This morning I find only a trace of snow on the car. And the gate is open!

There are bison in the road at Trash Can and many scopers on the hill. But no one has wolves.

I continue to Dorothy’s and look from here. Jeremy drives by heading east so I cross my fingers.

Taylor radios from Slough. Nothing there either. Jeremy comes back with no report and continues west.

Laurie & Dan go that way, too, so I follow.

Light snow is falling but visibility is good, so I stop at various spots. I know everyone else is doing the same. The snow continues all morning, off and on.

Some people have an idea to head south, maybe to Swan Lake or further to Hayden. I don’t want to do that. I go as far as Wraith Falls before I turn around.

I stop at Nature Trail when I see Laurie & Dan & Kathie. We visit a while. I try my coffee trick in hopes of triggering the appearance of wolves but that doesn’t work either!

Kathie says the Park has closed the interior again because of ice in Swan Lake Flats. Rick is on his way back.

We see very few elk on the Blacktail which is weird all by itself. We try Elk Creek again and find a herd in view here. Yay!

I go back east and stop at Dorothy’s. Laurie & Dan have already gone in because they have to drive to Gardiner later to get their snow tires. Rick and I visit a while, then at 11:30 I head in.

At 4:30 I drive back in. I set up at Picnic, hoping to find Junctions returning from the south. I amuse myself watching a herd of bison cross the river in a long, cautious line.

Then a larger bison herd approaches from the east, forcing me to seek refuge in my car. As they pass by I notice that most of them have snow stuck to their lower legs, giving the appearance of wearing white boots. And many have snowballs hanging from the hair of their chins.

There is a lot of grunting and mooing as they pass. I like hearing the sound of their hooves on the pavement.

The sun comes out, making everything pretty. It really lights up Norris and its western shoulders.

On my way through Ice Box canyon, a Ranger is hazing a grizzly bear off the road to the north side. She waves me through, so I stop further east to watch the bear a while in my mirror.

We have another nice fire this evening and watch some Columbo reruns, hoping we’ll see wolves tomorrow.

Today I saw: 1 grizzly bear, bison, elk and the spirits of Allison and Richard.