| Page 1575 | National Parks Traveler

..."However, as USA Today pointed out in August of 2006, “he and his wife Tipper live in two properties: a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville, and a 4,000-square-foot home in Arlington, VA.” He also has a third home in Carthage, Tennessee. To get to and from his highly paid lectures, he uses jets that consume vast amounts of fossil fuel derivatives."

Feb 18th - 22:27pm | Lucy

Great article: http://www.smallgovtimes.com/story/07feb18.strange.world.gore/

Feb 18th - 22:11pm | Snowbird

It's to bad that the Bush Administration doesn't have the guts or the balls to read this short masterpiece. Profound reading!

Bush's Parks Budget: A Marketing Marvel

Feb 18th - 22:50pm | Snowbird

I wasn't hiding like Bush & Cheney...served as a medic in Viet Nam. Any more questions!?

Feb 18th - 22:47pm | Trey

Hey Snowybird...I'm serving...where are you?...singing Kumbaya?? Go away...you're drawing flies!

Feb 18th - 22:29pm | Snowbird

Look, it's GI Joe again...more troops? We can't even manage what we have there now. What did the last election say Stan?....no more waste on this bogus war in Iraq. You right wing whacko's are the last ones to march in the front lines of the Iraq war....Beside's Rick knows what he's talking about, and you Stan are foaming at the mouth.

Feb 18th - 22:12pm | Stan

Hey Ricky-boy...stop whining...ya whine about NO money, then ya bi&*h and moan when the Prez steps up to the plate....just like all ya liberals crying "we need more troops" (Iraq)...then when the Man steps up, it's the cowardly...no, no.... So go away...you have no solutions, only criticism.

Feb 15th - 13:20pm | Rick Smith

Kurt--

What Can We Expect in the Wake of the Skywalk?

Feb 18th - 22:18pm | Stan

I wanna be there when some loser decides to jump over the glass and spare us his loser gene-pool....SPLAT!!!

Feb 17th - 15:08pm | Random Walker

I enjoyed John Weeks article (my mind works the same way?) I lived on a reservation (PNW) for seven years and as RangerX stated it is not a national park but a sovereign nation (albeit interfered with by the good old USA) with its own governmental and social structure. That I understand we borrowed from a bit.

Feb 17th - 06:42am | Jim Macdonald

Yes, Claire, exactly...which is one reason why I'd be the last person to tell a reservation what they can and cannot do. And, it's a reason to try to organize ourselves as people differently, which is what I myself have worked on here, though not with a lot of success (just spurts of hopeful moments and possibilities).

Feb 16th - 18:46pm | Claire Walter

Jim Macdonald wrote, "The reservations often are highly stratified societies that don't necessarily represent the view of the residents. Their decisions often often come with great social costs to society at large and the poorest in the reservations in particular."

Feb 16th - 09:20am | Jim Macdonald

kath, I don't always agree with you, but with the reservations, I agree that we should be skeptical about what's going on here, though perhaps for different reasons and concerns. The reservations often are highly stratified societies that don't necessarily represent the view of the residents.

Feb 16th - 09:01am | kath

First of all, I think the Skywalk will be bankrupt in a few years. Who is going to drive miles down a rutted dirt road to pay $25 to walk out on a Skywalk with a crappy view of the canyon? With or without the Skywalk, park lovers have to fight attempts to commercialize park adjacent areas with Indian casinos, airports for park flyovers, and ticky tacky tourist traps.

Feb 15th - 18:34pm | Ranger X

Yes, "the Indians have stolen one of the White Man's ideas." But Weeks argument veers into hyperbole and ignores reality. "Let's face it, if Skywalk turns out to be a commercial gold mine, developers inevitably will start eyeballing other national treasures, with a view to plundering them in the same way."

NPS Archives: What's Their Future?

Feb 18th - 15:01pm | jersu

Excellent idea regarding the NPS museum as a project worthy of funding through the Centennial Challenge grants. I had the opportunity to see the NPS Lewis & Clark traveling exhibition. The show traveled the nation for over 2 years along the Lewis & Clark trail.

NPS Seeking Deep Pockets for Cuyahoga NP Inn

Feb 16th - 12:48pm | Uncle fishbits

I think a park like Fort Baker... that is underused, in disrepair, without any south of th bridge public awareness.. will be a shining light in helping to promulgate and validate the spirit of the park, its call for environmental awareness, and sustainable focused society! The design and build team is pure LEEDS compliant, and the operators.. are..

George and Hetch Hetchy

Feb 15th - 10:06am | Glenn Scofield...

This is a common diversion tactic from the City of San Francisco and its news rags. When Donald Hodel, Secretary of Interior under Reagan, suggested an HH restoration study, SF suggested that it was only because they wanted to restart work on the Auburn Dam. Environmental groups around the country got distracted by the argument and ended up NOT SUPPORTING Hodel's plan to restore Hetch Hetchy.

Feb 15th - 08:14am | kath

One big problem with this hypothesis--PG & E controls the power coming out of the Hetch Hetchy dam under a contract with the city of San Francisco. So any reduction in the hydroelectric generating capacity would only hurt PG & E.

Feb 14th - 17:45pm | Alan

Hey, anything's possible with the wrecking crew that's holed up in the White House or whatever undisclosed location they're choosing of late.

How Many Dead Bears Can Katmai Endure?

Feb 14th - 19:20pm | Snowbird

Could it be that the Alaskan Game Board is in the hands of the NRA gun lobby...I wonder about these guy's that will go to extremes to get a bear trophy over the fireplace..."something like a huge gut pile is a happy hunter"! Where's Grizzly Adams when we need him.

Feb 14th - 17:43pm | Alan

The McNeil sanctuary manager, a veteran of many years in the job, quit in protest over the game board's decision. He's a hero. The game board members are anything but.

What Do You Want To See In Traveler?

Feb 14th - 19:13pm | Random Walker

Good question, well put SteveSgt. I am liking your focus and your style of reporting on our national parks Kurt. It gets us park enjoyers thinking more about getting involved in our public lands. There are so many "easily digestable" sites out here with step by step lessons on how to enjoy our national parks that I find your site a breath of fresh air.

Feb 14th - 11:39am | SteveSgt

In the open-source software world, they have a phrase, "fork or bloat." Once a piece of software attains a certain level of popularity, users and developers become tempted to stretch the simple elegance and clear purpose of the original design to serve a wider or more general range of uses.

Feb 12th - 06:20am | Mookie

To respond to Jim (Jim, I do love reading your writing as well), I like the NP deals that Kurt posts. I see this blog as not only a place to exchange ideas on the Parks -- what's wrong with them, what's right with them, what needs to be fixed, etc. -- but also a celebration of what the parks have to offer.

Feb 9th - 19:46pm | Snowbird

Kurt, come to think about it again, regarding your article here. I really don't know what more you can do with this very informative blog. In most cases it covers just about every nick and cranny in the National Parks. I guess most of are sedated society today is becoming even more sedated and inoculated with junk food and junk T.V.

Feb 9th - 19:03pm | Snowbird

Since most of are National Park rangers go unrewarded in monetary pay for their hard work and dedicated service, how about promoting a story or two about a extroadinary ranger that devotes beyond the pale of exemplary service in the National Parks...a special article on "The Ranger of The Month"... something special that we all can be proud about. Just a thought.

Feb 9th - 17:02pm | Random Walker

How about a list of volunteer opportunities in our National Parks? Trip reports instead of hiking suggestions? As Jim posted above, I also would like to see a way for people to organize and take action upon issues you cover here. I have passed on the reading of lodging specials and that sort of thing, does not seem to fit in with the rest.

Feb 9th - 15:31pm | repanshek

Thanks, Jim. Check's in the mail;-)

Feb 9th - 14:39pm | Jim Macdonald

more sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, and snowmobiles Oh, and I'd especially love to discuss the age of the Grand Canyon for the 3,000 millionth time. Kurt, you have a good formula going. I think the site is popular because: 1. You are a good and fair writer. 2. You have great original reporting. 3. You cover as much as is humanly possible.

Listening Sessions: Will the NPS Be Listening?

Feb 12th - 08:38am | Jim Macdonald

Kurt, I personally don't plan on attending the session in Washington, D.C. I'd consider disrupting the session, but most people here aren't interested in parks issues, although the National Park Service is one of the dominant law enforcement agencies in this city (even the most minor parks and traffic circles are usually NPS-administered).

How Many Volunteers Does It Take to Run A Park?

Feb 12th - 07:50am | kath

I agree that volunteers tend to be less knowledgeable than rangers. My last visit to Happy Isle Nature Center in Yosemite is an illustration. I asked what I considered to be a few simple questions about bears such as "how long do the cubs stay with the mother?" and the volunteer at the information desk had no idea.

Feb 11th - 14:26pm | Ranger X

I'm concerned that the standards for interpretive park rangers and interpretive volunteers are wildly disparate. For instance, a GS-5 park ranger generally either a year of GS-4 experience or a four-year degree in one of many fields: history, anthropology, biology, etc. However, there is no such requirement, that I'm aware of, for volunteers.

Feb 11th - 13:56pm | Alan

An early page in the privatization book. That's how I look at this. I have no problem with volunteers helping. But when I hear that the Pentagon has mislaid $12B, I have to wonder just what in the heck is going on. Each of the parks should be funded to the level its superintendent believes is prudent, given maintenance, staffing, visitation and infrastructure needs.

Walking on Water at Apostle Islands

Feb 10th - 17:02pm | retreadranger

I'll second your recommendation of the sea caves as a great winter destination. I know them well: I used to be the District Ranger in charge of that area. For a half-dozen winters in the 1990s, I spent many a Saturday and Sunday out on the ice, getting back to the most enjoyable part of a ranger's job: mingling with visitors and sharing their wonderment at spectacular natural beauty.

Draining Hetch Hetchy

Feb 10th - 08:50am | Mark Palley

Barbara Boxer has not opposed Hetch Hetchy restoration efforts. After the Governor's report came out, she expressed openness to further restoration studies. Cal. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, and Cal. Assembly Members Lois Wolk (Davis) and Joe Canciamilla (Pittsburg), all Cal. Democrats, are strong supporters of restoration. Congr. George Miller (Richmond) has expressed openness to it.

Feb 9th - 07:48am | kath

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir isn't just used for water. It's also used to generate electricity. The entire operation could be moved downstream to other reservoirs that are already there. If an oil company were paying such a measly sum for drilling rights or ranchers were paying nothing to graze cattle on National Park lands, it would be a national, front page scandal.

Feb 8th - 16:44pm | Alan

$7M to study? How about using those bucks for the actual restoration? This is crazy. It's like hiring an architect to design a re-roofing project before hiring the actual roofers to perform a job that hardly needs architectural services. Come on. We can do better than this. If Feinstein and Boxer are in the way, let's push them aside. The ghost of John Muir is watching over this one.

Feb 8th - 13:49pm | Ranger X

Maybe someone else knows, but during what season does San Francisco need water from Hetch Hetchy the most? My assumption is summer. Studies say that because of global warming, more Sierra winter precip will be liquid rather than frozen, which means less snow melting in the spring and summer, which means Hetch Hetchy might be dry during the summer anyway.

Feb 8th - 12:14pm | kath

The scandal here is something that San Francisco could do right now to help Yosemite. That is, agree to pay a reasonable rent to the park. $30,000 per year is a paltry sum for drowning a significant portion of Yosemite. It's the same rent that has been paid for the past 70 years. San Francisco should pay the $8 million requested three years ago.

Feb 8th - 11:06am | Glenn Scofield...

The irony isn't lost on us Hetch Hetchy lovers that three attempts have been made in recent decades by politicians to study HH resotration and all three were Republicans: Ronald Reagan's Sec of Interior Donald Hodel, California Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger and now George Bush in his 2008 budget. And who is fighting the proposals the hardest? Democrats, led by Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein.

Shuttling to Acadia

Feb 9th - 13:53pm | Snowbird

Jim, I deeply admire your compassion shared with joshua.

Feb 9th - 10:58am | Jim Macdonald

joshua, I grew up a poor boy in Ohio; right now, I don't even own a car (though by choice). My first trip to Yellowstone was almost dumb luck and required me to have a job there (and a family that spent more money than it could afford just to get me to my job). So, I hear you.

Feb 9th - 08:58am | joshua

why do you people sit here and talk about a bus system is it the whole ,"my tax moneys going to this".

Shenandoah's Camp Hoover

Feb 8th - 16:47pm | Alan

Clearly, Bush visited Shenandoah for a photo op only. No other reason. Too bad the media mobsters were off watching Timmy Russert and other circuses. Well, actually it made no difference.

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