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In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter's Immersion in Wild Yellowstone
More than 80 5-STAR reviews on Amazon. When Rick Lamplugh arrives at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch on New Year’s Eve, he has one goal: to learn as much as possible about the ecology of the Lamar Valley. All winter he will work and live in this remote corner of Yellowstone National Park, home to some of the best wildlife watching in the world. Winter-hungry elk and bison migrate there to graze. Wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions stalk the grazers while eagles, ravens, and magpies wait to scavenge. The snowy backdrop makes the saga of death and life easy to spot. He has three frigid months to explore on skis and snowshoes, observe with all his senses, listen to and talk with experts. A literary blend of facts and feelings, In the Temple of Wolves celebrates nature’s stark beauty and treacherous cruelty, while revealing Lamplugh’s inner battles with his own human nature.
186 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2013
62 people are currently reading
478 people want to read
About the author
Rick Lamplugh
5Ìýbooks37ÌýfollowersRick Lamplugh lives in Livingston, Montana.
Rick's books are available signed at . His books are also available unsigned or as eBooks or audiobooks on Amazon at .
His newest Substack publication, The Wilds of Cancer: A Journey is at
His newest book, The Wilds of Aging: A Journey of Heart and Mind takes you on an
illuminating journey into the wilds of aging, a passage we all will face if we’re lucky. The book is a prequel to his last two books.
Deep into Yellowstone: A Year’s Immersion in Grandeur & Controversy won a Gold Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards). It was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and in the National Indie Excellence Awards.
In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone is an award-winning, perennial Amazon best seller. The book is about the wolves and ecology of Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley and Rick’s experience of living and volunteering there for three winters.
Rick’s stories have appeared in Yellowstone Reports, and the literary journals Composite Arts Magazine, Gold Man Review, Phoebe, Soundings Review, and Feathered Flounder. He won the Jim Stone Grand Prize for Non-Fiction.
Rick's books are available signed at . His books are also available unsigned or as eBooks or audiobooks on Amazon at .
His newest Substack publication, The Wilds of Cancer: A Journey is at
His newest book, The Wilds of Aging: A Journey of Heart and Mind takes you on an
illuminating journey into the wilds of aging, a passage we all will face if we’re lucky. The book is a prequel to his last two books.
Deep into Yellowstone: A Year’s Immersion in Grandeur & Controversy won a Gold Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards). It was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and in the National Indie Excellence Awards.
In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone is an award-winning, perennial Amazon best seller. The book is about the wolves and ecology of Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley and Rick’s experience of living and volunteering there for three winters.
Rick’s stories have appeared in Yellowstone Reports, and the literary journals Composite Arts Magazine, Gold Man Review, Phoebe, Soundings Review, and Feathered Flounder. He won the Jim Stone Grand Prize for Non-Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 4, 2020
We had just arrived home from Yellowstone when I found this book that mimicked my own experience while there, even though it was only a day trip.
While preparing for this trip, I worried myself to death. What if a bear comes up to our car? What if we have to spend the night in our car, because we have no reservations, and a bear comes over to us? How would I even get out of the car to use the bathroom? Can we take a potty can with us? My husband said, "You worry too much," Ah, I have heard that before. What is Old Faithful blows?
I remembered the trip I took with my first husband when we were in Yosemite without a campsite and we had to sleep in the car. I got out in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and ran back into the car as fast as I could. My fears have always been the same, except to say that in later years I drove by myself in my VW bug from Berkeley to Yosemite where I had spent the night in one of their parking lots, and the next day I took nature photos. I was lying in the snow motionless, watching a deer, taking photos when the deer walked up to me and sniffed my foot. Then later on that day, I walked up to a coyote and snapped a photo. My professor, in the photography class that I was taking, didn’t believe that I was that close to the coyote. But coytoes are not dangerous; bears are.
To continue the trip to Yellowstone: We were driving along the road, coming from Cody early that morning. We had passed a river and some small geysers, when we drove into a valley. Cars were parked along both sides of the road. My husband pulled over and parked, and across the road people had binoculars, telescopes, and cameras. I grabbed my camera and crossed the road, while my husband stayed in the car. The low oxygen level was bothering him.
I went up to a young man and asked, “What is everyone looking at?� His answer was, “An elk was hit by a car an hour or so ago and fell on the hill. There were five wolves and a bear fighting over it, but most of the wolves have wandered off. Now there is just a white wolf, which had been fighting with the bear earlier.� He pointed to the area that was around 500 feet away. I only saw a speck of white. I began snapping photos of everything even though I saw nothing. The guy saw my dilemma and handed me his binoculars. I saw nothing. Then he asked me to stay where I was, and when he returned he asked me to follow him, saying, “This guy is going to let you look through his telescope.� I looked though the telescope. A large bear was standing over the elk, his head buried in its fur. The white wolf was standing maybe ten feet away. “Oh, my God! Wow!� is all I could say. I was in awe. Never in my entire life had I thought that I would want to see something like this. I wanted to stay and watch all day. I wanted a telescope, a Nikon camera. And I even wanted to walk across the valley to the hill where the bear and the wolf wereg, but I knew better. I thought of my youth, how I once wanted be a park ranger.
I can’t tell you much more about Yellowstone, but I can tell you over and over again about the bear and the wolve, and while that was the last thing I wanted to see in Yellowstone it was the highlight of our trip across America. And yes, we made it to Jackson before dark, found a motel and began descending the mountains the next day.
But don’t let me forget, the Teton Mountains are the most beautiful mountains that I have ever seen.
As for Lamplugh’s book, it was wonderful. Not only does it describe scenes like this, but he talks about how returning the wolves to Yellowstone has changed things for the better; It has had a good impact on the environment and other animal species.
And yes, I would walk up to a wolf, but I know that he would turn and walk away, while I would be quietly saying, “Stay.�
Note:
Wolves and Coyotes Need Not Die So We Can Eat Meat
by Rick Lamplugh, wildlife advocate & author
My previous post, “We Have More to Fear from Livestock than from Wolves,� () evoked many comments. The post’s premise: While ranchers claim that wolves threaten their existence and should be eradicated, the livestock production that ranchers make a living off of is killing the ecosystem that sustains the rest of us.
Many readers commented that they had already stopped eating beef or sheep. Some readers wrote that they are vegetarians or vegans. Still others wondered how they could continue to enjoy meat without supporting an industry that unnecessarily kills wolves, coyotes, and other predators.
Ranchers can keep livestock and predators separate and alive. Some choose to do so and become what is called predator friendly. Here’s how being predator friendly works for Becky Weed and Dave Tyler in Belgrade, Montana. On the website of their Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Company, they write, “Our principal protection against native predators are our guard dogs and llamas and our own vigilance; because we have chosen not to use lethal control methods against coyotes, bears, wolves, mountain lions, our ranch is certified as ‘predator friendly.’�
Ranchers earn Predator Friendly® certification. An annual audit must find that the producer maintains and enhances wildlife habitat, employs a mix of nonlethal methods, and quickly modifies management practices when conditions change.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to living with predators, but here are some of the nonlethal methods Predator Friendly producers employ:
* Using guard animals such as llamas, donkeys, and dogs
* Scheduling pasture use when predation pressure is low
* Grazing cattle with smaller livestock to protect sheep, goats, and calves
* Timing calving and lambing to avoid predation risk
* Lambing in sheds, secure fenced lots, or protected pastures
* Making frequent and unpredictable patrols in pastures
* Protecting vulnerable animals by fencing out predators
* Learning the ecology and habits of area wildlife
The Animal Welfare Institute states that the Predator Friendly program encourages livestock producers like Weed and Tyler to protect some of the most important habitat and species in the United States, while opening up a new market for their sustainable ranch.
We can support ranchers that choose coexisting over killing by purchasing their Predator Friendly® products. Products sold from the Predator Friendly website include beef, bison, goat, lamb, turkey, eggs, and honey as well as sheep and cattle breeding stock. To check out the Predator Friendly website:
To learn more about ways that ranchers can keep livestock and wolves separate and alive, check out “Livestock and Wolves,� the guide from Defenders of Wildlife. The principal author is Suzanne Asha Stone. Contributors include Carter Niemeyer, Linda Thurston and others. Here’s the link:
Rick Lamplugh writes to protect wildlife and preserve wildlands. He lives near Yellowstone’s north gate and has just finished his new book, Deep into Yellowstone: A Year’s Immersion in Grandeur and Controversy. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller In the Temple of Wolves. Available as eBook or paperback at . Or as a signed copy from Rick at .
While preparing for this trip, I worried myself to death. What if a bear comes up to our car? What if we have to spend the night in our car, because we have no reservations, and a bear comes over to us? How would I even get out of the car to use the bathroom? Can we take a potty can with us? My husband said, "You worry too much," Ah, I have heard that before. What is Old Faithful blows?
I remembered the trip I took with my first husband when we were in Yosemite without a campsite and we had to sleep in the car. I got out in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and ran back into the car as fast as I could. My fears have always been the same, except to say that in later years I drove by myself in my VW bug from Berkeley to Yosemite where I had spent the night in one of their parking lots, and the next day I took nature photos. I was lying in the snow motionless, watching a deer, taking photos when the deer walked up to me and sniffed my foot. Then later on that day, I walked up to a coyote and snapped a photo. My professor, in the photography class that I was taking, didn’t believe that I was that close to the coyote. But coytoes are not dangerous; bears are.
To continue the trip to Yellowstone: We were driving along the road, coming from Cody early that morning. We had passed a river and some small geysers, when we drove into a valley. Cars were parked along both sides of the road. My husband pulled over and parked, and across the road people had binoculars, telescopes, and cameras. I grabbed my camera and crossed the road, while my husband stayed in the car. The low oxygen level was bothering him.
I went up to a young man and asked, “What is everyone looking at?� His answer was, “An elk was hit by a car an hour or so ago and fell on the hill. There were five wolves and a bear fighting over it, but most of the wolves have wandered off. Now there is just a white wolf, which had been fighting with the bear earlier.� He pointed to the area that was around 500 feet away. I only saw a speck of white. I began snapping photos of everything even though I saw nothing. The guy saw my dilemma and handed me his binoculars. I saw nothing. Then he asked me to stay where I was, and when he returned he asked me to follow him, saying, “This guy is going to let you look through his telescope.� I looked though the telescope. A large bear was standing over the elk, his head buried in its fur. The white wolf was standing maybe ten feet away. “Oh, my God! Wow!� is all I could say. I was in awe. Never in my entire life had I thought that I would want to see something like this. I wanted to stay and watch all day. I wanted a telescope, a Nikon camera. And I even wanted to walk across the valley to the hill where the bear and the wolf wereg, but I knew better. I thought of my youth, how I once wanted be a park ranger.
I can’t tell you much more about Yellowstone, but I can tell you over and over again about the bear and the wolve, and while that was the last thing I wanted to see in Yellowstone it was the highlight of our trip across America. And yes, we made it to Jackson before dark, found a motel and began descending the mountains the next day.
But don’t let me forget, the Teton Mountains are the most beautiful mountains that I have ever seen.
As for Lamplugh’s book, it was wonderful. Not only does it describe scenes like this, but he talks about how returning the wolves to Yellowstone has changed things for the better; It has had a good impact on the environment and other animal species.
And yes, I would walk up to a wolf, but I know that he would turn and walk away, while I would be quietly saying, “Stay.�
Note:
Wolves and Coyotes Need Not Die So We Can Eat Meat
by Rick Lamplugh, wildlife advocate & author
My previous post, “We Have More to Fear from Livestock than from Wolves,� () evoked many comments. The post’s premise: While ranchers claim that wolves threaten their existence and should be eradicated, the livestock production that ranchers make a living off of is killing the ecosystem that sustains the rest of us.
Many readers commented that they had already stopped eating beef or sheep. Some readers wrote that they are vegetarians or vegans. Still others wondered how they could continue to enjoy meat without supporting an industry that unnecessarily kills wolves, coyotes, and other predators.
Ranchers can keep livestock and predators separate and alive. Some choose to do so and become what is called predator friendly. Here’s how being predator friendly works for Becky Weed and Dave Tyler in Belgrade, Montana. On the website of their Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Company, they write, “Our principal protection against native predators are our guard dogs and llamas and our own vigilance; because we have chosen not to use lethal control methods against coyotes, bears, wolves, mountain lions, our ranch is certified as ‘predator friendly.’�
Ranchers earn Predator Friendly® certification. An annual audit must find that the producer maintains and enhances wildlife habitat, employs a mix of nonlethal methods, and quickly modifies management practices when conditions change.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to living with predators, but here are some of the nonlethal methods Predator Friendly producers employ:
* Using guard animals such as llamas, donkeys, and dogs
* Scheduling pasture use when predation pressure is low
* Grazing cattle with smaller livestock to protect sheep, goats, and calves
* Timing calving and lambing to avoid predation risk
* Lambing in sheds, secure fenced lots, or protected pastures
* Making frequent and unpredictable patrols in pastures
* Protecting vulnerable animals by fencing out predators
* Learning the ecology and habits of area wildlife
The Animal Welfare Institute states that the Predator Friendly program encourages livestock producers like Weed and Tyler to protect some of the most important habitat and species in the United States, while opening up a new market for their sustainable ranch.
We can support ranchers that choose coexisting over killing by purchasing their Predator Friendly® products. Products sold from the Predator Friendly website include beef, bison, goat, lamb, turkey, eggs, and honey as well as sheep and cattle breeding stock. To check out the Predator Friendly website:
To learn more about ways that ranchers can keep livestock and wolves separate and alive, check out “Livestock and Wolves,� the guide from Defenders of Wildlife. The principal author is Suzanne Asha Stone. Contributors include Carter Niemeyer, Linda Thurston and others. Here’s the link:
Rick Lamplugh writes to protect wildlife and preserve wildlands. He lives near Yellowstone’s north gate and has just finished his new book, Deep into Yellowstone: A Year’s Immersion in Grandeur and Controversy. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller In the Temple of Wolves. Available as eBook or paperback at . Or as a signed copy from Rick at .
August 17, 2016
It was such a pleasure to drop into Yellowstone with Rick Lamplugh. I liked the voice of his naturalist best, being present and observant with what is around him. His detailed descriptions of walking (or snow-shoeing) in nature had the effect of slowing me down, in a meditative way, making me hungry to re-establish my own connection with nature. I appreciated the thorough presentation of the wolf dilemma in regards to rancher's losses, but it took me out of the "being present" and pulled me into my head. Perhaps the next volume will keep my feet in Yellowstone with my eyes wide-open and wondering.
November 20, 2016
I read this book during my season as a program assistant at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, so I could sit outside and listen to the babble of Rose Creek as I read Rick's description of it. I could look across the road at Rick's favorite stand of six cottonwoods. I could experience camp duty and driving the bus for visiting instructors like he did here just a few seasons ago. It's surreal - like deja vu.
April 29, 2022
I thought this was a book about wolves but apparently I was wrong
February 1, 2019
Reviewed by Susan Violante for Reader Views (1/19)
“In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone� by Rick Lamplugh is the author’s recollection of his time as an observer in Yellowstone Park. Rick and his wife Mary signed up as winter volunteers to have a chance to experience the park during the winter. They had visited multiple times during the summer but as volunteers Rick would have a chance to observe as a naturist, experiencing the ecosystem, the behavior of the food chain, and his passion…the wolves.
The book presents to readers a mix of the author’s observation notes enriched with his own reflections and recounts of his experiences through prose narration, as well as black and white pictures at the beginning of each chapter. Each chapter reads as a standalone vignette, almost like a picture made out of words which tells of a moment in time in the life of the park. Its characters are not only of predatory wolves and coyotes but their prey, such as elk and buffalo, scavengers, and the money-making photo hunters who compete to capture each life and death event in nature.
Rick Lamplugh is a skillful writer. His storytelling in this narration is captivating and informative, two elements that will keep readers hooked page after page, even as they read the difficult and crude description of the food chain where it is the reality show of survival of the fittest. His point of view as a naturist gives a detailed description of what he is observing, while his point of view as a passionate wildlife lover gives readers his emotional view on the effects of intruding photographers in search of the best picture. His point of view of a regular person wanting to grow to an experienced outdoorsman shows readers a real view of the dangers and beauty of the wild outdoors during the winter.
My favorite scene was precisely the one where he realized once he got off the trail that he had left his important survival tools (like a map) in the car, and because of that, a small walk could have had a tragic end. I loved his voice and how he was able to transport me from my reading chair to the middle of the woods through his storytelling. Certainly a well-written account of Yellowstone Park, wolves, and the author’s experience during his visit in the winter. I do wish the pictures would have been in color and the format of the book would have been a hard cover to be displayed on our coffee table to share as a conversation piece with everyone.
Overall, “In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone� by Rick Lamplugh is a well-written captivating account of the life of wolves, extermination, and re-introduction into Yellowstone Park. Learn how their presence and absence affected the park and its food chain, and how people affect them as well, all through the author’s firsthand experience, observation and research of factual and historical information. I found it informative, thought-provoking and entertaining and recommend it to all nature lovers as a realistic trip to wild winter Yellowstone!
“In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone� by Rick Lamplugh is the author’s recollection of his time as an observer in Yellowstone Park. Rick and his wife Mary signed up as winter volunteers to have a chance to experience the park during the winter. They had visited multiple times during the summer but as volunteers Rick would have a chance to observe as a naturist, experiencing the ecosystem, the behavior of the food chain, and his passion…the wolves.
The book presents to readers a mix of the author’s observation notes enriched with his own reflections and recounts of his experiences through prose narration, as well as black and white pictures at the beginning of each chapter. Each chapter reads as a standalone vignette, almost like a picture made out of words which tells of a moment in time in the life of the park. Its characters are not only of predatory wolves and coyotes but their prey, such as elk and buffalo, scavengers, and the money-making photo hunters who compete to capture each life and death event in nature.
Rick Lamplugh is a skillful writer. His storytelling in this narration is captivating and informative, two elements that will keep readers hooked page after page, even as they read the difficult and crude description of the food chain where it is the reality show of survival of the fittest. His point of view as a naturist gives a detailed description of what he is observing, while his point of view as a passionate wildlife lover gives readers his emotional view on the effects of intruding photographers in search of the best picture. His point of view of a regular person wanting to grow to an experienced outdoorsman shows readers a real view of the dangers and beauty of the wild outdoors during the winter.
My favorite scene was precisely the one where he realized once he got off the trail that he had left his important survival tools (like a map) in the car, and because of that, a small walk could have had a tragic end. I loved his voice and how he was able to transport me from my reading chair to the middle of the woods through his storytelling. Certainly a well-written account of Yellowstone Park, wolves, and the author’s experience during his visit in the winter. I do wish the pictures would have been in color and the format of the book would have been a hard cover to be displayed on our coffee table to share as a conversation piece with everyone.
Overall, “In the Temple of Wolves: A Winter’s Immersion in Wild Yellowstone� by Rick Lamplugh is a well-written captivating account of the life of wolves, extermination, and re-introduction into Yellowstone Park. Learn how their presence and absence affected the park and its food chain, and how people affect them as well, all through the author’s firsthand experience, observation and research of factual and historical information. I found it informative, thought-provoking and entertaining and recommend it to all nature lovers as a realistic trip to wild winter Yellowstone!
February 1, 2019
4.5 stars, but am rounding up because I have an unabashed love for the wolves in Yellowstone and will pick up anything I can get my hands on about them. This is a GREAT companion read to American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee. So, if you loved that book, you will definitely love this one. The title is a *bit* misleading because the book is not just about wolves - the subtitle is more accurate. It's basically a compilation of essays about the wilds of Yellowstone, written by a man that spends the winters as a volunteer/guide there. Some cool "insider"-type stories (did you know they have to move bison carcasses by sled to more remote areas of the park if one dies too close to the roadside to prevent traffic jams/keep the visitors safe?). Also, Rick McIntyre (a central figure in American Wolf) and 06 both make an appearance in this book. It was also really interesting to see events discussed in American Wolf from this author's perspective. A short, quick read that has fanned the flame of my desire to visit Yellowstone in the winter some day!
June 2, 2014
A great read. It made me want to sign up as a volunteer in Yellowstone right away. I have always been fascinated by the history of human/wolf relations in the US and the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone is something I have followed with interest over the last 18 years. I really appreciated the way the author reminds the reader that One thing that this book does well is present the wolf vs. rancher part of the story from a business perspective, which is different and interesting. I am very concerned about the wolf hunts that have been resumed since 2011. There doesn't seem to be any incentive to the hunters to avoid killing collared wolves that are clearly part of Yellowstone packs, and the numbers of Yellowstone wolves have decreased significantly after only 2 hunts. I also feel like I want to go volunteer in Yellowstone in winter, and I'm not all that fond of winter.
June 27, 2020
Big idea: There is beauty in simply watching nature exist. Watching animals hunt or eat or run across the side of a mountain is a reflection of God's beauty in creation.
New word: "Ablution" meaning "the act of washing oneself."
I picked up this book ahead of our trip to Yellowstone and it was a beautiful read. The author was one of eight volunteers who lived at the Lamar Valley Ranch in the deep Wyoming Winter. This book is a self-published journal of what he learned about the ecology of Yellowstone. The author's writing and prose is not particularly beautiful, but the subject matter is. I learned much about the importance of the food chain in the "wild," but the most important thing I learned was the big idea stated above.
I finished this book the night before we drove into Yellowstone and it truly changed my experience with the park. Rather than checking off a list of sights to see the best part of my trip was watching a coyote hunt in a lush grass field, soaking in a view of a bison herd numbering 1,500, and experiencing a bear simply munching on grass in the woods. The author does the same in the book as he journals through the importance of wolves hunting elk and how it feeds the entire food chain along with many other interactions.
While this is a particularly important book for those visiting Yellowstone or any national park, it can and should be read by anyone that is wanting to experience nature in a different light.
New word: "Ablution" meaning "the act of washing oneself."
I picked up this book ahead of our trip to Yellowstone and it was a beautiful read. The author was one of eight volunteers who lived at the Lamar Valley Ranch in the deep Wyoming Winter. This book is a self-published journal of what he learned about the ecology of Yellowstone. The author's writing and prose is not particularly beautiful, but the subject matter is. I learned much about the importance of the food chain in the "wild," but the most important thing I learned was the big idea stated above.
I finished this book the night before we drove into Yellowstone and it truly changed my experience with the park. Rather than checking off a list of sights to see the best part of my trip was watching a coyote hunt in a lush grass field, soaking in a view of a bison herd numbering 1,500, and experiencing a bear simply munching on grass in the woods. The author does the same in the book as he journals through the importance of wolves hunting elk and how it feeds the entire food chain along with many other interactions.
While this is a particularly important book for those visiting Yellowstone or any national park, it can and should be read by anyone that is wanting to experience nature in a different light.
February 11, 2016
I think if you have either been to Yellowstone or love nature then you will absolutely love this book. I enjoyed it but felt the language was a little over the top at times. I'm sure it was to evoke the same emotion in the reader that the author experienced. I really enjoyed a lot of the history of the park, bison and wolves and the interconnectedness of nature that was provided. It was really fascinating to hear how the elimination of species affects so many others including trees. It's a fun read and I definitely recommend if you're looking to hear about one of our amazing National Parks or planning a visit.
January 1, 2020
In the Temple of Wolves was an excellent read! It is a book I will want to read again, and share with family. Rick Lamplugh and his wife Mary are finally retired educators, and were accepted as volunteers in Yellowstone over the winter of 2013, a place they had revisited many times over the years as Park guests. 'In the Temple of Wolves' brings to notice the essential difference between visiting the park during summer and fall, and living, working, breathing the park all winter - sometimes a scary difference, but mostly just the joy found in such sweet emersion into the world of the wild. All winter inhabitants inter-relationships are covered, from Ravens to bison to wolves and all the critters in between. This is a book to savor, and read again on a cold snowy night. It belongs up there on the shelf with Leopold, Abby, and Stegner. I will watch for more by Rick Lamplugh.
Reviewed on January 1, 2020 at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, Kobo and GooglePlay. Not available for review on BookBub.
Reviewed on January 1, 2020 at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, Kobo and GooglePlay. Not available for review on BookBub.
January 11, 2020
This is one audio book I will listen to again and again! The author and his wife spent three winter months volunteering in a remote region of Yellowstone National Park. Each year they go back. This book is a personal journey of that experience into this beautiful natural world where elk, bison, coyotes, wolves, and various raptors live. Their existence is intertwined with the human world and the same struggles exist for them an us in different ways. His writings allow readers to experience and feel what he felt at the time, the scenery becomes equally vivid. I've always wanted to visit this great park and now will definitely do so. I want to see the Lamar Valley first-hand and be fortunate enough to view the wolves. Such beautiful creatures...such a beautiful book! I highly recommend to all!
June 25, 2018
Life in the American Serengeti
I read this book to improve my understanding of Yellowstone National Park. My wife and I lived in Gardiner, Montana during May, June, July and August, 2013. We were in the Lamar Valley (the Temple) almost daily. We listened to Rick McIntyre (the Archbishop) whenever we could.
The book was very well written, and I found it very interesting and exciting, yet still accurate.
Mr. Lamplugh beautifully expresses his thoughts about and reactions to Yellowstone. I have entertained some of the same thoughts and reactions. I expect many others have also. Yellowstone does that to many visitors.
I suggest you read this book and visit the Lamar Valley.
I read this book to improve my understanding of Yellowstone National Park. My wife and I lived in Gardiner, Montana during May, June, July and August, 2013. We were in the Lamar Valley (the Temple) almost daily. We listened to Rick McIntyre (the Archbishop) whenever we could.
The book was very well written, and I found it very interesting and exciting, yet still accurate.
Mr. Lamplugh beautifully expresses his thoughts about and reactions to Yellowstone. I have entertained some of the same thoughts and reactions. I expect many others have also. Yellowstone does that to many visitors.
I suggest you read this book and visit the Lamar Valley.
January 2, 2019
I couldn't put this book down-- read it in <24 hours. It's one of the best descriptive nonfiction books I've come across in recent years.
I'm an ecologist, but you don't have to be a scientist to enjoy this book. Lamplugh presents some complex ecological theories, but he does so masterfully, with wording that is accessible for anyone. Having taken graduate-level courses on some of the topics introduced in this book, I can say that the science (as he presents it) holds up to scrutiny, but it is interwoven with a fascinating personal narrative that makes it a real "page-turner."
Don't be fooled by the fact that it's self-published; it's a very smooth, polished read-- no edits needed.
I'm an ecologist, but you don't have to be a scientist to enjoy this book. Lamplugh presents some complex ecological theories, but he does so masterfully, with wording that is accessible for anyone. Having taken graduate-level courses on some of the topics introduced in this book, I can say that the science (as he presents it) holds up to scrutiny, but it is interwoven with a fascinating personal narrative that makes it a real "page-turner."
Don't be fooled by the fact that it's self-published; it's a very smooth, polished read-- no edits needed.
Read
January 4, 2020Yellowstone & Wildlife
I just visited the southern part of Yellowstone on a snow tour to Old Faithful. I left feeling an empty void in my heart, longing for more time in this incredible place. Our tour guide talked about wolves and the lively debate between lovers and haters, which got me turned on to learning more. The author’s perspective about the animals and territory and ecosystem mirror my own, which was refreshing and exciting. I enjoyed learning more about the landscape and the relationship between humans, predators, scavengers, plants, and insects. Looking forward to the next book by Rick.
I just visited the southern part of Yellowstone on a snow tour to Old Faithful. I left feeling an empty void in my heart, longing for more time in this incredible place. Our tour guide talked about wolves and the lively debate between lovers and haters, which got me turned on to learning more. The author’s perspective about the animals and territory and ecosystem mirror my own, which was refreshing and exciting. I enjoyed learning more about the landscape and the relationship between humans, predators, scavengers, plants, and insects. Looking forward to the next book by Rick.
October 30, 2023
Visiting Yellowstone is one of the things on my long bucket list. This account of Rick Lamplugh's winter volunteering in the national park is the stuff of green envy, getting to get an in-depth experience with the operating of the park and the people who take care of it full time.
This is part memoir, part natural history guide. He talks about the history of the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and the effect they've had (mostly positive, some negative) on the animals, ecology and human communities around them. Though not just wolves; elk, coyotes, bird and people feature heavily too.
It's a good little read. I didn't find myself warming much to the narrator though, not sure why.
This is part memoir, part natural history guide. He talks about the history of the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and the effect they've had (mostly positive, some negative) on the animals, ecology and human communities around them. Though not just wolves; elk, coyotes, bird and people feature heavily too.
It's a good little read. I didn't find myself warming much to the narrator though, not sure why.
September 28, 2017
I'm biased. An animal lover, a biology major, and someone who has watched the reintroduction of the wolf to Yellowstone, I was a sucker for this book. I also have lived within 6 hours of Yellowstone for the last 9 years and visit at least once a year. Our neighbors told us about the great wildlife watching in the Lamar Valley and it has become our favorite part of the park. So what's not to like about a book about the wolves in the Lamar Valley, written by someone who also loves wolves, the area, and who writes well.
March 2, 2021
Another fantastic read by a one of a kind author. Rick’s stories of Yellowstone’s beauty, history and controversy make for a versatile read about a place I have always wanted to go. He is thought provoking and challenges you to step outside of your mental comfort zone. While many of Rick’s days were probably spent driving, cleaning or shovelling, his literature reminds us to always take a look around and enjoy the beauty of what surrounds us. There is always enough time to soak in (and smell!) the moment. Thank you for this lesson Rick. And thank you for yet another treat of a read.
October 8, 2017
Wolf Champion
I became a wolf activist in 1987 by joining a letter-writing campaign supporting the re-introduction of wolves in Yellowstone NP. What a pleasure to read this account by this talented outdoorsman. Thank you, Rick, for keeping the flame alive. Wolf supporters certainly cannot rest as new threats to this magnificent species multiply. The effort - like this book - is life affirming and heartbreaking.
I became a wolf activist in 1987 by joining a letter-writing campaign supporting the re-introduction of wolves in Yellowstone NP. What a pleasure to read this account by this talented outdoorsman. Thank you, Rick, for keeping the flame alive. Wolf supporters certainly cannot rest as new threats to this magnificent species multiply. The effort - like this book - is life affirming and heartbreaking.
March 3, 2018
Rick tells the story of his three months driving a bus in Yellowstone during the winter in the "temple of the wolves". I love nature stories and studies of people living in remote locations observing wildlife, however this book was not as strong as some others that I have read. It lacks some of the specific details and heart that make such books as Fire Season or Indian Creek Chronicles linger with the reader.
August 7, 2019
Found myself trapped in Ricks enthusiasm as he describes a beautifully spend winter in Yellowstone National Park. It’s very clear his excitement and enthusiasm of the time he spend there and while I’ve always been fascinated with the wolves of Yellowstone, he added more to the story with his rich telling of how the wolves really affected his life as a tour giver. I would recommend this to anyone interested in wildlife and Yellowstone.
December 4, 2019
I had started Lamplugh's later book, and thought I might as well read this one first since it recounts his first adventure in Yellowstone. Though I really wanted to like this, it felt like a self-published book. The first 2/3rds were ok, but the last 1/3 was difficult to get through. A short book, but it felt oh so long. I will still give the other book a shot since it is more polished and concerns an issue near and dear - nature.
April 22, 2022
I gave this book a try because the author is speaking at our writers group next month. I wouldn't normally have picked it up, because, although I love nature writing and nature, I would not have singled out a book on wolves or on Yellowstone. I'm so glad I read it. I was pulled in by the writer's open-minded wonder all around him and his desire to learn about and participate in this environment. Lyrical, meditative, and instructive. Also a superbly produced self-published book (no typos).
March 26, 2017
Don't read this if you don't want to take an immediate trip to Yellowstone, because after reading the beautiful nature and wildlife described in this book I wanted to head to Yellowstone as quickly as possible! It is also very informative and thought-provoking about why we need to fight to keep wolves in our ecosystems. A very good book!
August 30, 2017
I think to enjoy this book as much as I did you must have experienced the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. It is indeed a magical place if you love nature and wildlife as I do and as the author does. For any fan of the wolf reintroduction and of Yellowstone I would consider it a must-read.
February 28, 2018
Didn't want it to end
I have a long time fascination with wolves and their powerful presence. This book reinforces the greatness of this amazing species in a comfortable way of presentation that makes you want more. It's as if you were sitting down with a trusted friend to listen to their tale of life in the presence of wolves. Will definitely be reading it again.
I have a long time fascination with wolves and their powerful presence. This book reinforces the greatness of this amazing species in a comfortable way of presentation that makes you want more. It's as if you were sitting down with a trusted friend to listen to their tale of life in the presence of wolves. Will definitely be reading it again.
March 14, 2019
Sad to Finish This Book
I love the out of doors and this book made me feel like I was right outside with Lamplugh and the wolfs of Yellowstone. The book was exciting, sad, poignant, full of facts, wonderful stories, and thoughtful accounts of a winter spent in a Temple. A good read for those who love nature. This book will love you back.
I love the out of doors and this book made me feel like I was right outside with Lamplugh and the wolfs of Yellowstone. The book was exciting, sad, poignant, full of facts, wonderful stories, and thoughtful accounts of a winter spent in a Temple. A good read for those who love nature. This book will love you back.
August 11, 2019
An excellent introduction into the fascinating ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park. This first-hand account of the time lamplight and his wife spent as volunteer bus drivers in the National Park captures the experience admirably well. It is a good Young Adult (YA) book for teen readers as well as adults.
July 17, 2021
Fine. I was a little annoyed by the sanctimonious judgment about the photographers getting "their money shot" when he was getting his own "money shot" with this book. Particularly the imagined death of the elk. But whatever. A fine look at the wolves, Yellowstone, and the culture wars surrounding wolf reintroduction. I, too, side with the wolves.
October 17, 2021
As a former guide for winter wolf activity, I can say from experience that this is an excellent summary of wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park and the challenges faced - both in our human obsession with wanting to visit wolves as well as the political demonization of these incredible animals.
January 28, 2018
Astounding! I am not an environmentalist per se, and certainly do not read these types of books often but I will have to remedy that. I found this a great mix of history with experiences. Really enjoyable. I love Rick's writing style and flow.
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