United States 

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Intermountain

Region

Caribou - Targhee

National Forest

Teton Basin

Ranger District

August, 2012

Teton Canyon Yurt Proposal

Public Scoping Opportunity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities 

on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, 

reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

USDAs TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, 

write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202)720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider and employer.
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SUMMARY

The Caribou -Targhee National Forest is proposing to add a fourth yurt to the Rendezvous 

Backcountry Ski Tours (Permitee) yurt system. The proposed location for the new yurt is the 

group gathering area in Teton Canyon Campground, at the end of Forest road #009 (See Map 1)

Map 1:

Action is needed to respond to the written proposal from the permittee to expand their yurt 

system. Currently the three yurts under a special use permit are located at high elevation and 

require advanced to expert skiers to reach the yurt sites. The permittee is seeking a yurt location 

that serves the general public and is family accessible. The yurt would be erected in OctoberNovember after Teton Canyon Campground is closed and before Forest Road #009 is closed for 

the winter. The yurt would be assembled on the old cement pad that serves as a group gathering 

site in the summer (see photo 1) The yurt would be removed in the spring after Forest Road 

#009 is open to the public and prior to Teton Canyon Campground opening around Memorial 

Day. 
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BACKGROUND

Rendezvous Backcountry Ski Tours currently operates three yurts for backcountry skiers and has 

had a successful and incident free business since 1986. In the past several years the permittee

has been noticing an increased interest in family oriented winter adventure including cross 

country skiing, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. A yurt located in Teton Canyon provides 

the opportunity for a broad range of skiing abilities to access the public forest lands for winter 

recreation. The permittee’s three existing locations mandate an advanced skill level and are not 

suited for all age groups, whereas a yurt in Teton Canyon provides an easily accessible approach 

into the forest for a larger percentage of the general public.

PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION

The purpose of this project is to respond to a proposal from the permittee for an additional yurt 

located in Teton Canyon that is accessible to the general public. Currently the three yurt sites 

serve only expert skiers due to vertical climb of over 2,800 feet with a full backpack and 

supplies. Demand from novice to intermediate skiers and backcountry users cannot be 

accommodated due to mountainous terrain and long steep approaches. Locating a rental yurt in 

Teton Canyon will accommodate a much larger portion of the public than the yurt system 

currently severs.

The proposed location at the Teton Canyon Campground is within Forest Prescription 4.1

Developed Recreation Sites. The 1997 RFP gives the following guidance for developed 

recreation sites:

Provide for a variety of concentrated public recreation uses in a roaded-natural setting 

based on the character of the area and visitor needs (Goal).

On new developments provide adequate vegetation filters to maintain and /or enhance 

riparian dependent resources (Goal).

PROPOSED ACTION

The location of the 20’ yurt will be set on the already existing Teton Canyon campground 

concrete pad. By utilizing the already existing concrete pad, there will be no need to build a 

deck or any permanent structure. Due to its proximity to a maintained Forest access road (#009), 

the yurt would be transported in/out of the canyon each fall and spring, eliminating the need for 

remote storage. Ideally the yurt would be erected shortly before the road is closed in the fall, and 

then dismantled as soon as the access road is passable in the spring. 

Clients would utilize the existing outhouse (Photo 2) and work with all of the parties involved to 

maintain the waste disposal facility. This eliminates the potential to disturb soils or pollute 

groundwater. Permittee will utilize pellet stove technology to further minimize the impact the 

surrounding landscape. Permittee will work with the current campground concessionaire to 
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insure that all winter operations are compatible with the summer campground operations, 

regulations and insurance policies, including waste management and electricity (Photo 3).

Vehicles will be limited to two cars per group in the Teton Canyon parking area to reduce the 

congestion at the trail head, and group size will be limited to six to eight participants. Permittee 

will work with the local landowners in the area and the local Trails and Pathways group to insure 

that overnight parking does not interfere with snow plowing operations.

Snow machines, which are legal in the area, will only be allowed for ingress and egress only. 

Yurt renters will be advised of this policy and it will be noted that the yurt is not used for 

recreational snow machine riding. Vehicles that transport snowmobiles will be required to park 

in the upper lot and snow machines will be advised not to interfere with the groomed ski tracks.

As with the other three yurt locations, dogs will not be allowed at the yurt due to sanitary and 

wildlife impacts. A specific area near the yurt will be fenced off to insure that the culinary snow 

meant to be melted for drinking water, is not contaminated. 

Permittee will plan to manage food storage in compliance with current forest policy. Other 

operations will be similar to what currently functions at the three existing sites. For example: 

Pack it in/pack it out, melting snow for water, propane cooking stoves and lanterns as a means 

to prepare meals and provide lighting, emergency and first aid information. If bears become an 

issue, Rendezvous will provide electric fencing to keep the bears from coming near the yurt.

At this point in time, no additional user days are necessary due to permittee’s existing permit. 

However, there is a chance in the future the permittee could be requesting an additional 75 user 

days to operate this yurt, this would require additional public scoping and NEPA for approval. 

There will be no guiding of clients at this yurt; it would simply be a rental yurt only to service 

the local community of cross country and backcountry skiers.

The proposed yurt location is in Teton County, Wyoming T. 44 N, R. 117 W, Sec 20.

 Photo 2: Outhouse in background. Photo 3: Campground well-house

 power source.
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ISSUES

Issues serve to highlight effects or unintended consequences that may occur from the proposed

action, giving opportunities during the analysis to reduce adverse effects and compare trade-offs 

for the decision maker and public to understand.

The proponents have considered several options to provide new opportunities to their clients and 

the public. This location was felt to minimize concerns by placing the temporary facility in an 

already developed site and not creating new ground or wildlife disturbances.

The main concerns are to minimize any effects to wildlife and to address parking and other social 

concerns with the existing recreation use in Teton Canyon.

DESIGN FEATURES FOR PROJECT

• Locate yurt on existing concrete slab, no new soil disturbance.

• Motorized access for ingress and egress only.

• Facility will meet bear food storage requirements.

• Existing vault toilet will be utilized.

• Pellet stove will be primary heat source eliminating the need to cut firewood locally. 

DECISION FRAMEWORK

The Teton Basin District Ranger will decide:

1. Whether the proposed action will proceed as proposed, as modified by design 

features, by an alternative, or not at all?

2. What mitigation measures and monitoring requirements will be required?

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

I am very interested in understanding any concerns or issues you may have with this proposal 

as they relate to the management of the resources and visitors to the Teton Basin Ranger 

District. The District is preparing a Decision Memo for this project and additional information 

regarding this action can be obtained from the office at 515 south main, Driggs Idaho or by 

contacting Kurt Kluegel at kkluegel@fs.fed.us.

In light of a recent court ruling (Sequoia ForestKeeper v. Tidwell, 11-cv-00679-LJO-DLB (E.D. 

Cal.)), the Forest Service will provide public notice, comment, and opportunity for administrative 

appeal for projects and activities documented with a “Decision Memo” (36 CFR 220.6(e)) until 

new instructions are issued by the Washington Office, or the Agency issues regulations 

addressing the Court’s ruling. In addition, the Forest Service will prepare Decision Memos and 

offer notice, comment and appeal opportunities for timber sales and proposed approvals of oil or 

gas exploration and development activities that rely upon Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act 
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of 2005. Only those who provide comment or express interest in this proposal during this 

comment period will be eligible to appeal the decision pursuant to 36 CFR part 215 regulations.

How to Comment and Timeframe

Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments concerning this action will be 

accepted for 30 calendar days following the publication of this notice in the Post Register, Idaho 

Falls, Idaho. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for 

calculating the comment period for this analysis. Those wishing to comment should not rely 

upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. The regulations prohibit 

extending the length of the comment period. It is the responsibility of persons providing 

comments to submit them by the close of the comment period.

Written comments must be submitted to: 

Teton Canyon Yurt Proposal

Attn: Jay Pence

Teton Basin Ranger Station

P.O. Box 777 

Driggs, ID 83422

Comment can be made in person at 515 South Main, or sent via by Fax at (208)354-8505. The 

office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered comments are: 8:00-4:30 Monday 

through Friday, excluding holidays. 

Oral comments must be provided at the Responsible Official’s office during normal business 

hours via telephone (208)354-2312 or in person, or at an official agency function (i.e. public 

meeting) that is designed to elicit public comments. Electronic comments must be submitted in a 

format such as an email message, pdf, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc or 

.docx) to kkluegel@fs.fed.us. In cases where no identifiable name is attached to a comment, a 

verification of identity will be required for appeal eligibility. If using an electronic message, a 

scanned signature is one way to provide verification. Individuals and organizations wishing to be 

eligible to appeal must meet the information requirements of 36 CFR 215.6. 

Additional information regarding this proposed project can be obtained from: Kurt Kluegel, at 

(208) 354-6615.

Sincerely,

JAY PENCE

Teton Basin

District Ranger