Yellowstone National Park
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Makin' some mud. Yellowstone has sites skiier won't see anywhere else.
(See a larger version of this photo.)
I must admit, skiing these trails was the highlight of my trip to Yellowstone Country. Most of the Yellowstone trails are suited to the advanced beginner to intermediate skier. That does not mean they are without challenge. For those unaccustomed to skiing anything but a groomed trail, there may be some adjustment. A solid intermediate skier should adjust quite readily and an accomplished skier will delight in the difference in skiing experience that these trails bring. Of course there are truly expert challenges too, in longer backcountry tours requiring telemarking abilities and a comfort level with steeper terrain.
My Yellowstone sampler started with a quick tour to Fairy Falls. Only a couple of K’s from the road, this was a mostly flat, mellow tour through the young lodgepole pines that have begun to grow back since the fires of 1988. A few bumpy sections, a couple of quick steps and you’re at the base of the falls. It was a great introduction to this part of the park. From the falls we could see steam rising from not too distant thermals which, had time allowed, we could have ventured on to explore.
A fresh three-inch coating of snow greeted us the morning of our next tour. After an uncharacteristically extended dry period, it was a welcome refresher to the tired snow cover. A snowcoach dropped us about seven miles down the road where we picked up the Divide Trail that treated us to a winter wonderland tour along Spring Creek.
Rated more difficult, the Divide Trail was not a tough ski; just a little different. Some rolly bumps, a side-hill descent, a narrow bridge and a mellow cruise down the creek valley added up to a thoroughly delightful tour. We diverted to the Lone Star Geyer in hopes of catching it spouting off, but with no luck. The Lone Star Geyser Trail provided an easy return to the Snow Lodge as huge flakes of snow began to fall. It couldn’t have been better.
As the recreational composition of the park has begun to change, more cross country skiers are discovering the hidden gems of the off the beaten track experience that is Yellowstone. “We’re seeing more ski boots in the Snow Lodge,” says Rick Hoeninghausen, director of marketing for Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the concessionaire management company that operates most of the park’s facilities. He cites other positive impacts including fewer snowmobiles sitting idling at all hours or coming and going at early hours disturbing guests.
Xanterra has been very proactive in developing and offering environmentally based education programs in conjunction with the Yellowstone Association -- everything from ski and snowshoe packages to winter wolf discovery.
Xanterra has also gone to great lengths to keep Yellowstone green with numerous environmental initiatives, including recycling programs, use of fuel efficient vehicles, use of bio-diesel, fluorescent light bulbs and much, much more. Xanterra was also the first national park hospitality company to publish a sustainability report and the only tourism company to have such a report third-party certified. More information about Xanterra’s environmental initiatives and its sustainability report can be found on its website, www.travelyellowstone.com. It is Xanterra’s mission to help keep Yellowstone a v ery “green” place.
Away from Old Faithful, several other trail systems can be found in the Mammoth, Tower and other areas throughout the park. Skiers can visit www.travelyellowstone.com for trail conditions and grooming reports, as well as trail lengths, altitudes, degrees of difficulty and sights to see. The ski report covers 34 trails in six regions of the park and is updated several times per week.
One of Yellowstone’s greatest natural assets, its many thermal features, can present a challenge for sustained skiing, as snow and thermals have a tenuous relationship. As such, the park’s lodges close in early March as the season comes to an end.
Numerous ski touring and other non-skiing diversions surround the park, complementing Yellowstone’s unique experience. Here’s a sampling of just a few. Additional adventures can be found by checking in with the U.S. Forest Service and tourism agencies in the area.
Yellowstone National Park
National Park Service
P.O. Box 168
West Yellowstone, MT 82190
Yellowstone National Park Lodges
Xanterra Parks & Recreation
P.O. Box 165
Yellowstone National Park, WY 89190-0165
307/344-7311
866/439-7375
www.travelyellowstone.com
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