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A look West, towards the peaks of Yellowstone Park, along the Buffalo
Bill Reservoir. |
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The inlet to the Cody Dam. It is obvious, from this view, why this
spot was chosen for a dam. The bottleneck, along with the high surrounding
valley walls, make it a natural spot to form a reservoir. |
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Some of the valley walls, in this case part of Cedar Mountain. The
normal water level can be noted by the faded line on the surrounding rocks.
We are in a dry spell, as we have been during most of our travels. |
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Looking up the side of Rattlesnake Mountain through which several
tunnels have been blasted. |
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This is the main building and visitor center for the Cody Dam. Like
most public facilities in 2002, terrorist concerns make it necessary that
purses and bags not be brought in, and that metal detectors were installed. |
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Buffalo Bill Reservoir, and part of the adjoining Buffalo Bill State
Park. |
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Assorted driftwood and debris accumulates at the dam. Over time all
dams are destined to silt up, due to a similar accumulation of sand, mud,
and sediment beneath the waters. The floating debris is an indication that
the dam is not allowing water to flow, due to the dry spell. |
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A view of the "river" past the dam. The shutting of the spillways
has turned the river downstream of the dam into little more than a creek.
This is the same river, formerly so wild, that we had been following all
the way from Yellowstone.
Below:
A look across the dam
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A lone tourists stands at the rail of the parking area/observation
area, at the side of the reservoir. |
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A look down the face of the dam from the walkway across the top. Very
little watter is flowing right now. |
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A close up of the forested side of Cedar Mountain. These slopes are
well eroded, and the bedded sediments are obvious here. |
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A look past the curve of the road, at the reservoir, and at the mountains
we left behind us. |
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Approaching one of the tunnels through Rattlesnake Mountain. We will
soon be in Cody, which is just down the side of the mountain, and a few
miles up the road. |
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A pleasant meal outside on the patio of La Comida. The food here is
great. |
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a look up the main drag with the Absaroka Mountains looming in the
background. |
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Downtown Cody. I did not take extensive photos of the town, because
I had taken so many the previous year. |