Skip navigation

Tag Archives: bear

Preparing for Winter

There was one overlook in Yellowstone that was often full of cars. The first time I stopped to see what was attracting people, someone told me there was a black bear in a hole across the way. It was easy to see the hole and sometimes, if the light was just right, I could see bear fur but it took several visits before I got a good look at the bear. And then, on our last day, she was outside the den! People referred to the bear as a her/she so I went along with that. She slowly moved across the ground, scraping dry vegetation that she would collect and drag and then she backed up into the hole, as if she was making a nest for cubs that might arrive in the winter. I’d love to be there next spring when she emerges and maybe get a glimpse of those cubs!

Early Winter

Yesterday we went for a ‘Sunday Drive’. All the dogs piled into the new car and we took some snacks and headed up the Chewuch River. Not too much snow up there so we had some nice easy walks. Two of the dogs are old and one is nearly lame so we all took it easy.

Our first stop was Falls Creek Falls – pretty in all seasons and some especially interesting ice forms this visit.

The Yellow Belly – Ponderosa Pines – are especially pretty in winter

Rosehips brilliant color and citrus taste make them especially attractive to birds. People enjoy them as well.

We saw two beavers on the Chewuch.

The fresh light snow was excellent for tracking animals. Here is a tiny one – maybe a vole?

And a moose. There were two sets – maybe a cow and calf.

And a big black bear. It walked along the road between when we drove up and when we returned. This was the second set of bear tracks we saw yesterday. I wonder when they will begin hibernating?

Lots of elderberries still hanging from the bushes. Do bears eat these?

And more beautiful rosehips

Ice on the Chewuch 

And the lonely snags from the 30 Mile Fire, ten years ago. Wind blowing through them made an eerie wailing sound. No doubt, these woods are haunted.