Unfortunately I do not have any new snow around here to tell you about. Old Faithful still has not seen a decent snowstorm in over a month and I cannot say that I have heard of any in the forecast. In addition to that, it is getting above freezing almost every afternoon and puddles are forming each time in front of the Snow Lodge. It is very frustrating to have my first winter in Yellowstone be such a mild one. Please do a snow dance for me!
Anyway, I will stop begging for snow and tell all about my trip this week. My girlfriend Mary and I decided that a trip to Mammoth Hot Springs would be a nice break from Old Faithful for a few days. The coach ride up was bumpy and long but tour guide Lee Ramella kept it interesting with his anecdotes about different roads used throughout Yellowstone’s history. When we arrived I was amazed by all of the Magpies and Rabbits around the buildings at Mammoth. These are animals that we hardly ever see at Old Faithful. After connecting with our friends at Mammoth, we settled down to prepare for whatever we might find to do the next day.
We were awakened the next morning by the sounds of wolves and coyotes on the ridge behind the cabins. Some people that we know informed us that a wolf pack as been frequenting the Mammoth area. We didn’t get to see them, but it was exciting to hear them. To continue our pursuit of exotic animals we decided to take an offer of a ride out to Lamar for the afternoon. I had not been out to the Lamar Valley since I was a child so I was excited by the opportunity.
On our way to Lamar we were treated to some great sights. We were able to see Undine Falls almost completely frozen. A herd of about ten bull elk had found a spot to graze near Wraith Falls. And, once again, Lee showed us many of the old routes used by early travelers to the park including the Bannock Trail and the old coach road from Mammoth to Roosevelt and Cooke City.
Upon reaching the Lamar we had our first animal sighting. It was a coyote standing in the middle of the road and he did not look to happy to see us. After we passed him he proceeded to chase us! I guess the car looked like a tasty meal.
The valley was beautiful. The many elk made Specimen Ridge look like an anthill. Bison were scattered about in groups of two and three. The valley had a much greater amount of snow than Old Faithful. In fact, when we reached Soda Butte, a huge snowstorm hit and reduced visibility to only a few hundred feet. I had almost forgotten what a snowstorm looked like.
We didn’t see any wolves, but the coyotes were plentiful. I got a great photo of one near Soda Butte. Also, on our way out we encountered one who had captured a meal. He was proudly (yet protectively) carrying around a porcupine. Tried to get some shots of him too, but he was quick to hide his meal so I am not sure how they will turn out.
So, all in all it was a great break away from Old Faithful. It is amazing to me how many different types of flora, fauna, and scenery that can be found within a hundred miles of where I live. It is even more wonderful how winter adds a whole new aspect to everything. I would have to say for those of you who have only visited during the summer - you wouldn’t even recognize the place!
