Dear Editor:

Woe is me, can’t let a crisis go to waste, i.e., Reservation System for entering the park! Give me a break!  Granted the Gardiner River Road from Mammoth to Gardiner and the road from where Lamar River intersects with Wyo. Highway 212 to the Northeast Entrance was an unprecedented disaster,  but 90% of the Park got by unscathed except for some minor rock fall and mud across the roads from Mammoth to Tower and Tower to Canyon. The South Entrance, West Entrance and the East Entrance and Craig Pass were relatively unaffected by any flooding or rock/mud slides. Hopefully the lower or southern loop road can be quickly assessed for any and all potential compromised sections of roadways and infrastructure and can be opened sooner than later.

There is a road (gravel/dirt) that already exists from Mammoth to Gardiner: the old wagon/stagecoach road that has been available since day one of this episode in history. Upgrade and chip seal or pave for access for the general public. It will not be any different from the current new roads that have been recently reconstructed in the park, antiquated at best after millions of dollars in construction costs. (“Old Gardiner Road follows old stagecoach trail out of Yellowstone Park,” yellowstonegate.com, June 21, 2012.)

I also believe that the entire upper loop road or northern loop road and the Lamar Valley Road up to the washout at the confluence of Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River could be put back in operating order in a short time frame or probably already are. The same goes for the road to Cooke City with some rerouting to the north of the washed out section on the Lamar River and removing debris and hauling fill to the damaged sections along Soda Butte Creek and other creeks that cross 212 inside the park from the Northeast Entrance.

Face this situation with a positive attitude and no negative waves.

Keith Dahlem

Cody