Warm Spell of Winter Video Compilation

Winter appears to winding down here in Jackson Hole, Wyoming significantly early. I suppose Mother Nature felt bad for giving us such a short summer last year, so if weather stays consistent, we’ll have an extra month this year!

For the most part, winter wasn’t incredibly eventful. The title comes from winter being unusually warm much of the time. There were certainly plenty of cold days as well as a pretty respectable amount of snow, but it never really “felt” like a Jackson Hole winter. As a result, much of the wildlife didn’t follow their usual rounds and so sightings weren’t quite as frequent or predictable. Luckily though, there’s still always wildlife to be found and sometimes even gives you a little surprise.

One such occasion was when a black wolf and a mule deer buck had a two-day standoff just off the highway, captivating the town. It ended a bit anti-climatically as both eventually headed off in their own directions, but was still exciting to see.

If nothing else, you can always count on the bighorn sheep herds who make their way to Miller Butte in the National Elk Refuge every winter. It’s completely quiet back there, until you hear a loud crack that signifies that winter is officially here. The bighorn sheep rams begin ramming their heads as they compete for a mate, typically in the end of November and beginning of December.

Overall I’d say it was a good winter, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t overly excited about having an extra month to hike!

This video was also uploaded in full 1080p HD, so make it full-screen and enjoy! I’d love to hear your comments below.