WINTER ADVENTURE IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY

Billed as the “Snowmobile Capital of the World” West Yellowstone, Montana and lives up to its name. When wheeled vehicles are stopped by snow, the roads convert to snowmobile trails. Trails begin in town, where cars and sleds share city streets. You can choose from 200 miles of groomed trails inside Yellowstone National Park and more than 400 miles outside. The entire countryside is a shimmering winterscape!

Established on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the first and oldest national park in the world. Preserved within Yellowstone are Old Faithful Geyser and some 10,000 hot springs and geysers, the majority of the planet’s total. These geothermal wonders are evidence of one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, its last eruption created a crater or caldera that spans almost half of the park.

An outstanding mountain wild land with clean water and air, Yellowstone is home of the grizzly bear and wolf and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. It is the core of the greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact temperate zone ecosystems remaining on the planet.

The human history of the park dates back 12,000 years. The events of the last 130 years of the park history are reflected in the historical structure and

West Yellowstone is a rustic mountain town nestled between National Forest lands and Yellowstone national Park. The area is filled with watchable wildlife, breathtaking views and activities for people of all ages. Within the world’s First National Park, 10,000 thermal features and two-and-a-half million acres of nature’s best offer days of exploration, adventure and learning. Restored gold mining towns, the fascinating 1959 Earthquake area and two National forests provide backdrop for even more fun.

Season runs Thanksgiving through April. Yellowstone National Park season runs mid-December through mid-March. Dates vary with snow conditions. The World Snowmobile expo, held annually in March, serves up the world’s most exciting racing action and all that’s new in the world of snowmobiling.

Yellowstone National Park is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Three per cent is in Montana with 96 per cent in Wyoming and one per cent in Idaho. West Yellowstone is located in Southwestern Montana just one-and-a-half miles from Wyoming and eight miles from Idaho. West Yellowstone is the park’s only west gateway. West Yellowstone considers itself to be the “Hub of Yellowstone Country” because of their excellent location to all the wonders of Yellowstone National Park with the added benefit of all there is to explore and do in West of Yellowstone.

We stayed in West Yellowstone as our base at the Best Western Desert Inn. (1-800-574-7054) www.wyellowstone.com/desertinn It is one of West Yellowstone’s newest additions. Located in the heart of West Yellowstone, just two blocks from the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

Entrance fees are collected at the main entry points to the park. Rangers on duty there will provide visitors with a park map and other information to assist them in visiting the park. It is $15 for each snowmobile and $10 for each visitor over 16 entering by ski. This fee provides the visitor with a seven-day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Remember to keep your admission slip in order to re-enter the parks. A $40 annual pass for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks is available. It is valid one year from date of purchase. There is also a Golden Age passport for U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 years or older for one time fee of $10.

When we weren’t snowmobiling, we were riding in heated snowcoaches guided along groomed paths for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We put on our cross-country skis and went right out the front door of the inn. The Rendezvous trails provided hours of skiing enjoyment on groomed trails that we also used for snowmobiling. We were constantly surrounded by the wildlife and beauty of the area. Persons operating a snowmobile in Yellowstone National Park must possess a driver’s license and abide by safety rules.

Our first night we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Oregon Short Line Restaurant in the Holiday Inn/Sunspree Resort. Heading the favorites on the menu were elk and bison specialties, while the BBQ ribs are their signature item. Each meal was accompanied by their famous salad bar and homemade bread.

We took a walk trough the restored majestic 1903 Oregon Short Line Executive Railcar on display at the West Yellowstone Conference Hotel. The car, in all its original dignity and grace and elegance sets the ambience for the Hotel’s Oregon Short Line Restaurant and the iron Horse Salon. 1-800-646-7365 www.yellowstoneholidayinn.com

Breakfast at Uncle Laurie’s Riverside café featured a hearty breakfast fortified us magnificently. Those homemade huckleberry cinnamon rolls and homemade pecan rolls thrilled the group.

The gentlemen in our group were fitted with skis at Yellowstone Alpine Guides and then went on a snowcoach tour into Yellowstone National Park with informative driver, Scott. The skiers were dropped off at Biscuit Basin to ski the remainder of the way to the Old Faithful area.

From our comfortable snowcoach, we were treated to some wonderful bison watching in a beautiful, misty setting. Visiting the park in the winter is the best time to observe wildlife that may seem more elusive in the spring and summer months. Buffalo still roam underneath the Big Sky. As they have for centuries, the snow-covered Spanish Peaks tower above herds of North American Bison. The Old West survives yet in Montana. The buffalo (bison) is the largest land animal in North America - a bull can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, recognized by a large shaggy haired body and massive head and prominent hump.

Much of this vast area of natural beauty hasn’t changed since the time Lewis and Clark ventured here during the early 19th century. One can only imagine their reaction to witnessing the glory of the park’s natural wonders against backgrounds of blue, white and gray. and occasionally sharing the trail with one or more species of year-round local residents such as an unperturbed bison. Wildlife have the right of way!

Watching Old Faithful erupting was awesome. Old Faithful erupts approximately every 70 minutes. The length and strength of the preceding eruption is use to calculate the next .Old Faithful eruptions occur more frequently than any other big geyser, although it is not the largest or most regular geyser in the park, or as spectacular and predictable as it was a century ago. There is an Old Faithful visitor center only 200 yards from Old Faithful Geyser. Over two million visitors come to the world’s first National park every year and few miss Old Faithful. A typical eruption sends 10,000 gallons of water rocketing 125 feet skyward between one and five minutes enchanting as many 1,500 onlookers.

Winter temperatures often range from zero to 20F (-20 to –5C) throughout the day. Sub-zero temperatures over-night are common. Snowfall is variable with average 150 inches and twice as much in higher elevations.

Bulwinkle’s Saloon and Eatery is considered one of the best restaurants in town, where the steaks were a hit after the exciting day spent outdoors, while Running Bear Café is great for breakfast.

We headed to Yellowstone-Grand Canyon for snowmobiling and discovered “ghost” trees as well as living trees, snow-covered in different shapes

Snowmobiling is definitely the best way to see Yellowstone in winter. The snowmobile offers more mobility to the most popular attractions. The town of West Yellowstone contains many fine western shops catering to tourists from around the world.

Don’t miss GRIZZLY DISCOVER CENTER, a not-for-profit Bear And Wolf preserve, which is only five blocks from the Yellowstone National Park west entrance. Grizzly bears and a gray wolf pack can be viewed in naturalistic habitats. Educational exhibits illustrate the biology, behavior, history and population decline of the grizzlies and wolves. The center also offers films and presentations, and it is a good idea to allow at least an hour to enjoy the preserve. 1-800-257-2570.