This is Part 1 about our late April trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Lately, my buddy Ryan Marshik and I have been making our annual wildlife photo trip to Yellowstone National Park in the spring. This year we both were able to slip out of our family roles in late April.

One of the highlights was a sow Grizzly and her yearling cub. The ranger told us that folks call her “Valley Girl,” as she hangs out in a valley near Roaring Mountain. We were fortunate to cross paths with the pair on two consecutive days (April 28 and April 29)…They were oblivious to the two-legged photographers, and put on a quite a show.  The ranger said that they had just awoke from hibernation on April 26 or 27.

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-05778

Yearling cub. Young Grizzly stay with their moms for two winters. The ranger said that the sow “Valley Girl” had two cubs last spring but only this one survived into the second spring.

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-05804

Mom has a red tag in each ear and a radio collar. The youngster had learned well, and did everything mom did.

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-05818Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-05828Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0530

[Sony A6500 with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1000 sec at f2.0; ISO 100; tripod]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0531

[Sony A6500 with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1000 sec at f2.0; ISO 100; tripod]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0571Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0579Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0587

The yearling would occasionally get preoccupied with digging up food (worms? roots?) and then look up, only to realize that mom had mosied away. The yearling would then run back to her. I figured I’d try some panning blurs at very slow speeds (1/30 and 1/20 second). These were the only four that were interesting.

[Canon 7D with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/30 sec at f13; ISO 100; hand-held]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0590

[Canon 7D with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/20 sec at f14; ISO 100; hand-held]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0592

[Canon 7D with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/20 sec at f14; ISO 100; hand-held]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0593

[Canon 7D with Canon 200mm f2 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/20 sec at f14; ISO 100; hand-held]Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-0635Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-05965Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06003Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06024Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06061

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/250 at f7.1; ISO 400; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06082

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/200 at f7.1; ISO 400; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06090

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/400 at f6.3; ISO 400; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06129

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/800 at f5.6; ISO 640; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06112

Grizzlies have whitish claws, while Black Bears have black claws.

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06148

Bear booty

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06156

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/640 at f5.6; ISO 640; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06171Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06184

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1250 at f5.6; ISO 640; hand-held

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06186

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1600 at f5.6; ISO 640; hand-held

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06188

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/2000 at f5.6; ISO 640; hand held

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06199

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1600 at f5.6; ISO 640; hand-held

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06474

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/800 at f5.6; ISO 200; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06480

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06566

Like mom, the yearling rolled in Bison dung several times. Not sure what the reason for this behavior is.Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06487

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/800 at f5.6; ISO 200; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06636

Nursing time! Even yearlings get a milk meal now and then.

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06661

At over 1-year old, the cub is still nursing.

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1250 at f6.3; ISO 400; tripod

Grizzly Bear and cub Valley Girl near Roaring Mountain Yellowstone National Park WY-06680

Sony A6500 with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens (Metabones adapter); 1/1250 at f6.3; ISO 400; tripod