Cowgirl from Jersey: Wilderness Wrangling

On arriving to Yellowstone National Park:

My expectations on coming to Yellowstone National Park were that it would be a peaceful and a beautiful place- that I could see nature and make new friends while having fun exploring the park.That I would have time and space to reflect and write in serene surroundings. So far, my expectations have been met and surpassed! I have settled in for the most part- I have unpacked and and have started to learn my way around . I am enjoying meeting new people.

I am joining 3,500 other employees hired by companies for the National Park, plus 800 who work for the National Park Service- according to the National Park Service site, that's how many people work here at peak summer season, which I arrived in! (July and August being the most popular months when the family can visit!)

Day One: Welcome Committees and Park Ranger Talks

I drove from my campground to check in as a new employee- where would I be working exactly in this park that is 3,472 square miles?

I found out the village I would be working in. (They call each location of the park a village- it is like a miniature town in itself. There are the dorms, lodges, cabins, dining halls and restaurants, visitor center and gift shops as well as the park ranger station. There is even a post office!)

As I drove into the village I would be living in, I was welcomed by a large elk walking alongside of the road! I snapped a picture, tourist style, smiling at my welcome committee as it walked slowly down the street, unfazed. Elk are used to vehicles as they are so common in the park. But if you get out of your car, as any park ranger would tell you, it can be quite a different story! This may agitate them and startle them, smelling a human coming near them and they may be surprised and have been known to charge people and injure them with their heavy hooves. I didn't know this that day and was just happy to be welcomed by this beautiful animal!

I learned more about this and how to stay safe around wild animals at a park ranger talk, that they have daily at the visitor center. I also learned how to use bear spray! It is much, MUCH stronger than pepper spray, so much so that it's illegal to use on people!

Location is Everything

More about my village, a boardwalk provides a way to walk to work and to get to the dining hall through the woods. It takes about ten minutes.

I am happy about my location because it is in between Old Faithful and the Grand Teton National Park.

It’s quite different from Jersey, that’s for sure! It’s a beautiful wilderness waiting to be explored. Out in the west, it’s so wide open and nature just surrounds you! It truly is a breathtaking and surprising beauty out west. So happy to be here!

Day Two:

Started my first day of work and had orientation! Enjoyed getting to learn the new kitchen where I am working as a cook!

Day Four:

Got my first day off, as they scheduled me for my days off on Fridays and Saturdays! I hiked in Canyon and got to see the Upper and Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone! More on that later- on my way back up the trail, I saw my first grizzly!

I was standing right by this girl-that's how far away I was.

I had made my way up most of the trail to go back to the trail-head- late afternoon- when I saw a group of people gathered around at the edge of the trail, taking pictures of something. I went in closer to investigate and learned that it was a grizzly bear!

I edged my way over and saw the grizzly through the trees, no more than 100-200 feet away. It was on all fours, seemingly oblivious to the people watching it, just sitting there and eating grass with its head down. It did not look at us. A small hill separated the trail from the grass clearing where the bear was. I took a couple of pictures and whispered to the people, asking if we were too close. (You are legally supposed to stay at least 100 yards away (the size of a football field!) from a bear or wolf, as you can be in danger. These are wild animals and safety is not guaranteed! The park also recommends to stay at least 25 yards away from all big animals at all times.)

After a couple minutes however, with people moving around, I lost sight of the bear. Suddenly, people were rushing me forward, frantically saying to "Go, go, GO! The bear's coming up the trail!"

About to rush and run, I immediately stopped upon recalling the golden advice: NEVER RUN! Unless you want to be the bear's FOOD! Only food runs!

I made myself calm down and as we walked (briskly) up the trail, I told the people around me to remain calm and not to run, saying it as calmly as I could, half to calm myself down.

I warned people on the way not to go that way, that the bear was coming.

We got to the parking lot and talked about what had happened. I had walked back up the trail with a Taiwanese married couple and the man had been one of the people closer to the bear. He said he was the only one with bear spray.

The park recommends to carry bear spray if you will be hiking in bear country or around bears.

Post Script: I have since bought bear spray.