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Skiers, snowshoers plan to 'Stand Up for Yellowstone'

PRESIDENT'S DAY RALLY TO HIGHLIGHT OUTRAGE OVER PARK SERVICE'S SNOWMOBILE PLAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 26, 2002

CONTACT: Ken Miller, Winter Wildlands Education and Outreach Coordinator, 208.344.8692, .

BOISE, ID — Skiers, snowshoers and other winter recreationists will descend on West Yellowstone over the long President's Day weekend in a "Stand Up for Yellowstone" show of unity against the Bush administration's plan to keep snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park and actually increase the numbers of machines allowed daily.

"Skiers, snowshoers, and others who enjoy our public lands without motorized power tried for years to have their concerns heard by the National Park Service, and were ignored," said Winter Wildlands Alliance Executive Director Sally Grimes. "This administration has made it clear it plans to elevate snowmobilers to the dominant winter use in the world's first national park. Skiers are angry, frustrated, and disillusioned that their concerns have been ignored in favor of the clout of a small minority and the politically connected motorized lobby in Washington."

Winter Wildlands Alliance, the nation's largest recreation organization working to protect the rights and interests of non-motorized snowsports enthusiasts, is organizing the event to draw skiers and others from around the country to West Yellowstone, the busiest entrance into the park and the self-styled "Snowmobile Capital of the World."

The "Stand Up for Yellowstone" rally will be Saturday, Feb. 15, at an easy-to-access location inside the park. Skiers will be on hand to meet with reporters, elected officials, local business owners and others to show their support for the parks, as well as their belief they can contribute to the West Yellowstone economy.

Besides publicizing the wrongheaded nature of the administration's Yellowstone snowmobile plan, those coming to West Yellowstone will show how they can have as favorable an economic impact on a local winter economy that has become dependent on snowmobile dollars—even to the detriment of Yellowstone itself.

Media interested in coming to Yellowstone during the President's Day weekend are encouraged to contact WWA for details. For more information, call Ken Miller at 208.344.8692.

Founded in 2000 by grassroots groups throughout the country, Winter Wildlands Alliance is the only national organization working to protect a quality human-powered winter recreation experience. For more information, visit www.winterwildlands.org.

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