Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 2009

Some GYE photos...

2009-07-10T00:34:00.000-07:00

How to geotag your photos

2009-07-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Geotagging is a great way to know exactly where your photos were taken - and don't you just hate it when you run across an old photo and you haven't a clue?

OK, maybe you are not as obsessive about such things like I am but here's how to geotag most of your GYE photos if you don't have a camera that will do it automatically:

Download and install the program GPicsSync on your PC (or install it on the Windows side of an Intel-based Mac running Parallels or Bootcamp); you can install a version in OS X, but for at least for now it is complicated.

Download and save this gpx file which contains all of the GPS track points I recorded during our hikes, etc. I'm missing a few things (the Granite Canyon record for example), but almost all of the rest of the course events are there.

Run GPicSync; you should get this:

In the "Pictures Folder" box at the top, indicate the location of your photos (click the Pictures Folder button to browse).

Likewise, in the "GPS" box, put the location of the gpx file you downloaded (see above).

In the "UTC Offset" box towards the bottom, put "0" if you've set your camera to UTC (Greenwich mean time); if you left your camera on PDT time, enter "-7"; if you used local Wyoming time (MDT), enter "-6" (note: your camera time must be accurate to within a couple of minutes for any of this to work!).

The other boxes can be ignored.

Click "Syncronize" and the program should add latitude and longitude information to each of your photos.

GPicSync also generates a file, "doc.kml", found in the folder where your photos are, that will allow you to see your results in Google Earth, though any program that can read the geotags will indicate where the photos have been taken; see this GYE photo in Picasa for example.

Here is some more info about GPicSync with additional instructions.

Note that your pictures will be accurately geotagged only if you were near me (i.e., the GPS unit) when you took the photo.

If you want to see the tracks, use the file linked to here.

Best of luck and please contact me if you have any problems or questions!

Dr. C.

GYE 2009 map for use in Google Earth etc.

2009-07-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a gpx map file of the course that can be run in various mapping programs including Google Earth. The file shows GPS tracks of all our hikes and canoeing as well as the Mammoth and Lamar Valley road trips. A great way to put it all in perspective!

Yellowstone/Teton podcasts

2009-06-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

If you can imagine yourself in the 6th hour of your 16 hour drive to Colter Bay and already sick of your Lil Wayne, Kenny Chesney, or Green Day CDs, you might consider some GYE podcasts to while away the time.

Here's one: Yellowstone Wolves: Changing the Ecosystem (53 min. / 18.25 mb) in which the "Yellowstone Journal visits with Dr. Douglas Smith, the leader of the Yellowstone Wolf Project, about the status and highlights of the wolf's return to the world's oldest national park. Enjoy firsthand accounts from Smith, who has a front row seat to wolves and their impacts on the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, as well as updates on population size, and more."

Numerous Yellowstone/Teton related podcasts can also be found on iTunes. If, for example, you search for Teton science school at the iTunes store, the following pop up (they're all free):

Mountain Lions 4:52 Anne Winters 5/5/08 These elusive creatures are full of mystery and intrigue.

Ravens 16:20 Nancy Van Dyke 3/27/08 A unique bird at home in Jackson Hole.

Moose 7:47 Anne Winters 2/29/08 These ancient animals are the kings and queens of wetlands and forests.

Glaciers shaped Grand Teton National Park 6:43 John Hoener 1/14/08 Admire the power, beauty, and change that glaciers create
Snow 9:13 Nancy Van Dyke 1/2/08 Water takes center stage in winter.

Grizzly Bears 6:17 John Hoener 11/19/07 Follow a grizzly's diet through the seasons of Grand Teton National Park.

A Woman's Work Is Never Done: Geraldine Lucas 7:00 Jess Ryan 11/5/07 The single woman homesteader played a vital role in the formation of the West. Called by freedom and fortune, these women endured obstacle and struggle to scratch out a life among a male dominated society. One woman's story exemplifies how their strength.

Bald Eagles 4:37 Anne Winters 10/22/07 Our national symbol was once on the border of extinction.

Dance, Song, and Moving On: One Elk's Story 7:00 Jessica Ryan 10/8/07 A year in an elk's life.

Fire's role in the West 5:18 John Hoener 9/24/07 Fire acts as Grand Teton National Park's Gardener.

Putting a Name to a Place 11:46 Nancy VanDyke 9/10/07 Mapping History With Words.

Bird watching in Jackson Hole 7:42 Anne Winters 8/27/07 Beginning techniques of birding allow you to identify birds in Jackson Hole and your own backyard.

Enjoy a hike up Cascade Canyon 6:18 John Hoener 8/13/07 A boat ride and spectacular views make this a wonderful way to spend half a day

There's a Rumble in Them Thar' Hills! 6:43 Jessica Ryan 7/30/07 The Gros Ventre Slide

The Messages of Wildflowers 10:43 Nancy Van Dyke 7/16/07 Advertising for the Birds and the Bees

Mormon Row 6:43 John Hoener 7/2/07 Mormon Row: A Once Vibrant Community

Around the Park in 48 Hours 9:49 Jessica Ryan 6/18/07 Making the most of the views, history, wildlife, solitude, and activities that the Tetons offer.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 10:24 Nancy Van Dyke 6/4/07 An Island of Natural Wonder in a Sea of Shifting Tides.

Leave No Trace 9:12 Anne Winters 5/21/07 It is important to try and minimize our impact on natural places.

Where in the World am I? 5:12 Jessica Ryan 5/7/07 What makes the landscape of Grand Teton National Park such a unique place?

Pronghorn 5:35 John Hoener 4/23/07 Pronghorn are a vivid image of the Cowboy State, Wyoming.

Out From the Shadows of Time 8:36 Jessica Ryan 4/9/07 The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the best place to view the Gray Wolf in the wild, but it was not always that way.

The History and Creation of Grand Teton National Park 10:45 Anne Winters 3/26/07 The Snake River serves as a metaphor for the creation of Grand Teton National Park

Bison 8:25 Nancy Van Dyke 3/12/07 A Key Element of Grasslands and Cultural Change in America

Water in Wyoming and the West 7:05 Anne Winters Water brings life to all creatures, yet is a depleting resource in the western United States.

Snow Fungus 4:07 Jessica Ryan Below the surface of the deep snow, in the cool moist darkness near the soil, something is...growing! It is not a plant or an animal, but what is it?! Even people who live in Jackson Hole may not know the answer. You can sit around and wait for the snow.

The Meat Puppets can always wait (and Snow Fungus; not a bad name for a band!)

Global Warming, Dead Forests, Imperiled Grizzlies

2009-06-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of very informative postings (part 1 and part 2) that discuss the link between climate change, whitebark pine, and increased human-grizzly interaction (with often dire consquences for the bear: There were 37 human-caused grizzly deaths in the GYE in 2008, the highest number ever recorded).

Webcams and weather

2009-06-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Check out these Teton webcams and this one at Old Faithful (the only cam I could find in Yellowstone).

Here are some good weather sites for the Tetons and Yellowstone. Also, you'll find some
4 day forecasts at the bottom of this page.

Note that the weather hasn't been all that great and the forecasts are for more of the same (lots of rain...some snow!)

Google Earth tours of the GYE course

2009-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

There are two ways to view a Google Earth tour of the GYE course events:

You can download the tour into Google Earth (here are the simple directions).

You can view an embedded tour in the window below. You'll need the Google Earth plugin installed on your computer for this to work, even if you have installed the entire Google Earth program (which I'm sure you have because it is the best program ever).

Note that the embed is not a video. To see what I mean, click in the tour window and move the cursor around while it is playing (hit the "Play" button to start). You'll get an interactive 3D playback! You can also pause, explore the area (using the navigation controls in the upper right; you can also use the mouse or keyboard), then resume the tour when you want. BTW, the Google Earth plug-in is well worth having because it is becoming more and more common for sites and blogs to include Google Earth-related features.

Downloading the tour into Google Earth provides many more options and much greater versatility than the embedded tour, so this is what I would do (after playing with the embedded tour first of course!)

Course calendar and map

2009-06-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here is calendar of course events.

Here is a map of course events.

Grizzlies flunk test

2009-06-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

Grizzlies flunk test to open new kind of camp cooler « Ralph Maughan’s Wildlife News: "Breaking and entering experts at West Yellowstone Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center can’t open (or smash) new coolers"

Black wolves the result of interbreeding with dogs

2009-05-27T22:59:00.000-07:00

This is really cool: "The black fur of some North American wolves is the result of long-ago dalliances with domestic dogs, probably the companions of the earliest Native Americans."

These "dalliances" apparently occurred 10,000 - 15,000 years ago when people (and their dogs) first crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Asia.

What is particularly interesting is how the melanism gene has persisted only in the forest-dwellers and not in the tundra wolves, perhaps because the darker color has provided additional camouflage in the shady forest environs. Others suggest that that the trait is associated with better immune systems (strangely, at least one of the allele sets involved in melanism belongs to a family of genes that is involved in fighting off infections; see comments for more discussion). Of course, both camouflage and immune factors could be involved.

Click the post title above for a nice summary from Wired.com.

These findings were originally published in the 5 February 2009 is issue of the journal Science. Here's the abstract.

A couple of routes from north SD County to Colter Bay, Grand Teton N.P.

2009-05-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Route #1 (leaves I-15 at Brigham City, Utah, more camping opportunities compared to the other route; 1,026 mi – 16 hours 2 mins)

Route #2 (leaves I-15 at Idaho Falls, 158 more freeway miles; 1,059 mi – 16 hours 3 mins)

When viewing the maps you can put the cursor on the route line and drag it to a new route to look at alternatives. Also, click on the camera icons on the left hand side of the screen to see a road-level view of the exits and turns.

Geology group treated to rare pool explosion

2009-05-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

"Yellowstone National Park geologist Hank Heasler was lecturing a group of colleagues in Biscuit Basin on the rarity of hydrothermal explosions last week when – Boom!

"A hot pool behind him exploded, spewing mud, rocks and hot water 50 feet in the air. Geologists know of only a handful of such unpredictable explosions in Yellowstone’s recorded history."

The natural history of hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone.

Expert: Help relist grizzlies

2009-05-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

From the Jackson Hole News & Guide:

"A grizzly bear expert and author urged Jackson Hole residents this week to petition the government to add the animals back onto the endangered species list.

"Public response is key to relisting grizzlies, Doug Peacock said during a presentation Tuesday night in Jackson.

"He said people signing petitions and writing letters to public officials is the best hope for action because the government agencies protecting the grizzly are incapable of doing so.

"Peacock said a staggering number of Yellowstone grizzlies died last year, at least 54 that are known. Hunters and others shot 37 of those, he said.

"He attributed the increase in deaths to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking the grizzly off the endangered list two years ago, plus the loss of whitebark pine, which has seeds that provide an important food source for the bears.

“ 'This is a double whammy,' he said. 'Whitebark pine [seeds] and grizzly mortality are directly related.' "

More here

Global Warming Hurting Trees & Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone

2009-05-25T01:40:00.000-07:00

"Whitebark pine is a rugged, tough, resilient, beautiful tree that inhabits the high country of the Northern Rockies. Whitebark pine is typically the last tree one sees before going above timberline. Whitebark pine seeds - or pine nuts - feed Clark's nutcrackers, red squirrels, and grizzly bears.

"In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), whitebark pine seeds are the primary food source for grizzly bears during late summer and fall when the bears are trying to fatten up for their winter hibernation. Bears in Alaska have salmon, bears in Glacier National Park have berries, and bears in the GYE have whitebark pine seeds.

"But the whitebark pine population is being rapidly decimated by global warming.

"The main killer is the mountain pine beetles mountain pine beetle, which bores through the tree's bark, cuts off its supply of water and nutrients, and starves it to death. A second killer is blister rust, a fungus accidentally introduced from Europe in the late 1800s.

"While mountain pine beetle are native to the West, the high-altitude environment that whitebark pine trees inhabit has typically been too cold and harsh for the beetles to do any damage. Prolonged cold snaps (i.e., 40 below zero for several days) in whitebark country previously prevented major beetle infestations.

"But global warming has changed that..."

More here

Yellowstone National Park - Travel Alert - Road Construction

2009-05-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone National Park - Travel Alert - Road Construction Project (U.S. National Park Service): "Several road construction projects will take place this year that will affect travel within Yellowstone National Park.

The biggest project will be on a segment of the park’s Grand Loop Road between Madison and Norris through Gibbon Canyon."

Spring Grizzlies in Teton NP

2009-05-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

From The Jackson Hole Blog. Check out the photos.

The best Yellowstone book deal out there

2009-05-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

"Yellowstone Resources and Issues 2009, by the staff of Yellowstone National Park. Originally a training manual for seasonal National Park Service employees, this annually updated book has evolved into one of the most sought-after references on Yellowstone National Park. Do you want to know how the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone formed? Do you ever wonder how many pronghorn live in the park? What are thermophiles and why are they so important? You’ll find these answers and more in this easy-to-use compendium. 2009. Soft-cover. 8.5' x 11'.

PRICE: $14.95"

Exclusively from from the Yellowstone Association

Canyon Pack

2009-05-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

From Yellowstone Insider: "The biggest hit of Yellowstone's summer season so far? The Canyon Pack

"It's not often a new pack pops up in Yellowstone National Park. Especially when it pops up right on the doorstep of the Park's headquarters.

"But that's exactly what happened this weekend when a remnant of the Hayden Pack decided to den right outside Mammoth Hot Springs. Now dubbed the Canyon Pack, the group of three males and one female rather blatantly decided to set up shop south and east of the busy area."

Yellowstone wolf news

2009-05-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

A couple of interesting items from the Wyoming Wolf Program Weekly Report :

"Recently, two separate situations in YNP with habituated wolves have occurred. In the first situation, the Canyon pack denned within a half mile from the Mammoth/Park Headquarters area where there is also a residential area. The wolves have traveled through the residential area and killed elk there as well as close to the road near visitors. None of the wolves (4 of them, 3 males and 1 female) have been a human safety threat, regardless they have been hazed from the residential area (bean bags and cracker shells) and will be continually hazed each time they enter this area. Results from hazing have been effective and it has reduced the time they come in to the developed area. These practices are consistent with how grizzly bears are treated as a grizzly was hazed from the same area on May 14. If there is any evidence of a human safety threat then the offending animal will be removed. The den area is being protected through a closure and visitors are advised to not approach these wolves for photographs or any other reason as it negates the effectiveness of the hazing.

"In the second situation, a young wolf dispersing probably from the Gibbon Meadows pack chased people on bicycles and a motorcycle on several occasions. It is unclear how many times as it appears the wolf has been illegally fed and this and other incidences of habituation have gone unreported. This wolf is considered a human safety threat and active measures to remove it have been ongoing since May 7 without success. There is no plan at the moment to suspend activities to find and kill this animal because it is considered a threat to human safety. Again, visitors are advised to not approach wolves or any other wildlife in YNP as it is unsafe and leads to habituated wildlife which ultimately will have to be removed."

(Also, check out "Monitoring" and "Research" at the Wolf Report linked to above.)

Stuff not to forget

2009-05-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

The following could come in very handy while on hikes, etc.

Toenail clippers
Small first-aid kit, including items for blister care
Allergy meds
Ziplocks/small trashbags
Toilet paper
Change of socks
Baby-Wipes
Pepper spray (for bears) such as Counter Assault or equivalent.

Yellowstone Park News

2009-05-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone Park News is a excellent blog about Yellowstone and vicinity. Be sure to check out the links.

Excellent book about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

2009-05-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

One of the best books about the natural history of the Yellowstone ecosystem is For Everything There Is a Season: The Sequence of Natural Events in the Grand Teton-Yellowstone Area by Frank C. Craighead Jr.

From a review at Amazon.com: "With an almost poetic passion (but minus sentimentality), Frank shares with us the intricate details of biotic life in the Grand Teton-Yellowstone ecosystems---what "events" occur coinstantaneously and may signal the occurence of what OTHER events, within each given season and "subseason". His knowledge of these interrelationships is transfixing to the amateur naturalist (like myself!), and inspiring. The flow of Life itself brims from this book. And while he could easily hoard such choice hints as where and when to find morel mushrooms or certain rare flowers, he doesn't: He is generous in trusting his readers to not harm the biota they discover via his book. A better homage and resource book for this region could not be found."