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Who Else Should Join Pombo and Pearce on the Sidelines?

Oct 14th - 09:58am | kath

I'm against damage to the National Parks period. This article demonstrates the damage done by Mexican drug cartels growing marijuana on public lands, mentioning in particular Point Reyes National Seashore and Sequoia National Park. Damage to the watershed by fertilizers and pesticides. Damage to wildlife. Trash, pipes for irrigation, guns.

Oct 14th - 08:00am | Alan

On the other hand, a fence constitutes a migration barrier to terrestrial wildlife. Who else among the infamous anti-conservation crowd in Congress is worthy of attention? I pick Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the two-term member of the League of Conservation Voters' "Oil Slick Seven." Here's a newspaper column I wrote about this guy: Uh oh, that Clinton-loving-librul-ex-hippie is back.

Oct 13th - 17:30pm | Snowbird

That's easy...most of Congress!

Oct 13th - 13:47pm | kath

Check out http://www.nps.gov/orpi/planyourvisit/yoursafety.htm

New York Moves to Control Transmission Corridors

Oct 14th - 07:54am | Alan

He'll strike hard and fast. Pataki, the incumbent Republican, is leaving office and the front-runner to replace him is Democrat Elliot Spitzer, the now famous litigator (NY attorney general). If there is one place where the Decider's loyalities will never change it is the energy industry.

What Became of Ranger Gord?

Oct 12th - 18:56pm | Anonymous

He's Back

Your National Parks Pass Doesn't Always Cover Your Entrance Fee

Oct 12th - 18:54pm | Anomynous

Some NPS units like Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area charge "Parking Fees" to get you to pay fees that the National Park Pass do not cover.

Oct 12th - 12:52pm | kath

Geez, it's $15 an HOUR in Canyon de Chelly. Mt. Rushmore is a bargain by comparison.

Oct 12th - 08:23am | kath

Looks like your National Parks pass doesn't get you into Canyon de Chelly either since it is mandatory that you hire a Navajo guide and jeep to see the ruins.

Oct 11th - 17:53pm | Alan Gregory

Presidential Parking Inc.? Sounds like something a sleazy K Street lobbyist would be involved in. In any case, it sure doesn't bode well for this or any other unit in the Park System.

Oct 11th - 15:52pm | James

Well, this only goes back to my message that a very thorough audit needs to be done on exactly where the money is generated and where it is going!

Oct 10th - 18:38pm | Rick McCharles

One day you should do a review of the Canadian National Park system. For example: Annual National Parks vehicle passes for both countries: Canada = US$111.35 (C$123.80) USA = US$50 http://besthike.com/blog/?p=152

Oct 10th - 18:26pm | matt

This annoyed me on a summer-long road trip in 2000. I was still in college and didn't have much money, fortunately for me the booth attendant was a similarly aged college girl who gave in to my wily charm and let me in for freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Aren't there free parking lots way down the hill? Its been six years and I don't remember too much about it.

Time For A Change: Send Mr. Pombo Packing

Oct 11th - 18:00pm | Alan Gregory

Absolutely. The man has never met a patch of Wild ground he wouldn't set a bulldozer to ruining.

Oct 9th - 08:27am | Snowbird

This fake cowboy (like Bush 43 born with a silver spoon in his mouth) has no concept what conservation and natural resources means...he's just another pimp for the oil industries.

Send Mr. Pearce Back to the Oilfields

Oct 11th - 17:58pm | Alan Gregory

The majority party's leaders just hate -- HATE! -- subsidizing things that truly benefit the public at large. Witness the continual harping over the funding of Amtrak. Yet the Amtrak operating budget is mere chump change when compared to the dollars thrown away in building new highways and other pork-barrel crap (projects that destroy Nature). Same goes for the National Park System.

Oct 10th - 08:59am | Snowbird

Another fox to guard the hen house. Rep. Pearce 's only goal is too solidify the wealth of the CEO's that run the recreation industry in the National Parks...the more noise and pollution the better! Right Rep. Pearce? Despite the majority of the general populace, most American's want less intrusive crap in the Parks that Pearce adovcates for.

Scout Leader Banned from National Parks

Oct 11th - 17:50pm | Alan Gregory

I recall being thoroughly briefed by Canyon de Chelly officials on the does and don'ts of the park before joining a guided walk some years ago. The warnings were clear. There is no excuse for the defendant's behavior.

Woman Dies in Fall From Angel's Landing

Oct 10th - 18:36pm | matt

I hiked Angel's Landing a few years ago in spite of my fairly significant dislike of heights and exposed climbs. I did it because I heard it was phenomenal (it is) and it looked like fun.

Sep 23rd - 08:35am | RGR

I have hiked angel landing 3 times. Most recently around the first of August.I noticed the amount of work they have done on paving the trail. I wonder if people get the wrong idea of how dangerous this trail is at the top.It is my favorite trail. People need to be carfull.

Is The National Park System Headed for Yard Sales?

Oct 9th - 09:51am | Ed Smith

the cash fees that you now have to pay just to go into a National park is just a under handed (unconstitutional) way to tax (extort) money from the people. The Park ranger is now the tax (extortion) collector, at gunpoint. (they now carry 45 cal guns.(is that legal) NO its not, They have no authority to carry a wepon.

Bomar Confirmation Hearing Set for Thursday

Oct 7th - 16:06pm | simon pleasance

My wife and I are unconditional US Nat Park-lovers. the recent moves by the Bush High Command to open the Park system to the corporate wallahs was extremely alarming. It seems the main danger has been averted, perhaps only temporarily.

Burlington Northern's Bombing Plans For Glacier, Part Two

Oct 7th - 09:42am | Alan

Subsidized public lands grazing. Subsidized killing of native wildlife on behalf of public lands ranchers. Subsidized road building on national forests to benefit private industry. Subsidized logging of those same forests. And now a railroad gets a hand-up too?

Oct 7th - 07:09am | Chance Finegan

I e-mailed Mary Riddle, a ranger at Glacier asking if A) the park is preparing an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement and B) Who will retrieve the unexploded bombs - excuse me, ordnances. Her answer is as follows: We are preparing an EIS on Burlington Northern's request. It should be back from the printer by the end of the month. It will be available online.

Yosemite's Merced River Plan, And Other Legal Contortions

Oct 6th - 18:44pm | Parkaholic

Amazingly enough the Park Service i.e. Yosemite has spent millions of dollars and countless hours studying and doing research on this issue. Their intent seems to be to find a balance between making Yosemite "available" for the public and "preserving" it for future generations. Now Yosemite must spend millions more to combat organizations trying to do the same thing... I don't get it?

Oct 4th - 14:53pm | James

RE: The Bear News The NPS has really gotten serious about education. Before my visit I got a postcard in the mail informing me that I would have to store all my food, ice chest, and any fragrances or toiletries with strong scents in a bear locker. These lockers are great - strong metal with a locking mechanism that a bear could not operate.

Oct 4th - 08:52am | Kath

I agree that the number of campsites should be reduced, not increased, not only for the traffic situation but for bear management.

Oct 3rd - 14:53pm | repanshek

James et al, You can find details of the park's plans at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/planning/mrp/ Kurt

Oct 3rd - 14:44pm | James

It is difficult to form an intelligent opinion because there are no links to EXACTLY what the NPS intends to do. Nevertheless, having just returned from a four day stay in the Yosemite Valley, I do have some eyewitness opinions that bear upon the matter.

Rep. Pearce Carries Water For Sagebrushers

Oct 5th - 09:01am | kath

I agree. National Parks should be hands off for any purpose other than protection of the land. And it's not only roads. Just before one gets to Furnace Creek in Death Valley, the federal government allowed an Indian tribe to build a community (thankfully with the provision that no casinos could be built).

Oct 4th - 18:56pm | Alan

Pearce obviously believes he can win (earn?) political support (read campaign contributions) by staking out the standard anti-conservation position on this and related public lands issue. Conservationists should call his bluff and expose this attack for it really is.

Railroad Wants To Bomb Glacier

Oct 5th - 05:46am | Judy Tyler

They have lost their minds! What do they propose about "unexploded ordinance"? I am sure that it has not been mentioned at all. Why would we let them turn our National Park Lands into mine fields?

New Cave Discovered in Sequoia/Kings Canyon

Oct 2nd - 16:19pm | Ted Lingley

Kurt, I searched the internet after hearing about this new cave discovered in Sequoia. After reading about it, I was very excited. However, as I read on, I see the powers that be intend to keep this special place to themselves. Naturally, if this is in a public park, National forest, or any other non-private, citizen owned public land, we as citizens should have every right to view it.

Sequoia's New Cave is Pretty Spectacular

Sep 28th - 07:58am | Hunter H. Cash...

So is this place going to be strictly a research phenomenon for the forseeable future? Hunter H. Cashdollar

Sep 28th - 07:57am | Hunter H. Cash...

This looks awesome. Is there no way to access it for regular folks? Hunter H. Cashdollar

Sep 26th - 11:38am | kath

Too bad none of us will ever be able to see this cave.

Poll: Overwhelming Majority Wants Limits on Snowmobile Access

Sep 25th - 12:20pm | kath

I'd applaud elimination of snowmobiles and jet skis from the National Parks. They are simply too noisy. But in the same vein, I'd ban any noisy vehicle. The desired quiet of my last visit to Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows was blasted by noisy motorcycles. They travel in packs, gunning their engines and roaring off. It's just too much.

Park Service Explores the Thorny Issue of Benefits Sharing

Sep 22nd - 14:40pm | kath

These extremophilic bacteria have also been used to improve DNA testing. As I understand it, no damage was done to Yellowstone's hot pools when the first of these bacteria was collected for research. Now I'd imagine the bacteria are grown in a lab.

Fran's Handing Off More Red Ink to Mary

Sep 22nd - 09:10am | kath

Re: Volunteers handling ranger duties. If the parks can get volunteers which cost nothing to replace rangers, isn't that just smart fiscal management? I've seen volunteers being used to hand out maps, answer simple questions in the Visitor's Centers and things of that nature. One of these day, when I'm retired, I'd love to be a volunteer myself. It's called serving community and country.

Sep 21st - 19:35pm | Sabattis

The problem is, I wonder how many people (outside of card-carrying members) take that $815 million figure seriously?

Sep 21st - 17:17pm | Alan Gregory

"They can, but will they?" Not while spending $1B a month in Iraq, and beefing up the active duty Army, and buying jet fuel for Air Force jets, and watching tax dollars flow out the door to those who hardly need more cash on hand, and buying speech platform backdrops for the president, and jetting around in Air Force One.

National Geographic: Over The Top?

Sep 22nd - 08:23am | kath

It is a good conversation and one worth having. Yosemite has, in my opinion, too many visitors (and I don't know what you do about that. The U. S. population will reach 300 million soon). On my latest trip to Yosemite, there was literally no where I could hike on a day hike and be alone. The trails were as congested as the Hollywood Freeway.

Sep 21st - 19:19pm | Sabattis

Looks like I sparked quite the conversation!

Sep 21st - 17:45pm | repanshek

We're moving in the right direction, folks. The question is whether this will be merely a ripple in cyberspace or the beginning of a groundswell?

Sep 21st - 16:24pm | James

This is a good thread! These issues need to be openly debated by a large cross-section of the public and a consensus generated about the future of the National Parks. It is my belief that at best, things are in a holding pattern regarding what trickles down from the federal gov't.

Sep 21st - 14:12pm | Kath

There's a blight in Yosemite National Park that is so far unmentioned. Hetch Hetchy. The city of San Francisco pays a paltry $30,000 per year for this continued desecration of that other Yosemite Valley. That's the same amount the city of SF paid in the 1920's. There hasn't been an increase in that fee in the past 80 years.

Sep 21st - 13:04pm | Parkaholic

Some really amazing opinions stated here. As for Yosemite about 80% of Yosemite is not accessible by any other means than hiking. I would venture to say that those wilderness areas are pretty pristine rather than trampled by the footprint left by humans.

Sep 21st - 11:50am | kath

Snow Bird, Specific examples please. I honestly don't know what a 'holistic overview of it's lacking resources' refers to. Roads? Trails? Ranger programs? What?

Sep 21st - 10:33am | Snow Bird

Kath,take a good look at the big picture of Yosemite, not a small microcosm of the Park that suits your eyes, but a sincere holistic overview of it's lacking resources that's leading to it's demise.

Sep 21st - 10:26am | Snow Bird

Kath,take a good look at the big picture of Yosemite, not a small microcosm of the Park that suits your eyes, but a sincere holistic overview of it's lacking resources that's leading to it's demise.

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