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Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, National Parks Conservation Association Oppose Bike Race At Colorado National Monument

Mar 8th - 00:49am | Anonymous

So how would you feel if the race were run through other parts of the Grand Valley area but didn't go through the Monument? There are some other beautiful areas around the valley, like the Grand Mesa and wine country - all great for cycling. Plus the park has offered a victory lap. Does it have to be full race over the Monument or all bets are off?

Mar 7th - 21:16pm | Bil Danielson

If proper, reasonable, restrictions are placed upon the race to assuage legitimate concerns, this could be a great event for your area that would promote the park without undue damage. It would highlight the beauty of the area while showcasing the grace, power, and ability of the professional athletes as they deal with it.. The juxtaposition would be wonderful.

Mar 7th - 20:33pm | Anonymous

does anyone remember the Coors classic???? it was held on the monument every year and was great to see and to participate in. The Colorado Nation Monument has been going through changes in the last year, some good some bad.

Mar 7th - 20:28pm | Anonymous

The thing I fear most in allowing this race to proceed IS the fact that it is commercial rather than charitable.

Mar 7th - 16:31pm | Smoky Mtn Hiker

But don't you want to see Kevin Costner swerve dangerously close to the edge of the road just once more? :)

Mar 7th - 16:05pm | Anonymous

Sorry, but I have to disagree with your comments for several reasons. First, the NPS regulations clearly specify that this event is totally inconsistent with the mission to protect and preserve our national parks and monuments for generations to come.

Mar 7th - 14:31pm | Bil Danielson

Clearly, this event IS tenable. The park closes for full days rather frequently due to mother nature demanding full and unfettered access.. So, let's refrain from such silly obfuscations.

Mar 7th - 12:37pm | y_p_w

Again - I personally think effective closing off a national monument for 12 hours is untenable. However, I'm not sure how well the enforcement is on races run by for-profit enterprises with more than just nominal prize money.

Mar 7th - 11:53am | Bil Danielson

I don't have a big problem with not allowing the race to roll through the monument, and for the record I have ridden there. But if the permit denial is sustained, I would hope that for all time any other application for any other event will be similarly banned - regardless its perceived benefits to whomever.

Mar 7th - 09:33am | Jill

I hope the Coalition and Association get a better response from Senator Udall and Governor Hickenlooper than I did after sending my emails. The response I received was......uh, wait......do I hear crickets chirping?

Climbing Community Differs With National Park Service Over Fixed Anchors In Wilderness

Mar 7th - 22:00pm | Anonymous

What is a "climbing community"? Can't they do whatever a "climbing community" does someplace else besides a national park?

Mar 7th - 19:42pm | Kurt Repanshek

Ron, it never ceases to amaze me what captures some people and spurs comments and what doesn't.

Mar 7th - 19:26pm | Ron Saunders

Kurt, Sorry I commented on this one. Apparently I contaminated it beyond repair. Delete my comment and maybe you will get some good points of view. I thought it was a pretty interesting article and I know you had to put some time into it. Ron

By the Numbers: Cumberland Island National Seashore

Mar 7th - 21:31pm | Bob Janiskee

There are no cabins available for rent on Cumberland Island. Lodging is available only at the Greyfield Inn, and it is expensive.

Mar 7th - 20:09pm | Anonymous

Does the national park service have any cabins on the island?

Give Us A National Park, But Please, Not Its Regulations

Mar 7th - 21:18pm | y_p_w

matt stubbs: Does the decking and boardwalks around Old Faithful take away from the natural beauty? Heck Yes but that is not what people came to see they come to see water shooting high in the air. Was the Mount Rushmore so ugly that we needed to carve faces into it? ETC...

Mar 7th - 18:41pm | matt stubbs

"Ron I have read considerable information from the 3 ORV access organizations. I find the information disseminated by these organizations biased and at times pure propaganda for the singular issue of ORV access in the National Seashore. I don’t say this to offend you as a matter of habit I try not to offend people and apologize if anything I said in my other post did."

Mar 7th - 18:13pm | Ron Saunders

Southern Shores 1 I am not one particularly interested in jousting, therefor I will depart with this. I can easily understand your point of view and I try not to let things get personal in these discussions. I do confront organizations when put on the defensive.

Mar 7th - 15:56pm | Southern Shores 1

Ron I have read considerable information from the 3 ORV access organizations. I find the information disseminated by these organizations biased and at times pure propaganda for the singular issue of ORV access in the National Seashore. I don’t say this to offend you as a matter of habit I try not to offend people and apologize if anything I said in my other post did.

Mar 7th - 11:46am | Matt Stubbs

"Matt and Ron most likely are members or supporters of 3 extreme special interest groups who have had considerable input concerning ORV access in Cape Hatteras National Seashore." Answer NOPE I simply like taking my family to a secluded beach and get away from it all. "The 3 groups were all represented in the failed attempt at negotiated rulemaking. "

Mar 6th - 15:30pm | Ron Saunders

SS1

Mar 6th - 11:42am | Southern Shores 1

Ryan and y p w excuse me from jumping in on this forum to address both Matt Stubs and Ron comments on ORV controversy here at CHNS.

National Park Quiz 92: Seconds

Mar 7th - 18:06pm | Bob Janiskee

Lee, I know you're just saying that to make the ol' quizmeister feel good, but thanks anyway.

Mar 7th - 17:08pm | Lee Dalton

You just destroyed my entire day! At least I managed "passable fair."

Hiking all the Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mar 7th - 14:42pm | Joe Leonard

Danny, If all you got was a patch, you need to go back and do it again. It will all look different if you go the opposite way. A lot different if you don't use shuttles, and go it alone, no help. After completing the 900 Miler challenge you have to know that your lifetime job is to help preserve and protect this unique ecosystem.

Discovering Grizzlies and Wolves at Yellowstone National Park

Mar 7th - 11:54am | NTaylor

Toby Bridges and Kevin Watson are correct. Read their posts for some factual education about this issue. In the long run, what I see happening is an ESA that will become useless because of this. Those who have used a non-endangered, non-native sub-species of wolve and this Act to line their pockets will need to move to plan B. In the meantime, SSS

Issue Of Climbing Fees At Denali National Park Raises Questions Of Fee Equity

Mar 7th - 11:54am | tomp2

Inquiring Mind-- You can find the answer to your question at: http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/benefits.asp I'm not now and never will be SES, so I'm not motivated enough to look it up.

Mar 7th - 11:13am | Matt Stubbs

Though I agree on the climber fees as they are participating in an activity that DOES require special preparations to the park personnel and systems. As far as the SAR maybe an insurance policy purchased by the climber that has a substantial deductible.

Mar 6th - 22:49pm | That Guy

In Arizona we have numerous flash floods in the lower valley areas each year. This produces many washes which cross many roads. Most are marked year round with signs saying don’t enter when flooded and usually during the flooding the roads are closed by signs and barricades. Time and again many people foolishly drive their vehicles into these washes, get stuck, and require rescue.

Mar 6th - 21:33pm | Inquiring mind

What exactly is the benefit schedule for Senior Executive Service Employees in NPS, including their retirement benefits? Just wondering about the bigger picture when services and access are being either eliminated or drastically reduced. Seems like an appropriate question.

Mar 6th - 20:21pm | y_p_w

My understanding of SAR in most parts of California is that they're varied in who joins. When I've heard of SAR efforts in California national parks, the personnel have included NPS personnel, local law enforcement, and trained civilians.

Mar 6th - 19:24pm | toothdoctor

To Mr.

Mar 6th - 18:22pm | Chip

Your comparison of SAR to fire and police protection is totally invalid: 1) we DO pay for fire and police through our taxes and 2) that protection and services are there for everyone, not just the 'elite' who think being being rescued is a "right"!

Mar 6th - 17:17pm | Anonymous

Charlie, Very astute points! While I am very much in favor of the cost recovery, some of the points made by DENA officials are not valid. Mount Rainier National Park has between 8,000 and 10,000 climbers a year and a roughly 1.8 million visitors to which comes out to be 1/2 of 1 percent, give or take a few 1/10ths of a percent depending on the year.

Mar 6th - 16:53pm | dennis p lima

I'll just echo what others have written. We've gotten so use to things being "free" or heavily subsidized. Paying what things actually cost is something all of us, including myself, will need to get used to. We can't just keep on letting someone else pay for things.

Mar 6th - 15:57pm | Anonymous

So just curious, but what if I wanted to go climb another mountain in alaska outside of Denali. Would I have to pay the state of alaska any money to climb that mountain?? What does the state provide as far as SAR response for these other peaks??

Mar 6th - 15:11pm | Charlie

I don't think "fee equity" is really the issue here as the article title states. The problem really is increasing costs for visitors to access national parks generally. If the national parks are to remain shared places, where we all can connect with our natural and cultural heritage, they must be free or inexpensive to visit.

Mar 6th - 14:56pm | Marjorie

One of the issues considered by the Park Service, here and in other parks, is this: once climbers/hikers have paid extra for their permit to support rescues, will they then tell themselves, "I paid my $500 and I'm too tired to walk out. So I'll fake an injury and call for help".

Mar 6th - 12:29pm | Chip

I agree with JT about the allocation of costs. The folks who benefit from the program should pay the cost of the program. Why would it be reasonable to charge 99.5% of the visitors an increased fee just to help .5% of the folks?

Mar 6th - 10:00am | Me

Removal of the Kahiltna, Ranger and High basecamps ought to cut the cost's substantially.

Mar 6th - 07:00am | jt

Like everything in this country we, as a society, want to do anything we please and then expect everyone elso to pay the cost. It seems only fair to me that the actual climbers pay the expense of the service and I feel they should also be charged for any additional costs of a rescue they may require. Why should all other visitors be expected to pay for the fun of the few climbers.

Several Hundred Bison Hazed Into Capture Facility At Yellowstone National Park

Mar 7th - 11:25am | Kris

It is obvious that something needs to be done about the bison. Right now, they are thought of as livestock and a threat more than as a native species. I think that the brucellosis issue is taking the focus away from the really problem. Brucellosis appears to be under control. Even though bison transferring the disease to cows is not unheard of, it is very unlikely.

Rangers Catch Snowmobilers Riding Illegally in Yellowstone National Park's Backcountry

Mar 7th - 10:52am | Wingnut

Why don't they mark the border better, how is a biler suppose to know where the border is? at some points there is a an orange piece of metal nailed to a tree, but what does that mean? Furthermore, it has been proven that those snowcoaches pollute 10X worse then modern sleds that meet or exceeds epa requirements.

National Park Service Rolling Out 5-Year Plan to Commemorate 150th Anniversary of Civil War

Mar 6th - 03:18am | Leon Brooks

If there is anything that should be hoped for, it is that this celebration, unlike the one in the 60's and before, commemorates the contributions and sacrifice of United States Colored Troops - true freedom fighters.

Mar 4th - 22:59pm | Anonymous

The NPS History e-Library also has electronic editions of Eastern National's 26-volume Civil War Series at: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/civil_war_series/

The National Park to Park Highway

Mar 6th - 00:30am | Roger Williams

Is there a current map of this trip? is it possible to re-drive this tour? i would love to take some time and do it.

Should "Boot Cabin" In Big Bend National Park Be Replaced?

Mar 5th - 18:46pm | Karen Garrison Reyer

That cabin is an historical building and must be intreperted and preserved! Unless it has had major reconstruction since the early 1950's or early 1960's then it is old enough to be presreved. Possibly built by CCC.

Mar 5th - 16:40pm | Ramon Holguin

Being a regular visitor to BIBE and having carried my backpacking gear by there numerous times. It always confounded me as to its presence. The corral i can understand having in the Chisos. But i'm not particularly fond of it being along Boot Trail. Boot Trail seems to be occupied by a growing bear population. I feel the corral would be better served along the Colima trail. As for a cabin?

Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Named Acting Intermountain Region Director

Mar 5th - 11:19am | Roger Norberg

I believe Bob Vogel would make a fine superintendent.

Democrats Introduce "Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act" To Help Wildlife Cope With Climate Change

Mar 5th - 03:01am | motion detector...

If a purpose of the Act is to "Help wildlife cope with climate change, then the former longgrass prairiewhich included part of Illinois as well as west of the Mississippi, need to have wildlife linkage.If a purpose of the Act is to "Help wildlife cope with climate change, then the former longgrass prairiewhich included part of Illinois as well as west of the Mississippi, need to have wildlife l

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