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Private Party At Charlestown Navy Yard Doesn't Lack Alcohol

Jul 20th - 23:13pm | Beamis

Companies are accountable to their customers. Their strength is derived from voluntary transactions. Government, on the other hand, is not accountable because it gets its money by theft (i.e. the tax code).

Jul 20th - 21:19pm | Merryland

Before there was a grocery business, people grew their own vegetables, had their own chickens, milked their own cow, shot their own turkey. It was never the government's place to feed everyone so your analogy is a bit off the mark. I much prefer the anaology of the grand job Halliburton's band of American patriots has done in the name of fighting terrorism.

Jul 20th - 20:13pm | craptacular

heaven forbid parks were operated to profit parks rather than "managed" to fill the coffers of congresspeople and the bloated nps bureaucracy. heaven forbid the parks make a "profit" to be reinvested into the "business" of preservation and recreation. let the waste bleed all over the land and declare yourself superior to free market. that's the government way.

Jul 20th - 15:29pm | Beamis

What about the examples of Mount Vernon and Monticello? Why is business efficiency always equated with such super "evil" motives like showing a profit?

Jul 20th - 10:48am | Merryland

Parks run "like a business" would be eternally seeking a profit, be concerned with attracting more people to the park, advertise, etc. This is not what the National Parks are all about. That's what ski resorts and Atlantic City are all about, and they don't seem to be doing too well.

Jul 20th - 10:25am | craptacular

Haunted hiker, Beamis: You two are right on. "I'll take a park that is run 'like a business' versus one that is run like a stagnant bureacracy [sic] anytime." Amen! How can anyone support the bloated pigs? Parks should be run efficiently like successful businesses, not like Marxist regimes.

Jul 20th - 08:58am | Modoc

I read your comments regarding Minute Man NHP and the North Bridge and they are not correct. Uniformed Rangers ARE at the North Bridge daily during the spring, summer, and fall and give talks at the benches by the bridge at the times posted. These Rangers all go through a training program before the season begins to ensure they are up to speed with the account of the events of April 19, 1775.

Jul 19th - 20:18pm | Anonymous

I beleive that Mr. Repansheck should verify all of the facts before he puts out false information on the internet.

Jul 19th - 11:07am | haunted hiker

Beamis, Bless your heart for being here. Stone Mountain State Park near Atlanta Georgia is another example of a private corporation doing an excellent job and in some aspects a much better job than the NPS would do in the same scenario. I'll take a park that is run "like a business" versus one that is run like a stagnant bureacracy anytime.

Jul 18th - 18:55pm | Beamis

Why does is it seem so blasphemous, to so many, whenever it is even suggested that private non-profit foundations could possibly do a better more focused job of running many individual NPS units? Why is the first response always that "we'd be selling off the parks to the highest bidder".

Jul 18th - 16:58pm | Disgusted Taxpayer

Yes there are other parties at the Yard but they are usually contained and do not deny the park to the people. The problem is the only company allowed to do plnning business is Amelia Occasions and no other companies. That is the perfect definition of a monopoly. Microsoft was sued for creating a monopoly and yet the Regional Office of the Park Service is creating one for a Florida Company.

Jul 18th - 16:27pm | kath

No. Movie making in the National Parks has been going on for a long time, under all administrations. Think of 'Shane' in Grand Tetons, numerous Westerns in Death Valley, 'Maverick' in Yosemite. Parts of "Jurassic Park, Part II were filmed in the redwoods on the northern California coast. So 'renting out' the national parks for private companies profit-making is nothing new.

Jul 18th - 15:34pm | Beamis

We'd never be waging a $12 billion dollar a month war under any other administration either. Gotta take the dollars where you can find 'em because the Chinese ain't gonna lend us dough forever.

Jul 18th - 14:00pm | Snowbird

Kath, this kind of crap that you have mentioned would of never happened under Steward Udall's watch (and his under secretaries).

Jul 18th - 11:56am | kath

Oh, and the film crew tried to keep me off certain trails and areas on public lands so that they could film their movie. It's certainly not the first time National Parks have been rented out for movie making. Yes, they do make lovely movie locations, but how much damage does putting what amounts to a movie factory (even temporarily) on park lands do?

Jul 18th - 11:48am | kath

Why the outrage over this? The Santa Monica National Recreation Area is rented out for movie production. Picture me one Saturday afternoon trying to take a hike, when suddenly helicopters hover overhead with 'commandos' scaling down ropes onto what was supposed to be a quiet picturesque mesa. It was the filming of "Mission Impossible 3".

Jul 17th - 20:55pm | John S Darlington

I have been a uniformed volunteer at the C-town Navy Yard, and Bunker's Hill, since 1999. (I'm currently on medical leave.) I also served aboard USS CONSTITUTION, first as a member of the US Marine Guard and later as a special historical assistant to the 67th and 68th in Command. During my active tenure, there have been literally hundreds of "private parties" at CNY.

Considering a Hike up Half Dome?

Jul 20th - 21:44pm | Merryland

Yosemite National Park (CA) Visitor Death On Half Dome Trail

Jul 17th - 20:01pm | Anonymous

Take the cables down. Put a bolted climbing route up where the cables were. It would be a nice easy climb. A great experience for a guided beginner climber and much safer. I climbed the cables a few years ago, in May, there wasn't very many people there. If got to the cables and saw that many folks going up I would have gone back to camp.

Paying to Enjoy The Parks

Jul 20th - 20:56pm | Gadget

I recently got one of the new National Passes. Happy to pay $80 toward the parks. For years I've paid parking fees, etc. at climbing spots, hiking parking, etc.

Should Anything Be Done With Angel's Landing?

Jul 20th - 19:31pm | Russ

Bobt, Don't waste your time on the Landing and hike the Narrows instead (if you haven't already). I think National Geographic rated it as one of the top 100 hikes in the US. Make sure you overnight in the canyon as well.

Jul 20th - 19:27pm | Russ

I just hiked Angel's Landing last month and it scared the hell out of me. I've spent quite a bit of time in the backcountry, summited multiple mountains (including Rainier and Shasta in Feb.), etc. So, I'm no stranger to risk and adrenaline. The difference is I was prepared for each of these experiences and was properly equipped. I was not prepared for Angel's Landing.

House Leaders Propose $1 Billion Parks Centennial Funding Plan

Jul 20th - 10:12am | Snowbird

Just watch the President's gang of clowns attach all these midnight riders to the bill (HR3094), which will make it impossible to pass. Just wait and see!

Jul 20th - 10:00am | Scott Silver

There's more than a little bit of brilliance written into this bill. The deeper one looks, the more thoughtful it becomes.

Jul 20th - 07:50am | Merryland

I like the part where they bother to spell out how any "unspent money" will be distributed. Are they kidding? They could spend $100 million in a heartbeat. Uparmoured horses for the National Capital park rangers! :-) -- Jon Merryman

Fires in Zion Force Backcountry Closure

Jul 20th - 08:54am | repanshek

Mookie, Predicting fire behavior is a tough one, especially this summer when things are do dang dry across the West. On top of that, the nation's firefighting resources are being stretched way thin, which is hindering response times and the size of attacks.

Jul 20th - 08:34am | Mookie

I was planning a West Rim backpack around August 1st in Zion...anyone from Utah, or with a working knowledge of forest fires, think there's any chance the backcountry will reopen by then? If not, I think we'll head to either Great Basin or Esclante.

The Essential Bryce Canyon

Jul 20th - 08:32am | Mookie

My wife and I stayed in the actual lodge a couple years back. THere are only about 4 or 5 rooms upstairs from the dining room and lobby, and while they call them "suites", our room was nothing more than a medium size room with a coffee maker. However, being in the lodge itself was nice, and we didn't have the noisy squirrels that people in the cabins often complain about.

Jul 19th - 12:46pm | susan

I always "smelled" the scent of the Ponderosa Pine as vanilla, although I do admit that some of my friends and audiences (when I worked in the west), did smell butterscotch. To me, there is nothing like hugging a big Ponderosa Pine, with my nose tucked into the tree bark. Aaah!

Jul 19th - 11:20am | sacvalley51

We enjoyed our stay at Harold's Inn; we've stayed twice in thier cabins. The cabins are bigger than a motel room, and very clean and well kept. they also have a diner and spa. Family owned and run. About $60. It's probably about 15 miles from the Canyon, but on the way to Bryce you drive through Red Canyon that has really nice hiking trails.

Jul 19th - 10:59am | Matt

I ate at Ruby's once and found it to be pretty good and reasonably priced. Of course, I lived in LA at the time so everything was reasonably priced when I compared it to home. Staying at Ruby's BW off-season is a great deal - less than $50/night and seriously only a handful of people in the whole place.

Jul 19th - 09:33am | Anonymous

just avoid ruby's. not only is the food horrible, they ask you to take a second mortgage on your home to pay for it.

Jul 19th - 07:30am | MickyD

Just a few miles away from the Bryce Visitor Center and also near another entrance into Bryce Canyon, there is fabulous lodging at the Bryce Country Cabins (Route 12 in Tropic, UT). Several cabins and each can sleeep as many as four adults. Air conditioned too. Great views from front and back.

Jul 19th - 06:00am | Merryland

http://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

Jul 18th - 20:26pm | repanshek

While I can't attest to size limits at Bryce Canyon, the two park campgrounds do have RV sites available. While there are no hookups, there is a pay dump station at the south end of North Campground. Hope that helps.

Jul 18th - 19:54pm | Anonymous

While I certainly appreciate your writings and videos, I wish you would describe RV availability together with size limits. Thanks

Electric Map Going Away at Gettysburg National Military Park

Jul 19th - 18:45pm | Claire Walter

The notion that the Park Service is doing away with this wonderful, informative map -- an indoor landmark in its own right -- makes me shake my head both in disbelief and in sadness. I don't think I could have made sense of "Killer Angels" had I not spent time lingering over that magical map. "Improvements" aren't always any improvement at all.

Jul 18th - 11:31am | Marty

I agree with Merryland. At historical sites, it’s important to provide an understanding the event in historical context. Most of the Parks are very good at that.

Jul 17th - 21:14pm | Anonymous

first it was the tower, now the map...SAD

Jul 17th - 19:58pm | Merryland

Yes, this is rather sad to me. As a kid, the moving lights on the map made sense. It allowed me to visualize out on the battlefield what happened where. And other parks took notice of their popularity and effectiveness and made their own moving light displays -- Fort McHenry, Monocacy Battlefield, and others.

Everglades To Host Another Meeting on Managing Boats

Jul 19th - 05:51am | Ayeknow2002

It's a complex issue. Fishermen with motorboats are the primary users of the park. It's been that way for most of them since they were kids and passed down through generations.

Bringing Color to the Public Lands Landscape

Jul 18th - 09:46am | Equally Anonymous

I spent some time working for the USFS is California (Region 5), which, for many years in the 90s and early 00s was operating under the court-ordered Hispanic Settlement Agreement (HSA) to try to increase hispanic representation in the R5 employees.

Jul 18th - 02:26am | Anonymous

Discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sex, education, etc is a problem that has long plagued these United States of America. It is a discussion that should be at every table where folks congregate. Great thread!

Jul 17th - 23:00pm | Erik

Here's some more grist for the mill:

Jul 17th - 19:09pm | Beamiss

Anon---I agree with you about sharing the parks with a wide variety of people. That is the nature and essence of my business. It's fine for each of us to share what we are passionate about to those who may be new to the experience. That is not the thread I am picking up from the previous commentary.

Jul 17th - 18:43pm | kath

But no one has yet said what the National Parks should do? Put in more exhibits about other cultures and races? Fine. Historical accuracy is always best. But does anyone have any evidence that this would increase minority park visitation? As I said, even when an entire park like Mesa Verde is entirely devoted to Native American history, the number of Native visitors is low.

Jul 17th - 17:50pm | Anonymous

beamis: while i usually appreciate your perspective, i don't think trying to share the values of the experience of a national park smacks of paternalism. people love nature, period. i've lead "colored" urban youth (many that didn't speak english and weren't born in this country), "lily white" gray hairs and international visitors on various tours in various outside locations year round.

Visitation Trends Up In Yosemite, Glacier and Yellowstone

Jul 18th - 08:13am | Anja Leiendecker

I hope so too. Will be in Yellowstone in the last week of August as well. Prefer to enjoy the QUIET of the park without all the screeming kids around.

Jul 17th - 20:41pm | Merryland

Glad I reserved my campsite back in the winter. I promise not to hawk it on e-Bay! We'll be driving in from Thermopolis after a day of digging for dinosaur bones.

Rare Orchid in Yosemite Identified As New Species

Jul 17th - 22:38pm | A1957 Lizard

Orchids are a Truely amazing species from the little I know about them.Maybe, you could take cuttings from these "Rare" species and multiply them through Cloning them, and replant them in there protected environment.If they produce seed,well,think of how many could be planted to save any species from extinction.Folks ?? Sometimes it takes "MAN" to help save what "MAN" deystroys.

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