Arrival to Yellowstone: Feelin' Lucky

We arrived in Gardiner, Montana — at the north entrance to Yellowstone — last evening, after a long, Crosby, Stills & Nash-fueled  drive from Spokane. After a winning spin on the big wheel at the Rusty Rail Lounge and beating Bob at cribbage (beginner’s luck - he won’t let that happen again), I was feeling pretty lucky. We had a day on our own before joining our Yellowstone Association “Trail of the Wolf” tour, and we were hoping to see some wildlife and maybe do a little snow shoeing. 

High roller at the Rusty Rail

We first experienced Yellowstone in September of 2012, and we were blown away. We spent a week camping, hiking, and watching wildlife. The only regret we had was not seeing wolves. After hearing that the wolves are most visible in the winter months, we started planning this trip. Eighteen months later, here we are. Most people from the gray and rainy Pacific Northwest opt for warmer climes this time of year. But this is far from a normal year: record snow on the east coast, and record warm in the west. So I was looking forward to seeing some snow, bonding with my new Sorel's, and experiencing the beauty of a Yellowstone winter.

We headed into the park early this morning. During the winter months, most of the roads are closed to general traffic, but the stretch from Mammoth to Lamar Valley remains open. I was worried about navigating snowy roads in our Eurovan, but as we soon discovered, Yellowstone has had the same mild winter as the west coast. Even before we entered the park, we saw herds of pronghorn antelope, deer, and elk. And the bison were out in droves, grudgingly sharing the road with tourists. In Mammoth there was virtually no snow. But by the time we got to Lamar Valley there was enough to strap on our snow shoes and head out from Pebble Creek for a gorgeous walk in a slot canyon. 

Pronghorn antelope near Mammoth

As we slowly made our way back to Mammoth, stopping for bison stand-offs and moose sightings, the sun sparkled on snow patches stitched together by animal tracks, like a crazy quilt. Unlike the summer months in Yellowstone, there was no doubt that we humans were the minority. What a privilege it is to be here. Yes indeed, it was my lucky day.

Pebble Creek, Lamar Valley