It’s a “normally” cold 14 degrees today, with no new snow.

My first stop is at Picnic, where I find a single coyote on the carcass. No wolves, though. Nick and Carsten are talking with Rick about the damage to his car. They know a lot more than I do and give Rick some good advice.

A light snow is falling, limiting visibility. Laurie tells Rick that she got a report from late last evening that the Junctions we seen going up and over Specimen.

I decide to try to see them up there from Elk Creek. The falling snow makes it pretty difficult, but I think if they were moving, I’d see them. But I don’t.

We drive to Hellroaring next, with worse results as the snow is thicker. Same situation at Nature Trail. There isn’t much you can do when the snow falls this way.

We head back east and hear a report of howling from Boulder. The snow backs off a bit so we get hopeful again. We scan every inch of terrain visible from Boulder but then clarity degrades again.

All we get for our trouble is the howling of a distant coyote.

I try the spot to the north just east of Longs where the Junctions had a bull elk carcass in December. Nothing there, either.

I meet a visitor named Milo from Navaho nation. He has a truck with some cool Navaho designs on it. He says he is an “adventure photographer” for Nat Geo. Very interesting guy.

It’s now 11:30 and no one has found a single wolf. It just may be one of those days.

I figure I’ll try my luck with a slow trek back east. One of the joys of being here in winter is driving through Lamar Valley; an open, empty road ahead of me and beauty all around.

All I’m missing is a wolf.

Today I saw: bison, a coyotes, elk, and the spirits of Allison, Richard and Jeff.