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Home » Snowmobile Runs Into Snowcoach At Yellowstone National Park, Minor Injuries Reported

Snowmobile Runs Into Snowcoach At Yellowstone National Park, Minor Injuries Reported

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Published Date

March 1, 2012

Accidents, as they say, happen. And they happen even in Yellowstone National Park during the winter season when stringent guidelines are in place for snowmobilers and snowcoaches.

According to sketchy park reports, a snowcoach recently stopped on the side of the Grand Loop Road near Beryl Spring due to poor groomed snow conditions. While the driver was apparently assessing the conditions up ahead, a group of snowmobiles led by a commercial guide decided to pass the snowcoach.

"The guide went around and the second 'bile in line with a female driver and female passenger doubled up contacted the left rear tread of the coach," said park spokesman Dan Hottle. "The driver was only going around 10-15 mph, but the impact made the machine slide sideways. The driver was thrown off and landed in soft snow. She was wearing a helmet and complained of a headache.  

"The passenger was also thrown and hit her leg on the rear tread of the coach.  Both driver and passenger were transported to West Yellowstone as a precaution, but no significant injuries were reported," he said.

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Comments

Submitted by Bruce on March 1, 2012 - 6:59pm.

I'm glad nobody was seriously hurt.  In case there any other folks like me who apparently don't get out much, this is what a "snowcoach" looks like:
http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/SnowCoach.jpg


Submitted by admin on March 1, 2012 - 10:15pm.

Yep, nice pic, but let me tell you.  Snowcoach involved in this incident is that sized up a bit.
See pic:
http://sites.naturalsciences.org/education/treks/yellowstone/2010/pages/...
Of course, I find it real funny how this site states it.  The van on right is WAY (may I restate it WAY!!!) more reliable than glaval on left.  Glavals rip roads up and make it unsafe for more normal coaches like the coach on right as well as snowmobiles.  In adition, they break down about half the time they are on the road.  However, as the sites mentions, the vans themselves break down pretty often.  Look no further than the track units placed on the base of the vehicles.  Those are Mattracks.  I figure we lose 4 tracks per vehicle per year.  That would be 1 track per wheel per 3 months.  Mattraks make a vehicle capable of traveling over snow... barely.
I can't hold either coach driver nor snowmobiler responsible for the incident.  Coach driver can't help the vehicle he was assigned to drive.  He did well by stopping to let the 'bilers past.  Snowmobiler was asked to snowmobile in conditions made unsafe by other vehicles, i.e. mattrack vans and glavals.    One way or another, ee need BAT requirements for coaches that include restrictions on pounds per square inch!


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