Wednesday, August 29, 2018

The New Jenny Lake

Hi All,

For those that remember the old Jenny Lake shore, we hope you can return to see the nearly finished Jenny reconstruction.


Multiple plazas along the shore with new interpretive signs are really special
There is also easy access to the pebble beach where we saw several people swimming today.

Bears were quiet so we got to enjoy the views.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Tuesday, August 28, 2018

A Different Day

Hi All,

The storm passed, the clouds lifted and we were treated to smoke free skies and fresh snow on the high peaks. In Alaska this is known as "Termination Dust", the notional end of summer.


The view from Oxbow Bend was stunning, especially contrasted to the solid gray wall of smoke from a week ago.
Not too much wildlife activity today, giving us time to soak in the scenery .

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Monday, August 27, 2018

Cold, Rain & Sleet

Hi All,

We had a cold, wet day with some poignant moments. This was our shift summary:

"1000-1800 Neither rain nor snow nor sleet shall keep us from protecting our moose. So it was on Moose Wilson Road for a couple of hours but at least one cancer survivor checked moose off of her bucket list. Quiet for the rest of the shift. Thank you Kate for our waterproof Marmot jackets."

Even in crappy weather this is still the best job in the park .

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Saturday, August 25, 2018

Bear Claws

Hi All,

Many people commented on the claws in the bear photos.

Check out the claws on 399 from 2013 when she had triplets.
Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Just Another Day at the Office- NOT

Hi All,

The morning was two black bear jams and two elk jams. In the afternoon, grizzly bear 399 with cubs was back on Moose Wilson Rd and we helped set up barricades to close the road for the safety of people and the bears. We were then assigned to track the bear with telemetry from 399's collar. Here's Sandy with the directional antenna.


The Signal got stronger and stronger and then 399 walked into the road in front of us. You can see her collar in this photo.

The two cubs have gotten really big

and this one seems to be saying, "Get off of MY road"

Check out the claws

This is why the road is closed.
An awesome day.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Monday, August 20, 2018

Another Bearable Day

Hi All,

Mom with the three cubs were out all day today. A total of eight Wildlife Brigaders spent over 30 hours keeping people at a safe distance and getting them safely across the road.


Yes, even the straggler.

After the bears were safely across, the brigaders were all smiles.
Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Thursday, August 16, 2018

Bearly Keeping Up

Hi All,

We really earned our keep this week. Grizzly 399 and her two cubs were down on Moose Wilson Road last weekend. The road was closed for a few days to ensure bear and visitor safety.


Mid week they were seen walking north along Jackson Lake about 30 miles from Moose Wilson Rd.

Meanwhile Black Bear plus three  were keeping us busy, here mom is swimming in John's Pond.

Next day they were feeding on berries among the Signal Mountain cabins. This was the beginning of a seven hour effort to get them out of the developed areas. Past the cabins, past the marina, behind the restaurant and into the campground. They went where they wanted and no amount of clapping and yelling got them to move in any other direction. We even tried a powered megaphone with different siren noises. She ignored it. We finally got them out of the campground down to the boat launch where the cubs climbed into a culvert and took a nap for over an hour. At one point there were seven of us but we were no match for these determined bears. It dragged on until dark.

As a final reminder that bears are everywhere, we found this little pile of bear scat on the campground road near our motorhome yesterday morning.
It was a long week with lots of time on our feet but it is still the best job in the park.

PS: 399 +2 cubs are back on Moose Wilson Rd and it is once again closed.

Love.

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Sunday, August 12, 2018

Day 1 of our next 50 Years

Hi All,

Thank you all for your best wishes on our 50th Wedding Anniversary yesterday. Here's how it started in 1968.


Not surprisingly, some of the cards we exchanged had a bear theme. This one to my big cuddly husband 

and this big hug for my wife.
Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Friday, August 10, 2018

National Forest Highway 411

Hi All,

Today we went on an expedition with Walt & Betty to Dubois ( That's "Dewboys" in WY). After a great lunch at Cowboy Cafe we headed out to forest road 411 where we were told there were ancient Native American petroglyphs. Here's what we found.




The end of the road is the trailhead for hikes into the Wind River Range. As we scoped the hillsides with binoculars, we spotted a cowboy leading five pack horses high on a steep meadow. Look for the arrow in the center to see the spot.

As we exited the ten mile dirt road we saw this beautiful sandstone panoramas.
A great day away from the bears.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Thursday, August 9, 2018

More Exhausting Fun

Hi All,

They were back on Wednesday. First the cubs hid in a culvert under the road. The sow walked back and forth across the road while we stopped all traffic for about 20 minutes. 
Finally the cubs came out to play with the traffic cones.


Even mom got into the act.

Bears are not the only cute critters. Here a least chipmunk creates a debris pile getting inside a pine cone.

Many of you remember grizzly bear 399. This is one of her yearling cubs and it is really big. Since grizzlies den with mom a second winter (third if you include when they are born), 399 is going to need to dig a really big den this winter!

Carl recently found some long sought good news about global climate change. The heat wave scorching Europe has greatly reduced the Brussels Sprout yield in Belgium.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Triple Trouble

Hi All,

We have made frequent mention of our black bear sow plus 3 cubs that have been keeping us busy. They have been in the road, in the campground, on the beach and everywhere in between.

This is mom plus one crossing the narrow Signal Mountain Summit Road.

This is a repeat of the cubs in the culvert photo.

Here's mom trying to nurse three cubs.

One cub in a campsite left muddy paw prints on the tent.

On the narrow summit road we want people to drive by slowly but not stop. We think the cub was the only one to read the sign.

Then the black cub came over and knocked down the sign!
It has been exhausting fun trying to keep these guys out of trouble. Still the best job in the park😃

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Thursday, August 2, 2018

NatGeo Film Crews in Park

Hi All,

We got this email from the park Public Affairs Office.

National Geographic is airing live broadcasts from the Greater Yellowstone Area- including Grand Teton National Park- Sunday-Wednesday, August 5-8, at 7pm local time each night, on the NatGeo Channel.   

Several film crews are in the park and have been working with the park's Special Use Permit Office regarding this "live" programming.  They are specifically filming wildlife viewing opportunities and wildlife jams, search and rescue operations, as well as obtaining general landscape images in the park, and our cooperative work with whitebark pine restoration efforts.   We may see some of our coworkers in the film. 

So don't be surprised to see filming crews  out and about.  They are also filming in adjacent national forests and Yellowstone. 

Please be sure to share this info with all employees, volunteers, and partners, and perhaps your family and friends.  

We have already had a Nat Geo crew at one of our bear jams last week. You are almost certain to see our bears, less likely to see us.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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