The Quiet Season: Part Two

We are here in Yellowstone during the few months between the intense Summer tourist time and the Winter invasion of snowmobiles and "snowcoaches." Only the north entrance and the park road to the northeast entrance and the town of Cooke City is open. The only campground still operating is Mammoth. There were only three other campsites occupied the nights that we stayed there. But it was the perfect cool, crisp Autumn weather of childhood memories. Clear blue sky, bright sunny days and incredible starry nights filled with the sounds of elk and coyote. I don't believe that I have ever seen night skies so brilliant as here. Maybe it's the altitude, maybe the clarity of the air, maybe the absence of competing light - maybe all of it, but it beats even the night skies at our cabin in northern British Columbia, something I never thought that I would find.

The first morning we woke up to a parade of elk going by the window of our camper. By the time that we got organized enough to grab a camera (Morningstar of course) and started counting, we had numbered over 30 critters. After breakfast we decided to drive across the park to Cooke City. We came across the elk again at the Mammoth Park Headquarters where they seemed to be very much at home lounging around the main buildings. Even a local dog was hanging out in the same area and seemed to regard the elk as part of the usual scene.

We continued on hoping to see a buffalo. Morningstar was especially hoping to see one. Well, we saw hundreds. Everywhere we went, including hiking up some side trails, we encountered these great, shaggy beasts. In reflecting on our Yellowstone experience we both agreed that we had seen much in this tiny portion of a national park that is comprised of 3,472 square miles. We promised ourselves we would be back. ..Bob