During the same three-week period, nine other people were issued mandatory appearance citations for Snowmobile Use in Undesignated Areas, after being discovered a short distance inside the park where the park boundary may be less clearly marked.

Subsequent investigation has shown resource damage inside the park caused by some of the violators running snowmobiles over the tops of trees and new vegetation; additional charges are pending in some of these cases.

Increased patrol efforts along the western boundary were initiated after rangers noticed an increasing pattern of illegal snowmobile use in that area over the last several years. Last year 12 individuals were cited for illegal use of snowmobiles inside Yellowstone's western boundary.

Yellowstone's Gallatin Sub-District rangers have logged 4,000 patrol miles along the western boundary since January 1, 2003, in a specific effort to target illegal snowmobile use in Yellowstone's backcountry. In addition, Superintendent Lewis has authorized the use of aircraft to assist the rangers on the ground in combating this increasing problem.

Superintendent Lewis wishes to remind all Yellowstone area visitors that snowmobile use is allowed only during a specified winter season on designated groomed roadways inside the park. Those people who are involved in illegal activities either by off-road travel during the winter season or traveling by snowmobile in Yellowstone's backcountry areas at any time will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Information provided by the NPS

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