(light music)
- [Kevin] They didn't expect to see what they saw.
And when they saw it, they could never forget it.
Ferdinand Hayden was hired to lead a team
into the Northwest Territories.
And the 32 men headed west.
They weren't here to protect Yellowstone.
They were here to tear it to shreds in the name of progress.
Gold interests, railroad barons, Congress.
Powerful people wanted this land for themselves.
But something happened during their three month journey,
and slowly but surely, their mission changed.
So as we celebrate the 150th anniversary
of Yellowstone National Park,
we take a look back in time at the events
that led to the preservation of this magical place.
(upbeat majestic music)
What's the day?
April 25th, 26th?
Most the country's thawing out
celebrating the arrival of spring, but not here, man.
(upbeat majestic music)
This is Yellowstone, eight months a year.
(wolf howls)
You know, the crazy thing is that 98%
of the people who come to visit will never see it like this.
If you ask me, this is a way to do it.
It's perfect.
It's just perfect.
Ferdinand Hayden tried to survey this area in 1862.
Planned it perfectly.
You know, he came out in the summer,
but then a huge storm in late June
made the mountains impassable.
Took him nine more years to make it back here.
It's a good thing he did.
(upbeat majestic music)
Yellowstone in the winter is a thing of beauty.
On an average year, 150 inches of snow will fall.
And at higher elevations it's often twice that.
More than six months a year it looks like this.
Even the summer months aren't safe
from the occasional snowfall.
In one of Yellowstone's most spectacular winter sites
diamond dust floats through the air
like a cloud of tiny mirrors.
(light music)
It gets so cold here that water vapor crystallizes.
It is both beautiful,
and cruel.
(bird quacks)
Some will endure its challenges,
while others seek out safe havens in lower elevations.
Some will burrow in dens and wait out the season.
While others thrive in a wild
that has turned in their favor.
(bird calls)
But one thing is certain,
in Yellowstone winner cannot be ignored.
The American bison is the largest
land mammal in North America.
They've lived in Yellowstone continuously
since prehistoric times.
You ever look at a bison and wonder
why they have those massive humps?
It's a perfectly evolved adaptation to deal with the snow.
Most ungulates forge for grass by breaking up
the snow with their hooves.
That won't work here in Yellowstone.
The snow's too heavy, too deep.
So the bison evolve massive neck muscles that power
their enormous head side to side like a snowplow
exposing the grass underneath.
The temperature here can get
as low as negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
So it's good to pack a heavy coat.
The bison's is so heavy that their body heat
doesn't even melt the snow that collects on their fur.
Their skin thickens in winter
and fatty deposits keep them warm from the inside.
(light music)
But even the perfectly adapted bison have
to fight to survive every winter.
If it snows too much,
they can't access the grass
they need to fuel their massive bodies.
When the Hayden expedition first came to Yellowstone
they took note not only of the largest herd
that roamed the valleys, but also the large number
of dead bison that fed the parks predators.
Their left over after the unrelenting winner
culls the herd.
The harsh conditions kill one
out of 10 bison every year.
This has become known simply as winter kill.
(bird calls)
It provides predators in the park
with as much as 800,000 pounds of meat each winter.
(dramatic music)
Everyone wants a piece of the action,
because the window of opportunity is small.
The next snowstorm is usually just hours away
and anything left uneaten will be buried until spring.
(light music)
Hoping to avoid that fate,
these bison endure long migration
to lower elevations.
Were super heated water beneath the surface
melts the snow above.
There they will find the grass
they need to survive until spring.
Every living thing in Yellowstone spends
at least half the year battling the harsh conditions.
It was something the pioneers
on the Hayden Expedition wanted to avoid dealing with,
making their journey in the summer.
But they quickly found out
that even the best laid plans
can be undone quickly here.
And so did I.
You know, sometimes I find myself wondering
whose brilliant idea was this.
Usually when that happens, I'm the culprit.
But man, Yellowstone and the stone cold,
it's no country for the faint of heart.
I mean, the animals have had millions
of years to adapt to the conditions.
And even still, there's plenty that don't make it.
Being here makes me think about George Allen.
One of the two journals to survive
through time was Allen's.
He was a geologist in Hayden's mentor.
He was one of the older gentlemen on the expedition.
And sometime in the,
sometime in late July in 1871,
another big storm blew through and it buried everything.
And Alan was in his tent shivering,
kinda same way as I am right now.
And he wrote about,
he wrote about how miserable he was.
Wasn't sure he'd survived the expedition.
He left the next day.
That's probably a good decision.
Probably a really good decision.
Yellowstone National Park is an easy place to visit,
but living here, that's anything but easy.
Every species that has managed to survive
the winters has only done so through adaptation.
(light music)
These river otters are perfectly adapted to the conditions.
Thick hair protects warm skin from cold water.
That's why their pelts were so sought after
by the hunters and trappers
who made their way to the Yellowstone region
long before Hayden and his men.
The otter furs were in high demand
by the wealthiest people back east,
because of the warmth they provided
and the luster of the fur.
Today, the otters in Yellowstone
don't have to worry about trappers.
Their battle is keeping themselves fed
during the cold winter months.
The steady supply of fish
and open water can only be counted on in the warmer months.
The winter freeze chokes off the river,
cutting off the food supply for the mother and her two pups.
They go from one hole in the ice to another
in search of a meal.
But with every fish they pull from the icy depths,
the supplies lessened.
And soon this family will need to find a new place to fish.
River otters may reign supreme in water,
but on land it's a different story together.
Here they go from hunter to hunted.
Alternating between hopping and sliding,
they can reach speeds
of 15 miles per hour through the heavy snow.
They'll need that speed
as they search for a new fishing hole.
And predators are abound.
While the otter family struggles against the cold and snow,
wolfs thrive.
(wolf calls)
In these conditions, they're top dog.
But winter brings territorial disputes,
and at times unbridled savagery.
This is when strong packs expand
and weak packs die off.
The druid pack once rained supreme in this area,
only to wither in recent years
as Molly's pack has taken the throne.
But with success comes problems
and Molly's pack already finds itself in turmoil.
Rival packs are constantly on the lookout for new territory.
Recently a pack of 15 wolves traveled 40 miles outside
of their territory to take on another pack.
Securing territory is key to their survival.
More land means more hunting grounds.
(dramatic music)
In winter, elk is the main thing on the menu for this pack.
90% of their diet is elk during this cold period.
An elk cow has been separated from the harem.
And even with strength in numbers
fighting off a wolf pack is a hero's task.
The wolves move on to high ground
and when the sun goes down, they will strike.
When they do, they'll announce it to the world.
(wolf calls)
(bird calls)
The wolf's ability to hunt
elk doesn't just keep them well fed.
It keeps the park in balance.
By thinning out oversized elk populations
and cutting down the weak and sick among them
they leave stronger, more resilient elk herds behind.
The elk cow has made a good meal,
but it's not enough.
It's never enough.
These wolves need more calories in the winter.
Moving through heavy snow
and maintaining body heat requires more energy.
So they're on the prowl for more,
and always will be.
Like I said, it's an easy place to visit,
tough place to live.
This male bobcat is another creature
that will fight to survive all winter long.
Every meal will be a battle.
A duck, now that's good eating.
It could keep him fed for several days.
He typically prowls the conifer forest of Yellowstone.
But desperate times call for desperate measures.
And he comes into the open today.
His small feet and short legs
aren't built for the loose snow.
And despite his appetite
he's hesitant to get into the cold water.
Though the bobcat is a skilled hunter
this isn't a fair fight.
He's out of his element.
Finding meals will only get harder as winter continues
and fat stores and energy reserves dwindle.
And if the bobcat is going to feed,
all he can do is buy his time
and wait for the right opportunity.
(dramatic music)
As lovely as the sight is,
as lucid and clean the fallen snow,
I can't help but think
of the chaos that winter brings with it.
Ever been to a bonfire?
You know, that's how when you
first show up people are all spread out.
Maybe there's a few around the fire
but you got some people over here
and you got another group over there.
Then it gets late and night grows cold.
Eventually, every last person that's huddled
around that fire.
That down there,
that's a bonfire.
When it gets warmer
the animals spread out and make their way up
the ranges all the way to the peaks.
Then when the snow comes,
they head back down to the Valley seeking refuge,
creatures that have absolutely
no interest in being friends huddle around that fire.
When it gets 30, 40 degrees below zero
that fire dims and they huddle even closer.
That's when all hell breaks loose.
(dramatic music)
(wolf calls)
The large herds that graze the valleys
in spring and summer have broken into smaller groups
as they migrate toward the lower elevations.
And no one is more aware of this
than the wolves who track these smaller herds
as they migrate towards the bonfire.
(dramatic music)
These bison have traveled 40 miles
to reach the geyser basin.
For a migration that began weeks ago.
The steam from the thermal vents is a welcome site,
but the warmth of the thermals draws in predator and prey.
(light music)
The bison herd arrives at the geyser basin.
The super volcano beneath the Earth's surface fights
against the cold above,
sending steam outward,
melting the snow and exposing the grass.
But there is a downside to grazing here.
The grass that grows near the thermal has less nutrients
and the long journey to get here took a lot
out of the bison.
By the time they arrive
they're at their weakest.
And wolves are opportunists.
They've traveled across the park to greet
the bison at the bonfire, just like they do every winter.
Taking on a herd of healthy bison at full strength
isn't worth the effort,
but in their tired, weakened state,
the wolves will come.
With the sun setting, the attack is imminent.
(dramatic music)
Under the cover of darkness they strike,
and by the time the sun rises,
the wolves are finishing their meal.
They'll eat as much as 20 pounds
of meat each on a kill like this.
With their bellies full,
the wolves will leave the bison herd alone today.
Tonight will be a different story.
(dramatic music)
Back at the riverbank,
the starving bobcat continues his fight for survival.
He needs a meal, and soon.
A musk rat may not taste as good as a duck,
but it'll have to do.
The semi-aquatic musk rat builds his burrow
on the river bank.
Little does he know he's being hunted.
The bobcat was reluctant to jump
into the freezing water to catch the duck,
but he's one day hungrier.
One day more desperate.
Another meal has slipped away.
It's going to be a long winter for the bobcat.
If his luck doesn't change soon, it may be a short one.
(dramatic music)
At the higher elevations,
Yellowstone's big horn sheep fight
their own battle every winter.
The big horn sheep in Yellowstone descend
from sheep that left Siberia
and migrated across the Bering land bridge.
750,000 years ago,
they became the primary source
of food for the indigenous Tukudika tribe
who lived in Yellowstone thousands of years
before Hayden ever set foot there.
Tukudika is roughly translated to eaters
of the mountain sheep,
and the tribes lived at high elevations
where the big horn was plentiful.
They used the sheep not only for food,
but by warming their horns in Yellowstone's thermal waters,
they could shape them into extremely durable bows.
There used to be millions of big horns spread
across the Western United States,
today there are fewer than 70,000.
And each winter, Yellowstone's big horn
decide who gets to mate this year and who doesn't.
Through a series of battles,
toughest males established dominance,
only they will have breeding rights.
(dramatic music)
A fully grown ram can weigh 300 pounds,
40 of which are held in their horns.
Their skulls have two layers of cushion above
the brain which absorb the impact of the collision.
The sounds of winter are almost as incredible
as the sights.
Almost is incredible.
There's something majestic about the snow covered peaks.
Something inspiring about seeing the wild world.
Unchanged by the hands of man.
Unchanged by the hands of time.
(bird calls)
I don't think I'm any different than anyone else.
We all grew up in different places.
I grew up in the inner city.
I was born in a place called Compton, California.
But I remember when I got my first glimpse
of the Rocky Mountains.
You know, it was like the scales came off my eyes
and I thought could there be a place like this in the world?
The reality is that America's so big,
and Yellowstone reminds you
of what the country might have looked
like before there was any outsiders that ever came,
and to know that the rivers still flow
and these mountains still stand.
There is something that we should be thankful for,
the human will to convince other people
that this is worth keeping.
It wasn't a battle and it was uphill
but it was about one man who believed he had
an idea about himself, so much so that he knew
if given the chance he could change the world.
(light music)
Ferdinand Hayden's determination to convince the US
Congress to protect Yellowstone
rather than let it be torn apart is
the reason we can tell these stories today.
It's the reason that the bobcats and bison,
and wolves have this pristine landscape to roam,
to breed, to fight, and to survive.
(wolf calls)
Survival is the name of the game in winter.
The river otters continue their desperate trek
to find a new food source.
They've made their way
to a place where the water never freezes.
The upper falls.
Water crashing from the falls churns the pool below,
preventing it from freezing.
But the fishing hole is 109 feet down.
In the summer of 1871,
Hayden and his men used ropes to traverse the falls
as they explored Yellowstone.
Believe it or not, these otters don't have any ropes.
But the snow creates another opportunity.
(light music)
Mom teaches the pups the art of sledding.
(light music continues)
The otter family makes it to their new fishing hole.
They're back in their element, and soon they'll die.
They found a workaround for the winter conditions
and food here will be abundant.
(bird calls)
The bobcat isn't so lucky,
the pangs of hunger are overwhelming
and he is in desperate search of food.
(dramatic music)
At this point, he'll settle for anything.
It's all or nothing.
The time to strike is now.
Finally, the bobcat has his dinner.
His chances of surviving the winter
just got a little better.
Yellowstone in winter is iconic.
A world of ice,
and fire.
A world where every creature
fights their own battle every single day.
(wolf calls)
But if not for the pioneers who made
the decision to protect this place 150 years ago,
we'd never know that it even existed.
You know, I don't know
if there's another place on Earth that gives you
the evocative spectacle of nature
that Yellowstone does in the snow.
And being here, seeing it firsthand,
makes me wonder what if,
what if Hayden and his team never came here?
What if they'd been delayed a year
and people had set up gold mines?
What if their plan to protect this place didn't work?
And the truth was, it almost didn't.
There was a photographer named Anton Sean Burn.
He was part of the expedition
and he was a big part of Hayden's plan.
He took all the notes they were gonna use
to create the maps that they were gonna present
to Congress and those maps were gonna be crucial
in getting Yellowstone protected,
then just days before he was gonna meet,
meet Hayden in Washington DC, he killed himself.
Turns out that six days earlier
the great Chicago fire had destroyed
a huge amount of the data collected on the expedition.
It was tragic, of course,
but it was a disaster for Hayden,
and he needed to act fast.
Hayden knew that a watershed moment was upon him.
He knew that the wolves were at the gates
and the snow was the only thing keeping them out.
For when spring arrived,
the destruction of Yellowstone would begin in force.
The vandals who are waiting to enter this wonderland
will in a single season be spoiled beyond recovery
these remarkable curiosities,
which have required all the cunning skill
of nature of thousands of years to prepare.
With that said, Hayden cast the first stone
to protect the land that he'd grown to love.
You know, Hayden predicted they would come
in droves to destroy this place once the winter
released the land from its clutches.
His words, not mine, but boy was he right.
Spring finally came in 1872,
and one after another,
the profiteers started filing their claims,
100, 150, 200 acres at a time.
The claims poured into the public land office.
Everything from gold to silver to medicinal spring water.
Every damn thing we've seen had a claim filed on it.
And the miracle of it all was
that every single claim that was filed that year,
every single one was denied.
Because you see, eight days earlier,
President Ulysses S. Grant signed Hayden's bill into law.
The National Park system was created
just in the nick of time,
and Yellowstone was saved by eight days.
You know, that's not a fairytale.
It's not a Hollywood ending,
it's just how close it all was to going.
No one alive today would even know this land even existed.
Thank God for that snow, huh?
(light music)
- Let's go, pal.