HEAVENLY WINTER

 This must be what winter looks like in Heaven. The Yellowstone River flows in the foreground as Emigrant Peak (tallest at 10,900 feet elevation) and Chico Peak (10,200 feet elevation) dominate the background

 The "movie actress", as one of my family members has called her, is framed in the background by the peaks of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness

 No movie actor here, just me. Chico Peak in the background

 Chico Hot Springs near the town of Pray, Montana, must be our favorite place to visit in Montana. We counted 8 times in 19 years. Their natural hot spring pool (near Olympic size) is filled every morning around 7 and emptied every night around 11. But what really keeps us coming back is, well, we get to remind ourselves what Heaven must look like in the winter.

 Easier to tell in this frame the tallest Emigrant Peak from its slightly shorter relative Chico Peak

 Once we arrive at Chico, less than 3 hours from our home, it's only 30 miles to Yellowstone National Park. So we always pay a visit to the matriarch of our National Parks. This herd of hungry bison walked in front of us and decided to have a picnic (notice the covered picnic area and picnic table).

 Mamooth Hot Springs, a few miles from the north entrance is open year round. The sulfurous steam from the geo-thermals in this area is particularly visible in the winter

 On our way out of the Park, and after seeing lots of bison, we came upon these 2 gorgeous bull elk, foraging on a slope right above the road

 No day is complete near the north entrance unless one is able to spot the masters of equilibrium in high places, Mountain Sheep (also Big Horn Sheep)

 Back at Chico, we got ourselves ready for soaking in the hot springs pool and an exceptional dinner at their 5 star restaurant. JIR