DAY 4: GEYSER BASINS


DAY 3: YELLOWSTONE’S LAMAR VALLEY


Exploring the Northern Range and the Lamar Valley in winter is all about opportunities to spot the wildlife that call this portion of Yellowstone home. Accompanied by wildlife biologists from the Yellowstone Institute, you’ll head into this prime wildlife viewing area today on a winter “safari” to get an up-close look. Bison, elk, coyotes, grey wolves, pronghorn sheep and bighorn sheep live in the immense Lamar Valley, where the “circle of life” is played out in dramatic fashion in winter. The wildlife biologists provide a better understanding of these winter lifestyles: how the animals adapt to the icy conditions, how they survive, how they co-exist – or not. This is the best time of the year to view wolves in their habitat as several major packs make their home here, more visible in the snow. After a hot lunch in Cooke City, return to the hotel for a talk by Dr. Jim Halfpenny, an acclaimed scientist, author and educator. Jim, who lives in the “Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” and has written extensively on Yellowstone’s wildlife and ecology, offers his unique perspectives on life within the world’s first national park.


There are some 10,000 geothermal features in the park, nearly half of all geothermal features in the world. What goes on beneath the surface of Yellowstone is as intriguing as what you see above... In winter, these features are more vivid as the extremely cold air makes geysers, fumaroles and bubbling mud pots all the more noticeable – and their warmth attracts a magnificent array of wildlife. Ride a snowcoach for a full day touring this world of fire and ice... You’ll visit the geyser basins – while trees are coated with frost and a blanket of snow covers the ground, powerful underground volcanic action spews and sputters throughout these basins, creating imagery that makes for spectacular photographs. Tonight begins a three-night stay at Old Faithful Snow Lodge, where this evening’s highlight is a talk by Gerard Baker, a Mandan-Hidatsa Indian who grew up on a reservation in North Dakota. He joined the National Park Service, bringing all he learned about his people’s history and traditions with him to posts such as Park Service Superintendent of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Lewis and Clark National Trail, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. He’ll share some of those insights with us tonight.


Dr. James Halfpenny The acclaimed ecologist, scientist and educator, whose background is in mammalogy, ecology and the study of bears, is a member of the Explorers Club and a Vietnam veteran. He has conducted research and led expeditions to the four corners of the world, including both polar regions, deserts, and forests of the tropics.


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