Jackson Hole Wildlife Eco-Tour Adventures

Snow keeps falling and falling here, and temperatures are dropping.  We’ve started the long winter haul. The spruces and fir are highlighted and the weasel and snowshoe hare’s winter coats have turned white.  Birds have mostly migrated south, and the sage grouse may have started their flight to Idaho.  Those who have arrived, such as the trumpeter swans, dot Flat Creek like little white icebergs.  As temperatures quickly change, sometimes the swans are trapped in the ice. Frozen with the water, they will patiently await the sun. 

For the most part, all of the animals are where they will winter.  For the last two days, a snowstorm has blanketed the mountains and valley.  The grizzly bears have most likely taken to their prepared dens.  The elk have migrated nightly onto the Elk refuge and other smaller wintering areas with the storm.  Thousands will remain through the winter months following the close of hunting season in December.  On the refuge, the elk will be fed to supplement their diets depending upon the length and harshness of the winter. 

Along with elk to the refuge come the Jackson Hole bison herd, who will compete for food and range.   They should number in the hundred, less than the Yellowstone Park herd. However, their numbers are growing, providing long-term animal management issues.  Bison on the move inadvertently and quickly decimate developed landscapes; they also like to scratch themselves by rubbing against trees, which has a similar destructive effect.  What a fine balance…

Bundle up and join us on a winter adventure!

I had my first full day wildlife tour in Grand Teton National Park in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  It was full of surprises, lots of wildlife, great information, and breathtaking scenery.  Can you ask for anything more?

6:30 a.m. Arrive at the Rusty Parrot hotel and wait in front. Taylor, EcoTour’s owner and guide, and Gwen, geologist and new guide, listen as I explain my dream about three over sized gray parrots.

7:00 a.m. Our guests arrive and we proceed to drive out of town. One of our guest notifies us that there’s nowhere to get a cup of coffee in Jackson before 6 or 7A.M., at least not close to the Rusty Parrot.  Thank goodness we have coffee ready in the back, freshly ground with personal french press coffee to-go mugs.  Pair that with some mean fresh muffins and fruit.  Score EcoTour.

7:15 a.m. On our drive out of Jackson we pass the Elk Refuge on our right, like the 6A.M. coffee in town, the elk are nowhere in sight.  They won’t be arriving until the cold weather does, when they’ll descend in the thousands.  Our goal for now is to look for them in Grand Teton National Park, and hopefully catch a glimpse before they disappear into the forest with the sunlight.

7:20 a.m. Our first sighting:  a herd of bison moseying across the field. We can’t stop yet though because the sun is quickly coming up over the horizon.  The colors around us are soft and pastel; there is a lightly enveloping fog rescinding around Blacktail Butte and across the valley.  The Tetons are gradually being illuminated.

7:22 a.m. We make the turn into the park and to our left, in the dewy morning, is a bull moose, a female and her calf.  We stop to have a quick look with the scope.  Beautiful.  As we continue across the bridge, sitting atop a tree looking out over the Snake River is a striking osprey.  He dives out over the river and then coasts out of view.  En route to the forested moraines below the Tetons, we talk about the the endless possibilities of exploration that await them over the next week.

7:23 a.m.  Stopping us in our tracks, we observe three elk cows are galloping across the road, making their way up and into the cover of the forest.   Off in the distance, a large bull elk is chasing another female; it looks like they too would like to cross the road and head for cover.  We pull over to admire the impressive antler rack and “the chase.”  The female appears a bit skittish because of all the attention she has attracted from both visitors and the large male.  We can see the measured clouds of steamy exhale in the cool morning air, as the bull trots to round up his temporary sweetie.  He’ll vigilantly stay with her and the rest of his harem until the rut is over.  We spend a few amazing moments watching the show and their daily routine.   We move on.

8:05 a.m.  As we drive through the park, we come upon two black bears, one is brown and the other is black.  They are both cleaning berries from the bushes that line a beaver made habitat that the moose often frequent.  Yep, and there are two moose standing in the water in the background.  The browner of the two black bears waddles from the bushes down to the water, his rump is so large it obscures his hind legs.  It’s hard to believe that a diet largely consisting of berries can plump a bear so.  He heads for the bushes again and we move out of the way.

9:05 a.m. After a long time with the bears, we move on.  We decide to go in search of some of Grand Teton National Park’s elusive wolves.  On the way we run into a large group of pronghorn antelope lounging in a field.  Off to the right of them, we watch as a reddish gray coyote pounces on what we can only guess to be a rodent of some sort.  His continuous struggle to unearth the critter is a.m.using and fascinating.

9:45 a.m. We reach our destination and with our scopes on shoulder and binoculars in hand, we take a short hike in search of the wolves.  Out to our right is a small reservoir with trumpeter swans and waterfowl resting on the surface and a beautiful vista of the Tetons in the distance, their silhouette slightly altered from the different angle.

10:15 a.m.  Unfortunately, no wolves today.  However, as we all snacked on granola bars and bison jerky, there was a pretty entertaining yet contentious debate over bison in the distance.  We spotted a resting bison; Taylor claims it was a rock.  The jury is still out.

11:00 a.m. We stop to admire the fall foliage at Oxbow Bend; the colors are arresting.  Blues juxtapose bright oranges, which are set off by the mountains in the background.  It is next to impossible to snap a less than agreeable photo out here.

11:30 a.m. Cruising past Jackson Lake, we catch a glimpse of a migrating loon.  Neat, not something you see everyday.

12:00 p.m. Lunch, just in time to rescue our grumbling stomachs.  The food is spectacular once we decided what to have; the menu tantalizes with its local and sustainably produced fare.  Like the view out of the the restaurant windows, the break for lunch does not disappoint.

1:15 p.m. We make our way to Mormon row to have a look at the famous Moulton Barn.  The vistas never get old.

2:00 p.m. It’s time to head back to the hotel, a little behind schedule but no one’s paying much attention, most especially, the herd of bison blocking the way.  We stop to let the animals meander past, taking the opportunity to open the roof hatches and have a better look.  We watch as several little yearlings awkwardly gallop through their elders, looking to play.   Time stands still for a moment.  After largely determining our day and whereabouts, we are humbly reminded that in the big scheme of things, there are other rules at work.

For a similar yet always unique experience, join us on an EcoTour Adventure, where you never know exactly what you can expect!

It’s mid September here in Jackson Hole.  The days are growing shorter and temperatures are taking a slight chill, not the big winter chill…yet.  The Tetons first “dusting” last week has all but melted and you can see a glimmer in the eyes of the locals as they question, “What kind of snow is in store?”  Summer crowds are thinning and the wildlife is transitioning.  The elk are slowly starting their grand appearance in the valley.  They are starting to be seen in abundance as they come out in herds to commence the “rut,” or fall breeding season.  High-pitched bugling of the large bulls will resound and antlers will fly as they vigilantly gather harems of elk cows and challenge other bulls.   Moose, bison, antelope, mule deer, and black bears have all been on the scene with youngsters at their side.  For most of the larger animals, mating season has already peaked, however we are in the middle of the moose mating season. Wolves and coyotes should start to come out in numbers as they too prepare for the shorter and colder days to come.  The coming weeks and months should bring some great sightings as all of the animals start their quest for food to help them through the winter months.

Around town, talk has been that of the ‘Big One’ and what we can do to prepare for an inevitable shifting of the earth in Jackson Hole and greater Yellowstone.  Amidst all of the beauty of the area, one often forgets that our home is special for yet another reason: it sits upon a geological “hot spot” that hasn’t seen an eruption in 640 thousands years.  In geological terms, it is well overdue for some action.

Underground Mechanics   After noticing that identical plant and animal fossils as well as similar large scale geological features existed on opposite sides of the ocean, weatherman Alfred Wegener, “put the pieces together,” and theorized that the earth’s continents had once been together.  This led to the Continental Drift Theory, which states that 300 million years ago the continents had formed a single land mass, named Pangaea, (Greek for “all the Earth”).  It split and its pieces have been moving away from each other ever since; basically, the earth’s top layer is broken into plates, which sort of float on the semi-solid layer below.  Seafloor and seismic studies have provided evidence supporting the theory.  Interestingly, most seismic and volcanic activity is concentrated along various ridges and plate boundaries.  Understanding why volcanic and seismic activity is concentrated along plate boundaries is not so difficult however, understanding Yellowstone’s seismic and volcanic unrest is another story.

So Where Does Greater Yellowstone Come In?
   This brings us to the hotly debated “Hot Spot” theory, which explains volcanic and seismic activity in places like Hawaii and Yellowstone.  Both are located above a hot spot, a fixed area of the upper mantle away from plate margins, ranging from 100 to 200 kilometers wide.  From each hot spot, magma rises in a plume to form volcanoes; earthquakes occur in the outer-lying areas.  As the plates move over these hot spots spanning millions of years, “trails” of islands or volcanic activity are left in bodies of water and on the continental landscape.  The Hawaiian Islands are a perfect example. Geologists have dated the volcanic islands, which incrementally get older from East to West.  This would indicate that each island was created as the Pacific plate was situated over the hot spot.  The youngest island, Hawaii, has an active volcano while the other islands are dormant volcanoes.  Yellowstone, like the youngest Hawaiian island, is currently above a hot spot.  If we look at the Yellowstone Caldera Chain, the McDermitt volcanic field on the border of Oregon and Nevada was over the hot spot 16 million years ago.  By dating old hot spot sites and the distances between them, geologists have been able to determine the rate of continental drift.  Really fascinating stuff in our backyard.  As for seismic activity in the Tetons, the range has been raising about a millimeter a year but typically in sudden, one-meter increments, a jolting thought.  That being said, Yellowstone experiences low magnitude earthquakes all of the time - about 1000-3000 per year- but they go mostly unnoticed.  The largest earthquake on record in Yellowstone struck in 1959, reached 7.5 on the scale, caused $11 million in damage, and killed 28 people.  Accordingly, people around here are taking the necessary precautions to prepare for a potential major shake.

As for films like 2010 and Supervolcano, are they accurate in their depiction of a Yellowstone eruption?  Who knows?  Man has never been witness to such a large scale eruption.   For the most part though, the speculation doesn’t seem to be scaring anyone away from this fascinating and beautiful region…   If you are in the area what better time to take in the magnificent landscapes, natural wonders, and plentiful wildlife of this Hot Spot!  We’re not going anywhere…

Robert Tilling. “Our Dynamic Earth: Plate Tectonics in Action.” Volcanology Talk.  Geologists of Jackson Hole. Teton County Library, September 7 2010.

It is late April here in Jackson Hole, and that means that we are finally shaking ourselves from the firm grasp of winter.  There are bulbs coming up in flower beds around town, and a variety of new songbirds are frequenting the bird feeders at Eco Tour headquarters.

On recent trips, we’ve seen numerous grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, all variety of ungulates.  Several days ago, in the Lamar Valley, we were lucky enough to witness one of the local wolf packs chasing an elk heard nearly 300 strong. 

The weather remains unsettled, though frigid winter squalls have been replaced by thunderstorms rolling in over the Tetons.  Sizable lightning strikes have been seen around Grand Teton National Park, and while it may snow high in the mountains, the majority of the precipitation that falls on the valley floor is rain.

         Seasonal shifts are always an active time for wildlife; from bees to birds to bears.  As the sun returns, and the snow recedes, creatures of all sorts are on the move, searching for new food, searching for love, establishing their summertime routine.

         Pairs of osprey have returned to their nests around the valley, from points so far afield as the Caribbean and South America.  Ospreys are monogamous birds, like the trumpeter swan and golden eagle, and they oftentimes use the same nest each year—making small home improvements with the passing seasons.  They nest near bodies of water around the valley, and are partial to the Snake River, with its ample trout population.

         Meanwhile, six thousand feet upwards, golden eagles are performing their springtime acrobatics, riding updrafts and impressing their mates.  During a recent ski tour into the high peaks of the Tetons, the Eco Tour team was circled by multiple eagles.  They dropped in low and close—we were up above 11,000 feet on a narrow ridge—and we couldn’t help but feel as though the massive birds were sizing us up relative to their more standard prey; rabbits, rodents, other birds, and the occasional larger mammal.  There is no doubt the eagles rule those peaks.  With their nearly supernatural hearing and sight, their high level of intelligence, if something happens up there, they know about it. 

Back on the valley floor, the retreating snow line has opened up the highways used by hoofed creatures to travel during these transitional times.  This means that Pronghorn are beginning to make their long journey back to Jackson Hole from wintering grounds in the flat, high, sage brush plains to the south.  Theirs is the longest land mammal migration in the Lower 48—second in North America only to the Arctic caribou.

         The National Elk Refuge has cleared out, the elk having begun moving to higher elevations, and farther to the north.  The strong spring sun paves their way.  Mountain goats and Bighorn sheep have moved from their slightly more tame winter ranges back to the most jagged peaks and sheer cliffs in the Tetons and other ranges.  The Yellowstone bison herd has begun to calve, some wolf packs have denned up in preparation for the arrival of pups.

         The landscape is not so visibly far along.  Sure, the sage brush has started to green up, taking on its classic gray-purple glow, and the grass in town is not far behind.  Some trees have begun to bud, though full leaves will still be some time in the making.  Gazing upon the snow covered mountains, one wouldn’t now that spring is so fully upon us.  But looking close, you can see that all of the pieces of this intricate ecosystem—plants, animals, and otherwise—are readying themselves for the explosion of life and activity that comes with the summer months.  As is always the case with spring, there is a sense of hopefulness, enthusiasm, and want for what will soon arrive.

Spring is a special time in the Valley, as all residents shake out the winter cold and cobwebs.  Undeniably governed by the same forces as the natural world around us, we here at Eco Tours feel ourselves transitioning as well.  We’re readying for all that summer sun.  We did some serious spring cleaning.  We got ourselves a new Ford Excursion and a fancy new office.  Contact us today about our tours, valley happenings, or anything at all.

We’re booking tours now for the summer season.  Currently, the parks are empty, the crowds won’t arrive for weeks yet.  If you’re visiting the valley now, it’s a great time to feel the true remoteness and ruggedness of this place—without having to deal with mid-winter temps.  We hope to hear from you soon!