Over the last ten years the National Park Service has been reintroducing the wolf to Yellowstone park. Wolves have been relocated from western Canadian parks. They now have several breeding packs and they are a sighting sought out by naturalists and tourists. Carl called a friend who works for the park service as a guide and asked where is the best place to see the wolves. The answer was get up before sunrise and find people with viewing scopes at the roadside parking areas. So we arose at 5AM and headed in the dark to the Lamar valley. At sunrise we came upon a roadside stop that had a dozen hard core naturalists all tricked out with their viewing scopes and binoculars. As we joined the line of wolf watchers we saw a fascinating drama unfold. Far off in the distance at about 500+ yards we saw a heard of elk all looking in the same direction and grouped in a tight formation. Out of the formation came the largest buck who ran ahead and faced down a wolf who was approaching the herd with several other wolves and their pubs. It was difficult to see the wolves even with the binoculars. They were very far off in the distance and would lay down in the sage brush. The Wolves left the herd along being content with what may have been ground squirrels. It was exciting to see the pack and join the club of wolf watchers.
Camouflaged off in the distance among the sage brush was the rest of the pack including four gray wolves.
After spending several freezing hours watching the Wolves we headed out to the beautiful Chief Joseph highway. Our destination, Cody Wyoming.
On our drive we came across this Big horned sheep. I'm becoming quite accomplished at taking pictures of animal's behinds.
Red Tailed Hawk
Early morning American Bald Eagle
As we crested the ridge on the Chief Joseph we encountered fog and frost covering the mountain top with this beautiful frost on the grasses.
Carl and Shannan our trusty guides
Downtown Cody Wyoming on a Sunday afternoon - Home of Buffalo Bill
Driving back through Wyoming to our motel in Cooke Montana we came across this young cowboy
driving his cows back to the range - a perfect end to a beautiful drive through the wilderness of Montana and Wyoming.
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