Wolves!

 Yellowstone 2016 con't:

We left the Lamar valley around 11:30 Wednesday morning, having not seen any wolves, and drove all the way to the North Entrance and out to Gardiner to visit the Yellowstone Association headquarters. We were told the folks there would have up to date info on wolf sightings throughout the park. But when we asked, they didn't seem to know much at all, and had no knowledge of the bison that had been hit the previous evening. But the ladies were very nice, and we bought some books and a few souvenirs, then went next door to an ice cream shop for a treat.

Back in the park we stopped along the Gardiner River. The only places where we could let the dogs out of the van were within 100 feet of a road or other developed area. This spot along the river had a picnic area near the parking lot--this is actually just across the road from day use area at the Boiling River--so we took the boys out for a walk along the river.

Gardiner River

It was a nice, sunny afternoon, so we took our time and enjoyed the scenery.

These two beagle that we adopted last year, Stanley and Cooper, more than likely spent most of their lives in a pen. They were both heartworm positive when we adopted them (the shelter did the treatment) and had a host of other parasites. Neither is neutered, and neither was housebroken, and both had clearly been abused. But they've come a long way in the year we've had them, and we love traveling with them, even if it limits what we can do and where we can go. They are good boys, quiet and pretty chill.

Cooper surveying the river, hoping I'm not gonna make him go swimming!

A bit farther down the road we came across this beautiful meadow full of blazing yellow willows. We stopped for some shots...

...then noticed a big bull elk with his harem up ahead. What a remarkable animal. He was bugling away, calling the girls. I noticed the big crook in his muzzle--not sure if that's something that happens with age, or if he had been injured at some point. In any case, he was simply magnificent.

Bull elk.

He eventually caught up with the girls...

...then continued to move uphill through the sagebrush. I swear he's posing.

We eventually made our way back to Lamar Valley, and found a spot to park and set up our scopes. There were lots of folks there, but not much activity. We were one pull-out west of where the bison carcass had been dragged to, and could not see it. We asked some folks near us about wolves but no one seemed to know.

Evening in Lamar Valley.

I had my scope up and was scanning the valley when I noticed a few lumps about 150 yards out. As I looked closely, one of the lumps moved, and I realized I'd found all four wolves, lounging on our side of the Lamar River!

Three of the four wolves--the fourth was off to the left, another tan and gray.

Oh boy were we excited! It wasn't too long before the black wolf on the left got up and stretched, and started making his way towards the carcass. He howled and called to the others, who seemed reluctant at first to join him. It seemed pretty clear that these were in fact the four pups from the Prospect Peak pack--pups this age (probably around six months old) have spiky hair on their backs, kind of like a warthog.

Young pup ambles across the Lamar valley.

He eventually got the two gray and tan pups to join him. We were all hopeful that they would finally make their way to the carcass.

The trio howled and howled, and I tired some "digiscoping" with my iPhone

Digiscoped image showing two pups howling.

The black pup got within 50 yards or so of the carcass, then turned and trotted away to the west, ultimately passing in front of us before disappearing behind a ridge. It seemed like such a sudden move, and we wondered if  the rest of the pack was off that way somewhere. We hadn't heard any howling from that way but they were definitely moving with intent.

We watched until they slipped from view.

The ever-present coyotes watched them leave too.

We had to leave the following morning to get down to Madison campground, so there was no time to revisit the Lamar valley the next day, but we did hear that the wolves were on the carcass overnight, and were still there the next day. But nonetheless we were thrilled with the looks we had gotten, and it's another experience with wolves in the wild that I will never forget.

Next up: Norris and Madison areas.

Mammoth to Pebble Creek and Back Again: Day Two In Yellowstone National Park

Our first full day in Yellowstone dawned bright and sunny. With no particular place to be, we were able to sleep in a bit for the first time on our trip. We had decided to drive back to Lamar Valley to look for wolves, then on to the Pebble Creek area for lunch, and work our way back to Mammoth late in the day.

On the way out we stopped at the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs. I've realized, looking at the map, that I haven't ever seen the actual hot spring here--it's off the auto drive, which I haven't done either time I've been here. Oops. In any case, the lower terraces are amazing, and the boardwalks allow you to get quite close.

Lower terraces at Mammoth Hot Spring

A sign at the terraces states that they change a lot over time, as the springs migrate, or become closed off altogether. It was certainly much different than when I was there nine years ago--there seemed to be a much smaller active area. Nonetheless it didn't disappoint. The terraces still shone with white, grey, orange and green. Steam rose and the springs drip drip dripped.

I'm quite taken with the stark beauty of this place. It's so unlike anything I've ever seen, so otherworldly. The dead and broken trees seem so surreal in this landscape.

Around the backside a small group of elk cows and calves were gathered. There are a lot of elk in the Mammoth area--it's one of the few places occupied by people year-round, and the presence of people tends to keep the wolves away. The elk know this and so congregate there.

Elk at Mammoth Hot Springs

Ravens were everywhere in the park. I love ravens. We don't have them here in Southeast Michigan, so I soak them up whenever I find them. Not sure what this bird was doing--maybe getting a drink? Is the water even potable? I have no idea, but she posed nicely for a few shots before hopping away.

From Mammoth we drove east to the Lamar Valley, hoping to see some wolves. Past Tower Junction we came across a few pronghorn, very close to the road. What a treat to see them so close. They are fascinating animals, which I talked about in one of the Badlands posts (which you can see here). I believe both sexes have horns, so I assume this was a young one.

When we first came across this big guy, he had quite the tangle of dead vegetation stuck in his horns.

He did manage to free himself, and set about grazing near the van.

I look at the thin legs of these animals and am amazed that they can run like they do without snapping a femur.

We pulled into one of the turnouts in Lamar and unloaded chairs and scopes and snacks, and hoped to catch a glimpse of some canines. We didn't see any, but we did get some really good information. One of the fellows who was watching told us that some wolves had been seen early that morning, but not since. It was thought that these were wolves from the Prospect Peak pack, which normally hung out in the Blacktail Plateau area, about 12 miles to the west, near Mammoth. He told us Rick McIntyre, who leads the Yellowstone Wolf Project, is usually at the Blacktail Plateau self-guided tour parking lot each morning, as the Prospect's rendezvous area is across the road from there, and suggested we join them the following morning.

I don't follow the lives and times of the Yellowstone wolf packs, but I need to make some time to do so. It's fascinating stuff, and one person we talked to likened it to a soap opera. We didn't have time to do any investigating prior to leaving on our trip, so we were at the mercy of those on site to fill us in.
But everyone we talked to was eager to share what they knew of the wolves. We decided we would get up early the next day and join the onlookers at Blacktail Plateau.

Willows in Lamar Valley

From there we drove east to Pebble Creek and had lunch, and I was finally able to do some birding. I added a Mountain Chickadee to my life list, though I did not get a photo of it. I somehow managed to not take any photos of the area at all.

On the way back towards Mammoth we paused in Lamar Valley, but there still wasn't any action. Past Tower Junction we turned onto the Blacktail Plateau Drive, a bumpy, rutted dirt road with a posted speed limit of 25 mph. We bounced along at around 10 mph, and I kept having to pull over to let others zip by. I honestly don't understand why one would bother with a scenic drive, off the main drag where one might see, oh, I dunno, WOLVES, if they are just gonna blast through it. But to each his own, I guess.

Being off the main road allowed us to slow down, stop often, and really enjoy the scenery.

Along the Blacktail Plateau Drive

The clouds, the afternoon sun, the golden glow of willow and aspen. It was almost too much to take in.

Along the way we spotted a few bighorn sheep on the side of a rock cliff. Can you see them?

Can you find the sheep? There are three, I believe.

Passing through a small wooded area we came across this jaunty fellow, filling up on seeds.

Sweet face of red squirrel. 

The photo below shows clearly the regrowth of the forests that were destroyed in past fires. It was remarkable, the change from nine years ago. Once barren hillsides were resplendent in green, with their forebears, ghostly grey, beginning to topple.

As we made our way back to Mammoth, we found ourselves in another bison jam. This one got us some good, close up looks.

What a beauty! 

A couple of bison, including this calf, were taking dust baths.

Back in Mammoth, the huge bull elk was laying down a short distance from his harem. The park ranger I spoke to said he's been in quite a fight earlier with another bull elk, and while exhausted, had emerged the victor. His neck and the sides of his face were matted with dried saliva, either his or his rival's.

Another gorgeous animal! I'm seeing some new art in here!

Back at camp Lori sat outside to write while Lisa took the van and headed into Gardiner for a cell signal and to pick up a few groceries while I did dishes. There were a couple cows with a calf milling around the campground. That's the thing about Yellowstone--you are never far from some wild critter.

First Day in Yellowstone: Bison and the Lamar Valley

We rolled into Yellowstone National Park around 9:00 am, a bit later than we wanted. Our plan had been to camp at Pebble Creek, a small rustic campground in the northeast corner of the park. But on the way in we checked the availability on Lisa's iPad (while we still had a signal) and found that it was full. All the campgrounds that were still open for the season were in the north and west sides of the park, so we had over an hour drive to reach any one of them. We wanted to spend at least part of our time in the Lamar Valley area, so we headed north on the Grand Loop Road towards Tower Falls.

This route takes you up and around Mt. Washburn and across Dunraven Pass. This is an area that typically sees the earliest and latest snowfall in the park, and I think it had already been closed once this year but had reopened. In any case, it's a bit of a harrowing drive when you're pulling a camper, though I saw folks with MUCH bigger rigs than us.

For those of you who have never been to Yellowstone, the place is huge. Approximately 63 miles by 54 miles, it is over 2.2 million acres. The speed limit is 45 mph, (slower in busy places), and the roads wind around geologic features, so it takes a long time to get anywhere. Of course the scenery is amazing, so that's not a problem, but it's certainly something you have to prepare for. Many of the campgrounds are first come/first served, which is why we didn't have reservations--that and the fact we weren't sure when we were going to arrive. We thought coming in on a Monday would mean a better chance of getting a site. We were quite surprised to find that not to be the case, as the park was still very busy.

We made it to the Tower Falls campground some time after 10 am, and there were no sites available. We were told there were still sites at Mammoth, 45 minutes away in the northeast corner of the park, so we headed up. Until we secured a site, I was going to be a nervous wreck. I shouldn't have worried--there were still six sites at Mammoth when we arrived. I was so relieved. We got camp set up, and our site had a beautiful view of the mountains in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. We ended up staying three nights at Mammoth, spending most of that time in the Lamar Valley.

Setting up camp in Mammoth. What a view!

By 1:00 we were back on the road and ready to explore. Our first stop was Lava Creek, a little bump out in the road where there's a picnic area and trail. With the dogs along we couldn't go more than 100 feet from any developed area, (or someone had to stay back with them), so we weren't able to explore as much as I would have liked. The general rule about Yellowstone is that over 90% of people never leave their cars, or venture past developed areas. So if you've avoided the park because of its crowed, bear-jammed reputation, try planning some day hikes, or backpack. Walk more than about a quarter mile down a trail and you may not see another person all day. (But be sure to pack bear spray!!)

Lava Creek

At Tower Junction we continued east along the NE Entrance Road and into Lamar Valley. If you're looking for wildlife in Yellowstone, this is the place to be. While you can reasonably expect to see critters just about anywhere, this is where they gather in the greatest numbers. The famed Druid Pack of wolves made their home here. Bison, pronghorn, elk, all frequent the valley, and nine years ago we saw two bull moose there, although moose are now rarely seen in Yellowstone.

NE Entrance Road crosses first the Yellowstone River, then the Lamar River. We pulled over on the far side of the bridge over the Lamar to poke around and take some photos. Finally feeling freed from the confines of the van and the constant travel, I climbed down to the river's edge. The view wasn't all that great from down there, but I sat for a bit, enjoying the sun, marveling at the huge boulders in the river.

The Lamar River near the NE Entrance Rd overpass

We had timed the trip perfectly with the park's peak color. In this part of the country there's little more than yellow to set the park ablaze, but by golly, it's enough.

Fall color near the Lamar River

Willows ablaze

Even though the day use area and campground were closed, we paid a visit to the Slough Creek area anyway. The Buffalo Creek fire was still burning somewhere over the ridge, and while we could not see or smell smoke on Monday, we did on Tuesday morning when we returned to wolf watch. The Junction Butte pack had denned on the south side of the hills north of the road, and apparently provided quite a show to many folks this year as the pack was clearly visible. Their den area burned, but the pack survived.

(They did not, however, survive Montana hunters. Since being delisted, all the states around Yellowstone have a wolf hunting season. This pack, so close to the border, was hard hit--the day the season opened, three members were shot, JUST outside the border. Hunters learn the pack's habits, then lay in wait, and as soon as the animals cross the invisible line, they're shot dead. This happened the day we left for home at the end of our trip. The pack had lost its Alpha male on September 15th. He was injured, but had taken an elk down in the Lamar River. He had sustained further injury, and was then killed himself by the Prospect Peak pack. Whether the Junction Buttes survive and rebuild, or disperse, remains to be seen. It's not an easy life, being a wolf.)

Bison were plentiful. In 2007 we did not see nearly this many bison, but it could be that this year they were already moving down into the valleys for winter. I could write an entire post--or three--about bison, but I decided to pick a handful of images for this post instead. Such massive animals, they still have a grace about them. And to see them on the plains in Yellowstone, you could imagine what it looked like before we nearly wiped them out.

Bison near Slough Creek

This big bull stood sentinel, the west wind blowing through his thick hair.

Female bison horns tend to curve inward less than the male's, so I am guessing this is a young-ish male, with a European Starling along for the ride. This is typically where you'd see Brown-headed Cowbirds, a species that evolved along with bison and developed nomadic tendencies. This meant they could not incubate their own eggs and raise their own young, so they learned to lay an egg in another bird's nest, and let them do the work.

Bison and starling.

There were mamma's with calves too, though the calves by now were a pretty good size and already growing their horns.

Bison calf

We drove all the way out to the Pebble Creek campground to check it out, then drove back through the Lamar Valley. We stopped at Tower Falls and at the Narrows. I wasn't all that impressed with the view of the falls, but loved the view of the Yellowstone River as it approaches the falls.

Classic West--fast, rocky rivers, spruce-covered hills, and bare buttes.

We stopped a few more times on the way back to camp, including this spot along Yancy Creek to see the basalt cliffs.

Basalt cliffs along Yancy Creek

The warm day brought with it some late pop-up storms. The sky threatened but we did not get any rain where we were. The clouds to the north sure made for a dramatic backdrop for the light of the lowering sun.

And better yet? A Yellowstone rainbow.

Back at camp we had several elk cows wander by. There were two big bull elk in Mammoth, one with a large harem. It's not unusual for them to congregate in areas populated by humans. Elk in the park are not hunted, so they feel safe with us, especially because wolves tend to avoid us. The same thing happens on Isle Royale with the moose, where cows and calves like to hang out near Rock Harbor.

Elk cow in Mammoth campground.

We ended the day with this gorgeous view above the campground. Already, I didn't want to leave. And later that evening, I heard my first elk bugle.