The University of Montana

December 28, 2008-January 3, 2009
Climb aboard a snowcoach for three days' journey into a dazzling, white world of shaggy bison, croaking ravens, steaming rivers and sulfurous mud pots. Welcome the New Year at Old Faithful as part of your winter voyage into Yellowstone's glistening, snow-cloaked ambiance. Consider the slumbering volcano breathing beneath Yellowstone's landscape, a presence that has caused eruptions, earthquakes, geothermal activity, mountain building and landslides through the ages. Discuss these geologic processes as you venture across the Great Caldera, exploring thermal features, grand canyons, open valleys, towering waterfalls and sweeping overlooks. Learn of early survey parties, winter keepers of the old hotels and Fort Yellowstone's early military presence. Tramp Mammoth's creamy, travertine terraces to examine its unique geothermal system. Motor coach excursion into Lamar Valley for wolf and bear habitat; hear update on their biology, distribution, populations, current range and vital issues. This program fills fast. Sign up early! *activity level 3

Venture into Yellowstone Country for winter's sparkling whiteness, steaming thermals and ice-rimmed rivers. Ride a snowcoach to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to encounter geologic processes, beautifully tinted canyon walls and the ice-columned Upper and Lower Falls. Learn to ride a snowmobile on park roads, view diverse habitats and observe bison, waterfowl, bald eagles and coyotes. Experience churning geothermal activity at Old Faithful and Fountain Paint Pots. Discover animal tracks and analyze signs while learning to cross-country ski on Rendezvous Trails. Strap on snowshoes for a winter ecology walk along pristine Riverside Trail. Naturalist-led adventures and lectures consider winter adaptations, predator/prey dynamics and geology.

Two field days in Yellowstone Park. Ride as driver or passenger on two-person snowmobiles. Travel with guides on cleaner, quieter, four-stroke machines; snowmobile clothing provided. Snowmobiling is a strenuous activity. Another full day aboard enclosed, heated snowcoaches. Moderate walking on snowpacked stairs, trails, boardwalks. Snowshoe one afternoon; cross-country ski one afternoon up to three miles each on moderate trails outside the park. Snowshoes and skis provided; beginners welcome. **activity level 4

#14338 WOLVES OF YELLOWSTONE
February 1-6, 2009 (Gardiner, MT)
Overview of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem - its wildlife and habitats - includes two predawn departures to Yellowstone's legendary northern range during wolf breeding season for wildlife viewing. Possible observations includes elk, wolves, bison, waterfowl, bald and golden eagles, coyotes, bighorn sheep, mountain fox, and otter. Increased wolf numbers reflect declining elk and coyote numbers, rebounding willow and aspen stands and more beaver! What's the connection? Discuss past and present park philosophies from predator extermination to wolf reintroduction and natural regulation. A field day at Mammoth Hot Springs for lunch, thermal feature walk at the Terraces, Albright Museum visit, and snowshoe exploration. Tour the Heritage and Research Center. *activity level 3

(West Yellowstone & Old Faithful Snow Lodge)
Spend Valentine's Day with your sweetheart at Old Faithful. Drawn by the Greater Yellowstone area's snow-blanketed magnificence, holiday visitors pack their bags for beauty, learning and a potpourri of wildlife viewing. Snowcoach into Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin for a holiday overnight at Old Faithful. Walk among drifting sulfur steam to view Lioness, Anemone, Giantess and Plume geysers. Proceed along the Lower Loop to Lake, Hayden Valley and Canyon's grand spectacle. Find out how regional biota copes with frigid temperatures, heavy or non-existent snow cover, freezing and thawing episodes. Even mountains and rocks give way to winter's iron grip - how? Beginner snowshoe walk over moderate terrain at the edge of town with USFS naturalist to interpret tracks and scat. Showshoe instruction provided. *activity level 3

(West Yellowstone, MT)
Hone your photography skills amid the winter ecology of Yellowstone National Park. Using film or digital cameras, capture extra steamy geyser basins and a snow-blanketed landscape as a naturalist and professional photographer explains the winter coping mechanisms of the park's plants and wildlife. Discover secrets to finding subjects for great nature photography, overcome standard composition and exposure pitfalls and practice adjusting camera settings to maintain detail in snowy conditions. Enjoy Yellowstone's winter scenery and wildlife on a heated snow coach expedition. On snowshoes, trace the tracks of shy, seldom-seen creatures and examine the geothermal microclimates and the life forms supported by the park's Upper Geyser Basin.
*activity level 3

**activity level descriptions

Winter in Yellowstone