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Special Bonus
We'll enjoy one day of snowmobiling and photography outside the park. We'll lead you on groomed trails through the Targhee National Forest to a spectacular high elevation vista at TWO TOP MOUNTAIN which is about 9000 feet high. Frequent blizzards, fierce winds, and below zero temperatures create magnificent snow encased trees you won't believe when you first see them. Imagine photographing a forest of trees that are all bent and twisted and entirely cloaked in white. No needles, trunks, or branches are seen. White ghostly shapes of all kinds patiently wait for spring to release them from their icy white robe. (Of course, we'll watch the weather to make sure our visit coincides with the best photography weather possible.) On a clear day at the top of TWO TOP MOUNTAIN, you can see and photograph the stunning Grand Tetons that lie 75 miles to the southeast and Sawtelle Peak to the southwest. Sometime during the week when the weather and light conditions are most suitable, we'll visit the Grizzly Bear and Wolf Discovery Center to photograph both. The wolves offer especially good opportunities for closeup images of their faces. Admission to the center is included in your package price.
What If You Have Never Driven a Snowmobile?!
Don't worry! Driving a snowmobile is easy. Anyone can do it. We'll provide instruction on the first day. There is a lever on the right handle bar that controls the gas. When you squeeze it, you go. When you let up on the lever, you come to a gradual stop. And if you want to stop quicker, just squeeze the brake lever on the left handle bar. That's about all there is to it. No shifting is necessary. Since we'll be doing our riding on groomed trails, you don't need to know any advanced riding skills.
By the way, we have been using the new four-stroke snowmobiles for our tours since they first became available in 1998. These snowmobiles are quiet and clean burning. They get about 25 mpg and the electric ignition makes them easy to start. Everyone loves them. These new snowmobiles are very comfortable to drive. We typically drive the snowmobiles about 450 miles during the week.
What about the Cold!
It's true that it can and probably will be very cold on some mornings in West Yellowstone. Temperatures of 25 degrees below zero are possible, especially on mornings following clear nights. However, do not underestimate the capability of modern clothes for keeping you warm. We've had many below zero mornings during our tours and nobody has had a problem with the cold. Of course, we make sure everyone is dressed properly and all snowmobiles have hand and seat warmers. We stop at all warming huts to warm up, get snacks, and visit the restrooms.
What's the Typical Day Like?
Breakfast is served at 6:30 AM. We like to leave the parking lot on our snowmobiles by 8:15 AM. We'll stay out all day and return to the hotel after sunset around 6:30 PM. We try to photograph sunset whenever possible. By the way, other park tours are usually required to return by 4:30 PM which means you may have to pull out when the light is best to get back in time. However, we have negotiated and paid for extended hours, so we don't have any time restriction at all. We return to the Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone only when we finally lose the light for the day.
Meals
We'll eat all meals as a group. The Holiday Inn Hotel will prepare a breakfast for you each morning. We'll eat lunch at various restaurants during the day which depends on the direction our travels take us. Lunches may not be the most deluxe because it's hard to find a fancy place for lunch when you are far out in the snowy forest on snowmobile, but we'll do the best we can. In each case, everyone will order off the menu and we'll pick up the tab which includes tips. We'll eat dinners as a group in West Yellowstone after dark, so we can get a full day of snowmobiling and photography in each day. Again, dinner includes the main meal, non-alcoholic drinks, and dessert.
Tips
We'll pay the tips for all the meals that are included in the tour price. John & Barbara Gerlach have a policy of not accepting tips for their services, so please don't offer any. They won't accept anything.
How to Get to West Yellowstone
West Yellowstone is located close to the intersection of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Since Yellowstone National Park's roads are closed during the winter, you cannot drive through the park unless you are riding snowmobiles of course. The best route from the south is to take highway 20 north from Idaho Falls. From the north, take highway 287 or 191 south from the Bozeman, Montana area. If you wish to fly in, the closest airport is Gallatin Field at Bozeman, Montana. Karst Stage Lines is the shuttle bus available at the airport that will bring you to West Yellowstone. The round-trip price of the shuttle is about $75. Their local phone number is 406-388-6404 or call 1-800-517-8243. You can rent a car at Gallatin Field, but we suggest saving your money because once you get to West Yellowstone, you won't need a car since you'll be driving a snowmobile. If you wish to shop in West Yellowstone, everything is within walking distance.
YELLOWSTONE TOUR & TRAVEL is our local tour packager. They can easily answer any questions you might have regarding the snowmobiles, lodging accommodations, and the best way for you to get to West Yellowstone. Because they generate an enormous volume of business for the airlines, they are able to get you reduced airfares into Bozeman, Montana. Please call them at 1-800-221-1151 for details.
Tour Fee per Person (2012 Prices)
Single (1 Person/1 Bed) $2917
(Includes Single Room Supplement)
Twin (2 People/2 Beds) $2540
Double (2 People/1 Bed) $2540
Tour Package Includes
* Six nights lodging at the deluxe HOLIDAY INN (the nicest hotel in West Yellowstone) with private rooms and baths
* Five days use of your own snowmobile
* Five days use of special snowmobiling clothing which includes suit, boots, gloves, helmet, and stocking facemask
* Five days use of required National Park guides (John & Barbara Gerlach) with extended hours
* Forest Service use fees
* All Breakfasts Monday through Saturday
* All lunches Monday through Friday
* All dinners Monday through Friday
* Extensive photographic instruction from John & Barbara Gerlach while in the field
* A couple slide programs by John & Barbara during the night hours
*Admission to Grizzly Bear and Wolf Discovery Center
We have tried to make the tour price as complete as possible. However, items of a personal nature, alcoholic drinks, transportation to and from West Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park pass, and optional snowmobile insurance are not included in the tour price.
Yellowstone National Park Pass
Your pass to enter Yellowstone National Park is not included because it's not fair to charge everyone for it when many of you may already have a pass. If you visit a few to many national parks each year, your best bet is to purchase a National Parks Pass which is good at all National Parks for one year. If you are 62 years of age or older, you qualify for a Golden Age Pass which is only a $10 lifetime pass. Just present one of these passes when we arrive at the gate each morning. Otherwise, you may purchase a $20 pass when you arrive in West Yellowstone that is good for the week.
A deposit of $500 per person is required to hold your space. 50% of your deposit is refundable. All remaining unpaid balances are due in full 45 days prior to the start of your tour. 50% of the total package is refundable up to 72 hours before the beginning of your tour.
For Additional Information
Tracie Frontin
Yellowstone Tour & Travel
P.O. Box 410
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
(800) 221-1151
(406) 646-9310
Fax: (406) 646-9490
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