We left Idaho Falls for the two hour drive to Jackson Hole; we planned to spend the night at a downtown hotel and meet the naturalist from Jackson Hole Wildlife Tours early the next morning who would guide us through Yellowstone for the next several days. Skies were heavily overcast but as of yet there was no precipitation. The road paralleled the Snake River and the yellow and browns of the dried landscape juxtaposed against the gray river and sky was eerily beautiful.
As we gained elevation, the mist slowly swaddled the distant mountains. We soon learned that the road that directly crossed the mountain pass was closed due to an accident and we were detoured to the south. We followed the edge of the Palisades Reservoir for several miles sometimes with totally unobstructed views, sometimes with views softened by mist. Eventually, we approached the town of Jackson Hole from the south. A mixture of rain and wet snow began to fall.
We had time before our hotel check-in so we drove through the National Elk Refuge on the outskirts of town. This 25,000 acre parcel of land located between Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park is the winter sanctuary for over 7500 elk who migrate south each year from as far away as Yellowstone. The elk herds survive the hard winters of Jackson Hole by grazing on meadow grasses when not snow covered (the many days of winter sunshine frequently melts the snow) and through a supplementary feeding program run by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The lower elevation and milder climate of the reserve make it a more desirable location than the surrounding area for other types of wildlife like bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, coyotes and fox to shelter for the winter. In March, the elk and other wildlife follow the retreating snow north gradually returning to higher elevations for the summer and fall.
I was keen to see elk and with numbers like 7500 wintering in the reserve, thought we had good odds of spotting a herd. But, alas, because it was late October and snow was just beginning to fall to the north, the refuge was not yet populated with its winter visitors. We passed wide expanses of yellow brown meadow framed by rocky outcroppings and mountain foothills with a light dusting of snow, a starkly beautiful, barren landscape.
As we continued driving and gaining elevation, the rain gradually became substantive, changing into soft icy droplets. Off in the distance, we perceived movement; a small herd of animals was crossing the plain. Grabbing my camera with the telephoto lens, I saw a small troupe of what could be deer or antelope walking forward, occasionally lowering their heads to graze.
We drove up a slushy track looking for a place to turn around; our rental car did not have all wheel drive and with the rain turning to snow, we wanted to avoid getting stuck. Majestically perched on a branch right before us was an eagle, with its telltale white head! We watched it for several minutes waiting for it to become airborne, but the bird was content to shelter from the wet snow amidst the dense tree branches.
As we headed back to the entrance of the reserve, the snow disappeared. Much to our delight, we saw a lone animal grazing. We were able to drive down a short service road to get a closer view. A quick google search showed us this was a female pronghorn. Easily identified by the large white patches on its rump, belly, and cheeks, the pronghorn is sometimes referred to as the American antelope or goat-antelope but it is not a member of either the antelope or goat species. Rather, it is a uniquely American mammal that has inhabited North America for millions of years.
Not too far in the distance, we spotted a male pronghorn, its large horns curved inward like a lyre. Pronghorn are unique in that they have horns, not antlers, that shed every fall and grow back in the summer. We also learned that the pronghorn is the fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere running as fast as 60 mph, bounding distances of 20 ft. It has great stamina and evades predators, traveling for hours at speeds of 30-40mph. Seeing and learning about this unique species of animal was compensation for not seeing elk!
Excited to have seen some wildlife in the reserve, we drove to our hotel to check in, then headed to downtown Jackson Hole to explore and have dinner. There was not a snowflake to be found in town, just a steady drenching rain. We parked and walked into the town square, entering under one of four arches formed from elk antlers and interlaced with pink and white lights. Each arch consists of over 2000 antlers supported by a steel frame. A bit startled by the construction, we soon discovered that elk naturally shed their antlers each spring, providing plenty of raw material for the arches without harm to the animal.
Consistent with the town’s wild west legacy, the sculpture in the center of the square depicts a cowboy riding a bucking bronco, hat held high in the air, one hand tightly gripping the reins. Interestingly, the rider sits atop the memorial honoring military veterans from the community. I puzzled over this connection and thought that the rider might be a metaphor for the courage and spirit shown by those who fought for their country but decided I was overthinking this. It was probably just be a cool sculpture topping a simple base that was designed to maximize the number of vet’s names that could be etched on it. By now, the steady rainfall had drenched our jackets and splattered my camera lens. Enough exploring outdoors; we hustled out of the square, seeking shelter and food in the Silver Dollar Bar and Grille. Surrounded by paintings from saloon days of old – men drinking and gambling with women dressed to the nines at their elbows, we enjoyed a drink and hot meal. By the time we left, the rain had turned to snow and a thin coating of white powder covered the sidewalks and blanketed the parked cars. Tomorrow we meet our wildlife tour guide and head to Yellowstone; we hadn’t expected snow so early in October but with the 8-10 inches forecast overnight, we knew that we were in for an adventure!
