43 WINTER 2020 ISSUE 02 / VOL . 01
SNOWGOER . COM 44 personable , excitable guide made the day vastly more informative and entertaining , and the group started to coalesce .
Inside Yellowstone , there ’ s so much to behold in every direction — whether it ’ s a herd of bison , flock of birds , a bubbling hold or a steaming river . There ’ s no need to go any faster than we did , and any off-trail riding is vehemently prohibited . Riding as part of a guided group only added to our experience .
LOVING THE UNPREDICTABLE
An unseasonably warm day in early March , our ride through the park ended up being the final one of the winter season . Temperatures were in the 50s , the highway ’ s pavement was exposed on portions of the ride and it was a fine day to ride a snowmobile in a T-shirt .
From Canyon Village we doubled back to the west and rode to the Norris Geyser Basin , home of Steamboat — the world ’ s tallest , still-active geyser . Three major faults converge here , steam blows from the ground in every direction , aqua-colored pools bubble away and the adventurous sect of our group that chose to walk the basin was collectively blown away by the scene .
We tenuously walked wooden boardwalks covered in packed , slippery snow . It was unspoken , but clear that falling off onto the unstable , acidic ground was best avoided . While most Yellowstone geysers are alkaline , the acidic waters of Norris fuel bacterial thermophiles , which paint the water and surrounding ground in vivid hues .
It ’ s not as predictable as Old Faithful , but Steamboat Geyser sends a column of scalding water more than 300 feet up into the sky . Eruptions can happen every four days , or up to 50 years apart . We didn ’ t get to see it , but the surrounding thermal activity still amazed every one of us . Here , there ’ s no denying the Earth ’ s powers of both creation and destruction .
One walkway , home to a curious , naturally formed snow cone created by geyser exhaust , provided a view that made the whole trip — a
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meandering creek , endless stands of tall pines , alternate patches of snow and green grass , steam rising from the woods in all directions and the towering , snow-covered
Gallatin Mountains against the setting sun to the west . I ’ ll never forget my first visit to Yellowstone with my family , or my return trip a few summers prior to this trip , but this majestic park is a whole different animal during the winter .
Geothermal activity has more contrast against a snowy backdrop , the park ’ s wonders are less congested and the entire , wild scene of the area seems more at peace without streaming lines of car traffic .
Snowmobiling within Yellowstone isn ’ t about speed or mountain riding at all , but that ’ s just as it should be . Riding this park during the winter months is one of the great treasures of snowmobiling , an unforgettable life experience and should be passionately protected for current riders and future generations .