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MONDAY, MAY 11, 1998 |
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PARK
WEATHER MORE NEWS The Yellowstone Net Newspaper is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
ARCHIVES DISCUSSION FORUMS Go to the Yellowstone Net Home Page Send us
your Comments
PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK -- If you can move fast, and can leave your present backyard behind, come on out and play! Yellowstone National Park Lodges, operated by Amfac Parks & Resorts needs just a few more members to make our food service management team complete. FPM's are responsible for food preparation and presentation in a high volume operation in Yellowstone. Fine dining, family style and/or cafeteria operations, DOE. The positions include scheduling and supervising cook staff, sanitation and attention to standards. Room and board provided free of charge. Positions will begin in May or June and continue into September or October. You can download an application and fax it to us along with a resume at (307) 344 5441.
Forty-Four Years with John
Colter: The Colter Stones YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- John Colter left evidence of his existence on three discovered stones---two in the West and one in Missouri. Lewis and Clark and the men of Corps of Discovery blazed trees with their initials and dates, and carved initials, names, and dates on stones. Prime example is the name William Clark carved on "Pompey's Pillar" along the Yellowstone River. John Colter also wanted to leave evidence of his existence, in case he did not return home. The dangers were many and varied during the years Colter spent in the wilderness. Injury, sickness, drowning, freezing to death, attack by Indians, an encounter with a grizzly were just a few of the possible dangers which could have kept him from returning to St. Louis alive. The first stone discovered had JOHN COLTER 1808 carved on it. It was found between branches of Leigh Creek near Tetonia, Idaho when the Beard family cleared and plowed virgin land in 1931. William Beard did not know the significance of the name and date on the stone. He kept the stone as a curiosity because of its unusual shape. The stone has the shape of a head with a rough profile of a man with a bulbous nose. Aubrey Lyon heard about the stone and reportedly traded a pair of boots for the stone. The cowboy boots probably had more appeal to the young Beard boy, than a rock shaped like a head. Aubrey Lyon donated the "Teton Colter Stone" to Yellowstone National Park where it is displayed in the museum. The second Colter stone has only the initials J C. on it. The stone was discovered in the early 1980's by my brother, Forrest A. Coulter, near the cemetery where John Colter and his son, Hiram are buried. The "Boeuf Creek J. C. Stone" was presumably used as a land mark for land that John Colter hoped to own, and that his widow and next husband had a deed for in 1815. True, J C are the initials of John Cantley and Jesus Christ, but I firmly believe that John Colter carved his initials on the stone to mark his land! The third Colter stone, the "Fort Raymond Colter Stone" is on private land near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Big Horn Rivers in the vicinity of the former trading post, Fort Raymond. It has the name and date COLTER 1810. It has been rumored that the "Teton Colter Stone" is a fraud. Today's technology could prove the authenticity of all Colter Stones and could possibly satisfy all the doubting Thomases. Authenticating the stones would help to establish Colter's route traveled in 1807 - 1808, and end the speculation of his inability to travel 500 miles and his capability to read and write. I personally have not seen the "Fort Raymond Colter Stone," but have studied pictures of it and have found similarities in the formation of letters on both stones. The date of 1808 on the "Teton Stone" is not the "publicized date" of Colter being in Yellowstone, but is the correct date for him to be west of the Teton Mountains. The date of 1810 on the "Fort Raymond Stone" is not the time that most historians believe that Colter was there. John Colter left Three Forks to return to St. Louis in April 1810. There is a copy of a document in my book, Courageous Colter and Companions that places John Colter at Fort Raymond December 31, 1809. In 1810, before he led Pierre Menard, Reubin Lewis, Thomas James, Andrew Henry ,George Drouillard and others to the headwaters of the Missouri River to establish a trading post for the St. Louis Missouri Fur Trading Company, he probably carved his name and date on a rock. After all, he was returning to the same area where he had barely escaped losing his life by out running the Blackfeet warriors, and where his friend, John Potts, was killed. Under such circumstances, wouldn't you have wanted to leave a record of your existence???
Yellowstone Road Construction
Information YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- This summer two segments of Yellowstone's roadways will be under construction: the Northeast and East entrance roads. Road openings for these two roads for the summer of 1998 are as follows: NORTHEAST ENTRANCE ROAD WORK: March 15-31 -- Open 24 hours, up to 30 minute delays from 7am-9pm June 1-Oct 31 -- Open 5am to midnight with up to thirty minute delays EAST ENTRANCE ROAD WORK: May 1-June 16 -- Open 24 hours, up to 30 minute delays June 17-Sept 5 -- Open 9am to 9pm, up to 30 minute delays Sept 8-Nov 2 -- Open, up to 30 minute delays Both roads will be open Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day weekends. For more information, call 307-344-7381.
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A YNET Weekly Feature
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- The coming of the summer season means that some visitors will inadvertently do things which are harmful to the Park's wildlife, thermal features or plant life -- and may also be harmful to the unwitting perpetrator. Accordingly, this column will, from time to time, print information from the National Park Service regarding the rules and regulations which visitors to Yellowstone are required to follow. Park Service rules and regulations in Yellowstone are designed for the protection of both the visitor and the Park itself. Following are the rules and regulations regarding backcountry use in Yellowstone. "Backcountry campers who practice minimum impact, or 'Leave No Trace,' principles help preserve the pristine condition of the Yellowstone backcountry. Developed by the National Outdoor Leadership School, the principles of 'Leave No Trace' ethics serve as guidelines to minimize impacts by backcountry users. A combination of your personal judgement and experience, coupled with the following practices, can help preserve natural resources in the backcountry. "1. Plan ahead and prepare. Get a good topographical map and know where you are going and how to get there. Know what gear you will need to accomplish your trip. "2. Camp and travel on durable surfaces. Hardened trail surfaces are tougher than 'off-trail' surfaces. "3. Pack it in, pack it out. Pack out all garbage including any items not completely burned in the fire pit. "4. Properly dispose of what you can't pack out. Dispose of dishwater properly. Use pit toilets wherever provided; otherwise bury human waste. Pack out, burn or bury toilet paper. "5. Leave what you find. Removing, defacing or destroying any plant, animal or mineral is prohibited. "6. Minimize the use and impact of campfires. Pack a stove instead. Campfires are permitted only in established fire pits. Wood fires are not allowed in some campsites. Burn only dead and down wood." Permits are required for backcountry camping. You can obtain permits from ranger stations and visitor centers in Yellowstone no more than 48 hours in advance. Are you concerned about the health and vitality of Yellowstone National Park? Join the campaign to Protect Yellowstone from those forces which would exploit and destroy the Park!
"More than a Number" From Canada she came; She walked the hills of time; Her voice once echoed o'r the hill; What was this marvel of nature, this wonderful sign?
College Guide to a Summer Job in
Yellowstone  This column is based on my interactions with people who have worked
in Yellowstone (or who want to work in the Park). Some of these stories will be the
"behind the scenes" story of why I wrote a particular story in my book. If
you have a story to contribute to this column, email
me. For more information about my book, College Guide to a Summer Job in Yellowstone, click here.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- The following comes from The Macon Telegraph (GA) in an article entitled "A Job in the Park" by Lance Wallace: "To Clint Wilkes heaven is in the Northwest corner of Wyoming. His fondness for the park and its employees prompted him to spend an entire summer compiling his experiences into the book COLLEGE GUIDE TO A SUMMER JOB IN YELLOWSTONE. Wilkes doesn't just tell people how to get jobs, he describes what its like to hold one of the thousands available each summer. The positions range from wranglers, who handle horses, to housekeepers in the hotels. No matter what the job, Wilkes said people enjoy their summer in Yellowstone. According to Wilkes, about 30% of all employees will work more than one summer in Yellowstone. Wilkes describes more than a hundred students he met at various locations throughout the park. He tell their stories so people who read the book will get an idea of just how diverse the work force is at Yellowstone. Wilkes said, 'What your doing at Yellowstone is meeting people from all over the country. There's no rhyme nor reason to where people come from, even from foreign countries. Your meeting interesting people plus your in Yellowstone.' Wilkes went on to say, 'the biggest perk is the park. Employees work five days a week, days off vary depending on the job and its location. On off days employees usually enjoy the park, but road trips to nearby towns like Bozeman, Montana or Jackson Hole, Wyoming aren't uncommon.' "
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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.
