INTRODUCTION:

Bozeman’s summer so far has been spectacular. Other than three or four smoky days in May, the weather has been cool and sunny, with rain falling every few days to keep the grass and flowers happy.

Since my last visit, I have been going to PT, teaching myself exercises, having follow-up doc visits and planning a trip to NY with my sisters for September.

Then I heard from Becky and Chloe that they are going to squeeze in another short visit to the Park, specifically to Hayden Valley since they did not get there in June. They have reservations at a variety of campsites and suggest that if I am willing to car-camp, their sites would offer room for my car, too.

I have no idea whether my legs will let me car camp, but I’m willing to try. I tell them my only requirement is to find an hour in which to do my exercises each day, usually in the afternoon when there are few animals about.

This could be the last time Chloe feels well enough to visit Yellowstone, and I want to be part of it.

WOLF UPDATE

There have been changes that have caused the Wolf Project to be less forthcoming than they have been in the past, so I have fewer details about wolf packs this year. It’s a long story and I hold on to hope that things will revert back to normal in a year or so.

JUNCTION BUTTE PACK

The pack has barely been visible this summer. Their rendezvous is in a marshy area at the back of Jasper Bench that cannot be seen from the road. A few areas are visible from high on Cardiac Hill but few people are willing to tackle that hike every day. However, individual wolves are sometimes seen coming and going from the Jasper Bench, either traveling east across Amethyst Bench, south up and over Divide Ridge Specimen or west over to Little America. The plane saw two pups in June, one black and one gray, but I have heard no reports of pup sightings from those who have climbed up Cardiac Hill. The Junction Pack is now fluctuating between 17 and 23. 1339M left a while back to join other former Junctions (1048M, etc) who are now with the Mollies. Sightings are simply too sporadic to know more.

RESCUE CREEK PACK

This pack has been using a rendezvous site on the Blacktail Plateau, sometimes visible 3 miles to the south from the Nature Trail or S Curve lot. People also hike up South Butte sometimes to see them. They have at least 7 and possibly 8 pups this year, increasing their size to 18 or 20

EIGHT MILE PACK – no news

LUPINE PACK – no news

WAPITI PACK – sometime this spring/summer numerous pack members travelled to Idaho and were killed. The new alpha pair seem to be far more shy of the road than past alphas. They have pups but no definite numbers yet. MOLLIES – no news except for the addition of 1339M