August Nature News
Posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009
It’s the last week of August. I sit at my desk and listen to the rain softly fall on the leaves and the plants below. It whispers change and possible snow in the mountains. It is soft, light as a feather, consistent and peaceful. This month has seen diverse weather. We have reached 87 degrees and snow has fallen in the mountains. It is a month of contrast. Hot days but also frosty nights. Day length shortens, change begins, geese fly in formation, blue birds’ flock…they ask, ‘should we go or stay?’
Nature continues to flourish but there are some fall colors in the plant world. At lower elevations, the vegetation is beginning to pass and turn color but you can still find fields of yampah and blooming asters. Yampah was a great food source for the local people. It has a sweet, nutty flavored root and I have fond memories of smiling boys as they dig in the soil with their new knives bought on their first trip to Yellowstone. They dig to find the treasure. You have to be gentle and massage the soil so it will release its’ grip and give you the small and tasty tuber.
I would classify August as berry season. I have tasted succulent huckleberries, service berries, choke cherries, gooseberries, currents and thimble berries. Tasty treats as you hike along. Since we have had so much moisture, we also have great berries. Huckleberries are found in the lodge pole pine forest. The bush grows about 1-5 feet tall with thin, bright green, ¾-2” long, finely toothed leaves that turn red or purple in the fall. They are a great source of vitamin C and tasty! You can also eat the leaves. They are similar to blueberries and you have to decide which you like better.
I did get the excitement of running into a black bear. He or she was walking with a purpose and certainly was enjoying the freedom of the trail. We stopped and it kept coming. We moved off the trail but couldn’t get that far since the bear was walking at a consistent clip. Before it crossed our path, it jumped off the trail and went around the opposite side. It was interesting to watch because it did ensure its’ “personal space”- the distance it needed between us. We did have our bear spray out but it wasn’t needed. The bear had its’ plan. We shared the trail and off it went. It happened so fast- here one minute and gone the next. We warned the approaching hikers but my guess is the bear was long gone.
I did hear about a small bear in the String Lake area. The rangers are trying to protect the bear from all the people who were grilling hamburgers and leaving bags of chips lying around. I am sure you have heard of the saying, “a fed bear is a dead bear.” Most bears are naturally afraid of people but if they get fed, they lose that fear with the desire for hamburgers. I hope the bear survives. We all need to be extra careful in bear country to keep our food safely stored so they don’t get a reward and become habituated.
I also saw the cutest pine marten! They are carnivores and in the weasel family. They might be cute but they are also feisty!
July and August have been busy months in Jackson. With our wet June, the summer season took time to start but these last two months have been hopping. Our visitation is down, but business’ seem to be doing alright. People do come to visit the parks and you can’t beat this area with all the protected land, wild animals, and fun things to do. September will mean cooler temperatures, fall colors, the mystical elk bugle, and a slower pace in the Tetons. I am ready for the change.
Check out Cathy Shill’s Hole Hiking Experience!
