Hiking to wolf #9’s den, Lamar Valley / Photo: aperturegirl
Explore Montana’s remote winter ecosystem through the eyes of one of its most enigmatic creatures.
[Editor's Note: This post is sponsored by our friends at the State of Montana.]
Wolf mating season is nigh in Yellowstone National Park. As the Druid pack descends on a herd of elk for a kill, an interloper, a lone wolf trying to ingratiate himself with the pack, waves his tail playfully, like a flag, to win the graces of potential mates. The alpha male moves to drive him off. The elk herd splits like two schools of fish. For now, the wolves stay hungry on the frozen volcanic slope.
Meanwhile, the remnant human population in the park is more welcoming to newcomers. Beginning in mid-December, snow coaches — motorized over-snow vehicles — ferry human visitors through the valleys and over the plateaus of the country’s oldest national park to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
Along the way, naturalists, park rangers, and concessionaires help visitors in their quest to witness wildlife in action — without the cars and crowds of summer.
Photo: emerald isle druid
Meeting Yellowstone’s wolves
“Food for the Masses” is the name of a wolf-watching experience organized by the Yellowstone Association Institute, with headquarters located on Park Street in Gardiner, Montana — the gateway to the national park headquarters at Mammoth Hot Springs, some five miles up Grand Loop Road.
The Lamar Valley’s historic Buffalo Ranch, in the remote northeast corner of the park, where wolves were first reintroduced in 1995, is the hub for wolf watching in Yellowstone.
But the park’s north entrance is the first step to a winter wonderland with a wild twist. A change is felt simply passing through the historic Roosevelt Arch, most recently featured in the Ken Burns’ documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.
“Students go to the sites of wolf kills to count scavengers on the kill,” said Chuck Snover with the Yellowstone Association Institute. Finding the hollowed-out carcass of an elk brought down by wolves, then finished up by ravens and other critters, is not an uncommon experience in the company of a naturalist.
“The way it was opened up like a clam shell … that was incredible,” said Andrew Suk, a student warming up at the Lamar Ranger Station after visiting an elk carcass during a week-long program based out of Buffalo Ranch, which is operated by the institute.
Photo: Author
Nathan Varley, who led Suk and his group to view wolves in early December, is co-owner of The Wild Side Wildlife Tours, together with his wife Linda Thurston. Food for the Masses and other programs provide an opportunity for visitors to the park to participate in the science of the park’s wolf recovery project.
“Mainly it’s about learning and trying to view the wolves,” said Varley, 41, who was raised in the park, and has a PhD in wolf ecology. The main winter drama, he said, is watching males trying to assimilate prior to mating season.
Despite the remoteness, short days, and inhospitable weather of the Lamar Valley in winter, even visitors from the concrete jungle will find an unexpected coziness with the experience of a guided winter safari tour — especially if one is wearing heavily insulated clothing.
More than wolves
Aside from the black wolves of the Druid pack, there is also the possibility of spotting bighorn sheep. What is almost assured, even on the snowiest day, is a good look at the herds of elk and bison ranging in the valleys and volcanic plateaus of the park.
Photo: exquisitur
But don’t forget binoculars. The action is fleeting, and proper etiquette for those without a spotting scope is to wait, as patiently as possible, for a more prepared visitor to offer use of his or her equipment.
It’s also possible to pop into the park for a solo winter wildlife glimpse — on snowshoes or cross-country skis, for example. But whatever your means of conveyance, considering the drive required to reach Yellowstone, it’s worth committing a few days to the experience.
Practicalities
Gardiner is 56 miles south of Livingston on Interstate 90, 77 miles from Bozeman and 129 miles from Billings.
Tours can be arranged through various guide services in the area, but the easiest way to get the low-down on wolves and other wildlife is to make a stop at the Yellowstone Association Institute headquarters by the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, five miles from Yellowstone National Park Headquarters at Mammoth Hot Springs.
Be sure to fortify beforehand with a meal at the Town Café, to the left of the t-intersection where State Highway 89 meets Park Street. (The Yellowstone Association and the Roosevelt Arch are to the right.)
The café is a popular local watering hole and a good place to bend the ear of a naturalist who might help enrich your visit. Afterwards, when you’re ready to brag about wolf sightings, try the Rusty Nail at the Best Western in Gardiner.
If winter driving doesn’t suit, grab a couple of friends and take the Greyhound to Livingston. The trip to the Lamar Valley is accessible even for bus travelers. Amazing Taxi owner, Carrie Pintar, can take up to seven passengers and is willing to negotiate a round-trip shuttle price to Gardiner or Mammoth. Her number is 406-223-5344.
Community Connection
Matador’s Montana resource page is a key stop for travelers planning a winter trip to the Big Sky State. You can also get answers to specific questions by contacting our knowledgeable Montana destination experts, just one of many features that make the Matador community such a vibrant place.
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19 Comments... join the discussion!
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I can’t wait to get back to the Lamar Valley – the fly-fishing is epic.
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I did a little exploring through the Lamar Valley last spring. I didn’t see any wolves but I was probably bumbling around making too much noise!
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I saw a wolf at a pretty good distance in Yellowstone last winter. Looking forward to going back to the park in 2010 to see a whole pack.
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It’s interesting that wolf spotting has actually become a legitimate activity in Yellowstone. I remember visiting Rocky Mountain National Park as a kid and learning about the wolf reintroduction to the park. It’s amazing how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time.
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Watching wolves is one thing…watching them open up an elk like a clam shell is another entirely! That must be quite an experience.
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Ah, the Call of the Wild. I’ve been thinking of pulling that down and dusting it off for a reread. Love wolves and photography.. Montana; reckon they make boots big nuf to slip over my flip-flops? I wanna go there.
Cheers,
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I’m not actually sure I could handle the natural brutality of watching the wolves tear their prey to bits, but I’m certainly into checking out the bison. Pretty cool, even if you have to sit there for a while – they seem like such beautiful animals.
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I’m with Christine; I don’t know if I could actually stomach watching the wolves tear into their prey, but god-they’re such gorgeous animals! I keep promising my husband we’ll one day go to Yellowstone. We even have a map of the park in our living room he loves it so much. And who knew you could have a ph.d in wolf ecology? That’s awesome.
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a buddy of mine lived in Jackson for 5 years and got a chance to visit Yellowstone dozens of times at all different times of the year. He mentioned getting to see Wolves with a group of wildlife biologists who were in the park as one of the all time highlights. I’ve been there twice, once in summer, once in Fall, but I think winter would be the most intense. I’d love to have a non-invasive look into the ecosystem then.
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I’ve had a ridiculous fascination with wolves ever since I was a kid, I don’t really know why…I would LOVE to do something like this someday.
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I’m with Christine and Nancy, kind of freaked by the sheer brutality of the wolves’ kills. I know it’s in their nature, but for me, some things are better left unwatched. Still, a very intense trip. I’m a softie. Can we view the pups sometime?
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Man, Yellowstone has been on my travel wish list for years. Plus, I was recently told that my spirit animal is a wolf. Just need to free up some travel time…
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I’ve always wanted to go to Yellowstone. It’s been on my list. I have a great friend who spent a summer volunteering and she mentioned that it was the best summer of her life. I always kinda thought of visiting Yellowstone during the summer but now I can see that there’s something special year round. Very cool.
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It’s amazing how many endangered and rare species you can see in Yellowstone.
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I’d like to go wolf watching someday… from a distance!
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Yes, wolves are amazing and beautiful animals and gave us dogs.
I would prefer them to be veggie, and don’t like seeing the kills, but that’s the way it is.
It’s great that they’ve reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone, but a pity that they’ve allowed the hunting of wolves in the Yellowstone area this winter. http://www.defendersofwildlife.org/ are trying to protect the wolves.
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I saw a wolf once in Yellowstone, about twenty odd tourists were all out of their cars throwing sandwiches and snacks at it so it would come closer and they could get a good picture. It was very sad to watch!
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im ten ok and i BEG my nana to take me to yellowstone to see the wolves. she doesnt get why i love them so much but i have been hooked on them for like seven months and it drives my nana crazy
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