Paul starts the climb away from the Specimen Ridge trailhead on the western end of Lamar Valley. The trail leads up and over the hill in the distance, and then climbs higher onto the crest of Specimen Ridge. Much of Specimen Ridge traverses wide open Yellowstone backcountry, so it's a good idea to keep a map and compass handy, especially if you're planning to make a loop by dropping off of the Ridge somewhere along the way. The Ridge is covered with a maze of wildlife trails, and knowing which path is the 'official' one is often difficult. It's marked with posts and red tags, but buffalo and other animals enjoy using them for rubbing posts, so you can't count on them being visible.

Bottom photo: Looking back down towards Little America from the ridge above the canyon of the Yellowstone River. The Little America area is on the right side of the photo, and the canyon on the left. The red cliffs by the canyon are near the Calcite Overlook.