| Page 1117 | National Parks Traveler

Its a horrible time for some northern parks-We are supposed to schedule both Junior Ranger and Volunteer Appreciation events-but with uncertain April weather (It is snowing heavily as i write this), we can't get anyone to come to these events-sometime between Memorial Day and mid September would be much better-

Apr 13th - 18:06pm | Susan

I would move it to late May if I was asked.

Apr 13th - 10:31am | volknitter

I have no issue with leaving NP week as it is. Most everyone lives within a short drive of a NPS park and can choose to make at least a weekend visit any time of the year. In the summer our parks are already overtaxed with visitors, esp. the big name parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Acadia, and the Grand Canyon.

Apr 13th - 09:45am | Anonymous

The first question should be, what are you trying to achieve with National Park Week? Then determine when you should celebrate it. If the goal is to have the National Park Service do something across the country that relates to Earth Day, than fits where it is.

Apr 13th - 09:36am | Laurel

If the goal is to boost awareness for families who are planning summer vacations, or to increase visitation during what is for many parks the shoulder season, then NP Week is timed appropriately.

Apr 13th - 09:10am | Jenny

Even middle-to-late May would be preferable...before "peak" visitation season begins, but when it is a little warmer. However, I can see a mid-April time frame as being a potential marketing tool for people still planning summer trips. I'll visit any time of year, regardless of when National Park Week falls.

Apr 13th - 08:52am | Deb

I would perfer National Park Week be held in the summer. Even here on the east coast it is often very chilly so I'd rather it be in the summer.

Apr 13th - 08:46am | Lee Dalton

Every week. All year long.

National Park Mystery Spot 23: Cue Ball's Habitat

Apr 14th - 09:52am | Bob Janiskee

M.W., I assure you that your secret is safe with me. ;o)

Apr 14th - 09:49am | M.W.

He? You mean I've been cross-dressing my whole life? :)

Apr 13th - 17:47pm | Bob Janiskee

Richp39 got it right.

Apr 13th - 15:27pm | Kurt Repanshek

That is a pretty wild guess...but not the correct one;-)

Apr 13th - 15:07pm | Toni

I'm going to take a wild guess and say Devil's Tower.

Apr 13th - 14:19pm | Bob Janiskee

LB13 ID-ed the mystery spot too. That makes four so far.

Apr 13th - 10:56am | Bob Janiskee

M.W (10:38 am) checked in with the correct answer too, adding that he got it right away and probably would have been the winner if only he were a "morning person." Hmmm. Sounds like weaselspeak to me. ;o)

Apr 13th - 08:52am | Kurt Repanshek

Nope, not Hayden Valley in Yellowstone, Yellowstone Ed....

Apr 13th - 08:48am | Yellowstone Ed

Hayden Valley in YNP

Apr 13th - 07:15am | Bob Janiskee

Ed123 has also nailed it. 'Way to go!

Apr 13th - 06:58am | Bob Janiskee

Ed123, you are on the right track, but you need to pin it down. Remember that: "The mystery spot is a particular place in a National Park System unit."

Apr 13th - 06:04am | Bob Janiskee

Congratulations to Eric (6:47 AM), who was the first to provide the correct answer to today's mystery spot puzzler. We'll embargo the answer until tomorrow, as usual.

Did Heavy Snow Tamp Down Yellowstone National Park's Winter Visitation?

Apr 14th - 08:48am | Jan C.

It could very well be because of the state of the economy, unemployment and gas prices.

Updated: Alaska 'Gunners' Wipe Out Wolf Pack From Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve

Apr 13th - 14:08pm | Anonymous

Wolves. weird creatures huh? They are omnivorous, like us. they hunt whent they need to, and even though some might not eat all the kill, or kill for fun, whats to say they aren't like us? We do so much of the same things. So wheres the difference? They need to eat, so they hunt. Is it their fault when they come near our pets and livestock? Nope.

Stripping ESA Protections From Northern Rockies Wolf Packs Could Harm Yellowstone National Park Wolves

Apr 13th - 13:31pm | justinh

So THIS is how Tester reacts to his latest re-election numbers. I once had high hopes for the State Senator from Big Sandy.

Apr 13th - 12:16pm | samsdad1

Agreed on the word Controversial! I will say from personal experience the word BUFFER with no reference to distance scares the he77 out of me. He also mentions "This idea of social tolerance increasing by a regulated hunting season is where I think we need to go. It’s a very modern position, but I think we really need to be modern."

Apr 13th - 11:24am | Kurt Repanshek

Samsdad1, I think it's safe to say that there are several concerns at play in this situation. One is that Congress has opened the door to letting politics, not science, decide which species should get ESA protection and which shouldn't.

Apr 13th - 11:16am | samsdad1

Could this congressman be using the information from the person heading up the parks wolf program. Refer the wolf article written on 4/7/2011 about yellowstone wolves. He is in favor of hunting.

Apr 13th - 11:13am | samsdad1

This is from the attached article for the NPT /2011/04/latest-studies-yellowstone-national-parks-wolf-packs-shows-stable-population7900 Quoting Douglas: Smith, who has been studying wolves for more than 30 years and who currently leads the wolf project in Yellowstone National Park. "What’s your opinion on listing the wolf as an endangered species?

Apr 13th - 09:58am | Spirit Coyote

The NRA called someone else an extremist? Interesting, but that's a whole nother (off topic) debate where my own feelings aren't really very clear. I also didn't realize the NRA involved themselves in conservation issues, although i'm not surprised.

Apr 13th - 08:46am | Kurt Repanshek

Lee, one could always hope others in Congress, once they see the potential impact of Sen. Tester's rider on Yellowstone's wolves and other species, would strip the rider before approving the CR. But that's probably a thin hope. For other readers, GRAMA is basically Utah's open records law.

Apr 13th - 08:41am | Lee Dalton

However, one tiny hopeful note: Even here in Utah -- the reddest of the red states -- there is growing discontent among voters over some of the sleazy shenanigans pulled by our local Republican legislators. An attempt to completely gut the Utah GRAMA laws and one that virtually stripped any ability of voters to petition for legislative initiatives has really riled folks.

Apr 13th - 08:33am | Lee Dalton

What do you mean IF this amendment remains intact? Is there a chance it could somehow be killed? There are a lot of things I'd really like to say here. But my Mommy taught me that if you can't say anything nice there should be fifteen minutes of total silence. I guess that's in keeping with the spirit of this website.

Reader Participation Day: How Do You Build Diversity in the National Parks?

Apr 13th - 07:22am | Anonymous

What about focusing on hiring people that can simply do the job? Seems like customer service in this country in general has declined since we started focusing more on the color of skin, background, etc. than on the skills of the employee.

Reader Participation Day: Where Was Your Worst Dining Experience in the National Parks?

Apr 13th - 06:51am | Anonymous

I worked at Grand Canyon for years and am absolutely appalled at the lack of pride taken in food quality by Xanterra. The company should never be in the concessions business at all. Practically everything served in all the restaurants is pre packaged Sysco garbage- whether it be cafeteria or fine dining.

Recent Rescues Demonstrate Dangers Of Going Off Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Apr 12th - 12:32pm | Randy Johnson

[color=black] I too have poured over the topo maps of the Smokies for hours, locating all those places to take an awesome off-trail hike through the most virgin wild forests—part of the appeal of the park. I do that kind of backcountry trip—but you can't be dumb about it.

Apr 12th - 11:28am | Kurt Repanshek

I think the density of the vegetation off-trail at Great Smoky makes things particularly dicey, even if you have skills and map and compass or GPS.

Apr 12th - 11:23am | Spirit Coyote

I enjoy getting off trail and finding some solitude. One of the things I like to do is going out to find named features from the USGS topo maps. Fortunately, I haven't gotten into any trouble yet. I recommend starting small and gradually raising the adventure/risk factor when you're sure of your abilities. Also, its best not to do anything to wild in a place where you can't identify the pro

Apr 11th - 23:30pm | Sierra Mark

I have done solo 5 to 8 day cross country treks for over 12 years. It's something that requires good navigation and risk assesment skills that really only come with experience. I find it very rewarding to explore areas of national parks that are not mentioned in guide books and are way off the beaten path, but I have run into many situations that can get you into trouble in a hurry. I always

Apr 11th - 20:38pm | y_p_w

I recall being at Yellowstone during a ranger walk in the Canyon area. The ranger said that they actually encouraged off-trail hiking, except where it was prohibited (the Canyon area and thermal areas). I remember hearing about some summer employees who were hiking at night in a backcountry thermal area and accidentally went off trail and into a thin crust over a thermal water flow.

Sixty Years Later, "Permanent" Oconaluftee Visitor Center Opens In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Apr 12th - 12:17pm | Judy Swensen

Visted the center on Wednesday April 6. Very nice. Staff knowledgable and helpful.

Traveler's Gear Box: Brooks-Range Mountaineering's Cirro Hoody Jacket

Apr 12th - 10:59am | Random Walker

I have also found Primaloft deceptively warm. And I agree that more field testing is the answer :-) For your zipper I would recommend using a zipper lube product that does not contain wax, silicone, grease or oil as these will attract and hold dust and dirt. I have a 2oz bottle of Mad Dog Gear's Zipper Lube which works well. It does not take much, my bottle has lasted years.

Traveler's Checklist: Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Apr 12th - 09:48am | Anonymous

This is a great time now with the trees leafing out, early wildflowers and too early for many bugs. Take a trekking stick or two for help crossing the creek. I did it at age 53 so go for it. Don't forget a camera.

National Parks' Closure Being Highlighted In Congressional Budget Impasse

Apr 11th - 16:11pm | Whale_gurl

We have a business right outside of Point Reyes National Seashore. We have had almost 6 months of unusual bad weather- lots of rain, and cold. It is hardly letting up. Now that we are getting some sunny days, people are starting to come out. If the park gets shut down, it will really hurt. There is not too much more that we can take. Fragile is a good word for it.

An Atonement at Fort Sumter

Apr 11th - 14:52pm | SaltSage236

A Charleston native, I've visited Fort Sumter exactly once -- about 15 years ago when the local visitor's bureau offered discounted "tourist in your own town" tickets to all the local historical attractions.

Bluffs Lodge Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Shuttered For 2011

Apr 11th - 14:12pm | Tom & Vicky D.

We were devastated by this news. Stopped by Bluffs Lodge every spring for the past 25 years, first on our motorcycle, later by car. Worthy of mention is that two of the waitresses in the coffee shop had worked there since it opened (1949?) and added much charm to the old fashioned atmosphere. This definitely will be a big loss to the experience.

The Desert Queen: Death Valley National Park's Furnace Creek Inn

Apr 11th - 13:40pm | Moriah

As of May 2009, there is cell phone service in the Furnace Creek area. The (one) tower is provided by AT&T, but on roaming, most companies will work there. So, the Inn & Ranch both have cell phone service now.

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