Just another day at the office. Not a bad place to work, huh? I'm the third from the left. Here's our crew hiking to the spot where the fish were held in live cars.
Drumroll please! ...And here's the star(s) of the show! All the little cutthroats, wishing they weren't stuck in a wire cage.
And that's how it's done. Kate's holding the probe, which sends an electrical current throughout the water. The rest of us are carrying dipnets to catch fish. 
Beyond work, I've been having a blast hiking in and around the park. For the Fourth of July weekend, Kate, several of my dormmates and I camped in Grand Teton National Park and spent a couple of days in Jackson. Unfortunately, since I don't have my photos, I can't share the absolutely stunning sights we witnessed on one of our hikes. Kate, Hilary and I made a 10-mile trek up 18 switchbacks and 4,000 feet of elevation to be rewarded with a breathtaking view of two alpine lakes surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains. We were somewhere below 10,000 ft - the highest I've hiked yet. And for all those football fans out there - we also happened across the path of Peyton Manning on our way up to the first lake. During the chance meeting, Kate and Hilary were exchanging excited glances while I stood in confusion - until they revealed at a more appropriate time that Manning is apparently a very good (HOT!) player in a family of awesome football players. The things you learn on the trail, seriously.
Agnes and Michela. What more is there to say?
The most epic spin-around playground event ever. I'm pretty sure we had 9 people spinning at one point. Kate, Michela and I just flew off. The rest were still hanging on. On the afternoon of the fourth, all of us met some people we knew at a park in Jackson and had a BBQ. Some unmitigated buffoonery might have occurred.
The fireworks! This was probably the longest, best firework show I have ever experienced. Being in Jackson with awesome people might also have something to do with it.
Oh, for all of those wondering: sadly, I did not get to go in a hot air balloon. For the slight chance we might have had, the group of us would have had to wake up at the ungodly hour of 3 AM to do it. I was all for it, but I think the rest appreciated their beauty sleep a bit more.
The next string of photos are from various hikes I've done the past month. The photos below are from Pine Creek trail. This hike was a hardy 12 miles long that lead up through the Absaroka mountain range to a valley between two peaks, where a glacial lake lay. This hike was outside the park, closer to Bozeman.
Kate, being the BAMF that she really is, me, and Hilary in front of the trailhead. Take special note of the status of our clothing.
After hiking through miles of snow, constantly in the search of a marked trail, we came to this talus slope, knowing we had just a bit further to go before reaching the lake. After about 20 minutes of switchbacking and scrambling, a blinding flash of light pierced the sky. Right in the middle of saying "you" in my question to Kate, "Did you take a picture?" a deafening BOOM! shook us (literally) and continued rumbling down the mountains. That sound was a quick ticket out of there. The four of us quickly rushed down to lower ground to avoid being electrified. 
The mountains that were so clear and bright minutes before became shrouded in a mist of sleet. This was not the first time I had been hailed on while hiking.
Note the stark change between the first photo? Still in happy spirits, though!
The next hike was a 5-mile stroll that ended at Lonestar Geyser. The group of us were lucky enough to catch it erupting. 
A closeup of me and Kate, and a better view of the geyser. I got this great photo of it from the other side revealing all of these vivid greens and oranges, but sadly, like I said, I don't have my photos with me.
After hiking Lonestar, we all walked a couple of the boardwalks in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone. The one below is of Sapphire Pool. The blue was unreal.
This photo, compliments of Kate Olsen, is of one of the vista points seen from the trail leading to Bunsen Peak. This mountain is just behind my dorm. I think one of the photos from a previous entry gives you a good view of it. If not, I'll have to post a photo of it later. In the valley below this view lays the town of Mammoth.
You know, doing the usual on top of a mountain. What an incredible view of Swan Lake Flats and the surrounding Gallatin mountain range. We could also see the Tetons far off in the distance.
We visited the Old Faithful Inn, a revered historic monument that is over 100 years old. People still stay at the Inn, but at a hefty price. It's completely made of wood and logs that stands over seven stories high...a pretty rare view of amazing craftmanship.
Saw this cool sign (also made of wood) within the hotel.
View of the outside.
And there she is! Old Faithful being her reliable constant self. The sound and height at which the water shot up was brilliant.
A tourist was kind enough to take our picture in front of Old Faithful erupting. From left, that's Chelsea (certified geologist oh yeah), Kate, Hilary, and me. I was crouching, I swear. Old Faithful needed all the room and glory it could get.
This photo is of Steamboat geyser. One of the park employees wondered why it wasn't even more famous than Old Faithful, as it shoots way higher and more spectacularly than the legend. However, it is not nearly as predictable as Old Faithful, and does not have major eruptions regularly. The last one shot over 115 feet in 2005.
This photo is at Geode creek. Waders are so sexy. That is Mike on the left, and the live car in the water.
Me hard at work. I'm clipping part of the pelvic fin of one of the many fish we worked with.
A better photo of a female cutthroat trout. Females are generally fatter than males...and definitely feistier.
We saw this sign on Friday, heading towards the Blacktail deer plateau drive. On the drive, we did experience rather poop driving, as rocks, muck and the like flew up everywhere as we drove down the road.
The photo above is from the Osprey Falls hike (approx. 7 mi) we did last weekend. This was at the top of the canyon. This hike was pretty peculiar, as not only did you go up for 2 miles, but you also went down for another 2, switchbacking all the way down to the falls. After reaching the falls, we had to hike back up and the side of the mountain and then back down to the dorm.
Right at the foot of the falls. I swear it was like I was on the Maid of the Mist, without the super stylish snazzy blue ponchos. We got SOAKED. 
Yellow-bellied marmot we saw chilling on a rock on the side of the trail. 
Although it's been rainy the past week, it makes for some incredible cloud photos. This was taken at the top of the trail.
Western Tanager we saw along the trail. Such a gorgeous bird.
This drive leads you to Old Faithful and other amazing natural wonders. The cliffs are smack against the road and windy as ever.
The other night I witnessed an incredible sunset. It looked as if a painter had taken his paintbrush and made sweeping flicks of his brush from the mountain top upwards. The colors were amazing.
This photo is taken from the Buffalo Bill Scenic Highway heading towards Cody. This area is about 2,000 feet higher than Mammoth and was still largely caked in snow. It was an incredible drive.
Like I said, crazy rocks. Kate and I (vicariously) both thought we were in the Southwest on our drive. The rocks were colored these stunning reds and oranges resplendent of a Utah or Arizonian desert.
Took this inside the Buffalo Bill Museum. This poster, along with thousands of other relics, overwhelmed the walls of the museum. Buffalo Bill truly created the cowboy image and lifestyle of buckin' broncos and oversized Steston hats we (ahem, Dad) revere today. 
Photo of Bear tooth mountain...I'm convinced your powers of deduction will enlighten you as to why it has such a name. Took this inside the car on the drive back to Mammoth...what a drive!
Saw this little critter in the parking lot of the hotel we stayed in while in Cody. Jackrabbits are everywhere! I think Kate thinks I have an obsession. I somehow feel the need to point out a rabbit whenever I see one by indicating such with a a loud, "bunny!"
Back in Yellowstone. Home, home on the range comes to mind when I see this photo. The buffalo were conveniently situated in an idyllic setting of a hilly backdrop with thunderous clouds looming in the background. I just had to take a picture.
This is appropriately coined a "bison jam." Bison jam: when bison nonchalantly stroll across a road, seemingly unaware and/or unconcerned with the growing pileup of cars and overly exited tourists just itching for a National Geographic-type photo.
I see these little guys everywhere. This is a ground squirrel. He was hoping for a treat, but sadly, he was not satisfied.
Ok, so the next string of photos (with above photos included) are just a smattering of snapshots of wildlife I've taken while driving throughout the park. Some of them I've seen in hikes, but a large majority are straight from the car. The reliability and frequency of wildlife viewing here is absolutely incredible. The photo below is of a chipmunk. They too are everywhere. 
These are two bighorn ewes that usually hang out on some cliffs that lie very close to the North entrance of the park. They had some babies with them, but unfortunately, my camera just couldn't get close enough.
This photo is provided for you courtesy of Kate Olsen. If you look closely, you can see the fairly developed horns of the ram in the middle.
Here's a bull elk grazing, with its antlers just starting to grow. He and another bull caused quite a jam.
Mule deer! Their ears are so funny. Along the drive to Gardiner and Livingston, Montana, mule deer are everywhere. They are often seen grazing on some rancher's property.
Very pregnant pronghorn does resting on a hillside. Closeby we saw a mother and her fawn, but they were too quick for me to get a picture. It's freaking baby season! They are soooo cute. Copious girl noises would erupt from the car every time we saw a baby elk, pronghorn, bison, or deer. 
Male pronghorn grazing. Fun fact about pronghorn: they are the fastest land mammal in North America, and the second fastest in the world, only beaten by the cheetah.
This is taken on the Beaver Ponds Loop hike (approx. 5 mi) we did two weekends ago. Hilary is on the left, and Kate is on the right. Hilary worked in fisheries last year, but now works for Ted Turner on one of his ranches in Bozeman. She was down in Mammoth for the Cody and hiking adventure weekend. 
More mule deer, seen on the Beaver Ponds hike. We also saw some white-tailed deer, but I didn't get any photos that were clear enough. They were all in hiding in the woods.
It was such a beautiful day. 
This is from the Monument Geyser Basin hike I did with some people that I live with in the dorm. I think it gained 600 feet of elevation in just over a mile. It was pretty grueling, but the view made it all worth the effort. Oh, I can't forget to tell you this: en route to the vista point, we got hailed on. No kidding. 
This is a steam vent, also known as a fumarole. The sound of air and gases hissing from these things is amazing. I wish I had a video of all of the hissing and gurgling noises that emit from these geysers.
View of some of the monument geyser basin area. Again, I was inundated with horrible, sulfuric smells that burned by nose...but I sacrificed comfort for the gorgeous view in front of me.
View of the mountains on the drive back. I swear to you, it really does seem like the sky here is bigger. I wonder if they call it Big Sky country here. 
Every day, the clouds are unreal. If you look to the bottom of the picture, you can see the strokes of rain coming down on the far off mountains. 
Saw this grizz just 10 feet in front of me (see car). I first saw him behind a tree about 15 yards from the road. He was just meandering down to the road, taking his sweet old time when he seemed to suddenly notice there were about 20 cars around him. It was like he looked up and went, "Oh!" and then high-tailed it across the road and down the hillside, about 200 yards away. 
The bison have just dropped their calves, so many of them still have a part of their umbilical cords still attached to them. After witnessing this calf, a larger bison came lumbering around the corner munching on grasses. 
This entire herd came to say hello just outside my window.
Then around 8:30 pm, I was greeted by a wonderful sunset. 
Unfortunately, we couldn't stay 90 minutes to see the eruption, but I'll see it another time.
After work that day, Brian, one of the fish biologists, took us to one river where Harlequin ducks reside. 
I wasn't able to get too close, unfortunately, so the ducks look really tiny. It was pretty amazing how they were able to keep up with all of the ebb and flow of the fast current. It looked like they were having a ton of fun diving down into the water.
The landscape is so different than what I'm used to. The vegetation is pretty scrubby, with few trees lying in lower elevations (makes for answering nature's call pretty difficult). Many of the trees and plants here consist of lodgepole pine, blue spruce, juniper, and few wildflowers. The area is also largely brown, and surprisingly (for me, at least), many of the areas are still covered in heavy snow. Around Lake, snow drifts as tall as 10 feet or higher were seen all along roadways and within the woods. Everybody here says the snow is taking longer to melt this year. (I'm most likely going to have to snowshoe this next week as we start hiking in backcountry!) Though that is the case, this entire week I've been basking in the sun (no rain) in temperatures around 66 degrees. At night, it gets in the thirties. 
Opposite this stood Mammoth Hot Springs. To get better views of the area, the NPS installed boardwalks running all alongside of the springs, reaching as far up as 6,600 feet.
This next one (above) is the largest of the terraces, named Minerva terrace. The kinds of formations these springs create is absolutely astounding. 
Most of them look pretty ragged right now, as they are shedding their winter coats. 
Remember what I said about dirty, inconsiderate hikers, Mom? See Exhibit A:
This is how it looks further away. There was a nice little sitting area out front. I used to sit out here on sunny days and nestle in on a comfortable spot, and bask in the warmth of the sun, often reading the sage words of my buddy John Muir. 
This is the wall to the left from the front door. Those three racks are where we displayed our merchandise. 
This is the wall of the front door. The thing jutting out from the wall is a register, for visitors to sign-in to and write where they were from. On the back wall there is a huge map of the Kenai and Katmai peninsulas. This is one of my favorite maps I used. I wish I had my own. I often would walk over from the table you see there on the left and show visitors the area they were in (and potential areas they wanted to visit). 
This is the main desk area. I sat behind this and looked all official like a park ranger. Or at least I tried to at least... 
Another view of the map. As you see up above, there's a skylight in the ceiling. As I've already mentioned, this building, being in the middle of nature, had no electronic/electric capabilities. So there was no light whatsoever, except natural light.
The Queen's chair. I spent a good amount of time here. Me and chair became fast friends...it was a good thing he didn't mind me sitting on him. Behind the desk there, as you can see, is a lot of books, pamphlets, and other paper. All of this was informational resources I could use to help advise visitors on hiking, fishing, hunting, etc., etc.
This is also something I was very intimate with. The infamous tracker. I drove this beaut back and forth to the VCS whenever I worked there.
View of the kitchen and dining room area. Not sure if you noticed this, but, we had two refridgerators! That was nice. One you can see is on the left, the other you can see from the previous photo. This table experienced many fun times. Lots of eating, cooking, and the occasional BEST GAME EVER was played here. 
This is the living room, and our small, small tv. There's Eve. Sadly, she's no longer in AK. But I'm sure she's enjoying being back with the fam. To the left of this photo and beyond is a hallway that leads to two bedrooms and a bathroom.
Beautiful Eve again! This a view of the living room from the other side. Beyond this photo to the right is a hallway that also leads to two bedrooms and a bathroom. 
My room! To the left is Julia's bunk. Mine is the impeccably clean one straight ahead. Kades, you can see your heart there on the wall. :) 
And that, my friends (do I remind you of anyone? McCain, perhaps?) is the bunkhouse. The front of Eve's truck (that is no longer in her possession, but some other lucky dude's) is to the right. Many times I saw moose right up against the door there or near the windows.
This is the pathway we walked everyday to get to the main visitors' center. If you remember that photo from way back, the black momma bear and her two cubs was just below that first curve. Pretty close to the bunkhouse, huh?
This is the EE building, where Eve mostly worked. It's fairly new...I think only four years old or something like that. This is where we had a lot of our trainings, and also where a lot of fun programs for children were held. We had wild flower and wild berry fun days here.
This is on the Keen Eye Trail. It eventually leads to headquarters lake, and also hooks on to the Forest Loop trail. The Keen Eye Trail is the hike I led on wild berry fun day. :) 
On the boardwalk, looking out at the black spruce trees. This was an absolutely stunning day. Sunny, cool, and shining. Clouds were amazing.
Another photo of the lookout area. 
