[Geysers] Snow coach Stats: Billings Gazette

[Joeerg at aol.com]

Snip:  "General havoc? Please describe."

NOISE primarily.  It tends by its nature to become general.
Exhaust a close second.
Bikers also tend to scare away wildlife and feel disruptive.
Visiting local state parks is often intolerable due to lack of control of 
noise.

Snip:  "When you visit the park in the summer, do
you do so by tour bus or in your private vehicle"

I have quite frankly never considered a "tour bus."  Moreover, I admit that I 
am not sure what a YNP tour bus would be like.  Perhaps I am guilty of 
stereotyping by assuming that a "tour bus" would be one intended for those visitors 
who wish to have a structured, regimented, guided, and low energy visit to the 
park designed to cover certain sites within a time period.  Since we do not 
prefer structure, regimentation, or guiding, and are interested in a high 
energy visit, and we like to remain at many locations for longer periods to hike, 
educate ourselves, picnic, watch wildlife, etc., a "tour bus" would seem 
impractical.  On the other hand, should the park provide a reliable, predictable 
scheduled shuttle bus service running throughout the day and making stops at 
major park locations (with perhaps some trailhead options, as well) the car would 
come in, but once it got there, it would stay at the starting point.  We'd be 
happy to pay for it, too.

As noted in my original post, I am one of the rabble, and from the armchair 
as well.  I'm not interested in provoking an argument.  Having said that, my 
reaction to the snowmobile issue at YNP isn't based upon firsthand experience, 
but on a general distaste for the seemingly uncontrolled proliferation of 
private vehicles of all kinds and the increasing difficulty of finding places not 
overrun with ATV's, boats, bikers, snowmobiles, jetskis, or whatever.  There's 
an unending list.

Certainly I support the idea of promoting attractive public transportation 
alternatives with the goal of reducing the numbers of private vehicles of all 
kinds.
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