Vol 3, # 58

   Monday, June 7, 1999

YELLOWSTONE
WEATHER
Highs 60s, Lows 30s
Partly Cloudy, Rain
 

Yellowstone Net Home Page
Vacation Reservations

ROAD REPORT
All entrances
except the NE
entrance are
now open.

 

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Each year, some of the many millions of visitors to America's national parks get injured while vacationing.  The National Park Service works hard to make sure that every visitor has a safe experience, and has issued the following list of helpful guidelines for having a safe visit to Yellowstone and other national parks:

Every year trips to the national parks end in frustration or injury because visitors are uninformed about or unprepared for the places and circumstances they may encounter during  their trip.  They try to pet or feed wild animals, take a photo next to a 200-pound deer or a 2,000-pound bison, or head out on the road or trail on a hot day without water or any idea where they're going.   These same visitors are likely to have their vacation ruined when they are scratched, bitten, chased, gored, hospitalized or become hopelessly lost.

An untold number of visitors end up with strains, sprains, heat or cold related injuries or minor wounds.  Sadly, others travel by ambulance, helicopter, or are even carried out of the backcountry in need of advanced medical care.  There were more than 6,300 search and rescue operations reported in the national parks in 1998. While the National Park Service is prepared to respond to emergency situations, many can be avoided if visitors spend a little extra time preparing before they leave their home, room or campsite.

The National Park Service offers the following top ten tips to help visitors have a safer and more enjoyable trip to the nation's parks:

10. Distance is deceiving.  It takes longer to get there than people think.  Just because the map says the destination is sixty miles away doesn't mean it's an hour's drive. The risk of accidents is increased when people speed or spend too long behind the wheel.

9.  Be alert while traveling to and through the park.  Many people are traveling in unfamiliar areas and are looking at the scenery instead of the road.  Travelers should drive defensively, and watch out for other drivers and narrow curving roads.

8.  Call ahead for a bed.   Summer is the most popular time to visit many of the national parks, which means campgrounds and other lodging fill quickly.  Many accept advance reservations, so visitors should call ahead if possible.  Sleeping in the car on the side of the road when a campsite or room isn't available is both illegal and unsafe in most places.

7.  Plan for the weather. Snow may be falling in the mountain parks at the same time the temperature is climbing above 100 degrees in the southern and southwestern parks.  Travelers should pack their bags accordingly.  It's no fun to spend a vacation cold and wet, or on the verge of heat stroke. 

6.   Be prepared for outdoor activities.  Most parks are best enjoyed while walking or hiking.  Visitors should wear sturdy boots or shoes, take along and drink plenty of water and carry a warmer layer of clothes with them. Visitors who bicycle should be safe, wear a helmet and follow trail signs and road rules. It's best to hike and bike with a friend.  A small first-aid kit, a hat and rain gear are often in order. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Don't forget the sunscreen and sunglasses!

5.  Follow the park rules. The rules and regulations are there to keep people and those special places safe from harm, not to spoil anyone's fun.  Hikers need to stay on rather than stray from the marked trails. Drivers should make sure to observe all traffic signs. Visitors should wear seatbelts at all times. Children age 12 and under should be buckled in back seats where they are safer.

4.  Respect... and don't feed...   the animals.  They're not tame; most just don't see any reason to fear people.   The larger ones like deer, bear and bison run faster than a human and may weigh more than the whole family combined.  Visitors should observe and enjoy wildlife at a distance by using binoculars and cameras with telephoto lenses. 

3.  Visit the Visitor Center - first.  The Visitor Center or Information Station is the place to ask about the latest weather, road and trail information. While there, visitors should check out the   exhibits and the schedule of ranger-led activities to learn more about the park.   If they don't stop and ask, they might miss something special!

2.  Call, write or surf the 'net before you go.  Those with internet access should point their browser to www.nps.gov to find a wealth of information on the 378 different National Park Service sites. The local library or bookstore can also be a good source of park information.

And the number one tip for a great trip to your national parks:

ASK A RANGER. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ARE THERE TO HELP PROTECT THESE WONDERFUL PLACES AND TO HELP VISITORS LEARN ABOUT AND ENJOY THE NATIONAL PARKS.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS

Ralph Maughan
Kim Steinbacher
Kevin Sanders
Steve Brashear
Clint Wilkes
Tim Gourley
Hon. Bob Gammage
Ruth Colter-Frick
Lee Whittlesey
Tom Mazzarisi
Russ Finley
David Monteith
Denise Elmer
Dr. Bob Bara

WYOMING (NPS) -- The 150th military anniversary of Fort Laramie in Wyoming will be celebrated with a military encampment on June 19 & 20. Special tours, exhibits and a period dance commemorate the role Fort Laramie played in the opening and shaping of the American West. The official Commemoration ceremony is June 20 at 2:00 pm. and features a military pass in review, recalling the history of the fort from its establishment in 1849, to it's closing in 1890. Other activities include: a wagon train party, military band and participation by the United States Army

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MONTANA (NPS) -- The Mann Gulch Wildfire Historic District, Montana, site of a wildfire tragedy, was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. The 1992 book "Young Men and Fire" by Norman McClean drew historic attention to the tragedy. On August 5, 1949, fifteen firefighters parachuted into Mann Gulch, a side drainage on the East Side of the Missouri River, in Helena National Forest, Montana, to combat a forest fire started by lightning. Seeking the safety of the Missouri River from the rapidly spreading fire, the team was trapped when the fire blocked their escape route. In the end 13 men died, and three escaped with their lives. The 1949 fire is significant because it led to a wide array of changes in fire-fighting and smokejumping, including more intensive team training, better equipment, and systematic consideration of fire behavior in wildlands firefighting. Commemorative events at Mann Gulch include a 50th anniversary ceremony in August 1999, care and maintenance of the concrete crosses by the Forest Service and the public and regular public (local, national and  international) visitation. Due to logistics the site is difficult to access but increasing visitation is testimony to the importance of this cultural landscape. 

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Pollution monitoring data from this past winter in Yellowstone has revealed that despite the use of cleaner burning fuel in snowmobiles in and near the Park, high levels of some pollutants were nonetheless present.

Pollution from snowmobiles during the winter months has long been a concern of environmentalists and Park officials.  Officials and environmentalists continue to seek solutions to drastically reduce pollution levels.   Proposals currently on the table include requiring four-stroke snowmobile engines (which would dramatically decrease pollution levels) and / or keeping the road from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful open to automobile traffic in the winter (thus banning snowmachines on that route, leading to a reduction in pollution levels). 

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