Winter 2013 Yellowstone Association Institute catalog by Yellowstone Association

E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R A M S

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PROGRAM types and activity levels Whether you are coming to Yellowstone for the first time with friends or family, or this is your umpteenth trip and you want to pursue a special interest, we have a program for you. Our programs fall into three categories—Lodging and Learning, Private Tours, and Field Seminars—all defined here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Lodging Options................................. 3 Lodging and Learning.......................... 4 Private Tours....................................... 5 Field Seminars................................6-10 Instructor Profiles............................... 11 Lodging and Learning

packages include lodging and most meals, plus daily field trips, in-park transportation, and optional evening programs. Register any time. Call 866-439-7375. See page 4.

Private Tours

let you choose daily outings to best fit your family or small group’s itinerary, activity level, and interests. Register any time. Call 406-848-2400. See page 5.

Field Seminars

examine specific aspects of the park through a mix of fun field trips and classroom presentations. Registration for members begins June 20th, 2012, at 8 a.m. mountain time; general registration begins one week later. Call 406-848-2400. See page 6.

HOW DOES ALL THIS WORK? • Preview our winter offerings on the following pages. • Visit our website for detailed program information, including lodging options, schedules, required clothing and equipment, and our payment and cancellation policy. • Call us, or visit our website to register. • Soon after you enroll, you’ll receive a confirmation packet from us. Please be sure to thoroughly read it as soon as you receive it and return any requested information. We want you to be prepared so you can have the time of your life. Flexibility is a virtue in this winter wonderland where snow and temperature can change arrival and departure times. Guides may choose different trails or destinations depending on snow conditions. In the rare event of extreme cold weather, program activities may be modified or cancelled to protect your safety. In the winter, you must come through the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, because all interior park roads are closed to cars.

HOW FIT DO YOU NEED TO BE?

To rate the difficulty of each course, we consider distance, pace, elevation gain, and terrain. Many courses involve skiing or snowshoeing. Their difficulty will vary based on your skill and experience on skis or snowshoes, the current snow conditions, and the parameters addressed below. For more detailed information about each program, please refer to the details on our website or call us at 406-848-2400.

Activity Level Scale Leisurely hikes up to 1 mile per day through relatively flat terrain on maintained or snow-packed trails. Hikes on snow-packed trails, or snowshoe or ski trips, up to 3 miles per day with climbs up to 250 feet. Brisk hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing of up to 5 miles per day with climbs up to 500 feet, including some trail-breaking in snow. Brisk aerobic snowshoeing or skiing of up to 8 miles per day with climbs up to 1000 feet, or steep, rugged, off-trail skiing or snowshoeing including breaking trail in variable snow conditions. Brisk aerobic snowshoeing or skiing of up to 12 miles per day with climbs up to 1500 feet, or steep, rugged, off-trail skiing or snowshoeing including breaking trail in variable snow conditions.

Printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper with soy-based ink. Cover Photos: Karen Withrow, Brad Orsted

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

lodging options Exclusively for Institute students: When you learn with us, you can stay with us! Many of our Field Seminars use the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch as a base of operations. If your Field Seminar takes place at the Buffalo Ranch, you can stay there and enjoy the pristine wilderness setting. If your Field Seminar takes place in Gardiner, lodging may be available at the Yellowstone Overlook Kendeda Field Campus bordering Yellowstone National Park. Inquire when you register. If you are taking a Private Tour, stay at our Yellowstone Overlook Kendeda Field Campus and save 25 percent on your Private Tour tuition. It’s easy to book your lodging when you sign up for your course. “The quality of the cabins and the bath house were amazing! Hot water and tiled floors—like a nice hotel…in Lamar Valley.”

Photo: Sandra Nykerk

Lamar Buffalo Ranch Field Campus Far from other development, this facility in Yellowstone’s northeast corner offers comfortable lodging in a historic wilderness setting. You’ll enjoy a log cabin with a propane heater, a bathhouse with private showers, and a common building with a fully equipped kitchen where you prepare your own meals. Shared cabins are $30 per person per night. If space is available, you may rent your own private cabin for $75 per night for 1–2 people, or $90 per night for 3 people. You may also rent a sleeping bag and pillow for $20.

Yellowstone Overlook Kendeda Field CampuSs Perfect for families and small groups, the Yellowstone Overlook Kendeda Field Campus features comfortable cabins on 80 acres, aweinspiring views, and easy access to the northern section of the park. Cabins have self-serve kitchens for preparing meals and open floor plans that are perfect for group dining and evening activities. Enjoy our educational learning libraries. Groups that need a formal classroom setting can arrange to use the classrooms at our headquarters just down the hill in Gardiner.

Winter Cabin Rates: Electric Peak Cabin: $300 per night for up to 12 people

“The Yellowstone Overlook accommodations are spacious, bright, and new. The staff is terrific and the experiences are phenomenal. Thank you.”

Davis Cabin: $300 per night for up to 12 people Bunsen Peak Cabin: $150 per night for up to 5 people Rates effective through March 31, 2013

Photo: Scott Morrison

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Karen Withrow

Photo: Jim Peaco

Photo: NPS

lodging and learning programs Lodging and Learning programs combine just the right amount of education and recreation. You’ll be based at park hotels and taught by our naturalist guides, who are intimately familiar with Yellowstone. Packages are offered in partnership with Xanterra Parks & Resorts®, and include daily field trips, lodging, most meals, in-park transportation, and optional evening programs. This is our vacation package that covers almost everything and provides fun and discovery, too. Minimum age is 12 unless noted. Rates are double/single occupancy and don’t include taxes or utility fees. WINTER IN WO NDERL AND

W I N T E R WO L F D I S C OV E RY

Y E L LOWS TO N E ON SKIS

5-day program offered December 24, 31, January 7, 14, 21, 28, February 2, 4, 11, 16, 18, 25 4 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and 2 nights at Old Faithful Snow Lodge $1,387/$1,726

3-day program offered December 23, January 6, 20, February 3, 12, 17 4 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel $705/$887

5-day program offered January 12, 26, February 2, 9, 23 3 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, 3 nights at Old Faithful Snow Lodge $1,555/$1,930 Ski rental is not included in rates.

Watch wildlife, snowshoe, and ski in a variety of winter habitats, including the Lamar Valley, Old Faithful, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. d

W INTER WILD L I F E E X P EDITION 3-day program offered December 30, January 13, 27, February 10, 24, 26 4 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel $665/$847

Observe and learn about Yellowstone’s pronghorn, bighorn sheep, bison, elk, wolves, and other wildlife along Yellowstone’s northern range, which you can access by vehicle and on foot even in winter. d

Search for wolves and snowshoe in their environment. Learn the wolf world with the guidance of experts, who share their knowledge about ecology and management of wolves. d

O L D FA I T H F U L WINTER EXPEDITION

Ski amid grand views of the Gallatin Range, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and the Old Faithful area. Enjoy quiet, secluded trails and opportunities to watch wildlife along the way. d

3-day program offered December 20, 26, January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27 2 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, 2 nights at Old Faithful Snow Lodge $1,075/$1,325

Travel by snowcoach from Mammoth to Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. See Yellowstone Lake and other winter gems. Enjoy walks and snowshoeing around the world-famous geyser area. d

“My family had a fantastic experience and our instructor was very knowledgeable and friendly and accommodating.”

Photo: Karen Withrow

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Photo: Diane Simpson

Photo: Dody Sheremta

private tours Private Tours offer daily options to best fit your itinerary and interests. Combine days for a longer stay. We’ll make sure everything, including optional snowshoeing, hiking, or skiing, matches your activity level. Your Institute naturalist guide will introduce you to Yellowstone, provide advice to make the most of your visit, and lead you into the wonders of the park. Tuition includes instruction, transportation for the day, snacks, and use of high-power spotting scopes and binoculars. We’ll also help your children work on their Junior Ranger badges. Meals and lodging are not included. Instructors will pick you up at your hotel. Better yet, stay with us at our Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus and save 25 percent on your tuition. WO LVES IN WIN T E R Start: 7 or 8 a.m. at Gardiner, Mammoth, or Lamar

Immerse yourself in the world of wolves. Learn about their historic reintroduction, their effect on park ecology, their behavior, and challenges with their management. You’ll be in the field with an Institute naturalist guide who knows where and when to look for wolves. Includes a short hike, snowshoe, or ski excursion if you choose. d

WILDLIFE WATC H I N G O N T H E NORTHERN RANGE

Y E L LOWS TO N E BY S K I O R S N OWS H O E

Start: 7 or 8 a.m. at Gardiner, Mammoth, or Lamar

Start: 8 a.m. at Gardiner, Mammoth, or Lamar

Discover the diverse and abundant wildlife of Yellowstone’s northern range. Learn how to search for wildlife and interpret their behavior. You’ll also explore the vital role each species plays in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Includes a short hike, snowshoe, or ski excursion if you choose. d

Enjoy all-day cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in Yellowstone’s winter wilderness. We will be both active participants and quiet observers while learning about wildlife, history, ecology, and geology on carefully chosen trails. d

TOUR LENGTH: Approximately 8 hours per day.

Daily tuition rates: 1–5 participants $495 6–13 participants $650 14–26 participants $1,300 Rates effective through March 31, 2013.

“After a day on our own we realized even more strongly how important it was to have someone who knew the history and the facts about what we were seeing. ”

Photo: Red Lodge Hiking Club

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Karen Withrow

Photo: Glen Cope

Photo: Sandy Shapiro

Field seminars Field Seminars examine specific aspects of the park ecosystem through just the right combination of fun field excursions and classroom presentations. Our seminar leaders are experts in their fields and include professors, naturalists, National Park Service staff, and acclaimed photographers, writers, historians, and artists. Courses are based either at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch Field Campus in the park’s northeast corner or at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus in Gardiner, Montana. Minimum age is 18 unless otherwise noted. For classes with a minimum age of 18, children ages 16 and older are welcome if accompanied by an adult. #1101

W I L DERNESS F I R S T RESPOND E R R E C ER TIFIC ATIO N Start: November 2 at 9 a.m. End: November 4 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Wilderness Medicine Institute staff Limit: 24 • $280

Are your wilderness medicine skills a bit rusty? Review and practice evacuation and decision-making guidelines in this scenario-based course. You’ll also receive current updates in the wilderness medicine field. Upon successful completion, you will be recertified in Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT (wilderness portion only) for the following organizations: WMI, NOLS, SOLO, OPEPA, WMA, and WPT. CPR is included. Current Wilderness First Responder Certification required. d

NEW! C O N S TA N T C O N F L I C T : W H AT WO LV E S C A N S H OW U S #1102

Start: November 5 at 9 a.m. End: November 6 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Kira Quimby Limit: 13 • $200

Wolves fight constantly over territory, mates, and food. They fight among themselves and they attack other packs. Why? Find out in this class that focuses solely on wolf pack territoriality. You’ll learn about the history of aggression from studies of mammals all over the world. Find out how this behavior evolved and how it affects populations. Bring your warmest clothes because you will be watching wolves through spotting scopes and observing their behavior. As you watch, consider what wolves can tell us about other group-living territorial mammals— like ourselves. d

#1103

WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER Start: November 6 at 8 a.m. End: November 16 at 5 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructor: Wilderness Medicine Institute staff Limit: 24 • $675

Required by many outdoor employers and recommended for all outdoor enthusiasts, this course teaches you through classroom sessions and field exercises to prevent and respond to incidents in the backcountry. Upon successful completion of this 80-hour course, you will receive certifications in Wilderness First Responder and American Heart Association CPR. No previous certification is required. Shared lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

#1104

WRITING THE WILD Start: November 10 at 7 p.m. End: November 12 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Gary Ferguson Limit: 13 • $225

Steeped in the dramatic sights and sounds of Yellowstone in late autumn, this two-and-a-half day workshop is dedicated to helping you master the personal creative nonfiction essay. Using a blend of classroombased lectures and exercises, you will improve your basic writing skills and also gain insight into key elements of storytelling. Classroom time will be broken by easy treks into the magnificent Yellowstone landscape. Bring warm clothes and appropriate footwear for snow-packed trails. d

NEW! WATC H I N G W I L Dl I F E W I T H A SCIENTIST’S EYE #1105

Start: November 16 at 9 a.m. End: November 20 at 5 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Brad Bulin, M.S. Limit: 13 • $530

The fall season is the perfect time of the year to be a scientist in Yellowstone. You’ll be gathering information as you observe wolves, bison, and other animals with a trained wildlife biologist. Learn how to determine age and sex from a distance, identify behaviors, and examine more closely how and what the animals are eating. You’ll also find out what technology, like GIS, can tell us about biology and talk with scientists about their work. Like any seasoned wildlife scientist, you are likely to be up early and out late watching animals and gaining experience in basic wildlife research. d

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Diane Simpson

F I E L D

#1201

L AM A R VA LLEY WOL F WEEK Start: December 3 at 5:45 p.m. End: December 7 at 9 a.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: Institute staff Limit: 19 • $620 Minimum age: 12

Immerse yourself in the wolf ’s winter world. Each day after breakfast, grab a sack lunch and head out for early morning road trips to look for wolves. Learn about their habitat, behavior, history, and management. After the morning wolf action winds down, stretch your legs on guided snowshoe excursions. Enjoy afternoons on your own. Dinner each evening is followed by a presentation or listening for wolf howls under the stars. d This special week includes catered meals that begin with dinner the first evening and end with breakfast on the last day.

NEW! T H E WAYS OF W I N TER #1202

Start: December 9 at 9 a.m. End: December 11 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Robin Patten, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $300

Explore the many aspects of winter in Yellowstone, a season that can be magical or harsh depending on the day. On snowshoe forays, delve into the reality of winter that accompanies the season’s aesthetic beauty. Through science, literature, art, and history discover how winter physically shapes the landscape even as it evokes myth and stories. Our discussions, journaling, and excursions into the season itself will open up new ways to discover the ways of winter and perhaps expand your thinking about this important time of the year. d

Photo: Karen Withrow

Photo: Bill Mahoney

S E M I N A R S

#1203

NEW! SA F E T R AV E L I N AVA L A N C H E C O U N T RY

#1205

NEW! S K I I N G BY T H E LIGHT OF THE FULL MOON

#101 NEW! S N OWS H O E I N G C A N YO N A N D T H E NORTHERN RANGE

Start: December 14 at 8 a.m. End: December 16 at 5 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: American Avalanche Institute staff Limit: 12 • $375

Start: December 28 at 6 p.m. End: December 30 at 12 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructor: Julianne Baker, M.A. Limit: 13 • $200

Start: January 4 at 7 p.m. End: January 6 at 4 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructor: Julianne Baker, M.A. Limit: 11 • $405

Skiing by the full moon opens a new window into Yellowstone. Friday night, as you glide across the rolling hills north of the park, you’ll see what moonlight reveals about climate and geology. Saturday night’s ski takes you through the thick mists of Mammoth Hot Springs. During the day, you can enjoy wildlife watching in the Lamar Valley and skiing to Tower Fall. Conclude the weekend learning about Yellowstone’s volcanic geology as you soak in waters fed by runoff from hydrothermal features. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

Enjoy wildlife encounters in Lamar Valley and awe-inspiring views of the Upper and Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as you snowshoe Yellowstone’s diverse winterscapes. Along the way, look for signs of wildlife, learn about the park’s geology, and talk about its human history. Trail conditions will vary, so you’ll likely experience snowshoeing in soft snow, deep snow, and hardpacked snow. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

Winter’s beauty can lure us into feeling safe even in avalanche conditions. Be smart and safe by understanding these conditions and what causes them. In class, you’ll learn about the behavior of snow and what makes a recipe for an avalanche. Field sessions give you time to practice testing snowpack stability and evaluating terrain for possible avalanche danger. You’ll practice navigating in and around avalanche terrain, using an avalanche transceiver, and organizing an avalanche rescue. Avalanches happen—now you’ll be prepared. This course is taught to the American Avalanche Association guidelines and is recognized by the AMGA. Students receive a completion certificate from AAI. d #1204 NEW! SEARCHING FOR THE ELUSIVE LYNX AND WOLVERINE Start: December 15 at 9 a.m. End: December 16 at 5 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructor: James Halfpenny, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $200

Hidden in the shadows, lynx and wolverine hold our imaginations. In this class, you’ll learn about their biology, ecology, and management issues surrounding them. Discuss why scientists are searching ever harder for information about these elusive animals. You’ll practice field tracking techniques just in case your winter adventures cross their paths. And you’ll make plaster casts of lynx and wolverine prints to take home, using casts from Dr. Halfpenny’s collection. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

#102 #1206

NEW YEAR’S WILDLIFE WATC H I N G Start: December 28 at 7 p.m. End: December 31 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: George Bumann, M.S. Limit: 13 • $325

Close the old year and start the new one at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, where wildlife can be spotted right outside your front door. Bring your friends to enjoy daily outings to look for wolves, bison, elk, and bighorn sheep. Engage in lively discussions about these animals and other valley inhabitants. Class ends early on New Year’s Eve, but all are welcome to stay and ring in the New Year here in the heart of winter. d

D I G I TA L WO R K F LOW A N D P H OTO G R A P H Y Start: January 6 at 9 a.m. End: January 10 at 5 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Cindy Goeddel Limit: 13 • $500

Explore Yellowstone’s winter landscapes and wildlife while taking your intermediate or advanced photography skills to the next level. In the field, you’ll practice advanced composition and digital techniques to create the best digital negative. Indoors, you’ll learn to optimize images and put metadata, key words, and custom templates to work. This class requires specific equipment: digital SLR camera capable of capturing in RAW, laptop computer with at least 4 GB RAM, current version of Adobe Lightroom, and an external hard drive. d

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Karen Withrow

F I E L D

by the light of the moon Flashlight beams and soft solarpowered lamps cast glows on the path as we do the snow shuffle from cabin to bunkhouse. We speak softly, as if loud voices could crack the spell. A touch on the arm, a finger to the lips, and we turn up our faces to snow sifting from the sky. Around the bus, murmurs gather with the class—Have you got your extra hat? Where are my gloves? Hot chocolate? Energy bar? The bus sparks to life and carries us away for another winter adventure. Upon our return, the bus clock shows afternoon time but darkness drops fast. This early dark encourages cozy evenings at the bunkhouse, learning more, sharing stories, relaxing with a cup of tea. One by one we shuffle away through the falling snow that almost—but not quite—muffles distant howls.

S E M I N A R S

#103

THE LIVIN G HIS TORY OF YELLOWS TON E ’ S WOLVES Start: January 11 at 7 p.m. End: January 13 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Nathan Varley, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $225

Spend three days with a biologist who has studied Yellowstone’s wolves since their reintroduction in 1995. You’ll visit places important to their history in the park. Learn about wolf behavior through stories of famous individuals, never-before-seen pack behavior, and other incredible stories amassed since their return. You’ll also discuss what we’ve learned about wolf ecology and management. The Lamar Valley is the only place in the world where such a class can be taught— don’t miss this opportunity. d

NEW! YO GA A N D SK I W E E K E N D R E T R E AT #104

Start: January 18 at 7 p.m. End: January 20 at 1 p.m. Location: Overlook Field Campus Instructors: Julianne Baker, M.A. and Amanda Stover, M.A., R.Y. T. Limit: 13 • $240

Photo: Karen Withrow

Photo: Red Lodge Hiking Club

Skiing and yoga pair up for this winter exploration. Begin each day with a gentle yoga session, suitable for all levels of ability. Gain a deeper awareness of your body and develop higher levels of focus, strength, flexibility and endurance. On Saturday, glide along a groomed ski trail to a spectacular waterfall seldom seen by visitors. Find out why it’s now so isolated and how it formed. Later, learn about the winter lives of wildlife as you look for them in the Lamar Valley. On Sunday, walk to a hot spring along the Gardner River, where you’ll soak in waters fed by runoff from hydrothermal features. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

NEW! S N OW F U N #105

Start: January 19 at 9 a.m. End: January 21 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: James Halfpenny, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $300

Do you know snow? Discover its many types and interesting properties during this class. Examine snow crystals close-up and learn snow’s many names. Using the tools of a snow scientist, you can explore how snow behaves and how it affects animals. Find out how scientists measure mountain snowpack and decipher its clues about the coming summer season. And if you really want to immerse yourself in snow, you can learn to build a snow shelter. d #106 NEW! P H OTO G R A P H I N G WINTER SUN , snow, and stars Start: January 31 at 9 a.m. End: February 3 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: Terry Donnelly and Tom Kirkendall Limit: 19 • $480

Bring your camera and tripod to capture the moods of deep winter in Yellowstone. Learn techniques for photographing snow, ice, wildlife, and the larger winter landscape. After dark, experiment with photographing stars and night landscapes using available light and flash. Class sessions focus on digital techniques that develop drama and beauty in your images. Be sure to add a flash unit and laptop to your gear—along with clothes to keep you warm during the outdoor sessions. d

#201

T H E WO LV E S O F Y E L LOWS TO N E Start: February 9 at 9 a.m. End: February 11 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: George Bumann, M.S. Limit: 13 • $300

This course will satisfy even the biggest appetite for wolf knowledge and experience. You’ll begin with a comprehensive overview of wolf evolution, behavior, communication, and predation. Then you’ll learn about Yellowstone wolf restoration, how well the wolves are doing, and how they relate to prey species, scavengers, and other animals. In addition to some class time, you’ll spend plenty of time in the field observing wolves and prey on the winter landscape, visiting the carcass of an animal killed by wolves, and exploring wolf habitat. d #202

SILENCE AND SOLITUDE: WINTER P H OTO G R A P H Y I N Y E L LOWS TO N E Start: February 13 at 9 a.m. End: February 15 at 5 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Tom Murphy Limit: 13 • $300

Spend three days surrounded by the quiet, stunning beauty of Yellowstone’s winter while learning photography techniques and philosophy from a pro who has photographed here for years. You’ll focus on landscape composition, ethics, wildlife behavior, and the technical challenge of photographing in a winter environment. Bring your digital or film camera. This course is ideal for beginning to intermediate photographers. If you use a digital camera, you’ll have the option to work with your images on the computer during the evenings. d

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Brad Orsted

Photo: Karen Withrow

F I E L D #203

THRE E D O G DAY

S N OW T R AC K I N G

Start: February 16 at 9 a.m. End: February 18 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: James Halfpenny, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $305

Start: February 19 at 9 a.m. End: February 21 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: James Halfpenny, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $320

Here in Yellowstone we may sometimes hear an old song by Three Dog Night or think about that coldnight myth. But we really get excited about a three dog day—when we’ve seen a red fox, coyote, and wolf. This class is your chance to experience your own triple canine day. As you look for these three “dogs,” you’ll be learning their ecology, behavior, and genetics. No biology class was ever this much fun. d

The white page of snow records stories written by the animals. Learn to decipher these stories from an expert tracker in prime wildlife habitat: Yellowstone’s northern range. You’ll learn classic tracking techniques, such as measuring gaits and distinguishing species, and specialized techniques for reading tracks in the snow. You’ll also learn the tricks of casting tracks in snow and how to deal with melted out footprints. d

Start: February 16 at 7 p.m. End: February 18 at 1 p.m. Location: Overlook Field Campus Instructors: Julianne Baker, M.A. and Amanda Stover, M.A., R.Y. T. Limit: 13 • $240

Skiing and yoga pair up for this winter exploration. Begin each day with a gentle yoga session, suitable for all levels of ability. Gain a deeper awareness of your body and develop higher levels of focus, strength, flexibility and endurance. On Saturday, glide along a groomed ski trail to a spectacular waterfall seldom seen by visitors. Find out why it’s now so isolated and how it formed. Later, learn about the winter lives of wildlife as you look for them in the Lamar Valley. On Sunday, walk to a hot spring along the Gardner River, where you’ll soak in waters fed by runoff from hydrothermal features and learn about volcanic geology. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

Photo: Karen Withrow

S E M I N A R S

#205

#204 NEW ! YO GA AND SKI W E E KEND RETR E AT

Photo: Karen Withrow

#206

WINTER WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY Start: February 22 at 9 a.m. End: February 25 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Meg Sommers Limit: 13 • $415

Calling all beginning and intermediate photographers! Here is your chance to photograph Yellowstone’s wildlife in winter. You will spend most of your time outdoors, finding and photographing many different types of winter inhabitants. You’ll also practice photographic fundamentals, techniques, and the ethics of wildlife photography. In class sessions, you’ll focus on composition, lighting, equipment, and computer skills. So pack your digital camera and sturdy tripod and head for the adventure that is winter in Yellowstone.d

#207

C OYOT E A N D R AV E N : FAC T S A N D FO L K LO R E Start: February 26 at 7 p.m. End: February 28 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Jim Garry, M.S. Limit: 13 • $240

Coyotes and ravens are two of the most common animals in the Lamar Valley. So common they seem like the chorus backing up the stars— bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Find out the truth about these background players as you watch them patrol the valley. Observe how they obtain food from others. Notice them playing. Learn about their mundane but vital roles in Yellowstone’s ecosystem. And hear about their star status as tricksters and creative beings of the American West. d

#302 NEW! A C O L D LO O K AT C L I M AT E C H A N G E Start: March 2 at 9 a.m. End: March 3 at 4 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructor: James Halfpenny, Ph.D. Limit: 13 • $200

Join Dr. Halfpenny, who contributed to a decades-long record of atmospheric gases, to find out how climate change is affecting Yellowstone. Examine temperature and precipitation records and take field trips to sites where you can see the changes. You’ll also learn why some parts of Earth will become warmer but others colder, and why some areas will have more snow and others less. Find out why Arctic regions are being affected so strongly and how this impacts Yellowstone—and you. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

#301

Y E L LOWS TO N E ’ S WINTER SERENGETI Start: March 1 at 9 a.m. End: March 3 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Jim Garry, M.S. Limit: 13 • $300

Indulge yourself with a winter safari to the Serengeti of North America, the Lamar Valley, where snow serves as a dramatic background for bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, fox, wolf, coyote, and river otter. Learn from the animals themselves what it means to survive Yellowstone’s winter. Find out about their winter behaviors and adaptations, how they interact with other species, and about basic winter ecology. d

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L A M A R VA L L E Y WO L F W E E K Start: March 4 at 5:45 p.m. End: March 8 at 9 a.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: Institute staff Limit: 19 • $620 Minimum age: 12

Immerse yourself in the wolf ’s world. Each day after breakfast, grab a sack lunch and head out for early morning road trips to look for wolves. Learn about their habitat, behavior, history, and management. After the morning wolf action winds down, stretch your legs on guided snowshoe excursions. Enjoy afternoons on your own. Dinner each evening is followed by a presentation or listening for wolf howls under the stars. d This special week includes catered meals that begin with dinner the first evening and end with breakfast on the last day.

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

Photo: Leo Leckie

Photo: Dody Sheremeta

F I E L D

Drive, ski, or snowshoe Winter excursions in Yellowstone are like none other on the planet. The road is open across the northern range, where snow is lower than the high peaks and wildlife congregate. You have plenty of places to pull over and look for elk resting on a distant ridge. Count the bison from Mammoth to Lamar. Brake for a coyote crossing to the other side. Stop near bridges to look for otters, dippers, and ducks. Search cliffs for bighorns. Park and listen—the yips of a coyote or the caws of a raven might point you to a recent wolf kill, where you may see eagles, foxes, and maybe even wolves. Step into skis or snowshoes, and you have even more opportunities to see winter wildlife. Read the stories of small animals written in the snow. Catch a glimpse of an owl or a pine marten. Stop, listen, and wait. Winter wildlife surrounds you on Yellowstone’s northern range.

NEW! CER TIFIED INTERPRETIVE TRAINER WORKSHOP Start: March 5 at 8 a.m. End: March 9 at 4:30 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructors: National Association for Interpretation staff Limit: 24 • $700 ($625 for NAI members)

Attention professional interpreters! If you have four or more years’ experience, come to Yellowstone and become a Certified Interpretive Trainer (CIT) through the National Association of Interpretation (NAI). You’ll receive training in the Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) curriculum plus learn to train and evaluate other interpreters—and have them evaluate you. Once you are a CIT, you can certify other interpretive guides. Shared lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. Please register for this class through NAI at www.interpnet.com. d

YELLOWS TON E ’ S N OR THERN FO R E S T Start: March 9 at 9 a.m. End: March 11 at 4 p.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructor: Dan Hartman Limit: 13 • $300

Strap on your snowshoes and head into the forest of northern Yellowstone. Find out why this high, cold forest is so much like the boreal forest much farther north. Learn about the trees here, and the animals that live among them. You might see some of them, such as the pine marten, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse, and boreal owl. On an evening field trip, you’ll listen for their sounds and other voices of Yellowstone’s forest in winter. d Photo: Karen Withrow

Photo: Diane Simpson

S E M I N A R S

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Photo: Karen Withrow

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L A M A R VA L L E Y WO L F W E E K Start: March 12 at 5:45 p.m. End: March 16 at 9 a.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: Institute staff Limit: 19 • $620 Minimum age: 12

Drape your binoculars around your neck and head out to the late-winter world of Yellowstone’s birds. You’ll visit a variety of habitats looking for birds who spend the winter here, early migrants passing through, and the earliest returning summer residents. During the evening, enjoy armchair birding as we view images and discuss the finer points of bird identification, ecology, and natural history. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

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LAMAR VALLEY WOLF WEEK Start: March 17 at 5:45 p.m. End: March 21 at 9 a.m. Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Instructors: Institute staff Limit: 19 • $620 Minimum age: 12

N AT U R A L I S T G U I D E C E R T I F I C AT E P RO G R A M Start: April 7 at 7 p.m. End: April 26 at 5 p.m. Location: Gardiner, Montana Instructors: Julianne Baker, M.A., and Danielle Chalfant Limit: 13 • $1,300

In this professional-level course, you will gain the skills of a naturalist and the experience for sharing that knowledge. Learn to understand and interpret the wildlife, geology, plants, and climate of a landscape. You will also learn interpretive principles, safety and group management, group communication and facilitation— skills essential for effective interpretive programs and tours. During the course you can become a Certified Interpretive Guide (National Association for Interpretation), Leave No Trace Trainer (Leave No Trace, Inc.), and earn four undergraduate credits through the University of Montana Western. Lodging is available at the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. d

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

instructor profiles AMERICAN AVALANCHE INSTITUTE trains recreationists, ski guides, ski patrollers, and avalanche forecasters in avalanche science, awareness, and evaluation, and in travel techniques in avalanche terrain. Its curriculum is built on a foundation of snow science and practice that students can apply in the field. JULIANNE BAKER, M.A., settled here after a career teaching

environmental science. She was the first resident instructor for the Yellowstone Association Institute. A National Outdoor Leadership School graduate, she has earned certificates from the Wilderness Medicine Institute, National Association for Interpretation, Professional Ski Instructors of America, and Leave No Trace.

SHAUNA BARON is a biologist who has studied large and small carnivores.

She worked with the Colorado-based Mission Wolf captive wolf program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Red Wolf Project, and as a volunteer for the Yellowstone Wolf Project. Shauna is a resident instructor for the Yellowstone Association Institute.

BRAD BULIN, M.S., is a wildlife biologist who has taught science at the K–12 and college levels and conducted extensive field research on carnivores, raptors, amphibians, and plants. He is a professional wildlife cinematographer who spends considerable time capturing Yellowstone on camera.

DAN HARTMAN lives on the northeast border of Yellowstone

National Park, where he operates his gallery, Wildlife Along the Rockies, in Silver Gate. He specializes in photographing rare or elusive wildlife in their natural habitat. His photographs have been widely published in magazines such as National Wildlife and National Geographic.

TOM KIRKENDALL has been exploring the outdoors all of his life and working as a professional photographer for half that time. Travels have taken him around the world, and his landscape work has been widely published in calendars, magazines, and books. He uses everything from an 8x10 view camera to a plastic Holga, and keeps a darkroom to process and print his work. TOM MURPHY owns Wilderness Photography Expeditions and conducts natural history photography seminars in Yellowstone National Park. Tom’s work has been published in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Outside, National Geographic, and most of the major magazines that deal with natural history. Tom has published several books, including the series, The Seasons of Yellowstone. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR INTERPRETATION

GEORGE BUMANN, M.S., can draw, sculpt, and teach about all aspects

(NAI) inspires leadership and excellence in the profession of interpretation through its workshops, training, and media. NAI’s growing network of members includes volunteers, interpreters, naturalists, historians, rangers, tour operators, program directors, and institutions.

DANIELLE CHALFANT grew up within the borders of Yellowstone and has

ROBIN PATTEN, PH.D., has been walking the backcountry of Greater Yellowstone from an early age, fostering her curiosity about the land and our relationship with it. She earned an M.S. in environmental writing and literature from the University of Montana and a Ph.D. in ecology from Colorado State University.

of Yellowstone. He has a degree in wildlife ecology and works as a professional artist and educator. His art and writing have appeared in popular and scientific publications, and his sculptures can be found in collections throughout the country. extensive experience in the park. She has worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone as an interpretive ranger, backcountry trail crew leader, and Yellowstone Center for Resources intern.

TERRY DONNELLY brings over 30 years’ experience to his teaching. His images are notable for their fusion of strong subject matter with revealing light. Terry’s photography is featured in books, magazines, and calendars, and fine art prints of his photographs are in private and corporate collections across the country. KATY DUFFY, M.S., identifies raptors on the wing and songbirds by sound. She is a licensed bird bander specializing in owls, hawks, and songbirds, and holds an ecology degree from Rutgers University. Now a Yellowstone park ranger, she has lived and worked in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for three decades. GARY FERGUSON has written nineteen books on nature and science. Hawks Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone was the first nonfiction book to win both the Pacific Northwest Booksellers and Mountains and Plains Booksellers awards. Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone, coauthored with wolf project director Douglas Smith, was a Montana Book of the Year. JIM GARRY, M.S., weaves natural history, human history, folklore, and

myth into spellbinding stories. A naturalist and folklorist, he has spent most of the past four decades in the Yellowstone ecosystem. His books include The Weapons of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, This Ol’ Drought Ain’t Broke Us Yet and The First Liar Never Has a Chance.

CINDY GOEDDEL is a professional photographer and naturalist in

Bozeman, Montana, whose photographs have been published widely, won international awards, and are in academic and private collections. She leads photography tours in the park for aspiring and professional photographers, and as an Adobe Lightroom Certified Expert, she provides the ultimate in digital asset management and workflow training.

JAMES HALFPENNY, PH.D., travels the world teaching about bears,

wolves, and animal tracking. He produces educational books, computer programs, and videos. He coordinated the Long-Term Ecological and Alpine Research programs at the University of Colorado. His recent books are Yellowstone Wolves In the Wild and Yellowstone Bears In the Wild.

KIRA QUIMBY became fascinated with the ever-changing pack dynamics of Yellowstone’s wolves while helping the Druid Pack coexist with the many humans who line the roadsides to see them. She is completing her graduate work on aggressive inter-pack interactions through Dr. L. David Mech at the University of Minnesota and continuing her work with the Yellowstone Wolf Project. MEG SOMMERS shares the beauty and grace of Yellowstone through her award-winning photographs. She visits the park and its environs in all seasons, photographing landscapes, wildlife, and wild flowers. She is also an enthusiastic naturalist, and brings her considerable knowledge of the area to the photo tours she leads. AMANDA STOVER, M.A., R.Y.T., teaches dance, yoga and Pilates in the communities of Gardiner and Yellowstone National Park. As a student, performer, and teacher of classical dance she welcomes the noncompetitive nature of yoga and embraces the benefits that a regular yoga practice provides for any age or ability. She has been a certified instructor for over a decade. NATHAN VARLEY, PH.D., is a natural and cultural historian specializing in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where he has lived most of his life. He has studied many of Yellowstone’s large mammals. For his doctorate, he studied the effects of wolf restoration on the park’s northern range elk herd. WILDERNESS MEDICINE INSTITUTE, an institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), has been a leader in wilderness medicine education since 1976. WMI provides all levels of wilderness medicine training for state and federal agencies, colleges, and outdoor programs throughout the West.

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.

P.O. Box 117 Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

We are proud to announce that we have provided nearly $30 million in cash and in-kind support for educational programs and projects in Yellowstone, thanks to people like you.

Two Ways You Can Help Yellowstone Join Us! Become a Yellowstone Association Member

For as little as $35 annually for a family membership, you’ll join almost 35,000 individuals who also love America’s first national park. Membership benefits include quarterly educational publications, discounts on Institute courses, retail discounts in locations throughout the park, and much more!

Buy Books and Gear From the Park Store

Our Park Stores are located throughout Yellowstone and on our website. They feature more than 900 books, maps, and videos to help you plan your visit. You’ll also find a wide selection of shirts, hats, and other gear you can use in the field or at home to remind you of your time in Yellowstone.

Proceeds from memberships and purchases are donated to the National Park Service to support research and education in Yellowstone, including visitor publications and state-of-the-art exhibits.

Some of the projects funded include: • Visitor center, trail-side, and road-side educational exhibits: $1,467,319 • Web videos and podcasts: $183,760 • Printed materials for park visitors: $152,021

Yellowstone Today

Official Newspaper of Yellows

tone National Park

Spring 2011

National Park U.S. Department of the Service Interior

11 issue 1 • 20 volume 19 •

NPS/Peaco

In This Issue MAP & ROAD INFORMA TION . .Back Cover Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... .2 Regulations . . . . . . . . . ...................... .3 Planning Your Visit . . ...................... .4 Enjoying Yellowstone ...................... .5 Camping, Fishing, Hiking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7 Hot Wonders . . . . . . . . ...................... .8 New Old Faithful Visitor Education Center . .9 Park Challenges: Climate Change, Lake Trout, Winter Use, Bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Greening Yellowstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Grand Teton National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14–15, Back Cover

Yellowstone Bison

and Movement Carrying Capacity Conservation is Risk and Wildlife Balancing Brucellos lation Numbers Popu Historical Wolf

Spring: The “Secret” Season

Spring in Yellowstone is a feast for your senses. Young animals are being birds are returning or passing through in their born, timeless migration, frogs the ponds, avalanche lilies are blooming through call in these and other sights the snow. Listen and look for special to this time of year.

How to Watch Wildlif e Safely

u Park in a turnout and make sure your car is completely off the road. u Put your vehicle into park and engage your parking brake. u Stay near your vehicle so you can retreat if the animal approaches. u Do not stand in the road. u Never surround, crowd, approach, or follow wildlife. u Never come between mothers and their young. u Don’t block an animal’s line of travel. u Do not run or move suddenly—this may cause animals to attack. u If other people in the area are putting you in park ranger. danger, leave the scene and notify a u Do not ever feed wildlife, including birds.

more than

SPEED KILLS

100 deer, moose, bears, elk,

bison, & wolves

SLOW DOWN

each year

Park Information: 307-344-7

NPS/Peaco

and save a life

Help Protect Wildlife Near Roads u Always expect animals to be on or near the road. u Follow the speed limit (maximum 45 mph unless otherwise posted). u Increase caution at night

381 (TDD: 307-344-2386) •

and during wet or wintry

conditions.

Emergency—Dial 911 • Road updates: 307-344-2 117

Photo: Steve Hinch

w w w.wYe l ows n e AtsosnoecA i astsioocni .aot ri o gn•. o4r0 wlw. Ye ltloows g6•- 844086- 2- 8400 48-2 400

V isit our websit e at www.Yellows t oneAssociation.or g or call 406-8 48-2 400.