American Outlaw

Gray wolves are the epitome of American wilderness. Reviled everywhere they are found, wolves are rarely credited for the good they do. Yellowstone saw habitat flourish when wolves were reintroduced and kept elk and mule deer on the move. We should celebrate this American outlaw.

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A gray wolf lopes along the road in Denali National Park during my first trip to Alaska. We were waiting at one of the many construction sites on the main park road when the bus driver casually remarked, "Oh, a wolf!" I just had time to put the window down and get a few shots before the wolf disappeared around the bend. Then I had to remind myself to breathe again. Wow.

Wolves investigate tantalizing smells in the snowpack of a glacial riverbed in Denali. I saw these two while hiking around Toklat.  The wolves continued their trek downstream.

I found wolf tracks in Katmai National Park while looking for grizzlies. 

I saw a black wolf dart off the road through the trees while exploring Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota during my first visit. I never got a good look at the wolf, but did photograph its tracks in the dirty snow.

My Uncle Mark and I were luckier during my second visit to Superior National Forest. We were exploring the Gunflint Trail looking for lynx when my uncle spied two snow-covered timberwolves. I was just able to get a few shots before they disappeared into the forest. Trail magic!

I found wolf tracks while hiking in Denali during my first visit. Wolf hunting in Alaska just outside the park has decimated Denali's wolf population. Now virtually nobody sees wolves when they visit. Talk about killing the golden goose, Alaska Tourism.

I've seen distant wolves in Yellowstone, but I have never seen a wolf as close as this one during my very first wolf encounter in Denali. Lucky!