February 21-24 , 2005, Yellowstone N.P.

Thought I would get a bit of touring in while the family skied the lifts at Big sky. The greater Yellowstone area is suffering from a snow drought as ours. Snow pack on the Plataue is 30-60% of normal,however for this week I was skiing on a pleasent 6-12 inch layer of fresh over old wind/sun crust. Temps were pleasent with lows of 0-10 and highs near 30. Used Hwy 191 as access up to the Gallatin Sp? river head waters. followed old tracks and layed some fresh as I skied 6-8 kilometers up river. Clear blue skys and not another skier or sound made for a short pleasent solo tour.
         
Had a pleasent family tour up around the Upper Geyser Basin near "old Faithful" not nearly as much snow with some bare spots due to low snow pack and thermal activity. Skied around many thermal areas and observed Behive Geyser, the 2nd highest geyser spout out billowing impressive amounts of steam and water into the cold blue air  Dare say I have never encountered Bison as a hazard but on this day several wanted to claim first "rights" to the track and we allowed their claim to hold... Take note that frozen Bison dung makes fine tossing objects to keep children amused and moving on flat ski trails ;D  
 Our driver/guide to our private snowcoach was a avid backcountry skier and shared a number of routes and trips with us. Though a low snow year the moderate temps and clear weather has allowed a number of cross park traverses and pleasent tours for folks venturing in to the park this year. I was pleasently surpised as to the lack of other people and with the new 4-stroke, guided only snowmobile rules You could get a couple hundred yards off the road and not be impacted by the few groups that did go by .   All in all a great family ski area with surpisingly few folks and all the wonderful things Yellowstone is known for.