Yellowstone and Grand Teton 5/18-6/1

[RikWriter]

I arrived in Jackson on the afternoon of May 18th and drove the first of many, many times down the Moose Wilson road to my hotel. That evening, I drove to Pilgrim Creek and missed 399 and her cubs by an hour, which pretty much summed up my trip wrt her.
I went into Yellowstone the next day and saw nothing all morning, then was forced by a stomach bug back to the Tetons. It wasn't serious and might have just been my gut rebelling at eating fast food after three months of home cooking, but I didn't go back to Yellowstone for a couple days.
In the Tetons, I got pics of Blondie's twins at Pilgrim Creek, a couple of beavers near Moran Junction, a cinnamon black bear on the Moose-Wilson and a fox near Mure Ranch, but the great grey owls eluded me and would the entire trip.
On the morning of the 22nd, I went into Yellowstone again to stay 4 nights at the Pahaska Tepee.
I saw a grizzly sow with three COY at Mary Bay, and was told she is the bear the Rangers call the Pelican Valley Sow. On the 23rd, it snowed all day and I was trapped on the wrong side of the East Entrance. The Sylvan Pass was closed all day but I did see a mating pair of grizz, a sow with 2 COY and a subadult female grizz near the Pahaska that day.
On the 25th, the Wapiti Lake Pack began to get really active. One of the grey females crossed at Grizzly Overlook and walked down the side of the road about a mile before heading off into the flats. I was parked at Grizzly Overlook and there was a line of cars in the road so I walked down the road on foot for over a mile, hoping she'd turn off the road a bit sooner than she did so I could get a shot of her from the roadside. It didn't happen and I had a long walk back, but later that day, she crossed the road away from everyone south of Grizzly and I got some great close up shots of her. After, I got some nice shots of a yearling black bear near Canyon.
I also got some far-away pics of the Wapitis harassing a moose down from Grizzly Overlook.
That same night I got some great shots of a good size grizz just inside the East Entrance right by the road.
On the night of the 26th, the Wapitis killed a pregnant cow elk at Elk Antler Creek and the next morning, I was there early. Seven wolves wound up coming down to the kill, and at least one was there for about 3 and a half hours. The others were howling from over the hill, and it was incredible. The white alpha female came in at noon to eat more, then a black wolf came in at almost 8PM to get some more. That same day, I got shots of a bald eagle on a branch right at Grizzly Overlook as well as a cinnamon black bear near Canyon.
The next morning, I got shots of Snow up between Lake Butte Overlook and Sylvan Lake.
I spent two more nights at Eagle Creek Campground out the East Entrance and would have spent a third if it hadn't filled up. Except for Memorial Day Sunday, the park was nearly empty and it was the best time I've ever had there.
The night of the 29th, I went back the Tetons, resolving to spend my last two full days trying to find the GGO. I did find a GHO nest on the Moose Wilson, but it was far away, at a bad angle and poorly lit. I never did find the GGO, but I did get some great shots of Blondie's twins and a beaver lodge at Colter Bay with a couple of baby beavers that may have been the cutest thing I have ever seen.
Going back in September with my wife.

Haven't had time to process photos yet, but I will get some up here when I do.

[RikWriter]

Here are some photos to go along with it. They're just a few, but I have been really busy and had some computer problems.

[RikWriter]

And now the ones from Grand Teton:

[Kat]

Thank you for posting your trip report and sharing your fine animal sightings. I’m glad Your trip was so productive after a slow start.

[Kat]

Thank you for posting your trip report and sharing your fine animal sightings. I’m glad Your trip was so productive after a slow start.

[karenandbill]

Wow, Rik. Great shots. Glad you were able to see so much. We were in the parks a few of the days you were there, mostly Grand Teton as it really is a long way for us to do a round trip with the West entrance closed. We didn't see much in Yellowstone when we were there, but Grand Teton was really good, especially for bears. Glad to hear you'll be out again in the fall. Love your photos.

[Dorothy]

Great report and wonderful photos! Thanks so much for sharing.