yellowstone winter use

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Final rule for winter travel in Yellowstone gains widespread approval

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Two people share a snowmobile during a January 2012 trip into Yellowstone National Park.

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 planners set public meetings on ‘complicated’ but ‘defensible’ winter-use plan

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A collared elk is wary, but appears relatively undisturbed by passing snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.

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