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Updated: Man Missing In Rocky Mountain National Park's Snowy Backcountry Found

Oct 27th - 17:42pm | Jim Burnett

Given the fact this individual reportedly failed to get a backcountry camping permit, he was very fortunate he was able to make cell phone contact. Lacking that, it's unlikely anyone would have known he was in the area and stranded. If he had just taken the time to request a permit, he could have been advised about the weather forecast.

Oct 27th - 17:37pm | Dottie

My goodness, Anonymous 11:25 and 4:10.  I truly hope if my granddaughters are ever stranded, for whatever reason, it won't be up to either of you to save them.  They'll die.  After all, it might have cost a pittance of your tax contribution.

Oct 27th - 17:10pm | Anonymous

Park Ranger command-control Divisions emphasize Search & Rescue Operations at taxpayer expense so they, the Law Enforcement Division may dominate all other park budgets thus justifying their existence and demand more an ever-growing budget.  Oh, let's not place any responsibility on the Idiot with a cell phone and Little Common "Horse Sense" and let's

Oct 27th - 16:20pm | Marty Koch

To Anonymous in the first post:

Oct 27th - 15:04pm | HAG

Maybe we should help this young man and encourage him toward prepardness in the future instead of crushing his love of the outdoors. At 22 he has his whole life ahead of him and at his age Im sure hes not made of $ but should be encouraged to work towards helping others as he was rescued.

Oct 27th - 14:50pm | Anonymous

Lets first be thankful this young man is safe and surely he has learned a big lesson as those of us have through our lives. I also hope he continues his love of the outdoors and maybe follow a path of helping others as he recieved. at his age Im sure his pocket book isnt made of $ but if he should be encouraged to work or volonteer to help others in the same area.

Oct 27th - 14:14pm | Dick G

Kind of funny how the anonymous comment at 11:53 sounds like the same anoymous comment at 11:25 ?? LOL

Oct 27th - 14:07pm | Anonymous

Someone mentioned the storm being unexpected. The winter storm warning was released on Monday night/Tuesday morning and they were predicting the storm from at least Sunday, that I remember. Weather does change fast in RMNP, however, it seems this man could have been a little more prepared and checked in with a ranger's station for a weather report before heading out.

Oct 27th - 13:36pm | Jenn Grover

That area is not what I would call "backcountry." It is a well-travelled area and rated as pretty easy in most hiking guides. It sounds like he was caught by surprise. Although he made some mistakes, he hardly warrants the tirade provided in the above comment.

Oct 27th - 13:26pm | Julie R

People make mistakes. It sounds like he was somewhat prepared in case of an emergency. I agree that he should pay some of the cost of the search and rescue, if not all of it. But to say it's wasteful to search for a human who needs help (for whatever the reason may be) is "arrogant and stupid." Lighten up and have a sliver of compassion. 

Oct 27th - 12:53pm | Anonymous

I wholeheartedly agree with this well-written comment. It's a shameful waste of human and financial resources to have to attempt to find this man. Fine him and make him a 'poster child' to communicate the inherent risks of hiking to the visiting public.

Oct 27th - 12:51pm | Dick Gutierrez

 How do you know he " arrogantly defied every rule of backcountry camping..."? Sounds like the man was just hiking-- had a tarp,whistle and a sleeping bag. From what I read the storm was unexpected. Accidents can happen to anyone--how about a little compassion??

Oct 27th - 12:42pm | Joe L

At least he has a sleeping bag. How about giving the 22 year old a break. I am 75 plus and remember all the stupid things I did at that age. It is a miracle that I survived.

Oct 27th - 12:25pm | Anonymous

So the NPS, and ultimately the taxpayers, have to flip the bill for rescuing this man who was hiking alone and admittedly unprepared for the winter weather conditions. No wonder the NPS has a $4-6 billion maintenance backlog (source: NPCA http://www.npca.org/what_we_do/visitor_experience/backlog/).

Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Underrated and Understated

Oct 27th - 17:29pm | Anonymous

No, Congaree is amzaing.

Oct 27th - 12:56pm | Clevelander

As a lifelong Clevelander and NP traveler, I have to agree CUVA is no where near NP worthy.  It was fine as a National Recreation Area.  Clinton made it a National Park on his way out the door.  The best things mentioned above (last three) are not even part of the NP.  There are better, more beautiful state parks in Ohio than CUVA.  Sorry, but it doesn't cut it.  If it does qualify, it's the wo

Oct 27th - 10:30am | David R

We could argue designations, but I believe CUVA is worthy of inclusion in the NP system. As with many other parks, e.g. Blue Ridge,  CUVA preserves an important story of this nation's development and facilitates protection of a rural landscape on the edge of encroaching development.  

Oct 27th - 07:46am | Robbie T

I canNOT believe the people saying Cuyahoga Valley National Park [CUVA] is not worthy of NP status!  The whole purpose of the National Parks is to

Oct 27th - 07:33am | Robbie T

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is OUTSTANDING.  CUVA may not be as big as Yosemite but that's part of its charm - you can be hiking above the ski line at Boston Mills one moment, enjoying lunch at Szaley's and buying apples and corn within the hour, then watching goat herds chew their way through fields or exploring waterfalls or climbing rocks in the afternoon - all within very do-able distance

Oct 26th - 11:47am | Anonymous

Kudos for preserving this land from certain urban sprawl. But, it is not worthy of National Park status, especially when signature parks are scraping with insufficent budgets. The federal government should phase control over the park to the MetroParks and devote the funding to other parks in the system. And CVNP isn't the only park that should be reevaluated.

Reader Participation Day: Is The Current Level Of Visitation To National Parks A Concern?

Oct 27th - 14:50pm | Owen Hoffman

For many of the parks that are "overcrowded", the problem is not the number of people, but the number of private cars.  Keep the car out of Cades Cove and Yosemite Valley and just watch what will happen.  Yes, park visitation might drop somewhat, due to the perceived inconvenience of parking the car outside of the park and entering the park using a public transportation service, as is now the c

Oct 27th - 13:05pm | Dick G

The one thing we noticed this year in the parks was the low numbers of American tourists-- the vast majority of visitors appeared to be from other countries. What a shame more American's don't visit the parks. I think the bad economy has a lot to do with it.

Oct 27th - 11:09am | Anonymous

I agree with everything you said about Curry Village.  It is basically an overpriced slum.  I stayed there this summer and when I checked in I was told that the NPS was telling Delaware North that there prices were too high.  My refund?  A couple of dollars.  I'm not kidding. 

Oct 27th - 00:20am | Meg

Second we must rebel against the concessionaires at the popular parks who offer little more then a bed for $180/night and a disgusting burger for $10. Many of you will say just camp and bring your own food but sorry to tell you, most Americans don’t camp. Truthfully, is Xanterra benefitting or hurting the NPS. Given my experiences, I would opt for other options.

Oct 26th - 21:42pm | Anonymous

What you said about the Utah parks is true.  A ranger told me that 50% of Bryce Canyon visitors are from France and Germany alone.   Europeans love Death Valley in the summer.  They have nothing like either place in Europe.  But why more Americans don't go is a mystery to me (aside from the economy).

Oct 26th - 20:16pm | Wulverine

  The National Park Service is truly a conundrum. It strives to protect great natural wonders of our country and encourage tourism which may unintentionally destroy those great natural wonders. One of these has to give.  

Oct 26th - 17:24pm | Anonymous

As someone who visited numerous national parks this summer and fall, I think visitation will be down for 2011 also.  The numbers won't come up until the economy improves and gas prices come down.  I found vacancies at the North Rim, Zion and Bryce at the last minute.  Other travelers remarked on how empty those parks seemed.  Based on my observations, I'd say that Yosemite visitation was about

Oct 26th - 17:03pm | Lee Dalton

I agree with almost everything said by all the previous posters.  But unravelling the great tangle of government that has been allowed to build over the last 250 years or so will take determined effort of the most incredible magnitude. And that brings the questions -- by whom and how?

Oct 26th - 12:10pm | Dottie

I totally agree with the first paragraph of Kurt Repanshek's comment.  But I believe that the National Park Service has become an umbrella used by too many statesmen in Washington for putting something in their state under its care.  I have gone through the entire list of places and looked at all the websites that fall under NPS and concluded there are many places that should fall off the list.

Oct 26th - 10:38am | Anonymous

"I am not one of those who believes that government is inherently a problem - I think almost all of the waste, fraud, and abuse has been eliminated over the years and we now have to think about what we want government to actually do."

Oct 26th - 10:13am | Kurt Repanshek

AnonymousD, some good questions, indeed. I tend to believe visitation numbers are over-emphasized. The parks, foremost, were set aside for preservation and protection, not to generate a specific number of visits. If we only protect them at a certain level of visitation, well, aren't we missing the point?

Oct 26th - 10:04am | AnonymousD

Interesting question. But is it akin to assigning a dollar value to everything?

Monocacy National Battlefield Releases iPad App

Oct 27th - 13:02pm | Anonymous

Great app! Very easy to use and visually appealing - I haven't seen very many national parks that have something like this.  This looks like a pretty interesting place with a lot more history than just the Civil War part.

Early Snowstorm Gives Rocky Mountain National Park Mid-Winter Look

Oct 27th - 11:22am | Dick Gutierrez

How beautiful-- wish I was there instead of in the Fla. heat!!

Oct 27th - 10:29am | Glynn

Wonderful photographic images. Winter comes early in the mountains. 

Oct 27th - 06:52am | Paul @ Driving ...

Amazing ... we're hoping we can still eke out a bit of spring in Colorado this year.

Creature Feature: The American Marten

Oct 27th - 09:45am | Bob Janiskee

[This comment was inadvertently deleted] Name: Dave Saunders  | Email: [email protected]  | URL:   | IP: 198.96.80.15 Creature Feature: The American Marten

New Webcams At Olympic National Park Allow Views of Largest Dam Removal Project in U. S. History

Oct 26th - 22:59pm | Anonymous

I want to see if Olympic National Park Olympic Peninsula Lowland is part of the elwha dam.

Congressman Pushing Legislation To Require National Park Gift Shops To Carry "Made In America" Items

Oct 26th - 20:35pm | Anonymous

The park concessionaires cannot even find the labor force domestically to staff the seasonal positions they have in the parks and thus they import labor. The supply sources for products that people want at a price that allows them to make a profit don't exist in the USA and thus they sell imported products.

Oct 26th - 15:49pm | Sassy Bassmaster

Congressman Israel is trying to be bi-winning. His idea is short sided and will only cause more negative impact on our already struggling economy. Think of all the people he will put out of work, customs brokers, shipyard workers, crane operators, shipping company drivers, park service employees, and on and on.

Oct 26th - 12:49pm | Brian

Why pick on the National Parks, why not Wal Mart?

Oct 25th - 23:25pm | y_p_w

Check a previous article for some background. /2011/09/reader-participation-day-should-more-american-made-products-be-available-purchase-americas-national-8740

Oct 25th - 23:19pm | Anonymoustom

I think this is good idea to institute over time. currently there are not enough competitive vendors making products in the US. It should phase in over 10 years. 10% a year should enable American entrepreneurs to tool up to the demand.

Oct 25th - 22:51pm | Lee Dalton

Anon at 5:16, I'm afraid you nailed it. That's why WalMart exists.

Oct 25th - 22:13pm | Anonymous

Although I applaud Senator Israel and his efforts, it's readily apparent to anyone within this industry that his aspirations at a wholesale change to "Made in America" is pure hogwash.

Adventure-Journal: Mr. Uberuaga Should Not Have Been Given Grand Canyon National Park Promotion

Oct 26th - 18:42pm | Anonymous

You should get your facts straight before you go and bash the leadership of the National Park Service.  Yes, his kids worked for the company that purchased the house, but at the same time, i'm sure you can find someone who works for someone who knows of someone, etc. 

National Park Road Trip 2010: Into Nebraska on the Oregon Trail

Oct 26th - 14:50pm | Gene Nelms

Yes it is, Pat.  I am now living in Manhattan, Kansas.  Would love to hear from you.

NPCA Officials Pushing For Transfer Of Valles Caldera National Preserve To National Park Service

Oct 26th - 13:47pm | Anonymous

I have visited the Caldera many times and enjoyed the view.  One of the problems facing this beautiful spot is the lack of access.  Yes it's beautiful to see ther caldera from the highway but for hte most part there is absolutely no access to any of the area except to drive down the entrance road to the visitor center.  There's no way the average visitor can enjoy any of the view or wildlife vi

Mission

Oct 26th - 11:16am | Kathy

I just stumbled upon your post today and wanted to thank you for just making my day.  I did the same thing in Joshua Tree!!  Same identical loop path that ended 7 - 8 miles later after an excursion that took me who knows where?  I even went back the next day to see what I did wrong and ended up in the same direction!  I think it was the trail marker gone bad.  The really funny end to the story

Bluffs Lodge Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Shuttered For 2011

Oct 26th - 10:01am | Julie Adams

This is sad news, indeed.  My husband and I love  Bluffs Lodge, dated though the rooms may be.  That is part of the charm of the place.  Always clean, too.  We have stayed there almost every year for the last 25 years.  Please, please reopen for 2012. 

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