All language subtitles for Aerial America Yellowstone 1080p

♪

IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER
\h\h\h\h\h\hOF WYOMING

\h\h\h\hLIES A TRULY
MAGNIFICENT WORLD...

RINGED BY TOWERING MOUNTAINS...

AND A COLOSSAL DOME OF LAVA,
\h\h\h\h\h\hCOVERED IN PINES.

IT’S A LAND FORGED

BY THE MIGHTIEST FORCES
\h\h\h\hON OUR PLANET--

\h\h\h\h\h\hTECTONIC COLLISIONS
THAT HAVE THRUST GRANITE PEAKS

MORE THAN 13,000 FEET
\h\h\hINTO THE SKY...

SUPER-HEATED GEYSERS

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT EXPLODE
OUT OF THE EARTH BELOW...

\h\h\h\h\hAND RAGING WATERS
THAT HAVE THE POWER TO AWE.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND WILDFIRES
HAVE DEVASTATED ITS LAND,

\h\h\h\hBUT ITS FERTILE VALLEYS
ARE STILL HOME TO MORE MAMMALS

THAN ANYWHERE ELSE
\hIN THE LOWER 48.

♪

WITH ITS STAGGERING BEAUTY...

FRAGILE CREATURES...

[SQUAWKING]

AND COLORFUL SPRINGS

\h\h\h\hTHAT MAY HOLD SECRETS
ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF LIFE...

\h\h\h\hTHIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
REMARKABLE ECOSYSTEMS ON EARTH.

A PLACE CALLED YELLOWSTONE.

♪

♪

♪

♪

AS SOON AS THE FIRST RAYS
\h\h\h\hOF MORNING LIGHT

HIT THE GREAT GRANITE FORMS
\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE TETONS,

ON WYOMING’S WESTERN BORDER,

YOU CAN ALREADY SENSE THAT
THIS IS NO ORDINARY WORLD.

♪

THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST
\h\h\hDISTINCTIVE LANDFORMS

IN AMERICA.

\h\h\h\hTHE TALLEST,
KNOWN AS GRAND TETON,

SOARS 13,770 FEET INTO THE SKY.

THIS GIANT HUNK OF GRANITE

HAS BEEN PUSHING UP
\hOUT OF THE GROUND

FOR JUST 10 MILLION YEARS.

\hIT’S ONE OF THE YOUNGEST
MOUNTAINS IN THE ROCKIES.

\h\h\hBUT THE ROCK IT’S MADE OF
IS SOME OF THE OLDEST ON EARTH.

THE TETONS HAVE BEEN FORMED

BY A CLASH OF TECTONIC PLATES
\h\h\h\hIN THE EARTH’S CRUST.

\hAS THOSE PLATES COLLIDE,
THEY TRIGGER EARTHQUAKES,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH PUSH UP LAYERS
OF ANCIENT ROCK, INCH BY INCH,

INTO THESE FORMS WE SEE TODAY.

\h\h\hONE REASON THE TETONS
ARE SO SHARP AT THEIR TIPS

\h\h\h\h\hIS BECAUSE EROSION
HASN’T YET ROUNDED THE EDGES

OF THESE YOUTHFUL MOUNTAINS

AND WHITTLED THEM DOWN.

THEIR JAGGED SHAPES

\h\hARE WHAT MAKE THEM
SO EASILY RECOGNIZABLE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TETONS LIE
IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT’S KNOWN

\h\h\h\hAS THE GREATER
YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM,

\h\h\hWHICH STRETCHES
FROM SOUTHERN WYOMING

ACROSS THE NORTHERN CORNER
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE STATE,

WEST INTO IDAHO

AND NORTH INTO MONTANA.

\hAND AT THE HEART
OF THIS VAST REGION

ARE THE 2.2 MILLION ACRES
\hOF PROTECTED WILDERNESS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT MAKE UP
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

♪

\h\h\hWHEN YOU DESCEND INTO
THE VALLEYS OF YELLOWSTONE,

\h\h\hIT CAN SEEM LIKE
A VERY PEACEFUL WORLD.

BUT DEEP UNDER THESE MOUNTAINS,
\h\h\h\h\h\hRIVERS, AND FORESTS

\h\h\h\hIS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND
MOST DESTRUCTIVE VOLCANIC FORCES

ON THE PLANET--

A GIANT PLUME OF RISING MAGMA

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hKNOWN AS
THE YELLOWSTONE HOTSPOT.

FOR THE PAST 2 MILLION YEARS,

\hTHIS SUPER VOLCANO
HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE

FOR CATASTROPHIC ERUPTIONS
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSO POWERFUL

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’VE COVERED
MUCH OF THE CONTINENT WITH ASH.

\h\h\h\hBUT IT’S ALSO
WHAT HAS GIVEN BIRTH

\h\hTO MANY OF THE WONDERS
OF YELLOWSTONE’S LANDSCAPE.

IN 1870,

ONE MAN SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF
\h\h\h\h\h\hLOST AND ALL ALONE

IN THIS FORBIDDING WORLD.

♪

HIS NAME WAS TRUMAN EVERTS,

AND HE WAS ANYTHING
BUT A MOUNTAIN MAN.

\h\hHE HAD BEEN THE INTERNAL
REVENUE OFFICER FOR MONTANA,

\h\hBUT WAS UNEMPLOYED
WHEN HE GOT THE CHANCE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TAKE PART
IN THE FIRST MAJOR EXPEDITION

INTO THE YELLOWSTONE REGION,
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON HORSEBACK.

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM HERE

\h\h\hWOULD SOON BE
A WARNING TO OTHERS

ABOUT THE RISKS OF EXPLORING
\hTHIS REMOTE VOLCANIC LAND.

IT ALL BEGAN IN THICK FORESTS

\h\hON THE SOUTH SIDE
OF YELLOWSTONE LAKE,

\h\h\h\h\hWHEN EVERTS
SOMEHOW GOT SEPARATED

FROM HIS FELLOW EXPLORERS.

SOON AFTER, HIS HORSE BOLTED,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hALONG WITH ALMOST
ALL OF HIS SUPPLIES AND HIS GUN.

\h\h\h\h\hBY NIGHTFALL,
HE WAS COMPLETELY ALONE

IN THIS WILD LANDSCAPE
\h\hOF LAKES AND TREES.

\h\h\h\hALL HE HAD LEFT
WAS A COUPLE OF KNIVES,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAN OPERA GLASS,
AND THE CLOTHES ON HIS BACK.

OVER THE COMING DAYS,

HIS FRUITLESS SEARCH
\hFOR HIS COMPANIONS

BROUGHT HIM TO THIS RIVER...

AND THE SHORES OF HEART LAKE.

THIS IS STILL

ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE AREAS OF
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK TODAY.

♪

EVERTS SPENT MOST OF ONE NIGHT
\h\h\h\h\h\hHIGH UP IN A TREE,

\h\h\hTRYING TO ESCAPE
A HUNGRY MOUNTAIN LION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT GROWLED
AND PACED THE EARTH BELOW HIM.

IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED,

HE SUFFERED A REMARKABLE SERIES
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF MISFORTUNES.

HE MANAGED TO LOSE
\hBOTH HIS KNIVES.

NOT FAR FROM THE LAKE,

HE SLEPT NEAR SOME THERMAL POOLS
TO STAY WARM.

BUT ONE NIGHT, IN HIS SLEEP,

HE ROLLED ONTO A STEAMING VENT

AND SCALDED ONE OF HIS HIPS.

\h\h\hHE EVEN ESCAPED
A RAGING FOREST FIRE

THAT HE HAD STARTED HIMSELF
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY ACCIDENT

AND HAD BURNED OFF
MUCH OF HIS HAIR.

\h\h\h\hEVERY DAY HE GOT
MORE AND MORE DELIRIOUS,

\h\h\h\h\hAND OLD FRIENDS
STARTED SPEAKING TO HIM.

ONE OF THESE PHANTOM COMPANIONS
\h\hENCOURAGED HIM TO FORGE ON

\h\h\hUNTIL HE REACHED
THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

♪

\hIT WAS ON HIS 37th DAY
ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS

THAT EVERTS SUDDENLY HEARD
A VOICE CALLING HIS NAME.

\h\h\hIT WAS A BOUNTY HUNTER
KNOWN AS "YELLOWSTONE JACK."

WHEN EVERTS WAS FINALLY RESCUED,

HE WEIGHED JUST 90 POUNDS

AND WAS WHAT ONE MAN
\h\h\hLATER DESCRIBED

AS "NOTHING BUT A SHADOW."

AT FIRST, HE WAS MISTAKEN
\hFOR A SMALL MANGY BEAR.

\h\h\h\h\hEVERTS PUBLISHED
AN ACCOUNT OF HIS SURVIVAL,

\h\hWHICH HE CALLED
"37 DAYS OF PERIL."

\h\h\h\h\hSOME QUESTIONED
HOW MUCH OF IT WAS TRUE.

BUT IT SUCCEEDED IN PAINTING
\h\hA PICTURE OF YELLOWSTONE

\h\h\h\h\hAS A STRANGE
AND FRIGHTENING PLACE,

WHICH ONLY INSPIRED OTHERS

TO WANT TO COME AND SEE IT
\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THEMSELVES.

♪

TODAY, THE LURE OF YELLOWSTONE

IS STILL JUST AS STRONG
AS IT WAS 150 YEARS AGO.

\h\hTHIS TRAIL RUNS
FOR ALMOST 17 MILES

\h\hUP WHAT’S KNOWN
AS SPECIMEN RIDGE.

IT GIVES HIKERS THE CHANCE

\h\h\h\h\hTO EXPERIENCE
THE YELLOWSTONE REGION

\hJUST AS NATIVE AMERICANS,
TRAPPERS, AND EXPLORERS DID

WHEN THEY FIRST MADE THEIR WAY
ACROSS THESE VAST OPEN SPACES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMANY PARTS
OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

ARE STILL AS WILD AS THEY WERE
\h\h\h\hTHOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.

\h\h\h\h\hONE OF THEM
IS THE HAYDEN VALLEY.

♪

UNDER THIS MORNING MIST

\h\h\h\hLIES ONE OF AMERICA’S
MOST MAGNIFICENT LANDSCAPES--

A VAST FERTILE GRASSLAND

\h\h\h\h\hFED BY STREAMS THAT
WIND THROUGH IT LIKE RIBBONS.

♪

ONCE, THE HAYDEN VALLEY

WAS COVERED BY THE WATERS
\h\h\h\hOF A GIANT LAKE.

\h\hBUT, OVER TIME,
THE LAKE RETREATED,

AND EVENTUALLY GLACIERS
\h\hFILLED THE VALLEY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN THOSE
GREAT RIVERS OF ICE MELTED,

ROUGHLY 13,000 YEARS AGO,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY LEFT BEHIND
DEPOSITS OF CLAY AND SEDIMENT.

THAT NUTRIENT-RICH SOIL

IS WHAT FEEDS THE GRASSES
OF THE HAYDEN VALLEY TODAY

\h\hAND HAS TURNED IT
INTO A PRIME HABITAT

FOR SOME OF NORTH AMERICA’S
\hMOST POWERFUL PREDATORS.

♪

IT’S EARLY JUNE,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE LARGEST
WOLF PACK IN YELLOWSTONE

IS ON THE HUNT.

CALLED THE WAPITI LAKE PACK,

IT’S ROUGHLY 20 WOLVES STRONG.

\hSOME MEMBERS OF THE PACK ARE
FINISHING OFF A RECENT KILL--

AN ELK.

TODAY, THERE ARE
ABOUT 100 WOLVES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINSIDE
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

\h\h\hCENTURIES AGO,
THERE WERE MANY MORE.

BUT IN THE 1800s,

WESTWARD EXPANSION AND HUNTING
\h\hREDUCED THEIR POPULATIONS.

AND STARTING IN 1900,

U.S. GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED HUNTS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREMOVED THEM
FROM YELLOWSTONE COMPLETELY.

♪

\h\h\hIN 1995, WOLVES WERE
REINTRODUCED INTO THE PARK

\h\hTO TRY AND RESTORE
THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES

\h\hTO ONE OF THEIR
ORIGINAL HABITATS.

THEY QUICKLY MADE A COMEBACK.

TODAY, THERE ARE 11 DIFFERENT
\h\h\hPACKS INSIDE THE PARK,

AND THEIR TRACKING COLLARS

\h\h\hENABLE THEM TO BE
STUDIED AND MONITORED.

EACH PACK CAN RANGE OVER
HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES

IN ITS SEARCH FOR FOOD.

BUT THE WAPITI LAKE PACK

\h\hOFTEN HUNTS HERE,
IN THE HAYDEN VALLEY.

\h\h\hTHESE CREATURES MAY BE
TOP PREDATORS IN YELLOWSTONE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THEY ARE
SURPRISINGLY VULNERABLE.

THEY OFTEN KILL EACH OTHER

\h\h\hIN BATTLES OVER
TERRITORY AND MATES.

\h\hSOME HAVE BEEN
CRITICALLY INJURED

BY THE PREY THEY HUNT.

ONE DIRECT KICK IN THE JAW
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM AN ELK

CAN EASILY KILL A WOLF.

AND SOME WOLVES

THAT HAVE STRAYED OUTSIDE
\h\hTHE PARK’S BOUNDARIES

HAVE BEEN SHOT BY HUNTERS.

BUT NOW, DURING SPRINGTIME,

\h\h\h\hTHESE WOLVES
HAVE PLENTY OF PREY.

AND WITH A PACK THIS BIG,

THEY CAN EVEN TAKE DOWN
\h\h\h\hAN ADULT BISON.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPEERING DOWN
ON YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

FROM ABOVE

\h\h\hIS A CHANCE TO WITNESS
AN AMAZING ARRAY OF CREATURES

AS THEY TRY TO SURVIVE
\h\h\h\h\hONE MORE DAY

IN THIS WILD VOLCANIC WORLD.

\h\h\h\hBUT IT ALSO MAY BE
THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND

\hHOW CATASTROPHIC
GEOLOGICAL EVENTS

HAVE FORMED AND SCULPTED

YELLOWSTONE’S MOUNTAINS,
\h\hVALLEYS, AND CANYONS.

♪

THIS 24-MILE-LONG CHASM,

CALLED THE GRAND CANYON
\h\hOF THE YELLOWSTONE,

IS ONE OF THEM.

♪

THE WALLS OF THIS CANYON PLUNGE
\h\h\h1,200 FEET INTO THE EARTH

\h\h\hAND HOLD THE WATERS
OF THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

♪

GEOLOGISTS BELIEVE
IT BEGAN ITS LIFE

AS A LONG FRACTURE IN THE EARTH,

CREATED BY VOLCANIC FORCES

AS THEY PUSHED UP THE CRUST THAT
COVERS THE YELLOWSTONE HOTSPOT.

OVER TIME, THERMAL VENTS
HELPED BREAK UP THE LAVA

THAT LINE ITS WALLS.

WATER STARTED RUNNING ALONG
\hTHE FLOOR OF THE CANYON,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND EROSION FROM
WIND, RAIN, AND MELTING SNOW

\h\h\hALSO OXIDIZED AND EXPOSED
COLORFUL MINERALS IN THE EARTH.

\h\h\h\hSOME HAVE CLAIMED THAT
THE YELLOW WALLS OF THIS CANYON

\h\h\hWERE THE INSPIRATION
FOR THE NAME "YELLOWSTONE."

BUT IT PROBABLY COMES INSTEAD

FROM A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE
\h\h\hCALLED THE MINNETAREE,

WHO NAMED THE RIVER
\h\h"STONE YELLOW"

AFTER THE SANDSTONE BLUFFS
\h\h\h\hTHAT LINE ITS BANKS

DOWNSTREAM IN MONTANA.

♪

\hWHERE THE GRAND CANYON
OF THE YELLOWSTONE STARTS

IS ONE OF THE MOST
CAPTIVATING SIGHTS

IN THE AMERICAN WEST--

\h\h\hTHE GREAT CASCADE OF
YELLOWSTONE’S LOWER FALLS.

♪

\h\hWHEN AN EARLY EXPEDITION OF
EXPLORERS ARRIVED HERE IN 1870,

\h\h\h\hTHEY CLIMBED
OVER ROCKS AT THE TOP

AND DANGLED STRINGS, DARINGLY,
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOVER THE EDGE

\h\h\hTO TRY AND MEASURE
THE HEIGHT OF THE FALLS.

THE LEGENDARY MOUNTAIN MAN
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hJIM BRIDGER

HAD CLAIMED THEY PLUNGED
\h\h\h\hA THOUSAND FEET.

♪

THEIR ACTUAL HEIGHT IS 308,

WHICH IS ALMOST TWICE THE HEIGHT
OF NIAGARA FALLS.

♪

♪

DURING THE LAST MAJOR ERUPTIONS
OF YELLOWSTONE’S SUPER VOLCANO,

ROUGHLY 640,000 YEARS AGO,

MASSIVE QUANTITIES OF MAGMA
\h\hPOURED OUT OF THE EARTH

\h\h\h\hAND FILLED IN THE FLOOR
OF THE VOLCANO’S GIANT CALDERA.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE LANDSCAPE
THESE LAVA FLOWS CREATED

\hWASN’T VERY FRIENDLY
TO PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

\h\hBUT OVER TIME,
ONE SPECIES OF TREE

\h\hMANAGED TO THRIVE
ON THE SHALLOW EARTH

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT COVERS
ALL THIS HARDENED LAVA.

THEY’RE CALLED LODGEPOLE PINES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY MAKE UP 80%
OF ALL THE TREES IN YELLOWSTONE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE REASON
THIS SPECIES THRIVES HERE

IS BECAUSE LODGEPOLE PINES
HAVE SHALLOW ROOT SYSTEMS

THAT CAN CLING TO THE THIN LAYER
OF EARTH THAT COVERS THE LAVA.

BUT EVERY YEAR,

WILDFIRES DESTROY VAST SWATHS
\h\hOF FOREST IN YELLOWSTONE.

THE LARGEST SERIES OF FIRES,
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1988,

CAUSED THE ENTIRE PARK
\h\h\h\hTO BE EVACUATED

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND BURNED
CLOSE TO 800,000 ACRES.

BUT LODGEPOLE PINES

HAVE AN AMAZING ABILITY
\h\h\h\hTO REGENERATE,

THANKS TO A SECRET WEAPON
\h\h\h\hTHAT THEY DEPLOY

\hWHEN THEY ARE ON
THE VERGE OF DEATH.

♪

THESE PINE TREES ARE EQUIPPED
\hWITH A SPECIAL KIND OF CONE.

UNDER INTENSE HEAT
\h\hFROM WILDFIRES,

THEY BURST OPEN

AND SHOOT THEIR SEEDS OUT
\hACROSS THE FOREST FLOOR.

♪

\h\h\hAS STANDING TREES
ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES,

THEY ARE ALREADY GIVING BIRTH TO
NEW ONES THAT WILL REPLACE THEM.

IT’S ONE OF THE MANY WAYS

THAT YELLOWSTONE’S ECOSYSTEM
\hIS EQUIPPED TO BOUNCE BACK

FROM CATASTROPHIC EVENTS.

♪

\hTO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FIRES
THAT COULD BURN OUT OF CONTROL,

RANGERS ARE STATIONED HERE
\h\hAT THIS LOOKOUT TOWER.

IT STANDS ON THE SUMMIT

OF THE 10,243-FOOT-HIGH
\h\h\h\hMOUNT WASHBURN.

BUT WITH MORE THAN 10,000
\h\hHYDROTHERMAL FEATURES

IN YELLOWSTONE,

EVEN RANGERS AT THIS STATION
NEED TO HAVE A TRAINED EYE.

♪

AS HEAT AND STEAM FROM VENTS,
FUMAROLES, POOLS, AND GEYSERS

HITS THE WINTER AIR,

IT’S EASY TO BELIEVE
\h\hTHAT YELLOWSTONE

IS BEING RAVAGED BY FIRE.

IT CAN EVEN LOOK LIKE
\hTHERE’S AN INFERNO

RAGING UNDER THE EARTH ITSELF.

WHEN EUROPEAN TRAPPERS,
\h\h\h\h\hMOUNTAIN MEN,

AND OTHER BRAVE SOULS

JOURNEYED INTO YELLOWSTONE
IN THE EARLY 19th CENTURY,

\hTHEY OFTEN CAME BACK
WITH FANTASTICAL TALES

OF WHAT THEY HAD SEEN.

IN 1829, A 19-YEAR-OLD TRAPPER
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNAMED JOSEPH MEEK

WROTE IN HIS DIARY THAT

"THE WHOLE COUNTRY

WAS SMOKING WITH THE VAPOR
\h\h\hFROM BOILING SPRINGS.

INTERSPERSED AMONG THESE
\h\hWERE LARGER CRATERS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSOME OF THEM
FOUR TO SIX MILES ACROSS.

OUT OF THESE ISSUED BLUE FLAMES
\h\h\h\hAND MOLTEN BRIMSTONE."

THE LARGEST HOT SPRING
\h\h\h\hIN YELLOWSTONE,

CALLED GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING,

IS ENORMOUS,

WITH A DIAMETER OF 370 FEET.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT ALSO MAKES IT
THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT IT’S NOWHERE CLOSE
TO THE SIZE THAT MEEK DESCRIBED.

NEVERTHELESS,

COLORFUL AND EXAGGERATED
\h\h\h\h\hTALES LIKE HIS

\h\h\h\h\h\hGOT PEOPLE
MORE AND MORE INTRIGUED

\h\hABOUT THIS WILD
AND REMOTE REGION.

♪

\h\h\h\hBY THE MIDDLE
OF THE 19th CENTURY,

RUMORS WERE SPREADING
ABOUT WHAT LAY INSIDE

THE MYSTERIOUS REGION
\hCALLED YELLOWSTONE.

AFTER THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

AUTHORIZED THE NEW TERRITORIES
\h\h\h\hOF MONTANA AND WYOMING

IN THE 1860s,

THERE WAS ALSO GROWING INTEREST
\h\h\h\hBY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

\h\hTO EXPLORE EVERY CORNER
OF THESE NEW WESTERN LANDS.

FINALLY, IN 1870,

\h\h\hTHE SURVEYOR GENERAL,
A MAN NAMED HENRY WASHBURN,

LED THE FIRST MAJOR EXPEDITION
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO YELLOWSTONE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON AUGUST 22nd,
THE 19 MEMBERS OF THE PARTY,

\h\hKNOWN AS THE WASHBURN-
LANGFORD-DOANE EXPEDITION,

SET OFF FROM FORT ELLIS
\hIN BOZEMAN, MONTANA,

ON HORSEBACK.

THIS FARM NOW LIES ON THE SITE
\h\h\h\h\hOF THAT FORMER FORT,

WHICH IS NO LONGER STANDING.

WASHBURN AND THE OTHERS MADE
THEIR WAY ACROSS THE PLATEAU

AND ALONG THE RIM

OF THE GRAND CANYON
OF THE YELLOWSTONE.

\hA FEW DAYS LATER, THEY THOUGHT
THEY SAW SMOKE IN THE DISTANCE.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT REALIZING
IT WAS ACTUALLY STEAM,

THEY CELEBRATED.

\h\hFINALLY, THEY WERE CLOSE TO
THE MYSTERIOUS THERMAL FEATURES

\h\h\h\hTHEY HAD HEARD
SO MANY STORIES ABOUT.

\h\h\hWHEN THEY REACHED
THE UPPER GEYSER BASIN,

\h\h\hTHIS WAS ONE OF
THE VERY FIRST SIGHTS

THEY SET EYES ON.

SINCE THEY THOUGHT IT LOOKED
\h\hLIKE TURRETS ON A CASTLE,

THEY NAMED IT "CASTLE GEYSER."

\hIT STILL ERUPTS
EVERY 10-12 HOURS

AND SENDS A STREAM OF WATER
UP TO 90 FEET INTO THE SKY.

♪

AS THEY MAPPED, MEASURED,
\h\h\h\h\hAND DOCUMENTED

EVERYTHING THEY SAW,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY NAMED MANY MORE OF
YELLOWSTONE’S IMPRESSIVE SIGHTS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hAFTER WATCHING
THE WATERS OF A SMALL CREEK

\h\h\hRACE THROUGH
THIS NARROW CHANNEL

\h\h\hAND THEN PLUNGE
TO THE VALLEY BELOW,

THEY NAMED THIS SITE
\h\h\h\h"TOWER FALL."

\hBUT SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF WATERFALLS IN YELLOWSTONE,

BIG AND SMALL,

\h\hTHERE WERE FAR TOO MANY
FOR THE EXPEDITION TO NAME.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE OUTCOME
OF THE WASHBURN EXPEDITION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS THAT
MORE AND MORE SCIENTISTS

STARTED GETTING CURIOUS
\h\hABOUT YELLOWSTONE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1871,
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

\h\h\h\hBACKED PLANS
FOR A NEW EXPEDITION

TO THOROUGHLY DOCUMENT
\hTHE REGION’S PLANTS,

ANIMALS, AND MINERALS

\hAND TO MAP ITS LAKES
AND THERMAL FEATURES.

IT WAS LED BY A GEOLOGIST
\hNAMED FERDINAND HAYDEN.

WITH THEM WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER,
\h\h\hWILLIAM HENRY JACKSON.

LUGGING 300 POUNDS OF GEAR,

INCLUDING HIS LARGE FORMAT
\h\hBLACK-AND-WHITE CAMERA,

JACKSON TOOK THE FIRST-EVER
\h\h\h\hPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES

OF YELLOWSTONE.

♪

BUT IT WAS AN OIL PAINTER
\h\h\h\hON THE EXPEDITION

NAMED THOMAS MORAN

WHO BROUGHT IT ALL ALIVE

IN FULL-BLOWN COLOR.

♪

MORAN’S MOST FAMOUS PAINTING
\h\h\hIS OF THE LOWER FALLS,

VIEWED FROM INSIDE

\hTHE GRAND CANYON
OF THE YELLOWSTONE.

\h\hTHE IMAGES AND SPECIMENS
THAT HAYDEN’S TEAM COLLECTED

WERE PUT ON DISPLAY
\h\h\hIN WASHINGTON

AND HELPED ENERGIZE A MOVEMENT

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CONVINCE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

\h\h\h\h\hTO SET ASIDE
AND PROTECT YELLOWSTONE

AS A HUGE PUBLIC PARK.

\hIT TOOK THREE TRIES TO GET
CONGRESS TO VOTE ON THE BILL.

\h\hBUT WHEN IT DID,
ON FEBRUARY 27, 1872,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT PASSED,
WITH 115 VOTES IN FAVOR.

\h\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S HOW
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

WAS BORN.

\hIT WAS THE FIRST PIECE
OF WILD LAND IN AMERICA

\h\h\h\hSET ASIDE FOR
RECREATIONAL PURPOSES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE MANAGED
BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

\h\h\h\h\hSINCE THEN, 58 MORE
NATIONAL PARKS HAVE FOLLOWED.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOON AFTER
YELLOWSTONE WAS CREATED,

A NEW MOUNTAIN TOWN IN MONTANA,
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCALLED GARDINER,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBEGAN SERVING
AS ITS NORTHERN GATEWAY,

AND STILL DOES TODAY.

HIKERS AND FISHERMEN COME HERE
\h\h\h\h\hTO OUTFIT THEMSELVES

FOR THEIR JOURNEYS
\h\hINTO THE PARK.

\h\hIN 1903, A STONE ARCH WAS
ERECTED TO MARK THE ENTRANCE.

WHEN IT WAS BEING BUILT,

PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT

HAPPENED TO BE ON VACATION
\h\h\h\h\h\hIN YELLOWSTONE.

THE MASONS CONVINCED HIM
TO LAY THE CORNERSTONE,

\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S WHY THE ARCH
WAS NAMED IN ROOSEVELT’S HONOR.

SINCE THEN,

MILLIONS OF EXCITED VISITORS
\h\h\h\hHAVE PASSED UNDER IT,

EAGER TO SEE AMERICA’S
\h\hFIRST NATIONAL PARK

FOR THEMSELVES.

ABOVE THEM ARE THE WORDS,

"FOR THE BENEFIT AND ENJOYMENT
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE PEOPLE."

ANOTHER MAJOR JUMPING-OFF POINT
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE NEW PARK

\h\h\h\hWAS THE TOWN
OF JACKSON, WYOMING.

\h\hIT GOT ITS START
AS A FUR TRADING HUB,

AND LIKE GARDINER,

JACKSON IS ALSO FAMOUS
\h\h\h\h\hFOR AN ARCH.

IN FACT, IT HAS FOUR OF THEM
\h\h\h\h\hON ITS TOWN SQUARE.

\h\hEACH ONE TOOK ABOUT 10,000
POUNDS OF ELK ANTLER TO BUILD.

JACKSON LIES IN THE VALLEY
\h\h\h\h\hOF JACKSON HOLE,

ALONG THE SNAKE RIVER,

SOUTHEAST OF THE TETONS.

BY THE 1920s, A PAVED ROAD
\h\h\hHAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED

FROM JACKSON INTO YELLOWSTONE,

AND MORE THAN 400
YELLOW TOUR BUSES

WERE ALREADY SHUTTLING VISITORS
\h\h\h\h\hALL AROUND THE PARK.

\h\h\h\hTODAY, A FEW OF
THESE HISTORIC VEHICLES

ARE STILL IN OPERATION.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

COVERS 3,472 SQUARE MILES
\h\h\h\h\h\hOF TERRITORY.

\h\hBUT IT HAS ONLY
466 MILES OF ROADS.

♪

IN THE BUSIEST MONTH OF JULY,

THEY CARRY MORE THAN
\h\h30,000 VISITORS,

\h\h\hWHICH IS THREE TIMES
THE POPULATION OF JACKSON.

\h\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S WHY
TRAFFIC JAMS ARE COMMON.

BUT TOURISTS ARE JUST THE LATEST

\h\h\h\h\hIN A LONG HISTORY
OF THOSE WHO HAVE EXPLORED

YELLOWSTONE’S HILLS,
RIVERS, AND VALLEYS.

\h\hARCHAEOLOGISTS
HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE

THAT NATIVE AMERICANS WERE HERE
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h11,000 YEARS AGO.

\h\hLATER, THE REGION
WAS USED BY ANCESTORS

OF THE TRIBES KNOWN TODAY
AS THE BLACKFEET, BANNOCK,

NEZ PERCE, SHOSHONE,

AND UMATILLA, AMONG OTHERS.

BECAUSE OF YELLOWSTONE’S
\h\h\h\h\hHARSH WINTERS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMOST TRIBES
CAME IN THE SUMMER MONTHS

TO FISH IN ITS RIVERS,

JUST LIKE PEOPLE STILL DO TODAY.

BUT THEY ALSO CAME TO HUNT.

\hTHE PLATEAU’S LOCATION BETWEEN
DIFFERENT NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS

\h\hMADE IT A CONVENIENT PLACE
FOR TRIBES TO GATHER AND TRADE.

ONE KNOWN MEETING SPOT WAS HERE,

\h\hON THE NORTH SIDE
OF YELLOWSTONE LAKE,

WHERE FISHING BRIDGE NOW CROSSES
THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT YELLOWSTONE
HAD SOMETHING ELSE TO OFFER,

THANKS TO ITS VOLCANIC PAST--

A SPECIAL KIND OF ROCK

THAT WAS PERFECT FOR MAKING
\h\h\h\hTOOLS AND WEAPONS.

\h\h\h\hDEPOSITS OF IT
CAN STILL BE FOUND HERE

AT OBSIDIAN CLIFF.

\h\hTHESE DARK, JAGGED FORMS
ARE ACTUALLY VOLCANIC GLASS.

TODAY, SURGEONS USE SCALPELS
\h\h\h\h\hMADE FROM OBSIDIAN

\hIN SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST
DELICATE SURGICAL PROCEDURES.

BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

\h\h\hNATIVE AMERICANS USED IT
TO MAKE KNIVES AND ARROWHEADS.

BY X-RAYING OBSIDIAN,

\h\hRESEARCHERS CAN TELL WHICH
VOLCANIC SOURCE IT COMES FROM.

IT’S HOW THEY DISCOVERED

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT TOOLS FOUND
IN NATIVE AMERICAN SETTLEMENTS

AS FAR AWAY AS OHIO

CAME FROM THE WALLS
\hOF OBSIDIAN CLIFF

IN YELLOWSTONE.

IT’S POWERFUL EVIDENCE

\hOF YELLOWSTONE’S
RICH HUMAN HISTORY,

\h\h\h\h\hLONG BEFORE
TOURISTS FLOCKED HERE

TO SEE ITS RIVERS, WILDLIFE,
\h\h\h\hAND THERMAL FEATURES.

♪

THE LAST MAJOR ERUPTIONS OF
YELLOWSTONE’S SUPER VOLCANO

HAPPENED MORE THAN
600,000 YEARS AGO.

THE NEXT MAJOR ERUPTION

\h\h\h\h\hCOULD OBLITERATE
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

BUT SCIENTISTS SAY

THAT’S PROBABLY NOT GOING
\hTO HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON.

\h\h\h\hBUT WHILE YELLOWSTONE
COULD ULTIMATELY BE DESTROYED

BY FORCES UNDERGROUND,

\h\h\h\h\hMUCH OF WHAT
GIVES THE PARK ITS LIFE

FALLS DOWN FROM THE SKY--

SNOW.

ALONG YELLOWSTONE’S
\h\hEASTERN BORDER

\h\hIS A PIECE OF THE ROCKIES
KNOWN AS THE ABSAROKA RANGE.

IF YOU FOLLOW THE RIDGES
\h\hOF THESE JAGGED PEAKS

AS THEY CLIMB HIGHER AND HIGHER,

THEY WILL LEAD YOU
\hRIGHT TO THE TOP

OF A SNOW-COVERED SUMMIT
\h\hCALLED YOUNT’S PEAK.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT TOUCHES THE SKY
AT 12,165 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL

AND WAS NAMED AFTER
A COLORFUL CHARACTER

NAMED HENRY YOUNT.

HE WAS A 19th-CENTURY HUNTER,
PROSPECTOR, CIVIL WAR SOLDIER,

\h\h\hAND THE FIRST
OFFICIAL GAMEKEEPER

OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

\h\h\h\hCOME WINTER, THIS IS
A HARSH, UNINHABITABLE WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT YOUNT’S PEAK
AND ITS SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS

ARE ALSO THE LIFE FORCE
\h\h\h\hOF YELLOWSTONE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hOVER MILLENNIA,
SNOWMELT FROM THESE GIANTS

\h\h\h\hHAS FLOWED DOWN
INTO THE VALLEYS BELOW

AND CONVERGED TO CREATE
\hTHE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

\h\h\h\h\hFOR MONTHS AT A TIME,
THIS RIVER IS COVERED BY SNOW,

\hAS IT WINDS THROUGH
THE THOROFARE VALLEY.

THIS VALLEY HAS BEEN CALLED

\h\h\h\hTHE MOST REMOTE PIECE
OF WILDERNESS IN THE LOWER 48

BECAUSE IT LIES MORE THAN
\h20 MILES FROM ANY ROAD.

\h\hTO AID THOSE WHO VENTURE THIS
FAR INTO YELLOWSTONE’S INTERIOR,

A NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RANGER
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS POSTED HERE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE TINY
THOROFARE RANGER STATION.

OVER THE YEARS,

THESE RANGERS HAVE RESCUED
\h\h\hMANY INJURED HIKERS.

THEY ARE ALSO HERE
\h\hTO NAB POACHERS

WHO VENTURE ILLEGALLY
\h\h\hONTO PARK LAND.

BUT WHEN THE SNOW ARRIVES,

THIS LONELY OUTPOST IS SHUTTERED
FOR THE HARSH WINTER AHEAD.

THIS VALLEY GOT ITS NAME,
\h\h\h\h\hTHE THOROFARE,

BECAUSE IT WAS ONCE
\hTHE PRIMARY ROUTE

THAT NATIVE AMERICANS
AND FUR TRAPPERS USED

\hTO GET INTO YELLOWSTONE FROM
JACKSON, WYOMING, TO THE SOUTH.

IN WINTER,

THEIR EARLY TRAILS PROBABLY
LOOKED A LOT LIKE THIS ONE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMADE BY
THE SNOWSHOES OF HIKERS

\hAS THEY CROSSED
THE FROZEN WATERS

OF THE THOROFARE VALLEY.

\hLIKE THEM, EARLY TRAVELERS
ALSO CARVED HOLES IN THE ICE

TO GET TO WATER AND FISH BELOW.

♪

UNDER THIS FROZEN WILDERNESS,

THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER
CONTINUES ITS JOURNEY.

\hITS WATERS ARE THE SOURCE OF
ONE OF YELLOWSTONE’S WONDERS--

A 132-SQUARE-MILE BODY OF WATER

\hTHAT’S THE LARGEST
HIGH ELEVATION LAKE

ON THE CONTINENT.

YELLOWSTONE’S LAST MAJOR
\h\h\hVOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

LEFT BEHIND A GIANT CALDERA.

OVER TIME,

WATER FROM THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER
AND THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFILLED IT UP
AND CREATED YELLOWSTONE LAKE.

\h\h\hTHE FLOOR OF THIS LAKE
DROPS TO A DEPTH OF 390 FEET,

\hAND LIKE THE GROUND
ALL OVER YELLOWSTONE,

\h\h\h\hIT, TOO, IS RIDDLED
WITH ACTIVE THERMAL VENTS.

BUT IN THE WINTER,

THE TOP TWO FEET OF THE LAKE
\hARE STILL OFTEN SOLID ICE.

♪

ON THE NORTH SIDE,

THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER
\h\h\h\hEMERGES AGAIN

TO BEGIN A SLOW, WINDING JOURNEY
THROUGH THE HAYDEN VALLEY.

THIS IS A FREQUENT
\h\hGATHERING SPOT

FOR ONE OF YELLOWSTONE’S
\hMOST FRAGILE SPECIES--

TRUMPETER SWANS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH A WINGSPAN
THAT CAN REACH 8 FEET ACROSS,

\h\h\hTHEY ARE THE LARGEST
WILD WATERFOWL IN THE U.S.

\h\h\h\hTHIS SHALLOW, SLOW-MOVING
SECTION OF THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER

\hIS A PERFECT PLACE FOR THEM
TO FEED ON PLANTS UNDERWATER,

EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER.

♪

LESS THAN A CENTURY AGO,

THIS SPECIES WAS ALMOST EXTINCT
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN NORTH AMERICA.

\h\hENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
HELPED THEM MAKE A COMEBACK,

\hAND BY 1961, THERE WERE
72 SWANS INSIDE THE PARK.

BUT SINCE THEN, THEIR POPULATION
HAS BEEN DECLINING.

\h\hONE REASON IS THAT SWANS
HAVE BECOME PREY FOR EAGLES,

WHICH USED TO FEED PRIMARILY
\hON NATIVE CUTTHROAT TROUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THEN,
A NON-NATIVE SPECIES OF TROUT

INVADED YELLOWSTONE’S
\h\hRIVERS AND LAKES.

NOW THE EAGLES HUNT SWANS.

\hJUST 29 OF THESE
GRACEFUL CREATURES

ARE LEFT IN YELLOWSTONE,

AND SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING HARD
\hTO TRY AND SAVE THIS SPECIES

BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS COMPLETELY.

♪

\h\h\hTHE AVERAGE ELEVATION
OF THE YELLOWSTONE PLATEAU

IS 8,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER,

TEMPERATURES HERE CAN DROP

TO 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBELOW ZERO.

HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS,

\h\h\hRECORDED ANNUAL SNOWFALL
HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HIT 30 FEET.

♪

BY FEBRUARY,

\h\hMANY LAKES THROUGHOUT
THE YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM

ARE FROZEN SOLID.

\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT
SOME LOCALS EAGERLY WAIT FOR--

SO THEY CAN HEAD OUT,

BRAVE THE COLD, AND FISH.

EAST OF THE PARK’S BOUNDARIES

\h\hLIES THE LOWER
SUNSHINE RESERVOIR,

IN MEETEETSE, WYOMING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTODAY, IT’S JUST
ONE GIANT SHEET OF SOLID ICE.

IT’S ALSO THE SITE OF THE ANNUAL
MEETEETSE ICE FISHING DERBY.

EVERY YEAR, TEAMS COME HERE
AND SPEND A DAY ON THE ICE

TO SEE WHO CAN CATCH
\h\hTHE BIGGEST FISH.

THE TEAM THAT CATCHES THE SIX
LONGEST AND FATTEST FISH WINS.

MOST ARE CUTTHROAT
AND RAINBOW TROUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS YEAR,
THE WINNING TEAM’S SIX FISH

MEASURED IN AT 189.75 INCHES.

♪

FOR CREATURES ALL ACROSS
THE YELLOWSTONE REGION,

THE BEGINNING OF EVERY WINTER

IS THE START OF ANOTHER TOUGH
SIX-MONTH BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL.

AND THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE
\h\hTO WITNESS THAT BATTLE

THAN HERE, THE LAMAR VALLEY.

IT’S WHERE BALD EAGLES JOURNEY
\h\hOUT OF THEIR NESTS TO HUNT

\h\h\h\hAND SCAVENGE LEFTOVERS
FROM THE KILLS OF GRAY WOLVES.

♪

ABOVE THE LAMAR VALLEY,

\h\h\h\hBIGHORN SHEEP USE
THE STEEP ROCKY LANDSCAPE

TO HIDE FROM PREDATORS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE MANY
OF YELLOWSTONE’S CREATURES,

THEY FIND SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT NEARBY,
A EWE HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

WITH A LAME FRONT LEG,

SHE STRUGGLES TO GET THROUGH
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE DEEP SNOW.

\hSHE’S THE PERFECT TARGET FOR
A PACK OF YELLOWSTONE’S WOLVES.

BUT SHE HASN’T BEEN SPOTTED YET.

♪

IN A LAND THAT’S PLUNGED
\h\h\hINTO A DEEP FREEZE

FOR MOST OF THE YEAR,

YELLOWSTONE’S CREATURES HAVE HAD
TO HONE THEIR SURVIVAL SKILLS.

♪

BUT WINTER IS PARTICULARLY HARD
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON ONE SPECIES--

BISON.

WEIGHING UP TO 2,000 POUNDS,
THEY HAVE TO MOVE CONSTANTLY

TO FIND ENOUGH NUTRITION
TO SURVIVE UNTIL SPRING.

THIS HERD IS FOLLOWING
\h\h\hA MIGRATION ROUTE

ALONG THE FIREHOLE RIVER.

WHEN BISON DO FIND FOOD,

\hTHEY USUALLY GRAZE
UNTIL IT’S ALL GONE.

♪

\h\h\hONCE, THESE CREATURES
BLANKETED THE GREAT PLAINS

BY THE TENS OF MILLIONS.

NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES TOOK PART
IN ANNUAL BISON HUNTS

AND USED JUST ABOUT EVERY PART
\hOF THE ANIMALS THEY KILLED--

FOR FOOD, SHELTER, AND TOOLS.

\h\h\hAFTER EUROPEANS STARTED
FANNING OUT ACROSS THE WEST,

\hBISON WERE SLAUGHTERED
BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS

FOR THEIR MEAT AND SKINS,

\h\h\h\h\hAND SOMETIMES
JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

WITHIN A FEW DECADES,

\h\h\hAMERICA’S BISON
WERE ALMOST EXTINCT.

TODAY, ROUGHLY 5,000
\hOF THESE CREATURES

INHABIT YELLOWSTONE.

IT’S THE ONLY PLACE
\h\h\hIN THE NATION

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHERE BISON
HAVE LIVED CONTINUOUSLY

SINCE PREHISTORIC TIMES.

THE LARGE HUMPS ON THEIR BACKS
ARE JUST BIG BUNDLES OF MUSCLE

THAT PROVIDE EXTRA POWER
\h\h\h\hTO A BISON’S HEAD

TO HELP THEM CLEAR SNOW

SO THEY CAN ACCESS
\h\hGRASSES BELOW.

\hBUT WINTER GRASSES HAVE ABOUT
AS MUCH NUTRITION AS CARDBOARD.

SO, WITHOUT RESERVES OF FAT

\hBUILT UP DURING
THE SUMMER MONTHS

AND THICK COATS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHESE ANIMALS
WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE

WINTER IN YELLOWSTONE.

AND MANY DON’T.

\h\h\h\hABOUT 9% OF ADULTS
WON’T MAKE IT UNTIL SPRING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBABY BISON
ARE EVEN MORE VULNERABLE

TO THE COLD AND LACK OF FOOD.

EVERY YEAR,

UP TO 40% OF THE PARK’S
\h\h\h\hYOUNGEST BISON

PERISH DURING THE WINTER,

FROM EXPOSURE, PREDATION,
\h\hAND ACCIDENTAL DEATH.

\hBUT YELLOWSTONE CAN BE
DANGEROUS AND EVEN DEADLY

FOR HUMANS, TOO.

EVERY YEAR, AT LEAST ONE OR TWO
\h\h\h\h\hVISITORS TO THE PARK

ARE GORED BY BISON

\h\hAFTER GETTING TOO CLOSE
FOR PHOTO OPS AND SELFIES.

AND IN 2018,

TWO WOMEN WERE KICKED BY ELK
\h\hNEAR A YELLOWSTONE HOTEL.

AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE HAVE DIED
IN THE PARK’S THERMAL POOLS.

MOST FALL IN ACCIDENTALLY.

BUT IN 1981, A MAN DECIDED
\h\h\h\hTO DIVE INTO A POOL

THAT WAS 202 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TRY AND SAVE
HIS FRIEND’S DROWNING DOG.

NEITHER HE NOR THE DOG SURVIVED.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT FOR HIKERS OUT
IN YELLOWSTONE’S BACKCOUNTRY,

ONE OF THE BIGGEST
POTENTIAL DANGERS

IS A MOTHER GRIZZLY WITH CUBS.

BEAR ATTACKS IN YELLOWSTONE
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE RARE.

BUT, SINCE 1872,

AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
\h\h\hMAULED TO DEATH BY BEARS,

INSIDE THE PARK.

ONE HAPPENED SURPRISINGLY CLOSE
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE MAIN ROAD.

IT WAS ABOUT 8:30 A.M.
\h\h\hON JULY 6, 2011,

WHEN A COUPLE FROM CALIFORNIA
\hPARKED THEIR CAR IN THIS LOT

\hAT THE NORTHERN END
OF THE HAYDEN VALLEY.

THIS IS THE STARTING POINT
OF THE WAPITI LAKE TRAIL.

AS THEY SET OUT FOR A DAY HIKE,
\hTHEY PASSED A SIGN THAT READ,

\h\h\h"DANGER, YOU ARE
ENTERING BEAR COUNTRY."

\h\hTHE COUPLE HEADED EAST,
ACROSS THIS OPEN HILLSIDE.

\h\h\hTHEIR FIRST DESTINATION
WAS YELLOWSTONE’S CLEAR LAKE.

AFTER THEY LEFT THE FOREST,
\hANOTHER HIKER ALERTED THEM

TO A MOTHER GRIZZLY
\hAND HER TWO CUBS

FORAGING IN A FIELD BELOW THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE COUPLE
PHOTOGRAPHED THE BEARS,

\h\hWHICH STILL LOOKED LIKE
TINY DOTS IN THE DISTANCE.

THEY DIDN’T APPEAR
\h\hTO BE A THREAT,

\hSO THE COUPLE CONTINUED ON
AND CROSSED HOT SPRING CREEK.

♪

BUT SWARMS OF MOSQUITOS QUICKLY
\h\h\hFORCED THEM TO TURN BACK.

THAT’S WHEN THEY SPOTTED
\hTHE MOTHER BEAR AGAIN.

BUT NOW SHE WAS MUCH CLOSER,

JUST 100 YARDS AWAY.

\h\h\h\hAS THE COUPLE TURNED
AND HEADED TOWARD THE TREES,

THE MOTHER GRIZZLY SPOTTED THEM.

♪

SUDDENLY, SHE STARTED TO CHARGE.

THE MAN AND HIS WIFE
\h\h\h\hBEGAN YELLING

AS THEY RAN INTO THE FOREST.

\h\hBUT WITHIN SECONDS,
500 FEET UP THE TRAIL,

THE GRIZZLY CAUGHT UP TO THEM,
\h\h\h\h\hKNOCKED THE MAN DOWN,

AND MAULED HIM TO DEATH.

SHE TURNED BACK
TO FIND HIS WIFE,

\h\h\hWHO WAS HIDING
UNDER A FALLEN TREE,

JUST 15 FEET AWAY.

THE GRIZZLY PICKED HER UP
\h\h\h\h\hBY HER BACKPACK

AND PUT HER DOWN AGAIN,
\h\h\h\h\h\hUNINJURED.

THEN SHE LEFT.

♪

AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK,

THE COUPLE WAS LESS THAN A MILE
\h\hAND A HALF FROM THEIR CAR.

SINCE THAT DAY,

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MORE
\h\h\hFATAL BEAR ATTACKS

INSIDE THE PARK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE SCENE
OF ONE OF THESE KILLINGS,

\h\hPARK OFFICIALS FOUND DNA
FROM THE SAME MOTHER GRIZZLY

THAT HAD MAULED THE MAN IN 2011.

\h\hTHEY ALSO FOUND
DISTURBING EVIDENCE

\hTHAT SHE HAD FED
ON HUMAN REMAINS.

FEARFUL THAT SHE MIGHT NOW
\hCONSIDER PEOPLE AS FOOD,

THE PARK’S SUPERINTENDENT

DECIDED TO FIND THE BEAR
\h\h\h\hAND PUT HER DOWN.

\h\h\hHER CUBS WERE SPARED
AND SENT TO THE TOLEDO ZOO.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVERY HIKER
IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

WHO HAS SUDDENLY
FOUND THEMSELVES

FACE TO FACE WITH A GRIZZLY

\h\hKNOWS JUST HOW TERRIFYING
THESE GIANT PREDATORS CAN BE.

MALES LIKE THIS ONE,

FORAGING ON THE WESTERN SIDE
\h\h\h\hOF THE HAYDEN VALLEY,

CAN WEIGH UP TO 700 POUNDS.

THEY ARE YELLOWSTONE’S
\h\h\h\h\hAPEX PREDATOR

NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE;

THEIR BONE AND MUSCLE DENSITIES
\hARE 10 TIMES THAT OF HUMANS.

THEY CAN BITE, SCRATCH, AND MAUL
WITH MORE POWER

THAN ANY OTHER PREDATOR
\h\h\hIN NORTH AMERICA.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT GRIZZLIES
AREN’T JUST CARNIVORES.

UP TO 90% OF THEIR DIET

IS MADE UP OF PLANTS,
\hROOTS, AND BERRIES.

USUALLY, THEY ONLY ATTACK HUMANS

WHEN THEY FEEL THREATENED
\h\h\h\hOR GET SURPRISED.

\h\h\h\hBUT WITH AN ESTIMATED
150 GRIZZLIES IN YELLOWSTONE,

IT’S EASY FOR BEARS AND PEOPLE
\h\h\hTO GET DANGEROUSLY CLOSE.

♪

BEGINNING IN THE FALL,
\h\h\hTHOUSANDS OF ELK

\h\hFROM YELLOWSTONE’S
SOUTHERNMOST MOUNTAINS

\h\h\h\hMIGRATE DOWN
TO THE VALLEYS BELOW.

\h\hMANY HEAD OUTSIDE
THE PARK’S BOUNDARIES

AND GATHER HERE IN JACKSON HOLE.

\h\h\h\hTHEY COME TO ESCAPE
YELLOWSTONE’S DEEP FREEZE.

IN 1912, CLOSE TO 25,000 ACRES
\h\h\h\hWERE SET ASIDE FOR ELK

\h\hON LAND JUST NORTH
OF THE TOWN OF JACKSON.

THIS IS THE NATIONAL ELK REFUGE.

IT’S HOME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST
\h\hHERDS OF ELK IN THE NATION.

♪

ONCE, TENS OF THOUSANDS
\h\hOF THESE CREATURES

WINTERED HERE.

BUT ROADS, DEVELOPMENT,
\h\h\h\h\h\hAND HUNTING

\hHAVE REDUCED THAT NUMBER
TO LESS THAN 7,500 TODAY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hELK BREED
IN THE SUMMER AND FALL,

AND SO, BY FEBRUARY,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE COWS ARE LATE
IN THEIR 8 1/2-MONTH PREGNANCY.

TO CONSERVE ENERGY,

\h\h\h\hMOST SPEND THEIR DAYS
RESTING ON THE VALLEY FLOOR.

\hTHE BULLS ARE OFTEN THE ONES
THAT HEAD UP TO THE HIGH SLOPES

TO FORAGE.

IN EARLY SPRING,

\h\h\hTHE ANTLERS ON THE BULLS
NATURALLY LOOSEN AND FALL OFF.

IT’S A WAY FOR THESE ANIMALS

TO REDUCE THE CALORIES
THEY NEED TO SURVIVE.

♪

\h\h\h\hBY THE TIME ELK
BEGIN THEIR MIGRATIONS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDOWN FROM
YELLOWSTONE’S MOUNTAINS,

\h\h\hTHE PARK’S HUMAN VISITORS
START TO DWINDLE TO A TRICKLE.

\h\h\h\hIN WINTER, THERE’S ONLY
ONE ROAD OPEN INTO YELLOWSTONE,

FROM GARDINER, MONTANA.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR ABOUT
SEVEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR,

FROM OCTOBER TO MAY,

\h\h\h\h\hMUCH OF THE PARK
IS COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE.

\h\hMOST OF ITS HOTELS
AND LODGES ARE CLOSED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hDEEP SNOW BLANKETS
THE NORMALLY CROWDED BOARDWALKS

THAT LINE MANY OF THE PARK’S
\h\h\h\h\hMOST VISITED SITES,

LIKE THIS ONE--

NORRIS GEYSER BASIN.

DURING THESE MONTHS,

\h\h\hSOME VISITORS
GET AROUND THE PARK

ON GROOMED SNOWMOBILE TRAILS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hOTHERS USE
OFFICIAL SNOW COACHES,

\hWHICH ARE REALLY
JUST SHUTTLE BUSES

THAT RIDE ON GIANT SNOW TIRES.

BUT WITH SO FEW HUMAN NOISES IN
\hYELLOWSTONE DURING THE WINTER,

THIS IS THE TIME WHEN THE PARK’S
ANCIENT SOUNDSCAPE

CAN BE HEARD IN ITS PUREST FORM.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SILENCE
OF ITS VAST OPEN SPACES

MUFFLED BY SNOW...

[WIND HOWLING]

THE HOWL OF WINTER WIND WHIPPING
AROUND JAGGED PEAKS...

[BIRD CHIRPING]

\h\h\h\hVALLEYS THAT ECHO
WITH CALLS OF THE WILD...

[WOLF HOWLING]

[CRACKLING]

AND THE CRACKLING SOUNDS
\h\h\h\h\hOF SHIFTING ICE

ON YELLOWSTONE’S STREAMS.

[CRACKLING]

BUT ALSO, THE ENDLESS SPUTTER
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF MUD POTS,

\h\h\h\hBUBBLING AWAY
IN THE WILDERNESS...

[HISSING]

AND THE SUDDEN RUSH OF GEYSERS,

EXPLODING INTO THE SKY.

♪

SOUNDS LIKE THESE

\hHAVE BEEN ECHOING ACROSS THE
GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM

FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS
\h\h\h\h\hOF YEARS...

WHILE THE SNOW-COVERED PEAKS
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE TETONS

\h\h\h\h\h\hHAVE BEEN CLIMBING
HIGHER AND HIGHER INTO THE SKY

\hAND GREAT WINTER SNOWFALLS
HAVE BEEN FEEDING THE RIVERS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT RACE AND PLUNGE
THROUGH YELLOWSTONE’S CANYONS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT WHAT MAKES THIS
VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE TRULY UNIQUE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS HOW IT SUPPORTS
SO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS OF LIFE.

AND SOME OF THE MOST
\h\hFASCINATING ONES

\h\hARE INVISIBLE
TO THE NAKED EYE,

UNTIL THEY CLUSTER TOGETHER
\h\h\h\h\hBY THE BILLIONS.

♪

THE BRILLIANT YELLOWS,
\h\hORANGES, AND GREENS

OF GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING

\hARE ACTUALLY THE COLORS
OF UNIQUE MICROORGANISMS,

CALLED EXTREMOPHILES.

\h\h\hSINCE THEY THRIVE
IN EXTREME CONDITIONS,

\h\h\hSCIENTISTS HOPE
THEY MIGHT HOLD CLUES

ABOUT WHAT LIFE COULD LOOK LIKE
\h\h\h\h\hON PLANETS LIKE MARS.

\h\hWITH EVERYTHING
FROM TINY MICROBES

TO TOWERING PREDATORS,

\h\hYELLOWSTONE IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST NATURAL LABORATORIES

ON EARTH.

IT’S NOT SURPRISING

\h\hTHAT THERE HAVE BEEN
SO MANY FANTASTICAL TALES

\hABOUT THIS STRANGE
AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE

AND WHY EVEN THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH
\h\h\hTO SEE IT FOR THEMSELVES

CAN HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT IT’S REAL.

♪

♪