More Winter Confusion at Yellowstone
Given the confusion of dueling federal court orders from Washington, D.C., and Wyoming in recent weeks, it will be a wonder if anyone figures out what the rules governing snowmobile and snowcoach use of Yellowstone Park are this winter.
First, a federal judge in Washington D.C. rejected the park's latest winter use plan in September. That prohibited snowmobile and snowcoach access without a new regulation. In response, the National Park came up with a temporary plan to get the park open on schedule Dec. 15 as scheduled.
Under that rule, 318 commercially guided, best available technology (BAT) snowmobiles and 78 commercially guided snowcoaches a day would have been allowed.
Then, in a related federal case, a federal judge in Wyoming on Nov. 7 ordered the park service to reinstate the 2004 rule which allows up to 720 commercially guided BAT snowmobiles and up to 78 snowcoaches allowed into Yellowstone per day this winter. That's the rule today, though I wouldn't hold my breath too much. Expect someone to file a lawsuit to change it.
During the last two winters, the park service reports an average of about 296 snowmobiles a day entered Yellowstone. The park's peak day was last winter was 557 snowmobiles.
The debate over snowmobile use in the park has been bitter with environmentalists wanting snowcoaches only pitted against commercial interests and snowmobile organizations who want more snowmobiles in the park.
Glad I don't run a snowmobile business or hotel in West Yellowstone. The constant confusion coupled with the lousy economy may make many question the viability of a winter vacation into the park.
– Tom Wharton
First, a federal judge in Washington D.C. rejected the park's latest winter use plan in September. That prohibited snowmobile and snowcoach access without a new regulation. In response, the National Park came up with a temporary plan to get the park open on schedule Dec. 15 as scheduled.
Under that rule, 318 commercially guided, best available technology (BAT) snowmobiles and 78 commercially guided snowcoaches a day would have been allowed.
Then, in a related federal case, a federal judge in Wyoming on Nov. 7 ordered the park service to reinstate the 2004 rule which allows up to 720 commercially guided BAT snowmobiles and up to 78 snowcoaches allowed into Yellowstone per day this winter. That's the rule today, though I wouldn't hold my breath too much. Expect someone to file a lawsuit to change it.
During the last two winters, the park service reports an average of about 296 snowmobiles a day entered Yellowstone. The park's peak day was last winter was 557 snowmobiles.
The debate over snowmobile use in the park has been bitter with environmentalists wanting snowcoaches only pitted against commercial interests and snowmobile organizations who want more snowmobiles in the park.
Glad I don't run a snowmobile business or hotel in West Yellowstone. The constant confusion coupled with the lousy economy may make many question the viability of a winter vacation into the park.
– Tom Wharton
posted by Tom @ 2:06 PM |
1 Comments:
"The park's peak day was last September was 557 snowmobiles."
that musta been quite a sight, since the park isn't open to snowmobiling in september...guess they coulda been hauling them thru to west yellowstone on a truck.
i am reminded of a favorite saying by one of my journalism professors: "The only requirements for writing a column (blog?) are a monkey, a typewriter and a blank sheet of paper." nowadays you don't even need the paper. but the monkey is still necessary.
so your job is safe.
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