Tag: closures

Yellowstone wolves react to first big snow; park issues advisory

Winter appears to have arrived early in Yellowstone National Park, affecting tourism and signaling a major seasonal change for wolves.

Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday cautioned tourists to postpone travel to and inside the park because of a “significant winter storm” that created hazardous driving conditions.

At the same time, researcher Taylor Rabe was afield in the park studying the Lupine Creek wolf pack.

“Yellowstone’s Northern range had its first very big snow today, and it was not kind to us,” Rabe, who conducts research for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, stated via Instagram. “Shutting down most of the park roads at one point or another this morning, the snow continues to fall. Winter is here.”

Rabe’s post shows wolves standing in the snow as if struck by the realization that a major seasonal change had just occurred.

However, viewers who click to her fourth slide will see wolf pups playing with one another as driving snow obscured the scene.

Rabe continued: “The Lupine Creek pack gave me a brief sighting in the snow flurries, providing me with the first opportunity since denning season to see some of this year’s new pups from the ground. It’s always exciting watching these little satellite packs grow each year. I’m very fond of these guys!”

The park announced temporary road closures as a winter storm warning was in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday night. It was not clear when the roads would reopen.

Prospective visitors were also reminded that most roads will close to automobile traffic Nov. 1, as usual, as the park prepares for the snowmobile and snow-coach season beginning Dec. 15.

The only roads open to automobile traffic year-round in Yellowstone, weather permitting, are between the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, and the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana.

That stretch includes Lamar Valley, one of the premier locations from which to observe wolves in the winter.

Yellowstone closes all entrances, citing ‘unprecedented’ flooding

Yellowstone National Park announced Monday that all entrances are temporarily closed because of hazardous conditions caused by extensive flooding.

Yellowstone National Park announced Monday that all entrances are temporarily closed because of hazardous conditions caused by flooding.

In a news release, the park cited “unprecedented amounts of rainfall” for causing flooding of roadways, mudslides and rockslides.

“Effective immediately, no inbound visitor traffic will be allowed into the park until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges and other facilities,” the park stated. “This includes visitors with lodging and camping reservations.”

As of Monday morning, power was out at multiple locations inside a park that spans 3,500 square miles in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Flooding is so extensive that damaged roads might take weeks or longer to reopen.

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“Preliminary assessments show multiple sections of roads throughout the park have been either washed out or covered in mud or rocks, and multiple bridges may be affected,” the park stated.

More rain is expected through midweek, and rapid snowmelt is causing rivers to swell, exacerbating the situation. The park stated that flooding on the Yellowstone River is “beyond record levels.”

“With additional rainfall forecasted, the park does not want large numbers of day-use visitors stranded in the park,” the news release explained.

The National Park Service and county authorities in Montana and Wyoming “will work with gateway communities to evaluate flooding impacts and provide support to residents.”

Those planning to visit Yellowstone in the coming weeks can click here for up-to-date road conditions.

–Images courtesy of Yellowstone National Park