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The Yellowstone Association Institute has announced its summer 2003 backpacking course schedule featuring 14 new courses. Institute backpacking courses are for physically fit adults who want to experience the Yellowstone wilderness, learn how to backpack safely and responsibly in grizzly country and gain a deeper appreciation for the rich natural and cultural heritage of Yellowstone National Park.

"Exploring Yellowstone National Park's 2.2-million acre wilderness can be magical, but getting the most out of a backcountry experience requires some skills and knowledge," said Jim Williams, program manager for the non-profit Institute. "Institute instructors are Yellowstone and backpacking experts who help participants hone their Leave No Trace backpacking skills, explore hidden corners of the park and understand what they see along the way."

For visitors who are especially interested in or concerned about grizzly bears, the Institute offers a series of 5-day Backpacking in Grizzly Country courses. Adapting the principles of Leave No Trace to grizzly country, the courses show participants how to reduce the possibility of a bear encounter and respond effectively on the rare occasion when they do encounter a bear. Participants also learn the most up-to-date information on grizzly bear ecology, behavior and conservation.

Backpacking in Grizzly Country kicks off June 17-21 in the Old Faithful area followed by courses June 24-28 in the Grand Canyon area, July 13-17 in the Old Faithful area, July 20-24 in the Grand Canyon area, September 3-7 in the Heart Lake/Snake River area and September 17-21 in the Bechler region. Tuition for Backpacking in Grizzly Country is $330 and includes expert instruction, group equipment, park entrance pass and backcountry permits. Participants must bring their own personal equipment and food.

The Institute also offers a number of backpacking courses that closely examine a single subject with the help of an accompanying guest expert.

This year, those courses include:

* Black Canyon Wildlife Backpack (May 24-28) with wildlife biologist, Nathan Varley, Ph.D. candidate, $350;

* Hellroaring Wolf Backpack (June 7-11) with wolf expert, Norm Bishop, $350.

* Where the Wild Things Are: A Wildlife Basecamp (June 15-19) with wildlife biologist, Nathan Varley, Ph.D. candidate, $350;

* Mirror Plateau Wolf Backpack (July 26-30) with wolf biologist, Dan
Stahler, M.S., $350;

* Geyser Basin Geology Backpack (August 3-7) with geologist, Cheryl Jaworowski, Ph.D., $350;

* Flight of the Nez Perce Backpack (August 10-15) with historian, Lee Whittlesey, J.D., and cultural anthropologist, Rosemary Sucec, M.A., $420;

* Hoodoo Basin History Backpack (August 20-26) with
ecologist/folklorist, Jim Garry, M.S., $490;

* Old Faithful to Bechler History Backpack (September 7-13) with
historian, Mike Yochim, Ph.D. candidate, $490; and

* Black Canyon Geology Backpack (September 24-28) with Robert Spoelhof, Ph.D., $350.

All Institute backpacking courses teach the principles and practices of Leave No Trace backpacking. Course registration is limited to eight participants to ensure personal instruction and minimum environmental impact. Each course begins with a full day in the frontcountry to review the route, expected physical demands, bear safety, grizzly bear ecology and management, gear and food requirements, and other preparatory information.

For those who would like to experience the Yellowstone backcountry but would prefer not to carry a backpack, the Institute also offers a series of horse-supported courses in which participants may either ride on horseback or hike while horses carry the gear. The horsepacking schedule begins June 21-24 with Horsepacking: The Sheepeaters of Greater Yellowstone and ends September 15-18 with Horsepacking: Autumn in Yellowstone. Rates for horsepacking begin at $995 per person for 4-day courses. Rates include group equipment, park entrance, expert instruction, backcountry campsites and meals prepared by the outfitter.

For those who like to return to a hot shower and warm bed each night, the Institute offers Trails through Yellowstone in cooperation with concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Trails Through Yellowstone is a four-day hiking and natural history program that includes not only instruction from an Institute naturalist but lodging, breakfasts and box lunches, in-park transportation and optional evening programs. Carefully chosen hikes explore Yellowstone's diverse landscapes, from the geyser basins around Old Faithful to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The program includes two nights at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and two
nights at Grant Village on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. The program runs Sunday to Thursday from May 25 through September 25, and the cost is $545 per person (double occupancy).

To register for backpacking or horsepacking courses, call 1-307-344-2294 or complete a registration form online at www.YellowstoneAssociation.org. To register for Trails Through Yellowstone, call 1-307-344-5566.