Hello Dan! I'm ok, just sooo busy and so little time to post! Also, a big 'Hello' to Sharron; Martha from Kentucky and to Dave & Maryellen who I stopped in the store when I was out. Sorry I missed you!
Friday I had to take a quick trip to Mammoth in the afternoon to pick up an order and had the opportunity to see a grizzly bear at Swan Lake Flats. I saw it as I traveled by at 35 mph heading back to Canyon. Being that I was on a mission for work I thought it best I continue on my way and get my frozen food order back to the store while it was still in it's frozen state.
Dunraven Pass opened up at 8:00 Friday morning and was promptly closed by the next morning. It still is closed due to snow/ice. By this time the people working in Canyon are pretty excited at the prospect of traveling on a fresh road so the opening of Dunraven is something to celebrate. Now with it closed we wait in anticipation for its reopening. I have yet to travel it and I look forward to my first 2010 pass over the pass. Sylvan Pass was also closed for awhile Saturday which delayed my departure to Wapiti and Cody. Winter just will not give up its icy grip on the higher elevations here. As much as I whined about the lack of snow this winter I really have had about enough it at this point. As I write Yellowstone is in yet another winter advisory with up to 7 inches of snow expected. So far the snowfall from this storm is lackluster which is fine with most of us living here. Spring please make your sunny appearance here at Yellowstone!
I have been seeing quite a few grizzlies lately. Besides the one at Swan Lake Flats on Friday I also saw a bear across from the Canyon corrals late Friday afternoon. Also another one right on the side of the road east of Lake Butte on Sunday evening. I have lost track of the number of sightings this year which is in direct contrast to my scrupulously listing every sighting I had in the early part of the season last year. I gave up after a couple of months but I do remember my grizzly sightings reaching 45 for 2009 and about 25 black bear sightings.
On Wednesday I will be heading back to Minnesota for a short visit. I look forward to seeing family and friends. It will be a shock to my system to head into 80 degree weather and I will have a short-lived sympathy for my chilled friends back here. Actually the weather is supposed to warm up here but I do chuckle when I think that I need to go to Minnesota to get a tan! That seems so wrong.
Dunraven Pass opened up at 8:00 Friday morning and was promptly closed by the next morning. It still is closed due to snow/ice. By this time the people working in Canyon are pretty excited at the prospect of traveling on a fresh road so the opening of Dunraven is something to celebrate. Now with it closed we wait in anticipation for its reopening. I have yet to travel it and I look forward to my first 2010 pass over the pass. Sylvan Pass was also closed for awhile Saturday which delayed my departure to Wapiti and Cody. Winter just will not give up its icy grip on the higher elevations here. As much as I whined about the lack of snow this winter I really have had about enough it at this point. As I write Yellowstone is in yet another winter advisory with up to 7 inches of snow expected. So far the snowfall from this storm is lackluster which is fine with most of us living here. Spring please make your sunny appearance here at Yellowstone!
I have been seeing quite a few grizzlies lately. Besides the one at Swan Lake Flats on Friday I also saw a bear across from the Canyon corrals late Friday afternoon. Also another one right on the side of the road east of Lake Butte on Sunday evening. I have lost track of the number of sightings this year which is in direct contrast to my scrupulously listing every sighting I had in the early part of the season last year. I gave up after a couple of months but I do remember my grizzly sightings reaching 45 for 2009 and about 25 black bear sightings.
On Wednesday I will be heading back to Minnesota for a short visit. I look forward to seeing family and friends. It will be a shock to my system to head into 80 degree weather and I will have a short-lived sympathy for my chilled friends back here. Actually the weather is supposed to warm up here but I do chuckle when I think that I need to go to Minnesota to get a tan! That seems so wrong.
