Step outside the hotel in Gardiner, Montana in January and the cold hits you like a door swung open onto another world. The temperature might read ten degrees. It might hover at a frigid minus forty degrees. Either way, there is simply no other feeling like the one where cold air and anticipation collide.
Winter is the season that strips Yellowstone down to just the essentials. The two million-plus visitors who crowd the roads in the summers are long gone. The bison that spend the summertime dispersed across millions of acres have moved into the lower elevations and river valleys where the thermal ground keeps the grass a little more accessible and the air carries the breath of a still-active volcano beneath their hooves. Moose move into the willows, bighorn sheep leave their cliffs during the daytime, and fox and coyotes patrol the subnivean zone around the sage brush for prey.
Then there are the wolves. Wolf predation ecology in winter is one of the more remarkable things a wildlife photographer can witness. Deep snow gives the legendary wolves of Yellowstone a physics advantage over their prey, the ungulates. Elk and bison, with their weight distributed over hooves, punch through the crust. But the wolves, with their lighter bodies running on four broad paws spread wide, float across the surface with an almost magical ease.
But the northern range is not just about the wolves. It is red fox in full winter coat, moving through the snow, pausing, listening, then launching straight down through three feet of powder after a vole they heard but could not possibly have seen. It is bison standing in blizzard conditions with snow caked into their woolly foreheads, patient in a way that suggests they have been doing this longer than we’ve been watching — which, of course, they have. It is bighorn sheep on the slopes above the road, moose in the willows, American marten in the timber, river otters working the edges of open water in the Lamar Valley, and bald eagles clustered in the cottonwoods.
I have spent the last five winters leading photographers through this ecosystem, and I can tell you with some confidence that every year is a new and different experience, magical in its own way. The diversity of large mammals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is unmatched in the Northern Hemisphere outside of a handful of African parks, and in winter, when snow concentrates that diversity into the thermal corridors and valley bottoms, the photographic opportunities are simply astounding.
This workshop is intentionally small: three photographers plus me, one private vehicle, and three full days on one extraordinary stretch of country.
Gallery
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Itinerary
- DAY 1
Bozeman, Montana
Fly into the Bozeman airport (BZN). At 2pm, you’ll be met and transported by private SUV, equipped with snow tires and outfitted for winter, south through Paradise Valley to Gardiner, Montana. This drive takes roughly 90 minutes under normal winter conditions, longer if we have high winds or flurries. The Yellowstone River runs alongside the highway and by the time we arrive in Gardiner, you will already feel the shift in scale that this place produces.
After taking some time to settle in, we’ll meet as a group for a briefing on the days ahead, and talk shop, going over some of the skills that will come in handy while we’re in the field. Then we’ll have a group dinner and retire early.
- DAYS 2-4
The Northern Range
We are out before first light each one of these mornings! The northern range rewards the early and the patient, and we will be both! Our private SUV becomes our warm and comfortable mobile field station. Midday, when the light flattens and animals tend to rest, we’ll make a stop for lunch before heading back out until the light dictates our departure for the evening.
Where exactly we go during these days depends entirely on what the park is giving us. Wildlife moves, conditions change, territories shift. Each day will be a little different, but we’ll be well-prepared for whatever wildlife activity comes our way!
- DAY 5
Departure
After breakfast, we transfer back to Bozeman to say our farewells. The drive is timed to have you at the Bozeman airport no later than early afternoon, with time built-in for the unpredictability that winter roads in Montana occasionally insist upon. Plan your departure flight for 1:00 PM or later.
This general itinerary is designed to give you an overview of what to expect during your workshop. Winters in Yellowstone can be unpredictable and weather changes can happen quickly. Like all wildlife photography, where we work for the day inside of each part of the park will be based on real-time information and weather. We do our best to adhere as closely as possible to the planned itinerary, but it is subject to change due to requirements from our vendors and travel partners, force majeure, safety, and other unforeseen circumstances.
Included
- Round-trip transportation from Bozeman to Gardiner
- Ground transportation in the park
- All park entrance fees
- Single-occupancy lodging
- All meals except breakfast (we leave before the hotel serves it, so most people pick up breakfast at the grocery store in town to have in their rooms the next morning)
Not included
- Airfare to/from Bozeman
- Lodging outside of the workshop days
- Alcoholic beverages
- Items of a personal nature (e.g., laundry, souvenirs)
- Incidentals incurred by participants at lodging
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Payment
$4,000 due upon booking.
Insurance
The weather in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in winter can vary wildly. I strongly recommend protecting your investment with travel insurance. More details and recommendations are available inside the workshop registration portal.
Physical difficulty
This itinerary is more about observation than physical exertion, with most of our wildlife photography happening roadside. Due to park guidelines, we are not hiking into any areas, though we may walk short distances occasionally.
The main physical aspects of this workshop are staying warm in the frigid winter temperatures that can be as chilly as -40°F and as warm as 40°F all in the same week. Participants will be given a workshop guide detailing recommended clothing and gear. While we can stay out in those temperatures for the right photo opportunities, we will also spend a lot of time inside the vehicles looking for wildlife.
What to expect
This workshop is built around a single, deliberate focus: Yellowstone’s northern range in winter, based out of Gardiner, Montana.
The northern range, made up of the Lamar Valley and the Yellowstone River corridor, is accessible by road in winter, which means we travel in a private SUV, equipped with snow tires and outfitted for winter, moving quickly and quietly when we need to, stopping the moment something happens. And things happen constantly here. The northern range is wolf country in the most fundamental sense. It is also where we look for bighorn sheep, moose, pronghorn, coyotes, bison, red fox, American marten, river otters, and anything else Mother Nature wants to send our way.
With just three photographers, there is room for everyone at every sighting, and time to work each one properly. Three full days on the same ground also means we learn it as we go, reading where the animals are moving and adjusting each day to what the park is giving us.
Photography instruction services are conducted by commercial authorization permit holder, Annalise Kaylor Photography, LLC.
Questions
How do I register for this workshop?
Once you fill out the form and indicate you’re ready to secure your spot, we’ll send you our registration paperwork along with an invoice for the full workshop fee of $4,000. When the paperwork is complete and payment has been made, you are officially registered! While you’re waiting for your departure time to arrive, you’ll receive our Winter in Yellowstone Guide, which goes over a more detailed itinerary, gear recommendations, clothing recommendations, and has a packing list.
How much physical activity is involved?
This itinerary is more about observation than physical exertion, with most of our wildlife photography happening roadside. Due to park guidelines, we are not hiking into any areas, though we may walk short distances occasionally. The main physical aspects of this workshop are staying warm in the frigid winter temperatures that can be as chilly as -40°F and as warm as 40°F all in the same week. Participants will be given a workshop guide detailing recommended clothing and gear. While we can stay out in those temperatures for the right photo opportunities, we will also spend a lot of time inside the vehicles looking for wildlife.
What kind of clothing should I pack?
As is the saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” A complete guide to packing for comfort and warmth will be provided to photographers on the trip. The key is layers, understanding what each layer does, and how to put it together. While we may “sit” on a photo opportunity for a long while if the situation arises, the majority of the time we will be going in and out of heated vehicles and we’ll always be within a short walk to our vehicle, too. As such, proper clothing is important and I’ll guide you through it, but few and far between are the times we’ll be braving the elements for too long.
What are the lodging and meals like?
Included in the price of the workshop is single-occupancy lodging in Gardiner, Montana. Lunch and dinner are included every day. Breakfast is not included, because we head out before the hotel serves it. Most people pick up breakfast at the grocery store in town and keep it in their room for the next morning.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that cancelling a long-anticipated trip is disappointing. But we, too, plan far ahead before each departure and continuously send non-refundable payments to hotels, other suppliers, and travel partners. Therefore, we must strictly adhere to the cancellation and refund policy. We strongly suggest that you purchase travel insurance in the event that your travel plans change or you need to cancel your trip. The following are the terms of our cancellation and trip change policy:
Cancellation and refund policy:
Deposits are non-refundable after a 10-day grace period.
If you cancel within the grace period, we will refund your deposit to the original form of payment, minus a $250 administrative fee and any payment processing fees incurred.
After the grace period, no refunds will be issued unless we can fill your spot. If we can fill your spot, we will issue a refund minus a $250 administrative fee and any payment processing fees incurred. Refunds will be issued once the replacement deposit has cleared.
Final payment deadlines:
U.S.-based workshops: Final balance is due 90 days before the start date unless otherwise indicated.
International workshops: Final balance is due 120 days before the start date unless otherwise indicated.
By booking, you acknowledge and accept these terms. If you have any questions, we’re happy to help clarify.