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Winter, climate, and wildlife

Posted on December 7, 2025 by Leslie

Winter is slowly creeping in. Our temps are above normal for December ( daytime 30s and some 40s) but the wind has been arctic fierce. So different than when I first moved here in 2006. December wasn’t always our snowiest month, but definitely our coldest. Back in December fifteen years ago was when I first experienced a -35 degree night. I learned the trick of throwing a cup of boiling water in the air and watching it quickly vaporize.

Cold temperatures aren’t as tough on the wildlife as deep deep snow is. Deer aren’t very equipped to handle six foot or more snow that doesn’t get windblown. They can’t paw through it. In places like Jackson WY with tremendous amounts of snow, as winter arrives elk move in but deer migrate south. Even that pattern is an anomaly. Elk that summered in the Jackson area used to head to southern Wyoming and as far south as the Red Desert for winter. But as the town grew in the early 1900s, elk abandoned their annual migration and fed on the stored hay of cattle ranchers. To mitigate this, the federal government set up the National Elk Refuge. The Refuge began artificial feeding of elk in winter, luring them away from local ranches. Over time these elk lost their traditional migration memory and they now stay in Jackson, fed on the Refuge and several other sites.

Deer don’t usually like to hang with elk. I’m not sure why. Yet in tough winters, I’ve watched deer stick near the outside of large herds of elk. Hundreds of elk in wind blown areas not only tamp down the snow but can use their long powerful legs to scrape areas clear, helping deer out.

Winter of 2016-17 was epic. Many deer died from starvation

Deer struggling in deep snow

Moose on the other hand are built for deep snow. The winter of 2016 was a doozy, with epic amounts of snow. With 6 feet on the level in my front yard, I once watched a moose and her calf easily plow through. No other wildlife could manage. That winter was hard on our migratory mule deer herd. Deer are faithful to their home ranges. They were starving, and when the first grasses poked through the snow, they ate voraciously. The game warden told me those first shoots have little nutrition, so although they were filling up they died quickly. Hiking around the valley in April, I kept finding dead deer that no predator had touched, only their eyes pecked out. In contrast, elk are not so faithful and most of the herd descended into the lower elevations to escape the deep snows. Where we once had 2000 elk in winter, the last count was about half that. I suspect a lot of those elk kept that different migratory pattern finding how it benefitted them .

Wolves seem very fit for cold and snow. I can remember watching my dog sink in snow while following tracks of wolves that were gliding on top. Even at 100+ pounds and large paws, they are built to cover long distances and deep snow.

Our climate is changing, and fast. In the 18 years I’ve lived here full time, I’ve watched dramatic changes in winter. Our winters are compressed and milder. Instead of a deeply frigid December, we have mild Decembers, usually with little snow. For the last 4 to 5 years, now February is our coldest month. One February a few years ago the temperatures didn’t crack zero all month. Snows are late. There’s still snow accumulation in the high country (8000-10,000 feet), but lower elevations 6000-8000 feet have droughty conditions. That means come spring and summer, smaller creeks and drainages that used to supply wildlife with water dry up quickly. Sustained cold temperatures (negative 30s for several weeks) that used to kill beetle larvae in winter are no longer. Instead, between drought, beetles, and budworm moths, our forests are full of dead trees with a ground cover maze of downed logs, impassable for wildlife and humans.

Changing climate means we have to account for changes that wildlife will need to sustain themselves. That means protected landscapes and corridors for passage.

Filed under: New ideas | Tagged: adventure, hiking, nature, travel, Wildlife, winter, yellowstone | Leave a comment »

Hiking Northwest Wyoming – Dream Lake Wind River Mountains

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Leslie

THIS IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SHORT STORIES AND MEMORIES FROM MY YEARS LIVING IN NORTHWEST WYOMING.

IN 2012 I hiked to Dream Lake. Dream Lake is an access point to the central Continental Divide in the Wind Rivers. I planned a 7 day backpack loop with a side trip up to Europe Canyon. The Europe Canyon trail access wasn’t marked. Instead a cryptic sign said “trail abandoned” and there was no map indication of where to turn. But using some map navigating, this was the correct route to the lake.

Cryptic Sign to Europe Lake. “Trail Abandoned. Not Maintained”

Taking the abandoned trail, I arrived at Europe Lake, a beautiful gem that sits at the base of the crest of the Continental Divide. A fire on the east side made for a smokey view. Two backpackers from London were camped there. Experienced hikers, they’d cross-countried to the lake. They shared some stories with me of their travels. Because in England they received six weeks work vacation every summer, they had some great adventures. One story they relayed stood out of when they’d rescued inexperienced and unprepared hikers from severe altitude sickness in the Himalayas.

Two young men were hiking with a woman. All three were huddling in a rest cabin at over 15,000 feet. The woman had severe altitude sickness, yet the fellows were planning on continuing without her. This woman would die if she couldn’t get to a lower elevation immediately. These British backpackers changed their itinerary and assisted her down the mountain for medical care.

British hikers who rescued a woman in the Himalayas

That night I returned towards the main trail and camped among the rocks near timberline. I awakened in the middle of the night to a strange loud animal sound which I couldn’t place. Come morning I checked the tracks on the trail and felt it must have been a single domestic sheep looking for the rest of its herd. Domestic sheep have since been removed from the Winds Wilderness areas.

On my final evening I camped with a group of retired Air Force. They’d hiked along the Divide from the south end, probably starting at Sweetwater Gap entrance. One fellow had joined the crew from Ohio and didn’t take the time to acclimate. He had terrible altitude sickness, throwing up and splitting headaches. I suppose it ruined his trip. By the time I camped with them, he’d pretty much acclimated. He’s not the first person I’ve encountered in the Winds that had altitude sickness. Taking time to acclimate can be essential.

A lake not far from Dream Lake. Lone horseback rider

But the real story here is when I made it to the take-out where my car was waiting. We all hiked down together. As the Air Force guys were meeting their ride and I too was packing up, a backpacker who was loaded up with heavy gear came down the trail followed by a Labrador Retriever. That poor dog looked half crippled limping slowly all the way to the vehicle.

I asked this hiker where he’d come from. Most backpackers only do a few days and their dogs do just fine as long as their feet are protected when necessary.

“I’ve been out a month. It’s been fantastic. I’ve hike the entire Winds,” he answered. I asked how old his dog was. “Eleven”, he said. And when I told him his dog looked in very poor shape, he just replied “He’s fine.”

I felt angry. Eleven years is old for a Lab and that dog was not fine. He was suffering. His feet and joints hurt, and his owner was being completely insensitive to his dog’s needs, thinking only of himself.

There’s a few lessons here. People tend to be worried about grizzly bears in Northwest Wyoming. But they’re not the worry. Mosquitos, insufficient preparation, overdoing it yourself or to your pets are more to the point. Be safe and enjoy out there.