Yellowstone Winter Photography | Gallery

Winter in Yellowstone is the magical season where the quiet peacefulness of falling snow, is met with the harshest conditions. A place where the beauty of nature is challenged to thrive, and to survive. Winter in Yellowstone is a story of drama, from its wide variety of wildlife to its valleys, from the forests to its unique geo thermal features, every corner of Yellowstone must live, thrive and survive each year to remain and sustain in the ecosystem.

The temperature is changing, the animals know what is coming. Each species begins its migration for survival. Snow begins to fall slowly, then heavily on the ground. The roads disappear, and will be covered in snow for months. The snow covers the grasses and bushes, and the elk must forage harder, and longer to eat. The fox must now jump high in the air to plummet down into the snow to catch the mole he has been listening for. They are hungry, they are tired, yet they must survive.

Silence dominates Yellowstone in winter. Not emptiness, but a deep and resonant quiet. Snow absorbs sound until even footsteps are barely heard. In that stillness, we begin to notice things often lost in others months: the sound of snow falling, the steady rhythm of the streams, the gurgling of gesyers, and at last, the sound of wolves. Bison cross the valleys and are easily spotted by us, and also by predators. Every day, the will to survive is put to the test, for every animal that lives within this park. They search, sacrifice and they hope for one more day.

When I am having a hard day in my human world, I will look at my Winter Yellowstone photos, I will relive the days I have spent watching the transformation of the season, and the outcome of each day. I will reflect on the sound of silence, and the cries of those trying to survive. Our lives are relatively easy, in comparison. Something we should be grateful for.