| Page 1178 | National Parks Traveler

How we would love to. However, even with both incomes combined and a realistic vacation savings makes the $900-$1,500 per day an absurd consideration. We've got as much chance of enjoying this rail vacation as we do buying 50 yard line seats at the Super Bowl. This rail excursion is just one more item added to the list of Things to Do for the rich only.

Report: Climate Changes Could Batter Acadia National Park Economically, Environmentally

Nov 11th - 14:04pm | justinh

Anonymous, I'm not sure this is a satire, unless it's intended for an audience with little to no scientific literacy.

Nov 11th - 12:06pm | Anonymous

Great satire on climate hysteria.

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

Nov 11th - 13:06pm | Lee

This is not simply a national park problem. This issue is going to take the effort of local, state and federal agencies. I feel like, in order for minority groups find value in the National parks, they first need to find value in their local parks, and state parks. Maybe they already do... but I would guess that proportional to other user groups, their level of use is still low.

Nov 11th - 09:07am | Jon Merryman

Xanterra and other companies seem to be focused on the cheap international labor pool for park concessions. They should be required to hire disadvantaged AMERICAN CITIZEN youth as part of their concessions contract.

Nov 10th - 12:53pm | Anonymous

Hire people "of color." Have Xanterra and the other companies do the same.

Nov 10th - 12:26pm | David Smith

Sir,

Nov 10th - 11:53am | Chief of Interp...

We need to build a more diverse workforce-However, for many of the small, isolated, rural parks a big problem is housing.

Nov 10th - 09:44am | MikeD

I think it's much more complicated, and there are socioeconomic, cultural and other reasons for it besides "fear." So it isn't limited to parks. See for example this piece on Kenn Kaufmann's blog: http://birdingwithkennandkim.blogspot.com/2009/08/living-colors-diversit...

National Park Mystery Spot 18 Revealed: It's the Korean War Veterans Memorial

Nov 11th - 10:19am | y_p_w

That "The Man with No Name" wore a poncho did occur to me, but it didn't sound like it would get anywhere. I'd also like to thank all our veterans for their service.

Too Many Deer Has Valley Forge National Historical Park Officials Turning To Sharpshooters

Nov 11th - 10:05am | Anonymous

I also agree that people like myself that eat only venison would be glad to take the numbers down. It would make sense to use bows,crossbows and shotgun only, with a max. kill of 5 deer......i know it would make a lot of people happy. i am retired and have paid to go on a deer hunt for the last 5 yrs, (out of state) because there are less deer in Pa. each yr.

Want to Escape the Cold? Winter is a Great Time to Visit These Desert and Coastal Parks

Nov 11th - 09:30am | Jim Burnett

Tomp – Thanks for the reminder that "warm" is relative when it comes to the weather, and places like Death Valley and even the Florida coast can sometimes be downright chilly during the winter.

Nov 10th - 17:06pm | tomp

Escape cold in Death Valley in the winter? Maybe if you stay in a lodge, Jim. About the coldest I've ever been while camping was in Death Valley in February: cold, biting, almost incessant winds, well below freezing at night. I've been warmer camping in a foot of snow.

Republicans On House Natural Resources Committee Planning Big Changes For Public Lands

Nov 11th - 08:19am | Lee Dalton

I just discovered this, got a huge kick out of it, and think this would be a very appropriate place to share it. It's the Conservative Republican version of the old hymn, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: Oh, beautiful, polluted skies For insecticided grain For strip mined mountain majesty Above thy asphalted plain. America, America

National Park Mystery Spot 18: Snowflakes, Clint Eastwood, and Superman

Nov 11th - 07:42am | Anonymous

Mount Rainier ?

Nov 10th - 23:04pm | Rick B.

Yeah - I had phrases like 'high plains drifter' and 'fortress of solitude' going through my mind, but I can't connect anything that makes sense.

Nov 10th - 15:39pm | Bob Janiskee

Sorry, y_p_w, but none of those musings brings you closer to the answer.

Nov 10th - 15:15pm | y_p_w

I'm lousy at puzzles, but maybe I can try to decipher some of the clues. Like a little less than twenty snowflakes. I'm stumped. Like Clint in a Spaghetti Western. That's Clint Eastwood, who portrays "The Man with No Name". Like Superman too, in a way

Nov 10th - 14:47pm | Bob Janiskee

No, not Ft. Jefferson at DRTO. Among other things, its way too far south.

Nov 10th - 13:55pm | Matt W

Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas Natl Park?

Nov 10th - 13:41pm | Bob Janiskee

I'll admit that this is a tough one. I've been catching some flak for making these puzzlers too easy, so I thought I'd step it up a notch or two. In working on this one, remember that no one clue contains the solution. You have to put all of the clues together.

Nov 10th - 13:23pm | Kurt Repanshek

Ummm, that would be a "nope" and a "nope."

Nov 10th - 13:15pm | Matt W

Hmmm, how about Redoubt Volano at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve?

Nov 10th - 12:48pm | Matt W

Wow, this is a really tough one. Is it the Good Harbor Bay Trail at Sleeping Bear Dunes?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Plans To Burn Fields in Cades Cove This Week

Nov 11th - 03:58am | Anonymous

"you might want to postpone it, as park crews are planning to burn about 700 acres of fields in the cove." Now is the time to visit. No management activity better supports the Park Service mission than prescribed burning. When we went yesterday, they had employees out on the road who explained why they were burning. It was a great educational experience for the kids.

"Fire and Water" – Two Incidents at Yosemite National Park Test the Park Staff

Nov 10th - 18:11pm | Jas

I served with Engine 7 for a couple of years as a paid volunteer between 2007 and 2009. These guys and some gals take the work very seriously and regulary are the first on scene when pages occur in the Valley. All of this preparedness occurs with one night a week "Thursday drills" and a whole lot of f'n heart...Bravo Engine 7!!!!

Snapshots of Where To Winter in the National Park System, Cold Weather Edition

Nov 10th - 16:06pm | Bob

Agree with Lee -- thanks! More ideas: Ozark National Scenic Riverways and adjacent lands have lots of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Winter is great because the otherwise-abundant ticks back off when it's cold. Once the hunters finish up, there's nobody in the park.

Another Update on the My Yahoo! Problems

Nov 10th - 14:01pm | Kurt Repanshek

Jonathan and Sarah, we do need to reset the settings for Google Reader (though we pride ourselves on fashioning interesting headlines that pique interest!). It's on our to-do list!

Nov 10th - 13:56pm | Sarah

Forgive me if this has already been discussed, but are you looking into the Google Reader problem? Only the headline shows up on Google Reader. There used to be a picture and a few sentences to pique my interest and make me decide to click to read more. With only the headline, I find myself clicking to read the full-story far less often than before.

Nov 10th - 09:41am | Jonathan

Since the problem seems to be on Yahoo's side, is there any way you could change your feed back to the way it was? I use Google Reader, and it used to show the headline, the first few sentences and a photo. Now it only shows the headline. Seems fair to say that how you had it then was good and it was only changed to accommodate Yahoo which we now know was not necessary.

Odds and Ends From Around the National Parks

Nov 10th - 13:05pm | pkrnger

Kurt, I'm glad your past experiences have been great, but a cursory review of comments on www.tripadvisor.com shows a consistent pattern of unhappy tourists. Here's one example in which St. Mary's Lodge and Resort scored a one out of five possible stars: <<“The Hells of St. Mary's” St Mary Lodge & Resort

Reader Participation Day: How Many of the 392 National Park System Units Have You Visited?

Nov 10th - 09:24am | Anonymous

I have been very fortunate to visit 380 of the units. In each case I have to be physically present in the unit for it to count. With the additionof the River Raisin National Battlefield Park this week I have 12 more to visit in 2011. 1 unit has no public access. The Hohokum Pima National Monument is off limits.

By the Numbers: Cumberland Island National Seashore

Nov 9th - 22:00pm | Sabattis

Cornell, its also possible to make day-trips to the island. I understand that prices will be more expensive whenever you have to ferry in all the supplies by boat, but it does seem like this is another example in the trend of National Park Lodges just tending to be very pricey in general.

Updated: North Face Deal Could Generate Big Bucks for National Park Foundation, But Is It A Good Deal For You?

Nov 9th - 20:55pm | MM

Lee, I share your concern. I have often wanted to express my concerns about the NPF, but felt that I might be regarded as a heretic.

Nov 9th - 20:40pm | y_p_w

Sabattis:

Nov 9th - 20:18pm | Sabattis

Location-based social networking does seem to be an idea that is rapidly taking off... and my guess is that eventually our society will eventually adjust to this new influx of information. Similar to twitter, I haven't yet found much use for it - but I understand that other people love it, and I can't blame the NPF for looking for a creative way to tap into that phenomenon.

Nov 9th - 17:31pm | y_p_w

Campbell's Soup has had their "Labels for Education" program for ages. I remember it back when I was in elementary school. Corporations have almost always insisted getting back something in return, because they have a duty to their owners or shareholders. It may be information or it may be publicity.

Nov 9th - 16:37pm | Lee Dalton

I was curious about NPF, so I tried to check them out on "Charity Navigator." Here are the results: We don't evaluate National Park Foundation. Why not? The National Park Foundation is exempt under Internal Revenue Code from filing the Form 990. As a result, we lack sufficient data to evaluate their financial health.

Nov 9th - 15:51pm | MJP

What ever happened to people and corporations simply making contributions to organizations and causes that they believe in, without looking at it as an advertising opportunity, or somehow getting something else in return?

Nov 9th - 14:40pm | Jane S

I can understand NPF wanting to reach this tech-saavy demographic. The pairing is a natural one, esp. if the org. is trying to shed a perception of dowdiness. Perhaps the more troublesome piece here is whose database is my cell info being channeled into, and better yet, will it be sold or passed on to others? FB is essentially selling access to me — w/my tacit agreement, of course.

Nov 9th - 12:21pm | Random Walker

I do not like nor support the National Park Foundation in any way.

Nov 9th - 09:46am | MikeD

I'm so shocked that Facebook has yet another eyebrow raising issue with having users opt in to a particular feature that they think makes people's lives better. I'm still annoyed that Facebook has proliferated onto other sites.

Reader Participation Day: Does Hunting Season Move You Out of National Forests and Into National Parks?

Nov 9th - 20:11pm | K

My husband and I live on an 80 acre farm in south central MI. We do not hunt and until the last 20 years had no problem with hunting. There are now Hunting blinds in tree stands on all sides of our farm from our neighbors - 8 total. We have to work outside during hunting season.

Marine Wilderness at a Crossroads In Point Reyes National Seashore

Nov 9th - 15:34pm | former volunteer

as a former harbor seal moitor at prns, one of the sites i monitored on a regular basis was the drakes bay site.

Another Month, Another Visitation Record in Yellowstone National Park

Nov 9th - 14:42pm | Jane S

Funny, while I was there in mid-October, it felt blissfully empty.

Park History: Biscayne National Park

Nov 9th - 13:11pm | rockstarr

i love this information! i have to write a page in my history and english class for this national park! i love this website. Got any others?

Climbing Fees Proposed to Increase at Denali, Mount Rainier National Parks

Nov 9th - 12:52pm | Kane

$30 going up to $50 for Mt Rainier hardly seems like a big deal, but $200 jumping up to $500? That seems a little over the top...

How many of us have the courage of Elouise Cobell?

Nov 9th - 11:37am | Anonymous

we as the blackfeet are still having these problems of the BIA,stealing land and allowing family members to just take land that doesnt belong to them..the Bia isnt slowing down..the same trade practices is happening right now..our estate program that is BIA is doing it.ms cobell has brought attention to the BIA and their negative problems going and how they steal land and allow leases that shou

Lost in a Blizzard of Canine Confusion On the Blue Ridge Parkway

Nov 9th - 09:45am | MAL

This June, my dog and I were hiking up the easy trail to Comers Creek Falls in the Mount Rogers NRA. As usual, I keep her on a Flexi-lead that is connected to my belt and/or pack waistband with a climbing-grade carabiner.

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