Well, it looks like winter is not quite finished yet!

I find heavy, wet snow stuck to the car this morning, and it’s still coming down. It takes a while to scrape off so I get going late.

No use for brights today; it just magnifies the falling snow. So, I follow the tire tracks ahead of me.

At Trout Lake the snow tapers off. From here on, the road is clear, just wet.

But the weather leaves a thick mist in the valley, so visibility is shot. The whole upper half of Specimen is lost to cloud.

I find it better at Slough (as is often the case). I arrive at the gravel lot and 907 becomes my first wolf of the day. She is in the spring meadow, having a drink. Afterwards, she moves up the slope and disappears inside the den.

Around 7:30 trusty 1478F comes out of the den, takes a walk around the western trees, then goes back inside.

Frank calls from Dave’s Hill that the alpha male is on his way to the area from the west. Thanks Frank! As he arrives at the western trees, 1478 bolts from the den but he passes her and aims for 907 who has also emerged.

The pair meets in the gully and he gives her a meal.

1478 returns to the den and beds. The pups come out and nuzzle with her. I hope for her sake this makes up for missing a feeding.

As usual, the pups don’t remain outside long. Soon 907 ushers them back underground.

Paul spots a courting pair of grizzlies high above the Horizontal forest. There is a drainage up there that bears seem to like this time of year.

Around 8AM a thick snowcloud arrives and parks itself over eastern Little America. Visibility drops to zero. Some of us retreat to our heated cars in an effort to wait it out. But as 9AM comes and goes without any hope of a better view, I put my car in gear and set off.

I go to Boulder to check on the bison carcass. I find pretty much the same situation as yesterday. The sad little yearling is still here. I’m told a grizzly fed on it early but has since disappeared.

This carcass is close enough to be seen from the road through the falling snow. But there is nothing to see but a few birds.

I reluctantly call it a morning and head back east.

The only wildlife I see on the way back is a local fox, patrolling the road.

The snow continues all afternoon in Silver Gate, so we stay in this evening.

Today I saw: 2 grizzlies, bison, a coyote, elk, a fox, 5 Junction wolves (AM, 907F, 1478F and all three pups) and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.