possible. Flying due south from Glacier, they navigated a valley separating the Swan and Mission Mountain Ranges, maintaining a relatively low altitude of 9,500 feet for much of the journey. The scenery between Glacier and Yellowstone exceeded their expectations, revealing a majestic beauty unparalleled by any other. While every continent offers unique wonders, North America's diverse landscapes - from arid deserts to snowcapped peaks - are hard to rival.
Snowcapped mountain peaks
As their journey took them past the Scapegoat Wilderness, the high valley opened into elevated plains flanked by snowcapped mountain peaks. Navigating past the Highland Mountains, surrounded by sprawling national forests, David ascended to 11,500 feet with Matilda to ensure adequate separation from the terrain and reduce the overpowering presence of the towering peaks. They passed the Tobacco Root Mountains, where the plains narrowed into a high valley bordered by the Gravelly Mountains to the west and the Madison Mountain Range to the east.
From above, it is evident that Yellowstone is encircled by a ring of mountains. However, what might not be apparent is that these mountains form the rim of a massive crater left by the eruption of a super-volcano that shaped Yellowstone. Skirting the valley to Henrys Lake, located in Idaho, they avoided the imposing peaks before turning west and re-entering Montana. As they rounded the corner, the Madison Valley, the town of West Yellowstone, and Yellowstone National Park came into view. Their landing at West Yellowstone Airport was smooth and uneventful.
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, was the world’s first national park. Its allure lies in both its beauty and its inherent danger. Julia and David joked that if the super-volcano erupted during their visit, they would be swiftly annihilated - arguably preferable to a slow, painful demise as the Earth succumbed to another ice age. If the volcano remained dormant, they reasoned, exploring Yellowstone would be an exciting adventure. Julia recalled a BBC documentary about the volcano that had alarmed her mother in England. At the time, Julia was living in San Francisco, and her mum had urged her to abandon America and return to the safety of England. Though the potential eruption seemed daunting, Julia chose to stay in the US, living her life despite her mother’s persistent concerns about earthquakes in the Bay Area and Yellowstone being overdue for an eruption.
Video of the flight Yellowstone
Continue the adventure in my next excerpt from Flying the Edge of America.