Yellowstone National Park spans over 2.2 million acres throughout Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It’s home to forests, mountains, canyons, and more than 10,000 hydrothermal features like hot springs, mud pots, and geysers—including Old Faithful.
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But winter in Yellowstone is drastically different: Temperatures can plummet to -47 degrees Fahrenheit with several feet of snow and ice on the ground, and howling winds and swirling snow can limit visibility to just a few feet. Most park roads are closed in the winter and accessible only to special commercial over-snow vehicles and snowmobiles.
Amazon’s interconnected logistics network and third-party carrier partnerships ensure packages get to customers in Yellowstone National Park seven days a week, year-round.
Ben Mitchem has been driving trucks and delivering supplies—including Amazon packages—throughout Yellowstone for more than 10 years.
Once Amazon packages arrive at a warehouse in Gardiner, Montana, Mitchem sorts and loads them into special over-snow trucks with four-wheel drive and oversized tires that can haul through several feet of snow. The trucks also carry mail, food, beverages, luggage, and other supplies to people who live near Old Faithful and guests at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
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The trip from Gardiner to Old Faithful in Wyoming is about 56 miles, but it can take over two hours in the winter, depending on road conditions and wildlife. Trucks often stop to allow herds of bison to cross the road, which can delay the trip.
“Sometimes you get a couple of bison that just will not settle down for anything, and then you’re stuck behind them for a while and it can really add a lot of time to your day,” Mitchem said.
Mitchem also sees coyotes, wolves, and bald eagles while driving.
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"There are days when I’m just cruising along, and that’s when a wolf might pop up. You take a minute to watch and realize, 'Yeah, it’s kind of cool being here,'" Mitchem said. “It’s not just driving a truck. It’s definitely a little more.”
Once the trucks arrive to Old Faithful, Mitchem drops off guest packages and luggage at the lodge and then heads to the mailroom to unload employee packages and mail.
“We get a lot of Amazon packages, and it seems like every year we get more and more—you see that smiley face a lot on the boxes, for sure,” Mitchem said.
Amazon customer Jenny Howison has lived in Yellowstone year-round for 10 years. She’s one of about 35 people who live at Old Faithful all year and rely on Amazon packages as a connection to the outside world in the winter.
“Because of the remoteness we have here, if we have to get out in the wintertime, it’s a huge process,” Howison said.
In the winter, the closest town is West Yellowstone, which takes about an hour to reach and is where Howison and her husband keep their car in the winter. Depending on the items they need, it could take another two or three hours each way in the car driving on icy, winding roads to reach the next city with more shopping options.
Being able to order from Amazon takes the pressure of planning for every winter off Howison, and allows her to spend her weekends doing what she loves—exploring the park with her husband and their dog, Atlas.
“It’s changed my life to where I don’t have to stockpile anymore,” said Howison. “Just having the convenience of being able to order what I need makes it better.”
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Her most-ordered items? Toiletries and toys and treats for Atlas.
Now, if Howison runs out of something in the middle of winter, it’s no big deal.
“I don’t have to stress about it; I can just order it, and it’ll be here,” she said.
Amazon is proud to support the communities we serve. As a thank you to the people who live and work in Yellowstone National Park, Amazon donated $25,000 to Yellowstone Forever, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy.
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