| Page 1429 | National Parks Traveler

I am a great fan of the parks and other public lands in southern Utah, so I am pleased with this action. The resources in question may eventually be developed, but this administrative action may give a bit more breathing room to better decide how to best protect important natural and cultural areas and balance competing public interests.

Volcanics in the National Parks: They Ain't All Tied to "Redoubt"

Feb 5th - 09:21am | Kurt Repanshek

Thanks for the suggestion, MRC. The list was not intended to be comprehensive, but merely to show some examples. That said, if others mention sites to add we can build a new list for the next volcanic occasion;-)

Feb 5th - 08:16am | Bob Janiskee

I agree that Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is an outstanding example of a volcanic-themed resource. The thing is, it's not a National Park System component. Proclaimed by President Reagan in 1982, it was placed under U.S. Forest Service administration (which made a good deal of sense, since it's in a national forest).

Feb 5th - 08:00am | Catherine F Clark

What about Mount St. Helens National Monument? Is this not volcanic? Erupted in 1980? I did not see it on the above list! How on earth could you leave that off?

Feb 5th - 05:57am | MRC

How about Lava Beds MN? If you add it, you can delete this entry.

Elk Culling Under Way in Rocky Mountain National Park

Feb 5th - 08:02am | Bob Janiskee

Kirby and Jim: One possible reason for the one-a-day cull is limited manpower for handling the carcass and butchering. Anybody who has ever tried to field dress, transport, and butcher one of these huge animals knows what a big job that is. I'd guess that there could also be limited facilities for handling the meat during and after processing. Just some thoughts.

Feb 5th - 01:40am | Jim Clark

I am a hunter and live about 80 miles from where this story is from. And I am with you it looks like a lot of shooters and a lot of elk, why one a day. If they would let me I would like one to eat this winter. Jim

Feb 4th - 23:50pm | Kirby Adams

OK, I'm not a hunter, so maybe someone can enlighten me. Is there a reason they're shooting only one a day? Seems like in that picture if three of those people had rifles there would've been three elk culled that day. -Kirby.....Lansing, MI

National Park Quiz 40: Mission 66

Feb 4th - 19:39pm | Anonymous

With regard to #9 and the Cyclorama Center, it should be noted that the NPS is not going to remove all of the parking lots from Cemetery Ridge as originally promised. It seems like their stated plan of returning the site to its 1864 appearance was just a ploy to demolish the Cyclorama Center. There were no parking lots there in 1864....

Feb 4th - 12:06pm | Anonymous

FYI - The old "spaceship" Henry M. Jackson visitor center at Mt. Rainier has already been demolished. Contractors got a head start on the project since the park was in a dry spell this fall. All that was left prior to the snow falling was the rock wall base and a big hole in the ground. The actual "ball dropping" was very uneventful! [Ed: Thanx for the update.]

Feb 4th - 11:04am | Rick Smith

Wow, Bob, that was a tough quiz. I only got 6 right. I may have to enroll.

How Can Yosemite National Park's Magnificent Vistas Be Preserved?

Feb 4th - 17:56pm | Barky

Let me just clarify that I only visited Yosemite in '07, so I personally don't have that childhood view. I was relaying comments from friends of mine from Sacramento & Fresno. Personally, I love trees, and I really loved the way you'd hike a trail in the woods and then BAM you're suddenly staring at a big granite cliff face! =============================================

Feb 4th - 13:15pm | Rick Deutsch

Yosemite has a comprehensive fire management program. This includes prescribed fires, mechanical thinning and wildland fire control. Natural fires are permitted to burn in certain backcountry areas. The Valley is too densely populated to permit uncontrolled burns. The park occasionally does trim back “unnatural” areas.

Feb 3rd - 16:56pm | Barky

I discussed views at Yosemite with some local friends of mine, and one of their complaints is "there are a lot more trees in the valley than I remember when I was a kid." I'm wondering if the amount of park facilities in the valley precludes natural fires from clearing out the growth, instead there are far too many trees & shrubs blocking the view.

Would You Love Zion National Park As Much If It Were Called Mukuntuweap National Park?

Feb 4th - 16:59pm | pondhopper

I visited from the UK last year....it is an amazing place. I would, however, definitely support the Indian name and I was disappointed when I learnt it had been changed. As a previous contributor has said - it was their land, after all.

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

Feb 4th - 08:23am | RAH

Personally I do not see how snowmobiles damage the park when riding on snow. Ray explanation at least gave me some of the reasons for the ban. Whether they are accurate or really sensible I do not know. I am not super knowlwdgable about snowmobiles and the damage they so.

Feb 3rd - 01:21am | MH

Haha, when reading this I thought, "Well at least this is one post that all should agree on!" Little did I know that some people consider even THESE rules to be "arbitrary [and] idiotic."

Feb 1st - 20:11pm | Anonymous

I don't know what's worse...having people on NPT write extremist statements that paint people with broad brushes and display their obvious hate for others, or the fact that I actually wasted my time reading those people's attacks of each other.

Feb 1st - 18:53pm | Mr. H

Don't think too hard Jim. It's not they were unaware, its when idiots post arbitrary idiotic laws, reasonable people tend to lose respect for the law. What's wrong with you people? I certainly would never advocate riding snowmachines around the herds, scaring them up and running them around. Most snowmachiners enjoy all types of outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, camping, etc.

On Stimulus Packages, Lobbyists, and Congressfolk

Feb 3rd - 13:00pm | RoadRanger

I have to agree strongly with Kurt's comment that the senior executives at NPCA should be talking directly to Appropriations Chairman Obey. Do they at least communicate with members of the committee? They must, although that in itself would seem to border on conflict as members often curry favor with the chairman in order to bring more pork to their districts.

Feb 2nd - 17:41pm | Anonymous

Kudo's to the congress if they will stick to the already identified backlog (there is plenty of it there). I fear that what is happening is parks are writing new projects and moving quickly on other projects in their infancy because they see funding opportunities. Just because there is money available doesn't mean you can bypass the processes that ensure they are doing the right thing.

The World's Top Ten National Parks

Feb 3rd - 12:38pm | Rick Smith

That's a great shot of the backpacker in the WAdden Sea photos. He looks very European. Rick Smith

Feb 3rd - 11:35am | MRC

Rick, Yes, I've visited all three parks I mentioned above. But of course not as long as I would wish, particularly for the Cevennes, where I only got a glimpse, passing through.

Feb 3rd - 09:15am | Rick Smith

MRC--

Feb 3rd - 03:11am | MRC

Galapagos, Great Barrier Reef, Etosha, Okavango and for North America outside of the United States Jasper and maybe Banff. Those are some of the international parks you can expect in a list like this. Let's propose a few less spectacular, but none the less important parks:

Feb 2nd - 18:56pm | Rick Smith

Tahoma--Thanks for the recommendation. I have driven through the park on the way to Alaska one time. It is magnificent but I did not have time to explore the interior of the park. Here is what the Parks Canada website says about Kluane:

Feb 2nd - 18:20pm | tahoma

Surely a representative of the magnificent Canadian Parks should be nominated. Kluane and the Rocky Mountain group are outstanding. Our northern neigbors do an especially good job at interpretation and visitor contact.

Feb 2nd - 17:18pm | Rick Smith

Good afternoon-- We have received only two additional nominations for the best international parks. Come on, NPT readers, we know you are world adventurers and have visited many parks or other protected areas outside the US. We really would like to pick your brains on the best ones out there. Give us your suggestions. Rick Smith

Trigger-happy Man Shoots Another Rustling in the Brush

Feb 3rd - 08:13am | Anonymous

The lift of the ban on firearms in National Parks does not allow everyone to carry a firearm in a National Park. It allows people with a Concealed Handgun License to carry. That is different than the situation being discussed here. To get your CHL you have to go through a class, learn the law, learn safe gun practice, etc.

The Consequences of the Legal Bear Hunt in Katmai

Feb 2nd - 18:20pm | Ray Bane

Let me start by saying that I consider myself a hunter. I have no problem with well managed and regulated hunting taking place in national preserves in Alaska, so long as it is in keeping with the stated mandates and intent of ANILCA.

Feb 2nd - 10:58am | Anonymous

I do not support hunting of bears. It is like if we have superiors over us , are we happy to be just killed and be hunted???? Hunting lower species is a pure sign of weakness. So rubbish....it's not a sport anyway.

Grand Teton National Park Rangers Spending Their Days Rescuing Skiers

Feb 2nd - 15:07pm | Joy

"Park rangers credit Mr. Gamba and Mr. Thornberry with doing everything right to keep themselves safe and attempt their own self rescue. They carried the basic necessities and kept their wits about them during an unexpected night out in the Tetons."

The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring

Feb 2nd - 10:28am | M. D. Vaden of ...

February 2, 2009 comment update ... Managed to find Hyperion in Juanuary - the world's tallest redwood. That's the redwood tree covered in the final chapter of the book. Got some decent photos. Coincidentally, the valley with this tallest redwood also had the most traces of bear activity I've seen so far.

Sharpshooters To Begin Reducing Elk Herds in Rocky Mountain National Park

Feb 2nd - 09:50am | wayne bundy

when we get the opertunity to hunt we go for the bigest and best. large rack , large and healthy excetera . this is best for us but worst for wildlife. we would never shoot a weeker target we harvest the best leaving the sick criopel and small to survive . the other apex preditors select the week and dieing as pray . we are not competing with them there nitch is diferant than ares .

Feb 1st - 23:00pm | Elk Angel Anonymous

The intent to create a capsulized eco system with imaginary boarders is not reality. Today in the lower 48 we have no chance of creating and sustaining a "Natural Environment" migration routes, patterns and elevation will not allow enough property to be set aside. Mainly because the adjacent property in most cases in already developed and we can't relocate a town of humans.

Feb 1st - 22:24pm | oldranger

Here in Utah at least, elk do indeed conflict with people. Especially on our highways. Driving I-80 east of Salt Lake is almost like driving the Dodge'em cars at Lagoon amusement park. Splattered elk carcasses and car carcasses litter the roadside. And despite a very active hunting population throughout the annual season, elk numbers continue to increase. Maybe ROMO isn't in this fix yet.

Feb 1st - 07:20am | RAH

I don't know about elk, but birth control on deer was a failure when tried. Turned out the males just stayed in rut and caused more damage. The explosion in deer has been costly to cars from the increase in deer hits by cars. Elk not being in high population centers are not a problem to cars and do need to have the numbers thinned.

"Inland Tsunami" at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Wasn't the First of Its Kind

Feb 2nd - 02:56am | Ray Bane

Opps. Meant to write "feet" rather than "meters." Regardless, it was a whopper!

Feb 1st - 23:40pm | Ray Bane

Actually, the highest such wave on record occurred on July 9, 1958, in Lituya Bay on the shoreline of the Gulf of Alaska. Based on survivor reports and physical evidence, the wave swept up adjacent mountain slopes to a height of 1500 meters.

Feb 1st - 15:54pm | JimB

Thanks, Jim! The State of Washington has a lot to say about tsunamis in its Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan , which notes that "Seiches are water waves generated in enclosed or partly enclosed bodies of water such as reservoirs, lakes, bays and rivers by the passage of seismic waves (ground shaking) caused by earthquakes."

Feb 1st - 14:07pm | Jim Olson

I beleive the proper term is Seiche in an inland waterway. The physics are the same for tsunamis or a seiche. That is the energy(mass) of the generator and the configuration of the body of water. It is beleived the largest wave ever generated was a seiche occuring from a landslide in the Aleutian Islands. If my memory serves it was over 200 feet on the oppisite shore.

Feb 1st - 13:08pm | JimB

Interesting comments. The wave in the recent event was reported to be about 30 feet high, and since water was reported to have reached the foundations of several residences, I'd guess that height could be pretty easily determined.

Feb 1st - 12:06pm | Richard ROBINSON

65 FT wave..........I am sorry but that is just so hard to beleive.Where are the pics or vidio footage.I do beleive 16 -20ft wish i could of been there i would have surfed it lol...But any ways huge chuncks of ice fall into the ocean from the glaciars all the time and i dont think they are over 60 ft?A 16 ft wave could easly wash a small boat up onto shore 60ft and with that much land falling

Get Me to the Park on Time……..

Feb 1st - 14:59pm | Bob Janiskee

That's an interesting question, anon. To do step-on guide gigs, you need to know your stuff (loads of local and regional lore), be a "people person" (the more charismatic the better), and have good contacts. If you think you measure up, contact travel firms that offer bus tours in your area and inquire about opportunities.

Feb 1st - 13:34pm | Anonymous

How do you become a step-on?

Planning to Visit Apostle Islands National Lakeshore? Leave Your Gun At Home

Feb 1st - 06:44am | RAH

This is true for many areas as a few states do not have CCW. I believe that Wisconsin will have it soon. I believe that 48 states have CCW in one form or another. Some states are "shall issue" and some are "may issue". Most people only pay attention to federal laws about guns and have not realized the change in 10 years on state laws. That is where the most change occurs.

Secretary Salazar on Guns in Parks: He'll "Take A Look At It"

Feb 1st - 06:37am | rah

Nice to see Interior Secretary Salazar be a 2A supporter. I agree I am comfortable around guns and peole who use them and been shooting since I been a child and you don't see people freak out at a gun range with weapons openly carried, or over the shoulder and or at rest.

Group Seeks To Intevene In Court Case Concerning Armed Visitors in National Parks

Feb 1st - 06:23am | RAH

I find it curious that anti gun folk complain when other people exercise a civil right protected by the Constitution. They rarely complain about the exercise of other civil rights. But because this civil right is about the right to keep and bear(carry) arms they get all upset.

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