Wyoming Vote Tracker

Sounds like the National Park service is starting to hear (finally) some of the rumblings of very vocal opinions coming forth from their eastern neighbors. Recently, a mediator was sent by the NPS to listen to the people of Cody on the possibility of finding some kind of middle ground. Not sure where the middle of gate closed and gate open is, but it is an encouraging gesture.

It seems that the 20 meetings went well:

About 20 Cody area leaders were interviewed last week by a facilitator hired by the Park Service to investigate possible Yellowstone winter use options.

Facilitator Carl Moore of Santa Fe, N.M., “was a good listener,” said Carol Armstrong, co-chairman of Shut Out of Yellowstone, a citizens’ group opposed to the NPS preferred alternative for winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks.

That preference includes closing Yellowstone’s East Entrance in winter months and reallocating its over-snow traffic to other entrances.

“I have some ideas, based on the interviews” Moore said Monday. “There is potential that my report could have some influence on the Record of Decision.”

While he declined to say what the ideas might be, Moore said he would release copies of his report after he hands it over to the NPS, likely late this week.

Meanwhile, Moore said he will meet with regional NPS and Yellowstone representatives Tuesday in Denver to give a verbal report on of some of his findings. […]

Armstrong said those interviewed included Mayor Roger Sedam, state legislators, chamber of commerce officials and affected businessmen from the North Fork, including Pahaska owner Bob Coe.

In addition, Armstrong said, representatives of Copperleaf Subdivision and the Nielson family, which plans to exercise its option to purchase the Sleeping Giant Ski Area and operate it as a nonprofit corporation, were interviewed by Moore.

Several years ago, the ski area thrived as families of snowmobilers boosted business, with some wives and children opting to go skiing while men toured Yellowstone on snowmobiles.

Armstrong also took the facilitator up the North Fork where they looked around Pahaska Tepee.

“He saw a big black bear,” Armstrong said, adding that Moore was impressed with the beauty of the North Fork valley.

At Pahaska, Armstrong pointed out Buffalo Bill’s legacy to the area.

“I gave him a big history lesson - I said we have a real connection to Buffalo Bill and Yellowstone,” she said. “He was thrilled to have seen the country.”

Moore also planned to conduct telephone interviews with NPS officials including Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis, park planner John Sacklin and regional NPS director Mike Snyder of Denver, Armstrong said.

Well, at least so far, it seems a personal visit is making an impact. I wonder if Regional Director Mike Snyder has traveled up here to view and hear about what the mediator saw and heard.

At any rate, Al Nash is OK with Mr. Snyder not picking the preferred alternative, as long as his choice is something that has already been examined and studied.

In further news, The Howitzer is back! Yes, that famed piece of artillery that has camped out many a year south of the Sylvan Pass summit and mitigated many an avalanche (exception: last winter) is returning to another season of mitigation:

With the long-term fate of Sylvan Pass still undecided, Yellowstone National Park officials have decided this winter to try to keep the pass clear of avalanches by using a helicopter and a 105-mm howitzer gun.

The park will rely on its experienced field crews day to day to decide the best way to control avalanches on the pass, but there’s always the possibility that it will be closed temporarily during the winter, Al Nash, a Yellowstone spokesman, said Monday.

“We have to do the best job we can in light of employee and visitor safety,” Nash said.

The best way? It’s already been shown by the NPS that that the howitzer is the best method, and should be the primary mitigation tool. Anyway, for a real revealing paragraph, continue reading:

Sylvan Pass, which is west of Yellowstone’s East Entrance near Cody, Wyo., has become a point of bitter controversy between the Park Service and Wyoming residents. […]

For years, the agency relied on a howitzer, borrowed from the military, mounted atop the pass that shot explosive shells into areas where snow accumulates on slopes and could cause an avalanche.

Concerned about the safety of the work - including sending park employees through avalanche zones to get to the gun - park officials looked at other options.

Last year, the Park Service relied exclusively on a helicopter, contracted through a Bozeman company, whose crews dropped explosives from the air to artificially trigger avalanches. The howitzer was available, if needed, as a backup.

Completely contrary to the official advisement…

The coming winter season, which in Yellowstone starts Dec. 19, will include a little of each, Nash said.

“What I hear from staff in the field is that each of these probably has strengths and weaknesses depending on the circumstances and the conditions,” Nash said.

Strength of howitzer: it doesn’t have to fly in from Bozeman, MT (further from the pass summit than Cody) to be used and has successfully kept that pass consistently open and helped maintain a zero-injury/death count due to avalanches on Sylvan Pass. Weakness: Someone might to something stupid like jump out in front of the howitzer just before it is fired.

Strength of the Bozeman helicopter: It is the secondary method for avalanche mitigation, thus it must be better than the howitzer. Weaknesses: It can’t fly in bad weather; it’s in Bozeman instead of 50 miles east in Cody.

Hey, Al Nash is right!

Technorati Tags: Carl Moore, Carol Armstrong, Mike Snyder, Al Nash, avalanche mitigation, winter use plan

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