Yellowstone Gate

Yellowstone geysers yield refreshing showers for adventurous visitors

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 04:28:52 -0400

A boy receives a “geyser kiss or “geyser blessing” from Castle Geyser in Yellowstone Park. (Janet White/GeyserWatch)

By Janet White

Many first-time Yellowstone Park visitors are surprised to learn the spray from Yellowstone geysers that reaches them on the boardwalks can be cool and refreshing on a hot summer day. But if you think about it, that superheated water (hotter than the normal boiling point of water due to underground pressure) is tossed high into the air as tiny droplets that cool quickly. A hundred feet up and a hundred feet back down can cool a fine mist in a hurry, giving adventurous Yellowstone visitors the chance to experience a unique shower.

A family stands in the spray from Beehive Geyser in Yellowstone Park. (Janet White/Geyser Watch - click to enlarge)

So where should you stand to run through the spray? Downwind.

While waiting for a geyser to erupt, pay attention to the wind direction. Some geysers that sit farther away from the boardwalks, like Old Faithful, just give you a “geyser kiss” on a windy day. But those that are closer to boardwalks, like Beehive Geyser or Lion Geyser, can drench you to the skin with a curtain of spray.

If you’re looking to stay dry, keep in mind too that a slight shift in the wind can catch many geyser gazers off guard, giving them an unexpected soaking.

A girl runs through the spray created by Penta Geyser in Yellowstone Park’s Upper Geyser Basin. (Janet White/Geyser Watch - click to enlarge)

But if you plan to take a “geyser shower,” just be sure to stay on the boardwalks, since any spray that reaches you there should be safe to stand in. Any closer, and you risk getting scalded (or worse) by hot spray.

Many geysers are capable of giving at least a kiss, but a reliable drenching happens in a few geysers, including: Beehive, Lion, Fan and Mortar. Occasionally, if the wind is right, you can also bask in the spray from Castle Geyser and Penta Geyser.

A Grandfather creates a lasting Yellowstone Park memory for his two grandkids by sheltering them with an umbrella as they walk through the spray from Beehive Geyser. (Janet White/Geyser Watch - click to enlarge)

The water in many of the geysers contains silica, the mineral that builds up to form the cones and platforms you see throughout Yellowstone’s geyser basins. If allowed to dry on camera lenses or glasses (or cars, in the case of Great Fountain Geyser), siclica is difficult to remove. So be sure to protect those surfaces and wipe them off quickly before the water has a chance to evaporate and leave behind a lingering residue.

Visitors to Yellowstone enjoy a free ‘geyser kiss’ or ‘geyser blessing’ by standing in the spray of a Beehive Geyser eruption. (Janet White/Geyser Watch - click to enlarge)

Some visitors bring an umbrella or poncho to their favorite geysers and some dash away to avoid the spray. A few stand their ground and joyously get soaked. In case you’ve never tried it, the good news is that your next Yellowstone visit will offer many chances for a geyser blessing, complete with its own version of holy water.

Janet White is the creator of GeyserWatch.com.

from Yellowstone geysers yield refreshing showers for adventurous visitors

Isa Lake in Yellowstone Park drains from continental divide to two oceans

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:37:58 -0400

Isa Lake atop Craig Pass on the continental divide in Yellowstone National Park drains to both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. (NPS photo - click to enlarge)

By Ruffin Prevost

Yellowstone National Park planners are seeking input on a plan to rebuild a historic bridge that takes visitors over a portion of Isa Lake — a pond that straddles the continental divide and drains to both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The 70-year-old Isa Lake bridge is located atop Craig Pass at an elevation of 8,262 feet. A September 2010 inspection report from the Federal Highway Administration found the bridge in poor condition and recommended replacing it.

Isa Lake, which actually is more pond than lake, sits within Craig Pass, and is famous because it drains to two different oceans, but does so “backwards,” according to the National Park Service.

Yellow pond lilies grow in Isa Lake in Yellowstone National Park. (J. Schmidt - click to enlarge)

“At one time, it was probably the only lake on Earth that drained naturally backwards to two oceans, the east side draining to the Pacific and the west side to the Atlantic,” states the 2012 edition of Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook, a Park Service reference guide.

Isa Lake’s water levels typically don’t fluctuate much during most of the year. But during the peak of spring runoff after a snowy winter, it will drain from the east into Shoshone Lake and the Lewis River in Yellowstone, then into the Snake River and the Columbia River, emptying in the Pacific. From the west, it feeds the park’s Firehole River, which flows into the Missouri River, feeding the Mississippi River on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

The road at Craig Pass is labeled as the continental divide, but it is from the small hills on each side of the pass that spring snowmelt feeds Isa Lake.

Isa Lake atop Craig Pass is located about seven miles south of Old Faithful on the Grand Loop Road, and both names were bestowed by Hiram Chittenden, an early Yellowstone road builder with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Chittenden mapped the pass in 1891, while looking for the best route for a road between Old Faithful and West Thumb.

Chittenden named Craig Pass in honor of Ida Craig, the first visitor to cross the pass after the road was completed, and a daughter of Chittenden’s friend, James Craig, according to Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey’s book, Yellowstone Place Names.

Early visitors to Yellowstone Park pause alongside Isa Lake at Craig Pass, atop the continental divide. (NPS photo - click to enlarge)

How Ida Lake got its name remains a bit more of a mystery. In 1893, Northern Pacific Railroad officials named Isa Lake after Isabel Jelke. Her exact connections to the railroad, the park or Chittenden are not fully known, according to the National Park Service website. But in 1916, Chittenden wrote a poem about his “discovery” of Isa Lake. It included this cryptic section:

Thou hast no name; pray, wilt thou deign to bear

The name of her who first has sung of thee?

Isa Lake has no fish, and typically freezes over in winter. In summer, it is often covered with yellow pond lilies (Nuphar polysepala).

Park planners are considering alternatives for rebuilding or replacing the Isa Lake bridge, including building a new bridge designed to meet modern traffic safety requirements that would retain the historic character of the existing bridge.

Parking areas and pullouts near the bridge would also be repaved. During reconstruction, the road would remain open via a temporary bridge spanning Isa Lake.

Additional details about the bridge plan are available in Park Service planning documents and on the Park Service website.

Comments or questions about the plan may be made online or sent by Aug. 24 to the Isa Lake Bridge Reconstruction Plan, Attention: Compliance Office, National Park Service, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Contact Ruffin Prevost at 307-213-9818 or ruffin@yellowstonegate.com.

from Isa Lake in Yellowstone Park drains from continental divide to two oceans

Take a leisurely stroll along Slough Creek in northern Yellowstone Park

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 04:43:12 -0400

Slough Creek meanders through First Meadow with Cutoff Mountain rising in the background. (©Sandy Sisti - click to enlarge)

Parked for a Day is a user-submitted feature that lets readers share favorite activities in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Parked for a Day activities require parking the car, and can be done in a single day. Share your favorite Parked for a Day activity and we’ll feature it on Yellowstone Gate.

By Sandy Sisti

For an enjoyable early or late season hike in Yellowstone, the Slough Creek Trail offers unparalleled scenery and great fishing. The trail starts near the Slough Creek Campground and travels 11 miles to the Park’s northern boundary, following Slough Creek for most of the way. This excellent trail is actually an old wagon road leading to the Silver Tip Ranch, just north of Yellowstone. The road is still used by ranch residents to gain access to the Silver Tip, so don’t be surprised if you encounter a few horse-drawn wagons on your journey. If you do, please follow proper trail etiquette and step off the trail to allow them to pass.

To find the Slough Creek trailhead, follow the gravel road leading to Slough Creek Campground (the gravel road leaves the main road about 10 miles east of Tower). The trailhead is about two miles up the gravel road, near vault toilets.

As you begin your hike, you’ll climb a small hill which offers beautiful views of Little America to the south and Cutoff Mountain to the northeast. The toughest part of the hike, a moderate climb, is the first mile or so, with relatively easy hiking after that. During late spring and early summer, the trail’s sunny hillsides are blanketed with arrowleaf balsamroot, sticky geranium, alpine forget-me-nots, and other colorful wildflowers. You’ll also encounter two small ponds on the east side of the trail, which attract songbirds by the dozens. Unfortunately, these ponds and Slough Creek attract clouds of mosquitoes, so be sure to pack the insect repellent or hike before or after mosquito season, which is usually at its worst during the month of July.

After a bit more than a mile, the trail descends into the open valley of Slough Creek, often referred to as the “First Meadow.” (There is also a Second Meadow and Third Meadow.) Slough Creek is a popular fishing destination so you’ll likely find numerous anglers along the creek, trying their luck with the resident cutthroat trout population. You may also spot moose in the boggy meadow, along with bison, elk and a healthy population of sandhill cranes.

As you approach two miles in, the trail will intersect with the Buffalo Plateau Trail, which heads north after a ford of Slough Creek (which can be a very difficult to cross through the end of July). If you continue east on the Slough Creek Trail, two ranger patrol cabins will come into view as you make your gradual ascent out of the first meadow. Due to the wide variety of edible plants, the area above the first meadow has become something of a hot spot for foraging bears, so always be on the alert for these large bruins. As with all trails in Yellowstone, be sure to always hike with your bear spray available and know how to use it.

Since Slough Creek is an out-and-back hike, you may want to start your hike early in the day to allow enough time to make it to your destination along the creek and return to the trailhead before dark. If you’re traveling at a more leisurely pace, why not set up camp at one of the numerous campsites along the trail’s route and spend the night? Because these backcountry campsites are some of the most popular in the Park, you’ll need to make your reservations early to ensure a spot is available. Over the last few years, there have been some bear problems at these campsites, so be sure to have all your food and garbage appropriately stored to minimize your risk of an encounter.

Sandy Sisti (click to enlarge)

Whether you hike the entire 11 miles of the trail or just part of the way along the creek, the Slough Creek Trail is one of the most enjoyable in the park. And what better way to enjoy Yellowstone than to get away from the crowds along the loop roads and spend the day in the backcountry, surrounded by nature? For many, this is what Yellowstone is all about.

Sandy Sisti is a wildlife and nature photographer based just outside the east entrance of Yellowstone, in the heart of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Sisti is also an avid hiker who enjoys exploring Yellowstone’s backcountry.

from Take a leisurely stroll along Slough Creek in northern Yellowstone Park

Climber dies after falling 1,000 feet in descent from Middle Teton summit

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:03:47 -0400

Rangers recovered the body Monday of a climber in Grand Teton National Park who fell 1,000 feet to his death. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate file photo)

From Staff Reports

CODY, WYO. — A mountain climber in Grand Teton National Park fell 1,000 feet to his death Sunday while descending from the summit of the Middle Teton.

Justin Harold Beldin, 27 of Benicia, Calif., and two climbing partners had reached the summit of the the 12,804-foot peak and were beginning to descend at about noon when the accident occurred, according to information released Monday by the Grand Teton public affairs office.

Another group of climbers near the summit of the Middle Teton saw Beldin fall and alerted Beldin’s climbing partners, who did not witness the accident.

One of the climbers who saw Beldin fall notified park rangers at 12:09 p.m. Rescuers used a helicopter to locate the site of the fall and determined that Beldin likely suffered fatal injuries after seeing that he had not moved and was non-responsive, said Grand Teton spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs.

Thunderstorms and heavy rains grounded the search and rescue helicopter Sunday afternoon and evening, she said.

“All hell broke loose,” Skaggs said. “It was a real gully-washer that came in with that storm.”

Skaggs said heavy rains Sunday increased the likelihood of loosening rocks around the recovery zone, and that concerns about rotor wash from helicopter blades dislodging loose rocks prevented helicopter operations at the accident site.

Dense fog Monday morning hampered recovery efforts, preventing helicopter flights to the rugged mountain and delaying a plan to have rangers hike to the point where Beldin’s body was spotted.

Rangers were inserted at about 10:30 a.m. by helicopter to a landing zone at the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton. They climbed to where Beldin came to rest after his fall and prepared his body for removal from the peak. His body was turned over to the Teton County coroner at 2 p.m. Monday.

Although originally from California, Beldin had been living in Victor, Idaho since April and was working in Jackson, Wyo.

Beldin carried an ice axe with him on the climb, but he was not wearing a helmet, according to park officials.

The Middle Teton is one of the most popular climbs in the Teton Range.

Beldin’s death is the fourth backcountry fatality this year in Grand Teton National Park. Eric Tietze, 31, of Salt Lake City, died July 12 from a fall while climbing Cathedral Traverse on Teewinot Mountain. Local skiers Chris Onufer and Steve Romeo died in a March avalanche on Ranger Peak. Park rangers and others on July 10 rescued Eric Rohner, 27, of Olympia, Wash., after he became stuck on Middle Teton during a solo attempt at the summit.

There are some years when there are no climbing fatalities in Grand Teton, but it is not uncommon to see two or more deaths per year, Skaggs said, with six being the most she could recall from a single year.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Climber dies after falling 1,000 feet in descent from Middle Teton summit

Yellowstone winter-use plan scores well with gateway snowmobile fans

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:43:50 -0400

Two people ride a snowmobile east of Fishing Bridge during a January trip in Yellowstone National Park. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate)

By Ruffin Prevost

CODY, WYO. — Gateway communities around Yellowstone National Park have been weighing in this week on the latest draft winter-use plan for managing snowmobiles and snow coaches in the park, with generally favorable reactions from snowmobile enthusiasts.

The plan calls for managing traffic by “transportation events” and grouping snowmobile riders in clusters of 7-10 sleds per event. It allows for a total of 110 daily transportation events, with a cap of 50 events for snowmobile riders. One event each day from each gate is reserved for unpaid guides.

Read more stories about the debate over winter use in Yellowstone Park.

Bert Miller, vice president of the Wyoming State Snowmobile association, said that the plan wasn’t perfect, “but there’s opportunity here.”

“I think a lot of us can try and work with the Park Service,” Miller said Thursday during a public meeting in Cody, Wyo., the last of four that included stops in Jackson, Wyo., Bozeman, Mont. and West Yellowstone, Mont.

“Hopefully we can move forward and get this alternative to start working. We’ve been doing this for a long, long time,” he said.

The last decade has seen constant legal wrangling over snowmobiles in the park, with several attempts at crafting a lasting winter-use plan stymied by court rulings that have required planners to start over. While previous plans have focused on a specific maximum number of snowmobiles allowed in the park each day, the new draft plan focuses instead on managing the total effects of noise, air pollution and human-wildlife interactions from snowmobiles and snow coaches, without regard to which mode of travel is used.

Terry Dolan — a snowmobile guide for Gary Fales Outfitting, the lone concessioner operating through Yellowstone’s East Gate — said he was optimistic that the plan could result in a lasting framework for managing winter travel in the park.

Dolan said he looked forward to unpaid guides and their guests traveling through the East Gate, and that he planned on renting best-available technology snowmobiles to them.

Park County Commissioner Loren Grosskopf, a longtime snowmobiler who has pushed for fewer restrictions in Yellowstone, said the plan was “a step in the right direction,” although he had concerns about how unguided visits would work under guidelines not yet fully completed.

Many attending the Cody meeting focused on details of the unpaid guide portion of the plan, which would use an online reservation system similar to one in place for permitting whitewater river rafting. Concerns centered on increasing the maximum number of unpaid sleds allowed from five to 7-10, as is the case for paid guide groups, as well as uncertainty about details and logistics of the proposed system which have not yet been worked out.

Yellowstone management assistant Wade Vagias said he welcomed additional detailed suggestions and questions about the unpaid guide program, which will be drafted with input from “all stakeholders” over the next several months.

No one expressed significant concerns about potential environmental problems during the public comment period of Thursday’s meeting in Cody, attended by more than 50 people. Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said that questions at earlier meetings, particularly in Bozeman, focused on a wider range of topics and potential concerns.

Some environmental groups have complained that sound and emissions levels could potentially be higher under certain circumstances in the new plan, at least until 2017, when tougher vehicle technology standards take effect. The new plan also allows for more total snowmobiles each day, with a potential maximum of 480, compared to 318 under the current plan.

The existing plan will continue for a two-year transition period before the new plan takes effect.

The Park Service will receive public comments on the draft plan until Aug. 20, and will release a final plan in September.

Contact Ruffin Prevost at 307-213-9818 or ruffin@yellowstonegate.com.

from Yellowstone winter-use plan scores well with gateway snowmobile fans

Artists create original works in Grand Teton to benefit art, education

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:25:20 -0400

Artists Don Dernovich participates in a “quick draw” art show and sale during the first Plein Air for the Park event in Grand Teton National Park. (NPS photo - click to enlarge)

From Staff Reports

The rugged and majestic beauty of Grand Teton National Park attracts thousands of professional and amateur photographers each year who work to capture that perfect image worthy of the park’s natural splendor. But a different kind of creative set has been working in the park over the first half of July to capture creative and visionary images of Grand Teton, and they did it one brushstroke at a time.

A group of fine artists working in the open air around Grand Teton National Park helped raise thousands of dollars for art and education programs in the park, as the first Plein Air for the Park fine art exhibition and sale wrapped up last week.

Artist Wes Newton creates an original oil painting during the first Plein Air for the Park show and sale in Grand Teton National Park. (NPS photo - click to enlarge)

Co-hosted by the Grand Teton Association and Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, the event saw 44 fine artists from across the region take their palettes and easels into the open air — or plein air — to produce original works inspired by landscapes, wildlife, wildflowers and more.

Plein air art shows and sales have been used as fundraisers for a wide range of charitable causes over the years, but this was the first such event benefiting Grand Teton.

“The ‘Plein Air in the Park’ reminds us of the legacy of the Teton landscape as inspiration for artistic expression,” said Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott. “We hope this year’s event generates a new tradition.”

The event culminated last week with a quick draw event where artists are asked to complete an original work, start-to-finish, on site. A special gala reception and award ceremony followed, where close to 140 pieces of artwork created during the two-week event were displayed for sale.

The sold-out event generated a total of approximately $50,000 in sales, according to information provided by the Grand Teton public affairs office. Forty percent of total sales will be donated through the Grand Teton Association to support art and educational programs in the park.

“It was an outstanding response for our inaugural event,” said Jan Lynch, GTA executive director. “Visitors and locals appreciated seeing so many artists scattered about the park, painting timeless scenes.”

Lynch said some park visitors showed up at the sale to “purchase the very piece they watched an artist create” just days ago.

The event highlighted GTA’s 75th anniversary as an educational, nonprofit partner for Grand Teton National Park. The group operates bookstores at visitor centers in support of the missions of Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway and other partners such as the National Elk Refuge and surrounding national forests.

Painter Greg McHuron, a former National Park Service employee who frequently paints in Grand Teton, was honored for his commitment to the arts and his passion for painting in the park in all weather and throughout all seasons. McHuron, a longtime member of Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, was unable to attend due to a health issue. But his painting “Jackson Lake Mirror” was the first sale of the show, and sold for $10,500.

Several awards were given to participating painters, including:

Best of Show to Kathryn Turner for “Lily Pads”
Award of Excellence to Dave Santillanes for “String Lake”
Award of Excellence to Kathy Anderson for “Aspen Beauty”
Award of Excellence to Beahanne Kinsella Cople for “Cool Morning”
Superintendent’s Award to Erin O’Conner for “And Evening Ensues”
Sharlene Milligan Scholarship Award to Carol Swinney for “Mt. Moran”
GTA Board of Directors’ Award to Stephen C. Datz for “Greeting the Dawn”
GTA Executive Director Award to Jeanne Mackenzie for “Menor’s Ferry, Longing for the Snake”
Artists’ Choice Best Painting to Kathryn Turner and Jeanne Mackenzie
Artists’ Choice Award Best Body of Work to Kathryn Turner and Stephen C. Datz

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Artists create original works in Grand Teton to benefit art, education

A backcountry bike ride to Yellowstone Park’s Lone Star Geyser

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:28:47 -0400

Lone Star geyser erupts from a 10-foot cone of minerals built up over many years. (GeyserWatch.com/Janet White - click to enlarge)

By Janet White

A day trip to Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone National Park is a short and pleasant day hike or a fun bike ride, and a great way to spend some time off the beaten path. The path to Lone Star Geyser follows the Firehole River for the five-mile round trip, passing through green meadows and wildflowers that line the trail, an old road now closed to vehicles.

Lone Star Geyser erupts about every three hours, with a few smaller, minor eruptions occurring before the major eruption. The major burst can last for up to 3o minutes, and ends in a strong steam phase. When you arrive at the geyser, check the log book to see if anyone recorded any recent eruptions so you’ll know when it’s likely to blow again, and feel free to enter details about what you see to help other visitors.

If you want to be sure to see Lone Star Geyser erupt, plan a half-day trip to give yourself time to wait and linger this peaceful setting. Keep your eyes open for wildlife as well.

Access the Lone Star Geyser trailhead just past the Kepler Cascades parking lot on the Grand Loop Road, less than 2 miles east of Old Faithful, or just over 15 miles west of West Thumb.

The old vehicle road that serves as the Lone Star Geyser trail follows the Firehole River. (Janet White / GeyserWatch.com - click to enlarge)

On a recent trip from Cody, my husband, Mike, and I decided to check out Lone Star Geyser as an easy way to try out a pair of newly purchased bikes, because the trail is fairly level and a favorite biking route. It’s an old road that autos used for years to reach Lone Star Geyser, but it was closed to visitor traffic in 1972. (In the winter, cross-country skiers coming from Old Faithful frequently use the trail.)

In a short distance, the traffic noise from the main road fades, and the silence wraps around us like a comforter. The old road follows the clear water of the Firehole River and winds through tall lodgepole pines, with a few Engleman spruce and Douglas fir trees sprinkled in. Beneath them, the lush green grass grows alongside columbines, lupines and other wildflowers. The waters call to my husband to fish there, so I imagine we’ll return soon to let him match his fly-fishing skills against the brook trout.

We pass by an open meadow that looks like it should have a moose, elk or bear standing in it. This trail is closed early in the season because of the bears that frequent the area. They may still show up at any time, but today we don’t see any. We still have bear spray ready, though, just in case.

We haven’t been to Lone Star before, so we’re not familiar with the trail, and wonder how many small hills and gentle turns it takes to reach it. Around this bend? The next? In a short time, we arrive to feel small drops of water hitting us, and the sound of an eruption tells us Lone Star is already going.

Lone Star Geyser erupts about every three hours. (Janet White/ GeyserWatch.com - click to enlarge)

It looks like a major eruption, but we are unable to really see it clearly, as we’re on the downwind side, receiving the “geyser blessing.” If I’m not careful to dry off this “geyser kiss” promptly, it will leave a trace of the same silica on my camera lens that has built the 10-foot cone at the base of the geyser.

I tuck my camera under my jacket, look at Mike, and we decide to run through the spray to gain a better vantage point. As we run, I take off my glasses to protect them as well.

On the other side, we see the water jetting high into the air. But after talking with an visitor who arrived earlier, we learn it was a bit taller at the start — just a few minutes before we arrived. A few minor eruptions had preceded this one, but this was definitely the big one in the cycle, with water reaching about 40 feet high and now starting to shift to steam.

We stayed through the the loud, long steam phase. As it died away, the small group of about a dozen spectators applauded, and Lone Star responded with a few extra puffs of steam.

The ride back to the parking lot was easy and relatively quick. Some much-needed rain started to fall as the car came into sight. Perfect timing. Lone Star was the first geyser to greet us on this trip, and parking the car and getting out there was well worth it.

Janet White is a photographer and geyser enthusiast who created GeyserWatch.com.

from A backcountry bike ride to Yellowstone Park’s Lone Star Geyser

Yellowstone Park lifts fire restrictions after rain showers

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:28:55 -0400

From Staff Reports

Yellowstone National Park managers have lifted fire restrictions after a round of recent rainfall over most of the park.

The increased precipitation also helped wildland firefighting crews suppress the Blacktail Fire near the park’s northern boundary. The fire, which began July 12 and reached 29 acres, is approximately 95 percent contained, with full containment expected by next week, according to information released by the Yellowstone public affairs office.

The 8 smoke jumpers and 5 helicopter crew members who initially attacked the fire have been replaced by a 4-person wildland fire crew assigned to Yellowstone from Saguaro National Park to assist with mop-up and patrol efforts.

Park managers had banned fires outside of designated fire rings in developed campgrounds, as well as smoking in many areas of the park. Those restrictions and others have been lifted.

Mangers caution that the lifting of the fire restrictions does not remove the responsibility for visitors to ensure that all campfires are fully extinguished and are built only in areas designated for their use. Visitors are reminded to be cautious when smoking in any area where there are combustible fuels.

As always, anyone negligently or willfully starting a wildland fire can be held responsible for the cost of the fire and charged with a crime.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Yellowstone Park lifts fire restrictions after rain showers

Yellowstone’s Kite Hill Cemetery at Mammoth is home to mysterious graves

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 04:28:49 -0400

Only a single headstone remains in the Kite Hill Cemetery at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. (Mike Wheeler - click to enlarge)

By Mike Wheeler

I first heard about the “old Mammoth cemetery on the hill” and its mysterious graves while reading Yellowstone National Park historian Lee Whittlesey’s book, Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park.

The cemetery sits atop a hill behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and was first used in 1883. Now known as Kite Hill because Mammoth residents have often climbed it to fly kites with their children, it was previously known as Sepulcher Hill, because it lies on the eastern flank of Sepulcher Mountain. Though “sepulcher” means a crypt-like burial place, the mountain was not named for the cemetery. It was named in 1871 by U.S. Army Capt. John W. Barlow, according to the Yellowstone Wiki.

An unmarked grave holds the remains of one of the 14 people buried in the Kite Hill Cemetery at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. (Mike Wheeler - click to enlarge)

The Kite Hill Cemetery is not to be confused with a separate military cemetery in Mammoth near horse corrals. Kite Hill is a civilian cemetery for early park workers and non-military residents. It has 14 graves, but only one monument still stands, marking two graves. The identities of at least three people buried remain a mystery.

The inscription on the lone remaining tombstone shows that Mary J. Foster, 33, was the first person buried at the cemetery, on June 10, 1883. Whittlesey writes that “she hailed from Madison County, North Carolina and was probably an employee of the hotel which was then being built.” But nothing else is known about Foster.

Sarry E. Bolding, who died of unknown causes, is buried next to Foster and her name appears on a common headstone marking both graves, even though she was buried four years after Foster.

Kite Hill Cemetery also contains the bodies of two people who committed suicide, one who was murdered and another who died in an avalanche, according to Death in Yellowstone.

I had tried to find Kite Hill Cemetery before, and once when my children were with me, they stumbled across it. I finally emailed Lee Whittlesey for directions and he was gracious enough to point me in the right direction.

The lone headstone in Kite Hill Cemetery at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park marks the graves of Mary Foster and Sarry Bolding. (Mike Wheeler - click to enlarge)

Some people prefer to hike up a trail next to the Old Gardiner Road directly behind the Mammoth Hotel that leads up the hill. For me, the easiest way to find Kite Hill Cemetery is to:

Hike up the Old Gardiner Road behind the Mammoth Hotel to the first plateau, until you see the service road on the left.
Follow the service road to the left across the hill.
The service road will start up the side of the hill and you will see two fenced-in utility areas. At the second of the two, head toward the top of the hill.
At the top of that hill, look around for the headstone of Mary Foster. You’ll also see other unmarked graves nearby, as well as panoramic views of the hills around Mammoth Hot Springs.

The hike is short but steep, climbing more than 300 feet in about a half-mile, so take your time. A camera and bear spray are always good ideas on any hike in Yellowstone.

Mike Wheeler is a frequent Yellowstone Park visitor who enjoys photographing and exploring the park.

from Yellowstone’s Kite Hill Cemetery at Mammoth is home to mysterious graves

Emma Cowan captured by Indians in Yellowstone in 1877

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 04:23:10 -0400

Emma Cowan and her husband return in 1905 to the spot in Yellowstone National Park where they were captured by Nez Perce Indians. (Bozeman Pioneer Museum)

By M. Mark Miller

Emma Cowan and her family visited Yellowstone National Park in 1877 — the year the U.S. Army pursued the Nez Perce Indians there. The Nez Perce generally had amicable relations with whites, but in what has become a familiar story, the peace was shattered when gold was discovered on their land. Some Nez Perce acquiesced to government demands that they move to a tiny reservation, but others decided to flee their homeland instead.

The Army sent soldiers to subdue the defiant Nez Perce, but the Indians defeated them several times. In the most dramatic battle, the Army made a pre-dawn attack on a sleeping Nez Perce camp on the banks the Big Hole River in southwest Montana. The Indians rallied, drove back their attackers, then retreated leaving their equipment, teepees, and at least 89 dead—most of them women and children.

After the battle, they fled though Yellowstone Park where they captured Emma’s party. Here’s her account of what happened later.

Every Indian carried a splendid gun, with belts full of cartridges. As the morning sunshine glinted on the polished surface of the gun barrels, a regiment of soldiers could have not looked more formidable. The Indians pretended all the while to be our very good friends, saying that if they should let us go, bad Indians, as they termed them, would kill us.

Suddenly, without warning, shots rang out. Two Indians came dashing down the trail in front of us. My husband was getting off his horse. I wondered what the reason. I soon knew, for he fell as soon as he reached the ground—fell heading downhill. Shots followed and Indian yells, and all was confusion. In less time than it takes to tell it, I was off my horse and by my husband’s side….

I heard my sister’s screams and called to her. She came and crouched by me, as I knelt by his side. I saw he was wounded in the leg above the knee, and by the way the blood spurted out I feared an artery had been severed. He asked for water. I dared not leave him to get it.

I think we both glanced up the hill at the same moment, for he said, “Keep quiet. It won’t last long.” That thought had flashed through my mind also. Every gun in the whole party of Indians was leveled at us three. I shall never forget the picture, which left an impression that years cannot efface. The holes in those gun barrels looked as big as saucers.

I gave it only a glance, for my attention was drawn to something near at hand. A pressure on my shoulder was drawing me away from my husband. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw an Indian with an immense navy pistol trying to get a shot at my husband’s head. Wrenching my arm from his grasp, I leaned over my husband, only to be roughly drawn aside. Another Indian stepped up, a pistol shot rang out, my husband’s head fell back, and a red stream trickled down his face from beneath his hat. The warm sunshine, the smell of blood, the horror of it all, a faint remembrance of seeing rocks thrown at his head, my sister’s screams, a faint sick feeling, and all was blank.

Two days later, the Indians released Emma, her sister, Ida, and her brother, Frank. They made their way to Mammoth Hot Springs where they found help. Emma’s husband, George, survived the shooting. He carried the slug that an Army surgeon dug out of his head as a watch fob for the rest of his life.

While making their way through the Yellowstone wilderness, the Nez Perce discovered they were not welcome with their old friends, the Crow, who had made accommodations with the whites. The Nez Perce decided to head north to join Sitting Bull and his Sioux in Canada. In October, the starving and exhausted remnants of the band surrendered to the Army just 40 miles from the Canadian border.

Emma’s complete story is included in M. Mark Miller’s Adventures in Yellowstone: Early Travelers Tell Their Tales.

from Emma Cowan captured by Indians in Yellowstone in 1877

A video trip to the summit of Grand Teton

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:43:44 -0400

Rangers and search and rescue workers in Grand Teton National Park have been busy this past week, using a helicopter to pluck one climber from a rock face where he had boxed himself in and retrieving the body of another climber who apprently fell to his death.

There is a long and rich history of mountaineering in Grand Teton National Park, but for visitors who may not be familiar with the Tetons, it might be puzzling to hear of rescues and fatalities each year.

A 2010 video from Men’s Journal magazine showing a climb to the 13,770-foot summit of Grand Teton with Exum Mountain Guides offers a glimpse at what some of the climb is like. While the climb, one of hundreds in the park, is described in the video as a relatively “attainable” ascent, it also requires being a fit and technically proficient climber.

So if you’re planning on doing any mountaineering while visiting Grand Teton National Park, it’s important — as with any outdoor recreational activity — to know your limits and stay within them.

from A video trip to the summit of Grand Teton

Missing climber found dead in Grand Teton National Park

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 11:14:10 -0400

Rangers recovered the body Friday of a climber in Grand Teton National Park who had gone missing Thursday. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate file photo)

From Staff Reports

The body of a climber in Grand Teton National Park who had apparently fallen to his death Thursday was found on Friday by park rangers after a daylong ground and air search of the central Teton peaks.

Eric Tietze, 31, of Salt Lake City, and three climbing partners were attempting to complete a climb of the Cathedral Traverse Thursday when he separated from his group and moved ahead of them on the route, according to information released by the Grand Teton public affairs office.

Tietze apparently fell about 500-600 feet to his death shortly after leaving his friends. A long-time Bridger-Teton National Forest employee, Tietze has worked for 10 seasons on a trail crew in the forest.

Tietze separated from his partners as they were completing the final descent by rope from a a shoulder peak west of Teewinot Mountain. The last time Tietze’s party saw him was about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The group continued the climb and summited Mount Owen where they waited for Tietze. After he failed to meet his group on the summit, the three partners backtracked and attempted a search for Tietze until 7:30 p.m.

Tietze’s party notified the Teton Interagency Dispatch Center of their missing friend at 10 p.m. after they hiked out to the Lupine Meadows trailhead. The Grand Teton search and rescue coordinator began organizing an operation to begin at first light Friday morning, and two rangers on a routine backcountry patrol on the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton were contacted.

Early Friday morning, the two rangers climbed from the Lower Saddle to the second ledges on the North Face of the Grand Teton and began searching with binoculars for Tietze. A Teton Interagency contract helicopter responded to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache at 7:30 a.m. Friday to conduct an aerial search as well. A second Teton Interagency contract helicopter responded to Lupine Meadows just before 11 a.m.

Rangers located Tietze’s body at about 3:30 p.m. Friday on the East Prong feature between Teewinot and Mount Owen, about 500 feet below an area that requires a notably challenging climbing move. One ranger was inserted via a short-haul rope suspended below the helicopter to the location, and prepared Tietze’s body for a short-haul extraction. His body was flown from the mountain to Lupine Meadows where it was turned over to the Teton County coroner’s office at 8:50 p.m.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Missing climber found dead in Grand Teton National Park

Crews scramble to contain fires in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:36:14 -0400

Fire crews continue to monitor and work to contain the Index Fire, northeast of Yellowstone National Park. (InciWeb photo - click to enlarge)

From Staff Reports

CODY, WYO. — Fire crews in and around Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks mobilized Thursday to contain a series of small fires sparked by lightning from mid-week thunderstorms, as well as one blaze that may have started from a campfire.

Though the fires are small and have not required road or campground closures, fire managers in the parks and on other nearby public lands are aggressively working to extinguish some fires that could potentially threaten buildings or other key resources. A dry, hot summer and high winds have created prime fire conditions across much of the region.

The Grand Teton public affairs office reports that three small fires in the Greys River Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest were started by lightning strikes.

The Blacktail Fire in Yellowstone National Park covers about 15 acres and is burning near the Montana-Wyoming border between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction. (Inciweb photo - click to enlarge)

The Box Fire, located above the Box Y Ranch, was burning in a single tree. Firefighters, supported by an engine and helicopter, suppressed the fire. The Sherman Fire is burning on Sherman Peak in the Salt River Range. Firefighters had contained the tenth-acre fire by 5:45 p.m. Thursday. The Grayback Fire, also a tenth of an acre, is located on Grayback Ridge near the boundary of the Jackson Ranger District. Firefighters were aided by bucket drops from a large helicopter capable of hauling about 700 gallons of water per load.

The cause of a fourth fire in the area, the Tram Fire, is under investigation after firefighters found an illegal campfire ring. The fire was discovered late Thursday afternoon behind the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort aerial tram on the west slope of Cody Peak, just inside the boundary of Grand Teton National Park.

Firefighters completed a fire line around the Tram Fire by 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and will remain on the fire until it is declared out. No trail closures were necessary.

In Yellowstone National Park, lightning sparked a small fire inside the northern park boundary, along the Montana-Wyoming border, according to information provided by the Yellowstone public affairs office.

The Blacktail Fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday. It is located about a mile north of the entrance to Blacktail Plateau Drive, between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction.

By mid-day Friday, the fire was approximately 15 acres. Due to its location, dry conditions, and a forecast for dry thunderstorms Friday, the decision was made to suppress this fire.

Smoke may be visible at times from the road, and on the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout webcam.

The Blacktail Fire is the fifth fire reported in Yellowstone this year. The first fires of the season were all started by people and were less than a quarter-acre in size.

The Index Fire in the Shoshone National Forest northeast of Yellowstone Park continued to smolder Friday, covering about 223 acres. Started June 26 by a downed power line, the Index Fire is 70 percent contained, surrounded on all but the southern edge by rocky areas likely to help check its natural spread.

Recent scattered rain showers across the region have done little to reduce fire danger, which is still classified as very high in both parks. Various fire restrictions remain in effect on public lands across the region, and campers should check with local authorities for details before using stoves of building fires.

For information on the Blacktail Fire, visit the InciWeb fire information website or call 307-344-2580. For information on fires in the Grand Teton area, visit TetonFires.com or call 307-739-3630.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Crews scramble to contain fires in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks

Atlas of Yellowstone editors discuss creation of major reference book

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 04:28:57 -0400

The newly released Atlas of Yellowstone includes more than 800 maps, along with charts, illustrations and graphs offering a comprehensive view of the Yellowstone region. (University of California Press - click to enlarge)

By Ruffin Prevost

CODY, WYO. — The editors of a comprehensive and authoritative new reference book about the greater Yellowstone area are visiting gateway communities this month to discuss their nearly decade-long effort to create The Atlas of Yellowstone.

“I learned so much making this Atlas,” said Ann Rodman, who has worked in Yellowstone National Park since 1988.

Atlas of Yellowstone

Rodman and her fellow Atlas of Yellowstone editors spoke about the project Thursday at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo. They will speak Tuesday in Grand Teton National Park.

“For me, this was a great, fun process,” Rodman said before pausing, and then adding with a smile, “most of the time.”

It wasn’t always fun because Rodman, Yellowstone’s top geographic information system specialist, was among those responsible for gathering, compiling and reviewing data from more than 130 specialists and experts for the 300-page book that contains more than 800 maps accompanied by data-laden illustrations covering hundreds of major topics. The work was fun, but enforcing deadlines on distracted researchers wasn’t.

But after 24 years working in Yellowstone, Rodman said she was amazed how many new things she learned — or gained a fresh perspective on — while working on the project.

She cited two pages from the book prepared in collaboration with Charles Preston, curator of the Draper Museum of Natural History at the BBHC. That section focuses on sagebrush-steppe habitat and its role in sustaining the greater sage-grouse, which is largely absent from Yellowstone because of the park’s higher elevation.

The historic range of grizzly bears, bear injuries in Yellowstone Park and where bears are seen by people are just some of the ways The Atlas of Yellowstone tells the story of grizzly bears in the park. (University of California Press - click to enlarge)

“It made me open my eyes to how much I wasn’t paying attention to what’s going on outside the park,” Rodman said, noting that it’s easy for researchers to work in a “bubble” of their own special interest.

Tying together those seemingly disparate specialized topics to tell the story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks was a central goal of the book, said senior editor Andrew Marcus.

“Yellowstone Park is not a zoo,” Marcus said. “It’s something that’s profoundly connected with the surrounding region.”

So the team worked to tell stories that reinforced major themes throughout the book, rather than just compiling factoids, he said, creating a “continuity of geographic vision across the entire region.”

Another goal of the book was to make scientific data more accessible and user-friendly for everyday readers, said cartographic editor Jim Meacham.

The Atlas of Yellowstone editors will sign and discuss their book, including the history of mountain climbing in the Tetons, at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyo. Call 307-739-3399 for more information.

That meant a series of brainstorming sessions with top experts in dozens of specialized fields to discover the best way to tell compelling stories about key issues using maps and charts, he said. Condensing complex information on major topics like grizzly bears or park visitation to fit on a two-page spread was a creative challenge.

The end result is a book that liberates forgotten or overlooked data from spreadsheets, scientific journals, government reports and filing cabinets and presents them in beautiful, informative and inspiring ways to tell a rich and detailed story about hundreds of aspects of Yellowstone.

The Atlas of Yellowstone is available online and in bookstores. Just don’t ask when the digital version will be ready. After nine years toiling on the paper version, the editorial team is first focusing on a more pressing matter — selling the book.

Contact Ruffin Prevost at 307-213-9818 or ruffin@yellowstonegate.com.

from Atlas of Yellowstone editors discuss creation of major reference book

Wyoming photographer draws fans with compelling Yellowstone wildlife images

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:43:22 -0400

Two wolves from the Canyon Pack squabble over an elk carcass near Alum Creek in Yellowstone National Park. (©Sandy Sisti - click to enlarge)

By Ruffin Prevost

CODY, WYO. — A Wyoming photographer whose work captures both the majesty and the savagery of wildlife in Yellowstone National Park says she is drawn by the irresistible lure of the park’s animals, and though she loves photographing bears and wolves, she is “always rooting for the elk calf.”

“I understand the food chain,” said Wapiti, Wyo. wildlife and nature photographer Sandy Sisti. “But I still don’t like to see anything suffer.”

A bison calf in Yellowstone Park’s Hayden Valley gets out of the way as two adults spar during the rut to assert dominance. (©Sandy Sisti - click to enlarge)

Since moving to Wyoming five years ago from Hamilton, Mont., south of Missoula, Sisti has earned a growing following of fans and supporters of her Wild at Heart Images. It’s not something she had imagined growing up in Long Island, N.Y.

Though she worked in the pharmaceutical industry in New York, Sisti always took photos of wildlife there. But that mainly meant trips to the New Jersey and Florida shores for birding pictures.

In 1994, Sisti made her first trip to the world’s first national park, immediately developing what she calls a “weird, crazy obsession with Yellowstone.” She returned home and began searching for a job close to the park.

Sisti has a sense of humor about her intense interest in Yellowstone, and says her friends and husband often tease her about loving the park perhaps just a bit too much.

“Oh, yeah, it’s sick and wrong,” she said with a laugh. “When they close the East Gate (in the fall), I’m under a black cloud of depression for a month. I have to think of things to keep myself occupied. I feel like a friend is gone.”

Luckily for Sisti and her thousands of fans online, there are plenty of photos to share until the park opens again for winter.

Sisti also shares her work with nonprofit groups engaged in conservation work around the greater Yellowstone area.

“I like to be able to make a difference. I like that they can use my pictures to help illustrate things or get attention for their issues,” she said. “That makes me happy.”

A bull elk crosses the Madison River on a frigid September morning in Yellowstone National Park. (©Sandy Sisti - click to enlarge)

Among the first groups she donated images to was the Buffalo Field Campaign, a West Yellowstone group working to stop the hazing and slaughter of Yellowstone bison that wander outside park boundaries during winter.

“The bison is a very majestic animal. They don’t get as much press as the other animals, because you see them all the time,” she said. “But the bison rut is really spectacular — just about one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.”

Though Sisti says she fully understands the brutal nature of life in Yellowstone, including harsh winters and predator-prey relations, that doesn’t make it any easier to witness a battered old bull bison struggling to survive alone, or an elk calf being taken by a wolf or bear.

One image Sisti captured earlier this year of two wolves fighting over a carcass illustrates many of those difficult but compelling dynamics in the park, and it elicited a strong reaction from some who saw it.

“Sibling Rivalry” captures a moment where two wolves from the Canyon Pack fight over an elk carcass near Alum Creek. The image is at once frightening, arresting, beautiful and compelling, as it shows a dominant wolf — fangs clearly visible — leaping toward a weaker rival.

Other photographers were standing alongside her when she got the shot, but Sisti’s photo emerged as the definitive image of that decisive moment.

Some commenters on Sisti’s Facebook page said they found the picture difficult to view, while others complained that it cast wolves in a “bad light.” Just as many defended it as an accurate and engaging portrayal of nature at work, showing the often unseen but always present wolf pack pecking order.

“I understand how that’s hard for people to see — it’s hard for me to see too,” Sisti said, explaining that she hesitated at first about posting the photo, which has since become a favorite of collectors. “I know that’s the way nature works.”

There’s plenty more in Sisti’s portfolio showing how nature works, including heartwarming images of baby animals with parents and glowing scenic views of the park.

As much as she loves Yellowstone, Sisti confesses that she doesn’t go to quite the same extremes as some of her fellow park photographers who sometimes sleep in their cars or camp in the backcountry for days to get their shots.

Sisti lives near the park’s East Gate, and prefers to rise early to get into the park by dawn, so she can spend a full day shooting before returning home to sleep in her own bed. But as convenient as it is to live at Yellowstone’s doorstep, she sometimes misses the shopping, dining and nightlife of New York. The nearest Bloomingdale’s is 850 miles away.

Still, she says, even an uneventful day in the wilds of Yellowstone is something the best shopping malls or urban centers have a hard time competing with.

“Really, for me, it’s all about the wildlife,” Sisti said. “Sometimes, it’s just you and nothing else except a grizzly bear and a cub. For me, that’s an amazing thing. I don’t even have to take a picture. It’s like a zen thing, just being there for that moment.”

Contact Ruffin Prevost at 307-213-9818 or ruffin@yellowstonegate.com.

from Wyoming photographer draws fans with compelling Yellowstone wildlife images

Grand Teton Park rangers rescue stranded climber form Middle Teton

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:58:57 -0400

A helicopter heads toward Garnet Canyon in April 2011 during a search for two lost skiers in Grand Teton National Park. (National Park Service file photo by Jackie Skaggs - click to enlarge)

From Staff Reports

MOOSE, WYO. — Grand Teton National Park rangers on Tuesday rescued a stranded climber on Middle Teton, using a helicopter to help remove him from a sheer rock face where he had become unable to advance his climb.

Eric Rohner, 27, of Olympia, Wash., began an attempted solo summit of the Middle Teton on Monday, but traveled off route and became “cliffed out,” unable to safely advance or retreat without risking injury, according to a statement released by the Grand Teton public affairs office.

Rohner used his cell phone to call 911 for help just after 1 a.m. Tuesday. A park ranger spoke with Rohner via cell phone and determined that he had enough food and water, as well as appropriate gear and extra clothing, to spend the night on the Middle Teton. Rescue operations began at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday as two rangers started hiking at first light.

They were not able to locate Rohner from the ground, and dispatched a Teton Interagency contract helicopter to find the climber.

During a 10:15 a.m. reconnaissance flight, rangers and the helicopter pilot decided the best rescue plan was to use the short-haul technique to remove Rohner from his precarious location to a landing zone in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. A short-haul rescue is one where the subject is suspended beneath a helicopter by a rope and extracted from difficult terrain.

Park officials said that once Rohner became stuck, he “made sound decisions,” including: staying put, calling for help and following rescuer instructions. Rohner also was prepared to spend an unexpected night on the mountain, having brought extra food, water and clothing.

The Middle Teton is viewed as having a relatively straightforward route to a high summit, park officials said. But they cautioned that climbers attempting the summit must have good route-finding skills, pay attention to where they are, and follow the directions of park rangers. Officials said rangers have had to perform numerous rescue operations on Middle Teton after climbers have attempted shortcuts or lost focus during their climbs.

Tuesday’s rescue was the third major search and rescue operation of the summer. Such rescues are costly and can be dangerous for those performing rescue operations.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Grand Teton Park rangers rescue stranded climber form Middle Teton

Glacial lakes of Grand Teton is final installment in series of park shorts

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 04:28:13 -0400

Glacial Lakes in Grand Teton is the final installment in a four-part series of short videos aimed at raising awareness of the park. (image by New Thought Media)

From Staff Reports

JACKSON, WYO. — The last in a series of four short videos highlighting the natural wonders of Grand Teton National Park has been released, focusing on the life-giving waters of the park.

In collaboration with Grand Teton Association, Grand Teton National Park Foundation has released “Glacial Lakes in Grand Teton,” aimed at raising awareness about the park using a contemporary and accessible medium that is available online to viewers around the world.

“Glacial Lakes in Grand Teton” joins “Color Change in Grand Teton,” “Day and Night in Grand Teton” and “Weather in Grand Teton,” the first three films in the four-part series called “From Valley to Peak.” All four shorts include footage of natural phenomena in Grand Teton National Park.

The films were recently completed by Jackson-based videographers Jesse Ryan and Ryan Christopher of New Thought Media.

“Our effort to connect people to the park and to educate them about this amazing resource remains one of the most important components of our mission at the foundation,” said foundation president Leslie Mattson in a statement last month marking the release of the first film. ”Projects like this are a great way to spread the wonders of Grand Teton to national park lovers far and wide.”

The four-minute videos showcase a selection of striking natural occurrences through artfully captured landscapes, time-lapse sequences and insightful narration. The final remaining video in the series will be released next month.

The video series is one of the most recent foundation-funded projects, and echoes the organization’s mission to fund initiatives that go beyond what the National Park Service can accomplish on its own. Since 1997, the foundation has raised more than $20 million for education-based capital projects, work-and-learn programs that connect youth to nature and various wildlife research and protection projects.

“Glacial Lakes in Grand Teton” is posted below, and is also available on the foundation’s web site, along with “Color Change in Grand Teton,” “Day and Night in Grand Teton” and “Weather in Grand Teton.”

from Glacial lakes of Grand Teton is final installment in series of park shorts

Grand Teton Indian Arts Museum upgraded in Colter Bay renovation

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 04:28:51 -0400

New interpretive displays for the David T. Vernon Collection are part of a renovation of the Colter Bay Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park. (Yellowstone Gate/Ruffin Prevost - click to enlarge)

By Ruffin Prevost

COLTER BAY, WYO. — About three dozen items from the most extensive and significant collection of Native American artifacts in the National Park Service are on display in a newly upgraded showcase this summer as part of a renovation of the Colter Bay Visitor Center.

The David T. Vernon Collection contains more than 1,400 items, and was donated by Laurence S. Rockefeller to the Park Service for display in Grand Teton National Park. But only a fraction of the items have been displayed in the Indian Arts Museum at any one time since it was added onto the Colter Bay Visitor Center in 1972.

The David T. Vernon Collection contains more than 4,000 items, but only 35 are on display at the Colter Bay Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park.(Yellowstone Gate/Ruffin Prevost - click to enlarge)

Longstanding concerns about that building’s adequacy for safeguarding the artifacts led managers to pull most items over the last few years and send them for safekeeping in Arizona. But renovations to the visitor center and installation of new sealed, climate-controlled display cases over the winter season has meant that 35 of items can again go on display in the small museum.

“It’s really an amazing collection,” said Grand Teton spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs. “No other national park has anything close.”

Skaggs had worked previously at the visitor center, and said she often worried about the display cases, which were not sealed properly, exposing the items to potential damage from insects and rodents.

While the vast majority of items remain in storage, a select few not shown before are featured in new displays that have additional interpretive materials with a focus on tribes from across the greater Yellowstone area.

Planners from the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center in West Virginia designed and built the new interpretive exhibits, with help from the curatorial staff from the National Park Service Western Archaeology and Conservation Center in Tucson, Ariz., where most of the collection is in storage.

The renovation includes a demonstration area where Native American artists and craft workers can create and display newly created items.

Curators have worked to repatriate some items to interested tribes, Skaggs said.

The Colter Bay Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park was renovated last winter.(Yellowstone Gate/Ruffin Prevost - click to enlarge)

Grand Teton planners want to eventually reconfigure facilities at Colter Bay, creating a new visitor center to replace the current one built in 1959, which serves about 260,000 people annually. Part of the effort would revolve around creating an expanded space for items in the Vernon Collection. An initial proposal for that reconfiguration is expected later this year.

Grand Teton Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott described the latest renovation as “modest,” saying that it “buys us time in which to develop a comprehensive plan for improving facilities” at Colter Bay.

“In the meantime, the ‘facelift’ of the Colter Bay Visitor Center is both welcome and refreshing,” Scott said, “and I encourage all to come and experience the results of a project that was accomplished on time and under budget thanks to our park staff and their dedicated efforts.”

Park planners are also studying whether to display some parts of the Vernon Collection at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyo. That larger and newer facility may be better suited to house a large collection of artifacts, and is open year-round.

Regardless of what planners decide, if you want to see items from the Vernon Collection, you’ll have to come to Grand Teton National Park. Under the terms of Rockefeller’s donation of the collection, they must remain on display in the park.

If you go…

The Colter Bay Visitor Center is is 25 miles north of Moose, Wyo. on the eastern shore of Jackson Lake. It is open from late May through early October, with special programs and tours from June through September. For more information, visit the Grand Teton website or call 307-739-3594.

Contact Ruffin Prevost at 307-213-9818 or ruffin@yellowstonegate.com.

from Grand Teton Indian Arts Museum upgraded in Colter Bay renovation

Yellowstone Park logs more than 1 million visitors so far this year, numbers up 6 percent over 2011

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:23:53 -0400

Yellowstone National Park visitation is up 6 percent so far over 2011. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate file photo)

From Staff Reports

Visitation to Yellowstone National Park for June and for the first six months of 2012 is up compared to the same period last year, with the world’s first national park already logging 1 million visitors this year.

The park recorded 674,498 recreational visitors in June 2012, up over 6 percent from last 2011, and second only to the record levels reported in June 2010.

The number of recreational visitors entering Yellowstone for the first six months of the calendar year is also up compared to 2011. The park recorded 1,044,570 recreational visitors from January through June 2012, compared to 941,723 during the same period in 2011, nearly an 11-percent year-to-year increase.

July is typically the park’s peak visitation month, followed by August, June, September and May.

Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.

from Yellowstone Park logs more than 1 million visitors so far this year, numbers up 6 percent over 2011

Midway Bluff in Yellowstone Park offers sweeping views of Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser Crater

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 13:26:07 -0400

A hike up Midway Bluff in Yellowstone Park yields unforgettable views of the Midway Geyser Basin. (Dennis and Lisa Schappell - click to enlarge)

By Dennis and Lisa Schappell

A hike up to Midway Bluff in Yellowstone National Park requires finding this well-hidden gem of a trail, which is strenuous, but well worth the effort, offering a view you’ll never forget!

Midway Bluff in Yellowstone (on the right side of the road, below the parking area) affords sweeping views of the Midway Geyser Basin. (Google Maps - click to enlarge)

Across from Midway Geyser Basin, just south of the Midway geyser basin parking lot and on the east side of the Grand Loop Road, is an easy-to-miss pull-off where we parked and headed up the trail to Midway Bluff. (Because this “social trail” is not officially maintained by the National Park Service, it isn’t marked.)

If you take your time, have good hiking footwear and pause frequently, you will be rewarded at the top of this trail with a spectacular view of the entire Midway Geyser Basin. Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser Crater will be visible in all their colorful glory! And you’ll get a view of them that few visitors ever get to see first-hand.

When you are walking along the boardwalk, you lose the colors of these amazing thermal features in the mist and steam. And being so close to them, you can’t fully take in the depth and range of their vibrant colors. But on a clear day, the view from Midway Bluff will take your breath away.

If you’re worried about a tough, uphill hike, just remember to take it slow. The hike is not that long — you can often see your car from the top. My 70-year-old father navigated this climb. But we did not hurry, and we were all blown away by the view. Please don’t miss this experience if you are up to the challenge, and take your camera. It is unforgettable!

Dennis and Lisa are diehard Yellowstone fans from Pennsylvania.

from Midway Bluff in Yellowstone Park offers sweeping views of Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser Crater