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Yellowstone In Winter
Hi,
We are going on a Yellowstone in Winter tour this February. We just received Tauck's recommendations and strong suggestions as to what to bring in terms of clothes ex snow pants, snow boots, jackets and layers and other items. If you have been on the Yellowstone in Winter tour what did you find was essential to have with you? What brand of clothing would you recommend ex Outdoor Research, Mountain Hardware, Columbia, etc? Any other suggestions or information would be appreciated also. My email address is gyrflcn@sbcglobal.net. Looking forward to hearing wolves howl and Bison lounge in the warm rivers.
Take care, Jim Motroni
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I loved loved loved this adventure. I will correspond soon again or you can private message me. Yellowstone is majestic on winter!
I spend several days each week in the Colorado mountains in the winter, which has similar weather. I suggest ski/snowboarding pants, jacket, under layer, gloves, and hat, along with winter boots. If you tend to have cold hands, consider mittens. FWIW, my ski pants are North Face and my ski jacket is Spyder. If you want high end clothing, look at Arcteryx.
I'd take hand warmers. Those little one time use bag ones or they make rechargeable ones now. For cold weather clothing we like 32 Degrees baselayer long sleeve t shirts and bottoms. You can get at Costco or online.
I found the most perfect pair of apres ski boots to my knee on a whim at Sierra Trading Post.com. The travel director even asked where I got them. The important thing for me regarding boots is that the soles were not low on the snow They were kinda elevated away from the ground . My feet for the life of me could not get warm enough so while in Yellowstone, I happen to find the thickest pair of wool socks imaginable, and they worked like a charm. Hunters also use these. You can find these online at any good outdoors store for the winter. You’ll need some yak tracks for walking on ice. We had these ahead of times d purchased at REI. We used our neoprene face coverings for wind protection when necessary. A long insulated winter coat also for wind protection is the best; not a short one. Layering is the key. It is cold but if you’re prepared, it won’t be an issue. Again, it is a great trip.
Like everything else it depends on the temperature, the wind and your activity level. Here are some basic suggestions: Sunscreen including for your lips. Sunglasses that are polarized. A neck buff, merino wool. Don't wear a scarf which are great in Prague or Paris in the winter but not in the mountains. There should be no cotton touching your skin when you are out for the day. It gets wet and cold. For your hands buy mittens not gloves. You should have an outer mitten with a synthetic insulation and Gortex. Then wear a thin liner with sensory tips that you wear inside the mitten. That way you take of your outer mitten and you can you can operate your electronics or get in your pack with out an issue. The key is your base layer. It needs to be form fitting to maximize wicking. There are types that also have light insulation. You will need both tops and bottoms. Also for the top and bottom you will a water and wind proof shell. For the bottoms I usually have them insulated and for temps below 30 I prefer bibs to keep the wind and snow from going in your pants or up your tops. Boots, I prefer ones with felt liners that I pull out at night and dry. Your outer layer should have a hood. This makes a huge difference in the wind even with a hat on. I usually wear the following: Insulated bib pants over the base layer. If it really cold, and my activity level is low, I wear a pair of fleece pant under the bibs. Don't wear lined jeans. On the top I have a base layer, 3 layer Gortex shell with pit zips, a mid with fleece like a Patagonia R2 and then have an optional insulating layer with a hood like an Arcteryx Atom AR. I also have a light weight wind shell for times I don't need the heavy shell. I use the Arcteryx Squamish or Rab borealis. The following are the sites or brands I use: REI, Arcteryx, Stio, Rob USA, and Patagonia
Thank you to everyone who replied to my question. I have good in sight to what I need to wear and buy.
Take care,
Jim
I have been to Yellowstone several times in the past, but only once during the Winter; a totally different experience there. I was on Tauck's "Wonderland: Yellowstone in Winter" tour a few years ago during a cold and snowy February there. The Tauck tour was wonderful (one of the 42 tours I took with Tauck over the past decade) and I got to the area a day before and a day after the Tauck tour. The day before on my own I helped to mush a 14 dogsled team all day long throughout the Absaroka Mountains, something I had never done before then. Wonderful. The day after the Tauck tour, I and 8 other folks each with our own individual snowmobile, snowmobiled 100 miles (half of the time in a blizzard) throughout Yellowstone. Wow, an amazing experience (I had never ridden a snowmobile before then either). It was quiet, beautiful and one could see more animals besides the bison in the surrounding snow, etc. Thanks to Tauck who put me in the area back then due to their wonderful tour, I was able to do two things in life that I would never have thought of doing before then. Thank You, Tauck! :-)