Animals of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

We are in the midst of a deep freeze here in New Hampshire, with temperatures well below zero at night. Since very few animals will be leaving their winter shelter to brave the cold, I thought that now would be a good time to look back to this past Spring and all the animals we saw when visiting Wyoming and Idaho.

Grizzly bears, elk and wolves were the three species I was hoping to see when we visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and we were fortunate to see two out of three along with many other mammals.

First, small mammals can be just as interesting as large, especially when they are different species than we have back home. To arrive at Grand Teton National Park from our lodging in Alta, Wyoming we had to travel through Victor, Idaho and then over the Teton Pass. Once back on the Wyoming side of the mountains we saw a Short-tailed weasel after stopping at a parking area to admire the view.  

Short-tailed weasel

One evening in Grand Teton National Park we went on a horse-drawn wagon ride and had a barbecue picnic for dinner. Surrounding the picnic tables were small mammals that looked like prairie dogs, but were actually Uinta ground squirrels. They were very amusing to watch as they playfully chased each other.

Uinta Ground Squirrel

The first time I saw a Marmot was last year in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This year we saw them in Yellowstone National Park at Sheepeater Cliff which is known for its Marmot population. This one was resting while we ate our lunch at the base of the basalt columns.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

I was hoping to see elk last year in Custer State Park, but we did not since it was only mid-May when most of the cows were preparing to give birth to their young and are less likely to be seen in open fields. This trip they were abundant and it was very exciting to see the first one shortly after we entered Yellowstone park.

Our first Elk Sighting - next to Yellowstone Lake.

We saw many elk in their natural surroundings - in fields and by streams and lakes - so it was a little odd to see them lying down on the grass in the center of Mammoth Springs, but apparently this is quite common. There was a ranger standing nearby to make sure that tourists kept their distance.

Two elk resting on a lawn in Mammoth Springs

If there are a lot of cars stopped along the side of the road you know that some type of wildlife is nearby. If there are so many cars and people that you can't pass then chances are good that a bear has been sighted. Toward the end of our first day in Yellowstone, we were on our way to see Old Faithful and came across a "bear jam." We couldn't believe our luck. No binoculars were needed as a grizzly bear and two cubs were hanging out just a short distance from the road. We couldn't have asked for a better bear sighting.

A mother grizzly bear with her two cubs in Yellowstone National Park

After seeing the famous geyser erupt we had dinner at the Old Faithful Inn.

Upon exiting the inn, there was a large buffalo (American bison) that had decided to plop down in the middle on the circular driveway. It was impossible to keep the recommended 100 yard distance, but everyone seemed to be respecting its privacy and it seemed totally oblivious to its surroundings. Yellowstone is unique in that it is the only place in the United States where bison have existed since pre-historic times. It is hard to believe that in the mid-nineteenth century approximately 60 million bison once roamed the Great Plains. In the late 1800's the U.S. Army had a campaign to eliminate bison, which they almost did. By 1902 only two dozen bison existed in Yellowstone. Protection efforts were finally initiated at the beginning of the 20th century and now the Yellowstone bison population ranges from 2,300 - 5,500 (nps.gov).

During our second day in Yellowstone, we went on a short hike on the Lost Lake Trail. It was a beautiful area, but a little unnerving to see bison hanging out right next to the trail. They didn't seem to mind us being there, but it still made me nervous knowing that if they wanted they could seriously hurt us.

A handsome bison at rest along the Lost Lake Trail in Yellowstone National Park (above) and several bison at rest (below)

At one of our stops we saw some cool Bighorn sheep with their young. It was amazing to watch them traverse a very steep slope.The babies kept taking off to explore on their own, but would eventually run to catch up with their mothers.

Two female Bighorn sheep with their young

A distant view of the cliff (below) they were descending puts the amazing agility of these creatures in perspective.

We did not see any wolves, but we did come across several coyotes. One time, two were stalking a Sandhill Crane. We watched until the coyotes eventually gave up their quest.

Coyote - Yellowstone National Park

We also saw a handful of deer and plenty of Pronghorn. The Pronghorn were difficult to capture on camera as they never remained still for very long. When running Pronghorn can reach speeds of over fifty miles an hour.

Pronghorn in field off Hwy ID-21 on approach to Stanley

I'll end this blog with a photo of a handsome bull moose. It's always exciting to see these huge creatures back home and spotting three on our trip was totally unexpected. We saw a mother and a very young calf along the banks of the Snake River while on a rafting trip in Grand Teton National Park and this guy in Yellowstone near the Petrified Tree trail.

I am looking forward to our vacation next summer to Glacier National Park and the wildlife that we will see there.

Warm Nut Loaf

Sunrise in December

Although not yet official on the calendar, winter weather has arrived. We received our first significant snowfall this week and temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits tonight. This is a great recipe that is very satisfying and will provide you with extra fuel for winter activities like shoveling  the walkway and driveway.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
oil for sauteing
2 cups chopped mushrooms of your choice
2 cloves garlic minced 
1/4 cup sherry or broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups walnuts chopped fine
1 cup almonds chopped fine
5 eggs beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
8 ounces grated gruyere cheese
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
1 teaspoon dried sage

4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
salt and pepper

Saute onion in oil about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add garlic, thyme, tarragon and sage. When mushrooms and onion begin to dry add sherry or broth and cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, mix rice and nuts together. In a small bowl combine eggs and cottage cheese. Add to nuts and rice then stir in mushroom mixture. Add cheeses and parsley and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper, overlapping sides. Pat loaf mixture firmly into pan. Place on baking tray and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or longer until set. Cool on rack for ten minutes, then lift out of pan with parchment paper. Serve warm with mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy:
1 cup mushrooms sliced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup broth 
1/2 cup cream
 
Saute mushrooms and garlic in 2 Tablespoons butter until soft. Remove pan from heat and set aside. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter over low heat then stir in 1 Tablespoon flour. Cook roux until it begins to thicken, then gradual add liquid ingredients, continuing to stir until heated through and thickened.  Serve immediately over nut loaf. 

A Walk in Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge

 Instead of shopping the day after Thanksgiving, my son, nephew and I drove up to the White Mountains to explore the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson, New Hampshire. This conservation area is part of the same Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge that is up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I had heard of this beautiful piece of property, but had never visited. As has been typical this November, it was a relatively mild day. We all packed boots and winter gear which was good since there was a little bit of snow.

The beginning of the trail out to Cherry Pond

Since I am used to climbing when I hike, this hike was different, following an old railroad line the entire way. This made it no less enjoyable, since we could take our time and just enjoy the peace, quiet and each other's company. I am sure that in the Spring the woods are filled with the sounds of birds, but today, other than an occasional chickadee, there was just the sound of our feet crunching leaves under the snow.

After a mile and a half we turned right at Waumbak Junction, which used to be the site of a railroad station. This path merges onto the Presidential Rail Trail, an 18 mile multi-use trail that runs from Cherry Pond all the way to a parking area in Gorham. This path would be wonderful to take a mountain bike on in the summer, or to cross country ski on when there is more snow. The trail leads you to a viewing platform with a fantastic view of the Presidential Range.

Lee, Wendy and Andrew at the Cherry Pond Platform

We retraced our steps and continued right onto the railroad tracks. After a quarter of a mile, we took the trail to the left to Little Cherry Pond.

Trail to Little Cherry Pond

This is a loop trail that travels through woods and wetlands and consists of a series of bog bridges.

Bog bridges

 

Shoreline of Little Cherry Pond

The trail ends at a viewing platform overlooking Little Cherry Pond. This is another quiet place for reflection.We took the loop back to the railroad tracks and took a short detour onto the Shoreline Path. Here we saw some fresh tracks which looked like they were from a chipmunk.
 

This side path provided some of the best views of Cherry Pond and the mountains. and was a great way to cap off the hike before heading back to the parking lot.

Beaver dam on Cherry Pond and snow-capped Presidential range in the background

Now that I have gotten a taste of the area, I will definitely be back in the Spring to witness the abundance of wildlife that seasonally call this place home.