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.

A Bit Of Information

SnoBear SEEN IN WEST YELLOWSTONE

ALL DECKED OUT IN COMMERCIAL COLORS AND TOUTING AVAILABLE USES

.. FACT: There is a new SnoBear dealership in West Yellowstone.
.. FACT: There are two SnoBear vehicles in the neighborhood.
.. FACT: One vehicle is in Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park, and areas nearby with enough snow to use it.
.. FACT: One vehicle is in West Yellowstone, Montana and occasionally on Hebgen Lake, Parade Rest Guest Ranch, and environs.
FACT: The vehicles are light, nimble, clean, quiet, modern, and initially designed for ice fishing.
FACT: Aircraft-design windows do not fog up when in use.

RUMOR: Yellowstone National Park is exploring the possibility of buying a fleet of these vehicles, (or a larger custom-built model,) to replace or augment their aging fleet of van-conversions and Bombardier vehicles.
RUMOR: A custom built, (to Park specifications,) vehicle should arrive in Mammoth within a month, or six weeks at the latest.
RUMOR: A ski shuttle business is in the offing for back country areas around West Yellowstone and perhaps in Yellowstone National Park.
RUMOR: These vehicles are cleaner and quieter than any winter use vehicle currently mandated by Yellowstone National Park for winter over-the-snow tourism.
RUMOR: These vehicles provide comfort and convenience that is light-years beyond that of any vehicle currently being used for winter tourism in Yellowstone National Park.
RUMOR: Yellowstone National Park officials believe that the winter visitor experience will be greatly enhanced by the use of these vehicles.
RUMOR: Winter-stressed animals do not even look up as these vehicles pass them.
SPECULATION: The introduction of these vehicles into the winter travel mix in Yellowstone National Park could be as revolutionary as the banning of Snow Planes, or the mandate for only commercial travel on all roads except the road to Cooke City.
SPECULATION: Yellowstone National Park is using the vehicles for VIP tours.
SPECULATION: These vehicles are being tested in an effort to comply with any current or future EIS winter-use requirements.

LET'S HAVE $27,000.000

REALISTIC VIEW

From New York

.. With the opening of the "Visitor Education Center" at Old Faithful comes an interesting and insightful note in the New York Times.
.. Try it - see if you like it.
.. The project, according to the FAST COMPANY, has given us the "Greening of Yellowstone."  Now that's just dandy. Given the visitation it needs it.

Hear All About It

USPS + NPS = $$$$

Push Toward Centennial

.. Federal News Radio lets us know about the new coffee table book combining historic stamps and pretty pictures of some of the parks. The original idea came from an entrepreneurial postal employee.
.. Hear all about it HERE. See the book HERE.

Winter Use Reports

DRAFT REPORTS

Comment Now

Old Snowcoaches nosiest
THE MONEY QUOTE

"The majority of these higher sound levels were
caused by old technology snowcoaches.
Sounds from both visitor and administrative
oversnow vehicles were included in this study."

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.. The 2009 draft reports for winter use are out. You can find them at: WINTER USE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS. The two draft reports cover: noise, air pollution, wildlife reactions, and other issues.
.. Now that the commercial four stroke snowmobile fleet is quieter than old snowcoaches we anticipate that the winter use discussion will focus on the impact to animals generated by the concentrated mass of vehicles mandated by grouping sleds together in 'guided' tours.
.. There will probably not be much change in the stance of the traditional litigants in the winter use debate. Sadly there is entrenchment by all parties and they are still using both old data and misinformation in the public debates and harangues.
.. Arguments against snowmobiles are still focused on 2-stroke pollution & pictures that are over a decade old. Arguments for Bombardier snowcoaches ignore the crowded & restrictive nature of the experience and their decibel levels; both inside and outside of the vehicle.
.. The Acoustic Ecology Institute has followed the noise of sleds in the park and found similar results to the NPS studies.
.. In addition to the noise issue there is data that suggest that the current snowmobile fleet is even cleaner than the "BAT" snowcoaches, (LINK.) this data was produced two years ago and has only been used in court cases - not the public debates in the press.
.. A recent article in the Deseret News points out the kinds of arguments being used. The sad part of the whole debate is that enormous amounts of park monies and resources are being squandered defending and reiterating the "SCIENCE" that is misinterpreted.
.. This emotional battle is being fought along lines drawn in the snow by parties with vested interests so diverse that it promises to continue for another decade or more.

Ranger Smith's New Tires

YOGI WATCHING CLOSELY

New Skins For Jellystone Fleet

.. On the first day of April, (irony?) the Michelin Man announced his take over of the commercial battleground known as Yellowstone National Park.
.. Michelin is now the "OFFICIAL TIRE OF THE YELLOWSTONE PARK FOUNDATION." Read it HERE.
.. The tire giant proposes ". . . to provide Michelin energy-saving tires to the Yellowstone National Park vehicle fleet. Adding Michelin tires will improve the fleet's fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions by an estimated 8 to 10 percent."
.. They will also ". . . engage in programs for Yellowstone employees that demonstrate how to improve fuel efficiency and maximize tire life through proper tire inflation."
.. It is important to remember that tires need to be properly inflated, as pointed out by the raft of lawsuits in the early part of this decade.
.. The Michelin Tire Company, (Michelin, B.F. Goodrich, Uniroyal and Kleber brands,) knows full well the implications of poorly inflated and defective tires, as illustrated by a raft of lawsuits: ( SOURCES, #1, #2, #3, #4.) Their experience and history should inform their program curricula for Yellowstone employees.
.. The benefits to Michelin and Yellowstone should soon become apparent. The park gets tires and service on the tires for it's fleet, (depending on how many vehicles this could be a substantial cost saving for the park.)
.. The tire giant gets advertising opportunities and the association with Yellowstone, (for better or worse.)
.. This is just the latest in a long list of commercial exploitations of Yellowstone. Little nibbles and bits continue to gnaw around the edges. Each is touted as "GOOD" - we'll wait and see. Toyota, Canon, Michelin, etc. - soon . . . . well, we will wait.

Sell Yellowstone ?

FOLLOW THE BRITS EXAMPLE ?

What's It Worth ?

.. An interesting article in Time, (on line,) poses the possibility that the U.S.A. could sell government owned assets to bail out the economy and save the "American Way Of Life."
.. The British are planning to sell the Royal Mint and the National Mapping Agency. America could generate at least 20% of the cost of the new stimulus package by selling all the National Parks.
.. So, what is Yellowstone National Park worth? Time figures that it should go for about $4 billion. Perhaps there could be a bidding war between the Northern Pacific and Union Pacific like the good ol' days.
.. Now then, when the parks are all gone, what should we sell to cover the other 80% of the massive debt?

Norton's Revenge

QUICK AND DIRTY

Look Out Utah

arches in peril

.. The Bush Administration is doing with a stroke of the pen what Gale Norton tried to do within the system -- and failed.
.. Big Oil is working hard these last few days of the present administration. Look for more to come.
.. Read it 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 -

..

Just A Nice Day & Night

What Does Yellowstone Want ??

CELL TOWERS IN NEWS AGAIN

And Some Other Stuff

.. Once upon a time the National Park Service loved cell phone towers and held secret meetings to plan how to put them in Yellowstone National Park. The Sierra Club noted in January of 2005 that the NPS was seeking revenue streams of all kinds and that cell phones and their towers could provide it.

.. The minutes of the secret meeting were "outed" by PEER on April 8, 2004, and finally made it to "My Space" on May 3, 2006, and much discussion ensued in the press and the blogs. The NPS was happy to join the discussion because it ignored the revenue issue. It seemed that the issue was settled and it faded from the radar.
.. Now there is a proposed tower, on private property, that the NPS is objecting to on grounds that it's visibility is detrimental to the Yellowstone Experience - of course they are not daring to mention that it will generate no revenue for the park.
.. An article by Brodie Farquhar in the October 24, 2007 issue of the Casper Star Tribune details the supposed concerns of the NPS. Suzanne Lewis is advocating political action by park employees to change the siting of the tower. She wrote them a memo with instructions about how to oppose the non-revenue-producing tower.
.. Of course in her letter to Alltel, on October 16, Lewis used the same objections to the proposed tower that critics used after the park illegally placed their tower at Old Faithful. Just plain whimsy on the part of a park with neither real concern or consistency. Bushgreenwatch posted a note about the concern back in April of 2004. It seems that the intrusion into the Old Faithful viewshed by a cell phone tower is just fine if it's done for monetary gain by the NPS, but it's not a good thing for the Roosevelt Arch viewshed if the NPS doesn't make money.
.. Back in May of 2006, Rita Beamish, again in the Casper Star Tribune noted that the National Park Service wanted an industry-wide plan for the lowest impact. Of course this meant on park properties with revenue for the parks.
.. It is also noteworthy that the NPS has allowed towers and facilities on Bunsen Peak for their own use for many years.
.. For those interested in the way the NPS does business these days, the following links should be interesting:
--- Letter from Jeff Ruch, Executive Director of PEER, to Earl Devaney, Inspector General, seeking an explanation of the secret meeting to site towers and provide revenues to the NPS (PDF).
--- List of those attending the illegal meeting of March 31, 2005. Includes email addresses and minutes of meeting. [Compare to 'notes' below.] (PDF.)
--- Notes by unidentified NPS employee from that secret meeting on 30/31/05 (PDF).
--- Cell phone coverage map from the 1999 Environmental Assessment for predicted coverage (PDF).
--- Simple view from National Parks Conservation Association.

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Some Other Stuff

.. Visitation figures for September are up compared to a year ago.
.. Fried Trout A La Maytag, from a new Yellowstone cookbook.
.. A Late Afternoon, Mid-October Snowstorm On The Madison River.
.. Streaming Web Cam Gets Narration - OHMYGAWD IT'S BAD.

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The Fords Are Ready

XANTERRA DELIVERS
Looks Old - Is New
there were others
some are real

.. The reproduction White Motors Convertible Touring Sedans are ready for business. They are staged, for the moment at Mammoth, and ready for service as tour buses for park visitors.
.. At a reported cost of $250,000 each, Xanterra Parks and Resorts has fulfilled one of their contract obligations by teaming up with Ford Motor company to bring this fleet of 11 (8 were recently purchased by the park concessionaire,) coaches back into service.
.. The reproductions are modeled after the 1936 White Motors Convertible Limousine and are a creditable rendition of the originals.
.. The power train, running gear, and front sheet metal are reproduced, and the dashboard and gauges and steering wheel are all modern. They look old and run new.
.. There are some original 1936 White Limousine's still in service and in private hands. The West Yellowstone Historic Center has a restored original that it uses to give tours in the Summertime. The Museum's vehicle, (#437,) has undergone a complete restoration - where necessary- and still sports it's original upholstery and other components, including the original grill badge and gauges.
.. The interesting aspect of these vehicles is that the custom-built coach was the important part; not the sheet metal on the front. Many of the coaches were updated in the 1950's with 'modern' Ford engines and sheet metal back then. These 1950's conversions are rare but are known to exist, and are shown here.

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

.. Brief History: of all the Cleveland-based auto manufacturers, the longest-lived company was White Motor, which got its start with steam-powered cars, but became one of the main truck manufacturers in America.
.. The White Motor company was started by Thomas White but this 100+ year old company did not start by building automobiles. In 1876 Thomas White moved from Massachusetts to Cleveland where new markets were opening up for sewing machines. By the 1890s, the company was a national distributor of ‘sewing machines.’
.. In 1890 the bicycle craze swept the nation and White hopped right on. White thought he was on the cutting edge of transportation until the automobile popped up. This new horseless carriage fascinated Thomas White's sons Windsor and Rollin and they convinced their father that automobiles were something to invest in and create.
.. Rollin was an excellent engineer and after studying various automobiles he redesigned the boiler used on steam-powered cars which were quite popular in the early days. He developed a flash boiler that was safer than existing boilers and allowed the automobile's engine to produce steam faster than a traditional steam engine.
.. It was not difficult for the production lines at the White plant to produce the components necessary for automobiles and they began building steam powered automobiles. In 1899, the brothers introduced their first steam-powered automobile, followed by a small delivery truck. The company quickly acquired a reputation for crafting quality vehicles and the Automobile Department was split off as The White Motor Car Company.
.. White Sewing Machine continued to focus on its product line, and the new car company moved out, building a factory on Cleveland's eastern edge. Soon the steam-powered car was replaced with the gasoline-powered car, as White quickly adapted, continuing to build expensive, high-quality cars and light trucks. During World War One the White Motor Co. fashioned trucks for the United States military and abroad.
.. Czar Nicholas of Imperial Russia purchased an entire fleet of White-built trucks, making White an international name. In the 1930’s the White Motor Co. entered the great depression in a bad way. After a series of major setbacks Robert Black was appointed the new president of the White Motor Co. in 1935 and the White 'Touring Sedans' and 'Touring Limousines' were born.
.. The National Park Service worked up a program for production of canvas-topped 'touring sedans' to provide a special 'multi-sensory experience' for visitors sightseeing in the National Parks.The White Motor Company designed and built 500 of these 25-foot-long touring sedans. That was a fairly large production run of a unique vehicle and most of the buses were retired from service in the 1950s.
.. These vehicles were used in various western national parks including Bryce Canyon, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Mt. Rainier, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks. While the canvas-topped tour sedans were replaced elsewhere, the fleet of (red) sedans at Glacier National Park was maintained in continuous service. These sedans were ideal for trips across the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The open-air tour sedan afforded visitors a unique experience as they rolled across the Continental Divide.
.. You Can read the straight news story in the Casper Star Tribune.

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?

Virtual Tour Guide Comes To Yellowstone

.. Last month we promised to fill you in on the details of this new money-making venture in Yellowstone.
.. Well. here it is. It's finally happened. A Pocatello, Idaho enterprise has filled a much needed void in Yellowstone's entrepreneurial landscape.
.. Tours & tour guides are about to become obsolete in Yellowstone National Park. Maybe even the rangers can now be replaced.
.. A little kiosk, built on a pallet, on rented ground is set to revolutionize your "Yellowstone Experience."
.. As the advertising says:

"It's like having a park ranger in your car."
"You choose your attraction, we guide your way!"
"The entire family can listen to the tour for under $50."
"Rent our GPS & go at your own pace."

.. This sounds too good to be true. Your own pet ranger with an automated view screen who anticipates your every question. And the nicest part is that you don't have to ante-up a tip or meet any schedule but your own. Just pay your money, pick up the unit, tour the park, drop it off at any other entrance . . . what more could you want?
.. Just touch the screen and a turn by turn narrative plays for you. You even get background music. Even pull-outs come with a narrative. And wonder of wonders there are even "Lost stories about the parks [sic] history." You can even learn " . . . facts that have been long lost until now." Such a deal!
.. For a preview click HERE for the MOUNT HAYNES sample narrative.
.. There are even employment opportunities, (on a commission basis - no less!): LINK.
.. This may just be what lagging park attendance needs - Yellowstone as a video game.
.. The kiosk is located at 116 Grizzly Avenue, in West Yellowstone, Montana.
.. For more information you can call 406-646-7047, or go to virtualtourguide.net.
.. Well, after all, it's " . . . just another roadside attraction," - with apologies to Tom Robbins.

Requiem For Winter

YELLOWSTONE OPENS ON 20th
Get Out Your Mobile Condominium
grab your cell phone & put on your rainbow gear
(Photo by Tom Murphy - link, link)

.. A few years ago William Kittredge wrote an essay that was published in Owning It All and was reprinted in The Montanan. In it he does well by those of us that have chosen to live here. He also reminds us just why winter is so special.

". . . Winter protects Yellowstone from the hordes of recreational automobilists and bicyclists and tromping backpackers with their multicolored gear, all the cartoon tourists of summertime. You and me and the kids, and Uncle Ted in his Winnebago, and sister Sue whose eyes are blue, everybody in pursuit of a few sweet moments spent checking out a sacred remnant of what we persist in calling wilderness, even after the highways are built. Maybe two million visitors between mid-May and Labor Day.
And then the crowd goes home, leaving Indian summer for those who live in the northern Rockies year-round. Along about the middle of September the leaves go seriously into the business of turning brilliant color along the Firehole River and the other fishing waters. And the trouts, the wonderful slick-bodied trouts, rainbow and brown and cut-throat and brook, hungry again in the cooling streams and given to lifting ravenously to suck down an ephemeral bit of feather tied handsomely to a barbless hook."

.. Well, the fish are about to be shared with the world and the park will entertain whoever can afford to get here and pay the fees. The roads will be crowded, the construction delays will be frightful, the Old Faithful Visitor Center will be gone, and the concessionaires will be happy.
.. The few sunny days we had this week, and the thermometer approaching 40 F let us all know that winter is gone. Summer never really arrives in Yellowstone -- but it's nice to have the longest and most beautiful Spring in America. To the rest of the world we say: "Bring It On," winter's never that far away.

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Yellowstone Openings & Closings: roads, facilities, ice cream shops, etc.
--------------------Did You Know?
There are more people hurt by bison than by bears each year in Yellowstone. Park regulations state that visitors must stay at least 25 yards away from bison or elk and 100 yards away from bears.
IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE REGULATIONS?

Spring Road-Plowing Announced

nps photo

PLOWING TO START MARCH 4
SYLVAN PASS Draft ASSESSMENT
Read The Yellowstone "BUSINESS PLAN"

.. The National Park Service has announced the schedule for clearing the roads for the summer season. This process takes time and the weather makes the posted schedule problematic, Check the Yellowstone Road Page for more accurate information. Or, Call park headquarters at (307) 344-7381.

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

Starting 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, roads from Mammoth to Norris will be closed:
Then the closure of Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon at 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 6. Remaining roads will close to over the snow vehicles at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.

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

Roads will open again to vehicles on Friday, April 20, from Mammoth to Old Faithful; Madison to the West Entrance; and Norris to Canyon.
Roads from Canyon to Lake, and from Lake to the East Entrance are scheduled to open Friday, May 4;
Lake to the South Entrance, and West Thumb to Old Faithful, Tower to Tower Fall on Friday, May 11; and Tower Fall to Canyon over Dunraven Pass on Friday, May 25.

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

.. The Draft Avalanche Report for Sylvan Pass press release is available at the Yellowstone National Park web site. The full report is available HERE (PDF). The report says that there will be no changes to travel through Sylvan Pass.

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The Yellowstone National Park Business Plan is an interesting, (and lengthy document,) it can be accessed HERE (PDF). For a glimpse into the thought process of people planning the future of Yellowstone check the sections: PRIORITIES & STRATEGIES - Park Goals, and LOOKING FORWARD. This is a glorified budget request and justification. Note the Biz Buzz and words like "JUSTIFICATION" & "PUBLIC."

SEE ALL ABOUT IT

HEEEERRRE'S BETH!

.. Now that Yellowstone National Park has its cell phone structure planned, and now that everyone that visits the park has ear buds surgically implanted, it's time to "WATCH BETH."
.. You can find Beth at the INSIDE YELLOWSTONE page on the web. She will tell you all about the park in a series of 90 second videos. You can get each video for Dial-Up, Broadband, or i-Tunes Podcast, (Just Subscribe.) You can even get a free player for your electronic gadgets.
.. This is the new Yellowstone; with all the drama and excitement of a live ranger. The current release has 30 videos, and the web site provides a map for reference. This wonderful series allows viewers to script their Yellowstone experience.

.. Just click on the map and you're ready to go.

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.. There is also a companion series entitled YELLOWSTONE IN DEPTH. This too has the Dial-Up, Broadband, and i-Tunes options. This series currently has two videos - but more are promised. These 6 - 7 minute videos offer a bit more information, and are probably not suited to the windshield visitor; unless they are not the driver.
.. In this series you can hear Hank tell us that the volcano will be destructive in the future but that now it is creative.
..This is 'park-speak for:' "when it blows there will be a different Yellowstone." He assumes it will be worse. Why not better?

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Click on over and sample these on your computer before you go with the podcast.

THE REAL YELLOWSTONE

HERE'S HOW THE OTHER HALF SEES IT

"Eating ice cream on the porch overlooking Old Faithful is a great way to experience the wonders of Yellowstone without all the rigors of hiking."

.. June 26 - July 1: for approximately $1600 per person based on double occupancy, according to Mays. (This does not include gratuities for driver, guide, or cocktails.) Want this kind of fun? CHECK IT OUT!
.. OR - get a job at Roosevelt Lodge and watch the fun.

Of Wolves And Railroads

ARE GERMAN WOLVES

LIKE AMERICAN WOLVES?

ARE CANADIAN WOLVES

LIKE AMERICAN WOLVES?

What's Going On At The Grand Canyon?

Are They Red Or Are They Not?

Yellowstone's "Buddy Boulders"

________________

.. Thanks to Stephen Bodio's Querencia, we were directed to an L.A. Times article about wolves in Saxony and their behaviors, that are similar to those in Yellowstone. The behaviors and attitudes of their human neighbors are also similar.
.. Wolves are excellent at making a living, as are dogs, and cats and coyotes and cougars. If it's smaller &/or weaker it is potentially food. And if it's available to a pack, it's just plain food.
.. In the more densely populated German countryside the wolves are both hunter and scavenger. They enter the villages, they roam the pastures, and they make a living on the bounty of the land. They have become habituated to humans. Germany also has a social & economic system that recompenses farmers and ranchers for lost livestock similar to the one in the United States.
.. This year because of climatic and other environmental circumstances the wolves are taking a lot of elk calves in Yellowstone. The early winter elk survey shows that there are fewer bulls and more calves, and with the lack of snow cover it's just easier to make a living off of tender meat.
.. We all know about Little Red Riding Hood. We all know about the 3 little pigs. These ancient stories have meaning and truth to them, as do most parables. We all know how the wolves have been vilified in ancient tales and nursery rhymes. But what we seldom hear about are the contemporary tales of wolves attacking people. The attacks are rare and usually due to special circumstances, but they do occur.
.. Last September King's Outdoor World Blog posted a note about an unusual wolf attack. The attack was by a lone wolf, that proved to be in poor health. It was just trying to make a living in a Canadian provincial park. The wolf was just trying to make a living off of tender meat in the easiest way possible.
.. Six people were injured, from ages 3 to 14. The attack was in daylight and among a small crowd of people enjoying a holiday outing at the beach.
.. Are these "foreign" wolves like American wolves? They are. And, as the area around Yellowstone National Park becomes more densely populated, we can expect to have incidents and encounters with wolves. As time passes wolves will discover the easy meals; the tender meat. And, as the American Gentry move to the country there will be more encounters.
.. The discussion forum at King's Outdoor World Blog has a string of factual and other tales that help illustrate an overriding concern of ours. Will we lose all of our Poodles, Dachshunds and Jack Russel Terriers to wolves in the coming years?
MORE:
INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER
TOP SECRET ANIMAL ATTACK FILES

_________________

.. It Must be coincidental. The book store at the Grand Canyon is attacked by PEER, the bloggers have a field day, truth turns out to be stranger than fiction, then Xanterra buys the Grand Canyon Railway, and Joe Alston decides to quit rather than accept a position in Washington D.C.
.. We really like these sorts of coincidental timings. They breed speculation. They fire the imagination. They provide words for blogs.
.. We suspect, however, that there is probably not too much to these events piling up on one another, (or is there?).
.. Joe just can't stay in one place too long. He never has, and he has stayed at the Grand Canyon, in the SES, longer than most would have stayed. PEER always needs Headlines, and bloggers always need words. And, as we all know Xanterra is busy monopolizing and privatizing the parks as fast as they can, (along with Delaware North.)
.. Xanterra even believes it already owns some of the parks:

"Xanterra properties include those at Death Valley, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the prestigious Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California."

.. In-holdings are always a sore spot, but whole parks? This subtle tyranny of words is either intentional, or ignorant - either way it should rankle conscientious citizens.
.. The monopolistic concessionaires really enjoy the opportunity to gang up on the park service as they have done in Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. They are constantly talking about the 'economies of scale' and the efficiency of size. Should this sound just a bit thin, we direct you to an excellent post by Scott Silver at Wild Wilderness. The unholy alliances are all around us, and are going to continue.
.. For a pile of money as deep as the Grand Canyon, "Xanterra Parks & Resorts will take over the assets of the railroad company, including the trains, rail route from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, an RV park, restaurant and several real estate parcels in Williams." This is beginning to sound like the Disney Corporation.
.. The deal is final ----- pending National Park Service approval ----- HA. Wan'na' bet? How 'bout a ride on the rails? Want to see how the other half enjoys the Grand Canyon? CLICK HERE. And we bet that nobody complains that Xanterra is lying to children about going to the North Pole on their new "Polar Express."

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.. The not so wild elk that recently escaped from an Idaho game-hunting farm have been declared "Genetically Pure" by the members of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association.
.. This announcement comes as the Idaho State Legislature is considering eliminating the tame-elk hunting ranches. An escaped cow elk was killed and genetic tests showed probable Red Deer genes, based on a Canadian laboratory report. For the members list of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association visit their members page.

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.. A nifty bit of natural history has been reported by The San Francisco Chronicle. The phenomenon of buddy boulders is explored in a news essay "Like A Rock" wherein trees and their buddy boulders form a life-long symbiotic relationship. Examples of this are visible across Yellowstone.
.. Boulders can shade seedlings from harsh elements and the result is "buddy rocks", as seen especially in the flat known as "Little America" above the east bank of the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. <<Photo by Mollie Rights.>>

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