Overall winter visitation to Yellowstone National Park rebounded a bit compared to the previous winter, but still remained below winter 2007-2008 levels.

Limited snowpack at the beginning and end of the most recent winter season limited the number of days snowmobiles and some types of snowcoaches could enter the park. The light snow year may also help account for the increase in people who came by car through the park’s North Entrance from December through March.

The total number of winter visitors is up over eight percent compared to the previous year, but is six percent lower than during 2007-2008. The total number of visitors traveling by oversnow vehicles remained flat compared to last year’s levels, with a small decrease in the number of snowmobile visitors offset by a slight increase in the number of visitors riding in snowcoaches. However, the total number of oversnow visitors remained well off the levels seen during the winter of 2007-2008. 

December through March Visitation
                                                          Winter 2009-2010   Winter 2008-2009   Winter 2007-2008  
Total Recreational Visitors                      93,838                              86,784                    99,975
Auto, Bus and RV (North Entrance)        54,437                             47,259                     50,175
By Snowmobile and Snowcoach             42,616                             42,380                     53,764
Snowmobile Visitors                                22,228                             23,417                     31,420
Snowcoach Visitors                                 20,388                             18,963                     22,344


Yellowstone is currently operating under a temporary winter use plan, allowing for up to 318 commercially guided, best available technology (BAT) snowmobiles and 78 commercial snowcoaches a day in the park. The daily average and peak snowmobile and snowcoach activity figures include both visitors who come through the park entrances, and those who start their day from Old Faithful.
 
Snowmobile and Snowcoach Activity
                                                         Winter 2009-2010    Winter 2008-2009    Winter 2007-2008
Snowmobiles - Daily Average                   187                               205                            294
Snowmobiles - Peak Day                          293                              426                             557
Snowcoaches - Daily Average                    32                                29                               35
Snowcoaches - Peak Day                           59                                54                               60
 
The park will operate under the temporary plan again for the winter 2010-2011 season. Public scoping has just concluded on a new Winter Use Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. A draft is expected to be released a year from now, with a final plan in place for the 2011-2012 winter season. More information on the winter use plan is available at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/winteruse.htm.

We came across this photo circa 1909 of a gentleman backflipping on his skis, long before the likes of Travis Pastrana, Robbie Maddison, Carey Hart, Kyle Loza, Levi LaVallee, Heath Frisby, Joe Parsons and other modern day motocross and snowmobile freestyle riders.

Check out his landing ramp! It's tiny and looks unstable, which begs the question of whether he landed this aerial stunt or not?