HELICOPTERS AND WEST YELLOWSTONE

Very seldom do you ever hear a helicopter in West Yellowstone. You will, on occasion, hear helicopters and see them flying over the National Park but that is usually only when they are hazing the bison in the Park or when the Federal Government has a need to fly over the park – like when President Obama and his family came to visit the Park a few years ago. They were helicoptered in to Old Faithful rather than making the drive from the West gate.

Normally, when you hear a helicopter and you live in West Yellowstone, you say a silent prayer. That is because the only helicopters we usually hear are the life flight helicopters out of Idaho. You know when you hear that sound that someone is in serious trouble and is being airlifted to a hospital.

That is why last week when I not only kept hearing helicopters but seeing helicopters, and more than one, I became very concerned. I did not have any idea what was going on that there would be so many helicopters in the air.

However the West Yellowstone News today cleared up my confusion. According to the paper it seems at the 171st Aviation Regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard were making a refueling stop at the Yellowstone Airport just north of town. They were on their way back to Clay National Guard Center in Georgia after a joint exercise with the Canadian Military.

Glad to know there was not an emergency and it was just some guards on their way home.