YELLOWSTONE ON SKIS February 5 - 13, 2011 $1,350 Ken Kaufman, Trip Leader THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. PLEASE CONTACT LEADER TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A WAITING LIST. Yellowstone is our Nation’s oldest and most iconic National Park--scenery, wildlife, geysers, hot springs, tourists, kids, traffic, and noise. Millions of people visit the park each summer to experience its scenic splendor, geothermal wonders and spectacular wildlife. But relatively few have the opportunity to see this magnificent park during its quiet time, without the crowds, in winter. This trip will give us that opportunity. Join this exploration of Yellowstone NP in winter and see and experience the park as few people do. We will have seven days of skiing, three of which include travel by snow coach over unplowed roads. Two days will be guided skiing in the northeastern section of the park with experienced naturalist guides from the Yellowstone Association, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the park and educating its visitors through programs and publications. One day will be a charter ski tour of the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, with a guide from Xanterra, the park concessionaire. Our guides will share their knowledge of the park’s wildlife, history, ecology, geology and ecosystems as they lead us through pristine wilderness, through open meadows, past frozen waterfalls, over low summits, to backcountry lakes. The remaining days we’ll be on our own in the Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful area, with many trails to choose from. On those days we can ski loops back to the hotel and/or take shuttle snow coaches (cost not included in trip price) to drop-off or pick-up points. Winter is an ideal time to observe the park’s famous wildlife, because the animals are relatively easier to spot and less mobile. Among the animals we may see are bison, elk, big-horn sheep, mountain goats, antelope, moose, deer, coyotes and maybe even wolves. (Bears will probably be sleeping.) The best wildlife viewing opportunities will be on days 2 and 3, when we will be skiing on both groomed and ungroomed backcountry trails in the remote Lamar Valley region of the park. Our Yellowstone Association guides will know where to look and will have with them high powered spotting scopes, so we can keep our distance, in accordance with Park Service regulations. Of course, you will want to bring your binoculars, but don’t expect to get close-up photos unless you have a camera with a long telephoto lens, although it may be possible to take good photos through the spotting scopes. And, of course, the park’s unique geothermal features are even more spectacular in winter than in summer, and it is said that the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River in winter is a sight that you will never forget. This trip is rated mostly moderate with some strenuous sections, and is intended for intermediate level cross-country skiers capable of skiing eight to ten miles per day, some on ungroomed or un-broken trails or off-trail, over steep, rough terrain, with climbs up to 1,000 feet. And remember, we will be skiing at elevations of 6,000 to 8,000 feet, where the cold air is thinner than we’re used to. Sturdy skis, boots and bindings are recommended. Appropriate skis can be rented at Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful (cost not included), or, of course, you may bring your own. Lodging will be in double-occupancy rooms (2 beds in each room), with private bath. The first four nights will be at the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, near the north entrance to the park. We then travel by snow coach about 4 hours, with stops for wildlife viewing, to Old Faithful, for three nights in the rustic but modern Old Faithful Snow Lodge. We return to Mammoth for our last night. Note that Mammoth and Snow Lodge are the only two lodging facilities open in the park in the winter. Meals: There are full-service restaurants located at both Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Again, please note that only one restaurant is available at each location in the winter. The trip price includes a coupon for a full breakfast selected from the regular menu each day. Lunches and dinners are not included in the trip price, but we will each be issued a “Snow Card” good for 10% off in the restaurants, gift shops and ski shuttles. Bag lunches can be ordered in the restaurants. There is a small store at Mammoth where we can buy limited lunch fixings, but it would be a good idea to bring lunch staples from home. All of the facilities inside the park are operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts. You can check out the lodgings, restaurants and menus, ski rental rates, trails, etc. at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. It’s a complicated web site and takes some time to navigate. Travel within the park is by snow coach operated by Xanterra on Days 5, 7 and 8, and by wheeled passenger van operated by the Yellowstone Association Institute on Days 2 and 3. The snow coach is limited to 12 passengers. That’s why this trip is limited to 12, including the leader. Getting there: The nearest commercial airport is at Bozeman, MT (BZN), which is a 2 _ hour drive through spectacular scenery to Mammoth Hot Springs. When I checked in March 2010, United had a round trip fare from Syracuse, NY to Bozeman, MT of $535. Karst Stage (www.karststage.com) operates a daily bus service between Bozeman Airport and Mammoth. The roundtrip fare is about $110 (not included in trip price) if individually booked. The regularly scheduled bus leaves Bozeman Airport between 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM, depending on pre-booked passengers’ arriving flights. The scheduled bus from Mammoth to Bozeman leaves Mammoth at 8:30 AM. Our trip officially starts in the lobby of the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel at 6 PM. I could have set the start location at the Bozeman Airport and arranged for a round trip charter bus to Mammoth, at a reduced cost per person, and included the cost of the charter in the trip cost. However, it is possible that some trip participants may choose to arrive early or stay late, in which case they would not benefit from the charter, even though they had paid for it. In the event that all of our participants arrive and depart on the same day, I will arrange for the charter and we will all benefit from the cost savings and convenience of traveling together. The additional cost of the charter (about $87 each, round trip, plus gratuity) would then be added to the final payment amount for the trip. Park Entrance Fee: There is a Park Entrance Fee of $12 per person, which is not included in the trip price. The fee is collected by the bus company, at Bozeman. However, if you have a Golden Age Pass, there is no fee. So, if you are over 62, before leaving home you should buy the $10 Golden Age Pass, which is good for entrance to all National Parks and Monuments for the rest of your life. Daily Itinerary Cost :   $1,350.00 double room occupancy. (Rooms are limited and had to be reserved a year in advance and, therefore, private rooms are probably not available. Contact leader for info on single supplement.) Cancellation Policy: If registrant cancels prior to July 1, 2010, all payments received by ADK minus $85 will be refunded. After July 1, 2010, refund will only be made if the vacancy can be filled from a waiting list maintained by the leader, if any, and then all but $85.00 will be refunded. If the leader decides that this trip is not for you, or the trip is canceled by ADK, all payments received by ADK will be refunded. Trip insurance is highly recommended! Price includes: 8 nights lodging, 8 breakfasts, snow coach and van transportation on Days 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8, 3 days of private charter guided skiing, gratuities for van drivers and guides and a “Snow Card” for 10% discounts in restaurants, shops, shuttles. Not included: Airfare, transfers to and from the airport to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Park Entrance Fees, all lunches and dinners, ski shuttle fees on Days 4 & 6, ski equipment rental, room and restaurant gratuities. For more information and to register contact Ken Kaufman, 123 Jordan Street, Skaneateles, NY 13152; Phone/Fax: 315-685-7456; KaufmanPE@verizon.net Please note:  Prices and trip arrangements are subject to change due to circumstances beyond ADK's control. All registration fees are non-refundable. Details including cancellation policy will be supplied to all those requesting trip information. MEMBERSHIP IN THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB IS REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION