Yellowstone National Park officials say preliminary counts of snowmobiles stayed steady while snow coach use rose slightly this past winter.

Compared with last winter, snowmobile numbers this season dropped less than 1 percent, falling to 30,756, while snow coach visits rose roughly 7 percent to 21,794.

Overall visitation numbers from December to February increased 7 percent, from 75,450 in 2006-07 to 80,828 in 2007-08. Officials said overall numbers for March are not yet available. All of the data are preliminary, Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said.

Nash said the biggest increase came from people who entered the park’s North Entrance in automobiles. Through February, about 35,900 people visited Mammoth, Lamar Valley or traveled to Cooke City, Mont., located on the park’s northeast boundary, for an 8 percent increase compared with last winter.

“Even though there is only limited wheeled access, it is still very significant and important,” Nash said. “Lamar Valley sees people looking for wolves year round.”

Next winter, Yellowstone will operate under new winter travel rules that reduce the number of snowmobiles allowed in the park each day from 720 to 540. The new rules also lower the daily limit on snowmobiles at each entrance and at other areas.

Nash said the number of snowmobiles entering the park surpassed 540 just one day this winter, on Dec. 28. More than 500 snowmobiles entered the park on Dec. 27, 28 and 29.

Daily limits would have also passed next winter’s allocation for the West Entrance, the South Entrance and Old Faithful right after Christmas.
Snow coach totals would have passed the maximum limit at the South Entrance on several days at the end of December and at the East Entrance one day in March.

Nash said the fact that snowmobile use passed next winter’s maximum limit on only a few days this winter shows that opportunities will continue for snowmobile and snow coach operators outside the park.

“We felt that these levels would allow us to provide for visitor use, protection of resources and some economic growth for the gateway communities,” he said. “It’s no surprise which days have the highest visitation during our brief winter season.”

Further, Nash said the new plan leaves managers some leeway to adjust the numbers.

“Part of the final rule does call for an adaptive management component,” he said. “We’re going to continue to monitor the number of snowmobiles and snow coaches allowed and watch how they impact conditions. We have the flexibility to do that.”

Nash said that could mean an increase or a decrease in snowmobile or snow coach numbers, depending on the results of continuous air, noise and wildlife monitoring.