Our Private Wolf Sighting in Grand Teton - Magic!

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Geo: 43.818, -110.706

Up and off to see if we can spot the wolves. We took the road in by Spread Creek so we would not have to go through all the low water crossings. As we were coming down the road the buffalo started coming down out of the hills heading out into the meadows to graze. One very large bison came crashing out onto the road very close to the front of the truck. Glad we were not moving really fast. We did have to slow down a couple of times to let them make up their minds which way they were going to go.

Decided to climb Uni hill so see what the perspective would be from up there. It is a very steep incline up the hill and so huffing and puffing up we went. Did have to stop every once in a while to let the breath catch up. Each time would check the hillside up and down for anything.
And then, about 6:45 Laura had stopped for one of those breathers doing the up and down the hillside check, when there was a wolf down by the reservoir!!!! Called out to Robert to let him know and watched as it walked along the shoreline.

Climbed up the hill further and made it to the top and could still see it. While climbing did miss the wolf getting into the water. Robert thinks it may have done this to kill its scent but we are not sure.

Got to watch it climb up the hill. As it was climbing it would stop to rest and look around and then continue on. The wolf climbed higher and higher and we finally lost it in the trees. Wow and wow, we were so elated!

The view from on top of Uni hill is great. You are looking down on the reservoir and across to another hill covered with trees. Watched as some bull elk and then cow came out of the woods to feed on the open grasses. They were keeping a close eye out so don't know if they could smell the wolf or knew they might be nearby. We also saw pronghorn and heard sandhill cranes but could never find them on the hillside.

What a way to start a day. The view back over to the Tetons was gorgeous as the sun kept changing the color of the mountains as it rose. As we were leaving the area, we saw the guy we had talked to earlier that works on the reservoir and told him we had seen the wolf.

We also stopped by the Buffalo Ford station to let the guy know we had seen the wolf and to thank him again for the information. The volunteer was there but was another ranger on duty. We have a brochure that we got on one of our trips that talks about the different wolf packs in the Tetons but does not have all the information that the cards on the Yellowstone wolves has. The ranger confirmed the wolf we saw this morning was from the Buffalo Pack

Still reved up from our sighting, we decided to do a short paddle on String Lake. The weather was supposed to turn stormy by afternoon so we put together a quick lunch, and got ourselves ready to get out on the water. It was a beautiful morning so there were loads of people with the same idea.

We were on the water by 11:15 and headed over to the portage over to Leigh Lake. The water was higher than it had been the last time we were here and we did not have as much trouble with the rocks as we have had in the past.

Paddling standing up on a surfboard "supping" is a very popular sport this year and there were plenty of them out having fun. As we were leaving there was a group from the Teton Science School that was getting instruction on environmental issues, and then boat safety and so on. We stopped at the area near the portage point and had our lunch.

We were entertained by various groups coming up and getting ready to portage over to Leigh Lake. We were amazed by the number of people that were out paddling with their children without life jackets! We decided we were not going to portage over to Leigh Lake because you could see the clouds beginning to turn a little gray.

Started heading back at a leisurely pace stopping to watch a mother merganser and her 8-10 babies out on the water. They were so funny as they would clamber up on her back, and then as she glided off, off they slide only to try it again.

Was getting darker and stormy looking so we headed on in and Robert went to get the truck as I started taking things loose from the boat. It was a madhouse at the area where you can park to load or unload your boat and so we just walked ours back to where Robert had found a parking place.

Meanwhile, it is getting darker, temperature dropping and people still pouring into the parking lot getting ready to go have picnic, go out on the water and other crazy things like that. The thunder started and we were getting our boat packed up as fast as we could. It started lightning as well. Glad we were not out on the water or anywhere near all these crazy people when it started raining! We got boat loaded and were driving out of the parking lot as the storm hit!
As we passed by Jenny Lake there were cars parked out on the main road so the hike to Inspiration Point must have been a madhouse as well. Went to Climbers Ranch and had a nice shower and then headed into Jackson Hole via the Moose-Wilson road. No wildlife on the road today.

Went to the Silver Dollar Saloon but they had a shortened menu because they were in the midst of a chef crisis. Decided we would try out Local, a new restaurant that uses local produce whenever possible. Dinner was very nice and then we went to the Rose and visited with the bartender we had met the other night at Local. They have their bar divided where you can just drink or you can pay to go and listen to the live music. We decided we might not get our money's worth since we had been up so early. Robert tried out a new drink for him, a Brandy Alexander. From there we walked back through the Silver Dollar and the band was not bad at all and we stayed and danced a few tunes before heading to bed.

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