Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 74 BY ROBYN ERLENBUSH MONTANA REAL ESTATE MONTANA'S WINTER WONDERLAND A s the days grow shorter, the weather turns cooler, and all of summer's allure begins to fade, people start to prepare for the winter months ahead in two very different ways. For some, this means sitting in front of the fire and enjoying quiet pursuits until spring arrives. For others, the cold brings snow and so many op- portunities to enjoy our area under a blanket of white. A most incredible phenomenon that should be experienced by any Montana resident or visitor at least once in a lifetime (though I recommend much more often) is the transformation of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) from a swarming tourist destination to a majestic winter wonderland. Snowcoaches, snowmobiles, and cross- country skiing become the predominant modes of transportation, and the solitude that can be found gives the feeling of being in a whole new park. e waterfalls change to magical ice cone sculp- tures, and the experience of seeing Old Faithful under a full moon in the deafening quiet is second to none. Snowshoes are rented, ice- skating commences, and winter wildlife safaris are booked. Established in 1872 as our nation's first national park, YNP visitation has grown exponentially over time. When the numbers were roughly tracked in the early years, there were reportedly 300 visitors in the inaugural year of 1872. By 1923, visitation num- bers surpassed the 100,000 mark. Move forward to 1948 and the 1 million-visitor benchmark was met. 2010 saw a record setting year with a total of 3,640,205 noted visits. And for 2015, the park recently announced it had exceeded 4,000,000 visitors. Considering that three of the five entrances are located in Montana (West Yel- lowstone, Gardiner, and Cooke City), that ensures a huge impact on Montana's economy. A few facts that fascinate me are the size and complex nature of the park, which is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined, at 2,219,789 acres. During the fires of 1988, approximately 36% of the park burned. Now, a mere 27 years later, one can barely notice the devastation. YNP is home to one of the world's largest calderas with over 10,000 thermal features and 300 geysers. Yellowstone Lake is the largest high attitude lake in North American. With over 1,100 native plant species and 400 thermo- philes (an organism that thrives in relatively high water and ground temperatures), 322 types of birds and 77 different mammals, there is plenty of diversity to complement the humans. To the north, our other national park, Glacier, also morphs in the winter months to a vivid experience of nature. Glacier National Park was established in 1910 and encompasses more than 1,000,000 acres. 2015 numbers are expected to top the 2014 record of 2,338,528 visitors. Guided snowshoe walks are very popular on the weekends during the first few months of the year. Cross-coun- try skiing is another way to explore the park up close and personal during the snowy season. Downhill skiing and snowboarding are part of our many claims to fame. Whitefish Mountain Resort ranked #9 in SKI Magazine's 2016 Best Ski Resort in the West report. is reader's poll placed the STAY A WEEK… OR A LIFETIME Stoked for skiing at Big Sky Resort: www.distinctlymontana.com/robyn161 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL A MOST INCREDIBLE PHENOMENON THAT SHOULD BE EXPERIENCED BY ANY MONTANA RESIDENT IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK FROM SWARMING TOURIST DESTINATION TO A MAJESTIC WINTER WONDERLAND.

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