Yellowstone Winter 2023

A lot has transpired since I last visited Yellowstone, however, the draw has always been there and after scuttling several plans to visit, I made good in 2023. With Gardiner as our base, we set into the park over the course of four days to experience the magic of a peaceful and serene winter wonderland. In the intervening years, Yellowstone Wolf Tracker has transformed into the premier wolf watching venue with a continued watchful eye from Nathan and Linda. A new cohort of seasoned guides now lead the excursion each day and continue the tradition of imparting their intimate knowledge of the park and wildlife, bringing to life the interconnection of all you see and how nature is her own best caretaker. This is a wolf watching adventure, but far greater it is a learning adventure that expands your mind and appreciation for the wild world. As John Muir said it best, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

Thanks to Nathen and Linda for keeping this experience alive.

Day One: First steps into the park
We started with a visit to the Yellowstone Heritage and Research Center in Gardiner for a touch of education and history. Of main interest for wolf fans, the skeleton of 302m, the famed 'Casanova" who did his part to make the recovery a reality. And a special treat, a Bombardier B12 Snocat in the parking lot raring to go. After, we headed into the park for our first look and a teaser of more to come. Our guides took us to a bull elk skeleton that had already been consumed, a prime example of nature recycling.

Guest speaker: Wolf Watcher Wildlife Biologist Olivia gave as an overview of wolves in the park, history of Wolf Watchers and mapped out our itinerary for the next days. Thanks Olivia! Dinner was Salmon that night and our gourmet meals every night were provided by Zac's Montana Kitchen.

Day Two: Lupine wolf pack & Wolf Project team
The day started cold, ~0 degrees! As we left Mammoth, we came across the Wolf Project starting up the 2023 wolf study near Undine Falls. As Michelle & Jamie (our 5 star guides) knew the team, they welcomed us and helped point us towards the Lupine Creek pack hanging out just across the ravine. We spent a good amount of time observing two wolves as they guarded their territory. The researchers had told us they had fed that day and were resting to digest the 20lbs of food they consume at each feeding. Compared to humans, we max out at about 2lbs! A nice surprise for me, the Wolf Project tracking Piper PA-18-150 aircraft was active following the Lupine Creek pack and made several passes to gather critical information. For the rest of the day we headed to Hellsroaring for a nice breakfast, with scoping along the way to Slough Creek. Moose and Elk were on the menu (photo/scoping that is!) along with additional in-depth commentary from Michelle & Jamie. We ended the day at Mammoth and caught a glimpse of the new SnoCats with low pressure tires. Quite a change from the Bombardier B12.

Guest speaker: Jim Halfpenny owner of thew Track Education Center, provided us with a glimpse into TSI (Track Scene Investigations) and a visit to his track center. Fascinating! Dinner was Asian style chicken thighs.

Day Three: Three pack day & Lamar Valley
Today we headed across the Northern tier of Yellowstone to Silver City. Along the way we were on the lookout for wolf packs and hit the jackpot observing the Lupine Creek, Rescue Creek and Junction Butte packs. Visibility and distance worked against any decent pictures, however, the high power scopes that Wolf Tracker provides pierce the distance. We spied the Lupine Pack still in the Lava Creek Canyon where we had seen them the day before, the Junction Butte pack in Blacktail Deer Plateau (if only briefly as they broke the rise and disappeared) and Junction Butte on the far side of Hellsroaring canyon. We continued on to Dan Hartman's studio, Wildlife Along the Rockies as he is a go to for filming wildlife in Yellowstone and has worked with NatGeo and BBC on many projects and has a lot to share. We enjoyed lunch with Dan and were treated to his latest escapades and videos. After, we headed back on a slow roll stopping in Soda Butte and Lamar Valley to capture scenes with Elks, Big Horn Sheep and a Bison.

Guest speaker: Bob Landis, two time Emmy award winner wildlife filmmaker talking about his current project. He is best known for a National Geographic Explorer wolf episode and Return of the Wolf. Dinner was barbecue ribs, yum!

Day Four: Two pack day & Last Pass
Early start to catch the morning action with the Lupine Creek pack before the crowds appeared, and we got lucky. The pack was active when we arrived as a mother Elk and calf had wandered into their territory and were looking rather anxious. They were on an outcropping with 2 pack members above and 5 below! However, the pack did not seem interested and we learned they had killed and eaten the prior night. Lucky break for this pair, however, later in the day a mother Big Horn Sheep and calf did not meet the same fate. We spent a good 90 minutes watching and after our breakfast buffet, headed out to explore. Of interest today, a Water Dipper sighting at Soda Butte Creek, Big Horn Sheep, a denning Black Bear and our last wolf sighting, the Junction Butte pack. All 22 of them resting in a line. So ends the day and we headed back for our last dinner.

Guest speaker: Nathen Varley, the professor himself. We spent the night talking about wolves, Wolf Watchers and anything that came to mind. Even though it has been many years since my last trip, Nathan's vision and focus has remained the same. An advocate for the wolf, preserving the wild and a passionate educator. Dinner that night, beef brisket and I ate way too much.

Prologue
First of all, a heartfelt thanks to Michele, Jamie, Michael & Olivia for guiding us thru the spectacular Yellowstone ecosystem. Every turn was met with knowledgable commentary emanating from a dedicated team. It was a privilege to be treated so royally. And while we enjoying the sights, the team was recoding the action with an iPhone attachment to the high power scopes to see the wolves in action. You can enjoy for yourself at 2023 Feb 28-Mar 4 by Nathan Varley.

Food for Thought
Secondly, quoting Thoreau, "In wildness is the preservation of the world" rings as true today as it rang for him in Massachusetts years ago. We must be vigilant and protective of the world we have inherited that will pass on to future generations. This stewardship, this truth can only be accomplished by being part of the solution. And there are many ways to participate in the place of being on the front line. A strong ecosystem in Yellowstone and around the world is of benefit to all mankind, from the wolf watchers to responsible people who enjoy the outdoors and honor with respect the spirit of wildness. To this end, there are many organizations to support that are on the frontline and deserve a helping hand to keep moving forward.

To that end, I am including excerpts from Nathan's wrap up to our group and hope you take some time to look these over.

Yellowstone naturalists' reports compiled daily on this web page will keep one up-to-date with Yellowstone news, including regular wolf reports, for $20/year

You can contribute to local advocacy and conservation projects by becoming a member of Gardiner's very own Bear Creek Council. BCC has, through face-to-face meetings with officials, been effective in reducing the wolf hunting/trapping quota around Yellowstone Park, as well as, created a high school curriculum to get wolf issues into the classrooms. As strong bison advocates, BCC has been attempting for over 20 years to end the poor treatment these wild animals endure when they leave Yellowstone. We have also vigorously opposed the delisting of Yellowstone's grizzly bear, and the subsequent trophy hunting that would follow. BCC is an affiliate of Northern Plains Resource Council, a larger parent organization that unites volunteer citizen groups around our region. Nathan is the current president!

There were some questions about climate change and how it has happened in the past and Michelle suggested this article does a good job of explaining some of that.

On a national level, Defenders of Wildlife, The Wilderness Society and the Natural Resources Defense Council are strong advocates for that preservation of wildness. (Author's recommendations)

Wildlife Lineup
And finally, Jason one of our fellow travelers was kind enough to document our sightings along the way.

Stay tuned for 2024!!!