Snow woes in Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park opened its gates for the winter season today, but at some entrances, snowmobiles were again stopped from going in.

Unlike last year, when a last-minute legal decision limited snowmobile numbers for much of the season, this year's restriction is due to the lack of snow.

The area did get two big snowstorms earlier this month, but warm weather has melted all but about 6 inches to 12 inches of snow at the west entrance in West Yellowstone, Mont.

" We are opening, but the snow is minimal in some areas," including the north entrance, spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews said.

Until those areas get more snow, the public will be able to access the park only by foot, on skis or in commercial snow coaches, some of which took off their snow tracks to put wheels back on.

Snowmobiles will be allowed to enter the park from the south and east entrances, which have between 18 and 30 inches of snow.

Private vehicles are not allowed in the park during the winter season, and all visitors, whether in snow coaches or on snowmobiles, must be accompanied by a licensed park guide.

" It's unusual. We usually have plenty of snow to open," said Jerry Johnson, who owns Backcountry Adventure Snowmobile Rentals in West Yellowstone. "But at least it's because of Mother Nature -- we're used to that."

Uncertainty about last year's changes to winter-use rules was blamed for a large drop in snowmobile visitors last year -- which averaged 258 per day in Yellowstone, about a third of the previous average.

To avoid the possibility of another last-minute change, the numbers of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Parkway were fixed for three years by language added to the 2004 Omnibus spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month.

A total of 720 snowmobiles will be allowed in Yellowstone each day: a maximum of 400 through the west entrance, 220 through the south entrance, 40 through the east entrance, 30 through the north entrance and 30 at a time at Old Faithful. All must meet exhaust and noise limits set by the National Park Service.

" The bill does bring some certainty to it this year," Matthews said.

Last year's three rule changes gave rise to a rumor that Yellowstone was no longer open in the winter, said the director of the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce.

To counter that, West Yellowstone businesses spent the summer advertising that Yellowstone would still open.

Randy Roberson, who owns three motels and a snow coach and snowmobile rental business in West Yellowstone, said he's adjusting his business plan to fit the park's rules, which last year began requiring all snowmobile tours to be guided.

Roberson used to rent snowmobiles for unguided tours into the park, but that business was cut off last year when he was not given one of the nine permits for guiding tours. His snowmobile rental business still offers tours and snowmobile rentals for use on trails in the national forest outside the park, which he says have become more popular since the Park Service began requiring all snowmobiles to be guided.

Roberson's new business plan puts more emphasis on snow coaches, he said, because his Buffalo Bus Touring Company is one of four private businesses with a permit to operate snow coaches from Yellowstone's West Entrance. To prepare for this year's season, he bought four luxury snow coaches to add to the one he already had.

" We're seeing a lot more interest in snow coaches now," Roberson said. "Our snow coach reservations are looking very good."

About half of his customers are now choosing to see Yellowstone in a snow coach, compared to only 10 percent in past years, he said. That's partly because they cost half as much as a snowmobile rental and partly because it's easier to request a stop and have input on the tour.

"Even if you are a hard-core snowmobiler, to get in a guided line and drive 35 miles per hour and not have control is not as attractive," Roberson said.

Energy and Environment reporter Kathleen O'Neil can be reached at 542-6763.