The Mission
Starting on January 7, 2001, Winston "Win" Goodbody and Joe Hartney begin a
backcountry ski expedition across Greater Yellowstone. For the next five
months they will traverse 650 miles of remote wilderness in Wyoming,
Montana, and Idaho. Their route goes south to north, starting in the Wind
River Range in Wyoming, through Yellowstone National Park into Montana,
then returns north to south, through the Gallatin Range, back into
Yellowstone Park, then south along the Idaho border through the Teton
Range, Snake River Range, Wyoming Range, and Salt River Range. They will
pursue challenging ski descents of seldom-visited peaks along the way.
The Place
Spread over northwest Wyoming and parts of neighboring Idaho and Montana,
Greater Yellowstone's 18 million acres comprise one of the largest blocks
of undeveloped land left in the continental United States. There are more
than a dozen mountain ranges here. Major rivers on both sides of the
Continental Divide start high on the region's central plateau. Active
thermal geysers and vents recall a fiery past. Very few roads split this
rugged expanse. With so much contiguous wilderness, Greater Yellowstone is
home to large populations of wildlife, some of which can be found hardly
anywhere else in America. This area is a national treasure.
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Outside a few popular spots, most of Greater Yellowstone's wilderness sees
little human activity in summer. In winter, the backcountry becomes an
untracked paradise perfectly suited to ski touring. A visit at this time
of year is a window to an older world. Bison stand motionless around
steaming, thermal pools. Storm clouds race across an indifferent horizon.
Wolves travel single file beneath frozen stars. First light on a -30 degree
morning warms up from blue-black to pink and orange with the arrival of a
weak sun. Last night's hunt is recorded by animal tracks that converge on
bright red stains in the snow.
Reaching this wild place and the classic long distance ski tour it offers
does not require flying half way around the world— it's right here in our
own backyard. Though certain areas of Greater Yellowstone are well known
for their ski potential, much of it remains untapped. Joe and Win will
bring back photographs of mountains and valleys that hardly anyone ever
sees - let alone skis.
The Experience
Win and Joe are setting off on this trip because they want to experience
the essence of Greater Yellowstone in winter and test their own physical
limits at the same time. These two goals are closely aligned, but
completing the selected route won't be easy. There is something about
working hard day after day while moving through wilderness that drives one
to go farther. The fluid movement of long-distance travel becomes an end
in itself. It is no longer just a way to get from one point to the next.
The combination of great skiing, extended backcountry living, and active
wildlife will make for an unforgettable winter. By spending five months
immersed in Greater Yellowstone's backcountry, they will have a rare
opportunity to learn about this special landscape in depth.
The Route
They have broken their route into 11 legs based on the location of towns,
roads, and resupply points along the way. For each leg they have estimated
distances "as the crow flies," the ground miles they will cover, and the
number of days required. Win and Joe will report their stories to
MountainZone.com between each leg, in 11 different episodes. Stay tuned.
