National Parks Traveler

Kurt Repanshek

Biography

Kurt Repanshek built his journalism career atop a 14-year stint with The Associated Press that saw him rise from a general assignment reporter to correspondent-in-charge for the state of Wyoming. Since embarking on a freelance career in the fall of 1993, his articles have appeared in Smithsonian, National Geographic Traveler, Audubon, National Wildlife, Hemispheres, Wilderness, and other publications. He launched NPT in August 2005 because of his love, and concern, for national parks.

His other credits include an article on national parks of the world for Microsoft’s Encarta CD-Rom as well as three guidebooks to the national parks. A contributor to the Travel Arts Syndicate, his stories have appeared in the Miami Herald, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Denver Post, and other newspapers.

During his AP career Kurt helped direct and contribute to AP coverage of the 1988 forest fires in and around Yellowstone National Park; covered statewide, congressional, and presidential campaigns, and; closely followed public lands issues in the Rocky Mountain West. A freelance story he wrote on the collapse of the WordPerfect software designer won top honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, Utah chapter.

Kurt's Most Recent Comments (view all)

3/11/2010 7:22 am - Draft Environmental Impact Statement on ORV Use at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Released : Dapster, I've been watching all this from afar and find the debate for the most part interesting. However, I am curious why you keep referring to the enabling legislation as creating "Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area"? The DEIS clearly lays down the legislative history of the seashore, and specifically ...
3/10/2010 9:20 am - Is The American Pika Really On The Road To Extinction Due to Climate Change? : HH, not sure their findings [i]do[/i] differ from conventional wisdom, if by that you mean climate change. I think what their research -- and even some of Dr. Beever's research -- points to is that pikas might have greater distributions at differing elevations than is generally accepted. Too, Dr. Millar ...
3/09/2010 4:39 pm - Draft Environmental Impact Statement on ORV Use at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Released : Hunter, I don't think I've been biased in this discussion at all. The story that started this thread is straight vanilla. Was the bias in pointing out that Cape Hatteras regulars *should* have a better perspective on what impacts the seashore than those in California or Washington who have never ...
3/09/2010 2:04 pm - Time Running Out To Suggest How Yellowstone National Park Should Approach Winter-Use-Plan : It would be interesting to see a breakdown of how many snowmobilers come to West Yellowstone specifically to head into Yellowstone, and how many come to West Yellowstone to snowmobile in the surrounding national forests and take a sidetrip into the park. As for the economic impact a ban on ...
3/09/2010 1:57 pm - Draft Environmental Impact Statement on ORV Use at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Released : A few points of clarification, from the NPS history, as contained in the DEIS: As Sea Mullett, points out, recreation was key in the minds of those who wanted the national seashore created: [quote]Primarily a seashore is a recreation area. Therefore in its selection, the boundaries should be placed in ...
3/09/2010 9:32 am - Draft Environmental Impact Statement on ORV Use at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Released : Hunter, not sure your idea will fly. As it says in its name, Cape Hatteras is a "national" seashore. As such, how it's managed is of interest to all Americans, whether they've been there or not. That said, certainly folks who visit the seashore on a regular basis *should* have ...
3/08/2010 8:48 am - Death Valley National Park Lodge Remodeling Nears Completion : In this instance, Anonymous, the private land and facilities existed before the national park did.
3/05/2010 10:42 am - Kentucky's Sen. Bunning Singlehandedly Idles Road Construction Projects Nationally, Including Many in National Parks : For more proof of how divided folks are on this issue, here's some reaction to, and coverage of, the senator's action from around the country: From kentuckypost.com: "I’m angry because he is blocking this extension for over a million people," she stated. "It wasn’t our choice to lose our jobs. ...
3/05/2010 6:47 am - "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" Is Returning to Primetime TV Later This Month : The source was PBS. Not sure as to the answer to your second question, though.
3/03/2010 4:42 pm - Mystery Photo 19: My, What Nice Stripes You Have! : Nope, it's Tiger Wall on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, had. More details tomorrow.

Kurt's Most Recent Articles (view all)

"Maple Sugaring" Demonstration At Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area This Saturday

'Tis the season for sap to run, and proof of that can be found Saturday at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area where staff will demonstrate "maple sugaring."

Temporary Climbing Closures In Place at Rocky Mountain National Park to Protect Nesting Raptors

Some temporary climbing closures have been placed into effect in Rocky Mountain National Park to give raptors some relative peace and quiet during their nesting season.

Grizzly Bears on the Move In Glacier National Park

Well, the bears are waking up in Glacier National Park. Since the start of the month there have been three separate sightings of tracks, and at least one bruin was compelled to dig a hole in the Belly River area.

Blind Hiker Plans to Hike The Entire Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Hundreds of hikers set out along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia, come springtime with sights set on reaching Mount Kathadin in Maine before summer expires. But how many are blind?

Recent Storms Took A Toll on Cape Cod National Seashore Beaches

While recent storms pounded Mid-Atlantic states and New England with heavy snows, they also pummeled the beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore.

Reader Participation Day: Which National Park Brings the Best Out In Your Camera?

It's a given: national parks are great places to take photographs. And yet, there are some parks that seem to produce better photos from my camera than others. Which national parks do you find the most photogenic?

Theodore Roosevelt National Park Announces Plan to Use Volunteers to Help Cull Elk Herd

Park rangers and volunteer hunters could begin work this fall to cull elk herds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park by more than half if the park's elk management plan gains final approval in about a month. NPS photo.

Is The American Pika Really On The Road To Extinction Due to Climate Change?

Less than a month after a conservation group expressed its displeasure with the Obama administration for not providing Endangered Species Act protection to the American pika due to the plight it might face due to climate change, a new study suggests the tiny mammals are more widespread than thought and seem to thrive in a temperature range greater than long thought possible.

Book Field Program at North Cascades National Park By March 31 and Save $50

National parks are incredible classrooms of the natural world. You can venture into those classrooms via field trips sponsored by many institutes and associations affiliated with individual parks. And if you sign on for a program with the North Cascades Institute between now and month's end, you can save some cash.

Road Projects Ready To Be Tackled In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks This Summer

Spring often coincides with road work in the national parks, and that's certainly no exception in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, which have a full slate of projects getting under way.