WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 From Yellowstone National Park where it seems 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:04.960 like once -in -a -lifetime wildlife experiences 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:07.900 are happening every day, this is that Scott guy 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:10.820 you know and love with a brand new episode of 00:00:10.820 --> 00:00:23.250 This Week in Yellowstone. What's up everybody 00:00:23.250 --> 00:00:25.789 this week in Yellowstone National Park from May 00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:29.890 28th to June 3rd, 2026. I'll share with you why 00:00:29.890 --> 00:00:32.850 this week is so good for wildlife watching, talk 00:00:32.850 --> 00:00:35.289 about how to ensure you're being an ethical visitor 00:00:35.289 --> 00:00:37.929 while in the park, and let you know about off 00:00:37.929 --> 00:00:40.590 -trail travel in Yellowstone. I'll also give 00:00:40.590 --> 00:00:42.810 you the complete weather forecast, a cool trail 00:00:42.810 --> 00:00:45.850 to hike, the snowpack update, the wildlife report, 00:00:46.130 --> 00:00:48.490 and everything else you need to have an incredible 00:00:48.490 --> 00:00:52.420 time this week in Yellowstone. My standard disclaimer, 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:55.240 I may miss a few details here and there, so if 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:56.880 there's something you want more clarification 00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:59.240 on, just reach out to me with any questions. 00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:02.079 I also mention park locations very casually, 00:01:02.539 --> 00:01:04.379 so if you're unfamiliar with some place I'm talking 00:01:04.379 --> 00:01:07.159 about, a quick search can help, or again, just 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:11.140 reach out. Also, this podcast is a passion project 00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:13.319 of mine. I'm not paid, I'm not sponsored, I do 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:16.340 this out of love. So if you enjoy it, I'd love 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:19.439 a review or a quick email, or better yet, Reach 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.680 out on any social media that you have and recommend 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.500 this to other people. The more we grow, the better 00:01:24.500 --> 00:01:26.920 this podcast will be. If you want to support 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:29.299 my work, you can check out my hiking and wildlife 00:01:29.299 --> 00:01:31.980 watching guidebooks or join me for a guided hiking 00:01:31.980 --> 00:01:34.340 tour in Yellowstone's back country. For more 00:01:34.340 --> 00:01:38.200 information, visit outdoor -society .com or contact 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:44.280 me directly 406 -589 -1873. Currently booked 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:48.810 up through all of the rest of May and pretty 00:01:48.810 --> 00:01:51.870 busy in June but reach out I may be able to squeeze 00:01:51.870 --> 00:01:53.909 you into my calendar if you want to book a trail 00:01:53.909 --> 00:01:56.829 tour with me. All right this week's Yellowstone 00:01:56.829 --> 00:01:59.829 news. So the main news right now in the park 00:01:59.829 --> 00:02:03.829 is pretty simple. West Yellowstone is going to 00:02:03.829 --> 00:02:05.909 have a long line pretty much every day from here 00:02:05.909 --> 00:02:08.469 on out. A lot of people have been asking me why 00:02:08.469 --> 00:02:10.729 West Yellowstone has a line and the answer is 00:02:10.729 --> 00:02:13.610 very simple. West Yellowstone has more amenities 00:02:13.610 --> 00:02:17.050 they do a better job marketing and they get traffic 00:02:17.050 --> 00:02:20.550 coming from like Island Park area in Idaho or 00:02:20.550 --> 00:02:22.909 Big Sky and all of that. So everybody congregates 00:02:22.909 --> 00:02:25.509 in West Yellowstone. West Yellowstone will more 00:02:25.509 --> 00:02:28.629 than likely have a line of some sort every day 00:02:28.629 --> 00:02:31.930 from 830 until 11. Those hours may be longer 00:02:31.930 --> 00:02:35.150 or shorter, but expect a line at the entrance 00:02:35.150 --> 00:02:37.860 station. Now one thing when I have shared pictures 00:02:37.860 --> 00:02:40.159 of these lines recently, people are telling me 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:42.360 that these lines are due to the budget cuts of 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.479 the federal government. The lines at the entrance 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.520 station have nothing to do with that. West Yellowstone 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.300 has had lines in terrain for the last 10 to 15 00:02:50.300 --> 00:02:52.659 maybe even 20 years I started looking to the 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:54.860 webcams pretty much daily about 15 years ago 00:02:54.860 --> 00:02:58.379 So it's a common problem It is because so many 00:02:58.379 --> 00:03:01.080 people come in through that gate West Yellowstone 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:03.900 has positioned itself as the like gateway to 00:03:03.900 --> 00:03:06.680 the park especially the thermal areas and it 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.319 also has Occasionally cheaper amenities and a 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:11.080 lot more campgrounds and things like that that 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.560 are well known and publicized so if you're staying 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:15.860 in West know that you need to get to the entrance 00:03:15.860 --> 00:03:20.520 station before 8 or After 10 30 or 11 to kind 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:22.800 of avoid those lines also know that everybody 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:25.080 that enters the park is then driving the same 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:27.560 Road to get to Madison and then if they're going 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:29.159 to the geyser basin They're driving the same 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:32.099 road to old faithful. So all of those cars generally 00:03:32.099 --> 00:03:34.229 head in the same direction If you're visiting 00:03:34.229 --> 00:03:37.449 the park, know that the first bison people see, 00:03:37.569 --> 00:03:40.330 they're going to stop at. And traffic can take 00:03:40.330 --> 00:03:43.110 you for that, you know, 13, 14 miles from West 00:03:43.110 --> 00:03:45.729 Yellowstone to Madison Junction. That can take 00:03:45.729 --> 00:03:49.650 you half hour, 45 minutes, even an hour on a 00:03:49.650 --> 00:03:53.030 good day. So just expect that and know earlier 00:03:53.030 --> 00:03:55.349 you get there, the better it is. Also, everyone 00:03:55.349 --> 00:03:57.650 leaves around the same time, around five or six. 00:03:57.969 --> 00:03:59.969 So there's usually a backup going the other way. 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:01.780 So just plan your day around that. That's really 00:04:01.780 --> 00:04:04.419 the biggest news. It's not news per se, but like 00:04:04.419 --> 00:04:06.879 I want to tell you if you're visiting that area 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.979 to know that's what's going to happen. All right. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:14.039 My experience of the week. Babies are everywhere. 00:04:15.180 --> 00:04:17.699 Not human babies. Well, maybe, but like they're 00:04:17.699 --> 00:04:19.399 not roaming around Yellowstone talking about 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:21.879 animal babies. So with all the roads open in 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:24.079 the park, including the Beartooth Highway, this 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.339 week is a truly perfect time to be in Yellowstone. 00:04:26.889 --> 00:04:30.470 Warm days, cool evenings, and occasional thunderstorms 00:04:30.470 --> 00:04:33.029 all bring energy to the park, but that is nothing 00:04:33.029 --> 00:04:35.029 compared to the buzz created by all of the babies 00:04:35.029 --> 00:04:38.569 in the region. Right now, elk are calving, the 00:04:38.569 --> 00:04:40.430 last of the baby bison are being born for the 00:04:40.430 --> 00:04:42.810 season, newborn birds are walking and flying, 00:04:43.269 --> 00:04:45.250 bear cubs are scampering around trees and through 00:04:45.250 --> 00:04:47.589 the prairie, and almost everywhere you look, 00:04:47.910 --> 00:04:50.589 there is something going on. If you're lucky 00:04:50.589 --> 00:04:53.500 enough to be visiting the park right now, Congratulations 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:56.019 on being here for what I consider to be the best 00:04:56.019 --> 00:04:58.860 wildlife watching time of the year. Yeah, I know 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:02.500 fall is good, but nothing compares to late May 00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:04.899 and early June with the activity that's going 00:05:04.899 --> 00:05:07.990 on. One of the most iconic signs of spring in 00:05:07.990 --> 00:05:10.490 Yellowstone is the arrival of bison calves. A 00:05:10.490 --> 00:05:12.490 lot of people call them red dogs because they're 00:05:12.490 --> 00:05:15.050 bright reddish orange coats, and these calves 00:05:15.050 --> 00:05:18.149 are usually born between late April and early 00:05:18.149 --> 00:05:20.550 June. By late May, herds here at the park are 00:05:20.550 --> 00:05:23.610 full of newborns nursing, running, jumping around, 00:05:23.829 --> 00:05:25.829 having the zoomies, and just trying to keep up 00:05:25.829 --> 00:05:28.709 with adults during migration and grazing movements. 00:05:29.089 --> 00:05:32.069 They're also swimming across rivers and not every 00:05:32.069 --> 00:05:36.519 river crossing goes well. So if you do see some 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:38.319 bison swimming across some of the swollen rivers 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:41.300 right now, know there is a chance you might see 00:05:41.300 --> 00:05:43.899 something that is less than ideal. I'll leave 00:05:43.899 --> 00:05:45.360 it at that because I don't want to like really 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.339 bum people out because it's a good time to be 00:05:47.339 --> 00:05:50.160 in the park. The park also just announced that 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:52.920 elk calves are arriving in large numbers right 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:55.490 now. It tends to happen late May or early June 00:05:55.490 --> 00:05:58.389 as well, and cow elk often leave the herd temporarily 00:05:58.389 --> 00:06:01.149 to give birth in quiet meadows or forest edges 00:06:01.149 --> 00:06:03.089 where the calves can remain hidden during their 00:06:03.089 --> 00:06:06.550 first days of life. Unlike bison calves, young 00:06:06.550 --> 00:06:08.430 elk spend much of their time lying motionless 00:06:08.430 --> 00:06:11.110 in vegetation while their mothers feed nearby. 00:06:12.290 --> 00:06:14.970 I bring this up because visitors sometimes mistakenly 00:06:14.970 --> 00:06:17.740 assume these calves have been abandoned. In reality 00:06:17.740 --> 00:06:20.519 the mother is usually close by and intentionally 00:06:20.519 --> 00:06:23.600 keeps her distance to avoid attracting predators. 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:26.800 Park officials strongly warn visitors to never 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:29.420 approach or touch young wildlife even if the 00:06:29.420 --> 00:06:34.079 animal appears alone. One reason why the female 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:37.300 elk is going to not be near her baby is because 00:06:37.300 --> 00:06:40.079 grizzly bears love and even black bears love 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.620 to hunt down and eat newborn elk. This is something 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:47.019 you'll see a few years ago. I was at calcite 00:06:47.019 --> 00:06:50.060 springs with my mom at the end of may and we 00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:52.959 saw a black bear with two cubs and the cubs were 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:55.259 up in the tree playing around and then the mom 00:06:55.259 --> 00:06:58.300 just kind of like ventured off and there was 00:06:58.300 --> 00:06:59.959 a crowd there the rangers are there the whole 00:06:59.959 --> 00:07:02.720 scene was taken care of and about five minutes 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:06.040 after the bomb disappeared there is this screaming 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:10.680 animal screaming noise and it was a female elk 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:16.019 basically agony because the black bear sow had 00:07:16.019 --> 00:07:20.220 killed her calf the black bear mom came back 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:23.160 blood all over her face rounded up the cubs and 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:26.620 they went and ate the rest of the well the mom 00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:29.339 ate the rest of the calf and while the mom stood 00:07:29.339 --> 00:07:33.899 on the elk mom stood on a hillside just screaming 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:36.639 and it was truly terrible and my mom said hey 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:38.339 I want to go I don't want to be here anymore 00:07:38.339 --> 00:07:45.970 so that might happen Also, moose calves begin 00:07:45.970 --> 00:07:48.350 appearing this time of the year, especially in 00:07:48.350 --> 00:07:50.230 the wetter areas throughout the park and surrounding 00:07:50.230 --> 00:07:53.149 forests. Yellowstone's moose population is not 00:07:53.149 --> 00:07:56.009 great. You don't have a very good chance of seeing 00:07:56.009 --> 00:07:58.389 moose in Yellowstone. I'll be talking about that 00:07:58.389 --> 00:08:00.769 in the coming weeks, but really the best chance 00:08:00.769 --> 00:08:03.949 to see moose is going to be if you go up toward 00:08:03.949 --> 00:08:06.930 that northeast entrance. out that way is your 00:08:06.930 --> 00:08:08.569 best chance in the park to see moose. You might 00:08:08.569 --> 00:08:10.550 see them elsewhere, but that's your best chance. 00:08:11.389 --> 00:08:14.029 And so like elk, cow moose are highly protective 00:08:14.029 --> 00:08:17.009 mothers and become extremely aggressive if they 00:08:17.009 --> 00:08:19.769 feel threatened. And early summer is the best 00:08:19.769 --> 00:08:22.769 time to spot these moose feeding in ponds. But 00:08:22.769 --> 00:08:25.269 again, you're probably not going to be seeing 00:08:25.269 --> 00:08:27.670 them too much unless you go out toward Cook City 00:08:27.670 --> 00:08:29.589 and even then that's going to be rare. Black 00:08:29.589 --> 00:08:31.670 bears and grizzly bears also become far more 00:08:31.670 --> 00:08:33.610 visible during the late spring. Right now it 00:08:33.610 --> 00:08:37.909 is a bear extravaganza almost to a point of it 00:08:37.909 --> 00:08:39.809 being a problem. I'm going to talk about that 00:08:39.809 --> 00:08:42.610 a little later but bears are everywhere. Cubs 00:08:42.610 --> 00:08:44.470 were born during the winter and so now they're 00:08:44.470 --> 00:08:47.470 out like meandering around. Grizzly mothers with 00:08:47.470 --> 00:08:49.309 cubs are frequently spotted moving through open 00:08:49.309 --> 00:08:51.370 valleys searching for food after emerging from 00:08:51.370 --> 00:08:53.789 their dens and the bear cubs spend much of their 00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:56.250 time wrestling climbing and following their mothers 00:08:56.250 --> 00:08:59.179 closely while learning survival behavior. Black 00:08:59.179 --> 00:09:01.919 bears are similarly active throughout forested 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.460 areas and lower elevations, especially in that 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:07.860 Bermuda Triangle area I've talked about before 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:12.200 by Tower, Roosevelt, Floating Island Lake, out 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:14.200 to Little America Slew Creek. That's gonna be 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:18.019 like a really good place to see some bears. Yellowstone's 00:09:18.019 --> 00:09:19.860 wolves are raising pups during the same time 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:23.320 period right now, and though it is hard to see, 00:09:23.690 --> 00:09:26.990 There is a chance that if you go someplace like 00:09:26.990 --> 00:09:30.250 Slough Creek and you patiently wait and watch 00:09:30.250 --> 00:09:32.450 you may occasionally observe adults carrying 00:09:32.450 --> 00:09:35.389 food back to the den areas or Having the pups 00:09:35.389 --> 00:09:37.610 leave the den for the first time and chew on 00:09:37.610 --> 00:09:40.029 bones and antlers that are scattered about It's 00:09:40.029 --> 00:09:44.090 truly a special moment if there is a den Stay 00:09:44.090 --> 00:09:46.590 as far away as you can stay with everybody else. 00:09:46.590 --> 00:09:49.730 Do not approach any sort of baby animal in the 00:09:49.730 --> 00:09:53.059 park ever ever ever um again talk about that 00:09:53.059 --> 00:09:56.220 in a little bit probably so bird activity also 00:09:56.220 --> 00:09:58.139 explodes across the yellowstone during late may 00:09:58.139 --> 00:10:00.840 and early june san ho cranes can often be seen 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:03.419 with their babies called colts in wet meadows 00:10:03.419 --> 00:10:05.419 while trumpeter swans guide young birds across 00:10:05.419 --> 00:10:09.200 ponds and then the bald eagles osprey and other 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.240 raptors are actively feeding at their newborns 00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:15.179 at their nests during this period so if there's 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:17.879 a visible nest you'll probably see the parents 00:10:17.879 --> 00:10:19.679 coming and going bringing fish and stuff like 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:23.350 that Spring is absolutely beautiful in Yellowstone, 00:10:23.809 --> 00:10:25.289 but I also want to repeat that it's one of the 00:10:25.289 --> 00:10:28.210 most sensitive times for wildlife. Young animals 00:10:28.210 --> 00:10:30.809 are vulnerable and repeated human disturbance 00:10:30.809 --> 00:10:33.250 can create serious stress for mothers and offspring 00:10:33.250 --> 00:10:36.649 alike. Rangers constantly remind visitors to 00:10:36.649 --> 00:10:39.289 remain patient, stay at safe viewing distances, 00:10:39.690 --> 00:10:42.029 and avoid blocking wildlife movement near roads 00:10:42.029 --> 00:10:44.490 and trails. When animals are crossing the road 00:10:44.490 --> 00:10:46.309 or look to be crossing the road, this is the 00:10:46.309 --> 00:10:49.460 one time I say stop your car in the road. If 00:10:49.460 --> 00:10:54.120 a wolf or a bear or you know those large Predators 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:55.860 are crossing the road. You need to set a good 00:10:55.860 --> 00:10:59.039 example and give them safety Bison whole different 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.179 story, but we'll talk about that. You know, I've 00:11:01.179 --> 00:11:05.279 talked about that I think too much so Just know 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.440 that if there are animals near the road Rangers 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:10.399 will typically be there if they're not there 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:13.299 yet Help out and just trying to help maintain 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:15.720 the scene of keeping everybody away set a good 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:17.759 example and stay away Don't approach them. I'm 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:20.980 gonna talk about that in just a minute. So if 00:11:20.980 --> 00:11:24.139 you are here this week Drive around look for 00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:26.559 animals in the morning and the evening and you 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:28.600 will see babies everywhere You're gonna see this 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.360 energy of the park that will not exist come July 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.539 This is a very special time in the park and it 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:37.240 is not like this all the time So embrace it enjoy 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:39.980 it and know that you're just some of the lucky 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:42.440 people to be in Yellowstone at this time. My 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:46.000 tip of the week. How to be an ethical photographer. 00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:49.700 Now I know a lot of these tips of the weeks and 00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:51.779 every every week recently I've been kind of like 00:11:51.779 --> 00:11:53.399 here's what you have to do here are the rules 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:55.860 and regulations and the reason I'm doing that 00:11:55.860 --> 00:11:58.259 is because the park has asked people specifically 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:01.200 guides to make sure that we're helping remind 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.769 people of the rules and regulations because they 00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:06.549 can only do so much. As I talked about the lines 00:12:06.549 --> 00:12:09.490 at West Yellowstone not being impacted by the 00:12:09.490 --> 00:12:12.230 budgets of the National Park, the amount of staffing 00:12:12.230 --> 00:12:14.909 that operates inside of the park is directly 00:12:14.909 --> 00:12:17.690 impacted by those budget cuts. So there's a lot 00:12:17.690 --> 00:12:19.529 of volunteers helping out, there are rangers 00:12:19.529 --> 00:12:22.029 going around, but it's never enough. And so the 00:12:22.029 --> 00:12:24.830 more of us that can repeat this message, hopefully 00:12:24.830 --> 00:12:26.929 the more people will listen and the better behavior 00:12:26.929 --> 00:12:29.529 everyone will have. We all know Yellowstone National 00:12:29.529 --> 00:12:31.250 Park is one of the greatest wildlife viewing 00:12:31.250 --> 00:12:34.370 destinations in North America. Few places offer 00:12:34.370 --> 00:12:36.450 the chance to see grizzly bears, wolves, bison, 00:12:36.710 --> 00:12:39.470 elk, moose, foxes, great gray owls, and bald 00:12:39.470 --> 00:12:42.129 eagles all within the same ecosystem, sometimes 00:12:42.129 --> 00:12:45.230 within a couple miles of each other. That experience 00:12:45.230 --> 00:12:47.250 is what draws millions of visitors to the park 00:12:47.250 --> 00:12:49.769 every year, especially for photographers hoping 00:12:49.769 --> 00:12:53.149 to capture unforgettable wildlife moments. Now, 00:12:53.169 --> 00:12:55.669 I do want to clarify something here. Some of 00:12:55.669 --> 00:12:57.649 you may be listening and be like, I'm not a photographer, 00:12:57.809 --> 00:13:01.570 it's fine. When I say photographer, most people 00:13:01.570 --> 00:13:04.710 assume that I'm talking about DSLR cameras, super 00:13:04.710 --> 00:13:07.190 big lenses, all of those. But right now, I'm 00:13:07.190 --> 00:13:10.190 talking to everybody, be it iPhone, iPad, disposable 00:13:10.190 --> 00:13:13.750 camera, whatever. We have to make sure while 00:13:13.750 --> 00:13:16.769 taking pictures that we remain ethical to the 00:13:16.769 --> 00:13:19.450 wildlife in the park. Yellowstone's popularity 00:13:19.450 --> 00:13:21.529 has created growing problems caused by people 00:13:21.529 --> 00:13:24.169 getting too close to animals in pursuit of pictures 00:13:24.169 --> 00:13:27.389 and videos. Rangers on scene or the visitor centers 00:13:27.389 --> 00:13:29.809 are constantly reminding visitors about ethical 00:13:29.809 --> 00:13:32.509 wildlife watching and not just about like getting 00:13:32.509 --> 00:13:34.490 a shot but just being in the park in general. 00:13:34.929 --> 00:13:36.909 Yellowstone promotes the message give it room 00:13:36.909 --> 00:13:39.330 use a zoom as a reminder that wildlife should 00:13:39.330 --> 00:13:41.710 be photographed from a safe and respectful distance. 00:13:42.409 --> 00:13:45.570 If you need a closer image use binoculars spotting 00:13:45.570 --> 00:13:48.190 scopes or a zoom lens instead of walking closer 00:13:48.190 --> 00:13:51.259 to the animal. Sounds simple enough, right? Everybody 00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:53.000 that visits the park has handed something that 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:54.940 says the park requires visitors to stay at least 00:13:54.940 --> 00:13:57.919 25 yards from bison, elk, deer, and most other 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:00.799 wildlife and at least 100 yards from bears and 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:04.679 wolves. These distances are minimum safety requirements, 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.320 not targets for how close you can get. Every 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:11.419 year, Visitors ignore these rules while attempting 00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:14.360 a picture. We've seen the videos, we've seen 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:17.279 all the social media accounts, and most everybody 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.399 knows that bison are responsible for more injuries 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:21.840 in Yellowstone than any other animal because 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.600 people constantly underestimate them. Despite 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:28.200 their calm appearance, bison can run 30 to 35 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:31.299 miles an hour and react instantly when they feel 00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:33.940 crowded or threatened. There's no real warning 00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:36.659 sign for a bison. It will be there grazing and 00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:39.110 then it will charge. Several visitors in recent 00:14:39.110 --> 00:14:41.370 years have been tossed or seriously injured after 00:14:41.370 --> 00:14:43.370 approaching bison too closely for photographs 00:14:43.370 --> 00:14:45.789 and it's more than likely going to happen again 00:14:45.789 --> 00:14:49.830 this year and I say that just because Statistically, 00:14:49.830 --> 00:14:52.690 it probably will happens almost every year and 00:14:52.690 --> 00:14:54.789 just last week I was in the park and I was at 00:14:54.789 --> 00:14:57.029 old faithful and there are people having lunch 00:14:57.029 --> 00:15:01.070 at a picnic table near the gas station and the 00:15:01.070 --> 00:15:05.539 gift shop Little away from the lodge and a bison 00:15:05.539 --> 00:15:07.320 walked up to them and they stayed at their picnic 00:15:07.320 --> 00:15:10.179 table The bison was three feet from them It was 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:13.240 not great and the more that that happens the 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:15.320 higher the likelihood something is going to happen 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:17.539 again quick aside here There's a lot of people 00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:19.179 that will celebrate when people get attacked 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:22.379 by animals. I am NOT one of those I don't follow 00:15:22.379 --> 00:15:25.200 any of those sites. I don't participate in that 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:27.279 level of social media of trying to shame somebody 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.320 It doesn't help this helps talking to people 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:33.960 individually calmly politely and just reminding 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:36.779 people because One of the most important things 00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:39.179 to know about Yellowstone is that it's really 00:15:39.179 --> 00:15:42.960 easy from afar to say I would never do that It's 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:45.139 really easy to see an animal see a picture of 00:15:45.139 --> 00:15:46.919 an animal and see somebody standing too close 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:48.899 and be like, oh they're idiots Why would they 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:52.080 do that? Right? Like I would never do that Most 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:55.200 people I know that come to the park end up getting 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:58.649 closer to wildlife than they mean to Largely 00:15:58.649 --> 00:16:01.049 that is because once one person does it, then 00:16:01.049 --> 00:16:02.909 two more people join, then five people join, 00:16:02.970 --> 00:16:04.690 then ten people join, then all of a sudden you 00:16:04.690 --> 00:16:06.850 have a large crowd around an animal that's too 00:16:06.850 --> 00:16:09.409 close. Usually these are bear encounters, things 00:16:09.409 --> 00:16:11.309 like that. You're supposed to be a hundred yards 00:16:11.309 --> 00:16:14.529 away from a bear at all times at least when you're 00:16:14.529 --> 00:16:16.990 outside of your car. That is an entire football 00:16:16.990 --> 00:16:19.970 field. If you've been to the park, how many bear 00:16:19.970 --> 00:16:22.970 sightings have you been out of your car without 00:16:22.970 --> 00:16:25.629 having an entire football field separating you 00:16:25.629 --> 00:16:29.289 and the bear? Last week, I saw four bears. All 00:16:29.289 --> 00:16:31.529 four of those bears were way closer than a hundred 00:16:31.529 --> 00:16:33.389 yards, and there were people out there. There 00:16:33.389 --> 00:16:35.090 were even some rangers out there. If there's 00:16:35.090 --> 00:16:37.230 a ranger there, you can stand where the ranger 00:16:37.230 --> 00:16:39.330 tells you to. If there's not a ranger there, 00:16:39.789 --> 00:16:41.450 don't stand so close, right? I think there's 00:16:41.450 --> 00:16:44.190 a song about that. While bison are obviously 00:16:44.190 --> 00:16:46.649 an issue, wolves and bears present a different 00:16:46.649 --> 00:16:49.289 concern. Ethical wildlife watchers understand 00:16:49.289 --> 00:16:51.870 that repeatedly crowding predators can alter 00:16:51.870 --> 00:16:53.909 their behavior and increase dangerous interactions 00:16:53.909 --> 00:16:56.549 with people. Talked about that last week, so 00:16:56.549 --> 00:17:00.470 I'm not going to belabor that point. But I will 00:17:00.470 --> 00:17:04.170 say that this isn't even now regulated to bears, 00:17:04.529 --> 00:17:07.950 bison, and wolves. Just last week, a flock of 00:17:07.950 --> 00:17:10.349 photographers chased a great gray owl away from 00:17:10.349 --> 00:17:12.950 the road and into an area closed off to bear 00:17:12.950 --> 00:17:15.779 management. They ignored signs and continued 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:17.859 to follow the bird to try and get the perfect 00:17:17.859 --> 00:17:20.740 picture. When they returned, a ranger was waiting 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:24.220 for them and ticketed them. Now, some of these 00:17:24.220 --> 00:17:27.500 were part of actual tour groups. Some had super 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:30.900 expensive camera setups. Some had iPhones. All 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:33.240 of them were stalking wildlife and entering a 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.819 closed zone. Again, it's really easy to say I 00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:39.539 would never do that, but being in the park has 00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:43.160 this way of making people kind of Forget about 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:45.859 the dangers. It is safety in numbers. There's 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:48.579 kind of like a wanderlust that takes over I am 00:17:48.579 --> 00:17:52.759 guilty of this I have been I am striving to never 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:56.000 be again, but it happens to pretty much everyone 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:00.079 so just know that you do your best and You continue 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.319 to do your best the number one thing this whole 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:06.500 rant is just to say the following responsible 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:09.180 wildlife photography and being a responsible 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:12.509 ethical visitor means allowing animals to behave 00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:16.329 naturally. Chasing wildlife from pullout to pullout, 00:18:16.490 --> 00:18:18.890 surrounding animals with crowds, blocking their 00:18:18.890 --> 00:18:21.410 movement, or entering the landscape to get closer 00:18:21.410 --> 00:18:24.250 to them for better pictures creates unnecessary 00:18:24.250 --> 00:18:26.970 stress on the animals and increases danger for 00:18:26.970 --> 00:18:29.490 visitors. To be an ethical visitor in the park, 00:18:29.710 --> 00:18:33.089 it's very easy. Stay near your vehicles, use 00:18:33.089 --> 00:18:36.609 pullouts correctly, make sure that you respect 00:18:36.609 --> 00:18:39.420 rangers when they tell you something, Follow 00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:42.059 posted and written rules. It's it's again something 00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:44.940 that's a lot harder once you're there It's easy 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:47.980 to say this in the time now You will see something 00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:50.180 countless times in the park and that's when there's 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:52.880 a wildlife jam You're gonna see people exit their 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.279 vehicles to walk up to see what's going on or 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.539 run up to get that picture of the bear Don't 00:18:57.539 --> 00:19:00.029 do this, please Some of the best wildlife viewing 00:19:00.029 --> 00:19:02.230 experiences happen when people remain patient 00:19:02.230 --> 00:19:04.170 and allow the animals to move naturally through 00:19:04.170 --> 00:19:06.589 the landscape. By having people get out of the 00:19:06.589 --> 00:19:08.910 cars and run up to see what's up there and take 00:19:08.910 --> 00:19:12.690 pictures you're creating stress you are impacting 00:19:12.690 --> 00:19:15.809 animals behaviors. Yellowstone remains one of 00:19:15.809 --> 00:19:19.089 the last truly wild ecosystems in lower 48 and 00:19:19.089 --> 00:19:21.210 ethical wildlife watching helps protect that 00:19:21.210 --> 00:19:24.390 wilderness. Respecting distance regulations using 00:19:24.390 --> 00:19:27.609 zoom lenses and putting animal welfare ahead 00:19:27.609 --> 00:19:31.059 of Pictures ensures future visitors will continue 00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:33.299 experiencing these animals the way they're meant 00:19:33.299 --> 00:19:37.460 to be seen. Wild, free, and undisturbed. My random 00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:40.480 Yellowstone fact of the week. Hiking off trail 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.180 in Yellowstone National Park. There's something 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:45.599 incredibly tempting about leaving the trail behind 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:48.339 in Yellowstone National Park. Beyond the crowded 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:50.980 boardwalks and scenic pullouts lies one of the 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:53.359 largest intact wilderness ecosystems in North 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:56.319 America, full of remote valleys, dense forests, 00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:59.259 stunning peaks, wildlife corridors, and hidden 00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:02.279 geothermal features. While the park will never 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:04.599 talk about this, as they don't want to encourage 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:07.160 people going off trail, it is one of the things 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.259 I'm asked quite often while I lead tours in the 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:12.829 park. Off trail hiking is allowed in many parts 00:20:12.829 --> 00:20:15.789 of Yellowstone, but it comes with serious responsibilities 00:20:15.789 --> 00:20:18.250 and important regulations that every visitor 00:20:18.250 --> 00:20:21.470 needs to understand before they go into the backcountry. 00:20:22.269 --> 00:20:24.410 Yellowstone is not an ordinary mountain park. 00:20:24.950 --> 00:20:27.089 The landscape is shaped by geothermal activity, 00:20:27.609 --> 00:20:30.109 active wildlife habitat, rapidly changing weather, 00:20:30.509 --> 00:20:32.609 and rugged terrain that can quickly become dangerous 00:20:32.609 --> 00:20:36.289 for unprepared hikers. While some areas allow 00:20:36.289 --> 00:20:40.000 cross -country travel, others prohibit it. primarily 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:43.259 in thermal areas and bare management areas. The 00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:45.579 most important rule in Yellowstone involves the 00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:48.819 thermal terrain. In geothermal areas, visitors 00:20:48.819 --> 00:20:51.119 are required to stay on designated boardwalks 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.359 and marked trails at all times. Beneath the surface, 00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:57.119 thin crusts can conceal boiling water and unstable 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.140 ground. What appears solid may collapse without 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:03.180 warning. Walking off trails in thermal zones 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:07.440 is illegal and extremely dangerous. Now this 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.240 is where things get a little murky details -wise. 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:13.819 Some trails in Yellowstone's backcountry go directly 00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:17.599 through thermal areas with no boardwalks. This 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:21.039 is allowed as long as you're on the official 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:25.880 trail. But if you are ever unsure assume that 00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:28.539 you shouldn't be allowed there and turn around. 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:31.500 Another reason not just that you might break 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:34.599 through and die is that thermal areas are incredibly 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:37.900 fragile. One footstep can permanently damage 00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:41.279 delicate geothermal features. So even remote 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:44.200 backcountry thermal areas have restrictions. 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:46.700 Hikers should never assume geothermal terrain 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:49.819 is safe to explore freely simply because it's 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:52.460 far from developed boardwalks. As I just said, 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:56.039 stay on the trail and never ever venture elsewhere 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:58.720 in the backcountry thermal area that you're wandering, 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:01.660 even if you see bison tracks or other human tracks. 00:22:02.359 --> 00:22:05.279 Bison will break through the crust and die all 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:08.779 the time. It is not something that is rare that 00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:11.319 lots of animals die from breaking and falling 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:14.619 into thermal areas. Now the other thing in the 00:22:14.619 --> 00:22:16.960 backcountry to be aware of is the wildlife regulations. 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:18.900 Yellowstone sits at the center of one of the 00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:21.059 most important grizzly bear ecosystems in the 00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:24.380 lower 48 and the park uses numerous seasonal 00:22:24.380 --> 00:22:26.740 bear management areas to reduce dangerous encounters 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:30.200 and protect habitat. These restrictions change 00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:31.859 throughout the year depending on bear activity. 00:22:32.029 --> 00:22:34.750 Some areas close completely during certain seasons 00:22:34.750 --> 00:22:37.029 while others restrict visitors to designated 00:22:37.029 --> 00:22:40.470 trails or daylight travel only. In some locations 00:22:40.470 --> 00:22:43.950 off -trail hiking may be prohibited entirely 00:22:43.950 --> 00:22:47.130 during peak bear activity. Pelican Valley is 00:22:47.130 --> 00:22:48.930 one of the best known examples because of its 00:22:48.930 --> 00:22:51.829 heavy grizzly use, but similar restrictions occur 00:22:51.829 --> 00:22:54.089 throughout the park near Yellowstone Lake, the 00:22:54.089 --> 00:22:56.869 Two Ocean Plateau region, and portions of the 00:22:56.869 --> 00:22:59.829 Gallatin backcountry. These rules exist for a 00:22:59.829 --> 00:23:02.230 reason. Yellowstone has a long history of dangerous 00:23:02.230 --> 00:23:05.490 bear encounters, including fatal attacks. Off 00:23:05.490 --> 00:23:07.910 -trail hikers face greater risk because they 00:23:07.910 --> 00:23:10.569 often move through thick vegetation or remote 00:23:10.569 --> 00:23:13.089 terrain where visibility is limited, increasing 00:23:13.089 --> 00:23:15.269 the chance of surprising a bear at close range. 00:23:15.609 --> 00:23:17.589 Bears are also really smart. They know where 00:23:17.589 --> 00:23:19.829 people travel. A lot of the backcountry trails 00:23:19.829 --> 00:23:22.509 also have horses that travel them. So they know 00:23:22.509 --> 00:23:26.509 that these are thoroughfares for people and horses 00:23:26.509 --> 00:23:28.410 and things like that. When you're not in one 00:23:28.410 --> 00:23:30.549 of those areas, Bears don't expect you there, 00:23:30.609 --> 00:23:32.430 so it's more of a surprise. And if you surprise 00:23:32.430 --> 00:23:34.549 at a wild animal, it's gonna go one of two ways, 00:23:34.549 --> 00:23:37.509 they're gonna run away, or they may charge you, 00:23:37.509 --> 00:23:40.109 you know? Just know where bear management areas 00:23:40.109 --> 00:23:41.529 are, and if you don't, I've talked about this 00:23:41.529 --> 00:23:44.150 before, but also you can look at a bear management 00:23:44.150 --> 00:23:46.589 backcountry map or go into visitor's center and 00:23:46.589 --> 00:23:50.029 ask. Now, as I always say, anyone hiking in Yellowstone, 00:23:50.150 --> 00:23:52.450 including boardwalks and simple trails, should 00:23:52.450 --> 00:23:55.759 carry bear spray. in an easily accessible location, 00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:58.240 not buried inside a backpack. You need to know 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.640 how to use it. You need to be confident with 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:03.460 it. Sometimes, if you're hiking, you might have 00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:06.240 two seconds. That is two seconds to get your 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.799 bear spray out, take off the safety, and spray 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:12.640 it. You have to know how it works. The park obviously 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:15.099 also strongly recommends hiking in groups and 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:17.019 making regular noise when moving through dense 00:24:17.019 --> 00:24:20.180 vegetation. Talking, clapping near blind corners, 00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:22.740 and staying alert for tracks, scat, or carcasses 00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:25.920 can help reduce the likelihood of sudden encounters. 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:28.980 I do also want to say here something about bear 00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:32.579 bells. Bear bells, mostly ineffective, don't 00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:35.259 even bother. I talked to a bear expert about 00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:38.730 this and they said that bear bells mimic more 00:24:38.730 --> 00:24:41.309 of a bird call than anything else, and bears 00:24:41.309 --> 00:24:46.910 are not afraid of birds. And if a bear hears 00:24:46.910 --> 00:24:49.089 a bird, it's not going to give it a second thought. 00:24:49.329 --> 00:24:52.109 If it hears a human voice that associates with 00:24:52.109 --> 00:24:55.529 human behavior, it's going to be more alert and 00:24:55.529 --> 00:24:59.230 probably run away. So talk loudly, make sure 00:24:59.230 --> 00:25:01.730 that you're safe, don't do things that will put 00:25:01.730 --> 00:25:05.039 you at risk. So with off -trail travel, If there 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:08.180 isn't a sign where you're at, you can walk there. 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:11.460 However, I do recommend going to a visitor center 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:14.420 before you engage in off -trail hiking because 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:17.000 it really is one of those things that you have 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:21.119 to be smart and experienced to do. in order to 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:23.279 get experience you need to do it right but like 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.700 go with somebody else that knows what to do learn 00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:28.079 the rules and regulations because off -trail 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:30.440 hiking here can be unforgettable for those who 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:32.859 prepare carefully those who understand the rules 00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:35.319 and those who respect the environment but you 00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:37.960 need to remember that in Yellowstone wilderness 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.440 will still set the terms and rules and regulations 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:44.349 exist for a reason Alright shake off all of that. 00:25:44.369 --> 00:25:46.869 That was a lot of heavy stuff. So let's talk 00:25:46.869 --> 00:25:49.210 about the weather. I love that transition every 00:25:49.210 --> 00:25:52.509 week By the way in future weeks all of these 00:25:52.509 --> 00:25:54.529 tips and things are going to be lighter and lighter 00:25:54.529 --> 00:25:57.650 I just really want to hammer some of these things 00:25:57.650 --> 00:26:00.589 now because this is a dangerous time to do a 00:26:00.589 --> 00:26:03.170 lot of things in the backcountry Especially or 00:26:03.170 --> 00:26:05.349 you know when you spot wildlife, there's a lot 00:26:05.349 --> 00:26:08.029 of people in the park So I just wanted to reiterate 00:26:08.029 --> 00:26:10.190 all of those things. I thank you all for listening 00:26:10.619 --> 00:26:12.680 It's extremely important, and I know it can be 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:15.000 tedious, but the more of us that behave well 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:17.400 in the park, the better the park's going to be. 00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:19.680 And one thing about bad behavior in the park, 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:23.900 99 .9 % of everyone who visits the park does 00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:27.519 an amazing job. That other percent, not so much, 00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:30.160 but you're never gonna have 100 % perfect behavior. 00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:33.359 So, all right, weather for the week. Let's start 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:37.160 with Lamar Valley. On Thursday, high of 77, low 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:42.220 of 42. On Friday, high of 72, low of 42, maybe 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:45.059 a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Saturday, it's 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:47.180 gonna be rainy, rain's gonna start overnight. 00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:50.140 It's gonna be 52, it was a high, 38 is a low, 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:53.559 50 % chance of a half inch of rain. On Sunday, 00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:57.480 a high of 51 and a low of 34, 43 % chance of 00:26:57.480 --> 00:26:59.779 about a quarter inch of rain. On Monday, it starts 00:26:59.779 --> 00:27:03.859 to dry out, 61 and 34 with a 23 % chance of rain. 00:27:04.109 --> 00:27:08.509 Tuesday 66 and 35 17 percent chance of rain and 00:27:08.509 --> 00:27:11.849 Wednesday 69 and 38 with a 16 percent chance 00:27:11.849 --> 00:27:16.670 of rain Gardner, Montana Thursday high of 82 00:27:16.670 --> 00:27:22.970 low of 45 Friday high of 80 Low of 46, 19 % chance 00:27:22.970 --> 00:27:24.710 of rain, maybe a thunderstorm in the afternoon. 00:27:25.230 --> 00:27:28.549 Saturday, cools off and rain again. 57 and 42, 00:27:28.690 --> 00:27:32.569 with a 92 % chance of 6 tenths of an inch of 00:27:32.569 --> 00:27:35.009 rain. That's a lot of rain out here for a place 00:27:35.009 --> 00:27:38.269 that gets like 14 inches of rain a year. Sunday, 00:27:38.650 --> 00:27:42.049 high of 55, low of 36, 70 % chance of a quarter 00:27:42.049 --> 00:27:44.549 inch of rain. Monday, just like Lamar, things 00:27:44.549 --> 00:27:48.549 start to dry out. 65 and 37, 24 % chance of rain. 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:53.200 Tuesday 71 and 39 10 % chance of rain and Wednesday 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:57.799 74 and 42 20 % chance of rain West Yellowstone, 00:27:58.039 --> 00:28:02.220 Montana Thursday high of 77 low of 37 Friday 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:06.900 high of 73 low of 38 About a 38 % chance of a 00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:11.200 thunderstorm in that afternoon Saturday wet 49 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:15.180 low at 35 50 % chance over a half inch of rain. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:20.160 Sunday, still wet, 51 and 29, 42 % chance of 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:22.980 about a quarter inch of rain. Monday, high of 00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:26.559 60, low of 30. 18 % chance of some rain. Tuesday, 00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:30.839 67 and 33, 9 % chance. And Wednesday, 70 and 00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:35.319 35, 15 % chance of rain. Cody, Wyoming. Thursday, 00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:39.200 high of 84, low of 54, maybe some afternoon thundershowers. 00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:43.359 Friday, 83 and 57 10 % chance of some rain in 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:47.339 the middle of the day Saturday 64 and 49 with 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:50.680 a 41 % chance about 3 tenths of an inch of rain 00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:55.599 Sunday 64 and 45 with a 24 % chance of rain Monday 00:28:55.599 --> 00:29:01.140 71 and 46 17 % chance of rain Tuesday 75 and 00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:05.619 48 17 % chance of rain and Wednesday 74 and 51 00:29:05.619 --> 00:29:08.579 12 % chance of rain and finally for the weather 00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:12.069 Cook City, Montana Thursday highest 70 low of 00:29:12.069 --> 00:29:15.970 43 maybe rain shower in the evening Friday 66 00:29:15.970 --> 00:29:19.849 and 41 with a chance of rain in the afternoon 00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:23.250 Saturday 50 and 37 50 percent chance about a 00:29:23.250 --> 00:29:27.589 half inch of rain Sunday 48 and 33 with a 45 00:29:27.589 --> 00:29:30.470 percent chance about a quarter inch of rain Monday 00:29:30.470 --> 00:29:34.349 57 and 35 with a 24 percent chance of rain Tuesday 00:29:34.349 --> 00:29:38.099 60 and 36 with an 18 percent chance of rain and 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:41.799 Wednesday, 64 and 39 with an 18 % chance of rain. 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:45.140 As always, this is the best forecast for the 00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:48.680 week at the time of recording, which is 1253 00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:52.500 PM on Wednesday, May 27th. Forecasts can change 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:54.779 numerous times in a week, but this should be 00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:56.619 within the ballpark of what you'll experience 00:29:56.619 --> 00:30:00.099 when visiting Yellowstone. The snowpack update. 00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:04.259 As of May 26th, the snowpack is around 52 % and 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:06.970 normal for this time of year. Eastern and northern 00:30:06.970 --> 00:30:09.329 ranges of the park are about 61 percent of normal 00:30:09.329 --> 00:30:11.490 while the western and southern sides are about 00:30:11.490 --> 00:30:14.549 37 percent of normal. Last year on this date 00:30:14.549 --> 00:30:17.289 we are averaging around 77 percent of our normal 00:30:17.289 --> 00:30:19.890 level for the whole park. Obviously this is not 00:30:19.890 --> 00:30:23.029 great for potential runoff. Rivers are going 00:30:23.029 --> 00:30:24.789 to drop later in the year and get too hot and 00:30:24.789 --> 00:30:26.809 fishing is going to be impacted but doesn't impact 00:30:26.809 --> 00:30:29.569 anything right now. So if you're in the park 00:30:29.569 --> 00:30:33.230 right now this snowpack doesn't mean much. Please 00:30:33.230 --> 00:30:36.519 know though that with the rain Coming in, there 00:30:36.519 --> 00:30:39.740 is a chance the Beartooth Highway will get some 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:41.960 snow on it. They may close it depending on how 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:44.160 much snow they get over the weekend. Be aware 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:47.000 of that. And that brings me to road conditions. 00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:50.839 Currently there are no main park roads that are 00:30:50.839 --> 00:30:54.539 closed. There is a chance, like I said this weekend, 00:30:54.660 --> 00:30:57.299 some park roads could be closed due to inclement 00:30:57.299 --> 00:31:00.980 weather. If you want to know this, get up to 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:03.019 date information one of two ways. You can call 00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:08.460 307 3 4 4 2 1 1 7 for recorded information or 00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:10.859 you can sign up to receive Yellowstone road alerts 00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:13.819 on your cell phone by texting the number 8 2 00:31:13.819 --> 00:31:20.700 1 9 0 to 8 8 8 7 7 7 camping information mammoth 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:23.259 is open madison is open fishing bridge is open 00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:26.740 bridge bay is open tower is open and canyon opens 00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:31.420 on the 29th the wildlife watching update So right 00:31:31.420 --> 00:31:33.759 now, as I mentioned earlier, wildlife watching 00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:36.960 is amazing right now. If you drive in the northern 00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:39.400 range, very good chance you're going to see some 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.519 black bears, especially from like Floating Island 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:45.339 Lake to Tower Falls and then out to Slough Creek 00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:48.180 area, that bear muted triangle. The other day 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:51.440 I was out there and within three miles I saw 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:54.559 four different black bears. So great, great bear 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:56.880 sightings there. Baby bison are all over the 00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:00.059 place. So enjoy watching them. Honestly for bison 00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:03.420 wise Little America has been the best place for 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:07.619 me. That is between Roosevelt and Lamar Valley 00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:10.400 proper I talked about that last week and like 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:13.119 where is Lamar and how do you visit Lamar, right? 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:15.279 So give that a listen if you want to know where 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:17.539 that is. That's been the best place for baby 00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:21.140 bison also some pronghorners starting to congregate 00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:24.160 there and They're gonna have their babies soon 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:28.789 as well out near that same area. There are also 00:32:28.789 --> 00:32:31.210 some bighorn sheep I've been seeing a lot. There's 00:32:31.210 --> 00:32:34.190 also some sandhill cranes with some babies. There 00:32:34.190 --> 00:32:36.809 are a lot of things going on that way. Slough 00:32:36.809 --> 00:32:39.250 Creek is also very active right now for bears 00:32:39.250 --> 00:32:42.410 and for wolves, as well as Lamar Valley. Hayden 00:32:42.410 --> 00:32:46.670 Valley is still fine. You'll see some stuff there, 00:32:46.670 --> 00:32:49.970 but it's not going to be as animal heavy. If 00:32:49.970 --> 00:32:52.529 you head out the east entrance, bears, great 00:32:52.529 --> 00:32:54.799 gray owls have been out there. and generally 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:56.819 it's been good for even some bighorn sheep up 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:59.660 by sylvan pass um again if you're going to the 00:32:59.660 --> 00:33:02.319 park your best bets for wildlife watching are 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:06.140 going to be basically from blacktail plateau 00:33:06.140 --> 00:33:08.339 drive that i think is still closed maybe they'll 00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:10.480 open it this week currently it's still closed 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:13.259 as time of recording but if they open that from 00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:18.480 there all the way to tower maybe even over dunraven 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:22.009 then down through Hayden a bit and then out the 00:33:22.009 --> 00:33:24.369 east entrance also out to Lamar Valley. Those 00:33:24.369 --> 00:33:27.609 are really like your constant corridors. I will 00:33:27.609 --> 00:33:30.250 always and forever recommend the northern side 00:33:30.250 --> 00:33:32.849 of the park for wildlife watching over anywhere 00:33:32.849 --> 00:33:36.029 else just because of the density of animals there. 00:33:36.109 --> 00:33:37.829 You might have better wildlife watching experiences 00:33:37.829 --> 00:33:39.930 elsewhere. There are some grizzlies around the 00:33:39.930 --> 00:33:43.329 Norris area that you might see but general predictability 00:33:43.329 --> 00:33:46.700 and consistency. That northern range is where 00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:49.039 I always recommend people go if they really want 00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:52.700 to see wildlife next to the road If you are visiting 00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:54.720 the park this coming week reach out to me happy 00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:57.359 to help you uh know where to go to see wildlife 00:33:57.359 --> 00:34:00.339 if you'd rather just You know get a wildlife 00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:02.339 watching guidebook and support the podcast I 00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:04.500 have a wildlife watching guidebook that is available 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:07.660 in both ebook and paperback formats I wrote it 00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:10.219 out of love and to help people for specifically 00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:12.699 this i've been visiting the park for so long 00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:16.619 that I Want everybody to have the same good experiences 00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:19.039 that I have I also have a hiking guidebook Definitely 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:20.699 check that out if you're interested in some trails 00:34:20.699 --> 00:34:24.539 which leads me to the next section of trail alerts 00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:27.460 and updates So the backcountry conditions page 00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:30.980 is updated. I always have a link to it in the 00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:33.480 show notes It is the easiest way to check the 00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:35.739 status of a trail that you want to hike No matter 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:38.539 where you hike carry bear spray have it readily 00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:41.400 accessible and not in a backpack Please know 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:45.210 how to use it ahead of time Alright my trek of 00:34:45.210 --> 00:34:48.449 the week. I was gonna hold off on this but you 00:34:48.449 --> 00:34:51.090 know, it's with the snowpack It's it's good to 00:34:51.090 --> 00:34:54.349 go. So here we go. One of my favorites the Bunsen 00:34:54.349 --> 00:34:57.369 Peak Trail The Bunsen Peak Trail is one of those 00:34:57.369 --> 00:34:59.530 Yellowstone hikes that delivers far more than 00:34:59.530 --> 00:35:02.989 people expect It's relatively short by park standards, 00:35:02.989 --> 00:35:05.630 but don't let the mileage here fool you This 00:35:05.630 --> 00:35:08.309 is not an easy walk for most visitors. The trail 00:35:08.309 --> 00:35:11.690 begins at over 7 ,000 feet in elevation and the 00:35:11.690 --> 00:35:16.050 climb gains roughly 1300 to 1600 feet in over 00:35:16.050 --> 00:35:18.710 two miles depending on where you measure from. 00:35:19.269 --> 00:35:21.469 The altitude alone catches many hikers off guard 00:35:21.469 --> 00:35:23.610 especially visitors coming from lower elevations. 00:35:23.929 --> 00:35:25.889 There's also not a ton of shade on this and you're 00:35:25.889 --> 00:35:27.949 working up switchbacks through scree for a lot 00:35:27.949 --> 00:35:31.510 of the trail. Located just south of Mammoth Hot 00:35:31.510 --> 00:35:34.449 Springs near Swan Lake Flats Bunsen Peak rises 00:35:34.449 --> 00:35:36.650 prominently above Yellowstone's northern range. 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:40.380 The peak itself is an extinct volcanic cone named 00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:43.099 after German scientist Robert Bunsen best known 00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:45.920 for the Bunsen burger I swear I said burner not 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:47.940 burger, but I'm not gonna edit it out and you 00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:50.659 can tell me did I say Bunsen burger or bunsen 00:35:50.659 --> 00:35:54.579 burner that first time Interestingly enough about 00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:57.340 Robert Bunsen. He never actually visited Yellowstone. 00:35:57.420 --> 00:36:00.519 The mountain was just named after him The standard 00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:02.980 out and back route is roughly 4 .4 miles round 00:36:02.980 --> 00:36:05.460 trip, though some hikers choose to extend the 00:36:05.460 --> 00:36:08.139 adventure into a larger loop using the Bunsen 00:36:08.139 --> 00:36:11.460 Peak Road Trail and Osprey Falls Trail. Most 00:36:11.460 --> 00:36:14.099 people complete the main summit hike in about 00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:16.579 3 -5 hours depending on pace, weather, and how 00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:19.219 long they spend at the top. The climb begins 00:36:19.219 --> 00:36:21.599 almost immediately from the trailhead. After 00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:23.519 leaving the trailhead, the route works steadily 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:26.300 uphill through a series of switchbacks winding 00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:28.679 through lodgepole pine forests. This is really 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:31.340 the most shady spot. There is nothing technical 00:36:31.340 --> 00:36:34.280 about this trail itself, but the grade is consistent 00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:36.460 enough that most hikers are going to feel it 00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:39.019 quickly. This is one of those hikes where people 00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:41.119 underestimate the effort required because the 00:36:41.119 --> 00:36:43.829 distance looks shorter on paper. I've gone up 00:36:43.829 --> 00:36:46.409 there and I've seen people not carrying anything 00:36:46.409 --> 00:36:48.530 with them. No food, no water, no backpack, no 00:36:48.530 --> 00:36:51.690 bear spray, nothing. This area has bears. I don't 00:36:51.690 --> 00:36:54.250 care how many people hike it, it has bears. Years 00:36:54.250 --> 00:36:56.969 ago, there was a person hiking and a black bear 00:36:56.969 --> 00:36:58.949 ran through the forest knocked her down and kept 00:36:58.949 --> 00:37:01.429 running. There's bears out here. I've seen grizzlies 00:37:01.429 --> 00:37:04.230 on the backside of Bunsen numerous times middle 00:37:04.230 --> 00:37:06.929 of summer. So always have bear spray, always 00:37:06.929 --> 00:37:09.230 be prepared, and know that this is a serious 00:37:09.230 --> 00:37:11.690 hike where you need to bring more than you think 00:37:11.690 --> 00:37:14.480 you do. After the lodgepole pine, you're going 00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:16.900 to start climbing higher. The forest begins to 00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:19.159 thin and the views gradually open. Before long, 00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:21.659 you're treated to sweeping views of Swan Lake 00:37:21.659 --> 00:37:24.420 Flats, Golden Gate Canyon, and Mammoth Hot Springs. 00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:26.599 With every switchback, the views get better and 00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:29.559 better, so keep climbing. Higher on the mountain, 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:32.800 the landscape continues to open up. All the trees 00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:35.469 really fade away to rocky slopes. You're then 00:37:35.469 --> 00:37:37.889 going to get broad views across Yellowstone's 00:37:37.889 --> 00:37:40.409 entire northern range. Electric Peak dominates 00:37:40.409 --> 00:37:42.730 the skyline to the northeast and often becomes 00:37:42.730 --> 00:37:45.610 the visual centerpiece of the hike. Please know 00:37:45.610 --> 00:37:47.469 though that wind can become intense near the 00:37:47.469 --> 00:37:49.550 summit ridge even during summer, so carrying 00:37:49.550 --> 00:37:54.369 an extra layer is a smart idea. At 8 ,564 feet 00:37:54.369 --> 00:37:56.750 above sea level, the summit of Bunsen Peak offers 00:37:56.750 --> 00:37:59.550 one of the best panoramic views in northern Yellowstone. 00:37:59.889 --> 00:38:02.630 From the top, hikers can see everything that 00:38:02.630 --> 00:38:06.719 you would want. On especially clear days, visibility 00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:08.480 reaches deep into the surrounding wilderness 00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:11.340 including portions of Blacktail Plateau and Yellowstone's 00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:13.079 northern valleys. This is a great place to sit 00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:17.039 and scan as well. On the back side to the east, 00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:18.960 if you look on some of the cliffs sometimes you 00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:21.400 see mountain goats and stuff. It's really cool. 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:23.719 Wildlife sightings are common throughout the 00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:26.300 area. Elk and mule deer are frequently seen near 00:38:26.300 --> 00:38:28.639 the trail and both black bears and grizzly bears 00:38:28.639 --> 00:38:31.519 inhabit the surrounding terrain. As I said before, 00:38:31.940 --> 00:38:33.960 even though Bunsen Peak is considered a popular 00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:36.199 day hike, hikers should still carry a bear spray 00:38:36.199 --> 00:38:38.900 and remain alert, especially during quieter mornings 00:38:38.900 --> 00:38:41.719 or evening hours. Summer also is going to start 00:38:41.719 --> 00:38:44.800 bringing some cool wildflowers, so don't get 00:38:44.800 --> 00:38:46.760 too distracted looking at wildflowers and still 00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:48.360 look for animals because they're everywhere. 00:38:48.860 --> 00:38:51.139 Also, regarding animals on this trail, there's 00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:53.699 some chipmunks at the top. Do not feed them. 00:38:53.800 --> 00:38:56.199 They are extremely aggressive. One day I was 00:38:56.199 --> 00:38:59.519 sitting up there having lunch at the little Station 00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:02.579 that's up there with the sign -in sheet and a 00:39:02.579 --> 00:39:06.199 chipmunk jumped in the back in the hood of my 00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:09.360 son shirt I was wearing and I had to like rip 00:39:09.360 --> 00:39:12.159 that off of me as I had a sandwich in hand and 00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:15.000 like my son shirt ran around on the ground because 00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:17.739 the chipmunk was caught in it and There is a 00:39:17.739 --> 00:39:20.280 camera up there that I asked if they had the 00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:22.980 footage of and they told me I couldn't so I Still 00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:24.599 want to see that if there is anybody in the park. 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:26.480 It was years ago I know you don't have anymore, 00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:29.079 but just know don't feed any wildlife Alright, 00:39:29.159 --> 00:39:31.519 one last thing for this, for hikers looking for 00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:34.139 a bigger challenge, the route can be extended 00:39:34.139 --> 00:39:36.659 beyond the summit. The trail continues along 00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:38.900 the ridge before descending the backside of Bunsen 00:39:38.900 --> 00:39:41.599 Peak that leads to the Bunsen Peak Road Trail 00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:43.820 which eventually connects to Osprey Falls and 00:39:43.820 --> 00:39:46.599 Sheep Eater Canyon. Adding these sections creates 00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:49.699 a much longer and more demanding day with additional 00:39:49.699 --> 00:39:52.980 elevation change, but also turns the half day 00:39:52.980 --> 00:39:56.329 hike into a more rewarding loop. in Yellowstone's 00:39:56.329 --> 00:39:58.710 northern range. So I love doing the whole loop, 00:39:59.170 --> 00:40:01.929 but I also like, you know, love being tired after 00:40:01.929 --> 00:40:04.809 a day of hiking. Bunsen Peak remains one of the 00:40:04.809 --> 00:40:06.769 best choices in Yellowstone for hikers wanting 00:40:06.769 --> 00:40:09.309 a true summit experience without committing to 00:40:09.309 --> 00:40:12.150 a full backcountry expedition. It's close to 00:40:12.150 --> 00:40:15.070 the road, accessible for many visitors, and delivers 00:40:15.070 --> 00:40:16.929 some of the most impressive views in the Mammoth 00:40:16.929 --> 00:40:20.369 area. Between the steady climb, expansive scenery, 00:40:20.789 --> 00:40:23.230 volcanic history, and a constant reminder of 00:40:23.230 --> 00:40:25.750 Yellowstone's scale, this trail manages to feel 00:40:25.750 --> 00:40:28.030 like a real mountain adventure in just a few 00:40:28.030 --> 00:40:31.610 miles. Alright, that is it for this week. I always 00:40:31.610 --> 00:40:35.090 appreciate you all listening. If you felt like 00:40:35.090 --> 00:40:36.809 these last couple episodes have been a downer, 00:40:36.969 --> 00:40:39.449 I apologize. Just really trying to, like I said 00:40:39.449 --> 00:40:42.110 before, make sure that I'm doing my part to try 00:40:42.110 --> 00:40:46.570 and make the park as best as I can. All of you, 00:40:46.769 --> 00:40:49.010 continue to be great stewards of land. Say hi 00:40:49.010 --> 00:40:50.929 to me when you see me in the park, I love that. 00:40:51.289 --> 00:40:56.530 Shoot me a message via text 406 -589 -1873. Send 00:40:56.530 --> 00:41:00.329 an email, review, all of that, and I will see 00:41:00.329 --> 00:41:03.670 you next week. Oh, next week's episode? Guess 00:41:03.670 --> 00:41:05.389 what, I'm gonna return with all the information 00:41:05.389 --> 00:41:07.929 you need to have a good week in the park, including 00:41:07.929 --> 00:41:11.570 wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then, 00:41:12.090 --> 00:41:14.570 sincerely thank you for listening. Book a tour 00:41:14.570 --> 00:41:17.230 with me, pick up a guidebook of mine, and happy 00:41:17.230 --> 00:41:38.369 trails. This week in Yellowstone is brought to 00:41:38.369 --> 00:41:40.590 you by the Outdoor Society. That's my company. 00:41:40.989 --> 00:41:43.309 It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love. 00:41:43.690 --> 00:41:45.889 If you like it, tell your friends, rate and review 00:41:45.889 --> 00:41:49.230 it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening, 00:41:49.230 --> 00:41:52.030 and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 00:41:52.030 --> 00:41:53.630 2026, baby.