(Note: This is one of the leading -- if not the leading -- snowcoach operators permitted by the National Park Service to operate in Yellowstone National Park. Quick on his feet, Roberson was not long ago bemoaning the area's economic losses if snowmobiles were banned from the park. He's reinvented his business and now echoes NPS statements about snowcoaches replacing snowmobiles in Yellowstone. He now offers snowmobile owners recreation opportunities -- but only outside the park. A February 2005 article says the company has been in business 22 years, so there's a factual discrepancy. Current rules allow 720 snowmobiles per day in Yellowstone, but all must be commercially guided  http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/todo/winter/temporaryplan.htm so Roberson and other permitted operators have the motorized winter tourism market cornered in Yellowstone. Reading the various articles, NPS "information," and such "guest opinions," one is given the false perception that all tourists gullibly accept as fact the guide's version of "history" -- which may, or may now, be true. Snowmobilers are, more and more, having to locate privately owned land on which to enjoy their form of recreation. This negates the federal government's bait that federal -- "public" -- lands are meccas for tourists. Tourism -- when limited only to snowcoaches, commercial guides, the tourist busses that have taken over Grand Canyon "tourism," etc. -- has a very different face, and cost, from the adventure that families plan when they think they're going to drive through federal lands. Privately owned family vehicles are going to soon be extinct on federal lands if a lot more folks don't stand up for their right to access lands that their taxpayer dollars bought. These same taxpayer dollars are now paying for a slew of "Closed" and "Commercial Permits Only" signs and gates. Teddy Roosevelt, one thinks, surely did not mean for this to be the result of his grand plan for federal lands. The lower end of the affordability scale is being squeezed out, and none too gently, at that. Imagine John Muir hiring a snowcoach for his forays, and you'll get the picture of what's wrong with this picture. How would Muir react to this "public herding agenda," were he to be so confronted?)

December 3, 2005

By Randy Roberson, owner of Yellowstone Vacations, a family operated business now in its 24th year in West Yellowstone where snow was falling last week.

Billings Gazette

Billings, Montana

http://www.billingsgazette.com

To submit a Letter to the Editor: speakup@billingsgazette.com

It has been a number of years since a winter tour operator providing trips into Yellowstone National Park could make the following statement. So it's a pleasure that I can say this as the December 21st opening of the Park's winter season approaches:

Beyond merely hopeful, I'm confident that Yellowstone visitation this winter will be strong.

Visitors from across the country and around the world want the enjoyable, reliable and affordable access to Yellowstone that I and many others provide through tour businesses that have undergone significant changes.

Our town of West Yellowstone has been pulled in one direction, then the other, by politics and court decisions regarding the form of access used by the public to enter Yellowstone in winter. The uncertainty has been hard on everyone. But this much is now certain, and this certainty is helping to turn things around in our community:

Varied visitor attractions

A broad array of Yellowstone visitors love snowcoach tours. Increasingly, this includes wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, snowmobilers, skiers, seniors, tour groups, and families with young children.

They particularly love snowcoach access to favorite destinations in the snowbound park where they want to stroll on the geyser basin boardwalks or ski or snowshoe away from Yellowstone's main roads.

I know this because a year ago I made substantial investments in new, comfortable snowcoaches with large windows and heated interiors. Other tour operators did, too. The windows of new coaches provide passengers with expansive views of Yellowstone. Their heated interiors make it possible to travel through the park in a light sweater even on days of subzero temperatures or biting winds.

Snowcoach surge

Last winter the popularity of snowcoach access surged for the second winter in row. It's up more than 40 percent from the winter of 2002-03 and on the way to becoming the most popular means of accessing and enjoying Yellowstone in winter.

My own business used to be geared to provide snowmobile rentals both inside and outside the park. Now I provide snowmobile trips outside Yellowstone. Inside the Park, I'm focusing on providing access and tours with a fleet of yellow snowcoaches. Last year, as this part of my business began to prosper, I heard from customers how much they enjoyed learning about Yellowstone as they traveled through it. They said conversation was easy on a snowcoach. They especially enjoyed listening to guides who know Yellowstone and love to share the thrill of its wildlife, history and geology. Visitors returned from their snowcoach trips saying how much their guide's knowledge enhanced their visit and their understanding of Yellowstone. We also heard that parents on snowcoaches enjoy being able to talk easily with their kids, answer questions, point things out.

Hopefully our post-Thanksgiving snowfall is just the beginning of a good winter. But snow accumulation, and our inability to control it, is another point that makes me confident and eager for this winter season to begin. Snowcoach operators showed last winter that when Yellowstone's snowpack is light, coaches can quickly be converted from tracks and skis to wheels and continue providing access. It's nice providing reliable access, especially when so many visitors travel here from far away and book their visits weeks or months in advance.

Broader park appeal

I'm not a political person. I'm practical. And it's from this practical perspective, and as a provider of public access to Yellowstone, that I want the public to know that the pendulum has swung in a positive direction for Yellowstone National Park, the town of West Yellowstone and the visitors we depend upon.

Advance reservations for tours and motels are up in our gateway community, compared to last year. Significantly, in my own business I am seeing that many who once preferred to snowmobile are among those who are choosing and enjoying snowcoach tours. Meanwhile, snowmobiling continues to thrive outside the park and Yellowstone itself appears to be attracting a broader segment of the American public.

I didn't envision these improvements two or three years ago. But I've been pleasantly surprised. Come see for yourself the increasingly popular snowcoaches and guided tours that various businesses are providing. They're enhancing public access in a wonderland of geysers, mud pots and wildlife with no equal anywhere in the world.

Copyright 2005, Billings Gazette.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/12/03/bui ld/opinion/40-guest-op.inc

Additional researched information:

Yellowstone Vacations

(Note: The photos at the top of this website are, without exception, used with the permission of the National Park Service.

"Most of our core services are company owned (lodging, luxury snowcoach tours, snowmobile rentals, park tours, car rentals, RV park) assuring you of worry-free quality and continuity of service."

415 Yellowstone Avenue, P.O. Box 580

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758

800-426-7669 or 406-646-9564

Fax: 406-646-9353

info@yellowstonevacations.com

http://www.yellowstonevacations.com

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National Park Service Retirees Thank You Letter to Randy Roberson

December 20, 2004

Randy Roberson

415 Yellowstone Avenue, Box 580

West Yellowstone, MT 59758

Dear Mr. Roberson, 

I am writing to you on behalf of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. Our organization is comprised of over 350 men and women whose careers in the National Park Service were spent working to ensure that the nation’s heritage and character, reflected in such parks as Yellowstone, are preserved in a natural condition for the enjoyment of current and future visitors.

We want to say: Thank you!

In the past two weeks, we have seen considerable press coverage regarding your plans to provide Yellowstone National Park’s winter visitors with the highest quality in snowcoach tours. We share your belief that you are providing enhanced enjoyment for those who venture into our oldest national park in winter. 

It’s also clear that your snowcoaches represent a giant step forward in the protection of Yellowstone’s wildlife, air quality, and the quiet intrinsic to Yellowstone’s magnificence in the winter season. A series of studies established conclusively that snowcoaches are the best, motorized way to travel over snow through Yellowstone in terms of protecting the park’s fragile environment.

The visitors you introduce to Yellowstone can take pride that while they are enjoying the park on one of your snowcoach tours, they are minimizing the burden on Yellowstone’s animals. During a harsh season when additional strain can threaten wildlife survival, this is a major contribution. Your clients are also contributing to clean, healthy air and the opportunities of visitors to hear amidst a quiet landscape erupting geysers, bubbling mud pots and other subtle Yellowstone sounds. 

Many of us were senior leaders of the National Park Service. Our ranks include five former directors and deputy directors; 19 former regional directors or deputy regional directors; 38 former associate or assistant directors at the national or regional level; 53 former division chiefs at the national or regional level; and 95 former park superintendents or assistant superintendents. It was our collective privilege to witness the deep affection that the American people hold for their national parks and their strong desire to know that these treasures won't be diminished for their children or grandchildren. 

We thank you again for the significant contributions that you are making by providing winter access to Yellowstone that is helping to protect the park, its wildlife, and the enjoyment of other visitors.

Sincerely,

J. W. “Bill” Wade

Coordinator

http://www.npsretirees.org/04_1221lettertoRoberson-YELLsnomo.htm

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Yellowstone Opens Season Amid Confusion

December 18, 2003

Excerpt:

'"Randy Roberson figured he would get a permit to guide trips into Yellowstone National Park this winter, and invested $310,000 in new snowmobiles that would meet the park's new pollution requirements. But a federal judge's ruling this week essentially banned snowmobiles from the park, and Roberson is worried about his bottom line. "You spend six months getting ready to do business a certain way, and this changes everything," he said..."'

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/7519738.htm

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Yellowstone and Snowmobiles: How Do We Resolve This Standoff?

November 23, 2005

Excerpt:

“We’re soon going to be the ‘Snowcoach Capital of the World." - Randy Roberson.

http://nationalparkstraveler.typepad.com/national_parks_traveler/2005/11/yellows tone_and.html

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Park Service announces new Web site on planning projects

June 14, 2005

The Associated Press

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming - The National Park Service has launched a new Web site that allows people to easily track national park planning projects.

The site provides information about such routine work as trail rehabilitation as well as more significant matters, such as relocating the Liberty Bell or restoring the White House grounds, officials said.

Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis applauded the Planning, Environment and Public Comment program for making it easier for people to read public documents and comment on Yellowstone projects they care about.

For example, the public can access environmental assessments for the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center as well as proposed changes to Yellowstone fishing regulations.

"It will also help us become more efficient in our internal project monitoring through the use of one common database," she said.

Written comments will continue to be accepted as well.

The Web address is http://parkplanning.nps.gov

http://www.greateryellowstone.org/press/article.php?article_id=683

=====

Smooth ride

December 12, 2004

By Nick Gevock ngevock@dailychronicle.com

Bozeman Daily Chronicle Staff Writer

Bozeman, Montana

http://www.dailychronicle.com

To submit a Letter to the Editor: citydesk@dailychronicle.com

West Yellowstone, Montana - If bigger really is better, Randy Roberson will cash in this winter.

He's banking on his hunch that tourists who want to see Yellowstone National Park in winter will chose a spacious, smooth ride.
To that end, Roberson is building the largest snowcoach serving the park, with 28 seats, a public address system and state-of-the-art ski steering to offer a plush ride.

"It's the stretch Cadillac of snowcoaches," Roberson says. "It will be quieter and smoother."

Roberson, who has rented snowmobiles to riders for two decades, holds one of 15 permits to lead winter tours in Yellowstone with his yellowstonevacations.com company. But after taking tourists into the park in snowcoaches for four years, he's convinced that larger, guided tours will dominate winter tourism in the park.

"We can provide more freedom to visitors to stop for wildlife viewing and picture taking as well as greater freedom for friends and family to talk with each other as they travel through the park," he says.

"These fundamental elements of a good winter experience in Yellowstone are inherently difficult when riding in a line of snowmobiles," he said.

Custom design

Roberson has used a 28-seat tour bus to take tourists into the park during the summer for four years. So instead of buying another vehicle for use as a snowcoach, it made sense to modify the one he already had.

But converting a tour bus that size into a snowcoach presented some challenges.

The rear tracks are custom made for the bus. They're bigger than the standard tracks put on vans and smaller buses. Roberson also installed a "torque tube" that looks like a second axle and hooks lower on the track to keep the track steady. The tube has supports that bolt to the frame of the vehicle.

"I'm borrowing that from drag-racing technology," Roberson says.

That's not where the custom features for the bus end, however.

Roberson also wanted a vehicle with skis on the front instead of the tracks found on most snowcoaches.

But the size and weight of the bus made that a real challenge. And vehicles on skis aren't allowed in Yellowstone during marginal snow conditions because they can tear up the asphalt.

To deal with that, Roberson designed special skis that each have two 10-inch steel wheels near the middle. The wheels stick out from the bottom of the ski, allowing the vehicle to turn on dry ground, but don't affect the skis' performance on snow.

He gave rough sketches of those features to an engineering company to draft blueprints and ensure that the skis were sound. Before production began, however, Roberson had to find suitable wheels. It took him the entire summer.

"I called every caster and wheel company I could find on the Internet," he says. "Finally I found these, which come off of state plow trucks somewhere on the East Coast."

The designs then went to an Idaho Falls machine shop to produce the skis. They used 2-by-2 inch steel tubes and covered the bottoms with high-density plastic to allow them to glide over the snow.

Each ski weighs 500 pounds, a testament to to their sturdiness, yet they roll easily with a gentle push. Roberson says he's thinking about patenting the design of the skis.

Roberson picked up the skis this past week. He and his maintenance crew were busy bolting everything onto the bus Wednesday so it can be test driven before the park opens December 15 for the winter season.

He estimates the skis will allow the snowcoach to get far better gas mileage than four-track vehicles. And the skis allow the snowcoach to turn better, while its wheels will handle dry asphalt.

The entire conversion cost $41,000, plus the time it's taken for his crew to do the work. Add that to the $68,000 Roberson says he spent on the bus, and he has a significant investment in the snowcoach.

But this year will be the most difficult, and expensive, because everything is an experiment.

Wave of the future

Other snowcoach operators in West Yellowstone say while Roberson's super snowcoach is impressive, but they're not convinced tourists will like being one of the crowd.

"I don't want to call them cattle-truck operations, but that's kind of what you're getting to," says Scott Carsley, owner of Alpen Guides Co. "You lose that personal contact and attention that you get with a smaller vehicle."

Carsley runs eight Bombardier coaches in the park. They're classic Canadian vehicles from the 1950s that seat eight passengers are shaped somewhat like an old Volkswagen bug with a hatch on top that pops open so riders can take photos.

In the past, the vehicles were noisy and smelly. But Carsley says he's invested thousands of dollars to quiet them down through insulation and mechanical work. And no matter how nice modern snowcoaches are, people love the nostalgia of riding in the little red vehicles.

"You can ride in a bus anywhere, but only in Yellowstone National Park can you ride in a Bombardier," he says.

Roberson disagrees with Carsley that people won't get attention on a larger tour. Although there's only one guide for more than 20 people, that doesn't mean he or she is aloof from the group and won't respond to their needs, such as a request to pull over.

And the roomy interior, big windows and aisle down the middle makes the larger snowcoach a better option for families or older people, Roberson says.

Other snowcoach operators have a wait-and-see attitude about the larger vehicle.

Clyde Seely, who offers snowcoach tours through his company Yellowstone Tour and Travel, says he too is using front-ski technology on his14-passenger vehicles. He said he thought Roberson's decision to convert a bus bought for summer use into a snowcoach was smart.

"You cannot buy a vehicle for snowcoach-only use and have it pan out economically," Seely says. "It's got to be dual season."

But Seely says tour operators in West Yellowstone need to be careful about overdoing it on snowcoach seats. If too many seats are available, the market won't be able to support it.

"We need to be careful as a community that we don't overbuild in anything, because that hurts everybody," he says.

Still, both Seely and Carsley say anything that increases the exposure of the park and the town in winter could benefit the entire town. The key is for the town to grow winter tourism so tour operators can fill their seats.

"If Randy turns into a huge success, other operators may get in line and do the same thing," Carsley says.

Copyright 2004, Daily Chronicle.

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2004/12/12/news/snowcoach.txt

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Snowcoaches find more use in Yellowstone Park

February 9, 2005

By Mike Stark

The park is still chock full of beautiful snow scenes, wispy geyser steam and lumbering wildlife.

But the way people are seeing the park is changing.

Instead of zipping along groomed roads on a snowmobile, more and more people are climbing aboard snowcoaches.

At the West Entrance, the park's most popular gate in the winter, the number of snowmobiles going through last month dropped 17 percent from January 2004, which in turn had experienced a 66 percent decline from January 2003.

Meanwhile, the number of snowcoaches at the West Entrance is up 20 percent over last January, part of a mostly steady climb of snowcoach use over the last several years.

"A transition is happening, absolutely," said MarySue Costello, director of the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce.

Snowmobiling is still the most popular way to see the park, but its dominance may be waning. That is forcing businesses to adapt and find new ways of marketing winter activities in the park.

"We're definitely talking about a change in customers one way or another," said Rick Hoeninghausen, director of sales and marketing for Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the largest concessions company in Yellowstone.

The shift is the result of the long-running controversy about allowing snowmobiles into the park. The issue has languished for years in studies, lawsuits, judicial decisions and uncertainty.

The 2003-04 season spiraled into turmoil after a federal judge struck down a Bush administration proposal to set aside a ban on snowmobiles in favor of a plan allowing limited numbers of cleaner and quieter sleds.

Before this winter season, the Park Service established a three-year plan for snowmobiling with daily caps on the number of snowmobiles and requirements that all snowmobilers ride a four-stroke sled and be accompanied by a commercial guide.

The result this year has been a decrease in the number of winter visitors, even compared with last year's dismal season. So far, Yellowstone's daily limit of 720 snowmobiles hasn't been approached.

There were 8,165 snowmobile visitors last month compared with 8,790 in January 2004, according to Park Service figures. In January 2001, more than 30,000 people rode a snowmobile into Yellowstone. The numbers hovered above 20,000 for the past several years, including nearly 23,000 in 2003.

Except for a 6 percent drop last season, snowcoach use has risen steadily, increasing from 3,593 in January 2002 to 4,255 last month.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/rednews/2005/02/09/stories/wyoming/images/chart.j pg

Observers say the decline in snowmobiling is likely tied closely to the requirement that all riders be accompanied by a commercial guide - a rule that may be antithetical to the independence that many riders thrive on.

Scott Carsley of Yellowstone Alpen Guides, which provides snowcoaches and cross-country ski tours in the park, said his business has been improving the past several years.

"We have seen a huge increase in the number of cross-country skiers in the park," Carsley said. "I think we're moving more into silent-sports enthusiasts, more into muscle power perhaps."

The kind of visitor is also changing. Carsley said his company is seeing more people from milder climates, including the South and Pacific Northwest.

Randy Roberson of Yellowstone Vacations has put more emphasis on snowcoaches in his tour business. The 22-year-old company spent years as one of the top snowmobile rental companies in West Yellowstone. The company has recently added several "luxury" snowcoaches to its fleet.

"The positive response is just unbelievable," Roberson said. "A lot of our snowmobile customers are converting to snowcoach customers."

Roberson said the park and business owners are adjusting to the new circumstances.

Grooming machines in the park have been affixed with a tool that creates ski tracks along many roadways. In West Yellowstone, a new guide association started last week to improve the quality of tours for visitors.

Business in West Yellowstone still isn't as good as it was during the heyday of snowmobiles. Snowmobilers still enjoy the trails outside Yellowstone on the national forest land but marketers are gearing up to find ways to sell the "new" Yellowstone experience.

The West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce is conducting a study of snowcoach riders this year to see what brought them to the area and how the experience could be improved.

Xanterra, which has also seen a decline in business this winter, will hold a meeting next week with employees to discuss future opportunities for winter visitors. The shift may rely less on dedicated snowmobilers and more on sightseers and people interested in guided educational tours, skiing and snowshoeing.

"We'll be looking at what experience can Yellowstone deliver now in the winter, and deliver well, and who are the people that would most appreciate the experience," Hoeninghausen said.

Although businesses have struggled with fewer customers in recent years, a transition toward more diversified activities is an exciting prospect, he said.

"The park isn't changing. It's still as good as it's ever been," Hoeninghausen said. "But if the customer is changing, so must the service and the product."

Copyright 2005, Billings Gazette.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2005/02/09/build/wyomin g/35-snowcoaches.inc

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Temporary Winter Use Plans

Undated

No author provided at originating website URL.

On November 4, 2004, the National Park Service (NPS) approved a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/winterfonsi11-04.pdf (345KB pdf) for the Temporary Winter Use Plans and Environmental Assessment http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/tempwinteruseea8-18.pdf (1.1MB pdf) for Winter Use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

The Final Rule http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/fedregfinalrule11-10.pdf (356KB pdf) implementing this decision was published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2004.

This decision allows 720 snowmobiles per day in Yellowstone, all commercially guided.

In Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, 140 snowmobiles would be allowed.

With minor exceptions, all snowmobiles would be required to meet NPS best available technology (BAT) requirements. The plan will be in effect for three winters, allowing snowmobile and snowcoach use through the winter of 2006-2007.

The temporary winter use management plan ensures that resources are protected, gives visitors, employees and residents of the park’s gateway communities the information they want and need to plan for the near term, and will help minimize economic impacts on gateway communities.

Preparation of this plan will also allow the NPS to complete a long-term analysis of the environmental impacts of winter use in the parks. The NPS expects that this long-term analysis will culminate with a permanent decision about winter use in the parks.

The FONSI and Final Rule are based on the Temporary Winter Use Plans Environmental Assessment (EA), which the National Park Service issued on August 20, 2004. The EA examined a variety of options for plans to guide the management of winter use at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway (JDR) for an interim period.

The NPS used new information derived from monitoring park resources during the winter of 2003-2004 to assist in analyzing the impacts of this plan and its alternatives.

Last winter was markedly different from previous winters.

An average of 258 snowmobiles entered Yellowstone daily during January and February 2004.

All snowmobilers were led by commercial guides, and the vast majority of snowmobiles met the NPS’s best available technology requirements.

Historically, an average of about 765 snowmobiles entered Yellowstone each day, using snowmobiles that were not as clean or quiet (“two-cycle” or “two-stroke” snowmobiles) as today’s best available technology snowmobiles.

Further, only a relatively small percentage of these entries were led by commercial guides.

The winter of 2003-2004 was also dramatically different in Grand Teton National Park and the JDR.

From December 17, 2003, to February 10, 2004, snowmobile use in the two parks, consisting of the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) and the Grassy Lake (Flagg-Ashton) Road, averaged about 5 snowmobiles per day.

After February 11, 2004, when Jackson Lake opened for snowmobile use, the combined number of snowmobiles increased to approximately 20 per day, mostly attributable to ice fishing access on the lake.

As with Yellowstone, these numbers represented significantly less use than in previous winters.

The EA did not address the issue of whether or not groomed roads influence bison distribution and abundance in Yellowstone National Park.

The NPS has contracted with an independent researcher to produce a thorough scientific assessment of the state of knowledge of bison use of groomed oversnow roads within Yellowstone.

This study became available in April 2005 http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/planning/gates/index.htm

The report assesses the existing literature on bison movements and dispersal in Yellowstone, focusing on the ecology of bison movements in the park including the influence of groomed and/or plowed roads.

In addition, the report makes recommendations concerning areas where additional research is needed, and investigates approaches that might be used to better understand use of groomed roads by bison.

However, because this report was not available until well after the conclusion of the EA process, this issue will be addressed in the long-term analysis of winter use in the parks.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/todo/winter/temporaryplan.htm