▁R anch , ▁several ▁from ▁West ▁Y ellow stone , ▁one ▁team ▁from ▁Henry ’ s ▁Lake , ▁one ▁team ▁from ▁Kil g ore , ▁one ▁team ▁from ▁Sp encer , ▁two ▁from ▁Mary sv ille , ▁one ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁M esa ▁Hun ting ▁L odge , ▁and ▁several ▁teams ▁from ▁As ht on . ▁ ▁It ▁looked ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁grand ▁affair . ▁ ▁The ▁heavy ▁sn ows ▁started ▁falling ▁in ▁Island ▁Park ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁March . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 2 0 ▁and ▁ 4 0 ▁inches ▁of ▁fresh ▁snow ▁fell ▁by ▁the ▁ 3 rd . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁deep ▁and ▁soft ▁enough ▁that ▁only ▁four ▁teams ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁make ▁their ▁way ▁through ▁Island ▁Park ▁to ▁the ▁starting ▁point ▁at ▁West ▁Y ellow stone . ▁ ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁elim ination ▁of ▁ 1 2 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 ▁entr ants , ▁things ▁went ▁well , ▁Sunday ▁morning , ▁for ▁the ▁remaining ▁four ▁teams ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁this ▁ 5 5 - mile ▁run ▁down ▁to ▁As ht on . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁still ▁snow ing , ▁however , ▁and ▁at ▁ 8 ▁miles , ▁ass ent ing ▁to ▁Re a ’ s ▁Pass ▁on ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Div ide , ▁the ▁teams ▁encountered ▁ 2 0 ▁more ▁inches ▁of ▁new ▁light ▁pow der y ▁snow . ▁ ▁They ▁took ▁turns ▁at ▁breaking ▁trail . ▁ ▁At ▁ 1 4 ▁miles ▁and ▁entering ▁Island ▁Park ▁near ▁Big ▁Spr ings , ▁the ▁wind s ▁began ▁to