Yet Another View - Yellowstone

Yellowstone Vacation


Yellowstone Park is located in the Northwestern portion of Wyoming with some overlap into the State of Montana and 100 miles from Cody,Wyoming in the East.

Seasonal employment is readily available for those who wish to experience a summer in the Park. From college students to seniors, the Park is filled with a work-force waiting to envelope themselves with serenity as well as excitement provided by the everyday living and working atmosphere of Yellowstone National Park.

Upon accepting employment Applications can be obtained from concessioners in the Park or these days by merely going on-line and requesting same. Employment obtained by myself was with Delaware North. Summer headquarters for most concessions is in West Yellowstone, Montana and winter headquarters is in Bozeman, Montana.

All one needs is a sense of adventure in order to be exposed to some of the most majestic scenery as well as heartwarming experiences. Usually warehouse employees are the first to arrive in the park around mid-March. Around the last of April, first part of May, the initial set-up crew will be arriving. Later in May the last crew will arrive. One is now ready to enter the park and embark on a summer of adventure.

The Park holds many secrets, especially in the winter. At that time of year these secrets are shared with the bison, elk, moose, deer, wolves, coyotes, chipmunks, birds and swans. During the winter months there will be snowmobilers in the Park. They are brought into the Park by a vehicle called a snowcat which is similar to a tank or some people call them half tracks. There is one special employee that needs a note and that is the fellow who is employed to clean the roofs of buildings. The many stores and dormitories that are filled during the summer.

Springtime in the Rockies has always been a statement that fascinated me and now I know why. Riding through the park at this time of year allows you perhaps to experience that herd of Buffalo/Bison who are wandering through the park finding the choice green grass just sprouting. One may also experience the coyote slipping in and out of the trees spying that next little chipmunk who might not make it back to the safety of winter's hole. Then the magnificent Elk appear along the river side. They are also searching out those green, tender shoots of early grass.
During May, the fresh, green grasses in the meadows begin poking through. The animals begin to venture into the low country for feeding. The mighty grizzley and small black bear have also risen and some trailheads are closed until these magnificent creatures have eaten their fill and moved on.

If snow was plentiful during the winter, the melt begins to flow filling the Yellowstone River and Lake and all the small associated streams. Survival is the name of the game with the animals. Animals that don't make it through the winter for one reason or another are referred to as "winter kill". Winter kill feeds many animals in Yellowstone during the spring thaw. The grizzly will benefit as well as her new cubs. It is the cylce of life in the Park.

Employees arriving in March, April and early May generally always experience some snowfall. Most of the roads in the Park will be open by then, except Dunraven Pass and sometimes Craig Pass. Within the area of Dunraven Pass is a mountain top call Mt. Washburn. This mountain has become a symbol for folks of all ages to climb. It is only a three mile hike, but one of grueling proportions. It is straight up and has many switchbacks. During our trek up there, we needed to rest and chose a wonderful place near a thicket of pine trees. We heard voices coming and their remark was "They are resting, boy, I hope I can climb at that age". Actually, we were thinking along the same lines. This hike was the highlight of the summer simply because it was not only physically challenging but emotionally satisfying. It was a challenge fully met and appreciated.

May can be somewhat sedate for employees and for others it can prove to be momentous because of the experiencs. One spends time getting settled in and becoming familiar with not only the surroundings, but whatever job they have signed on to do. The trails are generally not open yet due to the winter snowfall. If one is lucky they will experience another snow fall before real springtime has opened. However, that doesn't stop anyone. If you are at Old Faithful you can walk the geyser areas, stop and wonder at the plumes coming from Old Faithful and hope that you are made privy to other explosions of nature.

May found us watching the mother swan's located on the Madison River between West Yellowstone and Old Faithful. The mother swan sits devotedly for days on end hoping to hatch young. This will not be the year. The Park rangers have to intercept her and place the nest on higher ground. What a terrific surprise to find these admirable, white feathered beauties floating upon the river.

June finds us hiking more. The snow is still melting the trails are wet but have been opened.. During the first weeks we constantly look for sign of the black and grizzly bear. The rangers check these daily and post signs at the trailheads as to whether or not there is bear activity in the area. This will determine whether or not we hike there. Some trails won't open until late in June.

Old Faithful area had one of the first concession areas and it was called Hamilton's who arrived in the Park in 1915. Several of the stores are constructed of log just as the Old Faithful Lodge and Inn. This maintains the rustic image and appearance which so aptly fits with the environment. Most of these boast hugh stone fireplaces that are used throughout the year.

July finds us in the midst of a heat wave. Summer is here and that means the Fourth of July which is celebrated in an old fashioned way. There is always a fourth of July parade in which the employees of the store participate. The parade is really "corney" to some, small town and extremely memorable. A family has congealed from these many employees and by July they are one and celebrate the holiday as that.

Fly fishing is a big event in Yellowstone Park. The rule is "Catch and Release" with the fishing. The Madison River and the Fire Hole are places to fish. There are years when the Yellowstone River have been quite low and this in itself is a danger to the fish life located there. The various species of fish should only be exposed to certain temperatures or it is death by warmth.

One of the biggest days in the Park is July 15. This is opening day for trout fishing on Yellowstone River. The fishermen are lined up along the river bank. They have waited all year to cast out that line. From here until closing you will see waders in all the rivers in Yellowstone. The large cutthroat trout are the name of the game. The guys from the store that fish ususally bring the catch back and these are stored in freezer until stock is plentiful and then they will have a cookout with these.

The Park is abundant with wildlife. One does need to exercise great caution. A bison is a hugh and wild animal. The average weight is around 1,200 pounds. They cannot be petted as if they were "Daisey" the cow. The bison in particular, even though hey are hugh can run at great speeds and have been known to gore people.

The Park can be shared by animal and human. One of the most magnificant sights to behold is the experience of autumn approaching. It is purely magnificant to watch the male elk as he buggles his harem down the paths. The sound of buggling is somewhat eery, but extremely moving as you watch it all unfold before you. You are caught up in the wildnerness act as old as the elk himself.

August is a hot month in the Park. Some folks are fond of saying that there are only two seasons in Yellowstone. The winter and August. Very true, because summer is shortlived.

August 25 is a special day in the Park. It is Christmas in the Park. Yes, there is such an event. Even the Park offers free entry on August 25 of each year. It was August 25, 1925 in the Old Faithful Inn. Tourists were stranded by heavy snowfall. The snow, although not common place in August, certainly did not go against the laws of nature at that elevation. The pristine quality of the outdoors was awesome to behold. Tourists were, none the less, stranded. Their employee hosts decided to make the best of the situation. How significant the date, the 25th. Why not have a Christmas celebration in August? The snowbound travelers warmed to the idea. Small gifts were exchanged, carols were sung and in such a congenial atmosphere, around the crackling fireplace in the rustic lobby of the Old Faithful Inn, strangers became friends and perhaps even some romances blossomed.

From that time on, it has become a tradition to celebrate Christmas in August at least during the period of the 23rd to the 25th in the Inns, Lodges and at Hamilton Stores. Most stores have their own employee parties and celebrations. These include a gift exchange, and a dinner on the 25th of August consisintg of turkey and all the traditional trimmings. Usually on Christmas Eve, the employees get togehter in fellowship and some even have small shows which include singing, comedy skits and most of all true companionship. It is like family coming together.

Some people, however, do consider the celebration as a sacrilege, but Christmas for the employees is more of a combination of appreciation of friends, for this time of the year means we near the end of our working season, and will never see some folks again.

The employee tells the tourist - join us in the spirit of our celebration. There is a saying in the Park - "Christmas comes but twice a year, once at home and once up here".

The end of the season is upon us. Labor Day has passed and we see small signs of change such as the browning of the grass and birds flocking together. One monumental sight to behold is the bugling of the male elk as he gathers his harem and marchs off to face those wild winds and winter.

We have had the opportunity to see some things that most visitors never get the chance to see such as mama grizzly and her newborne cubs, wonderful wildflowers in July, snow in May and those hugh, white puffy clouds that drift by each day. We have been in and out of all the entrances to the park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming to the South, Cody, Wyoming to the East, Gardiner, Montana to the North and Red Lodge to the Northeast and of course West Yellowstone.

It is store closing time. Crews from the warehouse arrive and the inventory process is begun.

Yellowstone is busy preparing for its secrets again. Soon, there will be next years crew arriving to particpate in the unraveling of the many secrets of Yellowstone Park.

Even though you are leaving and part of you will remain, another part of you feels blessed to leave with so muchmore and this will hold you until next spring and the rituals are repeated for those of us who worship Yellowstone National Park.