Yellowstone National Park - The Winter Edition

Recently, someone asked me where my favorite place was in the United States.  I hated to admit that I haven’t done as much traveling in the states as I have out of them.  But I went with “Montana” because I have happy memories there.  It was the first of many road trips that I enjoyed with my parents.  Over lunch one day my mom randomly stated “I want to go to Yellowstone before I die.”  I remember asking her why – and her reply was “I don’t know, I just know I want to go there before I die.”  Later that afternoon, I mentioned our conversation to my dad and he replied, “What does she want to do when she gets there?” --- “She doesn’t know.” --- So in September 2009, my parents and I set out on a whirlwind road trip with Yellowstone National Park as our highlighted stop.  We spent five days auto touring the park and it was and still remains one of my favorite trips with my parents.  Exploring mostly from the car, we were in awe of the forests, canyons, alpine rivers, geysers, and mud pots all sitting atop a volcanic hot plate of lush wilderness.  Inhabited by hundreds of animal species that include bears, wolves, bison, elk, and other critters we gawked over the hundreds of elk and bison we saw.  Yellowstone was the first place we all saw a bear and enjoyed cool temperatures in September.

In May of last year, my friend, Jane asked me if I’d consider a visit to check out “the rest of” Montana.  I heartily agreed with the caveat that we would spend a full day in Yellowstone.  Armed with my big lens, I was able to capture a Grizzly mama bear with two cubs and watched a hungry coyote hunt for dinner.  My quest to become proficient at wildlife photography has been challenging and I knew that I’d return for a longer visit one day.  So in mid-December, when my friend, Sandy invited  me to join her in Yellowstone NP in the middle of winter, I didn’t say “no.” 

Winter in Yellowstone NP was never in my plans, not because I didn’t want to go but because I don’t know how to drive in snow and the thought of spinning out of control on black ice terrifies me.  I knew that it would be a terrible idea to pass up the opportunity because she and our other friend, Geannie were comfortable driving in the snow and I was happy to sit on the backseat and be driven around.

Three full days in fluffy white snow was practically guaranteed based on the weather forecast.  I rarely make a “shot” list but I knew that the one photo that I really wanted to capture was of a bison covered in snow.  A mature bison stands between 5 to 6-1/2 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs over a ton.  In spite of their size, they are quick on their feet and can run speeds up to 40 miles an hour if they are provoked.  With snow up to their shoulders they are literally a big mass of moving muscle. But photographing a bison in the snow is harder than you think.   Dark thick fur and white snow make a terrible combination and it’s difficult to capture a perfectly exposed image.  My camera’s auto-focus struggled and I have deleted more photos than I have kept.  But there is nothing more iconic than a bison in the wild with a face caked with pure white snow. Powerful and majestic, the bison embodies resilience and demands your respect at the same time.

On our first day in Yellowstone over a foot of snow fell -- big, fat, fluffy snowflakes drifted to the ground most of the day.  At times, I felt like I was living inside a big beautiful magical snow globe.

The only entrance into the park that is open year round to automobiles is the north entrance near the small town of Gardiner.  A four-wheel drive vehicle is a must and even then the roads can be slippery.  The road from Gardiner leads you into and through the Lamar Valley, Sandy’s favorite spot in the entire world. In Lamar Valley, the mountains rise from the valley floor while the evergreens reach for the sky.  Bison from a distance look like small black boulders as they sit motionless in the snow.  Elk are plentiful and ignore you as you roll by them as they rest or graze.  Occasionally, an eagle was spotted on a tree top while the only moose we found was hunkered down near Willow trees as snow fell onto his heavy coat.  We stopped on the bridge overlooking the Lamar River hoping to spot otters or beavers.  Bighorn sheep grazed on mountainsides all the while stripping the leaves off of any blades of branches and grasses they could find.  

We crossed paths with coyotes each day but only Sandy came away with a photo of a red fox that she saw before Geannie and I arrived.  Winter in Yellowstone is nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced.  One moment, the sky is clear and hints of blue play peekaboo among the clouds but in a blink you could be in a white out.  Driving conditions were challenging and one of my drivers plowed into a snow bank…TWICE. A park ranger came to our rescue and never took the opportunity to chastise or belittle us for driving in the park under the crummy conditions.  In fact, Ranger Tom thanked us for visiting and gently reminded us to “be careful.”  

If you ask anyone visiting Yellowstone what animal they’d love to see, I think wolves would top the list.  Sandy says it’s her dream shot.  Not me…after Geannie mentioned an “ermine” I was intrigued and then someone pulled one up on their phone…I’m gonna say that might be my next dream shot…even though I’d be delighted to get a wolf.  Unfortunately, they are hard to find and even the professionals outfitted with radios and tracking equipment weren’t having much luck during our visit.  A live camera feed at the visitor’s center gave us a peek at six or seven wolves feeding on a carcass near Old Faithful but that was as close as we got to seeing them.  

One afternoon, we ventured just outside the park to Paradise Valley.  It sits just outside Gardiner along the Yellowstone River.  On a previous visit Geannie had found eagles so we were hopeful, that they’d be fishing along the river banks.  As luck would have it she was right and she spotted several right away.  I came for the wildlife but when we rolled up and saw these flaming orange trees I asked Sandy to stop the car. They were glowing with color and added so much texture and interest to the stark white landscape.  I’ve included a photo in the gallery below of a house that is the same color as the trees. When I checked out of my hotel, I asked the desk clerk if she knew what kind of trees they were, she smiled and replied, “Willow.” I said, “someone put some thought into their landscape because that house is perfectly color-coordinated with those trees, and isn’t this one just beautiful?” as I showed her the photo. She replied, “Thank you. I did. That’s my house.”

On the way out of the park on our last day, someone in the front seat spied a coyote curled up next to the road, the wind had picked up a bit and snow softly blanketed him. Initially, my friends were worried that he was sick or injured for him to be so close to the road but you know that feeling when you just can’t move anymore and plop down on the first comfy spot? I think that was the case. He stayed tucked in but between drowsy winks he’d acknowledge that he saw us. For a brief moment he lifted his head long enough for me to grab a shot.

It’s amazing to me how the wildlife in Yellowstone National Park survives in winter. The bison scoot snow out of the way until they can reach what little grass that lies feet below the snow; moose claim the leaves off the willows and shrubs; coyotes pounce for small critters or wait their turn behind the bigger predators; wolves take down anything they can; and the Bighorn Sheep nibble dried leaves off anything they can get too. Spotting them takes patience, a good eye, and a little luck.  We drove the route to and from Gardiner to Lamar Valley three days in a row and each time we saw something different. 

Spending any time in Yellowstone National Park is a privilege and I hope that you get a chance to experience it or  yourself.There are so many beautiful places in the United States and I hope to see a lot of them in the coming years but I’m making a pact with myself that I will try to return to Montana every year.  It’s another one of my happy places even in 12F degree weather.