Original subtitles

HI. I’M BILL PULLMAN.

AS PART OF A RANCH FAMILY,

I KNOW THAT WATER IS PRECIOUS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHERE IN MONTANA.

IT’S THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE WEST.

\h\hMOST OF AMERICA’S GREAT WATERWAYS HAVE BEEN DAMMED,

BUT THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER \h\h\h\h\hIS AN EXCEPTION.

IT FLOWS FREE FOR THE ENTIRE \h\h\hLENGTH OF ITS JOURNEY.

BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A PLACE OF PERIL.

\h\h\hIN THIS CHAPTER OF "EPIC YELLOWSTONE,"

YOU’RE GOING TO SEE TWO MOTHERS, A GRIZZLY AND A BISON,

EACH WITH THE CHALLENGE \hOF GETTING THEIR YOUNG

ACROSS THE RAGING RIVER.

BOTH HAVE FIERCE DETERMINATION, AND BOTH FACE UNCERTAIN ENDINGS.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE JOURNEY \h\h\h\hDOWN THE RIVER WILD.

IT’S AMONG THE LAST \h\h\hOF ITS KIND--

A MIGHTY RIVER STILL WILD.

♪

\h\h\h\hIT FLOWS FROM THE HEART OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK...

\h\h\h\h\hAND CARVES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

♪

\h\hTHIS IS THE STORY OF A RIVER MOVING AS FEW RIVERS STILL DO...

UNDAMMED...

UNTAMED,

OF RAGING WATERS THAT GIVE...

AND TAKE.

♪

THIS IS A JOURNEY FROM THE PEAKS

TO THE PLAINS,

WHERE ANCIENT LANDS WELCOME CREATURES FROM ANOTHER TIME.

[THUNDER]

THIS IS THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER,

UNLEASHED AND FREE.

♪

THE PEAKS OF THE WORLD’S \h\hFIRST NATIONAL PARK

FEED THE LARGEST HIGH ELEVATION BODY OF WATER IN NORTH AMERICA,

YELLOWSTONE LAKE.

[TRUMPETING]

\hITS SHORE CIRCLES MORE THAN 100 MILES.

ITS DEPTHS PLUNGE \hNEARLY 400 FEET.

THIS GIANT NATURAL RESERVOIR \h\h\hHAS ONLY ONE OUTLET...

[TRUMPETING]

THE MIGHTY YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

BUT ON THIS JANUARY DAY,

\hTHE RIVER’S EXIT IS LOCKED IN ICE,

REDUCED TO A FEW STEAMING POOLS,

CRITICAL REFUGE FOR A SPECIES \hTHAT ONCE FACED EXTINCTION.

[TRUMPETING]

NEARLY ALL THE TRUMPETER SWANS \h\h\h\hIN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

MIGRATE HERE EACH WINTER.

\h\h\hTHEY FLOCK TO OPEN WATER HEATED BY GEOTHERMAL SPRINGS.

BUT EVEN IN THIS SANCTUARY, \h\h\hSAFETY IS NOT A GIVEN.

[TRUMPETING]

♪

\hTHE WORLD’S LARGEST WATERFOWL HAVE ATTRACTED A HUNGRY COYOTE.

[TRUMPETING]

HUNTING ON THE FROZEN RIVER \h\h\h\h\h\hIS A CHALLENGE.

THERE’S NO COVER,

NOTHING FOR THE COYOTE \h\h\hTO HIDE BEHIND.

IT MUST BE PATIENT

AND WAIT FOR A MISSTEP.

♪

♪

IT’S NOT EASY TO CATCH \hTHE SWANS OFF GUARD.

\hTHEIR CROWDED SAFE HAVEN IS SMALL, BUT IT’S ENOUGH.

♪

THOSE LINGERING FARTHER \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE WATER

WON’T BE ABLE TO MAKE \hSUCH A QUICK ESCAPE.

GATHERING MOMENTUM TO LIFT

A 20-POUND BODY INTO THE AIR \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTAKES TIME,

TIME THAT’S RUNNING OUT.

♪

[TRUMPETING]

\hTHE COYOTE WATCHES ITS CHANCE FLY AWAY.

♪

\h\h\hTHIS GOLDENEYE DUCK CAN’T ESCAPE TO THE AIR...

OR RETREAT TO THE WATER.

IT’S INJURED,

JUST THE ADVANTAGE THE COYOTE NEEDS.

♪

[QUACKING]

[TRUMPETING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hNOT A SWAN, BUT BETTER THAN NOTHING.

♪

♪

A FEW WARM FEBRUARY DAYS \h\h\hOPEN THE CHANNEL.

[TRUMPETING]

THE SWANS HAVE ROOM TO MOVE,

TO STRETCH THEIR WINGS.

[TRUMPETING]

AND THE RIVER THAT GAVE

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hITS NAME

FLOWS FREE.

IT LEAVES THE LAKE, \h\h\hHEADING NORTH,

THE START OF A JOURNEY TO THE MISSOURI RIVER,

NEARLY 700 MILES AWAY.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY VOYAGE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE YELLOWSTONE IS THE LONGEST UNDAMMED RIVER

IN THE LOWER 48 STATES.

IT FLOWS WITH A WILDNESS THAT’S DISAPPEARING FROM AMERICA.

\h\hIT STILL HARBORS EXTRAORDINARY LIFE.

♪

EVEN IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER,

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S AN ARTERY, DRAWING MANY TO ITS BANKS.

♪

\h\hTHE COYOTE MUST BE ENDLESSLY ON THE HUNT

FOR CALORIES THAT WILL CARRY IT THROUGH THE WINTER.

IT FOLLOWS THE OPEN RIVER.

\h\h\hTHE COYOTE SPENDS MUCH OF ITS YEAR ALONE.

SOMETIMES A HUNTER, \hOFTEN A SCAVENGER,

ITS STRENGTH IS ADAPTABILITY.

♪

BUT THE COYOTE ISN’T AT EASE \h\h\h\h\hIN THE ICY WATER,

\h\h\hAND ITS QUEST TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD

WILL BE AS LONG AND GRUELING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS THE SEASON.

♪

[SQUEALING]

RIVER OTTERS ARE AT HOME \h\h\h\h\hIN THE WATER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY RELY ON THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER

WHEN THEIR SUMMER HABITAT

IN LAKES AND TRIBUTARIES \h\h\h\h\hFREEZES OVER.

♪

LESS THAN A YEAR OLD,

TWO PUPS HAVE ALREADY GROWN \h\h\h\hAS BIG AS THEIR MOM,

BUT THEY STILL HAVE \h\hA LOT TO LEARN.

THEY’LL STAY WITH HER \h\h\hTHROUGH WINTER,

FOLLOWING HER EVERY MOVE.

\h\hTHE MOTHER LEADS THE PUPS DOWNSTREAM,

\h\h\hTOWARD A PLACE THEY’VE NEVER BEEN--

A PERFECT FISHING HOLE.

BUT AS THEY GET CLOSER TO THEIR DESTINATION,

SHE CAN’T LET THEM STAY IN THE WATER.

UP AHEAD, THE RIVER IS CHANGING.

THE PULL OF THE CURRENT \h\h\hIS SUDDENLY SWIFT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THE SOUND OF A DISTANT ROAR SWELLS.

[ROARING]

[SQUEALING]

THE MOTHER CALLS THE PUPS \h\h\h\h\hOUT OF THE WATER

AND INTO THE DEEP SNOW.

THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO ESCAPE \hTHE DANGER AROUND THE BEND.

\h\h\h\hTHE UPPER FALLS OF THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER

PLUMMET MORE THAN 100 FEET

\h\h\h\h\h\hOVER A LIP OF HARD VOLCANIC ROCK.

THE OTTERS CAN’T RISK A SWIM.

\h\h\hA RIDE OVER THIS GIANT WOULD LIKELY BE THEIR LAST.

FORCED OUT OF THE RIVER,

THE OTTERS MUST FIND \h\h\hANOTHER ROUTE.

WHEN YOU CAN’T SWIM,

YOU CAN SLIDE.

♪

FOLLOWING THEIR MOTHER’S LEAD, \hTHE PUPS GET THE HANG OF IT.

♪

\h\hTHE DAUNTING DESCENT BECOMES A NEW ADVENTURE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hBY THE TIME THEY REACH THE BOTTOM, THE PUPS ARE FLYING.

[SQUEALING]

THEY ARRIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME

\h\h\hIN A PLACE THAT’S UNLIKE ANY OTHER ON THE YELLOWSTONE.

♪

IN THIS GROTTO OF ICE,

THE CONSTANT IMPACT \h\h\hOF THE CASCADE

\h\h\hKEEPS THE POOL FROM FREEZING OVER.

\hTHE FORCE OF FALLING WATER CREATES A DEEP PLUNGE BASIN

FULL OF OXYGEN,

IDEAL HABITAT FOR LARGE FISH.

\h\h\hFINDING CONFIDENCE IN THIS SHELTERED COVE,

THE PUPS EXPLORE THEIR NEW HOME.

THEY FISH FROM RAFTS \hOF FLOATING ICE...

AND DINE IN SCULPTED CAVES,

\h\h\h\hMAKING THE MOST OF A WINTER WONDERLAND.

IN MARCH, SUNLIGHT SLOWLY \hRETURNS TO YELLOWSTONE.

♪

CLIMBING TEMPERATURES \hUNLOCK SNOW AND ICE.

\h\h\h\hSLABS BREAK FREE, UNLEASHING POWERFUL FLOES.

♪

THEY BUILD VOLUME AND MOMENTUM \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE CHANNEL.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMELTWATER FROM 70,000 SQUARE MILES

\h\h\h\h\hDRAINS INTO THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.

BY MAY, STREAMS BEGIN TO SWELL.

TRIBUTARIES BECOME TORRENTS.

MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER \h\h\h\h\hRACE TO THE RIVER.

♪

HALF A MILE DOWNSTREAM FROM THE UPPER FALLS,

SPRING’S RAGING FLOOD

\h\h\hPOURS OVER THE LARGEST VERTICAL DROP IN THE RIVER--

THE LOWER FALLS.

THE RIVER PLUMMETS 308 FEET,

NEARLY TWICE THE HEIGHT \h\h\hOF NIAGARA FALLS.

THE THUNDERING WHITEWATER \h\h\hSLICES THROUGH ROCK,

CARVING THE GRAND CANYON \h\hOF THE YELLOWSTONE.

\h\h\hIRON IN THE ROCKS PAINTS THE WALLS OF THE FAMOUS GORGE

A BOLD YELLOW.

[CHIRPING]

HOT SPRINGS AND STEAM VENTS

LEAVE STRIPES OF PASTEL PINK \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND ORANGE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h24 MILES LONG, AS MUCH AS 1,200 FEET DEEP,

\hTHE GRAND CANYON OF THE YELLOWSTONE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS A MONUMENT TO THE FORCE OF RAGING WATER.

♪

♪

[GRUNTING]

WITH THE BIG MELT, BISON BEGIN A MIGRATION TO HIGHER GROUND.

THEY MUST CROSS SWOLLEN RIVERS \h\h\hTO REACH SUMMER PASTURE.

THEY’RE NOT THE ONLY SPRING TRAVELERS DRIVEN BY HUNGER.

\h\h\h\hA GRIZZLY BEAR, JUST OUT OF HIBERNATION,

APPROACHES A RUSHING TRIBUTARY,

AND SHE’S NOT ALONE.

\h\hAFTER A LONG WINTER IN THE DEN WITHOUT FOOD

AND MONTHS OF NURSING \h\h\hTHREE NEW CUBS,

HER RESERVES ARE GONE.

SHE NEEDS TO REACH \hHUNTING GROUNDS

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.

\h\hBUT GETTING THERE WILL BE NO EASY FEAT.

IN THESE EARLY DAYS \h\hOUT OF THE DEN,

THE CUBS ARE STILL CLUMSY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON FOOT.

THIS RIVER IS A TURBULENT PLACE FOR A FIRST SWIM.

BISON MOVE AS A HERD,

\h\h\hPROTECTING YOUNG CALVES WITH THE STRENGTH OF NUMBERS.

THE CALVES STAY CLOSE,

EVEN WHEN THEIR MOTHERS LEAD THEM INTO DANGEROUS WATERS.

A CALF TAKES THE PLUNGE,

\h\h\hAND INSTANTLY, IT’S IN DEEP WATER.

♪

\hIT TAKES ALL OF ITS EFFORT TO KEEP UP WITH ITS MOTHER.

AS THE REST OF THE HERD PILES IN, CHAOS ENSUES.

[GRUNTING]

♪

THE GRIZZLY HASN’T FOUND AN EASY PLACE FOR THE CUBS TO CROSS.

\h\hBUT HER EMPTY STOMACH PULLS HER INTO THE WATER NONETHELESS.

♪

FEAR GRIPS HER ENTOURAGE.

[GROWLING]

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SOW STAYS PUT, COACHING THE CUBS TO FOLLOW,

BUT IT’S A BIG RIVER \hFOR LITTLE BEARS.

THE BISON HERD STRUGGLES \h\h\h\hTO STAY UPRIVER

FROM THE MOST VIOLENT RAPIDS.

\h\h\hLOSE YOUR FOOTING, AND THE RIVER TAKES YOU.

♪

[GROANING]

EVEN THE STRONGEST ARE LOST.

\h\hTHE SAME CURRENT DRAGS THE CALF DOWN.

THE GRIZZLY MAY HAVE MADE \h\h\h\h\hTHE WRONG MOVE.

ALL THREE CUBS FOLLOWED HER \h\h\h\h\h\hINTO THE RIVER.

NOW THEY’RE SWIMMING \h\hFOR THEIR LIVES,

AND SHE CAN’T HELP THEM \h\h\h\h\h\hALL AT ONCE.

MATERNAL INSTINCT IS FIERCE,

BUT SO IS THE RIVER.

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE COW USES HER BODY AS A SHIELD, BREAKING THE CURRENT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN HER LEE, THE CALF MAKES HEADWAY,

WHILE OTHERS FALTER.

♪

[GRUNTS]

\h\h\h\hTHEY’VE ESCAPED THE WATER’S DEADLY GRIP.

[GRUNTS]

FOR THE BEAR CUBS,

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER \h\h\h\hIS FINALLY IN REACH.

ONE DOWN...

♪

TWO TO GO.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hAGAINST THE ODDS, ALL THREE CUBS HAVE SURVIVED

THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER \h\h\hWITH THE RIVER,

BUT THE BATTLE HAS DRAINED THEM.

BEFORE THEY CAN SET OUT \h\h\h\h\hTO FIND FOOD,

IT’S NAPTIME.

♪

♪

\hTHE BISON HERD WILL CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO HIGHER PASTURES

IN THE HEART OF YELLOWSTONE.

\h\hBUT THE RIVER TRAVELS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION,

LEAVING THE PARK

AND MEETING CIVILIZATION.

IT RUNS THROUGH THE GATEWAY TOWN OF GARDINER, MONTANA,

THE NORTHERN ENTRANCE \h\h\hTO YELLOWSTONE.

\hBUT THE STREETS ARE SOON REPLACED

BY A MAN-MADE TAPESTRY OF RANCHES AND HOMES.

♪

IN PARADISE VALLEY,

\hTHE SHARP RIDGES OF YOUNG MOUNTAINS

RISE ABOVE THE RIVER,

\h\h\h\hAND SPRING TURBULENCE MELLOWS INTO EASIER CURRENTS.

\hBENEATH THE SURFACE, WARMING TEMPERATURES SEND AN UGLY BUG

ON A QUEST TO FIND A PARTNER.

FOR THREE YEARS, THE SALMONFLY \hLIVES IN THE FORM OF A NYMPH

ON THE RIVER BOTTOM.

NOT A PRETTY PHASE,

BUT A DRAMATIC MAKEOVER \h\h\h\h\h\hIS IN REACH,

\h\h\h\hIF THE NYMPH CAN MAKE THE JOURNEY

FROM ITS WATERY HOME \h\h\h\hTO DRY LAND.

\h\h\hIN THIS CLEAN, FAST-FLOWING WATER,

THE SALMONFLY NYMPH \h\hHAS GROWN TO BE

MORE THAN TWO INCHES LONG.

IT’S THE LARGEST OF MORE THAN \h\h3,000 SPECIES OF STONEFLY.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS LIFE,

THE GIANT LEAVES THE WATER \h\h\h\hAND MEETS THE AIR.

BUT BEFORE IT CAN TAKE \h\h\hA SINGLE BREATH,

IT MUST TRANSFORM.

AS THE SUN SETS,

THOUSANDS OF NYMPHS EMERGE \h\h\hFROM THE YELLOWSTONE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND BEGIN THE SAME METAMORPHOSIS.

WRITHING FROM WITHIN,

THE SALMONFLY STRUGGLES TO BREAK OUT OF ITS HARD EXOSKELETON.

UNTIL IT TEARS ITS LUNGS \h\hFROM ITS OLD SHELL,

IT CAN’T BREATHE.

♪

♪

WITH TREMENDOUS EFFORT, THE NYMPH BECOMES A FLY.

♪

♪

\h\hIN ORDER TO MINGLE IN THE GROWING CROWD,

\h\h\hTHE SALMONFLY WILL NEED ITS WINGS.

\hCRINKLED MEMBRANES MUST UNCURL AND DRY.

♪

BY DAWN, THE SALMONFLY SHIMMERS.

ITS TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE.

BUT REACHING NEW COMPANY \h\hWILL TAKE A CLIMB...

AND A LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN.

♪

♪

URGENCY FILLS THE AIR.

\h\hTHE SALMONFLIES HAVE JUST A FEW DAYS

TO FIND A MATE AND LAY EGGS.

♪

♪

NOT ALL MAIDEN FLIGHTS \h\hMEET WITH SUCCESS.

HEAVY BODIES AND DELICATE WINGS

MAKE THE SALMONFLY CLUMSY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE AIR.

THE SLIGHTEST GUST CAN SEND THEM PLUMMETING BACK INTO THE RIVER.

WET, THEIR NEW WINGS \h\h\h\hARE USELESS,

AND HUNGRY MOUTHS WAIT.

TROUT RISE TO THE SURFACE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hCOLLECTING THE WEALTH OF PROTEIN

DELIVERED BY CRASH LANDINGS.

♪

\h\hOTHER HUNTERS JOIN THE FISH IN MAKING THE MOST OF THE EVENT.

BUT SO MANY SALMONFLIES EMERGE

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT PREDATORS HARDLY DENT THEIR NUMBERS.

AS SUMMER’S WARMER TEMPERATURES

\h\h\h\hMAKE THEIR WAY TO HIGHER ELEVATIONS,

THE HATCH CONTINUES IN WAVES.

DENSE CLOUDS OF SALMONFLIES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hMOVE UPRIVER,

BACK TO THE LOWER FALLS.

ALONG THE RIVER’S BANKS,

INSTINCT DRIVES THEM TO FULFILL THEIR ONE AND ONLY PURPOSE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hA MALE SEARCHES FOR HIS LARGER COUNTERPART.

OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK,

\h\h\h\h\hHE PAIRS OFF WITH AS MANY FEMALES AS POSSIBLE.

♪

SHE HAS JUST ONE PARTNER.

♪

♪

WHEN THE COUPLING IS OVER,

SHE PUMPS A ROUND EGG SAC \h\h\hOUT OF HER ABDOMEN.

SHE’LL DROP THIS EGG BOMB \h\h\h\h\hINTO THE RIVER,

LEAVING HER LEGACY \hIN THE CURRENT.

THE ADULT SALMONFLIES WILL LIVE FOR JUST A FEW WEEKS.

IN THAT TIME, THEIR PRESENCE \h\h\hBECOMES A SIREN CALL,

PULLING DRIFTERS TO THE RIVER.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

IT’S THE FINE ART OF IMITATION--

\h\h\h\h\hA HANDMADE FLY CRAFTED IN EVERY DETAIL

TO MATCH THE GIANT INSECT.

\h\h\h\hATTENTIONS TO THE LURE HAVE BEEN PIQUED BY THE HATCH.

\hTHE CAST REQUIRES GRACE AND PRECISION.

♪

♪

♪

♪

A PERFECT LANDING MIMICS THE SPLASH

OF A FALLEN SALMONFLY.

♪

♪

♪

\h\h\hIT TAKES YEARS TO MASTER THIS HOAX.

THE BEND OF THE ROD, THE ARC OF THE LINE,

MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE \hIN SELLING THE STUNT.

♪

IT’S NOT THE MOUTHFUL \hTHE TROUT EXPECTED.

♪

BUT IT WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR AS LONG AS THE SALMONFLY HATCH LASTS,

OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PLENTY.

AND EVERY LINK IN THE FOOD CHAIN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBENEFITS FROM THE RIVER’S BOUNTY.

THE MEETING OF HUMAN AND RIVER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS NOT CONFINED

TO THE NARROW CHANNEL \h\h\hOF THE WATERWAY.

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

\h\hFLOODS HAVE DEPOSITED RICH SEDIMENT ON THE LAND

STRETCHING TO THE BASE \h\hOF THE MOUNTAINS.

WATER PULLED FROM THE RIVER \h\h\h\h\h\hIRRIGATES FIELDS

AND SUSTAINS A WAY OF LIFE.

♪

AS SETTLERS MOVED WEST \h\hTO WORK THE LAND,

SMALL TOWNS SPRANG UP \hON THE YELLOWSTONE.

\h\h\h\hA BEND IN THE RIVER FRAMES LIVINGSTON, MONTANA.

ON THE FOURTH OF JULY,

\h\hTHE RODEO DRAWS THOUSANDS TO AN ARENA ON THE RIVERBANK.

COMPETITORS WAIT BEHIND GATES.

♪

♪

\hWHILE THE RIVER CRUISES CALMLY BY,

SPECTATORS SETTLE IN.

A TORRENT IS UNLEASHED.

♪

\h\h\hTHE CHALLENGE--TO HOLD ON FOR EIGHT EXCRUCIATING SECONDS.

THE TRICK IS LETTING MOTION \h\h\h\h\hFLOW LIKE WATER...

♪

DIVERTING THE IMPACT...

♪

\h\hFINDING FLUIDITY AND A KIND OF GRACE.

♪

♪

♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

\h\h\h\hEVERY RODEO EVENT TESTS A SKILL USED TO WORK THE CATTLE

\h\h\h\hON THE RANCHES UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.

♪

ROPING RUNAWAY CALVES...

WRANGLING STEERS FOR BRANDING...

\h\hMAKING TIGHT TURNS WHILE MOVING THE HERD.

\hTHE NIGHT BUILDS TO A GRAND FINALE.

[EXPLOSIONS]

♪

♪

THE CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE REFLECTS ON THE YELLOWSTONE,

A RIVER THAT RUNS FREE.

♪

JUST BEYOND THE TOWN \h\h\hOF LIVINGSTON,

THE YELLOWSTONE TURNS EASTWARD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT MEETS THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD,

\h\h\hA LINE WHICH CONNECTED THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST.

\h\hAS AMERICA EXPANDED, MANY OF ITS GREAT RIVERS WERE HARNESSED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hDAMS POWERED THE GROWTH OF A NATION.

BUT THE YELLOWSTONE MOVES \h\h\hWITHOUT OBSTRUCTION.

\hIT’S THE LONGEST FREE-FLOWING RIVER

IN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES.

IN THE ABSENCE OF DAMS,

WATER LEVELS RISE AND FALL \h\h\h\hWITH THE SEASONS,

KEEPING A RARE FOREST ALIVE.

\h\h\hCOTTONWOOD TREES DEPEND ON FLOODING FOR REGENERATION.

♪

IN THE SPRING, HIGH WATER \hCOVERS THE GRAVEL BARS.

WATER LEVELS DROP AGAIN JUST AS CLOUDS OF WHITE

\h\h\h\hBEGIN TO DRIFT FROM THE COTTONWOODS.

♪

\hA SINGLE TREE CAN DISPERSE MORE THAN 25 MILLION SEEDS.

EACH IS WRAPPED IN DOWNY FIBER \h\h\hAND FLOATS ON THE WIND.

IT NEEDS THE PERFECT CONDITIONS TO GERMINATE--

MOISTURE, BARE DIRT, \h\h\hAND SUNLIGHT.

THE RECEDING FLOODWATERS REVEAL SILTY GRAVEL BARS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME OF YEAR.

THE SEEDLINGS HAVE A NARROW \hWINDOW, JUST A FEW WEEKS,

TO TAKE ROOT BEFORE THEIR LANDING SITES GET TOO DRY.

\h\h\h\hCOTTONWOODS THRIVE ALL ALONG THE YELLOWSTONE.

THEY PROVIDE HABITAT

\h\h\h\hFOR MORE THAN HALF OF MONTANA’S BIRD SPECIES.

\hTHE GREAT BLUE HERON STANDS FOUR FEET TALL.

[SQUAWKING]

IT SPENDS MUCH OF ITS LIFE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN SOLITUDE.

♪

BUT TO RAISE YOUNG,

NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST HERONS \h\h\h\h\hGATHER IN A ROOKERY.

HIGH IN THE COTTONWOODS \hABOVE THE YELLOWSTONE,

\h\h\hTHEY BUILD PLATFORM NESTS AND TAKE TURNS DEFENDING CHICKS

FROM EAGLES, RACCOONS, \hAND OTHER PREDATORS.

BUT THE RELATIVE SAFETY OF THE ELEVATED ROOKERY

ALSO POSES A PROBLEM.

STRANDED IN THE AIR,

THE CHICKS CAN’T GATHER FOOD \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THEMSELVES,

EVEN WHEN THEY GET QUITE LARGE.

\h\h\h\hTHEIR PARENTS HAVE AN INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT CHORE--

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFEEDING THEIR ENORMOUS OFFSPRING.

♪

\hTHE HERON HUNTS IN SHALLOW WATER,

LOCATING ITS PREY BY SIGHT.

♪

SMALL FISH COMPOSE MUCH OF ITS DIET.

IT ALWAYS SWALLOWS FISH \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHEADFIRST,

\h\h\h\hORIENTING THE SCALES SO THEY SLIDE DOWN SMOOTHLY.

♪

\hTHE HERON SHAKES ITS CATCH, ATTEMPTING TO BREAK ITS SPINE,

\h\hMAKING IT EASIER TO GULP DOWN WHOLE.

♪

\hCONVENIENTLY STASHED IN THE BIRD’S STOMACH,

THE FISH IS READY FOR TRANSPORT BACK TO THE ROOKERY.

♪

THE HERON WILL REGURGITATE \hTHE FISH FOR ITS CHICKS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS SUMMER PEAKS, WATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO DROP

AND NEW FEATURES EMERGE.

A WAVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h700 MILES FROM THE NEAREST OCEAN,

THE YELLOWSTONE HAS SURF.

\h\h\h\hA RIVER WAVE ONLY FORMS UNDER VERY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.

\h\h\hON THIS AUGUST DAY, THE YELLOWSTONE SPEEDS BY

AT MORE THAN 4,000 CUBIC FEET \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPER SECOND.

HIDDEN JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE,

A ROCKY SHELF ABRUPTLY SLOWS \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE RIVER’S FLOW

AND CREATES A STANDING WAVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN ITS WAKE.

♪

♪

♪

♪

\h\hTHE RIVER BRUSHES OFF MANY WHO ATTEMPT TO TAME ITS SWELL.

BUT THE FORCE OF THE WATER \h\h\h\hCAN BE HARNESSED.

♪

THIS WAVE WILL ONLY LAST \h\h\h\hFOR A FEW WEEKS.

IT’S ONE OF ROUGHLY A DOZEN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSTANDING WAVES

EVER SURFED ON THE YELLOWSTONE.

THE PHENOMENON IS RARE ENOUGH

THAT SOMETIMES THE HIDDEN GEMS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE KEPT SECRET.

♪

EACH YEAR, AS THE WATER LEVELS VARY, SURF SPOTS COME AND GO.

\h\hBUT UNLIKE AN OCEAN BREAK, THIS IS A NEVER-ENDING RIDE...

FOR AS LONG AS THE WAVE LASTS.

♪

♪

[THUNDER]

AUGUST STORMS FILL THE AIR \h\h\h\hWITH ELECTRICITY.

[THUNDER]

♪

AND THE RIVER FLOWS \hWITH A NEW ENERGY

\h\h\h\h\h\hAS IT MOVES INTO A DRIER LANDSCAPE.

IN EASTERN MONTANA,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS OF THE HEADWATERS ARE LONG GONE.

\hHERE, THE YELLOWSTONE REVEALS ANCIENT STORIES.

EACH BAND OF STONE MARKS \h\hA CHANGING GEOGRAPHY

\hSTRETCHING BACK 65 MILLION YEARS,

\h\h\hTO A TIME WHEN THIS WAS A TROPICAL SWAMP ON AN INLAND SEA.

♪

LIGHT REFLECTED ON THE RIVER

\hLEFT DISTANT GALAXIES THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.

♪

THE GLOW OF THE AURORA BOREALIS PAINTS A RIBBON OF COLOR

THAT WINDS THROUGH THE BADLANDS.

♪

ON THE RIVER BOTTOM, A DIFFERENT GROUP OF SPECIES APPEARS,

CREATURES THAT COEXISTED \h\hWITH THE DINOSAURS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SNAPPING TURTLE HAS REMAINED NEARLY UNCHANGED

FOR MORE THAN 90 MILLION YEARS.

IT EVOLVED FROM TURTLES THAT HAD NO HARD PROTECTIVE EXTERIOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE TODAY’S SPINY SOFTSHELL TURTLE,

THEY WERE DEFENSELESS.

THE SHOVELNOSE STURGEON

BELONGS TO ONE OF THE EARLIEST \h\h\hKNOWN FAMILIES OF FISH.

ALL OF THESE ANCIENT SPECIES

ARE AT THE FAR WESTERN EDGE \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THEIR RANGE,

\h\hAND THEIR PRESENCE HERE IS A HARBINGER OF WHAT’S TO COME.

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE YELLOWSTONE IS BEGINNING TO RESEMBLE

THE WIDE AND MURKY RIVERS \h\h\hOF THE GREAT PLAINS.

♪

SOON AFTER IT CROSSES THE BORDER FROM MONTANA TO NORTH DAKOTA,

\h\hTHE YELLOWSTONE MEETS THE MISSOURI.

THEIR STREAMS CONVERGE,

AND THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER ENDS.

♪

\h\h\h\hTOGETHER, THESE WATERS WILL TRAVEL NEARLY 3,000 MILES

TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,

BUT THEIR PATH WILL BE TAME.

THE MISSOURI IS CAREFULLY \h\h\hCONTROLLED BY DAMS.

RESERVOIRS HOLD BACK WATER \h\hWHERE IT ONCE FLOWED,

AND MUCH OF THE WILDLIFE

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THRIVED ACROSS AMERICA’S GREAT PLAINS IS GONE.

BUT THERE IS A PLACE \h\hON THIS PRAIRIE

WHERE THE PAST IS RETURNING,

IN SMALL HERDS REINTRODUCED \h\h\h\h\hTO THE GRASSLANDS.

[GRUNTING]

BISON GATHER IN LATE SUMMER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE RUT.

♪

\hBULLS FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE AND A CHANCE TO PASS ON THEIR GENES.

♪

THE SOUND OF THEIR BATTLES

\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS ONCE HEARD ACROSS THESE GREAT PLAINS

\h\hAND ON EVERY BANK OF THE YELLOWSTONE...

\h\h\h\hTO ITS VERY BEGINNINGS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

♪

♪

AT THE RIVER’S HEADWATERS,

GIANTS EXCHANGE BLOWS...

♪

\hA RITUAL MARKING THE END OF SUMMER.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hBUT LIKE THE RIVER, THE SEASONAL CYCLE CONTINUES.

♪

FOR THOSE THAT ENDURED THE RIVER AT ITS LEAST FORGIVING,

THE TRANQUILITY OF SUMMER \hIS A WELCOME RESPITE...

A TIME OF ABUNDANCE.

\hAS THE SEASONS CHANGE, SO, TOO, WILL THE RIVER,

A STORY CONSTANTLY IN MOTION

ALONG THE WILD BANKS OF THE YELLOWSTONE.

IT’S BEEN WELL OVER A CENTURY \h\h\hSINCE YELLOWSTONE BECAME

THE FIRST NATIONAL PARK \h\h\h\h\hIN THE WORLD.

\h\hIT’S TO ALL OUR BENEFIT THAT IT’S PROTECTED FOREVER.

\h\h\h\hBUT THIS PLACE ISN’T FROZEN IN TIME.

\hIT’S ALWAYS CHANGING, REVEALING NEW MYSTERIES.

\h\h\hYELLOWSTONE IS A REMINDER THAT PRESERVING OUR WILD SPACES

ISN’T JUST FOR WILD ANIMALS, \h\h\hBUT IT’S ALSO FOR US,

IF WE KEEP LOOKING AFTER IT.

THANKS FOR WATCHING "EPIC YELLOWSTONE."