Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that Samantha R Dehring, age 25 of Carol Stream, Illinois, pleaded guilty to willfully remaining, approaching, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards. The other count, feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife, was dismissed. Dehring appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on October 6, 2021, for her change of plea and sentencing hearing. She was sentenced to four days in custody, one-year unsupervised probation, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, a $1,000 community service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 court processing fee and a $10 assessment. Dehring also received a one-year ban from Yellowstone National Park.
According to the violation notices, Dehring was at Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone National Park on May 10, 2021, when visitors noticed a sow grizzly and her three cubs. While other visitors slowly backed off and got into their vehicles, Dehring remained. She continued to take pictures as the sow bluff charged her.
“Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are, indeed, wild. The park is not a zoo where animals can be viewed within the safety of a fenced enclosure. They roam freely in their natural habitat and when threatened will react accordingly,” said Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray. “Approaching a sow grizzly with cubs is absolutely foolish. Here, pure luck is why Dehring is a criminal defendant and not a mauled tourist.”
According to Yellowstone National Park regulations, when an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.
Jeff
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Thursday, October 7, 2021
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Temporary closures scheduled for trails around Phelps Lake and Death Canyon Road
A temporary area closure will be in effect for several trails around Phelps Lake as well as the Death Canyon Road in Grand Teton National on Thursday, October 7, and from Tuesday, October 12—Thursday, October 14. The temporary area closure is necessary to ensure public safety during construction activities involving helicopter transport of heavy materials from White Grass to the Phelps Lake outlet bridge on the east side of Phelps Lake. Closures will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the provided dates.
For safety during the staging and hauling of construction materials, Death Canyon Road and some trails around Phelps Lake, including the Wister Draw Trail, the Woodland Trail, and Boulder Ridge Trail will be temporarily closed.
Staff will be located at junctions or trailheads where trails will be closed. Death Canyon Road will have staff on either end and will be closed to incoming traffic.
Schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions, equipment malfunction, or other extenuating circumstances.
History:
The Phelps Lake outlet bridge was closed for replacement beginning August 18. The closure is expected to be in place through fall 2022.
The bridge connects Lake Creek trail to the Woodland trail and therefore hikers will not be able to make a loop on those trails, although hikers can still hike the Lake Creek or Woodland trail one way to the lake and back. The Phelps Lake loop from the Death Canyon Trailhead will require an additional 1.5 miles to complete the loop. Signs will be placed around Phelps Lake to reflect the closure.
The bridge was originally built for vehicle use by the Rockefeller family more than 60 years ago, before being reconfigured for pedestrian use as part of the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. The bridge sits on untreated logs and over time the weight of the bridge has made the wood deteriorate. The old bridge will be replaced with a new bridge that will be less costly to maintain and will continue to reflect the attractive, rustic appearance of the historic bridge.
Jackson Hole Preserve Inc., one of Grand Teton’s longest standing partners, is helping to support the bridge replacement.
Jeff
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For safety during the staging and hauling of construction materials, Death Canyon Road and some trails around Phelps Lake, including the Wister Draw Trail, the Woodland Trail, and Boulder Ridge Trail will be temporarily closed.
Staff will be located at junctions or trailheads where trails will be closed. Death Canyon Road will have staff on either end and will be closed to incoming traffic.
Schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions, equipment malfunction, or other extenuating circumstances.
History:
The Phelps Lake outlet bridge was closed for replacement beginning August 18. The closure is expected to be in place through fall 2022.
The bridge connects Lake Creek trail to the Woodland trail and therefore hikers will not be able to make a loop on those trails, although hikers can still hike the Lake Creek or Woodland trail one way to the lake and back. The Phelps Lake loop from the Death Canyon Trailhead will require an additional 1.5 miles to complete the loop. Signs will be placed around Phelps Lake to reflect the closure.
The bridge was originally built for vehicle use by the Rockefeller family more than 60 years ago, before being reconfigured for pedestrian use as part of the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. The bridge sits on untreated logs and over time the weight of the bridge has made the wood deteriorate. The old bridge will be replaced with a new bridge that will be less costly to maintain and will continue to reflect the attractive, rustic appearance of the historic bridge.
Jackson Hole Preserve Inc., one of Grand Teton’s longest standing partners, is helping to support the bridge replacement.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Female visitor suffers significant thermal burns in Yellowstone; Park warns visitors to keep pets under control
A 20-year-old woman from Washington suffered significant thermal burns between her shoulders and feet on the afternoon of October 4, in the vicinity of Fountain Flat Drive south of Madison Junction.
When the woman and her father exited their vehicle to look around, their dog jumped out of the car and into Maiden’s Grave Spring near the Firehole River. The woman entered the thermal hot spring to retrieve the dog. The father pulled her out of the feature and then drove the party to West Yellowstone, Montana.
Yellowstone National Park rangers and Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District provided initial care to the woman at West Yellowstone. She was then transported to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
The dog was removed from the feature and the father intended to take it to a veterinarian. Its status is unknown currently.
This incident is under investigation and the park has no additional information to share.
The ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Everyone must remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise extreme caution around thermal features. Learn more about safety in thermal areas at go.nps.gov/yellsafety.
While in the park, visitors should protect their pets by physically controlling them at all times. Pets must be in a car, crate or on a leash no more than six feet long. They are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.
This is the second significant injury in a thermal area in 2021. The first occurred in September at Old Faithful. In 2020, a three-year-old suffered second degree-thermal burns to the lower body and back and a visitor (who illegally entered the park) fell into a thermal feature at Old Faithful while backing up and taking photos. In September 2019, a man suffered severe burns after falling into thermal water near the cone of Old Faithful Geyser. In June 2017, a man sustained severe burns after falling in a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin. In June 2016, a man left the boardwalk and died after slipping into a hot spring in Norris Geyser Basin. In August 2000, one person died and two people received severe burns from falling into a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin.
Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
When the woman and her father exited their vehicle to look around, their dog jumped out of the car and into Maiden’s Grave Spring near the Firehole River. The woman entered the thermal hot spring to retrieve the dog. The father pulled her out of the feature and then drove the party to West Yellowstone, Montana.
Yellowstone National Park rangers and Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District provided initial care to the woman at West Yellowstone. She was then transported to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
The dog was removed from the feature and the father intended to take it to a veterinarian. Its status is unknown currently.
This incident is under investigation and the park has no additional information to share.
The ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Everyone must remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise extreme caution around thermal features. Learn more about safety in thermal areas at go.nps.gov/yellsafety.
While in the park, visitors should protect their pets by physically controlling them at all times. Pets must be in a car, crate or on a leash no more than six feet long. They are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.
This is the second significant injury in a thermal area in 2021. The first occurred in September at Old Faithful. In 2020, a three-year-old suffered second degree-thermal burns to the lower body and back and a visitor (who illegally entered the park) fell into a thermal feature at Old Faithful while backing up and taking photos. In September 2019, a man suffered severe burns after falling into thermal water near the cone of Old Faithful Geyser. In June 2017, a man sustained severe burns after falling in a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin. In June 2016, a man left the boardwalk and died after slipping into a hot spring in Norris Geyser Basin. In August 2000, one person died and two people received severe burns from falling into a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Ink Wells Cut-Off Trail restored west of Dubois
With funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, the Shoshone National Forest partnered with the National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS) and the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) to complete much needed trail restoration work on the Ink Wells Cut-Off Trail in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness on the Wind River Ranger District.
After the Dinwoody Fire burned the area in 2001, subsequent use and insufficient maintenance over two decades reduced this steep, rugged wilderness trail to a nearly impassable scramble over rocks, logs, and unmarked slopes.
Over the course of three eight-day backcountry trips, volunteers from NOLS and MCC worked with Forest Service employees to clear logs from the trail, re-establish the trail corridor in a heavily braided area, build rock cairns and signage, and cut new trail over the 2.5-mile trail system to restore this essential travel route. The final stage in the project work was the restoration of trail tread in the lower stretch of the burn area and installing signs at three critical junctions to alert Forest visitors that the trail has been rehabilitated and restored to pre-fire conditions; the trail will now be included in the annual maintenance cycle.
“Since the Ink Wells Cut-Off Trail is the quickest route from the Dinwoody Creek drainage to the Dry Creek watershed, this project was vital to improving public access to the Fitzpatrick Wilderness” said Wind River District Ranger Jeff von Kienast. “The hard work put forward by our South Zone Trails crew and partners with NOLS and MCC was essential to the completion of this extensive project.”
Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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After the Dinwoody Fire burned the area in 2001, subsequent use and insufficient maintenance over two decades reduced this steep, rugged wilderness trail to a nearly impassable scramble over rocks, logs, and unmarked slopes.
Over the course of three eight-day backcountry trips, volunteers from NOLS and MCC worked with Forest Service employees to clear logs from the trail, re-establish the trail corridor in a heavily braided area, build rock cairns and signage, and cut new trail over the 2.5-mile trail system to restore this essential travel route. The final stage in the project work was the restoration of trail tread in the lower stretch of the burn area and installing signs at three critical junctions to alert Forest visitors that the trail has been rehabilitated and restored to pre-fire conditions; the trail will now be included in the annual maintenance cycle.
“Since the Ink Wells Cut-Off Trail is the quickest route from the Dinwoody Creek drainage to the Dry Creek watershed, this project was vital to improving public access to the Fitzpatrick Wilderness” said Wind River District Ranger Jeff von Kienast. “The hard work put forward by our South Zone Trails crew and partners with NOLS and MCC was essential to the completion of this extensive project.”
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
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Friday, October 1, 2021
Interagency team conducting grizzly bear research trapping this month
As part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) will conduct pre-baiting and trapping operations within Grand Teton National Park October 4 – 31.
When bear trapping activities are being conducted, the area around the site will be posted with bright warning signs to inform the public of the activities occurring. For bear and human safety, the public must respect these signs and stay out of the posted areas.
Trained professionals with the interagency team will bait and trap grizzly bears in accordance with strict protocols. Once trapped, the bears are sedated to allow wildlife biologists to collar the bears and collect samples and data for scientific study. The bears are then released on site.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team was established in 1973 to collaboratively monitor and research grizzly bears in the ecosystem on an interagency basis. The gathering of critical data on the bears is part of a long-term research effort to help wildlife managers devise and implement programs to support the ongoing conservation of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s grizzly bear population. The team includes representatives from the National Park Service, U. S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department, and the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
For more information regarding grizzly bear trapping efforts, contact the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team hotline at 406-994-6675. Information about grizzly bear research and monitoring is available from the IGBST website at https://www.usgs.gov/science/interagency-grizzly-bear-study-team.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
When bear trapping activities are being conducted, the area around the site will be posted with bright warning signs to inform the public of the activities occurring. For bear and human safety, the public must respect these signs and stay out of the posted areas.
Trained professionals with the interagency team will bait and trap grizzly bears in accordance with strict protocols. Once trapped, the bears are sedated to allow wildlife biologists to collar the bears and collect samples and data for scientific study. The bears are then released on site.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team was established in 1973 to collaboratively monitor and research grizzly bears in the ecosystem on an interagency basis. The gathering of critical data on the bears is part of a long-term research effort to help wildlife managers devise and implement programs to support the ongoing conservation of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s grizzly bear population. The team includes representatives from the National Park Service, U. S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department, and the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
For more information regarding grizzly bear trapping efforts, contact the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team hotline at 406-994-6675. Information about grizzly bear research and monitoring is available from the IGBST website at https://www.usgs.gov/science/interagency-grizzly-bear-study-team.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
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