National Parks in Winter?

[roadtripper]

Anyone have any ideas for outstanding national park experiences in winter? Which parks are legendary in winter? Have any of you been to any of our national parks during this season? What did you do while there?

Some parks that look awesome in winter:
~ Crater Lake NP (Snowshoeing or X-C skiing the rim roads looks amazing)
~ Yellowstone (Snowmobiling or X-C skiing the main roads)
~ Bryce Canyon (the hoodoos look incredible with snow)

What other parks are awesome to visit in the winter? I'm only interested in those national parks that actually have snow.

How about....
Arches?
Badlands?
Yosemite?
Rocky Mtns?
Sequioa?
Redwoods?
etc. etc.

Thanks!

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I've been to some, but not all of the parks in winter.

Arches - no experience

Badlands - road is usually open in winter. Nothing really to do in the park IMHO any time of the year. Personally, if you want to see knarly countryside, drive thru Utah.

Yosemite - the "westside" is usually open, so you can get into Yosemite Valley for the various falls, but roads are closed at higher elevations.

Rocky Mtns - been there several times in late October, and they close roads when it snows, and re-open as it melts. Have no personal experience other than that.

Sequoia - deep snow country - roads close.

Redwoods - it's a coastal US highway in a rain forest and a major n/s route.

Of course, nothing prevents you from from snowshoeing/skiing. Do be aware of avalanche zones, however, and if you go in to certain areas within these parks carrry AV beacons and the rescue equipment, along with a bud or two, is probably a good idea.

I recall reading a few years ago about a lodge in Yosemite, accessible via the eastside (i.e. Lee Vining) where you ski up several miles and they meet you and provide a ski escort to their lodge. Since the park gate is at 10K', and most road closures in the Sierra are around 6K' or below, it's a good hoof to the meeting point, plus whatever lies beyond that. It sounded intriguing for a backcountry winter experience, but haven't looked into it further.

Edit - also be aware that anywhere you're near snow in CA (perhaps other western states as well) and get caught in a storm, the CHP sets up road blocks and won't allow you past without chains or cables (cables are like chains except the cross-piece is cable) even if the vehicle has snow tires. It's unlikely car rentals will have them, so ... something you might want to consider depending upon where you're going. Usually when a roadblock is set up they'll be roadside vendors, at a price about 50% more than WalMarts.

Depending upon conditions, CHP may just verify you have them in the trunk, but don't need to be mounted prior to the roadblock. Telling them you've been driving for 40 years in Vermont won't impress them at all... It's either the chains/cables, or turn around.

 

[SteveHiker]

When I was in the Arches I asked a ranger at the visitor center when a better time to be there was since it was so God awful hot there in August. She hesitated then asked where I was from. When I said Vermont, she said that the winter would probably be a good time. They only get a little snow, it's usually no colder than the 30s, everything is open and there's hardly anyone around.

I imagine something like this with a dusting of snow would look pretty cool.

 

[DougPaul]

I imagine something like this with a dusting of snow would look pretty cool.

Do you mean something like this?

(http://www.fulldomephoto.com/dsphoto_home/pans/Pan_Pg1/PanPg1_Web/0002_Delicate_Arch_Snow.html)

And you can find a zillion more from http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&ie=ISO-8859-1&q="delicate+arch"+snow...

Doug

 

[TomD]

I've been to Yosemite over President's weekend 4 or 5 times. Once staying at the cabins in Curry Village, the other times camping near Badger Pass down Glacier Point Road and then on a couple of those trips, meeting up with friends and staying at a cabin at The Redwoods. One year, there was snow on the Valley floor and it was beautiful.

Yosemite is great. Wouldn't classify any of my trips as "legendary" but for a beginner snow camper, cannot be beat-Easy access, easy terrain, good for snowshoeing or skiing, mild weather (mostly), safe place to park your car (parking lot at Badger Pass ski field), gear rental if you need it-skis and snowshoes. The food at the ski field restaurant is mediocre, but they do have a bar upstairs.

You can go all the way to Ostrander Hut, which I've never done or camp a mile or two down the road from the parking lot.

Best access to the park- 140 from the West (off the 99 at Merced or 41 from the South off of the 99 at Fresno. I come up from LA, through the Wawona gate-$20 gets your car in for a week if you don't have a yearly pass. Parking and backcountry passes are free.

The Rough Guide to Yosemite is a good little guidebook and the park's website has tons of info as do some of the commercial sites about Yosemite.

 

[DougPaul]

Grand Canyon: snow and full-on winter up top and late summer/fall conditions down below -- the snow looks incredible on the tops of the rock formations

Road to the N rim isn't plowed in winter--it's ~60 miles in. The S rim is open but may be blocked immediately following a storm.

Zion and Cedar Breaks (neither is very far from Bryce), Utah: snow set against the fine red rock provides some stunning landscapes

The road to/in Cedar Breaks was still blocked by snow last time I was in the region (May 2001).

 

[gaiagirl]

I went to Yellowstone in March three years ago and it was, in my opinion, the best time to go. Of course, I went specifically to see wolves with a grad class from my alma mater, so that was certainly key. Wolf packs have a field day in the park when the elk, bison, and other ungulates come down into the valleys where the only food is available in Winter. I am still blown away by all that I experienced and hope to get back in Winter within the next few years.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I went to Yellowstone in March three years ago and it was, in my opinion, the best time to go. Of course, I went specifically to see wolves with a grad class from my alma mater, so that was certainly key. Wolf packs have a field day in the park when the elk, bison, and other ungulates come down into the valleys where the only food is available in Winter. I am still blown away by all that I experienced and hope to get back in Winter within the next few years.

Recently a friend of mine told me the Park Rangers sometimes have to wear gas masks near the entry points in winter due to snowmobile exhaust combined with temperature inversions. His statement startled me, but he's not given to exaggeration. I know the USPS has been trying to eliminate them for several years but the economic pressures by local operators is strong.

Did you see any rangers needing to wear gas masks/respirators?

 

[gaiagirl]

Kevin,

We were in the park just after the Winter tours typically end and just before Spring, so as far as I know it was the ideal time to be there. Only the road from the Roosevelt Arch toward West Yellowstone is open, and at that time of year the open road does not extend as far as West Yellowstone, where most snowmobile tours originate. We also had no access to Old Faithful and many of the falls, too, due to park closed areas during the Winter Season. We did, however, snowshoe in the Lamar Valley and near Slough Creek. We saw wolves at almost every stop we made and saw mountain lion tracks near an abandoned wolf kill. I can't say enough about how magical it was, though I do admit, wolf sign and sightings were tops on my list.

I have heard that while snowmobile tours are going on that the air can be really noxious; I don't doubt that story at all.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Thanks, Chris. I enjoy seeing wolves also, although I've never seen them around a kill, just on the move.

Was priviledged to spend a couple of months last summer in B.C., and saw them there as well. Am going back again this summer and hope to catch a glimpse of them again, although they're so wild I've usually been lucky to seem them only for a few seconds at a time.

 

[TomD]

Recently a friend of mine told me the Park Rangers sometimes have to wear gas masks near the entry points in winter due to snowmobile exhaust combined with temperature inversions. His statement startled me, but he's not given to exaggeration. I know the USPS has been trying to eliminate them for several years but the economic pressures by local operators is strong.

Did you see any rangers needing to wear gas masks/respirators?

There were some efforts during the Clinton administration to limit the number of snowmobiles. Needless to say, the companies who rent them and the others who support the winter tourists (restaurants, motels, etc.) were against any restrictions. I'm not sure what finally happened. My guess is the restrictions were lifted during the Bush years-Cheney is from Wyoming and we know he hates conservation of any kind. The park would look like Disney World if the GOP gets its way.

Update-after doing some checking online, here's what I found- the number of snowmobiles allowed was restricted by the Ciinton Administration. The State of Wyoming (not Montana) brought a lawsuit in federal court to overturn the ban and the Wyoming district court ruled for the State. The case was appealed to the 10th Circuit and the lower court ruling was reversed, reinstating the Clinton era numbers. Apparently after some further negotiations, the number is now 318 snowmobiles per day, less than half of the 720 allowed before the restrictions were reinstated by the 10th Circuit.

 

[DougPaul]

Recently a friend of mine told me the Park Rangers sometimes have to wear gas masks near the entry points in winter due to snowmobile exhaust combined with temperature inversions. His statement startled me, but he's not given to exaggeration. I know the USPS has been trying to eliminate them for several years but the economic pressures by local operators is strong.

I have also heard that Rangers at some of the entrance stations have had problems with snowmobile exhaust.

Doug

 

[Billy]

There were some efforts during the Clinton administration to limit the number of snowmobiles. Needless to say, the companies who rent them and the others who support the winter tourists (restaurants, motels, etc.) were against any restrictions. I'm not sure what finally happened. My guess is the restrictions were lifted during the Bush years-Cheney is from Wyoming and we know he hates conservation of any kind. The park would look like Disney World if the GOP gets its way.

Here we go again ...I won't respond to your political rant, because my post would get deleted (yours wasn't, but mine would be). Instead, a few facts for you to consider:
1. Mr. Cheney is from Wyoming. The two towns that almost exclusively benefit from snowmobiling in YNP are West Yellowstone, Montana and Gardiner, Montana. Wyoming is not Montana, and I have the maps to prove it.
2. Senator Jon Tester (D) of Montana is a vocal critic of efforts to ban snowmobiles in Yellowstone. Take a guess what the "D" after his name indicates.

Rather than "guess" (your word, not mine), you should read about the history of the snowmobiling in YNP debate. It's very interesting. You'll see it's not as simple as D versus R.

Back to the important stuff: Hey roadtripper, the only roads they plow in Yellowstone are from the North entrance to the Northeast entrance. So if you like to set your own schedule and travel without guides, you're limited to the north side of the park. Or you can pull a Tom Murphy and bc ski / backpack the whole park.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I went to Yellowstone in March three years ago and it was, in my opinion, the best time to go. Of course, I went specifically to see wolves with a grad class from my alma mater, so that was certainly key. Wolf packs have a field day in the park when the elk, bison, and other ungulates come down into the valleys where the only food is available in Winter. I am still blown away by all that I experienced and hope to get back in Winter within the next few years.

Were those the before and after pics?

Hey, if anyone really wants a "legendary in winter" experience, they should go to Gates of the Arctic National Park! Open year round!

 

[TomD]

If anyone is interested, these two articles cover much of the controversy over the snowmobile restrictions in Yellowstone.
http://www.yellowstonepark.com/MoreToKnow/ShowNewsDetails.aspx?newsid=135

The district court case filed by the State of Wyoming was overturned by the 10th Circuit.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/25/yellowstone-snowmobile-re_n_370580.html

Wyoming may not be Montana, a fact of which I am fully aware, but Montana did not bring these suits, the state of Wyoming did. My "guess" which was a poor choice of words, is backed up by the facts.

 

[Snowflea]

Channel Islands National Park!

Although the OP was interested only in national parks with snow, I can remain silent no longer! I must point out that winter is a fine time to visit Channel Islands National Park off the coast of southern California, my current "backyard" park.

There is amazing kayaking, snorkeling, running/hiking on lightly traveled trails (and no vehicles save for the rangers'), a very nice campground, and the "spring" flowers are blooming right about now. You will see island foxes which live only on the Channel Islands and which have been brought back from near extinction just a few short years ago.

It truly is a wonderful, lightly visited national park... and you don't have to worry about snowmobile exhaust.

 

[Paul_Bear]

Rocky Mountain National Park

While not technically winter, I've enjoyed two long weekend trips to Rocky Mountain National Park in mid to late April. Both times we had excellent snowshoeing on consolidated spring snow. Temperatures were in the 30s and 40s which was most pleasant.

You can drive to the Bear Lake trailhead at over 9000' which had snow covered trails for both our trips. The Moraine Park area is lower (7000'?) and was snow free.

The only negative for a short visit there is the altitude can really hit you coming from sea level. Both years I had to turn back below the 12,300' summit of Flattop Mt. as the altitude crushed me.


Dream Lake is an easy 2 mile hike from the trailhead



View of Longs Peak from high on Flattop Mountain

 

[Stan]

You didn't state which winter activities you are interested in and that could determine your selection of a winter destination. I'd recommend you inventory your priorities: snowshoeing, back country skiing, winter camping, sightseeing, dogsledding, snow machine, etc. and from a handful of possibilities choose the most appropriate destination.

We have visited over a dozen western parks and similar areas during the summer and I always look at them for a possible winter trip, my priorities 1) being in the heart of unique and beautiful scenery and among wildlife, 2) snowshoe and xc skiing as daytrips, and 3) access to remote and unusual vistas or wildlife viewing. This has led, so far, as Yellowstone being a most likely destination for us. http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Another inviting area is Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. http://www.nps.gov/cebr/index.htm While it has no facilities or accommodations open within the "park", there are plenty available at the edge.

Here is a photo in Yellowstone in ... mid August (Washburn Mtn) ...

 

[weatherman]

Rocky Mtn

RMNP is now my "backyard" park and we're getting to know it. It's really nice, though if I were going to head West in winter to go to a single park, I'd probably choose Yosemite or Yellowstone. As Paul Bear mentioned, the highest trailhead open in winter is Bear Lake at 9750, which currently has over 5 feet of snow, and accesses lots of nice frozen lakes and relatively short, easy trails... only thing is you need to watch out for avalanche danger if you want to go much higher than the lakes. There is epic sledding (the non-motorized kind) at Hidden Valley, an old closed ski area. There are elk galore.

Of course, backcountry adventures are limitless if you have a lot of stamina and know how to not have very large volumes of snow fall on you unexpectedly, or have gravity take you places quickly that you'd rather not go.

One thing that makes it a bit hard in winter is the west side of the park is inaccessible from the East side by car without a 100+ mile detour. The west side has more snow generally, due to prevailing winds and rain shadowing, though this winter there's plenty to go around anywhere over about 9000 feet.

No worries about chain rules. If you need chains, take them. If you don't, don't. Trucks on major highways are the only vehicles for which there are rules. Winter road maintenance is not the same here as it is in New England, but if you're used to driving in snow and ice, you should be fine, especially if you have anything with high clearance.