Input on first solo trip - Yellowstone in April

Greetings,

First post, first solo trip. Looking for some guidance on logistics and gear, and an overall sanity check of the basic trip outline.

A little bit about me - 36, excellent shape, generally outdoors-y (camping, fishing, hunting, day hikes). Good survival skills and enough common sense not to put myself in a bad situation.

Now having said that...

I plan to spend the 3rd week of April this year hiking back country trails in Yellowstone. The basic idea is to park a pop up camper in the park as a "base camp" and do day hikes (6-10 hours) from there. Either right from where parked, or driving to another section of the park, always planning to be back at the truck/camp at the end of the day.

I'll be driving in from Iowa, so I imagine I'll come in through the NE entrance.

- Any suggestions on an area of the park to set up in? Doesn't have to be centrally located necessarily. Just the area that has the best routes/features to explore.
- Suggestions on specific trails/features that are must see/do?

- A good resource to check and see what trails/roads will be open at that time? Or this a keep checking the park site as time goes on thing?

Gear wise, I have a good Kelty day pack, and I'm fairly well researched into the clothing I'll pick up. My biggest question (and the one people hate to answer) is with footwear. Given that my trail shoe of choice is an NB Minimus, even just a boot style that would be suitable to the temp/snow/terrain would be an incredible help as a starting spot.

TIA for the guidance and input. I'm sure I'll have more questions pop up as the trip plans flesh out.

George

FYI:



from: http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/camping.htm

Most Yellowstone roads and facilities don't open until May, often mid to late May, and even then there's a lot of snow on the ground. The Northeast Entrance stays open only because that's the only way for Cooke City, MT residents to get in and out until the Beartooth Plateau Road opens in late May/early June. You won't be able to enter the park that way. Only the Mammoth Hot Springs campground is open before early May. And yes, you are required to camp in a designated campground in all national parks, unless you are backpacking and have a backcountry permit.

Are you preparing for a snowshoeing and winter camping experience? Plus navigating trails that in many places are hidden under many feet of snow? That's what you're going to have!

Check the official Yellowstone National Park website (nps.gov) for information on road opening times, campground opening times, camping rules, trail conditions, etc.

Thanks for the replies. I do plan to set up in a campsite and get a back country permit. Since I see now that Mammoth Springs is the only campsite open at that time, that makes picking a spot to set up easy...

I am planning for a winter and snow shoeing experience. That's part of the excitement for me, though it is a new experience. I've hiked at altitude, but never in so much snow. I plan to make it back to the truck/campsite every day, nothing overnight.

Remember to bring enough with you each day that you could survive an unscheduled night out. You don't need to be especially comfortable, so long as you survive it. I'd also recommend you leave some kind of itinerary behind each day so your whereabouts aren't a total mystery if that happens. When I'm solo day hiking out of my tent site in a remote spot, I'll leave behind a note in a conspicuous spot in my tent that identifies the trail I took, my intended turnaround spot, and the day I left.

I hope you have a great time snowshoeing in Yellowstone! Sounds like a great adventure.

Great idea, and thank you.

As I'm browsing eBay for snowshoes, is there any brand in particular to avoid?

I would get a copy of Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book. It is cheap and has a lot of info on winter camping, even though about half is about skiing. Get it on Amazon for around $10.

I would not walk away from my shelter for more than a very short distance without a full kit, including a small stove, food, sleeping bag or bivy, extra clothes, light and a shovel to dig an emergency shelter if need be. I carry a Voile Mini. This may seem like overkill, but if you get lost, and are not prepared to dig in and stay warm, the chance of you freezing to death is a lot higher than you think. In the snow, you will be walking a lot slower and everything looks the same. Make sure you have a map & compass or GPS and know how to use them. I take all three. Average temps in Yellowstone in April are high about 50 and low about 25; check the weather sites and the park's site for recent and historical temps.

Boots-I'd take a pair of Sorels, Baffins or similar insulated boot. Mukluks are pretty specialized, so I'd not go for those. You want something you can fit on snowshoes. Speaking of which, you may be able to rent those if you don't want to buy them, otherwise, I'd look on eBay or Craigslist for a pair of Atlas or similar shoe. Get big ones. Unless you are small, little ones won't help much in soft snow. I have Atlas 1225's, but for Yellowstone, I'd go bigger (smaller ones work in California because the snow is wetter).

I'm not trying to be dramatic, but don't take winter camping lightly. I've winter camped solo a few times and don't claim to be an expert, but when you are on your own, being prepared is number one.

Thanks, Tom, you said it better than I could!

In addition, any precipitation in April will be in the form of snow. At that time of year, it might be wet, soggy snow, or it might be a howling blizzard. "Spring" in Wyoming, even at lower altitudes, generally doesn't happen until mid to late May. In Yellowstone, it can snow any month of the year.

Higher altitude, so some sunblock and sunglasses. I always snowshoe with an e- blanket, a small stove and pot some food,headlamp and some extra clothes to add or subtract from depending on conditions. I generally carry a pack with a 50 liter capacity, because it carries the light load with very little effort. Gorilla tape for snowshoe repairs. My Atlas shoes have withstood a lot of hard use over the years, still work like new. Make sure they're sized for your weight. Get trekking poles with snow baskets or use ski poles. Sounds like a great late winter adventure. I take it you're getting the snowshoes in advance, they use some different muscles and can be a bear if you overdo it the first time out. Great to get use to them before you go. I really like Sorel Conquests for warmth and comfort while 'shoeing. For me , they slip less than boots with liners, and attach better to snowshoe bindings and micro-spikes. I've used them to -10 F so far with no cold feet. Sorry, haven't been to YNP in winter. I'm jealous.

Excellent input everyone; I appreciate the responses. I definitely don't want to leave here with any unanswered questions which is why I'm planning now for the trip.

I'll finish fleshing out my expected day pack pretty soon and see how it fits/feels. Right now my pack is a Kelty Redwing 2650, though that may be a bit small now.

I am checking eBay for the snowshoes and plan to practice with them quite a bit before heading out. I haven't hiked in them before.