Snowmobile and snowcoach use numbers for Yellowstone National Park for the start of the 2009-2010 winter season are higher than reported earlier this week.
Statistics released on Tuesday for December 2009 failed to include snowmobile and snowcoach travel originating from Old Faithful. The figures reported for December 2007 and December 2008 did include travel originating at Old Faithful. The error led to an under-reporting of daily average and peak day snowmobile and snowcoach use in December 2009, and would have indicated a greater decline in both snowmobile and snowcoach use compared to previous years than actually occurred.
The corrected preliminary figures show an average of 190 snowmobiles and 36 snowcoaches operated in the park from the December 15 start of winter season to the end of the month. Even with the corrected figures, both numbers are down compared to the same period in 2008 and 2007.
Corrected Snowmobile and Snowcoach Visitation
| Dec. 2009 | Dec. 2008 | Dec.2007 | |
| Snowmobiles - Daily Average | 190 | 233 | 365 |
| Snowmobiles - Peak Day | 293 (12/29) | 426 (12/29) | 557 (12/28) |
| Snowcoaches - Daily Average | 36 | 39 | 45 |
| Snowcoaches - Peak Day | 58 (12/27) | 53 (12/27) | 60 (12/26) |
The peak day for snowmobiles was December 29 when 293 snowmobiles were in the park. The peak day for snowcoaches was December 27, when there were 58 snowcoaches operating in Yellowstone.
Limited, managed snowmobile and snowcoach travel over groomed, snow-packed park roads is permitted this season under a new temporary plan, which allows up to 318 commercially guided, Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles, and up to 78 commercially guided snowcoaches per day in Yellowstone.
The National Park Service regrets the reporting error.
