I apologize for any info in the report redundant to past postings.   My cluttered life only allows me to peruse this outstanding page once in a rare while.   I have spent enough time reading postings to know there are many of you who like to read current info on what's happening in the Park.   This report is for you.

My wife and I live four hours from Mammoth and have this thing about visiting Yellowstone shortly before the roads close.   (We visit at other times as well.) In late October, many of the glamour factors that draw the bulk of the 3 million plus annual visitors are lacking.   The flowers are gone.   Many species of birds have migrated south.   Numerous critters of furry persuasion are hibernating or just short of it.   Visitor services are sparse.   This past weekend, two YPSS stations were still open, Canyon Village and the Upper Basin at Old Faithful.   All Amfac lodging was closed.   The year-round Hamilton Store at Mammoth was the only one open.   The only restaurant open was the grill in the new Snow Lodge at Old Faithful.   Several campgrounds (Lewis Lake, Madison, Mammoth, and Slough Creek) were still open, but most were closed.

Most years, a late October visitor can expect to encounter snow, not the mid-winter abundance, but snow nonetheless.   With that knowledge considered, we came equipped for frosty conditions.   Arriving on Friday, mid-day, we found a freshly fallen layer of snow (a few inches) coating the north end of the Park.   One might expect the visitor protection or "patrol rangers" to be laying back, taking advantage of the apparent respite from the visitation seasons.   Unfortunately, hunting season just started recently.   Consequently many of the subject rangers are patrolling the boundaries and busting poachers.   The roads are plenty quiet.   We drove out to the Lamar Valley, looking for the charismatic megafauna.   Bison and elk are plentiful, which is not news.   The only predator witnessed was the coyote.   We managed to observe four, each off by themselves, apparently.   The last time we were in that part of the Park was early September.   We were amazed at how much work has been completed by the Federal Highways people.   Although there are still a few pieces of construction equipment hanging around, the work gives the appearance of being done.   Having planned to go no further than Soda Butte/Pebble Creek C.G.  area, we were drawn as if by magnet to keep going.   First, we had to see if they paved the Trout Lake T.H.  parking lot.   Yes.   Next, we had to see if the Thunder Cutoff T.H.  parking lot was usable once again.   It is.   Finally, we wanted to see if the new trailhead for the Upper Pebble Creek drainage, across from the Warm Springs picnic area, was completed.   It is.   For the first time in years we were not dodging potholes as we drove in the late day shadow of Baronette Peak.   We checked all the usual places for wolves, with no luck.

On Saturday, we headed south toward Norris.   (Dunraven Pass has been closed for almost three weeks.) Leaving Gardiner, conditions seemed quasi-winter.   There was an elk herd (multiple bulls, numerous spikes, cows, calves all together) on the grass between the two approach roads to the north entrance, just like winter.   A herd of pronghorn grazed in the meadow across the road from the elk.   The bighorn were not apparent as we drove through the canyon below Mammoth.   We were greeted on arriving at Mammoth by our first coyote of the day.   He, or she, was enroute to the vicinity of the campground from the area of the post office.   We spotted the second coyote of the day in a meadow, just south of Roaring Mountain.   At Norris, we turned east, heading toward Canyon.   Just east of the Grebe Lake trailhead we saw something scurrying across the road a few hundred yards ahead of us.   We stopped when we got to where the critter disappeared on the south side of the road.   We looked and looked without getting out of the car.   About to give up, and continue on, I looked in the rearview mirror to check for approaching traffic from behind.   Twenty feet to the rear a silver and black colored red fox was crossing back to the north side of the road.   We observed it in the burned timber for several minutes before resuming our journey.

Just south of Canyon Village, we observed a second red fox.   This one had the classic reddish fur unlike his cousin, who looked more like an Oakland Raider fan.   Another visitor was videotaping with a camcorder.   That is when I made a classic photographic mistake.   Not wanting to jeopardize the other visitor's opportunity to tape the fox, and painfully aware of the fact that my large lenses were securely packed away in the trunk, we watched the fox for a minute or two and continued on, secure in the knowledge that after seeing two different foxes in less than 20 minutes, there would certainly be additional opportunities.   You can guess the punch line of this sick joke.  

Hayden Valley rarely disappoints, although October through February it can be slim pickings when looking for wildlife.   On Saturday, there was an abundance of Canada Geese and scattering of bison.   We checked out our usual observation points.   Finally, at the main overlook in the south end of the valley, we spotted something other than bison and geese.   It was, or more accurately, they were coyotes.   First we spotted one, then another, then a third, all directly across the Yellowstone River.   The first two were walking around on a snow-covered gravel bar at the water's edge.   The third was up above in the sage, behind them.   Suddenly, we heard a different group of coyotes howling behind us to the northwest.   There had to be two or three at least, judging by the cacophony.   Shortly after that group started up, a third group, south of the original group started barking and yipping.   Eventually, the original bunch started replying.   We eventually observed one of the members of the third group, heading north, possibly to join the first group.   That made our third through sixth coyotes observed that day.   Keep in mind, this was around 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning.   The temperature was probably around 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze.   Thankfully, it was sunny.

We proceeded south to check out the north end of Yellowstone Lake, only to discover the east entrance road is closed for 6 miles of construction right where it joins the Grand Loop.   In fact, at present, there is a pile of dirt possibly 15 feet high, in the south (eastbound) lane.   There were quite a few construction vehicles around, along with personal vehicles.   It appeared that construction was going on full tilt on Saturday.

We retraced our route back to Norris and turned south.   In the meadows across the road from the Artist Paint Pots parking area we found a herd of elk, which still exhibited signs of rutting behavior.   (There was only one mature bull with a group of cows and calves.   The lone spike bull was keeping a discrete distance from the rest of the herd.   The bull would gather up any wayward cows with the nerve to try and leave the group.) What got the photographic juices flowing was seeing a coyote between the road and the elk, apparently "stalking" the herd.

We got out the heavy artillery, one scope and one long lens.   The Mrs.  observed via binoculars and scope, while I exposed a roll or two of film.   For a while, the coyote stayed low, only exposing his/her head above the grass.   Suddenly, two other coyotes started running at full speed much further out in the meadow, behind the elk.   They were not running toward the elk, rather left to right on an angle that would bring them closer, but not real close.   I surmised that it might be a maneuver designed to distract the elk.   (It definitely got their attention.) The first coyote, however, did not visibly react to what the others were doing.   He/she just sat there.   Eventually, the original coyote got up and started hunting mice and voles.   The route took him/her progressively closer to us, which afforded some decent photographic opportunities.

The second and third coyotes disappeared into the timber to the north of the meadow.   Later on, we observed two other coyotes hunting mice in the western reaches of this very large meadow.   Having been harshly tutored by Gene Ball, who teaches wildlife observation for the Yellowstone Institute, about not double counting animals, we only gave ourselves credit for three coyotes sighted at this pullout.   We could not be certain that the fourth and fifth coyotes were not the same two we had observed running earlier.   That made nine coyotes on the day.

We noticed number ten in a meadow just north of Old Faithful.   Unfortunately, we had seen our only foxes of the trip.

It was after 3:00 PM when we got to Old Faithful.   We sampled the lunch fare at the Snow Lodge Grill.   From there, it was off to the visitor center to check the predictions on the major geysers.   The only one, other than Old Faithful, predicted to erupt before darkness, was Great Fountain.   After chatting with the naturalists for a bit and checking out the web cam, we headed out to pose for a "Kodak Moment".   If anyone noticed two people waving at the web cam from the walk in front of Old Faithful at approximately 4:14 PM MDT on Saturday, 10/30/99, it was the two of us, bundled up like mid-winter kindergartners in Buffalo, NY.

The daily adventure was not over.   We figured we had a shot at seeing Great Fountain go off around sunset (always worth a wander).   The 4:45 PM prediction had a plus or minus two hours caveat.   We got there around 5:35 PM.   There were three other cars parked.   One car held a couple who was opting to observe in comfort.   We approached the other folks, waiting patiently on the boardwalk south of the vent.   I inquired as to whether anybody had been there when the vent started overflowing.   Nobody had, although I am not sure if they all understood what I was asking.   In retrospect, I should have asked each one just how long they had been waiting.   I examined the water pooled up on the south and southeast side of the geyser.   It was flowing, slightly.   The concentric terraces were "flooded", meaning there was water pooled on them.   I convinced myself (and several unfortunate bystanders) that Great Fountain had not gone off yet, and certainly was due to erupt in less than an hour.   Every few minutes we would witness an increase in boiling activity and some splashing.   Each time, we got excited.   We found ourselves anxiously watching the sun approaching the horizon.   We saw White Dome Geyser go off in the background, with its characteristic vertical spout.   We saw it go off once, then twice, still no Great Fountain.   Eventually the sun set.   One pair of bystanders left.   The occupied car had left long before.   It was just my wife and I and a fellow from Denver.   A few more visitors arrived, then a few more.   Pretty soon, there were seven of us "crazies", freezing our behinds off, waiting for a geyser that I am convinced erupted somewhere around 4:30 or 5:00 PM.

At 7:00 PM we called it quits.   A solemn procession of five vehicles continued on down Firehole Lake Drive.   It was almost dark.   (This is what happens when a geyser gazer wannabe tries to forecast a geyser that he hasn't observed in a few years.   I have every edition of Scott Bryan's book ever published, including the latest one, which was in a briefcase inside my car.   I guess wanting something to happen bad enough isn't enough to make it happen.)

Sunday dawned clear and windy.   The forecast told of increasing clouds and the onset of rain/snow.   Instead, we were treated to totally clear skies and fierce wind.   It turned out there were winds in excess of 70 and 80 mph across Montana on Sunday.   Having planned to get into the backcountry, we opted to go back to wildlife watching and geyser gazing instead.   (The rationale goes something like this: We can hike in the national forest and wilderness areas in close proximity to our hometown of Missoula, but on November 8 the park roads close, with the exception of Cooke City road that stays open all year.   We will be skiing and snowshoeing the backcountry of north Yellowstone in a few months, so lets take one more shot at Hayden Valley and the geyser basins.)

To make a long story short, we retraced our route from Saturday.   This time the wildlife was sparse (mostly due to the fact that wildlife tend to avoid exposure to high winds).   The bison were out.   Much like bighorn and mountain goats, they seem pretty impervious to wind.   We did spot four coyotes on the day, several at the south end of Hayden Valley.   The highlight was seeing a bald eagle on one of the perches along the river from the south overlook.   We spent a lot of time searching for its mate.   (We had observed a mating pair with an immature offspring in that area off and on all summer.)

We wrapped up the end of season venture with a troll through the Upper Geyser Basin.   We had to choose between sitting in place in low temperatures and biting wind, waiting for Artemesia to go off, and walking a few miles.   Common sense won out.

We headed back via West Yellowstone and Ennis, MT.   We finally found the weather we expected in Yellowstone.   Somewhere between Deer Lodge and Drummond we went from starlit skies to intermittent snow squalls.

Here's wishing all of you a great winter season.

Ballpark

P.S.  for geyser gazers - Daisy's interval is running almost 2 hours.   It's a bummer.   You have to wait longer for Daisy and still don't get to see Splendid go off.