YNP and GTNP 7/15-25
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 4:16 pm
Really missed this site before and during our trip! Glad to have it back now.
I didn't take detailed notes and my memory is always flaky, so this won't be a day-by-day tr. Just a partial list of sightings and comments.
Most of the trip was about hiking--with our 5yo, who logged more than 30mi! That included the Chittenden climb up Mt Washburn and the Pelican Valley out-and-back to the washed-out bridge. This kid'll be tackling the Thorofare in no time! Also did some fishing several mornings from Gull Point (had to walk a bit as much of the road was closed for high water) and Pumice Pt, as well as a rented boat from Bridge Bay. Caught... nothing. But it was fun trying.
Notable sightings in YNP included a cinnamon black bear on the grand loop just north of Gull Point, early am (like 0715) and coyotes and porcupine along the road, same general area, same time of day (different days).
Loads of female and young bighorn sheep up near the fire tower on Washburn--they seem to be reliable there.
Lots of just-missed-it bears and wolves in Hayden and Lamar, all very distant. Another just-missed-it 3-pack of wolves along the east entrance road, just before sunset. (Forget exact location--east of Sedge Bay.)
Lake Hotel area was reliable for bull Elk and big male mule deer in the crepuscular hours.
Had an extremely close on-the-trail encounter with a bison on the Storm Point trail. We had to step aside--in thick timber--to let it pass. Marmots plentiful near the beach-head on that trail. Also fresh griz tracks in the sand.
Pelicans and beaver from fishing bridge and along Pelican Creek.
In GTNP Schwabacher's Landing was good for muskrat, beaver, osprey and even moose at dusk. Moose also at the Moose-Wilson overlook. All moose seen were cows. Saw a young griz--apparently solo--in the woods along Moose-Wilson too, near the Rockefeller preserve. Note that the gravel part of the road is closed for a few days for dust mitigation. (Not sure when that ends/ed.)
Pronghorn along many major roadways in and around Jackson. And the rural country roads around town just at and after sunset are, as always, productive for great horned owls (I lost count) and porcupines. But my decade-long quest for great gray owl continues...
Altogether another amazing trip to the greatest place on earth. And we're just thrilled that our son enjoyed it as much as we did.
I didn't take detailed notes and my memory is always flaky, so this won't be a day-by-day tr. Just a partial list of sightings and comments.
Most of the trip was about hiking--with our 5yo, who logged more than 30mi! That included the Chittenden climb up Mt Washburn and the Pelican Valley out-and-back to the washed-out bridge. This kid'll be tackling the Thorofare in no time! Also did some fishing several mornings from Gull Point (had to walk a bit as much of the road was closed for high water) and Pumice Pt, as well as a rented boat from Bridge Bay. Caught... nothing. But it was fun trying.
Notable sightings in YNP included a cinnamon black bear on the grand loop just north of Gull Point, early am (like 0715) and coyotes and porcupine along the road, same general area, same time of day (different days).
Loads of female and young bighorn sheep up near the fire tower on Washburn--they seem to be reliable there.
Lots of just-missed-it bears and wolves in Hayden and Lamar, all very distant. Another just-missed-it 3-pack of wolves along the east entrance road, just before sunset. (Forget exact location--east of Sedge Bay.)
Lake Hotel area was reliable for bull Elk and big male mule deer in the crepuscular hours.
Had an extremely close on-the-trail encounter with a bison on the Storm Point trail. We had to step aside--in thick timber--to let it pass. Marmots plentiful near the beach-head on that trail. Also fresh griz tracks in the sand.
Pelicans and beaver from fishing bridge and along Pelican Creek.
In GTNP Schwabacher's Landing was good for muskrat, beaver, osprey and even moose at dusk. Moose also at the Moose-Wilson overlook. All moose seen were cows. Saw a young griz--apparently solo--in the woods along Moose-Wilson too, near the Rockefeller preserve. Note that the gravel part of the road is closed for a few days for dust mitigation. (Not sure when that ends/ed.)
Pronghorn along many major roadways in and around Jackson. And the rural country roads around town just at and after sunset are, as always, productive for great horned owls (I lost count) and porcupines. But my decade-long quest for great gray owl continues...
Altogether another amazing trip to the greatest place on earth. And we're just thrilled that our son enjoyed it as much as we did.