Sylvan Lake

North Fork of the Shoshone River

 The North Fork of the Shoshone

Sylvan Lake    June 26, 2011

Sylvan Lake   July 15, 2009

I am still seeing bears, and lots of them.  They seem to make an appearance everywhere I go.  And thinking about it I have seen more grizzly bears than I have seen elk calves.  Of course there are elk calves in the Park I just haven't been in the areas that they are.  The last elk calf I saw was in the mouth of a grizzly.  I also seem to come across the bighorn sheep.  I see them constantly in the canyon on my way to Gardiner and on Sylvan Pass.  The bison have made their way back to Hayden Valley this past month but even so the herd is much smaller than last year.  I did get to watch a mama bison jogging down the road with its tiny baby by her side the other morning.  The calves little legs were moving like cartoon legs in its attempt to keep up to its mother.

I also think I have hit every bison/bear/wolf jam that has happened between Mammoth and Lake - or so it seems. The jams give me the opportunity to organize my cd case.  I have moved on from my 'caught in a jam' car cleaning moments.

There are some things that some may not consider when thinking about someone living in Yellowstone year-round.  Besides the lack of cellular phone and internet service in a vast majority of the area there is also medical services to consider.  There are wonderful seasonal clinics in Lake and Old Faithful and a year-round clinic at Mammoth.  Employees in the Park have a mandatory deduction taken from their checks for Medcor, the Park's medical provider.  This gives the employees a sort of medical insurance that is used only at the Park's clinics.  And I used mine last week when I developed a case of the flu.  I recovered and I also gained a primary physician here at Mammoth.  Finally, after over two years, when I go to the dentist I can fill in that line where it asks for the name of my primary physician. 

Park employees here are also given the opportunity to purchase medical helicopter transport insurance.  Though you may see 'villages' in Yellowstone no one should be lulled into the idea that Yellowstone is anything other than wilderness.  A wilderness that at times can be congested, but wilderness none the less.  Ambulance transport out of here on winding roads through bear/bison/wolf jams is not an option during emergencies.  The  sound of medical helicopters is a common occurance here. 

I am spending a lazy Sunday afternoon taking care of all the things that I didn't get a chance to get to these past few weeks.  I finally was able to check my e-mail after neglecting it for over three weeks.  After wading through 268 messages (does that darn Facebook really have to notify me everytime someone posts something on my wall) I finally narrowed my messages down to the important ones (thanks everyone who wrote to me!).  

Between loads of laundry I am also doing a bit of baking (a new passion) and with a lack of eggs I knew what I had to do - a trip to the Food Farm in Gardiner.  I took a few deep breaths, a few deep knee bends and stretched and loosened my muscles and headed out to my next challenge:  a left turn in Mammoth.  Taking a left turn in Mammoth is not for the faint of heart or an inexperienced Yellowstone driver.  And it is not for the impatient.  I could hear the beat of my heart and the tick of the clock as I waited for a break in the traffic hoping in desperation that it would also coincide with a break in the pedestrians.  Chances are it does not coincide. When I finally made my turn my next hope was that I could find a parking spot at the store.  I did.

Cody Pow Wow

Our next stop was the Cody Pow Wow.  It was an incredible display of sound and color.  I saw some of the most beautiful displays of Native American cultures.

I got to be in the front row as the dancers made their way toward the area that they would be dancing.  The rhythmic beat of the drums and awesome colors, feathers and bead work was mesmerizing.

We spent some of our time watching the dancing and some of our time wandering the booths looking at all of the art and jewelry that was for sale all the while smelling the flatbread tacos that were being served up.  The day had it all:  sights, smells and sounds.

This morning Jackie and I headed back into the Park under dark clouds and cool temps.  It was raining during most of our drive and snow was being forecast for the higher elevations.  I wanted to be back at Mammoth in time for the cookout that the store was having for the employees.  Richard brought his barbecue to the store and cooked up some delicious hamburgers and hot dogs while others chipped in by bringing cakes and vegetables.  I so enjoy the people that work at the store and everyone pulled together to pull off a wonderful lunch.  A nice way to end a nice week.

Heart Mountain Relocation Center

I seem to be doing a lot of road time lately.  The previous week I made a trip to Fishing Bridge for a grocery meeting and this past week it was a liquor meeting at Grant (yup, a meeting about liquor!  What a job!).  My trip to Grant included picking someone up at Tower so I took off from Mammoth at 7:30 am and headed east....straight into a bison jam on the Blacktail.  Then it was another jam of some sort by Petrified Tree and then I made it to Tower just in time to find out that Dunraven Pass had been closed due to a slide but had just reopened.  We came across another jam by Fishing Bridge and this time it was a grizzly.  And as it happened it was the same grizzly that I came face-to-face with a few mornings before.  On my way back from the meeting it was yet another jam by Floating Island Lake, this time it was a black bear.

Though I see some amazing sights during my drives I am now usually trying to get from point A to point B so I rarely take the opportunity to photograph or watch any of the wildlife.  But I am always in the company of my trusty camera in case I do find a moment to snap the shutter.  As the summertime crowds grow I am less likely to do so.  I much more enjoy the quiet moments with the scenery and wildlife and I am more apt to see things closer during my early morning drives.  I will wait until fall and winter before I go head on into my wildlife viewing drives when my camera spends more time up to my eye than laying quietly on the seat next to me.  But I know when I see the lumbering bear or the wandering wolf quietly ambling down the roadway and it is just me and them I can casually reach over and grab my camera and capture the moment.  The mornings are for me and my camera.

And the weekends are for my travels out of the Park.  While I head to Wapiti I pass numerous families excitedly driving into the Park for their adventure and I am equally excited to explore the region outside the Park.  I so enjoy the history of the towns surrounding the Park and with a few ghost and mining towns under my belt from last summers excursions I spent this past weekend enjoying the sights and sounds of history in the Cody area.  I picked up my friend Jackie from Canyon and she went to Wapiti with me to enjoy a few of the things that Cody has to offer.  First on our agenda was meeting Patrick at Adriana's, an Italian restaurant in Cody (delicious!).

The next morning Jackie and I spent the morning wandering the stores of Cody and then it was off to the Heart Mountain Relocation Center.

During high school I took an entire semester of WWII history and not once was it mentioned that the US had relocation camps.  I first heard about these camps when my dad told me that a coworker of his had been sent to one in California when she was a child.  Between Cody and Powell is the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp, which is currently having an interpretive center being built.

There are only a handful of buildings left where the camp once stood.  They are boarded up but we could peer through some of the windows.

Last year I bought a book about the camp for my dad.  I had paged through it and looked at some of the pictures from the camp and read a bit about the history of the camp.  Such a sad part of our history that so few people know about. 

The Shoshone River

Yellowstone Lake

Since I spend the entire week traveling the roads of Yellowstone my weekends are now reserved for Wapiti.  My usual Friday evening is spent traveling there but this week I wasn't able to leave until Saturday morning.  The day looked promising in Mammoth with blue skies and sun.  After coming past Golden Gate and onto Swan Lake Flat I could see that my travels would lead me into different weather.  When I got to Obsidian Cliff the sun disappeared and I continued on under the shade of clouds.  I stopped south of Canyon at Wapiti Lake (last restroom break before going into Hayden Valley).  It started to sprinkle and I could hear the roar of thunder.  As I continued farther south the rain changed to sleet and snow and the road had a good inch of slush on it.  

It finally stopped as I hit Fishing Bridge but I could tell I couldn't dilly dally (as my mom says) if I wanted to stay ahead of the the coming bad weather.  I stopped for only a moment to take a picture of the ice on Yellowstone Lake and I didn't even stop to watch a bear just before Steamboat Point.  The rest of my Saturday morning travels were uneventful except for 2 bighorn sheep jams I came across as I came down Sylvan Pass. 

 Sunday was a day for exploring outside the Park.  Patrick and I took a drive down the south fork of the Shoshone River.  I think I have found the most scenic and beautiful area of Wyoming that I have been in thus far (with the exception of Yellowstone, of course).  With the bountiful supply of water from the melting snow there were plenty of waterfalls to be seen.  The water would cascade and tumble down the mountains and the Shoshone was roaring with power. 

 Far down the road we came across a winter bighorn sheep management area.  I have never seen so many bighorn sheep congregated in one area.  There were approximately thirty sheep lounging or grazing in a field while eight rams stood by the road and then leaped over the fence as we drove by.  I could hear the fence twang as their hooves nicked it as they leaped over. 

I'm including this picture of this foal that we saw just because I thought it was so darn cute.

 It was an incredibly scenic drive and we found plenty of spots to hike in the future or to camp.  Around every turn there was more to see and canyons to explore.  The mountains had a cap of snow on them and with their melting they fueled the waterfalls that we saw.  Our wildlife sightings included elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer and pronghorn.

More wildlife on the Shoshone

And then my weekend ends.  I made the drive back to Mammoth this evening and was met with rain on Sylvan Pass and from Hayden Valley to Norris.  I did manage to see a grizzly by Steamboat Point.  There has been a sow with cubs there but I only saw one bear.  I think I have seen more bears this past week and a half than I saw the entire summer of 2010.

Tomorrow starts a new week, new adventures and new experiences.  I'm loving my job here in Mammoth and I love the people that work here.  I have seen quite a few Canyon and Grant people this past week, many stopping in the store here.  I have also met a few blog readers and those I have missed have left me notes.  Though I may not have anything profound to write at times it does inspire me.  This blog has evolved these past two years and I'm sure it will continue to do so.  I write about the people I see, the things I do and things I feel.  And to be honest, sometimes I read some of the things that I wrote two years ago and think:  "I can't believe I wrote that!" and sometimes I just think:  "Wow, use the spell check!"

One Step, Two Steps, Three Steps, Bear!

My life seeing bears continues.  I have to remind myself that there are very few jobs in the world where someone can be at work and spend the day peaking through the front window at a grizzly and black bears.  Thursday was an incredible bear day in Mammoth.  A grizzly took down an elk calf in Mammoth and drug the carcass up Capital Hill and then spent hours feasting on it.  The entire YGS staff at Mammoth spent the day peering up the hill at the grizzly.  If that wasn't enough a black bear ran in front of the store and up the hill to the west of the store.  Mammoth was buzzing with visitors and rangers as they kept track of where the bears were.  And again this morning a bear ran through Mammoth.  I repeat:  I cannot not see a bear.

At the end of the day, with the grizzly still laying atop of Capital Hill, I left for Lake.  I could tell something was up the moment I pulled into my parking spot at the apartment there.  The apartment overlooks the horse corrals and  Yellowstone Lake.  People were lined up at the east side fence of the corrals and after a careful surveillance I saw what was drawing all the attention:  a grizzly.  It was roaming and digging in the corrals.  As I prepared dinner I would occasionally look out and watch the grizzly walk around inside the fencing.  I also had to remind myself that not everyone gets to live in an area where they can watch a grizzly as they prepare a salad.

Needless to say that this morning I was extra careful to survey the area as I left the apartment at 5:15.  I looked out the door and saw nothing.  I started down the boardwalk toward my car:  one step, two steps, three steps, bear!  Walking directly towards me, between myself and my car was a grizzly bear.  Between the early morning light, the brown of the garbage dumpster and the dirt and the darkness of the pavement I didn't even see it.  It was the movement that caught my eye.  With one giant Abraham Lincoln-sized step I was back in the door.  I ran upstairs to get Patrick who followed my back downstairs to the door.  With the door having a full-length glass pane we were able to watch the grizzly saunter past peering inside the door at us.  After it passed Patrick stepped out and shouted at it and clapped his hands.  It lumbered off and I breathed a sigh of relief.  I have seen many many bears in the Park but this was my first experience seeing one outside the comfort of my vehicle or a building. 

Electric Peak

Though it hasn't warmed back into the 80's as it had the other day the sky has been mostly clear these past couple of days.  An occasional blanket of clouds may drift through but the blue skies and sun that we see for most of the day definitely  make up for the lower temps.  Dunraven Pass is now open as well as Beartooth Pass.  And life is much easier since Sylvan Pass has remained open during the daytime hours.  Snow may occasionally close the passes but it is moving in a positive direction.  There is still plenty of ice on portions of Yellowstone Lake but it is quickly disappearing.  I think that spring was skipped over in Yellowstone and we are heading from one long winter straight into summer.  I thoroughly enjoy my morning drives from Lake to Mammoth.  This morning was especially nice even though I started off the morning with a grizzly bear and a coating of ice on my windshield.  As the sun rose it showed a brilliant blue sky.  Electric Peak was gorgeous.  The long winter seems to be over. 

 

Friendlystone

I guess it started a year ago.  It was when then that I noticed that people that I knew started waving at me when I traveled through the Park.  Or that I started running into people as I shopped in the neighboring towns.  The villages in Yellowstone are like small communities of people and you are eventually bound to come across them as they live their regular lives.  I remember the first time that someone waved to me as I drove through Gardiner, or the first time I ran into someone shopping at the Food Farm or a store in Cody.  And this past spring I started seeing people that I knew in Bozeman.  Coming from a small town I know that sometimes it can take years before a person is considered a 'local' but I have slid comfortably into the title of 'local' in the Mammoth community, and a formal local in the Canyon community.  As my boss says:  "Robyn, you were meant to be here."  And here I am.

A warning to all English teachers:  bad grammar ahead.  I also have come to believe that I cannot not see a bear.  These past few days I have been seeing grizzly bears in the Mammoth area, by Norris, in Hayden Valley and by Fishing Bridge.  No matter where I go I am seeing bears.  What a treat for me. 

On Saturday, after a day of seeing people I know in Bozeman, I traveled to Wapiti.  Though Sylvan Pass is currently open during the day this past weekend it was only open 8:00 pm through 10:00 am.  Right before Lake Butte Overlook there is a washout of part of the road and a traffic signal was put up because of the one-lane travel. 

 Sylvan pass also had a temporary traffic sign put up warning motorists not to stop for 2 miles over the pass because of avalanche danger.  On my return on Sunday night I came to the East Entrance at 7:45 only to be greeted with about 50 other motorists waiting in line to go across the pass.  I didn't go through the gate until 8:30.

Bunsen Peak

Though it is June 8 it still snows throughout the Park.  We were warmly greeted with temps in the 80's earlier this week but lately we are lucky if it gets out of the 40's.  I have driven through snow these past couple of days, mostly in the Lake and Canyon areas.  Today was an overcast and dreary day but the crowds in the Park have started to build.  With vacations planned months in advance for many visitors they have little choice but to enjoy the Park with the weather that they are given.  Though you may have to bundle up a bit there is plenty to see and enjoy here.  Baby bison, elk and bears are making appearance and that alone is worth the visit.  Your body may be chilled but there is plenty to see to warm the heart.

Lone Wolf

Wolf by Canyon

 I travel through the Park on a regular basis.  I drive from Mammoth to Lake, when I am able, in the evenings.  Yesterday evening I managed to drive through four bear jams.  I have now seen a grizzly just south of Roaring Mountain twice this past week.  I've had a clear view of it both times but I never managed to get a photo as I had to maneuver between cars and pedestrians.  Jams of any sort can be a dangerous situation as many people are focused on the bear/bison/etc. instead of where they are walking or driving (or opening their car doors). 

 On my way back to Mammoth in the mornings are delightful.  I leave Lake at 5:15 am and I usually have the road to myself......except for Tuesday morning.  As I drove west from Canyon Jct. I noticed something dark in the road ahead of me.  To be truthful I momentarily though of a leggy goat that I once had named Elmer but this leggy creature was actually a wolf.  It would not leave the roadway so I pulled off the roadway  and watched it pass my car.  I had my window open and I could actually hear its nails tip tapping on the pavement. Just past my car it left the roadway and I watched it wade through the snow and off into the woods.  It was just the leggy wolf and myself.  I thought about how thousands of people travel thousands of miles to watch a wolf through their spotting scopes. 

My day of wildlife was not over.  I newborn elk calf was wobbling around with its mother behind the store.  It was a definite "aaaaah" moment.  But earlier this week a bear took down an elk calf across from the store.  I also have seen baby sheep on my way to and from Gardiner. 

The weather has vastly improved these past couple of days.  The snowfall in Mammoth has been replaced by sunny skies and 70 degree temps.  It is a glorious feeling to soak up those rays.  It is hard to believe that it was snowing just two days ago.  The rock slide between Mammoth and Tower has created problems for those driving through the Park, especially those having business on the other side.  But it should be open for regular travel within a couple days.  The rivers are swollen and flowing fast because of the snowmelt at the higher elevations.  It has been a long spring.

Consuming the World

Sometimes I imagine how people react or think when they are reading what I write here.  This would be a good time to mention that the following post is best read with the Rocky theme "Eye of the Tiger" playing softly through your head.  I have just come from possibly the most challenging time of the past two years that I have spent in Yellowstone.  I have had to rely on things that I have learned in the 'outside world' to help me through.   First I should mention that in approx. 1997 I was involved in an accident on a trampoline that:

1.  I am lucky that I survived

2.  I am lucky that I am not a quadriplegic

3.  made me realize that I am not invincible

In the accident I somehow bounced out of control and landed on my head.  When I was able to move my extremities I believed that I was ok.  It wasn't until years later after enduring extreme neck and shoulder pain and the progressive pain and loss of sensation in my hands that I realized that I had did a great deal of damage.  I had ruptured two of the discs in my neck and they were causing pressure on my nerves and I eventually had neck surgery to remove the ruptured discs and have them replaced with cadaver bone and metal rods.  I eventually ended up at the Courage Center in Minneapolis in a 3 week in-patient Chronic Pain Clinic.  It was there that my world started to change.  After much work I changed from a self-proclaimed couch potato riddled with pain to ending up in Yellowstone working very hard and becoming the manager of the Mammoth General Store.  Though I am relatively pain-free at this time stress, as with anyone, can be a physical enemy.  

With a change in management and new employees coming into the store and unexpected schedule changes I found myself, as well as others, in a position where stress can take a toll.  Using with what I had learned at the Courage Center I took a deep breath, let out the stress and said to myself:  "This is the situation, what are you going to do now?"   Don't let the weight of the world consume you.  Consume the world!

I have been consuming a lot of snow lately.  The weather has decided to stay in winter mode.  This past week has alternated between rain and snow.  Dunraven Pass did not open for Memorial Day Weekend as it has done in the past.  At this time there is no opening date set.  Sylvan Pass has only been open from 8:00 pm until 10:00 am because of avalanche  danger. And Beartooth Pass did not open, either.  On Thursday morning all roads in the Park, except from Mammoth to Cooke City, were closed because of snow and on Friday the road from Old Faithful to West Thumb to Lake was closed because of snow and ice.  And on Friday a mud slide blocked the road from Mammoth to Tower.  Winter will not stop.  

I did manage to take some time to travel to Lake on Saturday evening to see Patrick.  He had been at training in Cody during the week and spent a few nights at his cabin in Wapiti.  He had to wait until Saturday night at 8:00 to travel over Sylvan Pass to get back to Lake.  On my way down I managed to see a grizzly just north of Roaring Mountain.  Most of Sunday had snowflakes falling at Lake and Canyon.  It wasn't until I traveled back to near Mammoth that I got out of the snow but there I was met with fog and haziness.  More snow is expected for tomorrow.  I have spent the past seven months in snowfall.  What am I going to do now?  Enjoy the beauty of the snow.  This I have no control over.

More Adventure Store Employees

If you were to look up the word talented in the dictionary a picture of Aaron would accompany the definition.  Aaron calls numerous states 'home' but is originally from Ohio.  He has spent the last 10 years as a classically trained regional stage actor and his performance list includes A Christmas Carol (played Scrooge twice and the Ghost of Christmas Future once) and  A Mid Summer Nights Dream.  He has also performed in educational theater and has a a degree in Theater from Cleveland State University.  Not only can he act but he is an accomplished pianist.  He is also planning on moving to Tiawan after his stint in Yellowstone to teach English.  He spends his time in Yellowstone hiking on his days off.  Come meet Aaron at the Adventure Store!  And that friendly greeting he will give you will not be and act!

Heeeeerrrreee's Josh!  Floor Supervisor Josh hales from the state of Kentucky.  This is not his first year in Yellowstone.  Last year he was the Gift Lead at Fishing Bridge.  He also worked this past winter at Grand Canyon.  He attended Western Kentucky University and has a degree in Anthropology.  His hobbies include fishing, sleeping, playing the dobro steel guitar and the banjo.  He also entertains the entire staff with some great down-home stories.  But his final stop this summer is not at the Adventure Store.  He has been promoted to manager and on Monday he will be managing Bridge Bay General Store.  Congratulations, Josh!  Stop on in at the Bridge Bay Store and chat it up with Josh (after you visit the Adventure Store.....and the Mammoth store!)

And I thought I would include a picture of the grizzly that I saw the other day south of Indian Creek.

Judy at her Farewell Reception in West Yellowstone

The crowds came to bid Judy a farewell at her reception yesterday.  I didn't cry once (at least not on the outside).  It was a wonderful gathering put on by the company.  There are so many who are going to miss her.

I headed to Lake via Craig Pass after the reception.  The road south of Canyon has been re-opened for the weekend even though the pullout has been washed away and a large crack has appeared.  It will be closed for repairs on Monday and will be closed for a few days.  I decided to go to Lake using the south route since the road could be closed at any time if the condition of the road gets worse. 

I managed to see a grizzly by Fountain Paint Pots.  Josh told me today that when he passed by there earlier in the day there were actually five grizzlies there but I only managed to see the one.  I also had to hit the brakes by Pumice Point when a rascally pine marten dashed across the road and further on a coyote made its way over the road.  

This morning Aaron came out of the side door from our dorms to find a fox with a squirrel in its mouth.  Later I watched a pine marten scurrying around by the loading dock.  Wildlife abounds.

And on my final day at the Adventure Store it has been snowing.  At this point all I can do is laugh.  And eat the cookies that Ranger Chris brought me.

Avalanches, Collapses and Cave Ins

Move #7 has commenced.  It is not a 'moving day' but a 'moving process'.  A moving process that actually started last week.  I have been moving boxes up and down the stairs from the Adventure Store to my apartment in Mammoth.....the apartment I just moved from 1 1/2 months ago.  This will be my final move, of which I am glad, but along with the move comes the realization that I will be further away from so many people that I have come to know over the past couple of years.  Some of my old comrades have come back to Canyon but I still have plans to stop in and see them from time to time over the summer.  And they plan to stop in and see me.  So all is good and I am terribly excited about my job at Mammoth. 

The winter has been hard on areas of the Park.  Sylvan Pass has been closed a few times because of an avalanche and unstable snow conditions.  The Grant Visitor Center had a roof collapse last week and tonight the road gave caved in just south of Canyon.  The road will be closed for a few days for repairs.  It gave way in the same spot it has before, my first experience with that was two years ago.  As I travel to Lake daily I am lucky that I was on the Canyon side since it is a two hour drive from Lake to Canyon via Old Faithful and Madison.

I have been extremely busy with work as well as a couple of farewell gatherings that are being planned for Judy.  I will be going to West Yellowstone tomorrow for a company gathering and then Sunday night in Gardiner with the Mammoth gang.  On Monday night the Adventure Store will be hosting a Redington party where we will be showing off our new Redington line of apparel.  I was able to invite numerous people for our party, Delaware North employees as well as NPS employees.  We will be serving wine and snacks and all the Adventure Store employees will be sporting some fine Redington apparel.  We are all looking forward to the evening.

I was hauling a load of my belongings to Mammoth this afternoon and found myself in my first bear jam for 2011.  South of Indian Creek a grizzly was out in the open digging away.  I snapped a couple photos as I waited for the line of cars to move.  Interestingly enough Patrick was at meetings in Mammoth during the day and on his way back to Lake he came across the jam after I came through and got to do what he loves most:  work the bear jam.  He answers the visitors questions, keeps them safe, keeps the bear safe and keeps the flow of traffic flowing.

There was also a grizzly mauling by Big Sky last week.  Two hikers were hiking a trail when an elk came running by followed by two grizzlies.  The grizzlies decided to forget the elk and one of the grizzlies went after the hikers as they tried to climb a tree.  No life-threatening injuries (thank goodness!). 

The snow has melted considerably yet winter weather is still in the area.  Yellowstone and the surrounding areas are currently in a Winter Storm Watch, Warning or a Winter Weather Advisory.  Light snowflakes fell as I crossed from Norris to Canyon this evening and I released an audible sigh at the sight.  June is less than two weeks away yet I still keep my ice scraper on the passenger side floor of my car because 9 out of 10 mornings I am still grabbing it and scraping my windshield. 

The Weight of Snow

There are times in Yellowstone when you can find yourself coming much too close to Yellowstone's wildlife.  Take last Thursday evening for instance.  I was laying on my bed totally captivated by the movie Shrek 4 when I decided to get up, cross the floor, and then come back to the comfort of my bed only to find that I had a bed companion.  This spider was relaxing it's weary eight legs on my pillow.  Eeeww!  I took a picture of it so I could find someone who could identify it (I still have to do that).  It scurried away before I could capture it.  I have named him Gary and I know Gary is somewhere in my room watching me with multiple little spider eyes.  I find no comfort in that.

Last Thursday and Friday I had Manager Meetings in West Yellowstone.  I got to spend both of those mornings taking a nice leisurely drive through the Park with expectations of seeing some wildlife.  With camera by my side I headed out both mornings.  I saw very little but I did manage to find some bison calves by the Madison River west of Norris.  I have now seen a total of seven calves, a pitiful few compared to previous springs.  But the ones I saw were small and wonderful.  I found these two bounding and leaping in play on a snowy and rainy Friday morning.

The weight of the snow was too much for this structure.  The repair garage at Fishing Bridge collapsed last week.

My weekend included meeting up with old friends.  Jackie made it back to Yellowstone to start her third year at Canyon General.  I picked her up in West Yellowstone Saturday morning and we had a grand day shopping in Bozeman.  I am sooo glad to see her again.  Welcome back, Jackie!  

Friday night I made my way to Wapiti to meet up with Patrick at the cabin.  I found a moose 4 miles west of Wapiti grazing off the side of the road.  I could actually hear it munching on the vegetation.  I took a picture but with the light fading all I managed to capture was a silhouette and two glowing eyes.  Luckily I spotted it again Sunday afternoon as we headed back to the Park.  She was further from the road and partially hidden.  The road from Wapiti to the east entrance was a wildlife bonanza:  elk, bison, moose, bighorn sheep and deer.  What a wonderful and scenic drive.

The weather remains cool with rain and snow lately.  We've experienced a couple of power outages this weekend but nothing that lasted more than an hour.  The snow has continued to melt in front of the store but it still towers over my head. 

Who Works at the Adventure Store? Here is Some of Them......

Jerry 

 

 I introduce Jerry who comes to us from Clearwater, Florida.  An avid fisherman who once spent everyday for 5 months fishing in Alaska,  is a perfect go-to person when it comes to fishing questions and advice.  Though he has been to over 20 national parks this is his first time being employed in one.  He spent over 25 years being in real estate and has a degree in business management.  Jerry is here and ready to help you with all your outdoor needs.

Nancy

 Nancy also comes from Clearwater, Florida.  And this is because she has been married to Jerry for 34 years.  She is one of the Adventure Store Floor Supervisors and has spent 15 years in retail, including being a District Manager for Claires.  Nancy and Jerry have spent the past couple of years RVing and seeing the country with their cat, Shadow.  This is her first time in Yellowstone and has come to love the snow.  Nancy and Jerry have a son, Kevin, who is a private security contractor in Afghanistan.  Nancy is ready at the door to greet you some come on in and say hi to Nancy.

Lee

 Leapin' Lee is back for a second year at the Adventure Store.  She moved to Montana in 2009 after spending 32 years as an Ophthalmic Technician in Charlottesville, Virginia but is originally from southern California.  She is having a great time working in the Park and is looking forward to coming back in the future.  Lee always has a warm welcome for everyone and is always ready to help serve up some chili.

Kem

Kem is here from Fort Worth, Texas and is our EDR cook extraordinaire.  She spent 8 1/2 years in the Coast Guard as a cook and in the Navy as a supply clerk.  She has 12 brothers and sisters, whom she cooked for and where she found her love for cooking.  This is her second season working in Yellowstone (Tower and Adventure Store last year) and after she finishes cooking for us at the end of this week she will move to Lake where she will be the EDR Manager.  With her Taste of Home cookbook she serves up some great cuisine for us.  She keeps us fed and happy.  Thanks for a job well done, Kem!  And thanks for those great chocolate chip cookies.  Yummy!

The Bitter and the Sweet

Judy

It was a week ago that I got the news.  My great friend, Judy, will be leaving Yellowstone.  She has decided to move to Colorado and spend more time with her family.  I have to say I am extremely happy that she and her family will be spending time together but the selfish side of me screams "Don't go!"  But I understand and support her and I wish her great times with those she cares about and with those who care about her.  We won't forget you, Judy!  You will always be one of the Three Amigos!  or Stooges! 

Judy and Robyn

And what happens now?  Well, it appears that I have large shoes to fill, or a large taco scoop to handle.  I received the news today that I will now be the manager at the Mammoth General Store.  I will be leaving my beloved Yellowstone Adventures store and take my new post in Mammoth on May 23.  I will be coming to a store that I am very familiar with since I work there in the winter but now I will be there permanently.  I am extremely thrilled that I have been chosen for this position and I am sure I will be very happy being there year-round.  The future looks bright!

And what about the Adventure Store, you ask?  Good news there, too.  Andrea will now be managing the Adventure Store instead of the General Store at Bridge Bay.  Congratulations, Andrea!

So with the bitter comes the sweet. 

Canyon Village Snow Comparison

April 30, 2010

April 22, 2011

August 2009

Grizzly Bear X 3 and Sylvan Pass

Driving from Livingston to the Park's north entrance can be a driving obstacle course.  There are large herds of deer, elk, bison and bighorn sheep next to and on the roadway.  The area by Dome Mountain is especially treacherous as huge herds of elk congregate in that area in the evening.  I found these two bighorn sheep on the road in Yankee Jim Canyon along with several others who would bound over the guardrail and cross the road.  Just north of Gardiner elk and bison graze on the sides of the road as  strings of vehicles in front of me gleam red with their brake lights blazing as they pass the herds.

Coming back from my Saturday trip to Bozeman on I made a quick stop at the Adventure Store before continuing on the Lake.  I finally got a glimpse of the fox who has been leaving its prints in the snow in front of, around and on top of the store.  He made a quick glance my direction before heading up our snow corridor to the front of the store. 

I swung into the Mud Volcano area where I found a coyote standing in the parking lot.  He was rather agitated and his hair stood straight up on his back.  He looked intently up the hillside.  My eyes followed in the direction of his stare and I saw a second coyote sitting on the hill.  Then I noticed a third coyote weaving between the posts below the boardwalk.  The two finally trotted off behind the steam of the thermal feature and disappeared from sight, the one sporting his spiking fur coat.

And with my day filled with wildlife close encounters (all encountered from the comfy interior of my vehicle) I was completely thrilled to have it close with one last wildlife viewing........my first grizzly bear sighting for 2011.  Just past Mud Volcano I watched as this grizzly nibbled on something and then wandered around.  Dusk was approaching so its viability was limited but I was excited none the less.

Sunday Patrick and I made our first trip over Sylvan Pass in a vehicle for 2011.  Our last trip over was in January and it entailed a snowmobile ride. 

The walls of snow were rather high and it can be a very intimidating feeling to look up the mountainside and see the thick layer of snow above all the while hoping that  wasn't going be the moment that it would all start sliding down. 

While most of the pass has been plowed to a two lane width there is a section that is only one lane wide.  It is on a curvy section and as we drove we hoped that we wouldn't come upon another vehicle heading in the opposite direction.  Someone would be backing up a very long ways.  We saw no one.

And how does someone end a nice weekend in Yellowstone (that someone being me)?  You see more wildlife.  This morning at 6:00, just south of Mud Volcano, I came across three grizzly bears eating a bison carcass.  One would eat while two others stood off in the distance.  Suddenly one of them ran forward and chased off the feasting bear. 

The second one chewed and gnawed and ripped and gulped for awhile and finally got himself a nice hunk of bison and ran off up the hill with it.  That is when I also happened to notice that two coyotes were also lurking in the trees waiting for their turn at the carcass.