Photo By Janet Meredith | Park Ranger Tim Bischoff and his wife, Beth enjoy their 31st Anniversary in...... read more read more
For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People
“Live a life of purpose”… this is probably one of the most inspiring cliché phrases you’ll hear from people about life. But there’s a reason these sayings are clichés—they are used to get a simple message across and you never know what opportunity will come around the next corner, you just have to expect the unexpected.
Thirty-two-year U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee Timothy Bischoff, who serves as a natural resources specialist from the Rend Lake Project Office, located in Southern Illinois, was not expecting to get a certificate or video call from Yellowstone National Park last year with a unique opportunity. However, this call took Bischoff on a new path in his career as he proudly accepted the offer to become a “Ranger for a Day” at America’s first National Park in Wyoming.
Bischoff is a two-time winner of the Hiram Chittenden Award. This award is given out annually for
Interpretive Excellence because of Hiram Chittenden’s reputation for being a highly regarded Army Engineer and for his work in Yellowstone and other National Parks. National Park Service “Volunteer in the Park” coordinator Joe Beuter, worked side-by-side with Bischoff where he undertook a multifaceted role making connections that inspire visitors, protect the parks resources, and forge cultural education.
Inspired to pursue a career path in Natural Resources by a Yellowstone Park ranger while visiting on a family vacation when he was young, Bischoff eagerly packed his own U. S. Army Corps of Engineers uniform along with all the other necessities for the summer trip. Along with his wife, Beth, they set off on their way to Yellowstone in July of 2022. Upon arrival and after a good night’s rest at the historic Old Faithful Inn, Bischoff met with National Park Service Lead ranger, Sarah Gleason who shared her commitment, compassion, and fortitude with Bischoff. Ranger Gleason worked with Bischoff throughout the day and helped him learn the ropes.
From Old Faithful to Liberty Cap, there was nothing that stopped Bischoff from jumping into the boots of being a Yellowstone National Park ranger and carrying out the National Park Service’s mission “to preserve, unimpaired, these and other natural and cultural resources and values for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations”.
Just as faithful as Old Faithful, Bischoff and his college sweetheart have been married for 31 years and have ventured all over the country together visiting National Parks. He has served many years as an interpretive ranger and was thrilled when he went behind the scenes and got a bird’s eye view of Old Faithful erupting.
During his two-day experience, each Yellowstone ranger group worked as a team, serving the park and its visitors. What inspired Bischoff the most was that the other rangers treated him as a new employee just like he was one of their crew members.
At Old Faithful Geyser, he was taught the background and science of forecasting the next eruption. Then his skills were put to the test as he went in and forecasted the next eruption based on the duration and height of the previous eruption. The forecast was within a minute of when the geyser actually erupted. He was then expected to update the boards telling the time of the next eruption, call the hotels, and show the educational film to the visitors.
“Learning about the science and technology behind the ability of the staff to determine the realistic time of Old Faithful’s eruptions astounded me and knowing that each eruption is tracked, the patterns analyzed, and knowing that the rangers work so hard behind the scenes to make this experience happen for the visitor truly amazed me,” stated Bischoff.
His team which included National Park Service Ranger Collin, Beth, his wife and Alana Mesenbrink, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, Natural Resources Management branch chief, worked together to deliver a roving ranger program on the two-mile Geyser Hill loop above Old Faithful Geyser. After the program, Tim continued on to his most favorite job duty of all -- the Jr. Ranger Station swearing-in ceremony.
The Jr. Ranger Station, strategically located between Old Faithful and the main parking lot, consists of an education display featuring various tanned mammal skins; bison hides, skulls, elk antlers and moose antlers; and rocks from Yellowstone. At the end of each eruption, the tent was swarmed by visitors. Bischoff watched as the tent filled. While the National Park Service rangers were explaining, he seized the opportunity and started sharing information about a black bear pelt with a young girl who was earning her Junior Ranger badge. At that point, Bischoff’s heart felt full, and he was beside himself knowing he really was serving as a Yellowstone Ranger interpreting at Old Faithful and his 38 years of dreaming had just come true.
What made it even better was the next morning at Mammoth Hotsprings, as he walked from the Chittenden Residence where he had stayed, he saw the same young girl waving from across the yard – more than 50 yards away. She had remembered and recognized him from the day before. Bischoff later spoke with her mother and she told him that her daughter said that he made a great impression on her the day before. According to Bischoff, “It does not get any better than that. I was truly a Yellowstone ranger and helped make a memory”.
Using this experience to enhance his communication skills, relationships, and confidence, Bischoff, who serves as an instructor at the USACE Seasonal Interpretive Training and leads the Interpretive Department at Rend Lake, plans to take his newly enhanced skills back to his own office.
Many people visit Yellowstone know that it is an impressively unforgettable experience and have no problem making a connection to the diversity, geothermal phenomena, and inherent beauty that was described by Bischoff as the trip of three lifetimes and far beyond what he dreamed of for 38 years.
Anybody can complete the Junior Ranger book, and Seattle District’s Alana Mesenbrink completed the requirements to earn her badge from Yellowstone Park ranger Bischoff in front of the Yellowstone Park Headquarters at Mammoth Hot Springs.
The Bischoff’s spent five days exploring Yellowstone National Park where they stayed in the original 1904 “Old House” section of Old Faithful Inn. The nostalgia of the historic rooms accentuated with the porcelain pitcher wash basins and evenings sitting by the fireplace listening to the violinist playing “The Gael” from the Last of the Mohicans left a lasting impression. With utmost confidence, Bischoff will say that “Being a Ranger for a Day” was beyond rewarding and will forever be remembered as a career highlight. This experience left him and his wife, both inspired and stirring for more adventures where they can live a life of purpose.
In addition to this great work experience, Park Ranger Tim Bischoff and his wife, Beth finally got to enjoy their honeymoon and 31st wedding Anniversary in Yellowstone after trying to go on their 10th, 20th, 25th, and 30th anniversaries.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2022 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 427889 |
| Location: | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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