Picture Yellowstone this summer
YELLOWSTONE PARK FOUNDATION
Visitors to Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful area are in for a new treat this summer. Picture Yellowstone at the historic Haynes Photo Shop opened Memorial Day weekend, and you won’t want to miss it.
From retro selfies, to painting classes and daily photo contests, this collection of fun activities and interactive exhibits offers an all-ages exploration of art and photography in Yellowstone.
Take a retro selfie. Step into the Haynes Photo Booth to create a very special memento: your photo in front of a giant historic Haynes postcard.
Enter the “Digital Darkroom.” Share your photo, browse National Park Service social media photos, and stay up-to-date on geyser eruption times.
Check out exhibits. Learn about F. J. Haynes’ exploration of early photography in Yellowstone.
Paint Yellowstone. Take some time out for a free, family friendly watercolor activity led by Picture Yellowstone staff. Under the shade of trees, imagine your own Yellowstone with watercolor pencils, and then bring home your artwork for a one-of-a-kind souvenir. (Offered daily at 2 p.m.)
Take photos, win prizes. Have a great photo of the park taken on a mobile phone or tablet? Share your image on social media through #PictureYellowstone to win daily prizes and enter our weekly and annual competitions.
Relax. Unwind in our rocking chairs with a glass of water or lemonade.
Recharge. While you take in the view, feel free to plug in to a recharge station and give your phone a boost.
Explore. If you’re looking for an insider experience, sign up for a private tour with an on-site Yellowstone Association Institute naturalist (based upon availability).
Get involved. Talk to friendly volunteers about how to get involved in caring for the park with the Yellowstone Park Foundation. Supporters can choose from a number of thank-you gifts.
Take the pledge. Before you leave, don’t forget to support park safety by taking the #YellowstonePledge and signing our safe-selfie pledge.
Picture Yellowstone is hosted by the Yellowstone Park Foundation in partnership with the Yellowstone Association. Find out more about the history of the Haynes Photo Shop at www.ypf.org/haynes.
Park begins major canyon rim rehabilitation project
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
A major initiative to repair and improve overlooks, trails, and parking lots along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River began the week of June 20. The current area closures are the first step in a major rehabilitation project that will take place over the next four years, with completion scheduled for 2020.
The project will re-route trails away from dangerous areas with stone barriers; connect historic overlooks with new walkways; create safe, accessible viewing areas with new informational signage; and use natural materials to integrate the infrastructure into the canyon’s spires and cliffs.
Current closures include:
- Inspiration Point is closed until fall 2016.
- A section of the North Rim Trail between the Brink of Upper Falls and the Brink of Lower Falls is closed until July 23. The Brink of Upper Falls and Brink of Lower Falls are still accessible from their respective trailheads.
Areas impacted over the four-year period include:
- Brink of Upper Falls
- Brink of Lower Falls
- Uncle Tom’s trails and overlooks
- Inspiration Point
- Red Rock Point
- Crystal Falls
- Sections of the North Rim Trail that connect these areas
- Parking areas at the Brink of Upper Falls and the Uncle Tom’s area are being reconfigured to increase parking and the flow of pedestrian traffic.
Stay informed about current and future area closures at go.nps.gov/canyonprojects.
This project will be funded by the Yellowstone Park Foundation through private donations and federal fee dollars, and construction will be managed and contracted by the Federal Highways Administration, with oversight by Yellowstone National Park. A crew of students from Montana Conservation Corps is assisting the National Park Service trail crew with work on the North Rim Trail.
Yellowstone deputy superintendent receives high honor
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Steven F. Iobst, deputy superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, received the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award during a recent event at Old Faithful.
As the second highest honor bestowed by the Secretary of the Interior, the Meritorious Service Award is given to employees who make exceptional and continuing contributions to the department or one of its bureaus.
National Park Service Director Jonathon B. Jarvis noted that Iobst, “made significant and ongoing contributions to both facility and park management issues … and led efforts to improve the visitor experience while protecting the resources of the park.”
Iobst took his first permanent position as a civil engineer in 1974 at the Denver Service Center, after receiving a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Virginia Tech.
As a designer and construction supervisor he was responsible for facility improvement projects in more than 40 parks, which included short-term assignments at Shenandoah, Yosemite, Acadia and the Virgin Islands, among other national park sites.
Iobst practiced engineering in Yellowstone beginning in 1979 in maintenance and concessions management, and he worked directly for the superintendent overseeing planning and development. He left Yellowstone in 1988 to take the position of chief of facility management for Rocky Mountain National Park, and in 1996 served as the acting chief of facility management in Washington, D.C.
In 1997, Iobst returned to the greater Yellowstone area as assistant superintendent of Grand Teton National Park and served there as acting superintendent from November 2000 to February 2002.
Iobst was appointed deputy superintendent of Yellowstone in August 2011, where he directs day-to-day operations, supervising the largest park operations program in the Park Service.
During his tenure at Yellowstone, Iobst has lead partnerships with leadership in the Federal Land Highways Program and with local and state governments in order to develop road improvements, including the Beartooth Highway.
In conjunction with the Yellowstone Park Foundation and their corporate donors, Iobst has improved operations and sustainability for park facilities. These efforts resulted in the installation of a micro-hydro electricity plant; reduced carbon energy sources at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch; installation of energy efficient windows in government facilities throughout the park; and improvements in the energy efficiency of Yellowstone’s vehicle fleet.
