| Page 1047 | National Parks Traveler

I've read the DOI report. It never cleared PRNS staff of wrongdoing. In fact it seems almost scathing to some degree about the conduct by PRNS staff. What it did say was essentially that they wouldn't recommend criminal charges be pursued and wouldn't recommend that staff be fired for their misconduct. That's a far cry from being cleared.

Nov 2nd - 13:39pm | Sarah Rolph

So many comments from Anonymous, all claiming to know the truth. Personally I find it more credible when someone is willing to use his or her real name. The first Anonymous has many facts wrong. For example:

"Red Tide" Prompts Visitor Advisory at Padre Island National Seashore

Nov 2nd - 14:23pm | Beach Goer

It is really too bad that people do not heed to the warnings that are being posted. Worse, they tend to blame management when something happens to them or their pet. Karenia brevis is serious folks. Pay attention to the warnings.

Grand Teton National Park Officials ID Bear Victim, Investigation Ongoing

Nov 2nd - 14:00pm | Dave Smith

There are two articles in today's Jackson Hole News about this incident and the root of the problem, which is the Elk Refuge and other elk feedlots in NW Wyoming. Without those horrible feedlots, which boost elk populations to an artificially high level, there wouldn't be any justification for an "elk reduction" hunt in Grand Teton National Park.

Nov 2nd - 13:05pm | Anonymous

The reason they allow hunting in the National Park (at least some) is that at some point man messed up the natural balance of things. This may be the removal the wolves (most common) or just the general interferrance of visitors. As a result, some species, particually Elk will reproduce and grow unchecked. This creates further unbalance.

Nov 2nd - 12:24pm | Dick G

I say shoot your gun AS you spray the bear with bear spray while blowing your bear whistle and at the same time hit the ground in a defensive ball--- practice will make perfect !!!LOL

Nov 1st - 20:24pm | Anonymous

Please the bears are in the river bottoms eating whatever food they can find, anyone hunting in a national park especially in those river bottoms with ample veg & berries better be ready to encounter bears, It is not a hunting season on bears.....they eat elk to. You might want to have your spray ready, like I did at LSR around noon on Sunday, oh yes I saw a grizzy along the river and lef

Nov 1st - 17:01pm | RacmUp

Thank you Lee. Mr. Smith is rulebook oriented when it covers his point of view.

Nov 1st - 12:55pm | Lee Dalton

You may not want to drop a loaded rifle under normal circumstances, but when a bear is charging that's not normal.

Running With The Big Sled Dogs At Denali National Park, The Video

Nov 2nd - 13:54pm | Margery Glickman

It's shameful that the National Park Service forces its sled dogs to live on chains. Chaining dogs is cruel. That's why jurisdictions across the United States have banned or severly restricted the practice.

Chair Of House Subcommittee On National Parks Calls Parks, Other Federal Lands Unconstitutional

Nov 2nd - 13:19pm | Rick B.

Uh, anonymous... wasn't it the PRIOR administration that came out with the color coded paranoia levels, which tended to be escalated every time that the then President needed a PR bump? Pardon me for having to work hard to swallow your obvious agenda. I agree. Too much radio and too much anonymity. Could we get back to discussing the parks now?

Nov 2nd - 12:49pm | Anonymous

You're right Lee! These blogs are a poor substitute for real time in the wilds if joy is the goal:). Quit trying to steal my joy, lol!

Nov 2nd - 12:44pm | Lee Dalton

Someone is listening to too much talk radio.

Nov 2nd - 12:09pm | Anonymous

Other thoughts on the run-up to the mess the World is in. Flashback: "Never let a good disaster go to waste" http://news.investors.com/Article/589858/201110311638/Housing-Crisis-Oba... Okay, the Parks are calling:)!

Nov 2nd - 11:56am | Anonymous

Lee, Kurt, I don't have the time to respond properly this morning but I will offer the question about Roosevelt's reaction to December 7, 1941 to protect our country and our more recent 911 and it's aftermath. There are the same threats present now and are growing larger by the micro second.

Nov 2nd - 11:10am | Lee Dalton

Kurt, thank you for having my back on this. Anon -- have you ever heard of Paul Hoffman? Do you know who he was and what he tried to do under orders from President Cheney and his little buddy?

Nov 2nd - 09:44am | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, perhaps you'd like to come out from behind your veil of secrecy? Otherwise we might assume that you're pushing an agenda against the current administration;-)

Nov 2nd - 09:14am | Anonymous

Lee, I agree, Rep. Bishop hasn't been a 100% supporter of NPS but then Billy Malone isn't either. There is a dark side to most things and some of the darker elements of both NPS and really/especially, the DC culture. A tried and effective way of hiding the darkness is to use any number of popular poll tested disguises/words to grease things.

Nov 2nd - 08:46am | Lee Dalton

I just sent the following email to Rob Bishop:

Nov 1st - 13:22pm | Anonymous

Who's Bozos, yours or mine, lol?

Nov 1st - 13:13pm | Kirk Giloth

How do these bozos ever get elected?

Nov 1st - 13:03pm | Anonymous 9:08

Obviously, Lee, they have little in common, especially their governing political parties. One might ask Orin Hatch what he would do with Michigan. Certainly wouldn't get a PC response but the answer would get to the core of the problem. A decent and respected leader who is probably heartbroken to view this country as it is now but could still muster the drive to remain hopeful.

Nov 1st - 12:52pm | Lee Dalton

Anon at 9:08 -- there's a huge difference between Utah and Michigan. Utah was not an industrial state dependent upon pretty much a single industry. There is no way you can compare the two in any way.

Nov 1st - 10:08am | Anonymous

Maybe you can explain how Utah has managed to be at the other end of the spectrum (economically and in other ways also) from such states as Michigan, New York and California (with the 7th biggest economy(I believe) if it were a country. I'd think there is something they have been doing that might be looked into if one is willing to look past there own failed policies.

National Park Mystery Spot 30: Just Answer These Questions

Nov 2nd - 13:06pm | Bob Janiskee

Jason has gotten it right too.

Nov 2nd - 08:22am | Bob Janiskee

Sorry, ed-123; it's not Furnace Creek, and it's not in Death Valley National Park.

Nov 2nd - 08:02am | ed-123

Furnace creek , Death Valley N.P.?

Nov 2nd - 07:20am | Bob Janiskee

Eric has nailed it too.

Nov 2nd - 06:47am | Bob Janiskee

Congratulations to Aron. He solved this one quickly, submitting the correct answer at 7:33 AM. We'll embargo the solution until tomorrow and see how many other Traveler readers can figure it out.

Buy A Starry Print, Help Friends of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Nov 2nd - 09:06am | Carol B

The NPTC Annual Convention in 2012 is here at Apostle Islands Natl Lakeshore. What an awesome night sky! Reason enough to go. www.parkstamps.org

Yellowstone National Park Receives Green Light To Redesign Traffic Flow Through North Entrance

Nov 2nd - 07:45am | MRC

"The gateway long has been one of the park's most popular because of the Roosevelt Arch..." no. The northern entrance was long popular because Gardinaer was the train station. Only when the car took over, West-Yellowstone became the most important entrance to the park.

President Obama Uses Antiquities Act To Create Fort Monroe National Monument

Nov 2nd - 00:23am | Anonymous

Even in a bad economy, it might be important to preserve pieces of American history.

Nov 1st - 18:03pm | Dottie

Anon 4:31, you just plain miss the point. They drop one entity and start another. What is the net loss or gain?

Nov 1st - 17:40pm | Anonymous

It appears (to many) what is happening is that the economy must be destroyed to then build the country into a vision that is not going to be good. It's been tried before and failed, everywhere it's been tried. Not going to work and the Parks will flounder. I'd like to think I'm wrong but I don't think so. Respectfully

Nov 1st - 17:31pm | Anonymous

Whether it's 3 or 3000 it's still a good thing. And if it's only one new job that's more than the previous occupant of the WH and his party have created in the past 10 years. Just IMO. I still plan to visit the fort next year (unless the tea party has succeeded by then in its attempt to destroy the economy completely). And, no, no links from me.

Nov 1st - 16:22pm | Dottie

There is so many people with the same name on this spot that you have to resort to identifying them by the time they posted. So, Anonymous 1:23, I read the political disclaimer. It is a cryin' shame the White House didn't check into that firgure and/or state up front that it was the Governor of Virginia making the 3,000 jobs claim. I think Ft Sumter / Fort Moutrie runs with a steady staff of

Nov 1st - 14:23pm | Anonymous

More on Ft. Monroe from the Beltway: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/01/carney_obama_declaring...

Nov 1st - 14:20pm | Dottie

Is this really going to create 3,000 new jobs? Really?

Nov 1st - 13:52pm | Anonymous

Good news. I hope to visit it next year.

Celebrating Wilderness In Shenandoah National Park

Nov 1st - 20:39pm | Jordan Jeffery

This was very useful for my essay and it gives very important info

Popular Swimming Area At Capitol Reef National Park Closed Due To Dangerous Conditions

Nov 1st - 16:35pm | Anonymous

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/plants/uteladiestress/

Science Takes A Hit In President Obama's 2012 Budget

Nov 1st - 16:20pm | Dottie

Hey Lee, they drop this, but Obama has the money by Executive Order, no less, to add a new fort to the national monuments yesterday. What do you suppose that will cost? What was the annual cost of running the Federal Biological thing? Or better yet, which one was more important?!? I'm not going to answer that. Probably get kicked off of here.

Nov 1st - 15:16pm | Anonymous

It is true the NBII reductions will impact the available data and applications on the Web after the January 15 2012 closure date. However, USGS still maintains a collaboration with the National Park Service related to vegetetion mapping, standards, and data delivery.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Underrated and Understated

Nov 1st - 14:41pm | Anonymous

Oops, I got so riled up by tea party propoganda I aimed my editorial in the wrong direction. But it is true the name change came from an omnibus Congressional bill.

Nov 1st - 14:30pm | Anonymous

Actually an Ohio congressman added the designation change to an appropriations bill. But don't let facts get in the way of your seditious partisanship.

National Park Quiz 99: Native Americans

Nov 1st - 13:44pm | mcghiever

11 (didn't know #8 or #11)! I usually scrape out a 3 or 4 on these quizzes; apparently I've found my subject specialty.

Trails I've Hiked: Bechler River Trail In Yellowstone National Park

Nov 1st - 12:53pm | Olympic Peninsu...

It's been so long since I've been in an Alpine environment! It's been all Grand Canyon for the last five years and with your article, Kurt, I'm hearing the call but don't think I'll ever be through with the Canyon! Will have to make some forays. Thanks, Kurt.

Nov 1st - 12:48pm | Kurt Repanshek

That's a great question, Bob, though one I can't exactly answer. I did ask Ranger Stanley if he thought it was wetter than usual (I think this was his third season in that area of the park), but he didn't think so. The big crossing of the Bechler definitely caught our attention, as did that of Mountain Ash Creek...

Nov 1st - 12:43pm | Bob Pahre

Sounds like a great hike, Kurt. It's been on my to-do list for a long time, awaiting a free September. Do you know whether those are typical September river levels? Or did the heavy snowpack of 2010-11 make the rivers much fuller, much later than usual?

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