They're Here

SnoBear on left, Grizz on right.

Note the heavy track system and suspension on the skis of the Grizz.

Photo from SnoBear Facebook Page.

Does The Park Have One???

PLOW THE PARK ?

GRASS ROOTS ACTION

An Alternate View To Winter Travel

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-- Local citizens of West Yellowstone have established an organization and a website to advocate the position that plowing the road from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful would be advantageous on many fronts.
-- The website can be found HERE. Check it out if you would like to have access to Yellowstone's west side as well as the northern range in winter.

Back In Operation

VIEW FROM WEB CAM
-- Thanks to the stalwart NPS employees the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout Web Cam is back in operation. Spectacular views can be had by clicking HERE.

Avalanche Guys Video

CORNICE CRASHING

Dangerous Form Of High-Marking
..

.. Read the Story HERE.

Winter Use Plan?

LESS SNOWMACHINES

Same Coaches

.. The NPS has released a draft plan for comment. Read it and comment. Here's the press release:

PARKS SEEK PUBLIC COMMENT ON NEW WINTER USE PROPOSAL
New plan would provide for limited, guided snowmobile and snowcoach travel

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are seeking public comment on a new plan to guide the management of winter use in the parks.

The previous plan was rejected by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., in September. Neither snowmobiles nor snowcoaches can be allowed in the parks this winter without a new plan and new regulation.

The preferred alternative would allow up to 318 commercially guided, Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles, and up to 78 commercially guided snowcoaches in a day in Yellowstone. The 2008-2009 winter season is scheduled to begin Monday, December 15, 2008.

The preferred alternative would also provide for motorized oversnow travel over Sylvan Pass and Yellowstone’s East Entrance road as agreed to by the Sylvan Pass Study Group this past summer.

The daily snowmobile limit is slightly above last winter’s average of 294 snowmobiles a day. It is well below the 720 a day allowed the past four winters, and lower than the 540 snowmobiles a day that would have been allowed this winter under the plan rejected by the court. The daily snowcoach limit is the same as allowed during the past four years.

In Grand Teton and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, grooming and motorized oversnow travel on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) between Moran Junction and Flagg Ranch would be discontinued. However, those interested in through travel on the CDST could transport their snowmobiles on trailers between these locations.

Twenty-five snowmobiles a day would be allowed to travel on the Grassy Lake Road, with no BAT or guiding requirement. Twenty-five unguided, BAT snowmobiles a day would also be allowed on Jackson Lake to facilitate ice fishing by those possessing appropriate fishing gear and a valid State of Wyoming fishing license.

The plan would be in effect for a period of up to three winters for Yellowstone. It would provide long term direction for winter use management in Grand Teton and the Parkway.

Park managers believe an approach including both snowmobile and snowcoach access reduces impacts of both to acceptable levels. This environmental assessment addresses the impact concerns raised by the recent ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The Winter Use Plans Environmental Assessment (EA) and an electronic form to submit comments on the Internet can be found on the web at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Written comments may be submitted through this web site, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight, November 17, 2008.

A proposed rule to implement the preferred alternative contained in the new plan will be published in a few days in the Federal Register, and will also be open for a 15-day public review and comment period. The rulemaking process supports, but is separate from, the public review and comment period on the EA. The proposed rule and an electronic form to submit written comments will be available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. You can find the proposed rule by searching the “Documents Open For Public Comment” and selecting the National Park Service as the agency.

Once comments are analyzed, the National Park Service will make a decision on the proposed plan. If the preferred alternative is selected, the Regional Director of the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service would sign a Finding Of No Significant Action (FONSI) containing details of his decision.

A final rule would have to be prepared and published in the Federal Register in order to implement the FONSI and provide for motorized oversnow vehicle travel in the parks this winter. The National Park Service expects to have a decision regarding winter use management prior by the December 15, 2008, scheduled start to the winter season.

Both the EA and the proposed rule are available on CD or in hard copy by writing the National Park Service, Management Assistant’s Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190. Document requests may also be made by sending an e-mail to Yellowstone Winter Use; by calling 307-344-2019 during normal business hours; or by sending a request by fax to 307-344-2025.

- NPS -

..

More Weather

FROM THE NWS

Snow Advisory

/O.EXT.KRIW.SN.Y.0043.000000T0000Z- 080612T2100Z/ YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAKE... MAMMOTH...OLD FAITHFUL 902 AM MDT THU JUN 12 2008
...SNOW ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON...

THE SNOW ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON.

OCCASIONAL SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK THROUGH 3 PM TODAY. 1 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN AT MANY AREAS ACROSS THE PARK WITH UP TO 7 INCHES AT SYLVAN LAKE. A SNOW TOTAL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IS EXPECTED WITH AS MUCH AS 6 TO 12 INCHES EXPECTED OVER SYLVAN PASS NEAR THE EAST ENTRANCE BY 3 PM TODAY. MUCH LESSER AMOUNTS OF AN ADDITIONAL INCH OR TWO ARE EXPECTED AT MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS AND THE WEST ENTRANCE. ROADS ABOVE 8000 FEET ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN OR BECOME SLICK AND SNOW PACKED THROUGH THIS MORNING.

A SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. ROADS CAN BECOME ESPECIALLY SLICK WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ROAD SURFACE IS CLOSE TO FREEZING.

VISITORS TO THE PARK SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR UNSEASONABLY COLD AND WET CONDITIONS AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF ROAD CLOSURES INTO AND THROUGHOUT THE PARK TODAY.

It's Still Winter

Yellowstone Plans Plowing

PLOW DAYS ANNOUNCED

West Yellowstone Clears Streets

..

The National Park Service announced the Spring plowing schedule yesterday. The entire press release is reproduced below:

---------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2008 08-011
Al Nash or Stacy Vallie (307) 344-2015

----------------------------------------------------
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
----------------------------------------------------

Spring Plowing to Begin in Yellowstone National Park

With the impending arrival of spring comes the end of the winter season and over-the-snow travel in Yellowstone National Park.

Park roads will begin to close to snowmobiles and snowcoaches in preparation for spring plowing. Beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, groomed roads from Mammoth to Norris will be closed, followed by the closure of Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon at 9:00 p.m., on Tuesday, March 4. All remaining groomed roads will close to oversnow vehicles at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.

The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to Cooke City, Montana, at the park's Northeast Entrance, is open all year to automobiles, weather permitting.

Visitor facilities will also close for the winter season according to the following schedule:

Saturday, March 1
Last night for lodging at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

Sunday, March 2
Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room closes after breakfast
Mammoth and Indian Creek warming huts and Mammoth fuel station close at 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 8
Last night for lodging at Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Sunday, March 9
Old Faithful Snow Lodge Dining Room closes after breakfast
Old Faithful Geyser Grill & Gift Shop close after dinner

The following facilities will close at 5:00 p.m.: warming huts at Madison, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, Old Faithful and West Thumb; fuel stations at Old Faithful, Fishing Bridge and Canyon; and the Old Faithful Visitor Center.

At Mammoth, the Yellowstone General Store, clinic, campground, and Albright Visitor Center are open all year.

Plowing operations will begin this Friday on the road from Tower Junction to Tower Fall to allow for administrative travel in order to conduct rehabilitation of the Tower Fall restrooms. The plowing of this segment will affect cross-country skiing access to the Lost Lake Trail and the Tower Fall/Chittenden Loop. Although no public vehicle access will be allowed, the road will be accessible on foot or bicycle. Please watch for falling rock along this segment of road.

The road beyond the Tower Fall Store will not be open to bicycles until conditions allow, after May 8.
Weather permitting, the roads will begin opening again to vehicles on Friday, April 18, from Mammoth to Old Faithful; Madison to the West Entrance and Norris to Canyon. The roads from Canyon to Lake and from Lake to the East Entrance are scheduled to open on Friday, May 2; Lake to the South Entrance and West Thumb to Old Faithful, Tower to Tower Fall on Friday, May 9; and Tower Fall to Canyon over Dunraven Pass on Friday, May 23.

Yellowstone's weather is very unpredictable. Always be prepared for a range of conditions. Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling (307) 344-2117.

As Warm As June

AND SNOWING

..

Eclipse

8:18 Old Faithful

Amazingly Rational

A VERY GOOD READ

finally !

.. With the warmth of terminal winter comes a very fine article from George Wuerthner over at New West. No "Breast Beating," no "Post Pissing," no "Whining," and no "Bleeding Heart," in this: just a succinct, rational, factual analysis of a pressing problem.
.. Bison die variously at this time of year. One way they die is their removal from lands outside of Yellowstone National Park by the interagency task force. They are then slaughtered. They are rounded up and killed by agreement between: Montana, Yellowstone Park, and the USDA.
.. The agreement is ill-founded and needs review and augmentation. Wurthner provides a cogent analysis of the situation and the article deserves a complete reading.
.. Theatrical moaning, verbal whining, and poor reporting cannot bring about a change in the policy. Rational, factual, and informed discussion has a better chanch -- and Wurthner shows us the way.

Thanks George !

Winter's Warmth

TAKE A MINUTE

Thanks to Mike Bryers

Winter's Rewards

A Warm 20 Degrees

BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF IT

.. Wind: gusting to 40 mph,
.. Snowfall: 16": the same predicted for the next 24 hours,
.. Cars: Lost forever.
.. Drifts: to 8'
.. Diesel: in short supply, over 25 front end loaders going full bore,
.. Sledheads: happy,
.. Skiers: waiting it out,
.. Prognosis: more of the same for the foreseeable future.

__________________

Remedies:

Watch the "Snow Dog Video"
..

Proposed Winter Rule Available

The rule governing winter use in Yellowstone has been published.

.. Here are some quotes:

" . . .the temporary plan requires that all recreational snowmobiles entering the parks meet best available technology (BAT) requirements. This requirement, along with air emissions requirements for snowcoaches, ensures that the vast majority of recreational over-snow vehicles operating in the parks employ current emissions control equipment, and has resulted in improvements in air quality and natural soundscapes."

"Beginning in the 2011-2012 season, all snowcoaches must meet air emission requirements, which will be the functional equivalent of having EPA Tier I emissions control equipment incorporated into the engine and drive train for the vehicle class (size and weight) as a wheeled vehicle."

"Beginning in the 2011-2012 season, snowcoaches must meet a sound emissions requirement of no greater than 73dBA; test procedures to be determined by the NPS."

"No more than eight snowmobiles would be permitted in a group with one commercial guide; no more than 17 snowmobiles would be permitted in a group with two commercial guides on separate snowmobiles. Group numbers include the guide's machine."

"As of the 2008-2009 winter season, the East Entrance road would be closed to through travel by oversnow vehicles in order to address the avalanche risk at Sylvan Pass that cannot be reasonably mitigated. The one-year delay in implementing the change on the East Entrance road is proposed in response to comments received from cooperating agencies who expressed concern for communities and businesses to make appropriate adjustments."

.. Comment period closes July 16, 2007.
.. See the rule, and comment HERE, (key word=Yellowstone.)

-------------------

Did You Know?
At peak summer levels, 3,500 employees work for Yellowstone National Park concessionaires and about 800 work for the park. Just who is running Yellowstone National Park?

Rave Reviews From Complimentary Trips

THE JOY IS OVERWHELMING WHEN IT'S FREE
There's No Joy At Pahaska Tepee
there's less joy at the epa
Librarian Write Book About Discovery

.. It's an annual occurance. In this town it's called "Manipulate The Press."
.. Now that the press is getting it's free tours in Yellowstone the praise is flowing like heated maple syrup. As snowcoach operators load their antique vehicles with rich tourists and the fifth estate there is a flood of "positive" articles overwhelming the media.
.. Watch for even more to come. The Bozeman Chronicle is getting their free tour as you read this. There will be waxing poetic and joy will abound. Praise will gush and all will be right with the world.

Here are things to watch for as you read between the lines:
-- The windows fogged up so bad that the park couldn't be seen.
-- The heater was so bad that we had to wrap ourselves in blankets.
-- The bus was so noisy that I needed Excedrin.
-- The guides were sweet and nice (because they work for tips.)
-- They said it was too cold to get out of the bus.
-- We saw many other people at the same places we stopped.
-- The experience was wonderful, (after all it was free.)
-- We bounced around so much my bladder burst.
-- The guides are so smart; they took us to the exact places they wanted to go.

.. Some glowing reports have already started to emerge:
NBC News, Idaho: "You got to see wildlife, and you were inside, so you were warm. It was a little noisy, but other than that, cool!"
NBC News, Idaho: "Park activities like ice skating and cross country skiing were cancelled for some of the day because of a severe cold weather advisory."
Crosswalk: "Yes, just as I stood and waited in awe for Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, I will wait in anticipation for God to show Himself faithful in my life."

_________________

.. National Public Radio has tried to play the story straight, and done a pretty good job of it. But, then again, they went to the park for free in a bus. And they might have gotten their facts a bit mixed up because they were whispering all the time.
.. The EPA has suggested that the National Park Service is ignoring their own guidelines with their current thinking. The EPA only reviewed the current draft - the one that refused to consider the unsafe modes of transportation. Read about it in the Billings Gazette.

_________________

.. Kim Allen Scott, special collections librarian at Montana State University’s Renne Library, has written a book about Gustavus Doane who was a soldier, inventor, author and explorer & felt he should be famous for “discovering” Yellowstone National Park. Perhaps his time has come. Read the story HERE. Read the NPS version HERE.

Yellowstone's Snowflakes

Just A Note About A Great Yellowstone Posting

Go see: "NOT EVEN SCIENCE . . . "

.
Other resources:
Wilson A. Bentley, The Snowflake Man
SnowChrystals.com (great pictures they won't let us show you)

___________________

IT REALLY IS COLD!
-45 is no joke!
Stages Of Hypothermia In Humans

Stage 1 -- The body temperature drops by 2 to 4 degrees and mild to strong shivering occurs. You will be unable to perform complex tasks with the hands; the hands become numb. Blood vessels in the outer extremities contract, lessening heat loss to the outside air. Breathing becomes quick and shallow. Goose bumps form, raising body hair on end in an attempt to create a insulating layer of air around the body.
Stage 2 -- The body temperature drops by 4 to 7 degrees. Shivering becomes more violent. Muscle miscoordination becomes apparent. Movements are slow and labored, accompanied by a stumbling pace and mild confusion, although the victim may appear alert. Surface blood vessels contract further as the body focuses its remaining resources on keeping the vital organs warm. Victims becomes pale and lips, ears, fingers and toes may become blue.
Stage 3 -- The body temperature drops 90 degrees; normal is 98.6 degrees. Shivering usually stops and the victim will have difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, and signs of amnesia. There is an obvious inability to use hands and stumbling is present. Cellular metabolic processes shut down. The exposed skin becomes blue and puffy, muscle coordination is very poor, walking is nearly impossible, and the victim exhibits incoherent or irrational behavior. Pulse and respiration rates decrease significantly but fast heart rates can occur. Major organs fail and clinical death occurs. Because of decreased cellular activity in stage 3 hypothermia, the body will actually take longer to undergo brain death.

First Aid
-- If any symptoms of hypothermia are present, especially confusion or changes in mental status, the local emergency service should be immediately contacted.
-- If the person is unconscious, check their airway, breathing, and circulation. If necessary, begin rescue breathing or CPR. If the victim is breathing less than 6 breaths per minute, begin rescue breathing.
-- Take the person inside to room temperature and cover him or her with warm blankets. If going indoors is not possible, get the person out of the wind and use a blanket to provide insulation from the cold ground. Cover the person's head and neck to help retain body heat.
-- Once inside, remove any wet or constricting clothes and replace them with dry clothing. Warm the person. If necessary, use your own body heat to aid the warming.
-- Apply warm compresses to the neck, chest wall, and groin. If the person is alert and can easily swallow, give warm, sweetened, nonalcoholic fluids to aid the warming.
-- Stay with the person until medical help arrives.
-- Assume that you should obtain a doctor if the victim has been exposed for 24 hours or more.
-- DO NOT assume that someone found lying motionless in the cold is already dead.
-- DO NOT use direct heat (such as hot water, a heating pad, or a heat lamp) to warm the person.
-- DO NOT give the person alcohol.

Hospital Treatment
In a hospital, warming is accomplished by external techniques (blankets, warming devices) for mild hypothermia and by more invasive techniques such as warm intravenous fluids or even lavage of the bladder, stomach, chest and abdominal cavities with warmed fluids for severely hypothermic patients.

These patients are at high risk for arrhythmias and care must be taken to minimize jostling and other disturbances until they have been sufficiently warmed, as these arrhythmias are very difficult to treat while the victim is still cold.

An important tenet of treatment is that a person is not dead until they are warm and dead. Remarkable accounts of recovery after prolonged cardiac arrest have been reported in patients with hypothermia.

Prevention
In air, most heat is lost through the head; hypothermia can thus be most effectively prevented by covering the head. Having appropriate clothing for the environment is another important prevention.

Fluid-retaining materials like cotton can be a hypothermia risk; if the wearer gets sweaty on a cold day, then cools down, they will have sweat-soaked clothing in the cold air.

For outdoor exercise on a cold day, it is advisable to wear fabrics which can "wick" away sweat moisture. These include wool or synthetic fabrics designed specifically for rapid drying.

Heat is lost much more quickly in water. Children can die of hypothermia in as little as two hours in water as warm 61 degrees, typical of sea surface temperatures in temperate countries such as Great Britain.

Many seaside safety information sources fail to quote survival times in water, as well as the consequent importance of diving suits. This is possibly because the original research into hypothermia mortality in water was carried out in wartime Germany on unwilling subjects.

There is an ongoing debate as to the ethical basis of using the data thus acquired. There is considerable evidence, however, that children who suffer near-drowning accidents in water near 32 degrees can be revived up to two hours after losing consciousness.

The cold water considerably lowers metabolism, allowing the brain to withstand a much longer period of hypoxia.
(From: The DenverChannel.com)