It’s just getting light as we hit the road in this first day of 2025.

Happy New Year everyone!

As we wind up the OGR, we see a few pronghorn and some scattered elk. At Blacktail ponds we see a substantial herd of bison.

We see no one glassing at Nature Trail so we continue east. At Hellroaring we learn we have just missed some wolves which are now out of sight to the west.

We move east to the Lower lot but I can’t find them from here, either. On we go – our next stop is at Elk Creek. Alas, we just missed seeing wolves from here, too.

I drive on to find parking at the large lot east of Petrified tree. I see no wolves from here either, but then Doug McCartney stops by to say Bob L has Mollies in Lamar.

So off we go.

Some people are at Midpoint looking south but we find parking at Picnic. I set up and quickly find 8 Mollie’s wolves, bedded on a low hill in two groups. It’s the same 8 wolves I saw on Sunday; five grays and three blacks.

I set up my Leica for Becky and we enjoy seeing these beautiful wolves. There are also several coyote traipsing through the river bottoms between the cottonwood trunks.

Twice while we are watching the Mollies, a collared gray gets up and wanders northwest towards the river, looking ahead with clear interest. We don’t know what the wolf sees. Both times it gets to a point where it stands and stares, then returns to its bedded pack-mates.

After a little over an hour of pleasant viewing, Becky and I decide to continue east. We’ve heard there are moose in view at Round Prairie.

Melba joined a few others on a small hill northwest of Picnic, which offers a clearer view of the wolves. As we drive there, we hear her radio that she can see an injured bison between the road and the river. It seems that the single gray Mollie was watching this bison.

At Round Prairie we see three bull moose on the north side above the willows. One is especially large.

After a bit, we head back to Lamar, stopping at the Confluence to look for otters. We see only ducks and dippers.

We stop again at Picnic, where we find the Mollies still bedded in essentially the same spot. I can see the injured bison just north of the river. It’s laying on its side, moving now and again.

Several birds are flitting about and again I notice a pair of wary coyotes nearby, wandering back and forth. They seem to be waiting for the bison to die.

The single collared gray wolf gets up again, moving in the direction of the injured bison. The wolf ventures even closer this time, but still stops and stares, still on the far side of the river.

I hear a report that some photographers have ventured out from the road and are way too close. The wolf confirms this report when it turns around once more to rejoin its comrades.

A bit later, the bison gets back up and moves out of sight.

A thick snow squall comes in and I lose visibility.

Becky and I decide to head back west.

We stop at the big lot near Petrified tree to check the bear in its den. I can see black fur, but I’m not sure what part of the bear it is!

We find no-one scoping at Nature Trail lot but we stop at the S Curves for a quick scan. We find a pair of coyotes prowling the willows to the south.

When we get back to Mammoth, we have a bit of time to spare, so we stop at the Albright Center for some souvenirs.

Then we turn right down the old Gardiner River road as far as Mammoth Campground. We drive the open loop, finding very few campers here. It seems odd to us, remembering how full it was in years past when we’d visit Marlene in her A-Liner.

After a brief rest at the Super 8 we head out once more.

As it’s after 5PM on New Year’s Day, the Main entrance gate is unmanned. But a herd of elk is here, grazing on the sparse vegetation around the kiosks, right in our lane.

We then head up the winding road and have dinner in the lovely Mammoth Dining Room. It’s a relaxing evening and we reminisce a bit.

On our way back, we stop at a high pullout long enough to enjoy the amazing stars and the pale-green beginning of the northern lights.

Today I saw: bison, coyotes, dippers, ducks, 2 bald eagles, elk, the northern lights, 3 bull moose, pronghorn, 8 Mollies; including 1339M and 1090F, four more grays (one collared) and two more blacks (one collared) and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.