Planning trip to Yellowstone in 2016, trying to work out charging

[mspohr]

Parks typically appreciate EVs for that they don't generate the smog that's ever so vast now a days with the masses of fossil fueled cars driven by the tourists. If you ask the rangers for a place to charge your EV, they're typically very open to give you front row seats in terms of charging... in most cases FREE. That's how it is for the Grand Canyon when I was talking to a ranger and mentioned that I have an EV.

I have found all rangers in all parks to be very friendly. However, the National Park Service is woefully unprepared for EVs. It is rare to find any electric charging stations in any National Park. I only know of one in Yosemite. Sometimes you can find an RV site with charging but these are rare and usually fully occupied by RVs. Most RV sites in the parks don't have electric service.
One would think that the parks would encourage EVs but they haven't put any resources into installing chargers.
I was in Death Valley earlier this year. They only had 15 (private) RV spots (all booked) and no other charging. Fortunately, the folks at the Furnace Creek Ranch were very helpful in finding me a 14-50 plug behind a maintenance shed for charging. The park does have a large solar panel installation but no EV charging. I made a written suggestion to install EV charging and received a response that it was a "great" idea... we'll see if anything happens.

 

[wiztecy]

It is rare to find any electric charging stations in any National Park.

Correct. You have to ask them for their hidden 14-50.

 

[madox008]

correction

Can't recall ever seeing a "NEMA 15-50"; are you sure they weren't NEMA 14-50s? Just curious.


14-50's - thanks

I admit that I often type faster than I think

 

[KJD]

I have found all rangers in all parks to be very friendly. However, the National Park Service is woefully unprepared for EVs. It is rare to find any electric charging stations in any National Park..

Zions NP has charge stations.
10 EV chargers installed in Zions National Park (UTAH)

Let's hope this is sign of good things to come.

 

[dgpcolorado]

I have found all rangers in all parks to be very friendly. However, the National Park Service is woefully unprepared for EVs. It is rare to find any electric charging stations in any National Park. I only know of one in Yosemite. Sometimes you can find an RV site with charging but these are rare and usually fully occupied by RVs. Most RV sites in the parks don't have electric service...

There are several lodges in parks that have HPWCs. You mentioned the one in Yosemite (at the Ahwahnee Hotel) and Mesa Verde NP has one at Far View Lodge. That latter one is listed as "available to the public", unlike most destination charge stations that are for patrons only.

And, as KJD mentioned in another thread, it is hard to beat the Supercharger in Moab for exploring Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Also, the Blanding Supercharger is perfect for visiting Natural Bridges National Monument and the Grand Junction Supercharger is just a few miles from Colorado National Monument, a scenic park to drive through for those traveling along I-70.

 

[DrGuest]

 

[JenniferQ]

Here is an update from Alicia Cox from the Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition about Yellowstone- Grand Teton Level II charging

Link, please? Thanks.:smile:

 

[DrGuest]

Link, please? Thanks.:smile:

It's a PDF file I'm having trouble linking to, so sorry.

 

[ecarfan]

@Pilot_51: in another thread member @cottylowry posted this last year, quote: "We just finished a 3,500 mile trip, Minneapolis to Spokane and back. ON the return, we stopped in Yellowstone for 2 nights and 3 days. Due to lack of chargers in Yellowstone, we stayed at a very nice West Yellowstone RV park, leaving the car there to charge 120v, 30A and took a one day bus tour through the main loop of the park -- Old Faithful, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, etc. Had we been able to charge at 220V 30 or even better 50A, we would have driven a lot more and would have been able to enter and exit the park in a more efficient direction back to I-90 and out trip home. We were astonished that there are no charging facilities in Yellowstone."

 

[DrGuest]

Here is an update from the Yellowstone -Teton Clean Energy Coalition for Level II Charging in Greater Yellowstone region. I will follow up with YTCC and see if I can get some phone numbers and more detailed locations.

 

[memcd]

FYI

Tesla stations a possibility | Carbon County News

 

[Pilot_51]

Here is an update from the Yellowstone -Teton Clean Energy Coalition for Level II Charging in Greater Yellowstone region. I will follow up with YTCC and see if I can get some phone numbers and more detailed locations.

Thanks! Nice to see L2 in Mammoth. Until now, I only knew of L1 availability in Mammoth and it appeared the closest L2 to Old Faithful along the planned route was at Yellowstone RV Park in Gardiner. If the L2 at Old Faithful is up by the time I get there, that would be perfect for obvious reasons, though I'm confident that the current L2 stations would be sufficient to make the round trip comfortably possible.

I am interested in having the PDF, especially if it is updated as stations are added. If it's on a website, could you try linking to the page that has it since it seems you were having trouble linking directly to it? Also looking forward to precise locations so I can mark them on my planning map.

At the moment, my only major concern is just making the hop between some Superchargers. My battery is now only giving me 178 rated miles at 100% and EVTripPlanner says a couple of the hops (Mitchell to Murdo and Rapid City to Gillette) would use about 175 rated miles. I would also like to take the more direct Ann Arbor to St. Joseph route instead of Ann Arbor to Angola to Mishawaka, but again, it's a stretch at about 170 miles. I didn't really think this would be an issue until the past several months when I realized it's not just a balancing or calibration issue. Service charged to 100%, discharged to 0%, recharged to 100%, looked at the data for a couple days, and basically told me it's not defective, so I pretty much need to deal with it. At wk057's suggestion, I intend to put more pressure on Tesla to get it resolved by June, once I get some more solid data from lolachampcar's soon-to-be-released CAN logger.

 

[DrGuest]

Thanks! Nice to see L2 in Mammoth. Until now, I only knew of L1 availability in Mammoth and it appeared the closest L2 to Old Faithful along the planned route was at Yellowstone RV Park in Gardiner. If the L2 at Old Faithful is up by the time I get there, that would be perfect for obvious reasons, though I'm confident that the current L2 stations would be sufficient to make the round trip comfortably possible.

I am interested in having the PDF, especially if it is updated as stations are added. If it's on a website, could you try linking to the page that has it since it seems you were having trouble linking directly to it? Also looking forward to precise locations so I can mark them on my planning map.

At the moment, my only major concern is just making the hop between some Superchargers. My battery is now only giving me 178 rated miles at 100% and EVTripPlanner says a couple of the hops (Mitchell to Murdo and Rapid City to Gillette) would use about 175 rated miles. I would also like to take the more direct Ann Arbor to St. Joseph route instead of Ann Arbor to Angola to Mishawaka, but again, it's a stretch at about 170 miles. I didn't really think this would be an issue until the past several months when I realized it's not just a balancing or calibration issue. Service charged to 100%, discharged to 0%, recharged to 100%, looked at the data for a couple days, and basically told me it's not defective, so I pretty much need to deal with it. At wk057's suggestion, I intend to put more pressure on Tesla to get it resolved by June, once I get some more solid data from lolachampcar's soon-to-be-released CAN logger.

Pilot51, This information was sent to me by email from the Director, Alicia Cox and although I have looked and looked at their website, https://ytcleancities.org/, I can not find the PDF to link to. I eventually took picture of the PDF in my email and posted the pics to get it on this forum. I'll update as I get more email and I will try talking to Alicia Cox to see if the PDF's could be put on the site as well as any updates. This is all I have at the present, however.

 

[vinnie97]

Thanks! Nice to see L2 in Mammoth. Until now, I only knew of L1 availability in Mammoth and it appeared the closest L2 to Old Faithful along the planned route was at Yellowstone RV Park in Gardiner. If the L2 at Old Faithful is up by the time I get there, that would be perfect for obvious reasons, though I'm confident that the current L2 stations would be sufficient to make the round trip comfortably possible.

I am interested in having the PDF, especially if it is updated as stations are added. If it's on a website, could you try linking to the page that has it since it seems you were having trouble linking directly to it? Also looking forward to precise locations so I can mark them on my planning map.

At the moment, my only major concern is just making the hop between some Superchargers. My battery is now only giving me 178 rated miles at 100% and EVTripPlanner says a couple of the hops (Mitchell to Murdo and Rapid City to Gillette) would use about 175 rated miles. I would also like to take the more direct Ann Arbor to St. Joseph route instead of Ann Arbor to Angola to Mishawaka, but again, it's a stretch at about 170 miles. I didn't really think this would be an issue until the past several months when I realized it's not just a balancing or calibration issue. Service charged to 100%, discharged to 0%, recharged to 100%, looked at the data for a couple days, and basically told me it's not defective, so I pretty much need to deal with it. At wk057's suggestion, I intend to put more pressure on Tesla to get it resolved by June, once I get some more solid data from lolachampcar's soon-to-be-released CAN logger.

That's a bummer about your range reduction. Lesson to be gleamed: Always order more range than you need, I guess.

 

[Pilot_51]

Lesson to be gleamed: Always order more range than you need, I guess.

I did. All evidence pointed to the 60 being more than enough for any Supercharger trips that I thought I might do. I just managed to be one of the very few unlucky ones. I don't think someone should feel they need to spend an extra $10k just for the 1 in maybe 500 chance that they have so much degradation that Supercharger trips become an issue. Now with the 70 and CPOs with the packs mostly broken in, it's even less likely to be a problem.

 

[Evbwcaer]

You should consider a Quick220 or Steambrite Power Joiner Step Up. It might make your rental house into a weak level 2, 10-14mph, something like that. I am not sure if that would meet your needs or not. Make sure to note that neither of these work on GFI outlets, which are usually what a garage has.

I know people have their reservations about these, but I would not hesitate to use one as long as you follow all the rules and set your amp draw correctly in your Tesla.

Also, DRIVE BEARTOOTH PASS!!!!!!

 

[DrGuest]

Yesterday, I took a drive to Yellowstone via Mammoth Entrance. Plug Share listed a 30 amp EV plug, which I was able to confirm and use. There are two Clipper Creek Level 2 chargers In Mammoth, which powered up my Telsa Model S at 20 mile/hr. I did charge for a little over 2 hours, gaining 50 RM of energy, while I walked the boardwalks around Mammoth Hot Springs. The 50 Miles gave me what I needed to drive to the Lamar Valley with plenty of energy to still get back home to Bozeman. Level 2 is so slow that I am not sure how practical they will be in the long run, but for now plugging in for 2.5 hours was an option that did not exist a few months ago.

I hear their are a couple new chargers in West Yellowstone. My Season Pass is good the rest of this month, so I'll see if I can scout out more of the EV charging scene in Yellowstone and post what I find out, here. The Rangers at the gate did not know anything about any EV charging and were gone when I exited the Park, so I'll kindly inform them next visit. There is a General Store nearby that is open year round and serve some hot meals, as well as rest rooms nearby. I had to be careful where I walked as the herds of Bison are pretty aggressive and unpredictable. Would you ever jump into a bull fighting ring in Mexico? If not, stay away from those large beasts, every year someone gets tossed up into a tree by a bison that has had enough! Yesterday, I saw a bison jump over the board walk railing like it was nothing! Give them lots of space!

 

[ausdma]

I am so happy to find this thread. We are planning an epic road trip in June from Austin up through Missouri over to Seattle via Yellowstone and down through California and back home.

We are currently intending to overnight in Mt Timber, MT and get a range charge at the SC, enter the park and top up with the L2 at Mammoth while checking out the terraces, drive down to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge for a night (all we could get at this late date) and then spend another 2 nights at the Holiday Inn at West Yellowstone where they have 2 80 amp HPWCs. From West Yellowstone we should be able to drive all we want to in the park and be in good shape to continue our journey to Seattle.

I was interested in seeing on this thread the possibility of a L2 at Old Faithful and maybe one in Red Lodge, which could change our plans.

Keep the info coming!

David

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

I am so happy to find this thread. We are planning an epic road trip in June from Austin up through Missouri over to Seattle via Yellowstone and down through California and back home.

(Fill in superlative) trip from VA to Burlington WA to San Diego CA to VA

Let me know if you want any info about the Yellowstone to Seattle and then down the west coast legs from our trip. We'd do it again in a heartbeat. All the national parks we hit were incredible! Get the annual pass and save some money.

 

[ccutrer]

(Fill in superlative) trip from VA to Burlington WA to San Diego CA to VA

Let me know if you want any info about the Yellowstone to Seattle and then down the west coast legs from our trip. We'd do it again in a heartbeat. All the national parks we hit were incredible! Get the annual pass and save some money.

For those following this thread, but not watching others, West Yellowstone has a supercharger now. Should be perfect for charging up before taking a loop of the park.