The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-13
VISITS PARK ON SKIS;
KRAMER ENDS TRAVELS
Forest Service Man Esti-
mates Snowfall in Ma
tional Playground.
SNOWY WILDERNESS
Traveller Flirts With Ava
lanches, Timber Wolves
and Caretakers.
SNOWY WILDERNESS


the forest service. returned to his Of
flee in the federal building yesterday.
Mr.. Kramer made the trip at this time
in order to obtain an estimate as to
the probable supply of water for the
plants in the Yellowstone and to Sc
cure data concerning the relation be-
tween the precipitation of snow and
the run off. Mr.. Kramer travelled
through the most difficult regions of
the park and made part of the journey
with dog teams, but after penetrating
into the park he found the snow SO
deep that he was forced to abandon
the "huskies" and travel alone on skis,
with his pack and his observation in
struments on his back
Gauges Depth and Density.
Mr.. Kramer made his observations
in that part of the park in the region
Of the watershed above the Hcbgen
reservoir and in the Madison national
forest. He measured the depth and
miles, taking the observations by
means of cylindrical tube six feet
long, which he pushed into the snow.
BY weighing the snow caught in the
tube he determined it's water euuiva-
lent. He found that the snow varied
from SO to 60 inches in depth through
out the territory he explored, with
water equivalent of from to -
inches. Mr.. Kramer says that the
snowfall was unusually heavy through
out the park, but not quite as dense as
that of the preceding winter The tenn
perature varied from 40 degrees below
zero to 20 above in the daytime.
Information regarding the precpi-
tation in this region is regarded as ex-
ceedinsly valuable, as the Hebgen dam
stores all the available runoff from the
watersheds and regulates the flow of
the Missouri and Madison rivers.
Goes With Dog Team.
Mr.. Kramer started his journey from
Henry's Lake, Idaho, with dog team
and accompanied by a ranger. The
dog team made about % miles per
day when the snow crust was hard
enough to carry them, but when the
dogs were left behind, as the snow
from then on was so light that the
dogs would have floundered most of
the time. While near the Hebgen res
ervoir and while he was yet travelling
with the team, Mr.. Kramer and the
NJ
from one to three pounds in weight.
Most of these they fed to the "hus-
kies,' but Mr.. Kramer shipped about a
dozen home to Missoula.
Threatened by Avalanche.
From Yellowstone, Mr.. Kramer pro-
ceeded alone on skis, travelling through
deserted land all the way At one
place near the gateway there is a steep
slope above. The snow had slid into
the road and filled it right out to the
edge. About 100 yards above the place
where the first slide had filled in the
road, another immense snowslide was
held back by single tree which was
bent almost over by the weight of the
slide. When passing over this stretch
of road, Mr.. Kramer was forced to dig
foot-holes across the snow where the
road had been, and he says that he
went at the job earnestly as he expect
minute and bury him.
Sees Many Animals.
In tho ma I'll NV Lra,,o, ,a,,, x,,.,..
Gus small flocks of geese along the
streams and elk in bands of from two
to five. He says that he saw no evil
dence of starvation among the elk, as
they appeared to be in good condition,
In fact, he thought that they looked
better than those which were being
fed near Gardiner. He also saw several
Large timber wolves and any number
of coyotes.
Visits Lovely Hotels.
Mr.. Kramer visited the hotels at the
Junction, the fountain, the upper Gey-
ser basin and the lower Geyser basin.
All We're closed and in charge OF care
keepers. These people welcomed all
visitors with open arms, as very few
people get into the park in winter, all
travel being done on skis. Mr.. Kramer
says that neither the Gibbons river
or the Fire Hole river in the park
freezes during the winter. Both are
supplied by the geysers and hot springs
in the park.
The park administration, says Mr..
Kramer, is in the hands of scouts, who
work under the direction of park su-
pcrNisorS. These scouts rank as first
and second class rangers and most of
them are eX-soldiers, who were grant
| ed discharges from the regular service
in order that they might be assigned
to the park. The construction work
and road and bridge building is still
done by the department of war; a cap
tain of engineers being in charge
Mr.. Kramer began his trip on Feb
| ruary 90 and reached his Journeys
end on March ., having covered 90
| miles on skis, and 80 miles with the
! dog team.