| OCR Text |
Show WetiThursFri, November 19-21, 2003 The Park Record B-7 Plan in works to manage gray wolf SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Residents will have the opportunity next spring to weigh irr with what they think should he included in a statewide plan to manage the gray wolf. . Wildlife biologists have been working1 work-ing1 on a management plan for some time now. Their efforts received added priority when a gray wolf was captured last fall near Morgan, the first official confirmation of a wolf in Utah in more than 50 years. The Wolf Management Working Group comprised of representatives representa-tives of the Ute tribe, professors, wolf advocates, hunters, ranchers, elected officials, environmentalists Yellowstone: Will snowcoaches ease traffic? . BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) .The search for an environmentally friendly snowcoach that will appeal to winter visitors at Yellowstone National Park has ' officials looking to the past for some inspiration. 1 A "concept" bus the park is testing offers a resemblance to the yellow buses that carried tourists in the early part of the last century. But the new bus also could be fitted with special tracks and run in .-the .-the winter. If tests prove successful, success-ful, it could become another sightseeing sight-seeing alternative in a park where limits will be, imposed on snowmobiles snowmo-biles beginning this year. ! The goal is to develop an all-season all-season machine attractive enough to lure tourists from RVs and cars that cause traffic jams at wildlife sightings, yet efficient enough to help reduce pollution levels, particularly par-ticularly in the winter. 'We want visitors to enjoy the park," said John Sacklin, Yellowstone's chief of planning. "But we recognize, as visitation continues to increase, it may be ' difficult to accommodate all visitors visi-tors in the traditional ways they have come in to the park." ' And, traditionally, they've driven. driv-en. .-Yellowstone is considered a drjve-ihrough park; its five gates offer access to Western towns and wild places in three states and often, park officials say, tourists don't enter and exit through the same gate. Officials aren't interested in changing that, necessarily. They want to enhance the visitor experi ence i reducing noise and traffic, offering park information thafs not simply tossed in the backseat by! offering shuttles to high-traffic tourist stops or hiking-.holspotsr-In small buses that can be powered" by tleaner-burning , alternative RIGHT ANGLE PICTURE FRAMING 24 RIGHT ANGLE PICTURE FRAMING 1240 IRONHORSE DR. 649-3640 Just across the road from the Lost Sock Laundry M . ! V ' r' ' Cftfewav Office' tenter j 435.655.9696 1 36 HEBER AVE., PARK CITY, UT 84 and a member of the Utah Wildlife Board met for the first time last week "Mostly we talked about how do we work, how do we address the issues and the nuts and bolts of upcoming meetings," said Miles Moretti, assistant director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The DWR has agreed to establish a wolf information page on ils Web site where minutes of meetings meet-ings and other information on the animal will be posted. In March, members will begin holding a series of public hearings around the state.. The federal government recently fuels, such as propane or ethanol blends. But they want the bus to have a specific look and feel that will entice some of the park's nearly 3 million annual visitors from their vehicles, for at least part of their trips. The design of the concept bus tested this summer calls to mind the touring buses that park officials say ran in Yellowstone until the 1950s. The concept bus featured a rollback roll-back top and TV screen that could be used to display wildlife photos, park highlights being discussed by an interpreter or, perhaps, local accommodations, said Dick Rief, vice president of marketing and sales for Heart International, which is involved in the development develop-ment and eventual manufacturing of the buses. It was also handicap-accessible handicap-accessible with room for 15 or so people. "We took styling cues from the old yellow bus, which had a convertible con-vertible top," he said. "We wanted it to look friendly, to have that nostalgic nos-talgic appeal, so people would want to get in." The concept bus was brought into the park for the first time this summer, but mostly just for show. Comments from riders were largely large-ly positive, he . said, though "minor" changes are still likely. This winter, park officials expect to test the concept bus with the winter tracks attached to see how it performs and whether visitors visi-tors like it. If all goes well, they could have one or more final versions ver-sions of the all-season $100,000 bus working by next summer. Park officials say a new-generation snowcoach is an important piece of the. region's winter use . plan-, which aims to ease, noise pollution pol-lution and adverse effects on wildlife and human health, partic- PHOTOS PRINTS FINE ART Quality art and top quality service to meet all your framing needs Park City's most unique collection of pre-made frames! I When you leas on office here, you tan - use our conterente ana medio rooms to .'" imnrnua unur nrMontnfinnt tilt unn'l IIIIIUTB JUUI (JIWVIMUIIVIIJ. WWI JUU II m i i only pay for them when you use them. Your clients will be impressed. So will ' your bookkeeper. " Tit Pwumtolutiiii Fot 0 6 0 www.gatewaybusinesscenter.tom reclassified the gray wolf, downgrading downgrad-ing its federally protected status from endangered to threatened. However, they still are endangered in southern Utah, where wolves have not been seen in decades. Threatened status means ranchers ranch-ers can kill wolves but only if the animals ani-mals are caught in the act of killing livestock. Under the endangered status, only the federal government could remove or kill wolves. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hopes to de-list the wolf altogether alto-gether and turn management authority over to the states, but states must first have a management plan. ularly of park employees at Yellowstone's congested west gate. Snowmobiles have been allowed in the park for 40 years and snowcoaches for 48, Sacklin said. If all goes well, the bus on tracks could become a new-style snowcoach, Sacklin said. "When I look at the future, I see there will be significant differences differ-ences in the way the park operates in the winter," he said. "Snowmobiles and snowcoaches will be dramatically cleaner and quieter than those we've been used to over the last 10 years, and that will be huge." Sacklin believes that, if done correctly, the bus could bring new tourists to the area or keep others around a bit longer. "Often, when people think of getting on a bus, it is simply looked at as a means of getting from one place to another," he said. "With tour guides on the bus, we would have the vehicle really be a part of the experience." experi-ence." . National Park Service officials say alternative transportation such as shuttles and trains has been successful in parks. In Acadia National Park, for example, more than 1 million riders rid-ers have taken a bus in the five years since a system was imple n Itip .gaasEnaiazE rl f v Weil now. Interesting Isn't it? ' Rates seem to be coming back around. 30 Yr to $322,700 5375 5.477 APR 15 Yr to $322 700 4.750 4.840 APR 51 ARM 4250 4.331 APR 11 ARM 3.000 3.057 APR 30 Yr Jumbo 5.875 5.987 APR 15 Yr Jumbo 5.250 5.350 APR 51 ARM Jumbo 4.250 4.331 APR 11 ARM Jumbo 20875 2.930 APR 7 Yr Ballon 322k 4.625 4.713 APR GREAT SHORT 6 Month ARM 3.312 APR 7 40 Year Term V-'' 10 Year Int Only- Single Close Construction Loans ABSOLUTELY! 3.00 for up to 18 months STATED! Yes, 5.500 w locked long term rate to 8 12 years llllniFirst Western Mortgage Dan Margolis Steve Honeywell Brady Hartzog Jeff Creveling Richie Breza Kim Dainton ' "' ' ? dmargolisparkcityloans.com The Wolf Forum, Utah State University, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife, Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Wool Growers, Utah Association of Counties, the Ute Indian Tribe, Utah Audubon and Utah Wildlife Federation are all represented on the Wolf Management Working Group. Kevin Conway, director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, praised the public input process adopted by the working group, saying it would give all Utah residents the chance to monitor what the group is doing and to offer their own input. , mented, deputy superintendent Len Bqbinchock said. The fleet of propane-powered buses run between the park and local communities on the coast of Maine. It has helped ease traffic a bit, but Bobinchock said he'd like to have the program expanded if funds were available. The idea of partnerships as a way to share costs and benefits has been discussed some among Yellowstone and Grand Teton and nearby towns. Cam Hugie, Grand Teton's chief of professional services, said the park would like to work with the town of Jackson, Wyo., and Teton County on a possible, future transit arrangement. Park officials expect to have a draft of Grand Teton's transit plan by November, he said. "We're trying to be proactive and look down the road," Hugie said. Back at Yellowstone, Sacklin said the buses, though not meant to replace other vehicles, could help change the way the park and region are seen and understood. under-stood. "Providing alternative options for people to tour the park, to see features or sights they otherwise may not be able to, makes sense to us," he said. TERM PRODUCT Primary $5,000,000 Cash Out Max $1,000,000 Stated income $2,000,000 Investment $1,000,000 "Park City's Premier Mortgage Lender Since 1983 n First Western Building 1245 Deer Valley Drive Park City, UT 84060 435-649-9556 voice 435-649-3249 fax Recreation Report Park City Mountain Resort Park City Mountain Resort is now open for winter operations. As of Tuesday, Nov. 1 8, the setded snow depth is 28 inches with four new inches of fallen snow. Eighteen runs and two lifts are in operation. A full-day pass is $35 for adults, $20 for youth. PCMR will host America's Opening this weekend. For more info, call 800-222-7275 or log on www.parkcitymountain.com. Deer Valley Resort Deer Valley Resort is preparing for winter operations. The resort is scheduled to open Dec 6. Coming up Nov. 23 Deer Valley will host the Wasatch Mountain Food and Wine Society's Nouveau Beaujolais Festival. For more information or a list of upcoming events hosted at Deer Valley, log on to www.deeryalley.com or call 649-1000. The Canyons The Canyons is scheduled to winter operations. For more log on www.thecanyons.com. Wasatch-Cache National Forest Campgrounds located in the Uintas along The Mirror Lake Highway, S.R. 1 50, are now closed for the winter season. UDOT has put up road closure signs but has not yet locked the gate on the road. Motorists can proceed at their own discretion. For more information, call the Kamas Ranger District, 435-783-4338. White Pine Touring Cross-Country The White Pine Touring cross-country track now has 8 km of track open. More track will be open weather permitting. Season passes are $ 1 75 for a single, $250 for family, $ 14 per day or a 1 0-punch pass. Rentals range from $ 1 2-$ 1 5. For more information, call 649-6249. Utah Olympic Park The Utah Olympic Park is offering skeleton camps Thursdays from 9 a.m. to I p.m. and Saturdays from 2-6 p.m.The park is scheduled to open in late December for bobsled, luge rides and other tour options. Guests can still visit the Joe Quinney Winter Sports CenterAlf Engen Ski Museum. For more information, call 658-4208 or visit www.oryparks.com. Utah Aydan , As of Tuesday, Nov. 1 8, the Avalanche Center reported up to 26 inches of new snow in the backcountry.The settled snow has created an inverted invert-ed snowpack, which is stable on top - tough for breaking trail but great for turns. Best skiing options are on shaded, lover-angle slopes. Avalanche danger is considerable on slopes above 9,000 feet and steeper than 35 degrees on east and northeast aspects. Moderate danger is given to anything any-thing below 9,000 feet For more information, call the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center hodine at 658-55 1 2. Ski area opening dates J fcwffl'iiMritoiiM -Vfj -.Tonfeatiw UtaAv raaw nim -il mn itjkv04m Alta Nov. 20; Beaver Mountain mid-December; Brian Head Nov. 22; Brighton open; The Canyons November 2 1 ; Deer Valley Dec. 6; Park City Mountain Resort open; Powder Mountain mid-November; Snowbasin Nov. 27; Snowbird open; Solitude mid-November; Sundance early-December 12. Follow Mother Nature's winter progress and find updated information about all of Utah's resorts at the newly redesigned www.skiutah.com. EVERY 7TH TJ Self Park INCLUDES 8"di au Valot Onon U W f UIVI VWWil ' MZ'Day Covered i 24 HR. SHUTTLE SAFE & SECURE FAST, FRIENDLY SERVICE j- RESALE FURNITURE ANTIQUES ACCESSORIES GIFTS HT OME DESIGNS, INC. 9otfA (fiurk Gift' votiMfMientyOtore A WONDERFUL SELECTION OF FINE QUALITY ITEMS AT FANTASTIC PRICES1. 435.658.2iII 1745 Bonanza Drive Monday-Friday 10:00-5:30 Saturday 10:00-5:00 open this Friday, Nov. 21 for information, call 649-5400 or COUPONr DAY FREE a- if SINCE M 50 S. Redwood Rd. 355-Park Between I-80 & NorthTemple on Redwood Rd. www.dlamondparklng.com Expires December 31, 2003 PARKING 1922 COUPON U Coupon not valid with ottw offers p Rates B ot B2M3 ' Cal today Rum can, do ma w rm nd l qulcwy. |
