The final Yellowstone Adventure report from Wolf Conservation Center’s Alex Spitzer:

Our final day in the park started off cool and foggy.  As we arrived in the Lamar Canyon, we realized there was too much fog to see far so we stopped to have breakfast in the field.  As we ate, we watched the fog slowly lift out of the valley.  As the fog lifted, the bison started to show, but we got word that the Lamar Canyon pack was spotted down the road so we packed up quickly and headed over.  We were able to spot the tail of a gray female from that pack and a little while later; she popped over the hill and made one final appearance before disappearing.  We did manage to hear a pack-rallying howl before moving on. Our other wildlife sightings for the day included several large herds of bison, sandhill cranes, a beaver, ground squirrels, pronghorn, and a family of golden eagles.  Two of the golden eagles were juveniles who were waiting at the nest, and mom and dad were viewed flying overhead looking for their next meal.

Throughout the whole day, Scott Frazier joined us.  We had a great time discussing the history of Native Americans in and around Yellowstone National Park, his history with the park, and some about his personal experiences over his years exploring the park, including the fact that he was asked to be a special guest and to perform a ceremony for the release of the original Crystal Creek Pack back in 1995.  It is always great to be joined by Scott and we thank him for his friendship.

Finally after dinner, we were joined by Dan Stahler.  Dan talked about factors affecting the wolves since their reintroduction in 1995 and about genetic difference in wolves within the greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  A great end to a magnificent trip.  Huge thanks to The Wild Side, Scott Frazier, and everyone who joined us on our 2013 Yellowstone trips.

If you’re interested in joining the WCC crew for a wild adventure in Yellowstone next year, please email spencer@nywolf.org.  Thank you!