The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-19
ski PATROL OF The TROOPERS
WINTER DUTY or CAVALRYMEN
~ YELLOWSTONE PARK.
The snow Too Deep for Horses. So They
Take TO Skis Their Duty TO Protect
Came and Keep Poachers Away
Hardship and Danger OF the Work.

surrounded by mountains on all slices
is the army post OF Fort Yellowstone,
in Yellowstone National Park. It's al,i-
tude Is $500 feet. and that OF most OF the
Park Is from 1000 to 5000 feet.
The garrison consists OF two troops
of q valry and it's duty In TO patrol and pro-
tect from marauders the park and the
adjoining timber reserves. in all an area
Of more than 5000 square miles, the greatest
game preserve In he world.
In this region are found elk, deer, ante
lope. mountain sheep. a few buff lo, moose,
beaver, mountain lion, wolverine, bear,
fox. mink. otter. wolf. DC, and to obtain
the valuable furs Of some of these animals;
10 secure the heads of others which as game
trophies have become rare and valuable.
and to procure the flesh OF still others for
market purposes. many unprincipled men
deliberately violate the law.
During the summer season the work
Of the soldier can be readily accomplished
mounted. patrolling the main roads and trails
but during tho winter season the depth Of
the snow makes travel of the ordinary
kind impossible.
1t Ia In the winter that lawlessness can
best be conducted, and II is during this
time that the greatest vigilance must be
exercised by the troops. The localities
where game il known to range. which
poachers frequent. must be often inspected,
The snow shoe or the ski ia the only means
by which this can be accomplished from
November until May. So when the early
SHOWS have deeply covered the ground,
the summer mount il abandoned TO the
stable and the hardy trooper takes 70 the
ski as his winter steed.
Picture "A ~nhn0UtNlika arranUapnant from
nine to twelve feet long. four inches wide:
with it's sides parallel from the up-curved toe
and about an inch in thickness in the centre,
thinning toward either end, and you nave
a ski. The toggle to hold the foot consists
OF straps and rings, which are fastened
just a little forward OF the centre OF the
ski and secure the foot by the toe only,
permitting the raising of the heel.
The PARK soldier always carries a pole or
staff about six feet long. which he uses as
a balancing stick, and as an aid to progress.
In coasting when the speed Is too great he
rides this staff stick horse fashion as a brake
to retard speed.
In using the ski a peculiar stride is nec-
essary; one foot is thrust ahead so az 10
acquire a gliding motion, and while thus
sliding the other foot repeats the movement,
then The hrst again. and 50 on. The skis ara
not lifted but are pushed forward by PEE
culiar movements or thrusts of the thfgh,
the weight Of the body being thrown Tor
ward to aid impetus.
On level ground good speed can he at
tanned; in going down n d~eclivity one liter
ally flies, but to go up l. a different PROPOSE
ton. III not too steep one can 20 directly
up, lifting the skis slightly so that the snow
which may adhere will owe rcoma the ,eud-
ency to slip backward. or II steep. the sum
init may be reached by zigzagging back and
forth. or by s~ide-stepping, known locally
az the corduroy method.
There Is also the feather stitch step. which
IL. however, but little used; 80 called be-
cause the tracks left resemble the saamst ress
stitch OF that name: the skis are turned out
at a wide angle, and advanced alternately
one In front OF the other directly up the
incline.
In turning about a beginner makes
awkward progress. for he must take short
steps, first with one ski. then the other. in
the desired direction. but the expert lifts
one foot forward high from the ground, 50
that the heel can lie brought 10 the front
and with a swing and a turn Of the foot
causes the toe Of this ski 10 point backward.
bringing the foot 20 the ground. the skis
parallel, hut the toes pointing In opposite
directions
The other ski Is then simply carried around
the hrst until the toe~ point the same way
and the about face is completed II looks
easy, but many n hard fall has to he ac-
OPTED In mastering this feat.
In many parts ~ this country and more
particularly IA northern Europe tho Hki
Il ussd for sport for trials Of speet and
endurance. but IL lice Ia the athletic sense
h not known IN the Park Il l. confined 90 .
the hard work Of duty and patrol
HkNng l. mos iaitgulng and the progress
made dtTsuds on conditions 81 snow and
weather In fair weather and un good
hard snow, many miles can b. made With
le~s fatigue than Cau when the SNOW Il
poor. and the members - the party are
Obliged 90 tab. turn about h. going hr-'
"a break trail
The Itinerary = IA. Park i- ., planned
hat not NOR" then twenty uilrs u skiing
u contemplated a. "a tay's Journey
bHattsft1 in che Park az. rlgUt winter
sihii.hs fpr th" sIldlrr-, saHi gaul-lY"i
usually 10y uUr uunHHfmWIarIHulH4 unlHsT .
and 'lf'r private Theses r~'l'ipfs are
nnhipnahlr 'uIiur hulf = luss trt
ilikri ~ith ma 90 pla-frf fhr men have
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tho faiuH.s and slrI additions tY 40 a. IIr
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