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| MONDAY March 19, 2001 Vol 5, # 28 |
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| MONDAY March 19, 2001 Vol 5, # 28 |
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| Site Search | Support Yellowstone! Discussion $7.95 Internet, Email, More Email Newsletter | |
YELLOWSTONE ROAD
REPORT PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN- |
 PROTECTING YELLOWSTONEby Bruce Gourley Yellowstone is a national treasure which is owned by the American public. Protecting Yellowstone is the responsibility of the American public. This weekly feature will help identify and explore the issues which are crucial to the ongoing, healthy existence of the "Crown Jewel" of America's National Park system. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Spring is in the air, and newspaper writers' thoughts turned to Yellowstone National Park this past weekend. Susan Spano of the Los Angeles Times wrote about an interview she did with Polly Welts Kaufman, author of National Parks and the Woman's Voice: A History. This is one of only a few works dealing with the subject of women as national park rangers. Isabel Wasson, one of the early female naturalists in Yellowstone, is quoted in the book. In addition to Spano's story, the Times also offered a story about taking your kids on a national parks vacation, written by Eileen Ogintz. Warren Miller, an Oregonian, has developed a very elite, private ski community called The Yellowstone Club near Big Sky, Montana, not far from Yellowstone National Park. A fee of $250,000 up front is required to join, but many families have already signed up. The Club spares no expenses to pamper its members. For example, Greg LeMond, the three-time Tour de France champion, is the club's director of cycling. In the meantime, some Canadian college students, not convinced that winter is over just yet, are making big plans for their entry in the upcoming Clean Snowmobile Challenge in Jackson Hole. They will be competing with numerous other college teams from across North America in an effort to help facilitate research and development into cleaner-burning snowmobiles. (Yellowstone Net provides you opportunity to voice your opinion regarding the various Yellowstone issues to your congresspersons and to editorial sections of magazines and newspapers by clicking here.) |
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS Russ Finley
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FROM THE
BANKS OF THE FIREHOLE This is the last in a series of articles written by Matthew McLean, Associate Editor of The Wyoming Companion and contributor to Yellowstone Net who lived and worked in Yellowstone this winter. BELGRADE, Mont. -- The winter season has come to an end and I have finally returned to the "real" world. Besides nearly having a panic attack in a packed fast food joint, I am doing okay. Seriously, though, it is very strange not being in the park after getting used to the seclusion of the winter there. I think it will take some time to get used to. The last few weeks of the winter were interesting. With the lack of traffic from West Yellowstone due to the plowing, the Snow Lodge was practically deserted during the day. Also, for a week, the temperatures got up above 40 (in fact they nearly reached 50 some days) and the world of Yellowstone became the world of slush. It was nice to be able to walk around without heavy clothing on, but if you were not careful your feet would become cold and soggy. Both the road plowing and the high temperatures definitely made it feel like winter was on the way out. The last few days we were there, the temperatures became bitter cold again and were accompanied by strong winds. That, along with the fact that it began to flurry again, made me feel like the weather was having a grand time messing around with us. I had already packed up many of my severe weather clothes and I had to take a few of them back out in order to get back and forth from the dorms to the Snow Lodge. But the weather never got bad enough to prevent us from getting out of the park this past Tuesday. Monday the 12th was my last day in the basin and I had it all to myself. It was a strange feeling knowing that I was most likely all alone in the basin. This led to a paradox between two different feelings. The first was that I felt so small when surrounded by the thermal power of the Upper Geyser Basin. The other feeling was one of strength and discovery. It was almost like the basin was my own! Those two feelings together made the experience a magical one. We finally left the park by bus at 7am on Tuesday. As we drove away, the anticipation of freedom from the seclusion of the park did not outweigh the poignant feeling one gets when leaving a close friend behind. Knowing that I would be back soon helped a bit. Yet, even though I have now spent extended periods of time in the park, I still feel a bit sad knowing that I will be away for awhile. It has been a pleasure relating my experiences in the park this winter with you. I hope to continue in the same fashion this upcoming summer. It is good to know that my experiences in the park are being related to others so that you might also be inspired to come and work or play in America's greatest wonderland. |
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| PARK SERVICE MAPS
AVAILABLE News Brief COLORADO SPRINGS, Col. -- The official 2001 National Park Service Map and Guide to 365 national parks, monuments, historical sites and seashores is now available. The publication helps in planning visits to Park Service sites. Supplies of the guide are limited, and are available for $4.95, shipping included. The mailing address is National Park Society, 3355 N. Academy Blvd., No. 212, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80917. |
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| SNOWMOBILING UPDATE News Brief BILLINGS, Mont. -- The snowmobile industry and environmentalists continue to exchange words and accusations regarding the proposed ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park and other national parks. Environmentalists maintain that the newer, cleaner-burning "green" machines still do not address the issue of noise levels and wildlife harassment. Snowmobile makers, on the other hand, point out that environmentalists have long been asking for cleaner-burning machines, and that they are now fulfilling that request. The issue moved more onto the front burner last week when Wyoming native and Olympic champion wrestler Rulon Gardner filmed two television ads supporting snowmobiling in Yellowstone. The ads will air as public service announcements and were filmed in conjunction with the snowmobile industry and are partially underwritten by state taxpayer money, leading some businessman and observers to question the wisdom of using taxpayer money to finance the one-sided ads. |
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