Yellowstone Association Institute Press Releases

Yellowstone Association Institute Press Releases Index

Black Canyon Wildlife Backpack

May 3, 2006

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – In this course being offered by the Yellowstone Association Institute students will follow the Yellowstone River through the heart of Yellowstone’s famous Northern Range where elk, bison, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, congregate each spring. Their predators are never far behind, ready to prey on winter-weakened herds. Students will backpack through the landscape, learning the habitat requirements of the wildlife they encounter, and learn to identify and interpret animal sign.

The course, taught by Nathan Varley and Angela Patnode, will begin June 23 at 9 a.m. and end June 26 at 4 p.m. Nathan is a naturalist, writer, and guide specializing in Yellowstone ecology. He has studied many wildlife species including gray wolves, mountain goats, grizzly bears, river otters, coyotes, moose, and pine marten. As a Ph.D. candidate in wildlife biology at the University of Alberta, Nathan is studying the effects of wolf recovery on the northern Yellowstone elk herd.

Angela specializes in backpacking and mountaineering, with more than 15 years experience as an outdoor educator. She works for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and the Yellowstone Association Institute.

The course will entail a moderately paced backpack of 6 to 8 miles through sometimes steep and rough terrain. The fee for the course is $400 (Yellowstone Association members receive a $10 discount).

The Institute is a nonprofit field school operated by the National Park’s official educational partner, the Yellowstone Association. The Institute offers a variety of courses in ecology, wilderness skills, and natural history year-round in Yellowstone National Park.

To enroll in this or another field seminar, or to request a catalog that includes a full description of all summer and fall courses, please contact the Yellowstone Association Institute at PO Box 117, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 307-344-2294. Complete information is also available at www.YellowstoneAssociation.org.