I like this picture a lot. It kind of plays tricks with my mind. I see all that ugly mud to walk through but I also see that blue sky and the turquoise ponds which would make the trip worth while. I like this visual contradiction. For some reason it has put me in the mood to go back and read T.S. Eliot's Wasteland. good job.
Of the two, Kim, I like this one better. I haven't been to Yellowstone for several years, but this reflects the image in my memories; the beautiful blue sky, the one-of-a-kind turquoise of the thermal ponds, and the steam - everywhere, the steam!