I’m up and out at 6:30. It’s relatively warm at 37 degrees – for February I mean.

I stop at Nature Trail where I see Doug McCartney. He has a nice bull elk in view but has neither seen nor heard any wolves. We chat a bit and then continue east.

I find Calvin & Lynette at Elk Creek. They spotted a collared gray on the west end of Vader Hill. I continue to the big lot near Petrified Tree, where I join Susan and Reve. It’s so good to see them again! They are visiting from Arizona where they now live.

We find Lynette’s gray and Susan finds a black bedded near it. Then we see two additional grays arriving on the same hilltop. They are obviously all members of the same pack as they are very casual with each other.

The two grays go out of sight quickly. The standing gray looks a bit restless to me, and soon heads east, disappearing below the ridge. The black stays bedded for a while, howling a few times.

We all assume these are Rescue Creek wolves but, no, they are Junctions.

We learn that the Rescue Creek wolves seen on the Tower carcass yesterday crossed the road to the south early this morning. They took the 6-mile Blacktail road back to their territory where three of them were later collared by the Project.

We lose our wolves, despite trying various locations to find them again. I eventually join Rick at Wrecker Grade. He says two of the Junctions were spotted below the basalt cliff. We carry our scopes past the barricade into the Wrecker lot.

I see a gray by a triangle-shaped boulder and then two more, including the alpha male. A large, collared gray approaches the alpha male – it’s 907F!

The wolves mill around a bit, bedding and changing positions, enough to give me a count of 7 wolves; 2 collared blacks, 1 uncollared black, 2 collared grays and 2 uncollared grays.

Rick and I compare notes regarding the three newly-collared wolves in the Junction pack: they are 1477F (black), 1478F (gray) and 1479F (black). She is the lone-surviving pup from 2023.

I am happily surprised at the warm temperatures. In fact, I have not needed my big down coat! I wear a pair of Chloe’s socks that Becky gave me, so they keep me extra warm.

Around noon the Junctions have moved out of sight, so I head east. Even though I’m staying in Gardiner, the lure of Lamar is always strong for me.

As I pass through Lamar Canyon I see numerous happy photographers, including Julie A & Becky B, enjoying a red fox, that is hunting on the north side.

The Lamar Valley floor is full of snow. It’s not deep but it looks nice, with Rose creek winding its way through.

I drive up to Silver Gate to take a photo of the snow depth in Laurie’s driveway. A guide stops by to tell me that pine martens are in view near the Hartman’s place. I drive up there, but find the road jammed with vans and a huge tour bus, so I just turn around and head back. I feel bad for Dan and Cindy since their driveway is blocked.

I stop at Round Prairie, where there are so often moose to see this time of year but I find not a one. As I travel through Soda Butte Valley, snow starts falling despite the bright sun, which I’ve learned is a totally normal phenomenon in Yellowstone.

At Midpoint I see a begging coyote (not the limper, which is still around).

I stop at Boulder and scope the basalt cliff area, hoping to find the Junctions again, but have no luck. I try from the Yellowstone River lot, too, with the same result.

At Hellroaring I slow down to let a few mule deer cross the road.

I find Calvin and Lynette at Nature Trail so we chat a while. They tell me the Project is eager to collar some Shrimp Lake wolves. They tried today but were unsuccessful.

As I cross the High Bridge I see quite a few bedded elk to the north.

I return to Gardiner and do my stretches. I send a note to Laurie and turn in early.

Today I saw: bison, mule deer, coyotes, elk, 7 Junction wolves (including the alpha pair, two collared blacks, another collared gray and two uncollared grays) and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.