I went to Yellowstone on Saturday and hit the north end of the park. This was an area I explored a lot when I lived in Livingston. The area I hit was one that I've always wanted to explore but never took the time to hike in. On the map were a lot of little lakes and ponds and I thought it would be a great place to visit, but I would have to do it off trail.
The hike was very steep in the beginning, but once to the top it was very open and easy going. I hit the first lake to find nice fall colors. As soon as I reached the shore a group of wolves began to howl. They were very close, in fact I thought maybe they were on the ridge right above me. So I went to find them. I have learned that wolves during the day will group under a tree near or almost at the top of hills. I moved around the ridge and kept an eye out for anything along the base of trees. After a half mile I figured they were maybe moving through and just gave a howl to regroup and kept moving. I said I would go to the next ridge and just have a look into that meadow. Of course I let my guard down because I didn't think they were in the area and just before I reached the ridge, the base of tree not more then 20 yards away exploded with wolves. I counted 7 but I think it was maybe 9 or 10. They didn't really see me so they didn't scatter to far. They slowly moved back to the tree but one came up from behind me and gave a yelp and that sent them running. 
Returning to Jackson just as the sun was going down. It was on of the best sunsets I've seen in awhile.
I also shot a lot of pictures of a bald-faced hornets nest with fall colors in the background and some fall colors abstracts using camera motion.

It was a great week. Last Wednesday hiked up Table Mountain for some of the best views in the Tetons. Spent all day Saturday with the owl. Sunday had a great hike and found some moose. Monday morning followed a pack of wolves and this morning had a bugling bull elk almost walk right up to me.
Fall colors in the trees are just about a week shy of being at the peak. The temps have been in the low 30's upper 20's in the morning. A couple of low areas the leaves are now brown. The elk are very vocal at sunrise and sunset. Once the moon comes back they should stay active all night.
The valley has a thick cover of smoke from the fires so I've been doing non-Teton landscapes in the morning. On Monday I hiked back to a big old tree. While shooting it wolves began to howl and they were close. I circled around and found two of them, one black and one gray. I could hear five different howls. But the others were maybe a half mile away. I stay with them for a couple of hours before they hit a thick tree line and disappeared.
The owl I saw in a tree as I was hiking into an area off trail. Over the next couple of hours without approaching it became use to me being around it. Then I slowly worked in closer, maybe 3 feet then wait 15-20 minutes and then another 3 feet and so on until I was almost at the base of the tree. It liked to sit on low branches so I was able to get some nice close and clear shots. I was also happy I could move around and work in the fall colors for a background.

Not much new to write about. It is very cold in the mornings and more trees are showing color. The elk are more active and bulls are more vocal. Berry bushes are getting hit hard by birds and bears, although I've only watch the birds fresh bear sign is in the area each morning.

The sound pierced the darkness. It was a high pitched squeal of a young elk. Not the normal sound of a young one separated from mom, but one in distress. It calls out again in a series of three. Now I hear water splashing and tree limbs breaking. It was being chased. I could almost tell how close its pursuer was by how short and fast it was calling out. Again it hit the water then it then the pitch changed even higher and it was over. For ten minutes I had listened to this and then no sound at all. It was getting light enough to see the mountains, but still to dark to see anything else.

My figured a young elk had just been killed, by a wolf or bear. The elk are big enough that a black bear will not try to kill them anymore, but a griz would. I had not seen any grizzly tracks in this area all summer, but I had seen wolf tracks. About twenty minutes later I headed to a trail head about a quarter-of-a-mile away. I made plenty of noise just in case a bear was in the area. A couple of hours later I was back at the trail head and I just had to go check out the area that I heard all the commotion coming from. I hiked in with bear spray out and ready, but I never found a kill site. I walked both sides of the stream and never found any sign of what I had heard only 2 hour before. It was puzzling but I didn't want to go into any thick timber or willows just in case it was a grizzly that would want to protect its food. But I am left to wounder what it really was that I listened to.

I hear and see a lot more things then I ever get pictures of. A lot of times it is too dark for pictures or if I move they will run away. So I sit and watch. The picture of the weasel was almost one of those moments. Five times before I've seen them, but never took a shot. One time I was sitting by a log and one came running toward me in the grass. But if I moved it would see me and turn away. Instead I watched it bound right up to my feet, then it realized I was not part of the log and quickly ran. This time I had been shooting birds and noticed him moving around the log. With slow movements I was able to swing the camera toward it. It became curious and moved closer and I was able to fire off a few shots before the noise of the shutter scared it and it ran off. 

The elk are becoming more vocal and the bulls are starting to gather herds of cows. Colors are starting to show a little more and some of the grass in the low areas is already brown. Fall is close. 

Fall is very close. The mornings temps are back down in the low 30's and the highs in the mid 70's. The bison herd continues to grow but not a lot of action for the camera. Lots of fires in the area and plenty of smoke. I haven't been able to get a good morning shot with an animal and the smoky haze.

Birds are starting to group and leave. The thistle plants are seeding and I should be able to get some shots of finch and siskins feeding. Berries are starting to ripen and waxwings should start to hit the trees in force.

I did surprise a black bear and cub on Sunday. The grass was just over waist high and about 15 yards away a bear stood up. She gave a quick growl and turned away then I saw a cub head for a tree and climb up. I backed away and the cub came down and they both left. I've seen the bears most of the summer so I knew to be alert, but it is always a surprise when I find them.

This is another shot, taken 8-29, from the one of the areas that I scouted last fall. However, due to the rivers running so high this summer this small pond was not around. The water level is back down and this pond is now cut-off and will slowly dry up. But until then I have a nice reflection to work with. I hope it stays long enough to get a little ice, just one more element to add to the shot.
I thought is morning I was going to get the great shot. Hiking in I could see some clouds and even low fog. But the as sunrise drew near, the clouds covered the peak and other clouds behind me blocked the sun from giving the scene the extra punch of color. Maybe next time.
The last two mornings I've heard one elk bugling. He only bugles once. Still very early, but fall is getting close. The bison herds are growing bigger. The Jackson herd must have been strung out over a mile. The bulls are getting very vocal but not a lot of fighting yet.

Good landscape shots don't involve a lot of luck. It takes patience and scouting.
I scouted for a new morning location for a picture of the Grand with water in the foreground. Last fall I hiked the entire length of a stream and found 3 spots that might work. This summer I've been checking on them to see how they change. In the spring and early summer, the water in the stream was high enough that it was covering the rocks. Last fall the rocks were exposed and something that I felt made the picture interesting. A couple of weeks ago the water level had dropped to show them, so this was the first round of test shots. Now I have to be patient and wait until the skies have clouds at sunrise to add the finishing touches. Sunrise happens to fast just to be lucky and happen upon a scene. I've waited 10 months just to get this shot. It might be another 2 months before I get the rest of the elements to make the complete image.

It is always nice to get up early when the moon set is close to sunrise. You can get a little detail of the mountains into the shot.
Not much is moving around. Birds are still watching after young ones and like to remain hidden. Chipmunks are busy gathering seeds from the tall grasses.
The early mornings are getting cooler. It was 34 on Saturday and a bit of frost on the grasses in the low areas near the river when I walked in. Saw a little touch of yellow in the tops of cottonwood trees. Fall is close.

The Alaska Basin is on the western side of the Teton Range. Most years the trail is good by August, but this year the snow is still holding a lot of the high ground.

About 4 miles into the hike snowfields covered the trail and I spent a lot of time just trying to find it. I was not alone, at the top and coming back down I "found" other groups looking for the trail.

Some wild flowers were in bloom, but not as many as I hoped for because of the snow.

It was a great 18+ mile hike.

Pictured below is Battleship mountain and flowers taken near Sunset Lake.

I will add a couple more images from this hike next week.