Ski Yellowstone in the Winter

Yellowstone National Park is America’s first national park, filled with stunning geologic wonders. It is well worth the visit in the summer, though you will have to struggle with crowds and parking. Have you ever wondered what Yellowstone in the winter is like? Aaron Linsdau spent three years doing winter expeditions across Yellowstone to ski and snowshoe through the park in preparation for his expedition across Antarctica.

Yellowstone mirrors many of the conditions in Antarctica. Yellowstone has all elevations above 5,000 feet and the average elevation is nearly 8,000 feet. Yellowstone is regularly the coldest location in the lower 48 states. How cold? On my first expedition, the temperature dropped to -45 degrees Fahrenheit. Aaron was lucky he didn’t get frostbite on his toes.

Winter Expeditions: Ski Yellowstone National Park

His first expedition in 2008 was his most challenging winter expedition to date. He attempted to ski from Gardiner, Montana to Flagg Ranch, Wyoming. As soon as he got started, things went wrong, forcing him to make changes to his original plan. This taught Aaron how to adapt to any situation in difficult conditions.

The second winter ski Yellowstone National Park expedition was a more refined experience, as Aaron had battle tested knowledge that he employed. Now that he had a better idea of what to expect and how to adjust his equipment, he now could focus on achieving his goals.

Aaron’s third expedition to ski Yellowstone National Park in the depths of winter was to test equipment for his Antarctic Expedition. This was his final test run before taking everything he needed to the end of the earth.

Read more about what a trip to ski Yellowstone National Park was like in his book Antarctic Tears, available through Amazon, published by Sastrugi Press. Antarctic Tears has received rave reviews. This book recounts the emotional experience of pursuing a dream, setting goals, and then having the entire plan fall apart at the outset. Learn how Aaron never gave up, clawing his way to the South Pole.