Views of the Interior

On Saturday I spent most of the day on the back of a snowmobile. Patrick had to check out a smelly freezer situation at his Lake apartment. Patrick has spent the past 10 years living year-round in the interior. He started off at Grant for one year and then moved to Lake. He has worked nearly 30 years for the NPS in positions that include site manager (Castle Clinton and Federal Hall in New York City), Law Enforcement Ranger (New York City) and a Regional Ranger at Big Thicket in Texas. He then moved to resource management (Colorado National Monument and Yellowstone). He currently is a Resource Management Biologist and for his first time in Yellowstone he is wintering in Mammoth. He still has an apartment at Lake and when situations need to be addressed a snowmobile is the only way to get there in the winter.

Bison on Swan Lake Flats

Nymph Lake

Roaring Mountain

Woodchips on the road near Nymph Lake

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Beryl Spring

Bison feeding on exposed vegetation by Madison Junction

These two elk were grazing on aquatic vegetation in the Firehole River

A very ordinary site when snowmobiling, bison lumbering down the road

A thermal feature draining into the Firehole River

The new Old Faithful Visitor Center

Snowmobiles lined up at Old Faithful

A snow-covered building at Grant

Lake Hotel

We saw two foxes on our travels, both were in the Lake Area. This fox was wandering around by the Lake Hotel. He would occasionally stop, cock his head and then dive face first into the snow. We never saw him actually catch anything.

We spotted these two coyotes sitting atop a hill in Hayden Valley. There was a 3rd coyote wandering around by the Yellowstone River and these two were watching it.

We always take a swing through Canyon Village so I can see the Adventure Store. Snow removal from the roof of both stores has been taking place. This picture shows how the snow is cut in blocks and then pushed off from the roof. I estimated the snow to be 5 to 6 feet deep in some places on the roof.

Being in the interior during the winter months gives a person a whole new perspective on the Park. The snow is very deep in many areas. We were met with only a few flakes but driving through Hayden Valley it was sometimes difficult to tell where a snowy hill ended and a cloudy sky began. It all seemed to blur together in places. Animals are easy to spot. I saw what appeared to be an otter on the snow on Yellowstone Lake and I'm not so sure I would of been able to have seen one of the foxes in the distance if it hadn't been for the red on white contrast. I also appreciate how difficult it is for the wildlife to move snow so that they can reach the grass hidden underneath. I was able to spot Shoshone Lake more easily from the Shoshone Overlook and thermal features hidden by trees where more easily to spot because of the puffs of steam that rose from them.

And as glorious as a Yellowstone winter scene can be it can also be a bit of a pain for some. I talked with one of the snowplow drivers who says that she can spend an entire day trying to keep the road free of drifting snow on the Blacktail Plateau. With so much snow this year it can be difficult to find places to put it all. There are large piles of snow throughout Mammoth. The constant snow and wind sometimes leaves the front door of the store drifted in. Betty had to shovel her way to the door the other morning just to get in. I am having to lift my snow filled shovels higher and higher each time I shovel the steps and walkway in front of the store. On Tuesday Judy had a hair-raising experience driving back down to Gardiner after movie night with Andrea and I. With white-out conditions she was having difficulty navigating the road and ended up sideswiping the snow drift on the wrong side of the road. That was a much better alternative than to drive off the side of the road and down an embankment. Going 'down the hill' can definitely be a long difficult drive.

International Market

Friday night was the last of the special during the winter months. Previously we had taken in the Specialty Chocolate Buffet and on Friday Judy, Andrea and I went to the International Market. It was a diners delight with Asian, Mediterranean and South of the Border stations. Our palates were delighted with an all-you-can-eat extravaganza that included sushi, flank steak, mussels, lamb kabobs, etc.

After finishing our plates from one station we would head to the next to fill up on the next geographical delights. It was a night of seeing and be seen. Numerous NPS employees that we knew were taking in the evening dinner.

I hit the Asian station twice. I could not get enough of the sushi. This was only the second time I had sushi, the first being sushi from a convenience store which could have turned into a gastric nightmare. And of course Andrea and I could not pass up the opportunity to try out our chopstick using dexterity. Andrea got right to the point by just stabbing her sushi with hers.

I never made it to the South of the Border station as I had filled up on Asian food and the lamb kabobs. It was a great night to share with Andrea and Judy. We are quite the Three Amigos (or the Three Stooges depending on who you are talking to). Great food, great friends and a great evening.

Drifting Snow

I decided to start off my Saturday morning with a jaunt to Lamar. I first had to tackle some tough going through the Blacktail Plateau. There were high winds all night which continued into the morning, and eventually through the rest of the day. Snow removal crews are having a difficult time keeping the road open because of the drifting snow and at this time the road between Mammoth and Cooke City may be closed later this afternoon or this evening. The drifts on either side of the road here are quite high and the wind blew the snow across the road. Quite a few people lined up across the Plateau as we followed a ranger who eventually stopped and grabbed a shovel to lend a hand to a snowplow driver who was digging snow away from his plow.

Though the roads were drifted and snowpacked the rest of my drive toward Lamar was uneventful. Right before entering Lamar I came across a bull elk who had decided to take a rest right on the side of the road. He was completely unimpressed by the cars that slowly crept by with humans with their cameras aimed at him. He lazily chewed his cud.

I managed to spot a bighorn off in the distance across from the hitching posts. And later by pebble creek I saw a coyote mousing. Of course there was also the obligatory bison and elk herds scattered through the Park with quite a few congregating by the Lava Creek area.

On my return toward Mammoth I was careful to slow down in case the elk was still laying on the side of the road. I came around the corner to find a ranger with his lights on right by him. He had managed to stand up but was now contently nibbling on the branches of a tree that was next to the road. He would stretch his long neck over the pile of snow to do his nibbling.

The temps have drastically improved over the week. We started off with subzero temps and they have risen into the 30's today. The bitter temps gnaw at a person and it is hard to escape that constant chill. The snow is deep and is constantly being whipped up by the wind. A small herd of elk walked past the store this afternoon and stopped to pick at some grass that has been exposed because of the wind. They were in fairly decent shape though one seemed to have a rather cavernous belly area and her hips were a bit bony. The elk and bison have been grazing lately by the lower terraces as the heat from the thermal area had melted off a good area of snow and had exposed some vegetation. I have also seen the bison in the government housing area as well as a large group of elk that had grazed for a few days at the Chinese Garden. They mow down one area and move to another to find their winter food.

Entertainment

So what do the YGS employees do for entertainment after hours? We head to the Gardiner Community Center for a concert given by the Singing Sons of Beaches. It was just one of the acts that are a series of entertainment in the area over the winter months. Andrea, Judy and I started Friday night off at the Two Bit and then moved across the street to take in their singing and comedy act. A great way to kick back and relax and have a few chuckles. Afterwards Andrea and I headed to the Rusty Rail so that Andrea could continue to be Scurvy Free (an inside joke).

That was not the end of my weekend entertainment. On Saturday Patrick and I went to Bozeman for some necessity shopping. Our day ended with watching a performance of the Bozeman Symphony. It was an incredible experience, much like dessert for the ears.

And Sunday was more entertainment: Super Bowl at the Two Bit. Andrea, Judy and I once again found ourselves in the Two Bit to watch the Super Bowl. It ended up with the three of us talking and laughing only to stop and watch a couple commercials. We left before the game ended.

The Ruffians

Robyn, Andrea & Judy

In Our New Taco Tuesday Aprons and Hats

After a 14 hour drive from Minnesota I finally made it back to Yellowstone on Sunday evening. I had a challenging drive through North Dakota and made the decision that I would take 3 feet of Yellowstone snow over 3 inches of blowing North Dakota snow. My only other driving challenge came just north of Gardiner when I was met by a ranger stopping traffic by Corwin Springs. They were herding a herd of bison north so that they could cross the bridge and be back on the west side of the river. I decided not to wait so I took the back way into Gardiner, a dirt road west of the river. I passed numerous bison along the way: a couple young ones tussling and pushing each other, a cow who was at a strong sprint trying to catch up with a group of bison, as well as some that just lumbered north.

A total of 300 bison were rounded up into a fenced area at Stephens Creek the next day after numerous attempts to get them back into the Park failed. Harsh winter conditions are causing a larger number of the bison to leave the Park in search of food. Those testing positive for exposure to brucellosis will be sent to slaughter. What is the fate of the young ruffians that I saw? or the running cow? A long lingering death by starvation in the Park? or a kill box and a rifle? It has been no secret that I love and admire the bison and either ending is heartbreaking. Until they can reach those greener pastures north of the Park this will be the story every harsh winter.

Yes, the winter has been harsh. There has been so much snow and now it is the cold. It has been -18 degrees in the mornings lately (-40 in West Yellowstone, -35 at Lake, and -32 near Tower). I have been dealing with frozen water pipes and a frozen drain. Connie had her pipes freeze last night and found her bedroom full of water when she awoke. We've been keeping the fire stoked here at the store and we find ourselves warming by it throughout the day. It is a cold that we just can't seem to shake. The next couple of days are to be warmer (NOAA is forecasting snow/rain for Saturday!) but the temps will plummet again Sunday. I'm beginning to long for summer. I have to admit that the terraces are beautiful with all of the snow. The cold temps really make them steam.

Minnesota

As much as I love snow I am beginning to wish that it could somehow snow without having to shovel it off of the sidewalks. But shoveling comes with the snowy territory. On Wednesday morning I was shoveling when I heard a commotion on the road. I turned to watch a large herd of bison being herded down the road through Mammoth by a ranger. They moved as far as the dining room where the herd came to a complete stop and reveled in stopping traffic.

Later in the morning a temporarily left Yellowstone behind for a quick trip back to Minnesota to visit my family. Fargo, North Dakota has quite a bit of snow and I expect major flooding of the Red River this spring.

Courtney, barrel racer extraordinaire, doctors her injured horse. Maggie is her newest acquisition to her herd of competitive barrel racing horses. Courtney qualified for and competed in the Nation Barrel Horse Association World competitions in Georgia this past October. She has qualified once again for 2011. Another of her horses, Tia, won over 75 first place ribbons, plus trophies and and belt buckles, in 2010.

A very happy Kaylee clapping her hands

Dinner with the family: Mom, Dad, Adam, Kaylee, Heather, Courtney and myself. Benjamin was not able to join us as he is at the University of Minnesota (pre-med). Adam is going to school for auto body and Heather (Adam's fiancee) attends school to be a pediatric nurse.

Snowmobiling Through The Interior Part 2

While snowmobiling through Hayden Valley we came across this fox running across the road. While we stopped to watch it I noticed a carcass below us with two more foxes feeding on it. This was my first time to see more than one fox in one location.

.This is a view of a pristine Hayden Valley

Yellowstone River looking north from Fishing Bridge

Yellowstone River Looking South of Fishing Bridge

Snowmobiling Through The Interior

The Adventure Store

After nearly two months missing the interior I finally made a trip into the Park.....and out the East Entrance. Patrick needed to check in on his cabin in Wapiti and the way there is via snowmobile from Mammoth to Pahaska about 2 miles beyond the East Entrance. On Friday afternoon we packed up our backpacks, bungee corded them to the back of his snowmobile and we climbed on. We exit the Yak Camp on the government trail which comes out by Golden Gate. Our first stop was the Canyon Visitor Center, which this year is being used instead of the warming hut.

Canyon Visitor Center

Patrick at Canyon

Our first wildlife spotting involved this small herd of bison lumbering down the road toward us by Indian Creek Campground. We later saw 2 coyotes in Hayden Valley. Using a pair of binoculars it appeared that one of them was chewing on the remains of what could have been another coyote.

80 miles after starting out on Friday we finally made it to Pahaska where government employees park their cars for when they snowmobile out the East Entrance.

On Sunday I realized that the view of the Buffalo Bill Cody Highway is much different in the winer with the snowcovered mountains. It is beautiful!

Bighorn Sheep were right next to the road in numerous locations. I also saw a bison grazing off from the road.

Getting the snowmobile ready at Pahaska for our return trip

Coming in the East Entrance

Snowmobiling over Sylvan Pass is an eerie feeling. While riding on the edge of the mountain I looked up in the Avalanche Zone and saw snow whipping around in the wind. To my left was a complete drop off and the snow on the trail was so high that we actually rode above the tops of the snow sticks in some locations. If snow decided to slide down that mountain when someone was riding on the trail they could be swept a long way down. It was snowing a bit and the wind was creating quite a bit of drifting as it was.

Sylvan Pass

Trotteresque

Robyn and Judy Prepared for Another Taco Tuesday

A full house at the January 18th Taco Tuesday

The bison were resting on the lawn in front of a local hotel when I found them this weekend. With warmer temps melting the snow I can see their evidence on many local lawns.

My weekend included a drive to Lamar Valley. There are numerous tours going on and I find myself amongst photography tours and wolf watchers on this particular weekend. I saw a fox by Roosevelt but numerous photographers beat me to a good vantage spot so I was unable to take any pictures but I did see the red beauty wander around the hillside right before the Yellowstone River bridge. I'm always excited to see foxes. I've only seen a few these past 18 months but most of the one ones I've seen have been in this area.

I recall seeing 4 or 5 huge bull elks on the Blacktail Plateau this time last year but I only have managed to spot one so far this winter. This handsome fella was right next to the parking area on the Blacktail and spent quite a bit of time grazing on the hill. Quite a few people stopped to snap a photo of him and like any good model he posed magnificently while people clicked away.

I saw 5 coyotes on this drive but this little guy captured my attention as he wandered back and forth across the road in front of my vehicle in Lamar Valley in a very Trotteresque fashion. I drove a distance behind him as he was quite unsure which side of the road to exit. He never did get off the road, I passed by him as he decided to use a pull-out so I could pass him by.

The Way of the Wild

I returned to Yellowstone with some great memories of New York City. It was quite an experience. But it is nice to back home in the comfort of Yellowstone. I was greeted with a pile of snow holding my door closed and a windshield full of snow that hadn't been blown off from the winds. There was quite a bit more snow than when we had left.

I went to the Food Farm in Gardiner after work on Friday and was met with 2 bison running toward my car by The Two Bit. A herd of bison has been wandering around Gardiner and these two had split from the rest of the herd and were sprinting the streets. Earlier in the day I had watched a rabbit that lives by the store. Since this particular rabbit has been a regular we nicknamed it Mugsey and there wasn't a day that passed where Mugsey wasn't being viewed by us through the front window nibbling on branches or hopping around out back.

On Saturday I decided to take jaunt into Bozeman. I first had to navigate around the bison in Gardiner and then slow down for a big horn sheep on the side of the road, then further on it was the herd of elk that graze in a field. That's when a picture was sent to me over my phone. It was a picture taken by Andrea of the mangy coyote in front of the store.....and laying motionless at its feet was Mugsey! Such goes the way of the wild.

I hit quite a snowy pass on the way to Bozeman and on my return the pass was even worse. Numerous semis were pulled over putting chains on their tires. The snowfall lightened between Livingston and Corwin Springs when it hit again. This time it was near white-out conditions and I made it by the herd of bison that had moved further north and were grazing on the side of the road. Just north of there was the grazing field where hundreds of elk had gathered. In Gardiner I had to brake once again for a buck mule deer with a large rack wandered across the road by the car wash.

I took a trek to Lamar this morning and watched a coyote jog down the road by Phantom Lake. Later I saw another coyote off in the distance eating his prey by the river. A raven flew over and then landed close by hoping to have a little dinner himself. It was -4 on the Blacktail this morning and few frosty bison had taken to the road and walked single file up the road. It was a slow wildlife viewing day but I never take for granted the wonderful sights I see along my way.

It's good to be home in Yellowstone.