The Fight for Yellowstone Snowmobiles is Happening Again
By Rocky Thompson on September 9th, 2011
Photo by Melensdad
Wyoming’s governor is calling for more snowmobiles to be granted access to Yellowstone? It must be fall. Calling on his extraordinary expertise on Yellowstone and ecology, Gov. Matt Mead pulled the number 540 snowmobiles per day out of thin air. While the NPS conducts another impact study, the current limit is about 330 snowmobiles and 80 ‘snowcoaches’ per day. I’m not sure what a ‘snowcoach is, but based on a quick search it’s either a covered, tow-behind sled or a huge snowbus from the 1960s. Regardless, all look like they would do a wonderful job terrorizing Yellowstone wildlife.
Tags: backcountry access, national park, National Parks, nps, wyoming, yellowstone
Whats the point of having public land if the public can’t use it? We allow millions of cars in our national parks are you have a problem with a few hundred snowmobiles in the winter? Personally I think the park land is already too regulated. People just need to be educated on how not to destroy it, not have the right to use it be taken away from them.
DDD, maybe bubbas should be educated first so they won’t destroy it for the rest of us. Its not about being able to use public land, its about not abusing it.
I’m pretty sure that’s what ddd said there JM. “People just need to be educated on how not to destroy it, not have the right to use it be taken away from them.”
The right to use public lands is not being taken away. Access was and is still available. The access via snowmobile is regulated however. My point was that increasing snowmobile access should be preceded by the education part, assuming that the impact due to increased quantity is not destructive.
Per Rocky’s link on Gov. Mead, the “Park Service’s own science has pointed to 250 as the daily threshhold of snowmobiles over which the park’s resources would be adversely impacted.”
It did not say anything about the impact of millions of cars though.
What’s there to destroy in the winter with a snowmobile? It’s snow that’s being ridden on right? Oh maybe riding on the snow melts it faster, leading to global warming. Yes, that must be it. Or maybe all those snowmobiles are waking up all the bears and that’s whats causing all the recent attacks.
The difference between cars and snow mobiles is that cars are limited to already established roads in the park, whereas snow mobiles are inherently a backcountry, off-road vehicle. It’s one thing to have a million cars driving on the same road, it’s entirely different to have nearly twice as many snow mobiles creating new trails in the park backcountry.
I’d like to see some data and regulations on the use of ATVs and 4×4 trucks during the summer months because I think their use is more analogous to snow mobiles than the RV’s and minivans.
How does a snowmobile create a new trail? Does packing down the snow now create a problem? They’re use is less of an impact on the land than any of the forms of transportation discussed. And the proof of their use is gone once the snow melts. I say let more people come during the winter so the park is not so crowded during the summer.
This is why snowmobiles shouldn’t be allowed:
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2011/03/moose_against_snowmobiler_video.php
Write a comment…Honest Question: What is this blog’s intended purpose? Is it intended to be a resource for backcountry.com customers who share the common interests of outdoor recreation, conservation, travel etc.? Or is it a forum for blog writers to spread information (of questionable accuracy) through overtly biased opinion pieces?
Personally, I’m not a fan of snowmobiles, or snow coaches for that matter. I’d rather get there under my own power. But that’s not the point.
That said, I have been to Yellowstone in the winter season. In fact, I rode into the park, from West Yellowstone, on a snow coach- which the author claims is perfect for “terrorizing” Yellowstone wildlife. In reality, a snow coach is nothing more than a typical passenger van fitted with tracks and skis. The snow coach travels only on snow packed roads- the same roads traveled by summer visitors- and makes no more noise than does a typical car or RV. While in Yellowstone we of course noticed the high number of snowmobile riders. As I recall (I could be wrong) all snowmobiles within the park are required to be the much quieter 4- stroke machines. Additionally, the snowmobiles were relegated to the road system, and controlled by strict speed limits.
The presence of Park Rangers was obvious- from speed traps to park rangers patrolling on snowmobiles. It would therefore seem unlikely that some idiot on a snowmobile would be able to do too much damage.
Again, this was my experience- perhaps there are more remote corners of the park open to snowmobiles where these rules aren’t enforced.
Assuming my recollection of snowmobile/ snow coach laws in Yellowstone is even partially correct it would call into serious question the accuracy of the author’s claims.
As a blog writer and de-facto representative of backcountry.com, does he not have any responsibility to conduct research and present accurate facts?
Again, my point is not to take a position for or against snowmobiles in the park, but rather to question the accuracy/ bias of blog entries. If the Goat blog presents itself as an opinion piece, that’s fine. If it’s intended to be a source of actual information, I’m disappointed.