Yellowstone Winter Questions
 

I hadn't planned on going to Yellowstone this winter. However, it appears that this will most likely be the last year for snowmobiling in the park. Am I right on this?

So this has me thinking of going this year. Any particular month best. Febuary? Do I want to stay at Snow Lodge or Mammoth. I think I would prefer Snow Lodge. I would like to see winter wildlife and canyon area. Staying at both locations seems logical. I think I would add an extra night to their package. Is it possible to walk around the geysers near OF in the winter or do you snowshoe or what? Anybody have any experience with Yellowstone in the winter, I would appreciate any comments.

I have been to Yellowstone a few times, but only in the winter. I can't help with lodging as we stayed in W. Yellowstone. We did walk around OF and that area and were just fine without snowshoes. We took a snocoach tour once and that was very interesting. I didn't know what to expect, but we both really enjoyed it. We have been in January, February and April and enjoyed it all.

Hope this doesn't show up as a double post. I thought I had posted last night but it apparently didn't go through. Anyway...

My husband and I spent 9 days in Yellowstone in February 2009 and loved it. Wished we had planned a longer trip. We flew into Bozeman, rented an all-wheel-drive Subaru and drove to Mammoth. We split our time between Mammoth and the Snow Lodge, leaving the car parked at Mammoth for the Snow Lodge part of the trip. We wanted the car for several reasons, even though it would parked for several days in the middle of trip. But having it while we were at Mammoth meant we could drive the northern road any time we wanted to and stop wherever we wanted for as long or short a time as we liked. Worked out well for us, but a car certainly isn't necessary.

We did a lot of walking around, both in the Mammoth and Old Faithful areas. We had bought Yaktrax for our boots and found they came in quite handy on several occasions. The snow gets packed down on the boardwalks/sidewalks and forms a thin layer of ice which can be quite slippery. We found our Yaktrax gave us more stable footing than our knobby-soled boots. Not expensive and well worth the cost in our opinion. We even made it to the top of Observation Point above Old Faithful wearing them.

My husband used them when we hiked up to Tower Falls. We had rented snowshoes but he had gone only a hundred feet or so when decided that wasn't the footwear for him. He took the snowshoes back to our car, donned his Yaktrax and had no problem making the trip. By the time we got back, I was wishing I'd followed his lead instead of being so darned determined to have a "snowshoeing experience". My feet felt almost too heavy to lift.

I don't know if they've made a final decision on the snow mobile issue. But if they have, and it's to ban them, I would be willing to bet that lawsuits have already been filed. Snow mobiles are big business for concessionaires, both inside and outside the Park. We did the snow mobile day trip to Canyon and loved it. First time on one and I can see why people both love and hate them.

While at the Snow Lodge we also did the Steam, Stars and Winter Soundscapes tour. Seeing some of the geyser areas at night gave us a different experience which we enjoyed. Even the snowcoach trips between Mammoth and Old Faithful are little mini-tours. They make several brief stops between the two and we saw some beautiful things on those trips.

We love Yellowstone. Having seen it in mid-summer and in winter, we now want to make the trip in May/June and September/October. But I think winter will always be our favorite and we intend to make another winter trip one day. Maybe it's because I'm a Florida native and snow is a novelty for me but Yellowstone in winter is a magical place. Enjoy.

<b>Any particular month best. Febuary?</b>

Hesitant to reply since I haven't actually BEEN there in winter (though I did work in Y-stone two summers while in college), but when we were researching a winter photo trip there we were advised by a professional photographer friend to go in March instead of earlier because there's more daylight and snows are deepest. (We didn't go once my wife got a look at the likely minimum temperatures).

Floridafran,
I searched and read your trip report yesterday. I will only have time for 5 days, but I think that will give me a taste of it anyway. One problem is that they only offer the "wolf package"(the one that includes the snowmobile package) is they only offer it starting on a Monday or a Thursday. Plus, if you start at Mammoth then you are only at Old Faithful for a couple of hours. I really think I need a half to full day there. Starting at Flagg you lose half a day coming and going because of the timing of the snowcoach.

Bill,
I hadn't thought about having longer days, March might be the best option. I don't understand why they don't leave everything open until after Mid-March(our spring break). My wife teaches and my daughter is in HS. I might go with a buddy of mine, but I think this is something my daughter would really like to see. I keep thinking about those negative teen temps and then try to factor in riding a snowmobile in it. Maybe snowcoach would be the best anyway, but I think I would have to do a little on a snowmobile.

spirobulldog,

I was also worried about the temps for riding the snowmobile but they outfit you with gloves, boots, pants and jacket and foot warmer packets for your boots and gloves. We supplied our own "long johns", and lighter weight outer layer. We had also brought our gaiters and face masks/ski masks, socks, etc. The morning we left it was COLD and I am not cold tolerant. But I was quite comfortable. They also make a couple of stops at warming huts to give you a chance to really warm up before heading out again.

Have you looked into entering and leaving through West Yellowstone and going only to the Old Faithful area? That wouldn't work for us because we wanted to spend some time around Mammoth and couldn't make the Karstage transport schedule work out with our flight times. At that time they had a lot of runs into and out of West Yellowstone versus only one a day into and out of Mammoth.

I understand about the whole school thing. My husband recently retired from teaching and we've been enjoying the freedom of being able to travel at times other than school breaks.

I was wanting to stay in Mammoth. I would like to drive Lamar Valley once. It appears that the road between Mammoth and Bozeman usually isn't closed. Do you know if it is closed very often? West Yellowstone is still an option that I am weighing.

Hi Spiro,

I just came back from Jackson and Yellowstone. I'm sorry I didn't take time to read anything about the winter snowmobile situation.

The fact that they end the winter season in mid-March may be due to snow/road conditions at that time of year. Or, it may have something to do with the animals giving birth around then. Just my best guesses.

Spiro,

When you say you'll have 5 days, does that count the days you'll be flying in and out? I ask because unless they've changed things, the snow coach schedules between Mammoth and Old Faithful area take about 4 hours and there's only one going each way, each day. When we were there they left Mammoth at 8:00 am and got to Old Faithful around noon. The reverse trip left Old Faithful at 2pm and arrived at Mammoth at 6.

That early departure from Mammoth made it impossible for us to arrive in Bozeman, drive to Mammoth and head straight to Old Faithful. We had to overnight at Mammoth. By the time we got to Old Faithful, a day and half was gone. Coming back creates the reserve problem. You have the morning to enjoy the Old Faithful area, but by the time you get to Mammoth it's too late to drive back to Bozeman. And the 2pm departure eliminates going on a lot of the tours because they don't get back in time.

Just wanted to set you to thinking about the logistics. I think I spent as much time trying to figure out what day we'd be where so we could do the things we wanted to, as I did booking everything.

When we were there it was possible to hire a snow mobile guide by the hour. I have no idea what that would cost, or if they even still do it, but it could be an option if you don't have the time to squeeze in the all day tour. I don't know if you could get to the Canyon area and back in much less time than the regular tour took, though.

I found the people I talked with at Xanterra to be very friendly and extremely helpful. I'm sure they'd be willing to try to help you plan things so you could get in as many of the things you'd like to do in the time you have.

Yeah, a full 5 days. I think I can work it fine with starting at Mammoth. One other thing you can do is hire a snowcoach all to yourself for $1000 for 8 hours. That isn't much more than 3 snowmobiles. You set the iten. for whatever you wish.

I didn't know about hiring the snow coach. That definitely opens up some other options for you. Hope you get to make the trip and have as wonderful an experience as we did.

I really liked the snocoach ride. We did it as a group and so it wasn't very expensive and whatever route they did was very good.