Buffalo Bill's Blog

It seems like every time we turn around, there’s another animal on the endangered species list.  We don’t hear too often about species that have become extinct in our lifetimes, because of the hard work that’s being done and attention that is paid to our animal friends from environmental groups and the national and state wildlife divisions.

But the case of the black-footed ferret is unique – the species was thought to be extinct in the late 1950s, until a small population (a group of ferrets is called a “business” – isn’t that cool?) was discovered in South Dakota in 1964.  When that “business” of ferrets began to decline, wildlife officials captured some of the ferrets to save the species.  However, the last of those died in captivity in 1974, and it was thought the species was officially extinct.

Then came a fateful day – September 26, 1981. I talked to a friend of mine, Dennie Hammer, who is now with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.  On that day, Dennie was employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the crew leader for a team searching for endangered species that might have habitats on land that was being considered for coal leasing.  He checked in with his office and was told that John Hogg, a rancher just outside Meeteetse, Wyoming, had found a dead animal that his dog “Shep” had brought home.  When he couldn’t figure out what it was, he brought it to a local taxidermist who identified the animal as a black footed ferret.  The taxidermist called wildlife officials, and Dennie and another Fish and Wildlife guy, Steve Martin, were sent to try to find more of the ferrets.

According to Dennie, they were conducting a spotlight search in the Meeteetse area on the Pitchfork Ranch, in the early morning of October 29^th, 1981.  At 6:20 a.m., they spotted a black footed ferret scurrying across the road before it dove into a prairie dog burrow.  They set traps for the animal, which they captured that evening.  (They nicknamed the young male ferret 620, since that was the time they first spotted him.) Dennie and Steve took “620” to veterinarian Bill Gould in Meeteetse, collared him and sent him back into the wild.  The little guy led them right to the rest of his clan, and the rest is history.

Since then, the black footed ferret has survived, both in captivity and in re-population efforts in eight states and in Mexico.  Thanks to the work of the government wildlife officials and private organizations whose mission is to keep the species around for a long time, the black footed ferret, while still an endangered species, is no longer on the brink of extinction.

And that’s the reason for the big shindig in Meeteetse on September 24^th through the 26^th – the 30^th anniversary of the day the ferrets were re-discovered. With events ranging from school programs to tours of the discovery location to the dedication of a black footed ferret display at the Meeteetse Museum, the fuzzy critters are being celebrated in grand Wyoming style.  There will be a street dance and a barbecue at the Oasis Motel on Friday night; the Meeteetse School will play host to demonstrations and panel discussions Friday and Saturday; there will be a drawing on Monday the 26^th for a commemorative bronze sculpture of a ferret; and the Governor has even signed a proclamation declaring September 26^th as Black Footed Ferret Day in Wyoming.  And if you’ve never seen an actual black footed ferret, there will be live ones there in Meeteetse that weekend on display!  That in itself is a reason to head to Meeteetse next weekend.

And all this over a furry weasel-looking creature that somebody’s dog brought home… amazing how life works, isn’t it? See ya in Meeteetse September 24^th, 25^th and 26^th!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

My friend “Robin” has the greatest commute in the world.  She lives in a log cabin between Cody and the East Entrance to Yellowstone, and every day she goes to work she sees wildlife, incredible scenery and the best of what this part of the country is!

Robin works as a Park Ranger at the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  This is her third 6-month season working for the National Park Service, and she says she is simply blessed to be doing what she does!  Robin greets people as they come to the world’s first National Park, and she says the reactions of folks who are visiting for the first time can really touch your heart.

Robin’s day on the job begins when the first visitors pass through the gate at 8 a.m., and is ready with her fellow gate-keepers to issue their familiar greeting – “Welcome to Yellowstone!”

And it truly is a welcome, and sometimes a profound, event for most of the folks who come through that gate, according to Robin.  She relayed several heartfelt stories to me about people who have been checking a visit to Yellowstone off their “Bucket Lists”… like the elderly couple who drove to the east entrance one day in 2009.  As the couple pulled up to the gate, it was obvious to the rangers that the woman in the passenger seat was not well.  As the supervisor (who is an EMT) was working to help the woman, her husband was patting her shoulder, repeating over and over, “Honey, we made it.  We made it to Yellowstone.”

 Another story that Robin told centered around a 99 year old man who pulled up to the entrance, parked his vehicle and told the ranger at the gate that he had served in World War II and Korea, and that this visit to Yellowstone would be his last trip.  The man began weeping as he was relaying this to the young ranger, and the young man wept with him.

One of the most important messages that Robin passed on to me was that Yellowstone’s boundaries are just imaginary lines – the wildlife and the scenery don’t just begin and end at the gates.  She stressed to me how important it is for folks to realize that this entire area is “Yellowstone Country”!  Sometimes she says her heart breaks when she sees animals on the side of the highway that have been struck by cars whose drivers are in such a hurry to get to Yellowstone that they forget that in many ways, they’re already there.  Robin says that the best place to see wildlife in this region is actually the 52 miles between Cody and the East Entrance, on the highway to Yellowstone.  She says that every day, like clockwork, she sees moose.  She also sees elk, bear, bighorn sheep, deer, turkeys and bald eagles.  She said that she saw all these animals IN ONE DAY this spring!

Robin and I talked for a long time, and she had a lot more stories to tell me than what I can write in one blog, so I’ll save her other stories for another time.  For those of you who have yet to experience the wonders of Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, I hope you’ll appreciate the area as much as Robin and I do!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

Did you know that there are over 85,000 dams in the United States?  My goodness!  Just eleven of those are in Wyoming – and we’re really fortunate here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country to benefit from the Buffalo Bill Dam, construction of which began on October 19, 1905 and was completed January 15, 1910. The dam provides this area with irrigation water, electricity, recreation opportunities, and a great history lesson.

What’s neat about the Buffalo Bill Dam is not only the value of the crops raised on almost 100,000 acres of now-irrigated agricultural lands, the power generated by the four electric plants fed by the Dam, and the water used for the cities and towns downstream – it’s also the historical significance of how the construction of the dam changed this part of the country.

At the time of its construction, the then-named Shoshone Dam was the tallest concrete dam in the world, at 325 feet. It cost about a million dollars at the time to build the dam, which holds back about 400,000 acre feet of water in the Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Construction was difficult – because the region was so remote, it was hard to recruit and keep workers; additional difficulties ensued because of the steep granite canyon that the dam was built in.  And the Shoshone River’s unpredictable flows caused problems – one year, almost half of the annual snowmelt runoff came through within a 30-day period, causing construction to come to a halt almost completely.

The dam was re-named about 30 years after its construction to honor the man who had the vision for the dam and resulting irrigation system, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.  The dam was renovated in the 1990s, adding 25 feet to its height, and a visitor center that tells the story about the dam and its effects on the surrounding area.

One of the neat stories about the construction of the Buffalo Bill Dam centers on a town that is no longer there.  Beneath the waves of the Buffalo Bill Reservoir are the remnants of the town of Marquette, established in 1890 and named after a colorful rancher by the name of George Marquette. In 1903, the town was described as “consisting of a few scattered log houses, a little log post office and a school-house described as ‘a little lot structure, rude, bare, unattractive, but occupying a lightly sheltered pot on the South Fork of the Shoshone River.’”* In 1905, in preparation for the construction of the dam, the federal government bought the town site as well as some surrounding ranches, to the tune of about $400,000.  What buildings weren’t torn down prior to the filling of the reservoir in 1910 still remain at the water’s bottom, ghostly reminders of an era gone by.

The Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center, which was added with the addition of the dam in 1993, has preserved the story of the construction of this historic landmark.  It functions as a rest area as well as a museum/gift shop, and its exhibits and self-guided audio tour tell the tales of the laborers who toiled to build the dam, those who lost their lives in the effort, and the townsfolk who witnessed the changes to the landscape and to their lives as a result.

The Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center is a must-see when you’re planning a vacation to Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country – don’t miss it!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

*Credit the “Wyoming Tales and Trails” website at http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/

I’m really fortunate in that I get to visit with lots of folks as they come through Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country.  It’s funny, though, how many people ask the same questions!  So I thought I’d run down some of the more frequently asked questions and give you the answers, so you’ll be in the know when you come to visit!

1.  How far is it to Yellowstone National Park?

-  Answer:  It’s 53 miles from Cody to the East Entrance in Yellowstone.  However, once you get into the Park, you don’t run into any services until you get to Fishing Bridge, which is another 27 miles.  So don’t expect to just get in the entrance to the Park and be greeted by a friendly Yogi-type bear… you’ll have a ways to go before you can stop for a meal and a tank of gas!

2.  Is there lodging in the Park?

-  Answer:  There are some absolutely fabulous lodges and campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park, all operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts!  (My personal recommendations:  Old Faithful Lodge and the Lake Hotel – AMAZING historic buildings!)  Reservations can be made by calling Xanterra at (866) 439-7375.  Better contact them early, though – they sell out many nights during the summer!

3.  What are the hours at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and how much does it cost?

-  Answer:  The BBHC, one of the top attractions in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, is open daily from May 1-September 15 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  A two-day admission for adults is $18, seniors and college students are $16, youth ages 6-17 are $10, and ages 5 and under get in free.  And believe me, you’ll want to use the two-day admission – you’ll be blown away by how huge the facility is! (And by the way, it’s open year round!)

4.  Tell me about the Cody Nite Rodeo.

-  The Cody Nite Rodeo is the longest-running outdoor nightly rodeo in the country!  Every evening from June 1-August 31 visitors will see real rodeo action, with cash prizes awarded every night.  Tickets are sold at the Visitor Center, but can also be purchased at the gate.  If you’ve got kids with you, they can get down in the arena and chase a calf around and win a prize!

5.  What else can I do while I’m here?

-  Wow, there’s so much to do!  Go river rafting; visit Old Trail Town; eat dinner at the historic Irma Hotel and take in the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Revue; see a gunfight; get a chuckwagon dinner with musical entertainment; shop downtown; learn about the history of this region at places like Tecumseh’s Miniature Village, the Cody Dug Up Gun Museum, the Cody Murals, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center, and the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp; go mountain biking; take a trolley tour; hike a trail in the Shoshone National Forest; fish the Shoshone River with a seasoned guide; take a horseback trail ride; the list goes on and on!

6.  What are the road conditions in Yellowstone?

-  The road conditions in this mountainous region vary based on the season or weather conditions.  My advice is to stop in and chat with the well-informed staff at the Visitor Center before you make your plans for the day – or you can call Yellowstone National Park’s dedicated phone number for road conditions: (307) 344-2117.

7.  Where can I get supplies?

-  Believe it or not, the town of Cody (population around 9,000) is the shopping mecca for the Big Horn Basin – because we have the Super Wal-Mart!  We also have a K-Mart, Walgreens, Albertsons, banking services, several pharmacies, sporting goods stores and other places to stock up on necessities before heading on down the road.

8.  Is there someplace I can connect to the Internet?

-  Many fast-food restaurants and most of the coffee shops offer free wi-fi for folks who have their own laptops.  Also, the Park County Library has a bank of computers that are available for use by the general public.  And many local lodging properties offer Internet hookups, as well.

Then there are those questions that AREN’T asked frequently.  I asked Karen Miller, who runs the Visitor Center here in Cody, to list a few of the more unusual questions that have been asked.  Here’s what she came up with:

1.  Where are the fences to keep the animals in at Yellowstone?
2. When do they let the animals out in Yellowstone?
3. Who controls the button that sets Old Faithful off?
4. How do you see Mount Rushmore from here?

Since, obviously, the animals roam free in Yellowstone, Old Faithful is “faithful” naturally, and Mount Rushmore is a good 7 hours and two mountain ranges away, these questions are always answered pleasantly and with a smile…

If YOU have questions about visiting Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, you can find out more at www.yellowstonecountry.org, or call (800) 393-2639. 

Until next time, I’ll be telling more folks about all there is to do here in Buffalo Bill’s Country…

Corrie N. Cody

I’m not really much of an athlete.  I’ve never really LIKED to exercise at all…  But a few years ago I discovered (the hard way) that being active is essential to my health and well-being, so now, I exercise!

One of the things that I have discovered that I really like to do is to participate in 5k races.  I’m not fast, I usually finish in the last third of the pack, but I do finish!  And for me, the most fun is not the actual running of the race, but the social aspects of the event, and the sense of accomplishment I feel when the race is over.

Another neat by-product of running a 5k around here is the incredible scenery that you’re surrounded by as you run!  When I participated in the Runner’s Stampede on July 4, the route took us to Beck Lake, which is a pretty park on the east side of Cody that affords a great view of Cedar and Rattlesnake mountains to the west.  Even MORE incredible was the setting for the Meeteetse Wagon Box Social 5k/10k/13k in June – that race was in the Wood River valley near Meeteetse, and was absolutely breathtaking!  (The scenery AS WELL AS the running part…)

I have always thought that building a vacation around a race would be a neat experience, and I know there are folks out there who do just that!  So in case YOU’RE that kind of runner, I’ve compiled a list of upcoming races in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country (and nearby areas) that you might want to consider:

Just next weekend (August 6 & 7), in neighboring Red Lodge, Montana (just 60 miles away) is the Beartooth Run and Ride – a two day event set in the beautiful Beartooth Range.

August 20^th is the Sugar Beet Classic in Powell – this race features a 5k run/walk, a Duathlon and a Triathlon!  The event starts and ends at Homesteader Park, and the iconic Heart Mountain is visible throughout the race.

The Tails and Trails 5k is a relatively new event that takes participants from West Park Hospital in Cody down to the Paul Stock trails next to the Shoshone River (the “trails” part of the race).  The “tails” part of the race refers to the fact that dog owners are encouraged to take their pets along – plus, the race is hosted jointly by West Park Hospital and the Park County Animal Shelter.

Meeteetse’s Labor Day Celebration is a HUGE event in this area, and extreme sports and running enthusiasts look forward to the Meeteetse Mountain Run, which is part of that annual event.  This race is EXTREME – I’m quoting from the Meeteetse Rec District’s web page here:  “The 5k, 10k race will run up the Timber Creek jeep trail which will be set up so the whole family will be able to participate. The 15k mountain run is an extreme race and not for the faint of heart. It continues up and around the mountain with a 2000′ rise in altitude to around 9700′, then through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in all the Rocky Mountains. It concludes with a descent down a 1000′ mountain face. According to local mountain running legend Fred Thomas and other participants from past races, it is one of the most RADICAL FINISHES around with the makings of a classic!”  In other words, with my level of ability, I’m probably NOT going to participate in this one!

So if you love the outdoors and you love being active, consider participating in one of these fabulous events – and maybe I’ll see you there!

Until next time, I’ll be huffin’ and puffin’ in Buffalo Bill’s Country…

Corrie N. Cody