After our park store expenditures, we stepped over to the visitor’s center and walked around looking at the displays. I also talked with a ranger inquiring about road closures. It turned out the western part of the loop we were planning on taking to get back south was closed because of a high, almost 9,000-foot pass. All the other roads were open only to vehicles with snow tires or chains. There was a sign when we came in saying the same, but the uninterested ranger didn’t bother to question us. So we had to rearrange how we’d get back to the cabin; not a significant change but a disappointment nonetheless. We knew this might happen this time of the year, though. I don’t think they’ll be questioning us; they know the Subie can handle it. If they do, I’ll buy a used set of snow tires to get us in!
We drove out of the main visitor’s area down into a valley and across a river. Then a dirt road shot off to the side, so we detoured. It was windows down again, at least on my side. Amanda is too cold-blooded for too much of that! Beautiful views in all directions as we climbed up above the paved road, then descended into a canyon.
Jack had been talking about how wildlife was likely to be seen on this offshoot of the main highway. Amanda’s head was then on a swivel, and hawkeyes engaged; she has a knack for spotting things. I saw tracks in the snow on a shaded side of the road as we traversed down a canyon wall. I got out to see what they were by the size, and I was thinking bear. Later in the evening, we discussed what they could be tossing around ideas. Cougars, no, their claws aren’t out when they walk. Coyote, no, too small. Bear, no, their prints look like humans, Amanda said. As we drove out of the park, Jack explained about the wolves of Yellowstone; an interesting story. We both realized the tracks could be wolves. When we were back in cell range, we used a little Google-fu and realized they were wolf tracks. Also, realizing we were walking around all carefree, looking at wolf tracks half as big as Amanda’s foot!
Our second tatanka sighting was much closer than the first. If you need clarification on what tatankas are, please watch Dances with Wolves, it’s a fantastic movie. We stopped, took a few pictures, and kept moving. Then there were more and more. They got closer and closer, too, so we stopped by a buffalo crossing sign to take some obligatory buffalo selfies with the sign in the foreground! I crossed the road to get closer and take pictures while Amanda warned me to be cautious. I was able to get a few videos and great photos. Mark close encounters with buffalo off the list.
We meandered through the Lamar Valley, beautiful plains framed in snow-capped mountains. Grasslands with a river running in the middle. As we approached a bend in the river about 200 yards out, we saw cars stopped right in the middle of the road. My immediate reaction was to complain about the tourist as though I was not one. But, as we learned last year in the Smoky Mountains, be on the lookout when multiple cars are stopped. So we slow rolled, looking in the only direction available, the riverside. As we approached, I realized they were gazing at a big bear. We could see it, but not well. Too far off; no good picture for this one, only memories, and that was ok.
We wheeled around a corner with Jack still talking. He was rambling about a moose-looking tree and how you’d need binoculars to see it better. Bingo queue me scrambling for the Leopolds. Thanks, Jack, I could care less about your moose tree; but I sure could use these binoculars to see the bear better. Immediate U-turn, and right back to the only car left in the pack. We pulled over and started scoping the bear. Looking closer, it was a grizzly, huge with a hump on its back. After a good look for both of us, I thought, picture through the binoculars? As I brought my phone close to the lens, Amanda exclaimed no! But, yes, after a bit of finagling, it worked. I captured a picture via my iPhone through the binoculars. A great shot, no, but a shot nonetheless.
With grizzly bear checked off the list, we made our way east towards the northeast entrance. A bit farther than we’d planned, but we were going to miss some with the road closures. Buffalo roam the park as though I would imagine in old west times. As pictured in Dances with Wolves, they were everywhere. Hard to believe they were killed to near extinction. Our subsequent encounter would be close, very close. There was a bison right next to a turnout where we promptly pulled in. I mean right next to a log guardrail close, ten feet from the car. Amanda was snapping some great shots, and I got out to get different angles. He was majestic, with the sun and snow-capped mountains as a backdrop.
We made it almost to the northeastern entrance. Then, as Jack said his goodbyes, I turned around and headed back; it was getting late in the afternoon. We stopped by a lovely mountain backdrop to take a cookie picture, one with her, and a couple of selfies.
More buffalo were to come even closer than the last. They would walk right next to us on the road multiple times. The selfies would soon put the buffalo crossing sign pictures to shame. I don’t want to bore you with tatanka talk, but we had many more encounters.
The sun was getting low, and we needed to get as far back as possible in the daylight. So hammer down it was, I may have been speeding a bit on the now desolate road through Lamar Valley. We came barreling up on a coyote in the road. He could have cared less about us. Acting tamer than a stay dog, I had to hold Amanda back from petting the puppy!
Not long before sunset, we crossed a bridge to see some cars stopped. We were looking closely as we approached. A man with a telephoto lens was snapping pictures from a cliff on the opposite side of the road. A large bull elk was grazing on the edge of an embankment. I parked, hopped out, crossed the road to get a better photo, and chatted with the photographer. Unfortunately, the elk had dropped down too low for a good shot. As I walked back, I saw more buffalo. They were about to cross the same bridge we had just passed over. A car was close behind them as they all gathered on the bridge crossing the Yellowstone river.
It was then late, getting close to dark, as we approached the visitor’s center. More coyotes now, three this time docile but not like our previous friend. When we first came through, cow elk were lying down in the grass among the buildings chewing cud. They are like cows, ruminants, with a four-chambered stomach. They must have needed to fill a chamber because all of them were up grazing as we passed back through. Every time I think of how a ruminant stomach works, I think back to when I lived in Kerrville as a child. There were cows with literal windows, like ship portholes in their bellies!
The drive out would seem windier than I’d remembered coming in. Maybe it was the darker setting, but more than likely, it was the higher speed! We came up on Norris basin again, so we pulled in for a bathroom break, then right back on the road. A little farther south and we would hit Madison junction. Right to the west entrance or straight to the Tetons. There wasn’t a ranger checking for snow tires or chains on the ‘restricted’ road, so we went directly southbound and headed toward the cabin. 115 miles or so but it would take almost 3 hours to make the trek back.
We couldn’t make it anywhere for dinner before heading out. So we devoured the remainder of the hand pies. We would go over the continental divide one more time but with much less snow this time. I would be told a few times to slow down by my copilot! I was ready to get back to the cabin, though! Another long day in the Subie, over 15 hours. At least we were out and about a good bit and not in the car the entire time. Once “home,” it didn’t take long for us to crash.