Progress on Antelope Creek blaze, but smoke hinders tourism-
Antelope fire now over 3000 acres. Island Park News.
The Yellowstone country is just getting too crowded to use in the summer, but every fall natural and prescribed fires are making that time of year bad too. Any opinions on this?
Comments
I found Yellowstone to be better this year for crowds for whatever reason, and I went on the free weekend. Even the southern portion of the park wasn’t too bad, but I always skip the geothermal drive from Madison to West Thumb because that’s the worst. I also usually try and avoid West Yellowstone to Madison, instead preferring the Gardiner, Cooke City and Lewis Lake entrances.
The weather was unusually cool in the northern range, causing the fishing in the Gallatin NF to be quite poor compared to previous seasons. We had lots of rain and 40’s 50’s in August there.
Don’t even get me started on Glacier. That was snow and hail 24/7 in late August on the eastern side. Two Med was empty for Labor Day, lol.
I’m surprised at the warm temps and the Antelope fire to be honest. The mountains around Big Timber received a heavy blast of snow September 7th. It was very spectacular. A very cold season which again is why I am surprised at the Antelope Fire.
As the YNP Public Affairs says in this article, “…Yellowstone National Park is a fire adapted ecosystem, and fire plays an important role inmaintaining the health of the area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation. The Antelope Fire is being managed both to protect people and property and to enhance the area’s natural resources by safely and effectively using available firefighting resources.”.
I say what a crock of SH..!! “…to enhance the areas natural resources….????
To “fight” this fire goes against all of what Yellowstone stands for. Man has such superior dillusions to think he “enhances”.
Mike – what a shame! The best wildlife viewing was between Mammoth AND West Yellowstone. Grizzly, Black bear, elk, deer, antelope, buffalo – we saw it all. Many people took advantage of the no-entrance fees day – not so many people volunteered for the National Public Lands day. The show in Mammoth was outstanding….again. The loss of #6 in Mammoth was really a disruption to the flow of the herd hierarchy, but everything seems to appear to be back in order. Good ol’ “Dennis the Menace” is taking over – charging people that come too close and ramming vehicles. He has a very distinctive bugle – and will be very fun to watch over the duration of his lifetime.
Mammoth in September (and Madison) – Elk rut at its finest.
I have also been monitoring the Antelope fire since the day it started. EXAMINER.COM
I came back week ago from YSNP. Fire was making hard to drive the washburn area and the road was not closed.
The best elk was in Madison and Gibon Meadows …hate that construction gowing forever but the result willbe great (IMO).mammoth was still full of tourists..
Try the time period around Memorial Day. The park isn’t too crowded other than Saturday, and no risk of fires. Plus it’s fun to see wolf pups not long after they emerge from the den. While those days are gone, I’ll never forget standing on “Dead Puppy Hill” with my spotting scope in early evening, staring for hours at the “V Tree.” Twice I was one of the first people to see Druid pups of the year.
Matt,
I usually get there the week before Memorial day and again in mid June. When the schools are out..forget about going to yellowstone..I am lucky to live 5 hours from YSNP. I always ownder who does it feel to be a tourist from east coast, come to park and see all the zillions of people..line everywhere..traffic ..grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I will never forget seeing the hayden Alpha female in May just to learn that she was killed in October of the same year by Mollies…and see the Mollies in early november before park closed ..right after the fight with haydens…this is my memory forever…