Winter Wildlife and Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Montana

Join Sierra Club trip leader Rob White and a field guide from Yellowstone Wolf Tracker for this unique opportunity to see the world’s first national park (and now International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage site) in all its winter glory. Yellowstone National Park’s 2.2 million acres offer exceptional scenery, steaming geothermal features, diverse wildlife and plant communities, and great skiing. Each day we’ll ski the trails and backcountry, accompanied by a field guide, who will share their knowledge about the history, geology, wildlife biology and winter ecology of Yellowstone. In the evenings, we’ll retire to our cozy lodge, eat delicious meals, enjoy any available NPS evening programs, and share the company of our fellow skiers.

The landscape of Yellowstone today reflects its dynamic, volcanic past. Three gigantic eruptions occurred in the last two million years, the most recent of which formed a huge volcanic caldera (28 by 47 miles) in the heart of the park. The forces behind those eruptions still power Yellowstone’s famous geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. In fact, the park has more than 10,000 geothermal features (including Old Faithful) -- more than any other place in the world. Of these volcanic treasures, Sierra Club founder John Muir wrote in 1885:

"The park is full of exciting wonders. The wildest geysers in the world, in bright, triumphant bands, are dancing and singing in it amid thousands of boiling springs... and hot-paint pots, mud springs, mud volcanoes, mush and broth caldrons."

Yellowstone also offers abundant wildlife, which are easier to spot in winter when large mammals congregate in thermal areas and catch basins in search of food. The greater Yellowstone ecosystem contains North America’s largest herds of elk and free-roaming bison. A herd of 43,000-plus animals remains in the park, a tiny portion of the over 60 million animals that once populated this continent’s grasslands. Yellowstone is also the home of a population of gray wolves -- imported from Canada in a successful reintroduction program -- along with deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and other mammals.

The greater Yellowstone location at the convergence of the Great Plains, Great Basin, and Plateau Indian cultures means that many tribes have a traditional connection to the land and its resources. For thousands of years before Yellowstone became a national park, it was a place where native people hunted, fished, gathered plants, quarried obsidian, and utilized the thermal waters for religious and medicinal purposes. More specifically, we will be skiing on lands lived on by the Kiowa, Blackfeet, Cayuse, Coeur d’Alene, Shoshone, Nez Perce and other tribes that potentially used the park for its abundant resources. In addition, the Crow occupied the area generally east of the park, the Umatilla occupied the area to the north and the Bannock and other tribes of the plateaus to the west traversed the park annually to hunt on the plains to the east. Today, 27 tribes have ties to the area and natural resources now found within Yellowstone National Park.

Day 1: Arrive at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport no later than 12:30 p.m. Our van/bus departs for the Absaroka Hotel in Gardner, MT at approximately 1:30 p.m. On our two-hour drive to the park, we will stop for wildlife viewing if the opportunity presents itself. After arriving at the lodge, we will check in, enjoy a delicious dinner, and then have a welcome orientation/evening planning meeting.

Day 2: After a hearty breakfast, we will depart for a trip to the Lamar Valley where wolves and wildlife abound. Known as the Serengeti of North America, the Lamar Valley is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. After our wildlife outing, we will then ski the Baronette Trail (3.5 miles), a thickly wooded, deep-snowed wonderland. Field topics will include crosscountry ski tips, mammals, and winter ecology. The evening will be yours to enjoy a good book or to take advantage of any available evening activities nearby.

Day 3: After breakfast, we will travel by snow coach (4.5 hours) to West Yellowstone, stopping along the way to enjoy the Indian Creek warming hut and ski the Indian Creek (2.2 miles) or Bighorn trail (5.5 miles) loop. If the weather is good, we should have outstanding views of the Gallatin Range, Gardners Hole, and the surrounding country. Following our ski outing, we will check into the Grey Wolf Inn where we will stay while we are skiing the crosscountry ski trails around the Old Faithful area.

Day 4: We will travel by snow coach to the Old Faithful area enjoying views of geysers and hot springs found in Fountain Flats. From there we will make our way to the Firehole River trailhead to ski the Fairy Falls/Imperial Geyser trail (7 miles). After dinner, your evening is free for exploring West Yellowstone.

Day 5: Today, we’ll ski the Delacy Creek Trail to Shoshone Lake via a snow coach drop-off (8 miles). After dinner, we’ll spend the evening relaxing around the lodge, enjoying the Inn’s amenities with a beverage and/or book of your choice.

Day 6: After breakfast and a snow coach drop-off, we will have a couple of different options for the group to consider to ski the Spring Creek Trail to Lone Star Geyser (5-8 miles). Following the day’s outing, we will spend our last night at the Grey Wolf Inn enjoying a delicious dinner and dessert, included in the trip price. 

Day 7: We’ll travel by snow coach (4.5 hours) back to Gardner, MT, stopping along the way to visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and ski from Inspiration Point to the Upper Yellowstone Falls (4.5 miles). If time permits, we may also be able to ski to Crystal Falls along Cascade Creek (2 miles), a perfect ending to a great week of skiing. After arrival in Gardner, we will check-in, we will tell stories around the dinner table, and get reacquainted with the Absaroka Lodge, our home for the last night of the trip.

Day 8: After an early breakfast, we will return any rented ski equipment and then depart for the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport at 8:15 am. Expect to arrive in Bozeman around 10:30 a.m.

Note: Daily routes can be adjusted to reflect snow conditions, weather, and ski skill levels of the participants. There may be options to break up the group into slow/fast or beginner/advanced groups some days, depending on individual abilities. Ski itineraries are subject to change, depending on skiing abilities, interest, snow, and weather conditions.

Getting There

Trip participants will be picked up at the airport in Bozeman, MT and shuttled to Yellowstone National Park at the start of the trip. Trip participants will be shuttled back to the airport in Bozeman, MT at the conclusion of the trip. Shuttle services will also be provided throughout the trip. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The trip includes seven nights’ lodging, all breakfasts and lunches, and one dinner. We’ll stay two nights at the Absaroka Lodge and four nights at the Grey Wolf Inn.

All transportation is provided on the trip:  van pickup from the airport in Bozeman, Montana; travel by snow coach from Mammoth to West Yellowstone and back; shuttle snow coach rides to various ski destinations; and a final van drop-off at the Bozeman airport at trip's end.

Standard arrangements are for double-occupancy rooms for all participants. Private rooms are also available, but numbers are limited, so reserve yours early. The cost for a private room upgrade for the duration of the trip is $800. Indicate your preference for private rooms to the leader and he will inform you of options and payment details.

Trip Difficulty

A minimum skiing ability of advanced beginner to intermediate is suggested. Skiers should be able to ski rolling terrain and control speed and direction with a basic snow plow. Most of the terrain we’ll cover is not steep, but good balance and a familiarity with varied snow and trail conditions are necessary. Participants should be in good physical shape. Participants may also take non-ski rest days on their own at the lodge.

Equipment and Clothing

Rental crosscountry ski equipment (including boots) is available at Yellowstone National Park. Equipment & clothing needs include:

• Day pack
• Small piece of closed cell foam to sit on snow
• Water bottle
• Sunglasses and/or goggles
• Sunscreen/lip protector
• Camera
• Binoculars
• Pocket hand & foot warmers
• Insulating underwear
• Midweight insulating layer -- wool or fleece
• Waterproof & windproof outer layer -- jacket & pants
• Down or fiberfill jacket
• Pants -- wool or fleece
• Hat
• Gloves
• Neck gaiter
• Socks
• Gaiters
• Insulated boots
• Camp shoes

References

Websites:

• Yellowstone National Park: http://www.nps.gov/yell/
• Yellowstone Association: http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/

Conservation

Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem are facing several conservation issues today. As in so many wild areas, the clash between wilderness preservation and human use is evident in many ways:

• Migration of bison out of the park on roads used by snowmobiles and other vehicles. They are often shot once they leave the park because they carry brucellosis, a bacterial disease of concern to the cattle industry.
• Reintroduction of the gray wolf to the park, which sparked vocal opposition from local interests.
• Introduction of exotic trout species in Yellowstone Lake.
• The impact of human visitation (over 3 million people per year, 20,000 per summer day) on wildlife, thermal features, and other natural resources.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.