Tag Archives: Grand Teton National Park

RIP 399

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Grizzly 399

Grizzly 399 was , without a doubt, the most famous Grizzly in the Yellowstone/Grand Teton eco-system. She was so famous that when I went to Jackson Hole in 2017 even I had heard of her.  Sadly Grizzly 399 was killed in a car/bear accident about a week ago. She was 28. 28 is old for any grizzly but especially a wild bear. 

photo credit- unknown

Grizzly 399 was unique in that she was still birthing cubs every year.  This bear produced 18 offspring over the years. Another reason she became so famous is that she lived close to Jackson Hole so was more visible than most. It wasn’t unusual for her to be spotted along a roadside with her cubs. Fans even sent texts and posted on social media where she might be seen. That was how I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the  bear and 2 cubs when I was in Wyoming and know that it was this famous bear,

My Sighting

I was heading back to the condo where I was staying after a day touring Yellowstone National Park. The geysers had been plentiful but wildlife had been scarce. I’d just crossed into Grand Teton National Park when I saw a lot of cars pulled off the road. I parked, grabbed the camera and trotted up to the crowd. I could see a lot of pointing and low talking so I approached one of the people in front of me. He told me Grizzly 399 was in the area with 2 cubs.  Right about then I heard someone say “There she is!” And cameras came out all along the roadside. I got as close as I could but having arrived late I wasn’t in the best location.  Here’s what I was able to capture.

3 bears out for a stroll

Grizzly 399 and 2 cubs -2017 photo Credit Deb Neumann

Into the woods

Grizzly 399 -2017 photo Credit Deb Neumann

Mangelsen Gallery

If you want to see really beautiful photos of Grizzly 399 you have to visit the Mangelsen Gallery in Jackson Hole. His work is some of the finest Wildlife Photography I have ever seen and he has some outstanding images for Grizzly 399 over the years. 

Ode to 399

28 is old for a bear and sooner or later we were going to have to say goodbye to this iconic grizzly. At least we know what happened to her. She could have denned up for a winter and never come out. No matter what it would be sad. Part of me is thankful that we know what happened to her and part of me is angry that it was due to humans that this amazing bear is gone. At the same time having driven those roads and seen how dark they can be I can understand how it happened. RIP Grizzly 399. You will be missed.

 

Photo credit -unknown

 

 

Cute Enough To Cuddle

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Being Cute is RelativeInto the woods

Not every bear is my idea of cute. The mama grizzly and her two cubs were cute. The grizzly that headed my way at Grand Teton was not cute. I was kicking around the condo scrounging dinner when I decided to take a late afternoon drive. I was nearing the end of my vacation so I didn’t want to waste a late afternoon, the best time of day for animal sighting.

 

Approaching Grizzly

Moose-Wilson Road

There’s a road from Teton Village to Moose Junction. It’s a major shortcut but it was easily the worse road I’ve ever driven. Most of the road is dirt and it clearly had not been graded in a long time. If it wasn’t a washboard it was loaded with pot holes and ruts. The pot holes were deep and huge as were the ruts. I missed my SUV! Your car could bottom out and the tires still hadn’t hit the bottom. I drove this road when I first arrived and swore I’d never take it again but it’s a good place for moose so against my better judgement I found myself picking my way through the pot hole minefield.

Critter Jam Ahead

As I approached the swampy section of Moose-Wilson Rd. I could see a lot of cars pulled over. At least they were trying to pull over. Too close to the edge of the road and they’d be mired in the swamp muck. I pulled over too, As I walked past the parked cars I bumped into a man coming my way. I asked him what was going on…accident or animal? He said a bear was in a tree right next to the road.

Bear Up a tree

This bear is cute

Little black bear

Ok that is worth walking closer. As I came around the curve in the road I saw even more cars double parked and a crowd on the edge of the road. To say the shoulder would be a lie, there was no shoulder. Sure enough there was a little tree, more like a shrub, right next to the road and sitting in the tree was a very fat cinnamon colored bear. He didn’t have a hump and was much smaller than a grizzly. In spite of his color he was a black bear and all he wanted to do was eat the berries in the tree. The crowd was far closer than the recommended 100 yards but this bear didn’t seem to mind. He was having a great time with the berries and the crowd was having a great time watching him.

lunch of yummy berries

Where are the Bears and other Animals?

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wolf

stock photo

Looking for Wolves, Bears and Other Critters

The Hayden and Lamar Valleys are known for wolves, bears and Bison and Elk. I’d had enough of the bison for one day. The Lesser Falls is really right at the junction of the 2 huge valleys. Hayden Valley is to the south. I would be driving right through it to return to Jackson.

Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley Yellowstone

stock photo

I stopped at several lookouts. The gentle rolling hills spread out below me but I didn’t see anything. Maybe it was too early in the afternoon or maybe the animals were back in the trees. Whatever was going on I was just there at the wrong time.

Entering Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton NP

stock photo

The rest of the drive out of Yellowstone was uneventful. I didn’t take the time for any more stops. There’s always tomorrow. As I approached the entrance to Grand teton National Park I saw cars overflowing the parking area. There were crowds of people lining the road and 2 rangers. My first thought was an accident but as I drove past it became clear something was in the woods. My curiosity got the better if me and I turned around. Wonder of wonders I found a a place to park in the lot! Camera in hand I headed for the crowd.

 

Where’s the bear?Grizzly

When I joined the fringe of the crowd I quickly learned there was a grizzly bear in the woods. The rangers were trying to keep the crowd a safe distance from the bear. At first I couldn’t see what everyone was looking at but finally the bear moved into sight. At first he paid no attention to all the gawkers. He just scratched around in the leaf litter. Then he seemed to notice the crowd. The rangers were pushing frantically to get the crowd back while the bear headed right toward us. That was my cue to head for the car. After my bison experience I wasn’t going to press my luck.

Overheard in the Crowd

Approaching Grizzly

One onlooker near me observed that he was going to stick it out when the bear started toward us. He said he didn’t have to be able to run fast. Just faster than the slowest person there. Well, I figured I was the slowest in that crowd so retreat was the best option for me.

The Herd at Elk Flats Ranch

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Is that a Herd of Cows?

I’d just reached the open land of Elk Flat Ranch when I spotted a herd of something. The dark spots were scattered across the landscape. At first I thought they were cows, after all this is cow country. A lone car was pulled over while the driver scanned the horizon. Maybe there was more there than meets the eye so I stopped too. Good thing I did. I was about to see 3 of the major herd animals all in one place. The black spots I thought were cows were actually bison!

Bison and Elk at Elk Flats Ranch

B is not just for bears

Not just for bears, B can be for Buffalo or more correctly Bison. Those dark spots I was watching turned out to be bison. As I watched them I saw some other movement in the herd that didn’t seem to flow with the bison. I’d forgotten to pack my binoculars so I grabbed the camera. Not as much magnification as I’d have with binoculars but better than my naked eyes. Right in the middle of the Bison herd was a small herd of Elk.

Elk on the run

Elk & Bison herd

The elk herd consisted of several females and at least 2 bulls. The bulls were a mismatched pair, one set of antlers much larger than the other. The bigger bull seemed to be bullying the smaller one. Both were running circles around the females. It was like watching a National Geographic wildlife special for real! But wait, there’s something else moving in that herd and it’s not a bison or an elk.

Prong Horn Antelope too

On the outskirts of the combined Bison/Elk herd I spotted two moving objects that were much lighter in color and moved very differently than the lumbering buffalo or the elegant elk. It’s a pair of prong horn antelope. Could this be where the “deer and antelope play”? The prong horns seemed to be  with the herd and yet apart as they bounced around the fringes. Soon they would be joining other prong horns to start their annual migration.

Prong horn join the mixed herd

From zero to 4 in 30 minutes

From no animals to 4 different species in about 30 minutes! Bears, bison, elk & prong horn. Not bad for the afternoon! But I still have about 50 miles to go to get back to the Teton Club. Maybe there’s more in store.

The Afternoon is for Animals

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A is for Animals

The animals have been hiding so far. Yellowstone is known for it’s wild animal viewing but so far I’ve only seen one lonely bison. The thermal features are impressive enough that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It’s about 3:30 in the afternoon so I thought I should stop my exploring here and start back to Jackson.

B is for Bears

3 bears out for a stroll

Lots of signs along the way remind you that you’re in bear country. My Gaperguide repeatedly suggests bear spray when hiking and not to hike alone. Even so, I’d not seen any sign of  bears so far. That was about to change. I’d just entered Grand Teton National Park when as I approached one of the many bridges that cross the streams and rivers I saw cars lined up along both sides of the road. I had no idea what they were stopped for but I stopped too. Grabbing my camera I quickly headed over to the edge of the crowd. I didn’t have to ask what it was. Right there in plain sight was a Mama Bear and 2 cubs. Big Mama looked black in the afternoon light but one of the other spectators quickly pointed out the hump that identified this bear as a grizzly.

Bear 399Mama and Cubs

Mama and cubs paid no attention to their audience as they ambled off to the nearby woods. As the spectators headed back to the cars I overheard one bear watcher say that this was bear 399. Bear 399 was made famous in the book Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, a book by photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen and writer Todd Wilkinson. Mama 399 is now 21 years old which is quite old by wild grizzly standards and even more rare that she is still breeding.

 Long Lived and Well Loved

“Every year that 399 has remained alive, raising successive broods of cubs, staying out of trouble with people, has been for those of us who enjoy her presence a gift and a miracle.”

In her two decades of life, 399 has given birth to three sets of triplets, one set of fraternal twins, and two single cubs. Her daughter, identified as 610 by researchers, has also raised four cubs of her own; 17 total cubs descended from 399: 18 total bears if you count her. Pretty Awesome!

Into the woods