Comments on: Yellowstone Snowmobile Plan Melts Away

Judge Throws Out Plan To Allow 500 Snowmobiles A Day Into Park, Citing Pollution And Wildlife

[yelstne]

Yes it''s true! How many times have you been there lmartink? Have you tried the snowcoaches...they are a little louder....or how about the summer..hmmm really hard to hear over all the diesels, motorcycles. Guess we should close all the parks because of all the pollution and noise! LOL

[lindatc-2009]

I have had the great pleasure of traveling through Yellowstone in the winter on a snowmobile. I cannot believe some "Judge" is having an issue. Who is buying him off? Perhaps the conservation groups. We who love Yellowstone in the winter (as well as the summer) can honestly say that there really is no type of impact on the animals. Most of the animals do not stay there in the winter. Also, I have to laugh that all of a sudden all of the animals are just hanging around the roadways. Be Serious! Why not read the real reports that show the truth!Just for your info - snowmobiles are not allowed nor do they leave the designated pathways - animals alway have the right of way and are totally treated with respect. As for the the fat slob comment, you must have been referring to yourself - go have another twinkie! It would be a very sad day if this law would take effect. I am looking forward to seeing God''s country this winter.

[yelstne]

Unless you have been here in winter and are as passionate as me and many other snowmobile guides, please come see what it is about first before you are so critical of something that is one of the most incredible experiences....a once maybe in a lifetime to experience in the winter of Yellowstone. Winter is our favorite, to experience the peace and quiet, the wildlife and understand what they go thru in winter foraging for food, and the respect we give them and the park. I have had many tours with only 10 sleds are we aloud to 1 guide at a time, we shut down the 4 cycle sleds everytime we stop, to take photo''s or hear a guide tell of the history or wildlife we are viewing. The tours only go from usually 9am to 5pm. We come across animals of the road or on the road we go 5-8mph as a single file group without stopping to take photo''s or disturbing mostly just bison, for you know that MOST of the wildlife are either hibernating or they have migrated out of the park in the winter! If anyone has any serious questions in regards to winter in Yellowstone please let me help you understand what really happens!

[yelstne]

I also am very much an avid hiker in summer..ohhh and by the way cross country ski as well! Can you say EPOKE 900! and also a set of Black Diamond Tele skii''s with SKINS! but of course, that would mean that I am getting to much into the backcountry with those and disturbing the wildlife! I have also helped out the cross country skiers with a snowmobile tour one day that were in need of help. We gave them rides back to Old Faithful and they said "these aren''t as bad as I thought, Thank You!

[tflodeen]

To the person who wroe this comment
"When people go into the wilds of the parks on snowmobiles,they interupt the natural order of things. Summer visitors are generally on the roads and trails dedicated for viewing the park. Snowmobils go where the animals live, keep them all out of the parks!
Posted by lovesamerica at 04:30 PM : Sep 15, 2008

I am sorry, but I have snowmobiled in Yellowstone NP and a lot of the animals who are there in the summer are not there in the winter months. Snowmobilers have to stay on the same main roadways that vehicles drive on in the summer months, those are the only roads that are groomed by the park. Yes, I know there are a few people who ride snowmobiles that don''t follow the rules--they are the ones who ruin for the rest of us who do. I still think that everyone should be allowed to enjoy our National Parks as long as they respect the land and the rules.

[tflodeen]

To the person who wrote this comment. "Most snowmobiles are just fat slobs too fat to get off their fat butts to walk and enjoy our natural areas as God made them.
Posted by masterballs2 at 06:04 PM : Sep 15, 2008

Sorry to tell you but not all snowmobilers are are fat slobs and are too fat to get off their fat butts to walk and enjoy nature. Also, not all snowmobilers leave trash everywhere. This comment is like saying all environmentalits are affraid of having any kind of fun and are trying to ruin what others actually do enjoy. Some of those people who snowmobile are hadicapped. Are you saying they should ge off their fat, lazy ***** and start hiking around in the woods. See, that''s just wrong.

I am a wildland firefighter and I snowmobile. I also hike my butt off in the summer months putting out quite a few human caused forest fires. Which by the way cause more descruction of nature than any one snowmobilers could ever do. So I take offence to people like you who have to stereo type others in such a rude and disrespectful way. So next time you want to point a finger at a specific group of people because they actually enjoy something you don''t, maybe you should point it at your self.

[yelstne]

Again most of you are speaking about your areas and not Yellowstone!!! I am not a fat slob, very thin model figure and your not aloud to drink in the National Parks while operating vehicles..especially snowmobiles while being guided thru Yellowstone. We are only aloud on roads that the animals travel for 100''s of years along with people and have become acustom........even the reports have proven that! Before any of you speak....like the GYC, be correctly informed/educated first. I wouldn''t speak on any matters that I have no idea about, like I used too before I lived out here in Yellowstone Country for 20 years and thought living in the city, I was informed by my conservation groups and was lied to, so they can collect your money! There is a healthy balance people, we can live and enjoy nature with a balance! Not all one way or another!

[lovesamerica]

When people go into the wilds of the parks on snowmobiles,they interupt the natural order of things. Summer visitors are generally on the roads and trails dedicated for viewing the park. Snowmobils go where the animals live, keep them all out of the parks!

[thevicar1]

It is absolutely CRITICAL that we stay away from these beautiful parts of the world, so that they can be preserved for FUTURE generations to stay away from!!!

[yelstne]

Well as a guide in Yellowstone National Park, WY summer and winter for aprox. 14 years would love to tell everyone that the conservation groups along with the press is leading you the wrong way! The reports are done by friends of mine in the National Park and the results haven''t been shown to be towards the negative at all(ie... pollution, noise, bothering the wildlife). I would also like to know if Sullivan or Wlderness Society has
even been here in winter? I know that GYC hasn''t been, for I have attended meetings that they claim to have knowledge of what goes on in the park, but hasn''t been in to experience a snowmobile trip. This is just their first step in trying to close down the National Parks in winter then they will try to regulate summer, and let''s not forget the forest service of which they have already been limiting with atv''s, mountain biking, horseback riding. When does it end? Who will care about the parks if they are closed and no one can enjoy them? For the Benefit and Enjoyment of all people!

[ahrats]

What about the rest of the year? is park service going to limit how many people visit the park in the RV''s, SUV''s or cars? Don''t they pollute the air also and create noise? I''m sure those that snowmobile through the park do it according to park regulations. Yes I agree there should be a limit but how often does one get to see this area in winter. What if the snowmobiles were electric or used natural gas in stead of gasoline? This seams to be one of the only area this present adminstration cares to regulate.