Machines in the Parks: Snowmobiles in Yellowstone
Fireside Talk: Machines in the Parks: Snowmobiles in Yellowstone
November 26, 2012
J. William T. Youngs
In the History of the American National Parks we have seen many examples of debates over the proper place of machines in the wilderness. This is especially true of automobiles, which were at first banned in the parks, then encouraged as a way to get tourists into the wilderness and create a larger constituency for the parks.
Partly it was a debate about whether cars should be allowed at all, and then there were debates about the types of vehicles that would be allowed in the parks and the types of roads on which they would travel. The following are just a few of the many examples we have encountered:
• Stephen Mather wanted to expand the road systems in the parks during the 1920s to promote tourism. But at the same time he wanted to build roads that respected the scenic landscapes in the parks. The “Going to the Sun” highway in Glacier is a classic example of his approach.
• Horace Albright proposed building a gondola ride across the Grand Canyon from the North to the South Rims. Mather nixed the idea.
• Robert Sterling Yard broke with Stephen Mather over highways, arguing that Mather went too far in advocating highways down the crest of the Smokies and Shenendoah. Feeling that the park service was not doing enough to preserve wilderness, he and others founded the Wilderness Society in 1935.
Often compromises were worked out between those wanting to block motorized access to the wilderness and those wanting to expand such access, for example:
• A paved road leads into McKinley National Park, but access by private car halts abruptly many miles from the peak. Tourists can then board more environmentally-friendly busses to approach Mount Denali, but even these buses stop far short of the mountain itself. (As we have learned, Adolph Murie played a key roll in thwarting greater access by automobile.)
• I experienced a “compromise” situation in Acadia National Park during the fall of 2011. I was able to camp in November for three weeks at Acadia’s Blackwoods Campground. But if my rig had been a couple of feet longer I would not have been allowed to spend the night. (The limit is 35 feet, and with my trailer I’m pushing that.)
November 26, 2012
J. William T. Youngs
In the History of the American National Parks we have seen many examples of debates over the proper place of machines in the wilderness. This is especially true of automobiles, which were at first banned in the parks, then encouraged as a way to get tourists into the wilderness and create a larger constituency for the parks.
Partly it was a debate about whether cars should be allowed at all, and then there were debates about the types of vehicles that would be allowed in the parks and the types of roads on which they would travel. The following are just a few of the many examples we have encountered:
• Stephen Mather wanted to expand the road systems in the parks during the 1920s to promote tourism. But at the same time he wanted to build roads that respected the scenic landscapes in the parks. The “Going to the Sun” highway in Glacier is a classic example of his approach.
• Horace Albright proposed building a gondola ride across the Grand Canyon from the North to the South Rims. Mather nixed the idea.
• Robert Sterling Yard broke with Stephen Mather over highways, arguing that Mather went too far in advocating highways down the crest of the Smokies and Shenendoah. Feeling that the park service was not doing enough to preserve wilderness, he and others founded the Wilderness Society in 1935.
Often compromises were worked out between those wanting to block motorized access to the wilderness and those wanting to expand such access, for example:
• A paved road leads into McKinley National Park, but access by private car halts abruptly many miles from the peak. Tourists can then board more environmentally-friendly busses to approach Mount Denali, but even these buses stop far short of the mountain itself. (As we have learned, Adolph Murie played a key roll in thwarting greater access by automobile.)
• I experienced a “compromise” situation in Acadia National Park during the fall of 2011. I was able to camp in November for three weeks at Acadia’s Blackwoods Campground. But if my rig had been a couple of feet longer I would not have been allowed to spend the night. (The limit is 35 feet, and with my trailer I’m pushing that.)
Now, one of the most noted permutations of the machine in the wilderness debate has been raging for years in Yellowstone National Park over the use of snowmobiles. Here is a recent article on the debate, published online at KBZK.com in Bozeman, Montana – author is Chet Layman, and publication date is November 26, 2012:
“Final Plan in the Works for Snowmobile Use in Yellowstone National Park”
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - For nearly 10 years, the rules governing winter access to Yellowstone National Park have been a work in progress. Groups wanting to eliminate all winter traffic have battled businesses that once thrived on unlimited park access. Park service officials have been stuck in the middle.
As winter approaches, a final plan is being prepared for managing winter use for the future of Yellowstone Park.
Once upon a time, anyone with a snowmobile could visit Yellowstone. In those days snowmobiles were noisy and left clouds of pollution in their wakes.
Clyde Seeley owns the Three Bears in West Yellowstone.
"Then when the restrictions came in that cut some of these businesses out so that they close up in the winter, but the thing that saved winter access, I believe in the park, was the four-stroke snowmobile. We were on the driving forces to help that happen," he said.
Snow coaches are heading in that same direction. However access is controlled; 318 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches per day is the cap. Randy Roberson runs both in Yellowstone.
"As far as the caps are concerned that has not been a problem, but the uncertainty has been one of the dynamics of our business models over the last eight years. Not only wondering about the inter use plan but things are changing," he said.
Geographically speaking, Yellowstone National Park is halfway between the tropics and the tundra. When it come to a winter use plan that balances the needs of the resources of Yellowstone National Park with the needs of the business community in the surrounding areas, you might say Yellowstone is stuck in the middle of that too.
"Balancing our role of protecting what is special about Yellowstone and providing visitors a chance to experience that special nature in this special place colors everything we do in Yellowstone. But we really are looking for a way to share what is special about Yellowstone in the winter and protect this place," according to Yellowstone's Al Nash.
Yellowstone will soon finalize a plan for winter use. Those on the outside hope to see an increase in numbers allowed and they know there's only one way to get that increase.
Seeley says the answer is technology.
"The ray of hope we have of increasing visitation in the park is improving technology."
Nash agrees, but says technology has to improve greatly over what we have today.
"We would expect that this is a plan that would last a dozen years or more before we'd revisit it. You know, we'd have to have some significant technological changes from the current or short term expectations to warrant re-opening this debate," Nash said.
December 15 is considered the start of the winter season for Yellowstone. Yellowstone will release its final regulations before next season.
See the article and a good brief video on the debate at this address:
http://www.kbzk.com/news/final-plan-in-the-works-for-snowmobile-use-in-yellowstone-national-park/#!prettyPhoto/0/
“Final Plan in the Works for Snowmobile Use in Yellowstone National Park”
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - For nearly 10 years, the rules governing winter access to Yellowstone National Park have been a work in progress. Groups wanting to eliminate all winter traffic have battled businesses that once thrived on unlimited park access. Park service officials have been stuck in the middle.
As winter approaches, a final plan is being prepared for managing winter use for the future of Yellowstone Park.
Once upon a time, anyone with a snowmobile could visit Yellowstone. In those days snowmobiles were noisy and left clouds of pollution in their wakes.
Clyde Seeley owns the Three Bears in West Yellowstone.
"Then when the restrictions came in that cut some of these businesses out so that they close up in the winter, but the thing that saved winter access, I believe in the park, was the four-stroke snowmobile. We were on the driving forces to help that happen," he said.
Snow coaches are heading in that same direction. However access is controlled; 318 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches per day is the cap. Randy Roberson runs both in Yellowstone.
"As far as the caps are concerned that has not been a problem, but the uncertainty has been one of the dynamics of our business models over the last eight years. Not only wondering about the inter use plan but things are changing," he said.
Geographically speaking, Yellowstone National Park is halfway between the tropics and the tundra. When it come to a winter use plan that balances the needs of the resources of Yellowstone National Park with the needs of the business community in the surrounding areas, you might say Yellowstone is stuck in the middle of that too.
"Balancing our role of protecting what is special about Yellowstone and providing visitors a chance to experience that special nature in this special place colors everything we do in Yellowstone. But we really are looking for a way to share what is special about Yellowstone in the winter and protect this place," according to Yellowstone's Al Nash.
Yellowstone will soon finalize a plan for winter use. Those on the outside hope to see an increase in numbers allowed and they know there's only one way to get that increase.
Seeley says the answer is technology.
"The ray of hope we have of increasing visitation in the park is improving technology."
Nash agrees, but says technology has to improve greatly over what we have today.
"We would expect that this is a plan that would last a dozen years or more before we'd revisit it. You know, we'd have to have some significant technological changes from the current or short term expectations to warrant re-opening this debate," Nash said.
December 15 is considered the start of the winter season for Yellowstone. Yellowstone will release its final regulations before next season.
See the article and a good brief video on the debate at this address:
http://www.kbzk.com/news/final-plan-in-the-works-for-snowmobile-use-in-yellowstone-national-park/#!prettyPhoto/0/
