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11/09/2009 - 9:00pmIs This the Most Unique Job in the National Park Service?Many older NPS employees look back on the early days of their careers as some of their best years in the Park Service when they were field rangers, interpreters, maintenance helpers, naturalists, etc.. In my case, the most unique job I had was when I first went to work for ...
11/08/2009 - 5:38pmIs This the Most Unique Job in the National Park Service?Sandy Kogel held this job for many years. She is an amazingly accomplished outdoors person and dog musher. The person who is qualified and lucky enough to get this job will have big snowshoes to fill.
11/03/2009 - 3:07pmHere's Your Window Into the Second Century Commission On National ParksThe second century of the National Park System almost certainly be far more challenging than the last. Both as a nation and a planet we will confront the full brunt of climate change, energy resources limits, an economy that must transition from one of exponential growth to one of sustainability ...
11/02/2009 - 8:59pmMissing Hiker Found Deceased on Flanks of Mount Whitney in Sequoia National ParkNever quit moving - and never stop having adventures. I had a dear friend who died while windsurfing in big waves on Maui. He was 72. He knew he was taking chances, but he was doing something he loved. Indications are that he probably had a stroke and drowned in ...
11/01/2009 - 2:57pmMissing Hiker Found Deceased on Flanks of Mount Whitney in Sequoia National ParkHe was where he wanted to be and doing what he wanted to do. At 73, most people have come to terms with their mortality and realize that every day should be lived like it is a gift.
10/29/2009 - 5:25pmYellowstone National Park's Interior Roads Close For Winter on MondayIt used to be Yellowstone and most other parks could virtually go to sleep in the winter. Not anymore.
10/24/2009 - 6:33pmYosemite National Park Says "No Thanks" to Major Cycling RaceHmm. Sounds vaguely familiar.
10/23/2009 - 3:50pmWolf Biologist Killed In Plane Crash in Denali National Park, Pilot SurvivedAnonymous, I suggest contacting park management to get particular information as to requirements or restrictions related to landing within park boundaries. However, if you are interested in accessing the mountain by air I strongly recommend doing it with a fully rated pilot who has extensive experience and a long history ...
10/23/2009 - 3:02pmYosemite National Park Says "No Thanks" to Major Cycling RaceIt was the right decision. I am an avid cyclist and have ridden in several national parks. Cycling on roads and designated bike trails is a great way to see and enjoy the parks, but the type of event described would be inappropriate in most park settings.
10/23/2009 - 11:18amWolf Biologist Killed In Plane Crash in Denali National Park, Pilot SurvivedAnonymous, The Super Cub is well suited for low level and slow speed observation for a number of reasons. It has a high lift wing with a lower stall speed allowing it to fly at slower speeds. It has a tandem seating arrangement with the passenger directly behind the pilot. ...
10/22/2009 - 8:38pmWolf Biologist Killed In Plane Crash in Denali National Park, Pilot SurvivedTight 360 degree turns at slow airspeeds and low altitudes are inherently hazardous maneuvers. The stall speed of the aircraft increases with the steep angle of the turn. The passage of the plane sets up a trail of disturbed air, so the the turning aircraft may suddenly encounter its own ...
10/18/2009 - 6:53pmShould A National Park Ranger Countermand a Parent? It was a judgement call. The ranger made it. It is assumed he was acting within the scope of his responsibility and authority. Had the girl panicked and been injured or caused others to be injured the question would then be why didn't the ranger prevent the accident when he ...
10/16/2009 - 5:38pmBy the Numbers: Crater Lake National ParkCycle Oregon, an annual bicycle tour, included Crater Lake in 2007. I was fortunate to be on the ride. The Crater Lake day began at Diamond Lake north of the park and ascended road leading to the rim with an option to circle the rim road. It was a beautiful ...
10/16/2009 - 5:19pmPlane Missing at Denali National Park and Preserve With Noted Wolf Biologist AboardRegardless of whether or not you agreed with Haber's viewpoint, you had to respect his commitment and tenacity. He helped to counterbalance those who believe the only good wolf is a dead wolf. His voice will be missed.
10/15/2009 - 7:21pmPlane Missing at Denali National Park and Preserve With Noted Wolf Biologist AboardGordon Haber has long been a strong advocate for greater protection of the wolves in the Denali area. He never hesitated to call the Park Service to task when he felt it was giving the wolves adequate protection. I certainly hope the search is successful and both the pilot and ...
10/14/2009 - 1:54amIs It Too Early To Plan A Winter Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? Naaaahhhh.I once spent four days walking on snowshoes breaking trail for my dog team in order to travel less than fifty miles. The snow was deep and powdery with a granular base. No one had been over it the entire winter. Local Indian trappers said that snow conditions were too ...
10/12/2009 - 6:51pmColumbus Day is also Native American DayFor better or worse (definitely worse for Native Americans), Columbus was a product of his time. It was simply assumed that Christian Europeans, particularly those in power, were superior to indigenous people and had the right to exploit and even kill them if they resisted. That point of view reflects ...
10/11/2009 - 12:20pmMelting Permafrost May Help Explain Why Many Denali National Park Wetlands Are Drying Up I heartedly recommend reading, [b]The End of the Long Summer[/b], by Dianne Dumanoski. It examines the cascading effects of climate change, including the possibility of initiating self sustaining chain reactions that could make life as we know it very problematic.
10/06/2009 - 5:22pmAnnual Elk Hunt Scheduled to Begin in Grand Teton National Park Oct 10In response to your question re: coming across wolf kills not eaten on the spot, I have. I have monitored wolf kill sites at a number of locations along the upper drainages of the Koyukuk River in north central Alaska. In virtually all cases, wolves returned to the sites to ...
10/06/2009 - 1:42amAnnual Elk Hunt Scheduled to Begin in Grand Teton National Park Oct 10Elk Lover, Your post reflects an extreme dislike for wolves. Of course wolves do not kill only sick and diseased prey. Like all natural predators, they are opportunistic and do not check a prey's age or medical records before culling them. However, on average weaker and injured animals are more ...
10/04/2009 - 2:44pmDog Owner Cited After Pit Bull Attacks a Deer at Great Smoky Mountains National ParkJust a couple of comments in re: to pit bulls. Pit bull weight may range from the mid 20's to as much as 110 pounds. On average they are usually in the 40-to-50 lb. range. I have never owned a pit bull, but I have several friends who do own ...
09/24/2009 - 3:50pmGoing to Denali National Park? Check Ahead – the First Serious Snow of the Winter Has FallenMy wife and I recently returned from a cruise to southeastern Alaska. There was a distinct hint of winter in the air. It comes early and fast around Denali. Pretty soon they will be able to shift from the wheeled cart to a real sled for exercising the park dog ...
09/21/2009 - 3:58pmDog Owner Cited After Pit Bull Attacks a Deer at Great Smoky Mountains National ParkA loose dog can pose a threat to its owner and others, particularly if it agitates a bear. I met a couple living in an isolated cabin just outside of Yukon Charley Rivers Nat. Preserve in 1978. Both the wife and husband carried severe scars resulting from a bear mauling. ...
09/19/2009 - 12:29pmInterior Secretary Salazar Launches "Coordinated Strategy" To Address Climate Change Impacts on Federal LandscapesIt is heartening to see the DOI taking a proactive stand in re: to global warming. I note that the news releases speak less about preventing climate change and more about tracking and mitigating impacts. Global warming is no longer a possibility but rather a progressing reality. Land and resource ...
09/18/2009 - 5:08pmJoshua Tree National Park Nabs Man Accused of Scattering Thousands of Golf Balls in the ParkThanks for the correction.
09/18/2009 - 5:03pmJoshua Tree National Park Nabs Man Accused of Scattering Thousands of Golf Balls in the ParkZarki is just an extreme example of what all-too-many do while visiting public lands. There seems to be a basic drive to mark your territory while in a new natural area. People who climb mountains frequently pile rocks on top of one another as a way to memorialize their visit ...
09/17/2009 - 3:41pmToo Many Deer in the Nation's Capital? Rock Creek Park Holds a Public Meeting on WednesdayAttempting to artificially control the population of deer in Rock Creek is an exercise in futility. Even if possible the cost would far outstrip the benefit. Deer and other wildlife do not recognize human boundaries and will fill whatever favorable ecological niche is available. The removal of wolves and woodland ...
09/16/2009 - 7:24pmGustavus Moose Hunt: If You're Heading to Alaska for a Moose Hunt, You Might Want to Read ThisI've shot a few moose over the years and depended on them for winter meat. Sometimes I was lucky and go one on the first day. Other times I had to camp for several days before finding a legal animal. Shooting a moose is fairly easy, because it usually makes ...
09/15/2009 - 6:56pmTrial Over What Constitutes a "Road" In Canyonlands National Park: Vestiges of Sagebrush Rebels"1. This is another example of the NPS allowing the camels nose under the tent in years past, leaving current managers to clean up the mess. Like snowmobiles in Yellowstone, ATV's in Wrangell St Elias or Denali etc." Anonymous FWIW, I agree with you. All-too-many regretable decisions were made, in ...
09/15/2009 - 6:33pmHundreds of Groups Urge Senate to Invest in Climate Change Legislation That Could Help National Park Wildlife, Natural ResourcesThe above post caught my attention at a pregnant moment. I just finished reading the book "The End of the Long Summer" by Dianne Dumanoski. It goes into great detail to examine the issue of climate change, drawing on a broad spectrum of scientific research and reports. Global warming will ...
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