WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.839 From Yellowstone National Park, where the clouds 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:04.820 have been dramatic, and the badgers have been 00:00:04.820 --> 00:00:07.000 running around the prairies, and those two things 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.560 probably aren't related, this is that Scott guy 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:12.039 you know and love with a brand new episode of 00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:25.019 This Week in Yellowstone. What's up everybody 00:00:25.019 --> 00:00:27.480 this week in Yellowstone National Park from June 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:31.960 25th to July 1st, 2026. I'll encourage you to 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:35.020 catch sunrises and sunsets, tell you about bison 00:00:35.020 --> 00:00:37.859 funeral processions, and give some tips on dealing 00:00:37.859 --> 00:00:40.560 with warm weather at elevation. I'll also give 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:42.780 you the complete weather forecast, a cool trail 00:00:42.780 --> 00:00:45.520 to hike, the wildlife report, and everything 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.039 else you need to have an incredible time this 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:51.359 week in Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, I'm 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.880 gonna miss a few details here and there, so if 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.320 you are curious about something, reach out to 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.259 me. Also, if you're unfamiliar with a place that 00:00:59.259 --> 00:01:01.439 I'm talking about, please know that I mention 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:04.060 park locations very casually. So if you need 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:06.599 anything, reach out to me. You can send me an 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:09.799 email, or you can just shoot me a text at 406 00:01:09.799 --> 00:01:14.900 -589 -1873. Also, please know that this podcast 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:17.840 is a passion project of mine. I am not paid, 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:20.980 I am not sponsored, so if you enjoy it, I'd love 00:01:20.980 --> 00:01:22.859 a review or a quick email to let me know that 00:01:22.859 --> 00:01:25.019 you like what you hear. If you want to support 00:01:25.019 --> 00:01:27.299 my work more, you can check out my hiking and 00:01:27.299 --> 00:01:29.719 wildlife watching guidebooks, or join me for 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:32.000 a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's backcountry. 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:34.719 For more information on all of that, shoot me 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:39.420 a text, or visit outdoor -society .com. This 00:01:39.420 --> 00:01:42.099 week's Yellowstone news. so honestly it's been 00:01:42.099 --> 00:01:44.400 a really slow news week there hasn't been much 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:48.359 going on the thermal area at biscuit basin erupted 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:50.840 again but that's not really news at this point 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.439 it's been doing that quite a bit the thing that 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.260 i do want to talk about with that is there are 00:01:55.260 --> 00:01:58.299 some i was going to say news agencies not really 00:01:58.299 --> 00:02:01.079 any news agencies just some youtubers people 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:03.579 on social media really freaking out about this 00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:06.909 Perfectly normal there is no elevated eruption 00:02:06.909 --> 00:02:09.610 cycle. There's no imminent danger There's nothing 00:02:09.610 --> 00:02:12.509 like that if there was you'd hear about it from 00:02:12.509 --> 00:02:16.610 from more reputable sources again, this is perfectly 00:02:16.610 --> 00:02:19.930 normal and I have to say that every so often 00:02:19.930 --> 00:02:22.889 because People love anytime something happens 00:02:22.889 --> 00:02:24.849 in Yellowstone with the thermal areas to jump 00:02:24.849 --> 00:02:28.009 to the you know logical conclusion that Well, 00:02:28.030 --> 00:02:30.569 not logical, but they think it is that the whole 00:02:30.569 --> 00:02:33.409 thing is going to erupt like it may someday but 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.280 not anytime soon so don't worry about it it's 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:38.599 perfectly fine and I know like that would be 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:40.340 what someone from the inside would say don't 00:02:40.340 --> 00:02:44.159 worry about it but really like it's fine other 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:47.020 than that no real news to speak of um I've been 00:02:47.020 --> 00:02:49.900 doing a lot of tours the last week so I'm pretty 00:02:49.900 --> 00:02:52.659 exhausted and tired so I'm just gonna jump right 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:55.259 into this I wrote this a little while ago so 00:02:55.259 --> 00:02:57.729 then I could just sit and record it after I get 00:02:57.729 --> 00:03:00.789 back from a tour and it is currently, you know, 00:03:00.870 --> 00:03:03.250 I think this is going to be dropping in less 00:03:03.250 --> 00:03:07.689 than 12 hours. So here we go. My experience of 00:03:07.689 --> 00:03:11.189 the week. Sunrises and sunsets. Now some of you 00:03:11.189 --> 00:03:13.610 may be thinking, you've talked about this before, 00:03:13.930 --> 00:03:17.310 but right now there is something special going 00:03:17.310 --> 00:03:21.050 on with sunrises and sunsets. And that is because 00:03:21.050 --> 00:03:23.990 we just had the summer solstice. Summer is officially 00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:27.460 here and our days are very long. Sunrises are 00:03:27.460 --> 00:03:30.219 very early, sunsets are very late. So I'm going 00:03:30.219 --> 00:03:32.680 to talk about that a little bit. One of the most 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:34.819 overlooked parts of visiting Yellowstone National 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:37.759 Park is just how much daylight you have available 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:41.240 in late June and early July. Many visitors spend 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.240 months planning their trip, carefully mapping 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:46.080 out geysers, waterfalls, wildlife viewing areas, 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:48.979 and hiking trails. Then they arrive and unknowingly 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:50.560 miss some of the most beautiful hours of the 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.560 day because they're sleeping through sunrise 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.680 or heading back to their hotel before sunset. 00:03:55.299 --> 00:03:57.819 The final week of June offers some of the longest 00:03:57.819 --> 00:04:00.419 days of the entire year in Yellowstone. During 00:04:00.419 --> 00:04:03.259 this period, sunrise occurs at approximately 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:07.020 5 .35 a .m. with sunset taking place around 9 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:10.060 .10 p .m. That obviously depends on your exact 00:04:10.060 --> 00:04:12.900 location within the park, so times may vary here 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:14.740 and there, but generally that's about when it 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:18.259 is. And the days all change, but generally 5 00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:21.699 .30 after 9. That's what you need to know. Now 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:25.519 those are the sunrise and sunsets. The actual 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:28.120 times when Yellowstone starts to brighten up 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:31.519 starts around 5 a .m. And retains usable light 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:35.920 long after 9 30 p .m. many visitors simply don't 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.040 take advantage of this incredible gift of long 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:40.959 days a Surprising number of people begin their 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:43.000 day when they're visiting the parks at 8 or 9 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:45.199 Which seems early and they finish sightseeing 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:47.480 around dinnertime But that means that you're 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:49.720 missing out on some of the best hours that the 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.519 park has to offer By the time many visitors are 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:54.819 pouring their first cup of coffee, the park has 00:04:54.819 --> 00:04:58.019 already been awake for several hours. Those early 00:04:58.019 --> 00:05:00.319 morning hours are special. The roads are quieter, 00:05:00.740 --> 00:05:03.259 parking lots are emptier, and the entire park 00:05:03.259 --> 00:05:06.600 feels calmer. Steam rises dramatically from the 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:09.019 geyser basins and the cool morning air, and that 00:05:09.019 --> 00:05:11.220 helps to create this scene that looks completely 00:05:11.220 --> 00:05:13.139 different from what most people see during the 00:05:13.139 --> 00:05:16.620 middle of the day. The last few days I've had 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:18.480 early morning tours and I've been getting into 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:22.500 the park around 5 .30 and honestly that is the 00:05:22.500 --> 00:05:26.139 best time. From 5 .30 to 6 .15 or so the light 00:05:26.139 --> 00:05:28.480 is just perfect and it's absolutely gorgeous. 00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:33.220 Today on Wednesday the 24th there were some thunderstorms 00:05:33.220 --> 00:05:36.300 with the bubbly clouds, the mammatus clouds right 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:39.379 over Electric Peak that you could see from the 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:43.120 Arch in Gardener and that was amazing. That is 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:45.480 actually the cover image of this week's episode, 00:05:45.540 --> 00:05:48.040 if I remember to do that. And it was really cool. 00:05:48.459 --> 00:05:51.019 The day before, Sunrise was also absolutely gorgeous. 00:05:51.240 --> 00:05:53.040 Just the light was hitting electric peaks so 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:54.939 it was kind of pinkish and everything else was 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:57.920 dark and there was fog all around. It was fantastic. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:01.540 And Sunrises do that, which is why waking up 00:06:01.540 --> 00:06:04.529 for these is so important. I know you're on vacation, 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:07.509 but catching a sunrise in the park is something 00:06:07.509 --> 00:06:10.610 you really should do at least once. Whether it's 00:06:10.610 --> 00:06:13.230 just from Gardiner and you're by the arch, or 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:14.889 you drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone 00:06:14.889 --> 00:06:17.389 and catch it there, go to Lamar or Hayden, or 00:06:17.389 --> 00:06:19.870 anywhere really. It doesn't matter. Anywhere 00:06:19.870 --> 00:06:22.310 is pretty, especially if it's really open. Swan 00:06:22.310 --> 00:06:25.470 Lake flat south of Mammoth, underrated area for 00:06:25.470 --> 00:06:27.870 sunrises. Highly recommend it. It's also a great 00:06:27.870 --> 00:06:29.689 area for sunsets, but we'll talk about that in 00:06:29.689 --> 00:06:31.949 a little bit. But if you are in the park right 00:06:31.949 --> 00:06:35.170 now, sunrises are very early, but please try 00:06:35.170 --> 00:06:37.949 and make this something that you do once. If 00:06:37.949 --> 00:06:41.350 you don't like it, fine. But you have to try 00:06:41.350 --> 00:06:43.790 because you don't know what you're going to enjoy 00:06:43.790 --> 00:06:46.870 until you try it. That's kind of why I'm against 00:06:46.870 --> 00:06:49.170 the like, I'm going to make a list of everything 00:06:49.170 --> 00:06:51.310 I need to experience in the park, and that's 00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:54.149 all I'm going to do. Branch out from that. Maybe 00:06:54.149 --> 00:06:56.250 you add sunrise and sunsets on your list. That's 00:06:56.250 --> 00:06:59.439 great. But Make sure that you kind of just allow 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.939 the days to happen and go with the flow. Yellowstone 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:04.819 has some secrets and some magic to it that when 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:07.620 you're too rigid and too stuck to structure you 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:10.660 may miss out on something truly great. Now the 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:13.540 mornings are wonderful in the park. The wildlife 00:07:13.540 --> 00:07:16.560 agrees with this early morning schedule. Most 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:18.980 of the animals are active during the cool parts 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:21.740 of the day and that includes early morning. Every 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:23.459 day I've driven in the park in the last week 00:07:23.459 --> 00:07:26.699 I've seen at least three bears. I see the bison 00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:29.800 starting to wake up and roam around, heard wolves 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:32.699 howl, I see coyotes out in the distance, the 00:07:32.699 --> 00:07:34.579 badgers are running around as I mentioned off 00:07:34.579 --> 00:07:37.480 the top of this episode. It is a wonderful time, 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.360 early morning hours, really the best, especially 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:43.399 because the cold temperatures are only in the 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:45.759 40s right now. And you may come from someplace 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.740 really warm and 40s are cold, but 40s here, absolutely 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:51.720 perfect, great way to start the day. Your hands 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:53.180 may be a little chilly, but you're gonna get 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:56.589 very warm by the end of the day. So sunrise also 00:07:56.589 --> 00:07:59.069 comes with a few other major benefits. There's 00:07:59.069 --> 00:08:01.509 fewer crowds. It's not gonna be empty We are 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:04.410 in peak tourist season Every place is going to 00:08:04.410 --> 00:08:07.089 be crowded. I had a line of eight cars ahead 00:08:07.089 --> 00:08:11.689 of me in Gardiner this morning at 545 so Expect 00:08:11.689 --> 00:08:14.110 that but that was eight cars right and then we 00:08:14.110 --> 00:08:17.540 got in Lamar Valley That area Little America 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:21.319 was absolutely packed this morning by 6 45 7 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:23.620 o 'clock and that's going to happen because that's 00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:26.579 the best time for wildlife So know that but also 00:08:26.579 --> 00:08:28.720 know that when you go to popular spots this early 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.220 in the morning It's not going to be too crowded 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:34.720 boardwalks and traffic and all of that really 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:39.059 starts getting More crowded more busy around 00:08:39.059 --> 00:08:42.320 8 9 o 'clock. So the earlier you're there the 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:43.980 better it's going to be and the quieter it's 00:08:43.980 --> 00:08:46.000 going to be especially if you decide to go on 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.860 a hike once there's full light and you're able 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:51.700 to see things go hiking it's a great time in 00:08:51.700 --> 00:08:55.159 the morning it's funny to talk about sunrises 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:57.700 because sunrises are hard not everybody's a morning 00:08:57.700 --> 00:09:00.259 person and especially when it's light at 530 00:09:00.259 --> 00:09:04.019 that's hard to do but sunsets are also overlooked 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:07.340 to the park it blows me away how many people 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:10.139 exit the park way before sunset it's a little 00:09:10.139 --> 00:09:13.480 harder yeah it's gonna be 9 15 when it's sunset 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:16.460 right but stay in the park for sunset at least 00:09:16.460 --> 00:09:20.299 once one of my favorite very easy things to do 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:22.960 hang out around old faithful around sunset every 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.559 so often it will time so old faithful will erupt 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.960 right at sunset and it's not crowded it's pretty 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:32.639 empty and it's wonderful and then you have like 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:35.539 brilliant colors off the clouds it is so great 00:09:35.690 --> 00:09:38.690 Sunset here is beautiful. Swan Lake Flats that 00:09:38.690 --> 00:09:40.909 I mentioned earlier, absolutely gorgeous for 00:09:40.909 --> 00:09:44.230 sunset. Mammoth, the terraces at sunset, truly 00:09:44.230 --> 00:09:50.230 spectacular. Hayden, Lamar, Little America, Round 00:09:50.230 --> 00:09:53.309 Prairie, even up in the Beartooth area at sunset, 00:09:53.590 --> 00:09:57.269 really cool. So, don't sleep on sunsets, haha. 00:09:58.169 --> 00:10:00.809 And when I talk about sunsets, I don't just mean 00:10:00.809 --> 00:10:03.549 like right at sunset watching the sun plunge. 00:10:03.750 --> 00:10:06.210 Those final two hours before sunset are often 00:10:06.210 --> 00:10:08.250 the most productive times for wildlife watching. 00:10:08.769 --> 00:10:11.250 Hayden Valley, Lamar Valley, they come alive 00:10:11.250 --> 00:10:13.929 again as temperatures cool. Bison are starting 00:10:13.929 --> 00:10:16.330 to gather for the rut, which takes place July 00:10:16.330 --> 00:10:18.549 and August. And that is something you should 00:10:18.549 --> 00:10:20.909 go and see. And they're moving around the grasslands. 00:10:20.950 --> 00:10:23.110 You're going to start seeing some elk. Predators 00:10:23.110 --> 00:10:25.549 are preparing for the night of hunting. It is 00:10:25.549 --> 00:10:29.049 just great. Once the sun sets, Wolves might howl, 00:10:29.049 --> 00:10:31.070 coyotes are going to howl if you're in the valleys. 00:10:31.350 --> 00:10:35.590 It's truly fantastic. Also, if you're a big fan 00:10:35.590 --> 00:10:39.169 of photography, lighting in the morning and evenings, 00:10:39.750 --> 00:10:42.070 amazing. This is when you really want to get 00:10:42.070 --> 00:10:44.889 some good shots. Yeah, if you have wildlife in 00:10:44.889 --> 00:10:46.710 the close by or in the distance, you're not going 00:10:46.710 --> 00:10:48.490 to get the best pictures, but getting those landscape 00:10:48.490 --> 00:10:52.190 pictures of Yellowstone's mountains, lakes, rivers, 00:10:52.389 --> 00:10:55.370 thermal areas and those shades of gold and then 00:10:55.370 --> 00:10:58.470 maybe oranges and pinks. That is, you know, chef's 00:10:58.470 --> 00:11:02.929 kiss emoji is great. So check that out. Do sunrises 00:11:02.929 --> 00:11:06.529 and sunsets because you never know. It's going 00:11:06.529 --> 00:11:09.669 to be something that could make you a morning 00:11:09.669 --> 00:11:13.230 person. I am not a morning person at all, but 00:11:13.230 --> 00:11:15.590 I will be a morning person if it means that I 00:11:15.590 --> 00:11:17.730 get to go into the park and have a sunrise in 00:11:17.730 --> 00:11:19.909 the park and then see the animals moving around. 00:11:20.769 --> 00:11:22.950 One quick thing, if you're getting into the park 00:11:22.950 --> 00:11:25.929 before sunrise or leaving the park after sunset, 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:30.700 Driving at night requires extra caution. Wildlife 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:33.259 vehicle collisions are a significant issue both 00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:36.659 inside and around outside the park. A long -term 00:11:36.659 --> 00:11:40.320 study found that 939 large mammals were killed 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:43.200 by vehicles on Yellowstone roads between 1989 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.820 and 1996. That includes elk, deer, bison, moose, 00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:50.100 bears, wolves, and other species. Researchers 00:11:50.100 --> 00:11:52.620 concluded that vehicle speed was the primary 00:11:52.620 --> 00:11:56.940 factor in these collisions. In 2022, the park 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:00.080 saw a total of 56 known vehicle collisions with 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.740 large mammals, which included 20 mule deer, 14 00:12:03.740 --> 00:12:24.429 elk, 10 bison, and 6 black bears. Know that bison 00:12:24.429 --> 00:12:27.110 in the park are really hard to see at night because 00:12:27.110 --> 00:12:30.210 their dark coloration blends into the road. And 00:12:30.210 --> 00:12:34.149 unlike deer and elk, bison lack a well -developed 00:12:34.149 --> 00:12:36.710 reflective tissue in their eyes, and this causes 00:12:36.710 --> 00:12:39.929 their dark eyes to absorb light rather than bounce 00:12:39.929 --> 00:12:42.789 it back. So if you're driving and looking for 00:12:42.789 --> 00:12:45.350 your light hitting eyeballs, you're not going 00:12:45.350 --> 00:12:48.009 to see a bison. So if you drive at night, slow 00:12:48.009 --> 00:12:51.480 down, be safe. Don't take any risks that are 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:54.320 unnecessary, but also don't let this stop you 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.500 from enjoying a sunrise or a sunset. You can 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:58.559 do it closer to where you're camping or staying, 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:02.440 but do it, please. I highly recommend it. This 00:13:02.440 --> 00:13:04.960 is the time of the year to do it. Also, this 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:06.659 is kind of the thunderstorm time of the year, 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:08.860 so you might have a really good sunset and then 00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:10.679 off in the distance there's going to be a thunderstorm 00:13:10.679 --> 00:13:12.500 and you're going to watch the cloud illuminate 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:15.259 with lightning as you're out in the valleys. 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:20.059 It's awesome. Please do it. My tip of the week 00:13:20.059 --> 00:13:23.559 managing heat and elevation Many first -time 00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:25.580 visitors arrive in Yellowstone National Park 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:28.279 expecting cool mountain weather After all the 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:30.799 park sits at high elevation and snow can linger 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.120 well into summer and it can snow throughout the 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:36.519 summer too Photos if you see people around often 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:39.080 show them wearing jackets near geysers and waterfalls 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:41.519 Or you know, you may see them watching wolves 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:45.779 and they're bundled up That's morning something 00:13:46.590 --> 00:13:49.789 happens later. By midday, visitors find themselves 00:13:49.789 --> 00:13:51.929 searching for shade, drinking water as fast as 00:13:51.929 --> 00:13:54.330 they can, and wondering why 70 degree weather 00:13:54.330 --> 00:13:56.429 feels so much hotter than it does back home. 00:13:56.750 --> 00:13:58.909 I've talked about this a lot, and there's a reason. 00:13:59.049 --> 00:14:01.429 This is very important. I hear about it all the 00:14:01.429 --> 00:14:03.070 time, and I want everybody to know. This will 00:14:03.070 --> 00:14:05.090 be the last time I talk about it for the summer, 00:14:05.470 --> 00:14:07.549 so if you're tired of this, no, this is the last 00:14:07.549 --> 00:14:10.730 time I'm talking about it this year. But, I do 00:14:10.730 --> 00:14:14.539 want to remind you that it will be warm and you 00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:16.919 need to make sure that you are prepared for this. 00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:19.399 The reason why it's warm, as you've heard me 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:21.340 say before, if this isn't your first episode, 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:24.539 Yellowstone's elevation. A lot of the park sits 00:14:24.539 --> 00:14:27.059 between 7 ,000 and 8 ,000 feet above sea level, 00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:29.899 and Yellowstone Lake, here's a fun fact, rests 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:35.019 at 7 ,733 feet above sea level. Many of the popular 00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:38.059 viewpoints and trailheads are even higher. Even 00:14:38.059 --> 00:14:41.000 Lamar Valley, which is over 6 ,000 feet, gets 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.759 very hot. That means that visitors are dealing 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:46.559 with thinner air, stronger sunlight, and a drier 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:49.519 climate than you're probably accustomed to. The 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.799 stronger sunlight often catches people off guard. 00:14:52.019 --> 00:14:53.840 At higher elevations there is less atmosphere 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.700 to filter the sun's radiation, and as a result 00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:59.220 direct sunlight feels noticeably more intense 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:02.440 in the same temperature than when you're at sea 00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:05.620 level. A sunny 70 degree afternoon in Yellowstone 00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:08.159 can feel surprisingly warm, especially when you're 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.759 walking boardwalks, climbing trails, or spending 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:15.139 hours outside. Visitors from Texas Florida Louisiana 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:18.299 Georgia and southern states that really talk 00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:21.840 to me a lot about being so used to the warm weather 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:24.620 are surprised at how hot it gets out here in 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:26.720 the summer. While they may be accustomed to hotter 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:29.379 temperatures they're not accustomed to experiencing 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:32.240 those temperatures at 8 ,000 feet with intense 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:36.279 mountain sunshine overhead. The dry air is another 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:39.159 layer that you need to pay attention to. In humid 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:41.559 climates your sweat tends to remain on your skin 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:43.960 making it obvious when your body is working to 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:46.460 cool itself. Yellowstone's mountain air is much 00:15:46.460 --> 00:15:49.580 drier so sweat evaporates quickly which means 00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:51.860 you may not realize how much water you're losing. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:55.519 Many visitors become mildly dehydrated before 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.379 they even recognize that they're thirsty. This 00:15:58.379 --> 00:16:01.399 is one reason that during my tours and even when 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:04.240 I am consulting people on their trips I consistently 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:06.200 encourage visitors to drink water throughout 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:08.779 the day, not just during hikes and periods of 00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:11.820 physical activity. Elevation itself can also 00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:13.860 affect how your body performs. Some visitors 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:16.440 experience symptoms with altitude like headaches, 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:18.299 dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and 00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:21.000 nausea. And even healthy, physically fit people 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:23.179 can feel these effects. I like to share this 00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:26.379 story. In college, I ran track and cross country. 00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:29.320 I was in great shape. I came out here. I went 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:32.019 running. And I thought I was going to die. It 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:35.539 was the start of summer. went for a run outside 00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:39.399 at 7 ,000 feet and it was 65 degrees outside 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.519 and it was so hot I got done with my run and 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:45.379 I stopped and was talking to some people by where 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:47.899 I was staying and they asked me if I was okay 00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:50.440 because I was beet red and looked like I was 00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:55.840 close to death. I felt okay but then an hour 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.679 later I started getting headaches and then I 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.279 realized oh I haven't been drinking enough water 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:01.580 so even if you are in great health and you are 00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:04.259 physically fit Drink a lot of water, take care 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:06.099 of yourself, and really pay attention to what's 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:09.039 going on. One of the things to really pay attention 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:11.619 to, I mentioned it earlier, is that a lot of 00:17:11.619 --> 00:17:13.640 people only focus on the afternoon temperatures. 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:15.920 Yellowstone is famous for dramatic temperature 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.140 swings during the summer. Nighttime temperatures 00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:20.779 can be in the 30s and then daytime temperatures 00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:23.839 can get into 70s and 80s. That is a big temperature 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:27.710 change and you need to properly layer. It is 00:17:27.710 --> 00:17:29.289 very important you can bring a change of clothes 00:17:29.289 --> 00:17:32.349 and change into that But do not assume that what 00:17:32.349 --> 00:17:34.150 you're wearing in the morning will be good to 00:17:34.150 --> 00:17:37.089 wear in the afternoon By the afternoon you are 00:17:37.089 --> 00:17:40.190 going to be way too hot in anything. You are 00:17:40.190 --> 00:17:42.990 wearing in the morning We are approaching the 00:17:42.990 --> 00:17:44.509 holiday weekend, and that's why I'm talking about 00:17:44.509 --> 00:17:47.869 this now. Just know that hydration is super important 00:17:47.869 --> 00:17:50.569 I've talked about a little bit, but stay hydrated 00:17:50.569 --> 00:17:53.450 drink more water also one thing to do take breaks 00:17:53.450 --> 00:17:57.190 during the day sit in the shade rest It's hard 00:17:57.190 --> 00:17:59.710 to rest on vacation for a lot of us, but rest. 00:18:00.150 --> 00:18:02.430 Also avoid over exertion during the first day 00:18:02.430 --> 00:18:05.029 or two if you can. If you're here for a week, 00:18:05.369 --> 00:18:08.289 don't do the hardest hike on day one. Get acclimatized 00:18:08.289 --> 00:18:10.769 a bit, get used to how much water you need to 00:18:10.769 --> 00:18:12.569 drink throughout the day to stay hydrated, and 00:18:12.569 --> 00:18:15.049 then do that hard day. That's gonna make all 00:18:15.049 --> 00:18:17.230 the difference in having a very enjoyable visit 00:18:17.230 --> 00:18:20.130 versus one that's really not gonna be as fun. 00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:24.890 One last thing, if you are going to drink alcohol 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:28.180 when you're out here, Know that it's going to 00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:31.500 dehydrate you or hit you a little harder Also, 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:33.839 if you plan on doing something that is physically 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.059 active don't drink the night before you will 00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:39.519 get more dehydrated Some tours I've had years 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:42.740 ago people decided they were going to drink and 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:46.519 then Yeah, that did not go well because we did 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:48.140 a very hard hike and they were drinking the night 00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:51.019 before and they were very very dehydrated and 00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:54.359 battling heat exhaustion the entire day So be 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:56.339 smart, take care of yourself, know that you're 00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:58.500 at elevation and it's okay to be tired and take 00:18:58.500 --> 00:19:00.500 breaks. That's probably the number one takeaway 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:04.380 from here is you're going to be fine. Just relax. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.960 It's Yellowstone. It's going to be here. And 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.779 when you feel good, you're going to enjoy the 00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:12.039 park more. My random Yellowstone fact of the 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.819 week, bison funerals. If you spend enough time 00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:17.720 watching bison in Yellowstone National Park, 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:20.259 you begin to notice that there's far more happening 00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:23.369 within a herd than most people realize. People 00:19:23.369 --> 00:19:25.769 often stop to admire the massive animals grazing 00:19:25.769 --> 00:19:27.849 in a meadow, crossing the road, or resting near 00:19:27.849 --> 00:19:30.109 a thermal area and then they just kind of move 00:19:30.109 --> 00:19:33.630 on. What many never witnessed is a behavior that 00:19:33.630 --> 00:19:36.289 has fascinated wildlife watchers for years. The 00:19:36.289 --> 00:19:38.529 tendency of bison to remain with and pay close 00:19:38.529 --> 00:19:40.950 attention to deceased members of their herd. 00:19:41.670 --> 00:19:43.750 Some observers have even referred to these gatherings 00:19:43.750 --> 00:19:47.630 as bison funerals. The phrase is not a scientific 00:19:47.630 --> 00:19:50.190 term at all, please don't think it is, and researchers 00:19:50.190 --> 00:19:53.630 are careful about assigning human emotions or 00:19:53.630 --> 00:19:57.630 motivations to animals. Still, numerous observations 00:19:57.630 --> 00:20:00.670 from Yellowstone suggest that bison often react 00:20:00.670 --> 00:20:03.569 in unusual ways when a member of the herd dies. 00:20:04.109 --> 00:20:06.049 These behaviors have been documented by park 00:20:06.049 --> 00:20:08.309 visitors, wildlife photographers, guides, and 00:20:08.309 --> 00:20:11.150 researchers alike. While scientists debate what 00:20:11.150 --> 00:20:14.029 these actions may mean, there's little question 00:20:14.029 --> 00:20:16.210 that the animals show a remarkable interest in 00:20:16.210 --> 00:20:19.019 their dead. Part of the reason this behavior 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:22.059 stands out is that bison are highly social animals. 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:24.740 Yellowstone's bison live in herds that are often 00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:27.140 led by experienced females. During parts of the 00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:29.599 year these groups can number in the hundreds. 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:32.299 Herd members can spend much of their lives together, 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:34.500 traveling, feeding, and raising calves across 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:37.180 the vast landscapes of Yellowstone. The social 00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:40.099 structure of a herd is far more complex than 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:50.920 many realize. When a bison dies, herd members 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:53.059 sometimes gather around the carcass and remain 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:55.980 there for extended periods. Rather than immediately 00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:58.720 moving away, they repeatedly approach the body, 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:01.079 sniff it, nudge it with their noses, or simply 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:04.009 stand nearby. Wildlife observers have reported 00:21:04.009 --> 00:21:05.990 seeing groups of bison linger around a deceased 00:21:05.990 --> 00:21:08.390 herd member long after there are any obvious 00:21:08.390 --> 00:21:11.190 reasons to stay. In some cases, the animals have 00:21:11.190 --> 00:21:12.769 even appeared to position themselves between 00:21:12.769 --> 00:21:16.430 the carcass and potential scavengers. Now one 00:21:16.430 --> 00:21:19.049 time, I love just starting stories with one time, 00:21:19.490 --> 00:21:21.650 but one time I was in the park, I was hanging 00:21:21.650 --> 00:21:24.130 out in Lamar Valley, and there was a bison carcass 00:21:24.130 --> 00:21:26.529 that I knew about and I wanted to go see if anything 00:21:26.529 --> 00:21:29.369 would feed on it. So I sat there with you know 00:21:29.369 --> 00:21:33.829 70 of my closest strangers and we were all waiting 00:21:33.829 --> 00:21:36.509 and the bison were hanging out around there and 00:21:36.509 --> 00:21:38.349 there's a dead bison laying in the middle of 00:21:38.349 --> 00:21:40.650 the prairie right it's perfectly normal that 00:21:40.650 --> 00:21:44.549 happens but what i didn't expect to see was a 00:21:44.549 --> 00:21:47.650 bison funeral procession after sitting there 00:21:47.650 --> 00:21:52.210 for about five to ten minutes the bison nearby 00:21:52.210 --> 00:21:56.230 started to congregate a bit and then they circled 00:21:56.230 --> 00:22:01.170 the bison and walked away Not one, not two, but 00:22:01.170 --> 00:22:04.549 50 to 70 bison circled the dead bison and walked 00:22:04.549 --> 00:22:09.069 away. A little bit later, a lone wolf came and 00:22:09.069 --> 00:22:11.390 decided that it was going to try and get a free 00:22:11.390 --> 00:22:13.390 meal. Hey, there's a dead bison there. That's 00:22:13.390 --> 00:22:16.250 easy food. I don't have to exert much energy. 00:22:16.569 --> 00:22:19.869 Great. Bison didn't take too kindly to that and 00:22:19.869 --> 00:22:24.900 decided to chase that lone wolf away. all the 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:27.380 way through the prairie and made sure that it 00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:30.119 was not going to get a free meal later i guess 00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:32.480 after i left grizzly bear came in and was eating 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:35.960 the bison carcass but they protected their dead 00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:38.599 and they had a little circle around it and then 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:41.980 they left this is one of those things that i 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:45.349 didn't believe until i saw it in person One of 00:22:45.349 --> 00:22:48.710 the most commonly observed examples of this involves 00:22:48.710 --> 00:22:51.369 mothers and calves, so each spring Yellowstone's 00:22:51.369 --> 00:22:53.809 famous reddish -orange calves, called red dogs, 00:22:54.089 --> 00:22:56.509 are born throughout the park. Not every calf 00:22:56.509 --> 00:23:00.390 survives, and due to predators, harsh weather, 00:23:00.670 --> 00:23:03.450 accidents, and illness, and when a calf dies, 00:23:04.029 --> 00:23:06.470 mothers have been sometimes observed remaining 00:23:06.470 --> 00:23:10.049 nearby for hours or days. They may continue nudging 00:23:10.049 --> 00:23:12.410 their calf, standing guard, or attempting to 00:23:12.410 --> 00:23:14.799 encourage it to rise. Similar behaviors have 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:16.779 been documented in other highly social animals, 00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:19.480 including elephants, whales, and certain primates. 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:22.220 Again, scientists remain cautious when interpreting 00:23:22.220 --> 00:23:25.299 these observations. It's impossible to know exactly 00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:27.539 what the animal understands about death, and 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:30.700 researchers generally focus on observable behavior 00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:34.119 rather than assumptions about emotions. However, 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:37.119 for the rest of us it's really easy to watch 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:40.490 something and come up with our own story. What 00:23:40.490 --> 00:23:42.529 can be said about all of this is certainty is 00:23:42.529 --> 00:23:45.210 that Yellowstone's bison often behave differently 00:23:45.210 --> 00:23:48.170 around a dead herd member than they do during 00:23:48.170 --> 00:23:51.450 normal activities. Whether that behavior reflects 00:23:51.450 --> 00:23:54.549 grief, confusion, curiosity, social attachment, 00:23:54.730 --> 00:23:58.329 or some combination that remains an open question. 00:23:59.730 --> 00:24:02.029 Coming to Yellowstone provides a unique opportunity 00:24:02.029 --> 00:24:04.150 to witness these moments because death remains 00:24:04.150 --> 00:24:06.410 a natural and visible part of the ecosystem. 00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:09.640 Wolves and grizzly bears prey on bison and elk. 00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:12.500 Severe winters claim lives. Accidents occasionally 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:16.099 occur. Bison carcasses are an important food 00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:18.619 source for wolves, bears, coyotes, ravens, eagles, 00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:21.299 and countless other small scavengers. In many 00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:23.859 ways, the death of this one animal helps sustain 00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:27.079 dozens of others. But before the scavengers arrive, 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:30.940 there is this period that's sometimes a reflective 00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:35.539 moment by the bison. You're not supposed to humanize 00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:39.019 animals, but when you see a mother that remains 00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:41.759 beside her calf long after it's died, when you 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:43.900 see a herd that delays its movement across the 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:47.000 landscape because they're not entirely understanding 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:50.259 why one of their friends has died, this is something 00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:54.059 that we watch and we can relate to. Whether we 00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:56.420 choose to call these gatherings funerals, vigils, 00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:58.980 or simply social behavior, they remind us that 00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:01.480 bison are more complex than many people assume. 00:25:02.329 --> 00:25:04.390 Yellowstone's largest land mammal is not merely 00:25:04.390 --> 00:25:06.950 a symbol of the American West. It's a social 00:25:06.950 --> 00:25:09.730 species with relationships and behaviors that 00:25:09.730 --> 00:25:12.349 scientists continue to study. The next time you 00:25:12.349 --> 00:25:14.690 encounter a bison herd in Yellowstone, it may 00:25:14.690 --> 00:25:16.509 be worth spending a little extra time watching. 00:25:17.029 --> 00:25:19.029 You might witness a side of these remarkable 00:25:19.029 --> 00:25:23.150 animals that few people ever see. The weather 00:25:23.150 --> 00:25:27.009 for the coming week. On Thursday in Lamar Valley, 00:25:27.289 --> 00:25:31.009 the high will be 64, the low will be 46 there's 00:25:31.009 --> 00:25:33.470 a 65 percent chance of thunderstorms and rain 00:25:33.470 --> 00:25:35.930 with about a quarter inch of rain expected on 00:25:35.930 --> 00:25:40.750 Friday 68 and 44 42 percent chance about a point 00:25:40.750 --> 00:25:45.450 one four inches of rain Saturday 56 and 38 71 00:25:45.450 --> 00:25:47.890 percent chance of three tenths of an inch of 00:25:47.890 --> 00:25:52.109 rain Sunday 55 and 36 43 percent chance of a 00:25:52.109 --> 00:25:55.809 tenth of an inch of rain Monday 49 and 36 chance 00:25:55.809 --> 00:25:58.670 of snow late at night early in the morning 54 00:25:58.670 --> 00:26:01.109 percent chance of a tenth of an inch of rain 00:26:01.109 --> 00:26:04.910 Tuesday 61 and 37 rain should be diminishing 00:26:04.910 --> 00:26:07.789 throughout the day and then Wednesday 68 and 00:26:07.789 --> 00:26:11.380 38 9 percent chance of precipitation Gardner, 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:15.740 Montana Thursday Highest 68 Low of 50 68 percent 00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:19.519 chance of a quarter inch rain Friday 73 and 48 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:23.339 some rain showers likely in the late morning 00:26:23.339 --> 00:26:26.640 early afternoon 25 % chance of those Saturday 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:31.680 thunderstorms high of 59 low of 41 65 % chance 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:35.319 of a third of an inch of rain Sunday 58 and 39 00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:38.579 50 % chance of a quarter inch of rain Monday 00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:42.220 52 and 40 with a 56 % chance about a tenth of 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:45.079 an inch of rain Tuesday 64 and 40 maybe some 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:48.140 light showers only a 14 % chance and Wednesday 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:53.789 72 and 42 10 % chance. West Yellowstone. Thursday, 00:26:54.230 --> 00:26:58.089 high as 66, low of 45, 57 % chance of some rain, 00:26:58.150 --> 00:27:01.289 maybe about a tenth of an inch. Friday, 69 and 00:27:01.289 --> 00:27:04.309 42, 64 % chance about a tenth of an inch of rain. 00:27:04.809 --> 00:27:09.049 Saturday, 53 and 35, 81 % chance about a half 00:27:09.049 --> 00:27:13.190 inch of rain. Sunday, 52 and 34, 50 % chance 00:27:13.190 --> 00:27:16.710 of a quarter inch of rain. Monday, 48 and 34, 00:27:16.950 --> 00:27:20.220 54 % chance of a tenth of an inch of rain. Tuesday 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:24.299 60 and 35 with a 15 % chance of some rain Wednesday 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:29.640 68 and 37 9 % chance of rain Cody Wyoming Thursday 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:34.220 73 and 54 33 % chance of some thunderstorms Friday 00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:38.759 79 and 55 42 % chance of some rain in the afternoon 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:40.900 with some thunderstorms Maybe about a tenth of 00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:44.819 an inch of rain Saturday 70 and 49 34 % chance 00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:48.819 of about three tenths or three hundredths of 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:51.119 an inch of rain sorry misread that so not a ton 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:55.119 of rain probably Saturday Sunday 68 and 47 24 00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:58.220 percent chance of precipitation Monday 65 and 00:27:58.220 --> 00:28:01.980 48 22 percent chance precipitation Tuesday 74 00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:05.599 and 50 5 percent chance of rain and Finally for 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:08.279 the weather Cook City, Montana Thursday high 00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:12.140 of 59 low of 46 63 percent chance of a quarter 00:28:12.140 --> 00:28:16.200 inch of rain Friday 64 and 43 40 percent chance 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:19.480 of two tenths of an inch of rain Saturday 52 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:22.700 and 36 78 percent chance of three quarters of 00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:26.400 or one third of an inch of rain Sunday 52 and 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:30.900 34 with a 50 percent chance of about a tenth 00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:33.920 of an inch of rain we'll say then Sunday night 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:37.059 into Monday chance of rain or snow and Monday 00:28:37.059 --> 00:28:41.480 46 and 36 61 percent chance about a quarter inch 00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:46.099 of rain Tuesday 57 and 38 16 % chance of rain 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:50.859 Wednesday 64 and 40 9 % chance as always these 00:28:50.859 --> 00:28:53.400 are the best forecasts I can do they're better 00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:56.460 the closer days and as we get in through the 00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:59.559 weekend and in the next week They could be slightly 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:04.539 wrong, but you know I do my best and so do The 00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:08.470 sites that I use to check the weather Road conditions. 00:29:08.829 --> 00:29:11.529 No main park roads are closed right now, and 00:29:11.529 --> 00:29:13.869 while unlikely, be aware that roads can close 00:29:13.869 --> 00:29:16.269 at any time due to inclement weather. Again, 00:29:16.630 --> 00:29:18.829 not expecting it, but if the temperature gets 00:29:18.829 --> 00:29:20.710 a little colder and snow falls, then they might 00:29:20.710 --> 00:29:23.710 close some roads or the rain may cause some rocks 00:29:23.710 --> 00:29:25.990 to fall and might have temporary road closures. 00:29:26.630 --> 00:29:28.930 Just know that things can happen. For up -to 00:29:28.930 --> 00:29:30.490 -date information on the roads, you can call 00:29:30.490 --> 00:29:35.450 307 -344 -2117 for recorded information, or you 00:29:35.450 --> 00:29:37.509 can sign up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts 00:29:37.509 --> 00:29:41.710 on your cell phone by texting the number 82190 00:29:41.710 --> 00:29:48.150 to the number 888777. Camping information. All 00:29:48.150 --> 00:29:50.910 the campgrounds are open. Enjoy! I mean, it's 00:29:50.910 --> 00:29:52.589 going to rain, so I don't know how much you're 00:29:52.589 --> 00:29:56.630 going to enjoy it, but enjoy! The Wildlife Watching 00:29:56.630 --> 00:29:59.640 Update. So wildlife watching right now still 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:02.480 remains great this week with the weather being 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:04.700 iffy people might think oh It's not gonna be 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:07.319 as good animals still move around Rain doesn't 00:30:07.319 --> 00:30:09.640 really stop them snow doesn't really stop them 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:11.640 So wildlife watching could be really good because 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:13.660 it's going to be cooler Obviously you're gonna 00:30:13.660 --> 00:30:15.380 have to drive around in worse weather and standing 00:30:15.380 --> 00:30:18.119 outside and visibility may be impacted But that 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:19.799 doesn't mean that the animals aren't out there 00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:22.980 and are moving around Right now Hayden Valley 00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:25.240 has been pretty good. It really picked up the 00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:28.180 last few days Wolves have been sighted wolf pups 00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:30.380 have been sighted grizzly bears have been hanging 00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:33.299 out near the wolves and getting chased away The 00:30:33.299 --> 00:30:35.180 bison are starting to congregate up in Lamar 00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:37.480 Valley for the rut I haven't heard much about 00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:40.240 the bison in Hayden Valley yet. I just didn't 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:42.480 get a chance to go down there today I was a little 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:45.299 busy, but all the bison are gathering right now. 00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:49.559 The rut is starting in Lamar Valley today There 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:52.950 were probably a thousand bison Yesterday was 00:30:52.950 --> 00:30:55.410 kind of the same. It was kind of chaotic. It 00:30:55.410 --> 00:30:57.569 was great It was wonderful lots of bison all 00:30:57.569 --> 00:31:00.650 over the place the grunting is starting The males 00:31:00.650 --> 00:31:02.710 are starting to like roll around and make dust 00:31:02.710 --> 00:31:05.789 clouds. It's pretty cool. So check that out Alright 00:31:05.789 --> 00:31:07.470 now I'm just gonna run through quickly where 00:31:07.470 --> 00:31:09.109 you're probably gonna see some stuff I've heard 00:31:09.109 --> 00:31:11.309 some good bear sightings between mammoth and 00:31:11.309 --> 00:31:14.750 Norris and then between Norris and Madison There's 00:31:14.750 --> 00:31:16.890 bears and bison and everything everywhere, so 00:31:16.890 --> 00:31:18.210 you don't necessarily know where you're going 00:31:18.210 --> 00:31:20.410 to see them. Blacktail Plateau is going to be 00:31:20.410 --> 00:31:21.990 really good, but if it rains heavy they're going 00:31:21.990 --> 00:31:25.089 to close that road. Just be aware of that. Probably 00:31:25.089 --> 00:31:26.390 should have mentioned that in the road closures, 00:31:26.450 --> 00:31:29.450 but you're listening so now you hear it. Also, 00:31:29.990 --> 00:31:33.029 I've seen a lot of bears driving between Mammoth 00:31:33.029 --> 00:31:37.519 and Lamar Valley. up to calcite springs and tower 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.180 fall there's been bears up there there's been 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:43.359 bears on washburn bighorn sheep are hanging out 00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:47.599 a lot near the calcite spring area and then the 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:50.099 other side of the road a lot of black bears around 00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:52.059 there too and like i said bison are just kind 00:31:52.059 --> 00:31:55.059 of everywhere in those main valleys if you want 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:58.039 to see bison go there they are really congregating 00:31:58.039 --> 00:32:00.440 a lot like i said lamar valley was really good 00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:03.880 Also, one thing to mention is last week I talked 00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:06.660 about Trout Lake and the spawning cutthroat trout. 00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:09.480 It is popping off up there. It's wonderful. Go 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:12.240 up there even if it's raining. It's still fun 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:14.160 to watch. I haven't heard of any otters there. 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:16.500 Osprey have been fishing. But yeah, if it's raining, 00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:19.579 don't stop because fish live underwater, so they 00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:22.299 don't care about getting wet. Other than that, 00:32:22.509 --> 00:32:25.650 There have been some moose spotted out by floating 00:32:25.650 --> 00:32:27.849 island lake off and on and that's in the northern 00:32:27.849 --> 00:32:30.549 section then out toward Cook City. I also saw 00:32:30.549 --> 00:32:33.440 a couple coyotes today out in Lamar Valley. And 00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:35.359 then the bears are still being spotted out that 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:37.980 East entrance road, especially between Fishing 00:32:37.980 --> 00:32:42.359 Bridge and Sylvan Pass. So check that out. Wildlife 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:45.480 watching is very good. I imagine it will be pretty 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:48.339 good, especially in between rain storms this 00:32:48.339 --> 00:32:50.599 coming week. So if you're in the park, don't 00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:53.160 let this rain dampen your spirits. Again, no 00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:55.380 pun intended. I am just that good with words 00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:58.000 or I didn't mean upon. I don't know your call, 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:01.200 but don't. Let the rain stop you from going and 00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:03.799 looking at wildlife. It will be very good. You 00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:05.359 just might not be able to stand out there and 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:07.740 watch it as well, or visibility might not be 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:11.920 good all the time. While I could talk about wildlife 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.839 this entire time, I do want to let you know that 00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:17.000 I wrote a guidebook specifically for wildlife 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:18.900 watching in Yellowstone based on my lifetime 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:21.099 of experience. It's available on my website, 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:23.680 outdoor -society .com. You can get a paperback 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:26.500 format, you can get an ebook format. If you want 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:29.910 the link, just message me as well. That's 406 00:33:29.910 --> 00:33:33.430 -589 -1873 is my cell number. And shoot me a 00:33:33.430 --> 00:33:35.250 text and say, hey, I want the link to your guidebooks. 00:33:35.309 --> 00:33:37.529 I also have a hiking guidebook that I think if 00:33:37.529 --> 00:33:40.730 you are into hiking, you will absolutely love. 00:33:42.329 --> 00:33:44.869 Trail alerts and updates. So once again, I'm 00:33:44.869 --> 00:33:46.809 just referring you to the Backcountry Conditions 00:33:46.809 --> 00:33:49.549 page. They've been updating it really well. That 00:33:49.549 --> 00:33:51.390 is in the show notes. Check that out. Before 00:33:51.390 --> 00:33:53.869 you go hiking, go on the Backcountry Conditions 00:33:53.869 --> 00:33:56.589 page. Things change all the time. The information 00:33:56.589 --> 00:33:59.190 I can tell you today may not be accurate tomorrow. 00:33:59.509 --> 00:34:02.529 So go there. That is the best thing. Just know 00:34:02.529 --> 00:34:05.029 very quickly, a lot of people have been messaging 00:34:05.029 --> 00:34:06.690 me and being like, I don't really want to hike 00:34:06.690 --> 00:34:10.750 and be around bears. Bears can and will be on 00:34:10.750 --> 00:34:13.530 every trail. They live here. You can't really 00:34:13.530 --> 00:34:15.170 dictate where they're going to be. I've seen 00:34:15.170 --> 00:34:16.670 them in the geyser basins. I've seen them in 00:34:16.670 --> 00:34:18.710 the mountains. I've seen them in the prairies. 00:34:18.889 --> 00:34:21.449 They're everywhere. I've seen bears walking. 00:34:21.710 --> 00:34:23.489 I've been at calcite springs and I looked down 00:34:23.489 --> 00:34:27.409 by the river along the steep steep very like 00:34:27.409 --> 00:34:29.110 rugged terrain and there's been bears walking 00:34:29.110 --> 00:34:31.090 by the river down there. Bears are going to be 00:34:31.090 --> 00:34:33.869 everywhere. Just make sure you carry bear spray, 00:34:34.329 --> 00:34:36.610 have it readily accessible and not in a backpack, 00:34:36.989 --> 00:34:39.969 and know how to use it. Also, hike in groups, 00:34:40.150 --> 00:34:43.489 be loud, use your voice, not bare bells, things 00:34:43.489 --> 00:34:45.210 like that. I've talked about that previous weeks. 00:34:45.869 --> 00:34:48.869 Alright, my Trek of the Week. My Trek of the 00:34:48.869 --> 00:34:51.690 Week is Avalanche Peak, and I know you're saying, 00:34:51.769 --> 00:34:54.130 well, the weather's going to be terrible. I love 00:34:54.130 --> 00:34:56.230 Avalanche Peak, and while the weather may not 00:34:56.230 --> 00:34:59.349 be great for this hike right now, once this rainstorm 00:34:59.349 --> 00:35:02.050 passes, which should be late Sunday, Monday, 00:35:02.530 --> 00:35:04.449 you could be able to go up there and have a really 00:35:04.449 --> 00:35:07.500 good time. If you're looking for a hike that 00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:09.659 will make you feel like you have truly earned 00:35:09.659 --> 00:35:11.920 your views and exhausted your legs, Avalanche 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:15.159 Peak is that hike. Located along the East Entrance 00:35:15.159 --> 00:35:17.719 Road near Eleanor Lake, this trail is one of 00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:20.760 the park's classic mountain hikes. It's not especially 00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:23.840 long, it's about 4 .2 miles round trip, but what 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:26.079 it lacks in distance, it more than makes up for 00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:28.539 in elevation gain. National Park Service says 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:31.619 that this climbs roughly 2 ,100 feet, my watch 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:34.920 is read up to 2 ,600 feet, and it makes Avalanche 00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:37.019 Peak one of the steepest maintained trails in 00:35:37.019 --> 00:35:40.019 Yellowstone. This is not for beginning hikers 00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:42.739 at all. If you want an easier mountain with great 00:35:42.739 --> 00:35:45.860 views, hit up Mount Washburn, maybe Bunsen Peak, 00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:48.360 or reach out to me, I can recommend some things. 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:51.420 The avalanche peak climb begins almost immediately. 00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:54.239 There's no leisurely stroll to warm up your legs. 00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:56.900 Within a few steps of the trailhead, you're heading 00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:59.960 uphill through lodgepole pines. The trees provide 00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:03.039 welcome shade during the morning hours, and if 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:05.119 you get an early start, the cool mountain air 00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:07.780 makes this initial climb feel surprisingly comfortable. 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:11.159 Just do not expect this feeling to last. The 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:13.280 trail wastes very little time gaining elevation, 00:36:13.800 --> 00:36:15.639 and most hikers, no matter how in shape they 00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:17.840 are, find themselves stopping occasionally to 00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:19.659 catch their breath and enjoy the growing views 00:36:19.659 --> 00:36:23.260 behind them. As the forest begins to thin, Yellowstone 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:26.159 starts putting on a show. Openings in the trees 00:36:26.159 --> 00:36:28.559 reveal Yellowstone lakes shimmering in the distance, 00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:30.880 while the rugged peaks of the Bzurka Mountains 00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:33.400 rise dramatically around the eastern skyline. 00:36:34.259 --> 00:36:36.960 Wildflowers are beginning to pop off right now, 00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:39.380 and you're getting splashes of color all around 00:36:39.380 --> 00:36:41.699 you, making the landscape even more beautiful. 00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:45.500 Every switchback seems to reveal another reason 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:48.639 to, you know, take a breath and blame it on you 00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:50.780 wanting to take a picture. I love that. That's 00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:52.619 my best excuse is like, oh, I really want to 00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:54.860 take a picture here, and then I stand there for 00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:57.199 three or four minutes and catch my breath. Once 00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:59.119 the rain has passed in this coming week and you're 00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:01.099 planning to hike Avalanche Peak, know that it's 00:37:01.099 --> 00:37:02.900 important to remember that summer arrives slowly 00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:05.920 in Yellowstone's high country. Lower elevations 00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:08.480 are enjoying warm days and green meadows, but 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:11.400 Avalanche Peak still holds onto winter. Expect 00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:14.400 the encounters near the top to have patches of 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:17.400 snow, especially on the shaded slopes in the 00:37:17.400 --> 00:37:20.019 north facing areas and the upper portions of 00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:23.110 the trail. Most of these areas are not really 00:37:23.110 --> 00:37:25.670 that difficult, but they can be slippery especially 00:37:25.670 --> 00:37:28.949 if they're icy in the morning or very loose snow 00:37:28.949 --> 00:37:32.690 once it warms up. The effects of elevation as 00:37:32.690 --> 00:37:35.389 you keep hiking really become noticeable. The 00:37:35.389 --> 00:37:39.349 summit sits at 10 ,568 feet above sea level and 00:37:39.349 --> 00:37:41.610 the thinner air can catch visitors by surprise. 00:37:42.550 --> 00:37:45.130 Like I said earlier, Yellowstone's average elevation 00:37:45.130 --> 00:37:47.869 is already around 8 ,000 feet and Avalanche Peak 00:37:47.869 --> 00:37:51.260 takes you higher. Definitely stay hydrated, pace 00:37:51.260 --> 00:37:53.880 yourself at elevation, and if you've arrived 00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:56.900 in the park hours before maybe don't do this 00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:59.179 wait until you're used to it. Know that even 00:37:59.179 --> 00:38:02.460 strong hikers from lower elevations notice themselves 00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:05.500 breathing harder than they expect. Eventually 00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:07.780 on this trail the trees disappear and the landscape 00:38:07.780 --> 00:38:10.719 opens into a broad alpine slope. This is where 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:13.219 Avalanche Peak starts to feel less like a Yellowstone 00:38:13.219 --> 00:38:15.920 hike and more like a mountain climb. The views 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:18.039 expand dramatically, and so does the exposure. 00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:20.400 Know that wind is common here, and it's sometimes 00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:22.659 strong enough to make you glad that you packed 00:38:22.659 --> 00:38:25.300 an extra layer. Pack an extra layer. Even on 00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:27.320 days when the temperature reaches 70s in the 00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:29.960 valley, conditions near the summit can feel much 00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:33.099 colder. The final ascent of this is what most 00:38:33.099 --> 00:38:35.719 hikers remember long after the hike is over. 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:38.500 Loose scree and large chunks of talus, big chunks 00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:40.889 of rock. and the footing can be frustrating at 00:38:40.889 --> 00:38:43.590 times. Every step forward may seem to result 00:38:43.590 --> 00:38:46.489 in a little bit of a slide backwards. Trucking 00:38:46.489 --> 00:38:48.809 poles can be extremely helpful during this section, 00:38:48.989 --> 00:38:51.650 especially on the descent, but going up it just 00:38:51.650 --> 00:38:53.150 feels better because then you can dig them in 00:38:53.150 --> 00:38:54.929 and kind of push up and take that next step. 00:38:55.710 --> 00:38:58.530 While this route is not technical, it does require 00:38:58.530 --> 00:39:01.880 careful footing and patience. From the summit, 00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:04.179 Yellowstone seems to stretch forever. Yellowstone 00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:06.579 Lake dominates the view to the south, with glimpses 00:39:06.579 --> 00:39:09.219 of the Tetons also possible if the sky is clear. 00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:11.719 Sylvan Pass and the Absaroka Mountains of Wyoming 00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:14.860 fill the eastern horizon, and this is one of 00:39:14.860 --> 00:39:17.159 the most expansive views in Yellowstone, and 00:39:17.159 --> 00:39:19.340 it's a reminder of just how vast the Greater 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:22.920 Yellowstone ecosystem really is. Many hikers 00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:24.659 arrive at the summit expecting to spend just 00:39:24.659 --> 00:39:27.719 a few minutes before heading down. They usually 00:39:27.719 --> 00:39:30.599 end up staying much longer because it's difficult 00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:33.380 to leave the views from the top. The combination 00:39:33.380 --> 00:39:36.420 of mountain peaks, forests, lakes, and open sky 00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:39.380 creates one of the most memorable panoramas anywhere 00:39:39.380 --> 00:39:43.639 in the park. When you're done, do not rush down. 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:48.179 Take your time. Enjoy the views, bask in the 00:39:48.179 --> 00:39:51.250 glory of hiking up this mountain. Remember that 00:39:51.250 --> 00:39:53.489 Avalanche Peak is located in prime bear habitat, 00:39:53.530 --> 00:39:55.429 so always carry bear spray and know how to use 00:39:55.429 --> 00:39:58.050 it, make noise while hiking, and remain very 00:39:58.050 --> 00:40:00.510 alert. Also know that afternoon thunderstorms 00:40:00.510 --> 00:40:02.909 are very common in late June and early July, 00:40:03.150 --> 00:40:05.710 especially at these higher elevations. A very 00:40:05.710 --> 00:40:07.869 early start not only improves your chance of 00:40:07.869 --> 00:40:10.469 finding a parking spot and enjoying cooler temperatures, 00:40:10.590 --> 00:40:12.849 but also helps you avoid being exposed above 00:40:12.849 --> 00:40:15.230 tree line during lightning producing storms. 00:40:16.630 --> 00:40:18.949 If you are hiking this, and you hear thunder, 00:40:19.449 --> 00:40:22.420 turn around. do not go up to the top unless you 00:40:22.420 --> 00:40:24.559 know that that storm is way in the distance. 00:40:25.340 --> 00:40:27.460 Avalanche Peak is not an easy hike, and it's 00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:29.920 not meant to be. The steep climb, lingering snow, 00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:32.300 sometimes muddy sections, loose rock and high 00:40:32.300 --> 00:40:35.400 elevation, and strong winds all add to that challenge. 00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:39.260 Yet, those are the same elements that make this 00:40:39.260 --> 00:40:42.260 so rewarding when you do it. For experienced 00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:44.659 hikers willing to put in the effort, Avalanche 00:40:44.659 --> 00:40:47.190 Peak is one of Yellowstone's finest mountain 00:40:47.190 --> 00:40:49.250 adventures, and some of the most spectacular 00:40:49.250 --> 00:40:54.469 summit views in the entire park. Next week. In 00:40:54.469 --> 00:40:56.630 the next episode, I'll return with all the information 00:40:56.630 --> 00:40:59.070 you need to have a good week in the park, including 00:40:59.070 --> 00:41:01.710 the wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until 00:41:01.710 --> 00:41:04.409 then, pick up a guidebook of mine, shoot me a 00:41:04.409 --> 00:41:06.710 message, tell your friends about this podcast. 00:41:07.210 --> 00:41:10.170 Thank you so much for listening, and happy trails. 00:41:20.909 --> 00:41:23.670 Abrupt ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought 00:41:23.670 --> 00:41:26.010 to you by The Outdoor Society. That's my company. 00:41:26.409 --> 00:41:28.710 It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love. 00:41:29.070 --> 00:41:31.329 If you like it, tell your friends. Rate and review 00:41:31.329 --> 00:41:34.650 it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening, 00:41:34.809 --> 00:41:37.489 and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 00:41:37.489 --> 00:41:39.010 2026, baby!