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Climbing is Capped at Mount McKinley and Climbers are Left to Wonder What’s Next

Dec 2nd - 18:12pm | Anonymous

Dang! Your right on target Bob! Bobby Kennedy did indeed scale Mt. Kennedy in 1965 and with the world famed mountain climber Jim Whittaker. I kept thinking along it was Mt. Denali. Thanks for the research.

Dec 2nd - 12:07pm | haunted hiker

Beamis, I doubt the NPS spends an "exorbitant" amount of money on SAR at Denali. (Compared to pork barrel spending and the millions spent on planning, research, etc, NPS SAR expenses are mere pennies.) They do, perhaps, risk an exorbitant amount of rescuer's lives on Denali.

Dec 2nd - 11:59am | Bob Janiskee

Interesting questions, Beamis. Unless you made the purchase of (costly) insurance mandatory, it’s likely that the fatality rate would increase dramatically after you announced that climbers must pay the full cost of SAR operations conducted in their behalf. People in desperate trouble would be disinclined to ask for help, and that’s a ticket to disaster.

Dec 2nd - 11:17am | Bob Janiskee

Anon, if Bobby Kennedy ever climbed Mount McKinley, I sure don’t know about it. I think Bobby Kennedy Junior may have scaled McKinley in the mid-1990s. (Perhaps one of our readers could help with this?) Be that as it may, you are probably thinking about Bobby Kennedy’s summitting of (the then newly-named) Mount Kennedy in 1965.

Dec 2nd - 10:44am | Anonymous

Bob, didn't Bobby Kennedy climb Mt. McKinley sometime during the 1960's. I remember a photo of him mastering the peak but not sure when. Since you and Kurt are rich in national park history, I thought perhaps you both would know. I do know that the Kennedy's were great outdoor enthusiast and President John Kennedy instigated the famed 50 mile hike of America.

Dec 2nd - 09:51am | Bob Janiskee

As far as I can tell, Beamis, empirical evidence is the root concept here, not scientific research and analysis. Experience has taught the NPS that the current number of climbers, which is well below the cap, may already be too many. Climbers already clog the trade route (West Buttress) during the brief episodes of reasonably non-rotten weather.

Study Says Loss of Wolves Damaging Olympic National Park's Forest Ecosystem

Dec 2nd - 18:02pm | Random Walker

From Sightline Daily Bringing Wolves Back to Washington Posted by Eric de Place 11/21/2008 11:05 AM

Dec 2nd - 15:23pm | Anonymous

the hunters need to stay away and the wolfs need a reservation to keep pochers away

Dec 2nd - 15:22pm | Anonymous

hunters need to stay the hell away and it would all be fine

Reading the Fine Print – Did the NPS Ever Manage This National Monument?

Dec 2nd - 15:12pm | d-2

All good points on wilderness. On the other hand, without the provision to land on skiis or floats, we probably would not have gotten nearly as much Wilderness in Alaska.

Dec 2nd - 13:21pm | JimB

MRC - Good comment about wilderness in Alaska, and the impact of a lot of small aircraft.

Dec 2nd - 01:54am | MRC

Jim, Wilderness in Alaska does not mean the same thing as in the lower 48. In an Alaskan Wilderness some buildings are allowed such as cabins, and sea planes flying in the wilderness and landing on the lakes. Either to bring visitors to their trailheads or cabins or just as day trips from Ketchikan, which usually include a landing on one of the lakes.

Dec 1st - 21:55pm | JimB

d-2: Excellent analysis.

Dec 1st - 16:50pm | d-2

One hint in President Carter's language about who is to manage can be found when you compare the subsistence provisions in Misty Fjords with a national park monument, such as Kobuk Valley. -- In Kobuk Valley, President Carter says:

Dec 1st - 13:40pm | JimB

d-2 Thanks for the additional background on Misty Fjords and other areas in Alaska!

Dec 1st - 13:14pm | d-2

TO: Jim, and others interested in whether or not National Monuments should only be operated by the NPS, and fans of Misty Fjords: From the beginning of the creation by President Carter, it was planned that this area be managed by the US Forest Service. It was never managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, nor, the National Park Service.

Is Someone Missing in the Backcountry of Sequoia National Park?

Dec 1st - 23:02pm | Matt M.

Twin Lakes is one of my favorite spots to stop for a night in the SEKI backcountry. I hope no one is in trouble up there.

Whatever Happened to That Rule Change To Allow You to Pack Heat in National Parks?

Dec 1st - 21:02pm | Kurt Repanshek

Frank, I don't see it as a red herring at all. Here and in comments to other posts about the guns-in-parks issue you've trotted out the Founding Fathers and their intent and that what they viewed more than 230 years ago rings just as true today, or that it should.

Dec 1st - 20:47pm | J Longstreet

Kurt,

Dec 1st - 20:44pm | Anonymous

Sounds to me Frank C, just loves to jump on the bandwagon about any issue that favors more guns, or any issue that supports the gung-ho gun lobbyist. But, to be frantically obsessed Frank, I think is bit super overkill on your behalf. Right to bear arms...yes! But, keep your nasty guns and peashooters at home and not in the National Parks. For god sakes come up for air!

Dec 1st - 20:21pm | Anonymous

I was a Weapons Specialist in the Army. No one claims that a gun will protect you all the time. As far as my last fact goes, YOU HAVE PROVED IT TO BE TRUE. Guns have been allowed in National Forest Areas with min. problems. If your anti gun, more power to you! I'm pro gun and also by the way, an NRA MEMBER and Proud of it (more power to me).

Dec 1st - 19:59pm | Kurt Repanshek

Frank, Purely for argument's sake, those noble men you mention had the chance but did not outlaw slavery nor give women the right to vote, so should we now rescind the Emancipation Proclamation and the 19th Amendment because the Founding Fathers were silent on those two points? Or, should we accept that as times change it wouldn't be so outlandish to tweak the Constitution a bit?

Dec 1st - 12:09pm | Lone Hiker

Before we start the inevitable spewing forth the rhetoric, let's at least try to maintain some semblance of accuracy......... Accurate: The majority of CCW holders are most likely law-abiding citizens.

Dec 1st - 11:12am | Kurt Repanshek

Actually, the murders you likely are trying to associate with Yosemite occurred outside the park. And you and many others continue to broadly -- and wrongly -- assume that folks who don't want to see concealed weapons in the parks are anti-gun and anti-2nd Amendment. Quite a few gun owners are opposed to the proposed rule change.

Dec 1st - 11:05am | Anonymous

Fact- CCW holders are in most part law abiding people. Fact- Criminals are do not care what the law is. Fact- If the Law states, No Firearms in National Parks who will follow the Law. Fact- Murders on the Appalachian Trail and In the Yosemite Park in the years past and more crimes elsewhere (parks are safe??????)

Dec 1st - 09:21am | VERY knowledgab...

Frank C: ... "it is their [the people's] right and duty to be at all times armed" ... Why do you gun rights folks always refuse to look at the historical context in which the original statements of the Bill of Rights were made?? The "tyrants" at that time were the British, a completely separate government seeking to abolish our nation.

Nov 30th - 19:37pm | VERY knowledgab...

Questions for so-called advocates of the Second Amendment: Why would a anyone ever need a gun when visiting a National Park?

Nov 30th - 17:12pm | Don A

You can debate guns or no guns till the cows come home. The bottom line is our constitutional rights will be and are going to be restricted and sadly licensed after 911 changed all the rules.

Nov 30th - 12:24pm | Jay Chicago

It would be nice if each park put a system -- maybe something like Zion -- in place to limit car pollution in the park. It didn't seem to have a significant impact on tourism when I was there. Also, what on earth could the use of hand guns be in a protected park provide? I personally don't feel comfortable backpacking around and running into people that have guns.

Nov 29th - 12:51pm | Lone Hiker

Take heart Fred. Gun sales in the post-election era are up over 20% nationally. I'm not sure if that's good for Obama or not........

Nov 29th - 12:23pm | Fred Miller

IF this rule change does take place, you can be SURE that the Obama administration will work TIRELESSLY to strike it down. We now (on Jan 20) have in place the most gun-hating government in more than 33 years.

BLM, NPS Modify Oil and Gas Lease Auction near National Parks in Utah

Dec 1st - 15:55pm | JimB

There's still plenty of consternation about the reported "compromise" between the BLM and NPS. A recent letter to the Salt Lake Tribune by a Vernal, Utah resident makes a good point:

Hikers, Bikers and National Parks

Dec 1st - 15:32pm | Random Walker

LOL! Somewhere long ago I read a long report on the amount of trail dirt various hiking boots displaced with each step, average stride and X miles hiked = much more maintenance than I thought. Anyway, IMHO mountain bikes no way in hell enhance the National Park Experience. And the idea of slashing even more trails through our parks for these playthings is ridiculous.

Dec 1st - 14:46pm | Lone Hiker

Thanks for the even-handed responses, especially dapster.

Dec 1st - 14:41pm | Anonymous

Ask any number of competent soil scientists what the soil rate of erosion would be if mountain biking were to be totally allowed in our national parks, and if the general consensus DOES show and prove that mountain biking is more harmful and damaging to the National Parks environment: Then would the IBMA be screaming afoul by the AHS. Probably so!

Dec 1st - 13:23pm | Mark E

I'm pretty well resigned to the conclusion that IMBA and the Traveler are going to "agree to disagree" about the benefits of better policies for mountain biking in national parks, but I do want to make sure that we keep the facts straight.

Dec 1st - 13:18pm | dapster

Oh, boy. Here we go again...

Dec 1st - 11:58am | haunted hiker

Thanks Marylander and Scott for such reasonable and well worded responses to this story. I was dismayed at the American Hiking Society's reactionary stance on this issue, and frankly, as much as I love trails, I may not continue my membership due to the AHS's unwarranted and dogmatic position regarding mountain biking in national parks.

Dec 1st - 09:12am | Anonymous

Give the IMBA an open mile into the National Parks they will bring down an mountain with erosion...in time.

Dec 1st - 07:40am | Scott

This may not be good for hikers with exclusionary tendencies - - but it IS good for the NPS and the promotion of healthy alternatives to motorized recreation. Expanded appreciation for what the NPS can offer to legitimate trail users, such as hikers, bikers, and equestrians, can only improve the overall NPS mission.

Dec 1st - 05:02am | Anonymous

The NPS should not allow bikes on trails within the national parks. There are so many places that mountain bikers can ride, we do not need to open up the parks to bikes as well. There need to be some places that we can go for slow, contemplative travel on foot, and bikes definitely destroy the experience for hikers. Not only that, bikes cause massive erosion and scare wildlife.

Nov 30th - 20:09pm | Marylander

I am still going to stand on the platform that thinks that it is time for the National Parks to offer mountain bike trails. I have been hiking on numerous BLM trails, National Forest trails, state park trails that are shared use with moutian bikers and have personally seen that it works -and I am never the one of the bike! It's time, ladies and gentleman.

Park History: Dinosaur National Monument

Dec 1st - 12:17pm | rmwarnick

The proposal for national park status for Dinosaur National Monument has been on the table for at least twenty years. Perceived conflict with the interests of the oil and gas industry in the nearby Uinta Basin has been the main reason legislation has stalled, even though former Colorado Rep. Ben Nighthorse Campbell supported park designation in 1989.

National Park Service Chastized For Poor Cultural Resource Oversight

Dec 1st - 12:09pm | haunted hiker

To Anonymous Nov 27, I like your point. I was recently backpacking in the San Rafael Wilderness (USFS) and was pleased and surprised to see they have allowed picnic tables to remain in some backcountry campsites.

This Park Nourishes Its Forest Service Roots

Dec 1st - 10:12am | Rob Mutch

Great write-up Jim. And, thanks for pointing out the agency relationship between F.S. and NPS. I hadn't even heard of this park and should have. rob mutch

Why You Should Not Store Food in Your Car at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Dec 1st - 09:08am | Rich W

Why should the guy videotaping be fined? I'm the one who videotaped this while vacationing in the Smokys. This is a documantation of what happenned. Animals are unpredictable. Its not like I helped the bear break into the car or the bear was acting up for the camera. There were many people standing close by, and startling the bear may have been the worse thing to do.

Shenandoah National Park Ranger Roy Sullivan Set the World Record for Being Hit by Lightning

Nov 30th - 11:08am | Anonymous

I am amazed there has not been a book written about Roy and his life. The story is absolutely fascinating if not absolutely tragic. I there any other information on Mr. Sullivan?

The Monkey Wrench Gang: Coming to a Theater Near You?

Nov 30th - 02:22am | BCAZ

I'm a long time fan of the Monkey Wrench Gang and have always wondered if and when a movie would come out. I was just searching around this evening to see if anything was in the works. It's great to hear that it may be coming out but if it's this year wouldn't there have been some previews out and about by now? Also, what is with that cast???

Bush Administration: Slash and Burn on The Way Out of Office?

Nov 29th - 12:49pm | Lone Hiker

Kurt, while I appreciate and understand fully you obligation to temper these political reports while trying to remain at least some bit objective, I, not maintaining any affiliation with the press, and thereby not making any effort to maintain neutral, have just a few issues with the above article.....

A Sad Sign of the Times: NPS Promotes Body Armor Options To Rangers

Nov 29th - 12:23pm | Bill

SO WHAT?

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