I just called into Xanterra and found out I will be working as a Room Attendant while in YNP.
First, Ill be at Mammoth (same as before) for 2 weeks til Oct 10, then I'll be moving south, to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge until Oct 27th. I'm looking forward to the different locations, so I can spend more time exploring different areas of the park.
As you know, I spend most of my time in the Lamar Valley wolf watching. There are packs all over the park, they just seem to be easier to view up there.
Im excited to see the Lamar Canyon 2011 pups that I saw '06 carrying in the Spring, The newly formed "642 pack" which broke off from the Blacktails to form their own pack when more than the Alpha Female 693F was bred this past spring, Hope to spot those elusive Blacktails (some of my favs) See the Agates again (hopefully not in a confrontation with the Lamar's) and possibly even see my "4 black wolves" that I saw on Easter.
when I move down to the Snow Lodge, I'll be down more into the center of the park. this will give me closer access to Grand Tetons, Hayden Valley, where the Canyon Pack is (and I really want to see that beautiful , almost white, Alpha Female and her 2011 pups). I saw this pack only once in Mammoth, AND DIDN'T SEE HER!. I'm also hoping to spot the Supersized Mollie pack (the bison hunters) and maybe even some of the not so well known packs in the rest of the park.
I'm really looking forward to seeing more geysers this time, since the whole south part of the park was closed when I was there in the spring. So, look for more Hot springs and Geyser shots if I can capture them and do them justice.
Don't worry, I won't be hiking alone, or at least, if I do, it would be on a paved geyser trail that is well traveled and out in the open. I WiLL have a large can of bear spray in my hand, ready to use!!!! My eyes and ears will be wide open, and my head will be on a gimble.

Any "camping" I do will be in my hard shelled van.

I hope for better computer access to post more of my adventures. This will be a shorter trip, but should be of a totally different variety. Also, I'm hoping to catch the Elk Rut. Supposed to be quite the show!!!
til then,

I'm back!! sorry for the absence ;-(

ok, ok, I slacked off big time. There were several reasons my posts ended. Our computers went down in the dorm, and loading pictures on my little notebook that I could barely see the pics on wasn't very satisfying, so I stopped posting. Second, I got so into the wildlife watching in every spare moment, that I just didn't stop to do much of anything else. The job was quite consuming, working in reservations, on a computer all day......well, you get it.

I left Yellowstone May 18th and headed back to Oregon. As some of you know, my one and only daughter, Lindsay had a wedding planned for August 27th. I was starting to feel very left out of all the planning and knew that my heart belonged there, with her in Oregon. So, I left out of Yellowstone early, a month shy of my contract period.

also, I have to say, that I got very spoiled during the spring, when there were few people in the park and NO motor homes. As soon as some of the other entrances opened up, people started arriving in droves. it was a bit unnerving, and having to fight for a parking space when the animals were out was no fun.

We got through the wedding, and I think I'm finally recovered from that major life event. What a joy to see my daughter so happy, and to be a part of a dream wedding that she put together.

I've got some great shots to post of the amazing things that I saw in the last month I was in the park. But the BIG NEWS IS..........I'M GOING BACK!!!!!
Yep, I got re-hired, and I'm only commiting to a month this time, to help close up the park for the winter. I'm really looking forward to spending some fall time there.

So, I'm back into Yellowstone mode, and will hopefully catch you up on things before I leave for the park. Like I said, I've got some amasing pictures.(wolves, moose, fox) Well, amazing to me. What I saw was amazing, (wolves) perhaps my skills aren't amazing, but what I saw was.......
until then,

sandhill cranes, moose, canyons & blacktails

so much has happened, I lose track of time. I've been out wolf watchting quite alot. I finally got to see the Blacktail wolfpack, out by Blacktail Lakes, and then I saw 4 of the Canyon Pack on Sunday, right here in Mammoth.

The road opened up to Old Faithful and I took my roomate down there on Monday That's where the pic of the Sandhill Cranes is from. What a noise they can make!!!

this afternoon, I caught up with this adorable young moose. not too far from the road, at the confluence.

'Oh give me a home......."

Where the Buffalo roam, and the Deer and the Antelope play............. Yes, that's right, there they are.....all 3!!! What a sight. A while later as I was on the phone, I saw all in one view, a herd of Bison, herd of Elk, and a herd of antelope, all grzing on the hillside above Gardiner, MT. How this must have looked when man first landed here and decided to start shooting everything in site, just because he could. what beauty surrounds me!!!

Church in Gardiner & The food is awful here

ok, so I'm going to talk about the good and the bad. I went to church today, for the 2nd Sunday. I found a wonderful fellowship of people and the little worship team asked me to join them today!!! It was awesome! The name of the church is Gardiner Community Church. now, on to the bad. We have what is called the EDR = employee dining room......I have tried to keep my chin up about this food issue. sometimes, I just want to cry when I look at what they are serving!!!! tonight it was fried chicken nuggets. Actually, more like popcorn chicken. so basically just a bunch of fried batter. they looked so dried up that i didn't even try to take one and scape off the outside to get to a teeny bite (maybe) of chicken. Next to that were fried potato wedges, biscuits, gravy, some sort of mixed up fare and then yellow squash. I'll take yellow squash, thank-you. I then found some tomato wedges and mushrooms that I microwaved, and I opened a can of tuna that i brought in with me. This is about typical of the food served. Then there's all the pudding, cake and pastries to go along with that. I tell ya......Mrs Obama would not approve. I am surviving on canned tuna, rubbery hard boiled eggs, smoked oysters, rice cakes and salad. Oh, I should say in their defense, that there is a bowl of apples, oranges & bananas to chose from, and I do. I just hope that I can hang in there and get up and over this food issue. It's really disheartening when it's cold outside and you're hoping for something hot to eat, and there's nothing. I have a BBQ and it may be getting put to use before long. Where's the Rice, I ask. How about a plain baked potato? how about a chicken breast, or a piece of fish. Could I have just a plain hamburger patty? could you just leave the gravy out of things? Could you not mix mushroom soup into the vegetables? ok, Lord help me to be grateful for what I have, and not be a whiner. Thankfully I brought my Kuerig and I can have quality coffee before I get there in the am. June

3 Dog Day!

sorry, no pictures worth posting today........ I rolled out of bed early and was on the road by 6:15am to head out to the Lamar Valley for my full Saturday of Wildlife viewing. My first BIG surprise was when a FOX ran out in front of me!!! I have not yet seen a fox and that little guy was on the top of my list. when I first spotted it in front of me, I thought "mongoose" (???) and then "cat". I didn't expect the little buggar to be so small!!!! It looked like one of my cats! anyway, it happened all so fast, and it was dark, so I'm sorry, no pics. He ran across the road and then stopped up on the shoulder in the snow to stop and look back at me. Cute! Thi was just about 1/5 miles from Lava creek picnic area, Mammoth side. Off I went, to the Lamar Valley to find the folks from the Yellowstone Wolf Project. I had read reports of a day full of action the day before, so I was hoping to find the same. Initially, when I came upon them, then were stopped in the road, just past the Buffalo Institute. They said that the wolves were trying to cross the road. then when we were able to get through, I spotted 4 wolves running along the hillside chasing a coyote. at First Enclosure. they don't like coyotes. Ok, here's where I get to explain the title: 3 DOG DAY #1 Fox, #2 Wolf, #3 Coyote. That's a trifecta in Yellowstone wildlife hunters terminology. I finally hit it!!!!!!!!! anyway, the wolves toyed around with an Elk and then tired of that, since they didn't have their chief hunter, the alpha female with them. (Lamar pack, 06F) all but one of the pack was present, but Mom must have been out doing other business. I left them and headed back down the valley to see if any of the other packs were around. I was cold anyway and needed to run the heater in the van. I pulled in with some folks I knew and we scanned around trying to find the Blacktail Pack. they were no where to be seen. So we then headed back into the valley, where the Agate pack had been detected at Little America. We were able to pick up 6 (of 7) of them at one point. They were just lounging around. However.......they did do some howling/singing, which was incredible!!!!!! I could see them thru my scope, and all of them were just howling in true form. Oh, they were all bedded down, not in your typical wolf pose for howling. They were calling out to one of the yearling pups that had wandered off, because he was calling to them. He shortly came over the hill to join them. I went back toward the Lamar pack, but they had disappeared. they had been successful while I had been gone, but then were behind a hill and there was nothing to see. So, I headed back toward Mammoth Hot Springs and decided to go to the boiling river. What a great day! Now,I have seen 2 of the 3 animals that I've been seeking, not having seen before. OTTERS, FOX..... still MIA = Ermine...........Oh, and I've yet to see moose in YNP....just down in the Tetons. I am done with my training, and they are going to turn me loose to make peoples hotel reservations on Monday!!! Oh My!!!

Boiling River

this is where the water comes out of the mountain
close up view of above

where the hot water runs in a channel toward the river

one of the spots where it dumps into the river, and mixes with the cold

you can see where people have dammed up the water to make pools that hold the mixed water

Yes, I said boiling!!!! What a great way to end my "hell week" of training. I went last night and then again this afternoon. After a good soak, you don't have a care in the world. today, it was pretty crowded, since it was a Saturday, but there still was plenty of room.

This is one of 2 places in all of Yellowstone that you can go in the water.

I just love Hot Springs!!!!!

The trial in, is about 1/2 mile long. The walk in is cold, but the walk back, once you are well toasted up from your soak is surreal. Add into that, Bison on the trail and the scent of sage surrounding you, and you truly feel like you are in the heart of the West.

on to today's wildlife adventure.