The National Park Service has released a prospectus soliciting proposals from businesses interested in providing guided, interpretive over-snow vehicle tours of Yellowstone National Park. A total of 23 new contracts will be awarded and put into place for the 2014-2015 winter season. They will take the place of 13 concession contracts for guided interpretive snow coach tours and 21 commercial use authorizations for guided interpretive snowmobile tours currently in place in Yellowstone. Continue Reading →
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Yellowstone winter tour operators wary of new concessions contracts
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Yellowstone National Park managers passed a major milestone last week with the release of a final winter-use rule that appears to have gained widespread acceptance as a workable solution to 15 years of ongoing legal challenges over snowmobile travel in the park. But it's unlikely park planners will have much time to celebrate their success, as there is a large piece of the winter-use puzzle that remains unsolved. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Gateway Towns, Yellowstone, Clyde Seely, concessions, dan wenk, david mccray, Gary Fales, snow coaches
Final rule for winter travel in Yellowstone gains widespread approval
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CODY, WYO. — After more than 15 years of contentious debate over snowmobile travel in Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service on Tuesday released a final winter-use plan that appears to have a solid chance of avoiding legal challenges. The latest plan follows six previous failed attempts and a total of more than 1.1 million public comments. Environmental groups have said snowmobiles are loud, dirty and stressful for animals. Tour operators have said increasing travel restrictions have made it difficult to stay in business. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Gateway Towns, Yellowstone, Clyde Seely, dan wenk, Gary Fales, GYC, NPCA, planning
Yellowstone Park releases proposed winter-use rule for public comment
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The National Park Service on Tuesday released for public comment a proposed rule outlining the use of snowmobiles and snow coaches in Yellowstone National Park. The rule will eventually become the basis for how winter use is managed in Yellowstone. Similar rules proposed over the past decade have been subject to legal challenges from environmental organizations, tourism industry groups and state and local government agencies. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Inside the Parks, Yellowstone, snow coaches, snowmobiles, winter use, yellowstone national park
Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk wins praise for outreach on winter use
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As another winter season in Yellowstone National Park begins, it might be understandable if some local residents are pessimistic about resolving long-standing disputes over snowmobiles in the park and other related winter-use issues. Local tourism workers and environmental advocates have had front-row seats to more than a decade of public debate and court challenges over the effects of snowmobiles in the park, as well as whether to maintain access over Sylvan Pass, at the park's East Entrance. But surprisingly, gateway community business leaders are expressing optimism—even satisfaction—with the direction park managers are taking on winter use. And not just because the most recent draft plan calls for continued snowmobile access and keeping Sylvan Pass open. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Gateway Towns, cody, dan wenk, snow coaches, snowmobiles, sylvan pass, trending, west yellowstone
Yellowstone opens Saturday to snowmobiles, snow coaches for winter season
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Yellowstone National Park kicks off its winter season as scheduled Saturday, operating under the same management plan as last year. Beginning at 7 a.m. Dec. 15, visitors can travel the park’s interior roads on commercially guided snowmobiles or snow coaches from the North, West and South Entrances. Travel through the park’s East Entrance over Sylvan Pass is scheduled to begin Dec. 22, according to a statement released Wednesday by the park's public affairs office. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Yellowstone, schedule, snow coaches, snowmobiles, winter use
Yellowstone winter-use plan scores well with gateway snowmobile fans
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Gateway communities around Yellowstone National Park have been weighing in this week on the latest draft winter-use plan for managing snowmobiles and snow coaches in the park, with generally favorable reactions from snowmobile enthusiasts. The plan calls for managing traffic by "transportation events" and grouping snowmobile riders in clusters of 7-10 sleds per event. It allows for a total of 110 daily transportation events, with a cap of 50 events for snowmobile riders. One event each day from each gate is reserved for unpaid guides. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Gateway Towns, Yellowstone, snow coaches, snowmobiles, winter use, yellowstone
Yellowstone planners set public meetings on ‘complicated’ but ‘defensible’ winter-use plan
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Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk said Thursday that he believes the park's newly released draft winter-use plan is "complicated," but also "incredibly defensible," and that it will lead to a quieter, cleaner winter experience for visitors. If the plan survives expected court challenges — the last decade has seen constant legal wrangling over snowmobiles in the park — it will take effect in 2014, after a two-year transition period that follows current rules. Wenk and park planners will be discussing the plan later this month during public meetings in gateway communities around the park. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Yellowstone, planning, snow coaches, snowmobiles, winter use, yellowstone, yellowstone winter use
Yellowstone draft winter-use plan allows 110 ‘transportation events’ daily, keeps Sylvan Pass Open
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A notice published in the Federal Register contains some details on how the National Park Service plans to manage winter use in Yellowstone National Park, including a preference for using "transportation events" for allowing snowmobiles and snow coaches into the park and a plan to keep Sylvan Pass open. Though the Park Service has not yet released its draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the Yellowstone winter use plan, a Federal Register noticed dated June 29 lists background information on the plan as it will appear when released. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Yellowstone, snow coaches, snowmobiles, sylvan pass, winter use, yellowstone
Debate over Yellowstone Park winter use dates back more than 50 years
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While the ongoing public debate over the role of snowmobiles in Yellowstone Park may seem like a relatively recent development, winter use has been a contentious topic going back more than half a century. It's that legacy of past decisions and longstanding public expectations that has helped define the debate — and the options for moving forward — on how to manage winter use in Yellowstone. Continue Reading →