Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Yellowstone is only mentioned in passing, but the New York Time’s Magazine has just run a very interesting, mid-length article by Darcy Frey on black bears in Whistler. As more and more communities occupy (and cross) the border between development and wilderness, bear encounters have been rising exponentially. Nowhere is this more true than in the 9000 person resort town of Whistler, British Columbia, where bear break-ins, dumpster dives and general interaction is literally a daily occurrence. What is not are bear attacks, with the black bears happy to forage for food and scamper off when need be.

With the Winter Olympics set to arrive in 2010, this bear issue has the potential to snowball into an even larger story. Click here to the read the entire story.

The following excerpt is my favorite, with the author tagging along with a local bear researcher (and her dog) on a hunt to tranquilize a young bear named Oscar:

“While Myroniuk weighed his options, Oscar vanished over the ridge. Myroniuk jumped back in the truck, screeching out of the driveway in an attempt to cut the bear off at the next road. With Sisko barking and straining at the leash, Homstol gave chase on foot. She ran up the ridge, sprinting one minute past condos and tennis courts, leaping over (and sometimes under) decks and patios; the next she was scrambling through a thick exurban jungle of brush and climbing nearly vertically, hand over hand, up steep vegetated hillsides by gripping the leash and any low-hanging boughs. Sisko had the bear’s trail, though, straight through the neighborhood and right up to the front door of. . . . What was this? Le Gros French bistro?

Five in the afternoon, just before the dinner hour, Homstol stood, heaving for breath and holding the leash of her howling pooch. Through the open doorway came views of crisp white tablecloths and the aroma of duck à l’orange. A man in a chef’s apron appeared.

“Bonjour, my friends. How may I help you?”

“Trying to catch a bear,” Homstol said, still panting.

“Ah, ze leetle one?”

“You’ve seen him?”

“Ah, oui, he come in ze restaurant.”

“Inside? When?”

“Well, the other day I am finish my accounting and I am sitting down for a smoke when he come join me. He is very nice, he is a lovely leetle bear!”

Sisko must have picked up Oscar’s scent again, for the dog started whining and pulling at Homstol. “Sorry, gotta run!” she cried and followed after her dog, once again running an obstacle course of condo decks and tennis courts, boulders and tree stumps, all the while muttering that Oscar might be a lovely little bear today, but in two years, when he’s 300 pounds and charging the kitchen for foie gras, they’ll be demanding to have him shot.  “

In its latest issue, Time magazine has solid report by Pat Dawson on the current status of wolves in and around Yellowstone. Focusing on what the future holds for wolves should their protective status be lifted, the key paragraph is pasted below, though the whole article is well worth reading:“Still, the wolf’s triumphant return to Yellowstone may be its undoing. The 66 wolves brought to Yellowstone and the Central Idaho wilderness in 1995 and 1996 have grown to about 1,300. At the request of the state legislatures in Wyoming and Idaho — lobbied heavily by organized shooting-sports interests — the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USF&WS) is about to remove the Yellowstone-area wolf from the federal Endangered Species list and allow the states to manage them. Known as the 10(j) rule, a special exemption to the Endangered Species Act allows government agencies extra leeway in controlling “experimental populations” like the gray wolf; in short, the government is allowed to kill them. Both Wyoming and Idaho expect USF&WS to lift wolf protection early next year. Then it will be open season for many eager shooters, including Idaho’s governor, C.L. “Butch” Otter, who told a rally of petitioning sportsmen in Boise earlier this year, “I’m prepared to bid for that first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.” Idaho’s official stance is to allow the killing of all wolves over and above the statutory minimum number of breeding pairs: 100 of the approximately 673 wolves in the state.”We’ll continue posting the latest news on the possibility of wolf delisting here.

Good reviews of The Rough Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton have recently appeared Chicago’s two largest newspapers. Excerpts and links below:

Chicago Sun Times
“Rough Guide Remains Faithful to Yellowstone, Grand Teton”
By Mary Houlihan

“Rough Guide remains faithful to Yellowstone, Grand Teton… Guidebook stands out with its 40 best hikes, ‘22 things not to miss’ sections… Timblin has put everything he knows and loves about the parks into this comprehensive guide to two of this country’s natural wonderlands… All vital information for an informed, successful vacation… Stand-out sections included the best 40 hikes in the park, from day hikes to back country treks; a “22 Things Not To Miss” (Jenny Lake and Helen’s Corral Drive-Inn caught my eye), and a color insert on the hydrothermal aspects of Yellowstone that explains the mysteries of mudpots, fumaroles and travertine terraces.”

Chicago Tribune
“Yellowstone, Europe Travel Guides”
By June Sawyers

“Author Stephen Timblin describes both parks in great detail: what to see and do, from the bison-heavy Lamar Valley to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to Old Faithful to Jenny Lake. He includes special sections — in color — on the wolves of Yellowstone and hydrothermal Yellowstone, and entire chapters on day hikes in the area (there are nearly 1,500 miles of trails in Yellowstone and Grand Teton), backcountry hiking and camping.”

This past Labor Day weekend, I camped out one night at Mammoth Cave National Park. Even though I arrived late on a Sunday evening in the middle of a holiday weekend, I was able to snag a good car-camping site without a reservation. Good luck trying that at either of Yellowstone’s or Grand Teton’s more popular campgrounds. It was a calm night, save for the buzzing chorus of crickets that sang throughout the night. A thousand miles away, however, things weren’t nearly so calm at one of Yellowstone’s largest campsites, Grant Village, where a violent disturbance ended with the arrest of three men. I’m guessing campers there didn’t sleep nearly as well as I did.

The park’s release from the wild night is pasted below, a good reminder of how park rangers do plenty more than just give out directions and lead tours.

“A patrol ranger was called to the Grant Village campground to deal with a noise complaint and a reported disturbance on the evening of September 3rd. Upon arrival, he approached and contacted three men, all of whom immediately became abusive, threatening and hostile. Two of them threatened violence against the ranger, including statements that they would kill him. The ranger called for backup and made a tactical withdrawal. He also drew his taser as the men followed him back toward the car. Once in a better position, he drew his weapon and attempted to control the trio while awaiting arrival of backup.

The park’s special response team and rangers from the Grant, South, Lake and Old Faithful areas soon arrived on scene. During the initial stages of the standoff, the three men alternated between yelling obscenities and threats of violence and repeatedly entering and exiting their vehicles. One shouted that “someone is going to die tonight;” all three repeatedly challenged rangers to shoot them. The rangers brought out long guns and held the men at gunpoint. On several occasions, the men approached to within 20 feet of individual rangers and appeared to be engaged in some form of attempted police-assisted suicide.

The on-scene supervisory ranger developed a plan to take the men into custody. When she had a sufficient number of rangers in place, she had five of them fire tasers nearly simultaneously to incapacitate the trio, then had six other rangers swarm the men and take them into custody. One of the three suffered lacerations when he fell to the ground during the arrest. All three were taken to the jail in Jackson, Wyoming. On September 5th, NPS special agents filed a five-count criminal complaint against two of them and a six-count complaint against the third. These charges included multiple counts for 18 USC 111 violations (assaulting, resisting, opposing, intimidating and interfering with rangers).”

Nothing causes quite the same size traffic jam in Yellowstone as a grizzly bear. Last summer, I was driving near Fishing Bridge when I approached a traffic jam so large I knew a bear was nearby. There was indeed, and the golden  grizzly pictured above ignored the crowd as she crisscrossed the road in search of snacks, seemingly oblivious to the dozens of bystanders snapping away.

Rangers soon after told me that this same bear had been making all too frequent appearances in the Lake Village area. Nicknamed Blondie, the distinctly colored grizzly continued popping up in public places, even as officials repeatedly tried scaring her away, going as far as relocating her by boat to the opposite side of Yellowstone Lake. Regrettably, she made her way back and continued to show up in populated areas. Her apparent comfort around humans became too great for park officials, rightfully nervous about a possible accident or attack, and Blondie was just captured and shipped by pick-up to Washington State University, where she will join other problem bears at a research facility.

The park’s own release best sums up Blondie’s story and all the many steps taken by the park took before having to resort to the permanent vacation.

“A three-year-old female grizzly bear weighing approximately 140 pounds has been captured after frequenting two developed areas near Yellowstone Lake for the last two years.

Grizzly number 539 had entered the Lake Village and Fishing Bridge developments numerous times. She had been hazed away from those areas using beanbag rounds, cracker shells and other techniques, on over 40 occasions. This bear had previously been relocated by boat to the opposite side of Yellowstone Lake and by helicopter to the Gallatin Mountains in Yellowstone National Park. She returned to the Lake Village and Fishing Bridge developed areas after both relocations. She has been responsible for at least eight instances of property damage, mostly by chewing hoses used for sewage hookups on employee trailer houses.

Because multiple hazing and relocation efforts were not effective, the decision was made to remove the bear. She was captured on August 19, and transported by truck to the Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Program. For more than 20 years, the bear management program in Yellowstone has assisted with and benefited from the non-invasive, ecology, nutrition, and physiology studies on bears performed at Washington State University.”

More information on the program is available here.

One of the most alarming developments in the Rockies this summer is that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun looking to the possibility of issuing permits for geothermal energy development. As the one of the most active geothermal hotspots on the planet, the area around Yellowstone would be a prime target. Such plans are nothing new, and were it not for the efforts of many judicious and preservation-minded individuals throughout the past 130 years, the mighty Yellowstone River would probably be dammed today and Old Faithful little more than a factory to convert steam into electricity. Indeed, one railroad executive in the park’s early days went as far as to propose that an electric railway be built in the park, to be powered by Upper and Lower falls on the Yellowstone River.

Is it possible that hydrothermal plants could be built safely and effectively on lands bordering the park? Perhaps, but how often do development plans like this go off without a hitch? Given the incredibly unpredictable nature of the plumbing underneath Yellowstone, tapping into the geothermal underpinnings could have literally catastrophic results, and once you get the ball rolling there’s no way to turn things around.

Anyone who’s visited Solitary Geyser on Geyser Hill above Old Faithful knows how even a small change can effect the park’s geothermal features. Henry Brothers, an early park entrepreneur, built the Brothers Bathhouse and Plunge by the Old Faithful Inn using thermal water from Solitary Geyser to fill a large swimming pool and a half-dozen smaller tubs. But once he tapped it, what was once a calm hot spring began erupting, and even though both the pipeline and pools are long gone, the geyser continues to erupt every few minutes. Now imagine an energy operation on a scale at least a hundred times larger, and virtually anything could happen. Old Faithful could go dormant, or it could blow through completely. Gem-like springs could run dry, while new hotspots could break through the ground elsewhere. There’s no good way of telling what might happen, which is reason enough to leave things alone at the world’s first national park.

Head here for a more in-depth look at this issue on the always fascinating National Parks Traveler.

Score a victory for the proponents of trophic cascade, one of many heavily debated ideas swirling around the still controversial re-introduction of wolves into Yellowstone. In short, the theory argues that as a key species in the overall ecosystem, the addition of wolves dramatically affects the entire bionetwork, creating a domino effect running from the largest megafauna to the smallest plants. Bear researchers, for example, are wrestling with the thought that with fresh elk carcasses now readily available throughout winter, grizzlies may curtail or even stop their hibernating entirely. But it’s the effect of wolves on elk behavior that holds the most possibility for change; as wary elk no longer graze as much in open riverbeds, this could allow willows to flourish instead of being grazed down. Increased willows would in turn attract birds, along with moose whose diet relies on the plant. Late last week, a study in the journal Biological Conservation claims that the return of wolves has allowed aspen trees to grow in places where they haven’t been seen in decades. With wolves on the prowl in the park’s northern reaches, wary elk no longer have the luxury of sitting out in the open, munching on young aspen shoots.

As quoted in a recent UPI story on the subject:

“This is really exciting, and it’s great news for Yellowstone,” said William Ripple, a professor in the Oregon State University College of Forestry. “We’ve seen some recovery of willows and cottonwood but this is the first time we can document significant aspen growth, a tree species in decline all over the West. We’ve waited a long time to see this but now we’re optimistic that things may be on the right track.”

While on a wolf watching tour last year, I was told by a local biologist that if the Yellowstone region were broken off into its own state, it would be declared the fastest growing region in the country. There’s no question that development and the rising cost of living is one of the most pressing issues in the region today, with new neighborhoods gobbling up land in Montana and Wyoming at an alarming rate. Obviously, this puts more of a squeeze on already stressed local wildlife – historic migrations routes get fenced off and foraging areas near the parks are transformed into golf courses and landscaped backyards. But many locals are also getting squeezed out, unable to afford the skyrocketing costs. Jackson is the poster child for the issue, where limited land – some 98 percent of Teton County is protected wilderness – and a fashionable zip code – the IRS lists the county as having the highest average individual income tax returns in the county – have combined to create a market that rivals Manhattan and San Francisco. A story in today’s Jackson Hole News & Guide highlights just how out of control things have gotten. The median home price in Jackson Hole now tops a whopping $1 million, a figure that has doubled in only four years. According to the story:

“The least expensive condo on the market as of July 1 was $512,500. At this time last year, it was $205,000… To qualify for a loan on the least expensive condo, a person or couple would need to earn $150,000 a year. To afford a property listed at the median price is even harder. To buy a $1 million property, a person or couple would need to earn about $250,000 to $300,000…”

Jobs paying that much are  certainly far and few between, leaving locals in the lurch as wealthy visitors scoop up everything from condos to mega mansions on converted ranchlands as their vacation homes. Save for house sitting for the mega-rich, the sole solution for many has been to move to nearby communities like Alpine and Driggs, but the same upswing has been occurring in these small towns as well. Unless something is done to increase the amount of affordable housing soon, it won’t be long until many long time locals are forced out of the area completely.

A quick post to let readers know I’ve added a Books section to this site, with my picks for the finest books to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and around. There’s been a wealth of books written covering the region, from recent history to its geological beginnings, and those highlighted are well worth checking out before, during or after a visit. I have short stack of books waiting to be read as well, so check back for updates – and, of course, let me know if you have a book or two that deserves to be added.

Yellowstone: drought and high temperatures continue

As described in a post here last week, rangers in Yellowstone earlier this month began asking anglers to stop fishing on most lower altitude rivers during the middle of  day to give already stressed fish a break. Continued high temperatures combined with exceedingly low stream flows have changed the situation from an advisory to a mandatory restriction. For the time being, the following streams within the park are closed to fishing between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.:

Northern Yellowstone: Gardner River below Osprey Falls, Lava Creek below Undine Falls, Lamar River below Cache Creek, all of Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek below Amphitheater Creek, and the Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole.

West side of the park: Madison River, Firehole River below Keppler Cascades, and the Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls.

Southern Yellowstone: Bechler River below Ouzel Creek, Falls River below Rainbow Falls, Mountain Ash Creek below Union Falls, Proposition Creek, Boundary Creek below Dunanda Falls, Robinson Creek, and the Snake River below Six Mile Ford.