All language subtitles for Yellowstone One Fifty s01e02 Winters Majesty.eng

(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.

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