| Page 1214 | National Parks Traveler

I was in the park that day as well. My children, along with my mother were on their way to the Firehole to swim, when we heard the sirens, and I knew something bad had happened. To everyone that had to see the tradegy, and to all that tried to save the young woman, I'm so sorry. I will concur that Yellowstone is a wilderness of which only 2% is developed, and it needs to stay that way.

Aug 3rd - 03:25am | Anonymous

I also agree with Cheryl Gilbert. Very well put. My family and friends enjoy swimming in the Firehole each time we go to Yellowstone when the weather is good. We live 2.5 hrs away and go just to swim at times. We have never found a place like it anywhere around. But again swim at your own risk and use good judgement. Its unfortunate this young woman lost her life.

Aug 2nd - 08:20am | Jon

To Cheryl Gilbert, Well said!

Aug 1st - 19:22pm | Anonymous

To the doctor and team that worked so hard to save this young lady....I thank you and it humbles me to know there are good people in this world. You were all amazing. I was the one that handed u the towel so u could place under ur legs while doing CPR. I also agree with everything u said about the dangers and risks we take in life. God Bless u all....u were truly amazing that day!

Jul 31st - 23:26pm | Cheryl Gilbert

I was the doctor that happened to be at the scene. We drove up just as someone was calling for help. This was very tragic and very sad for all involved. Unfortunately, allowing personal freedom involves risk which is a part of life. Yellowstone is a wild and beautiful area but dangerous for the same reasons. The beauty can lead one to forget the danger.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Hatchlings Released Into the Atlantic Ocean

Aug 3rd - 20:32pm | Anonymous

So great to hear! And great to see a company like FedEx donating their services for such a great cause.

One More Bear Put Down in Yellowstone National Park

Aug 3rd - 19:16pm | y_p_w

Don't these backcountry campsites have bear hangs? I saw some photos of the typical Yellowstone bear hands, and they didn't seem that secure. They were typically set up about 10 ft high between two trees. Some Sierra Nevada bears would climb a nearby tree and jump down at them. They're called "kamikaze bears", and they've left blood when attempting that.

Wolverine Photographed in Rocky Mountain National Park

Aug 3rd - 18:19pm | Dave Pinkernell...

My wife and I saw two wolverines today in RMNP, less than 1 mile up the Trail Ridge Road from the Estes Park entrance. I snapped a photo of one of them in the rain. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_3F0iM8O4Jbw52Rea_wW3q2gCLGA5G89AO4...

Aug 3rd - 17:57pm | Dave Pinkernell...

My wife and I saw a wolverine today in Rocky Mountain National Park, about 1 mile up the Trail Ridge Road from the Estes Park national park entrance. I was able to snap a picture in the rain and low light. Our best guess is this an immature wolverine. There were two of them walking along the highway, looking rather wet and confused. Luckily they safely crossed the road.

Aug 1st - 20:54pm | Jamey B

Came across a wolverine today by the gate of Moraine park campground. Was walking up to the bathrooms and startled it when I came around from the side of the building (not more than 7ft away). It didn't run but just turned and went off the other direction which gave me a good amount of time to get a good look at it.

Three Canyoneers Survive Flash Flood in Zion National Park

Aug 3rd - 18:10pm | Andy andrews

Wow, glad to hear all survived. I've been down spy twice. The first time it started to rain at the last narrow drop. Buy the time we got down to the canyon floor it was coming down pretty good. I believe the weather report for that day was also 30% chance.

Aug 1st - 23:11pm | Dave F.

Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers! I visited Jason and Joe over the weekend. Jason was walking with a walker and in very good spirits. Joe just got home yesterday from the hospital and was also walking when I saw him. It looks like we are all going to fully recover in time. What a miracle!

Aug 1st - 10:19am | Leslie

Dave- Your family in the DC area are extremely glad that you are ok. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to you and your friends- Jason and Joe. Thank you to all who assisted in this amazing rescue!! We are so glad your guardian angels were on duty that day!!

Jul 31st - 20:46pm | cousin Mandolin

I'm glad you are safe and sound. My thoughts are with your friends who seem to have had it a little bit rougher time. Thanks to everyone who helped.

National Parks Road Trip 2010: Great Falls to Fort Benton

Aug 3rd - 15:07pm | Anonymous

Nice travel log and great succinct video. I have been to Great Falls and spent conciderable time at the L and C Interpretive center.

Aug 3rd - 11:40am | Julie Kay Smith...

I would caution readers not to put too much credibility in what "interpretive" folks say. After all, the real history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was in the heavy-handed, dishonest way in which state and federal representatives forcibly removed the people of Cade's Cove. Look it up and study the real history.

Sale of Limited Edition Posters To Benefit Glacier National Park

Aug 3rd - 12:23pm | Rick Sheremeta

Thanks for the publicity - poster sales are booming and it's ALL for a good cause

Does the National Park Service Need a Quota System for Peak Seasons?

Aug 3rd - 11:47am | mark smith

Something must be done to curb the overuse of our parks and wilderness areas. The national park services only concern is how much money they make. I have been trying for the past year to come up with an way to ease the use of such parks as yellowstone and glacier. However theres no real fair way to do it. However its either do something or lose these places forever.

Angler Cited For Keeping Bull Trout Caught in Olympic National Park

Aug 3rd - 11:21am | Richard

Bull trout are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Aug 2nd - 23:37pm | R Stefancik

Given that it was a catch and release area, the angler has no excuse. But if it were not catch and release, many anglers have a hard time distinguishing brook trout from bull trout if they do not fish them very often. Personally, I don't keep Brookies if I'm fishing Bull Trout waters. The price of a mistake is too high for my wallet and the species.

The Ghosts Of Yellowstone National Park

Aug 3rd - 09:34am | MDL

I am not usually one to believe in ghosts. After our recent trip to Yellowstone (and the Old Faithful Inn), I am a bit more inclined to open my mind to the possibility. Nothing dramatic, but here is our story for what it is worth.

Fans of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Being Asked to Contribute Ideas to Lakeshore's Future

Aug 3rd - 08:52am | Dave

The clothing optional beach is a great idea, you would have all of my vacation dollars.

Search Under Way For Missing Hiker In Katmai National Park and Preserve

Aug 2nd - 23:54pm | Ray Bane

The area described is extremely hazardous, particularly when the Lethe is high. The trail crosses the river well up the valley on a fairly flat stretch of ash. However, it rushes down into a nearby canyon and literally boils over numerous falls and rapids. The sides of the canyon are vertical rising directly out of the river.

Lodging in the Parks: Beware the St. Mary Lodge & Resort

Aug 2nd - 15:03pm | y_p_w

pkrnger: Thanks for posting this review Kurt. Although the NPS gives park concessioners a "report card" of sorts each year, this information is seldom made readily available to the public. What is sorely needed is a Consumer Reports review and rating of experiences and costs of park lodging and campgrounds inside and near our great parks.

Aug 2nd - 14:49pm | pkrnger

Thanks for posting this review Kurt. Although the NPS gives park concessioners a "report card" of sorts each year, this information is seldom made readily available to the public. What is sorely needed is a Consumer Reports review and rating of experiences and costs of park lodging and campgrounds inside and near our great parks. Such a review would have a noticeable effect, I'm sure.

Aug 2nd - 14:06pm | y_p_w

Kurt Repanshek: Actually, it's no longer owned by DNC. The current owner is Johnny Noe. I guess that would explain the layout of the website. I would suggest to them to clean up their website to at least note it's no longer a DNC property. And CAPTCHA says "sequential overeat". That's making me hungry.

Aug 2nd - 13:17pm | Kurt Repanshek

Actually, it's no longer owned by DNC. The current owner is Johnny Noe.

Aug 2nd - 13:06pm | y_p_w

R Stefancik: You would also do well to try to figure out who owns the lodge and write a letter of complaint similar to the one above, including how you were a loyal customer up until now.

Aug 2nd - 12:03pm | Anonymous

We recently had lunch in the St. Mary's Lodge restaurant. The place was nearly deserted. The food was ok but that MUSIC??? was awful! Indeed, why such loud music outside a National Parks area lodge?

Aug 2nd - 11:53am | R Stefancik

I can't say anything about the lodging, as I have no experience, but the food at their restaurant was very well prepared and a good buy for the price when we visited 1 and 2 years ago.

Aug 2nd - 11:06am | y_p_w

onebigtree:

Aug 2nd - 10:41am | onebigtree

I'm a tent camper and very unconcerned about this, but it is often hard to imagine how any employees in these places enjoy their work. Except for the beautiful views outside their door, working in a National Park over the summer is one grind in which I want no part. If you got management that's greedy and unconcerned with customer service, how much the worse.

Aug 2nd - 10:01am | Anonymously-Yours

How in the world did a resort with greed as its business ideal get associated with a great st. Like Mary the Mother of God?

Aug 2nd - 09:52am | Anonymous

That is a darn shame!!! They should have refunded your fees and made sure those rooms were not available to the public. They are probably in violation of several laws and should do something about that mold. And blaring country music across the parking lot???? Are they trying to scare off bears or what. Well, we'll take that one off our list.

Aug 2nd - 08:31am | mbolyard

My husband and I had a similar experience at the "resort". The "only available room" sounds identical to yours but was in a basement, I believe. Very dark, damp, stuffy. We were told it was usually rented to through-hikers who didn't mind.

Aug 2nd - 07:21am | Anonymous

I totally agree you should have been refunded "all" your money for a very unsatisfactory stay...Places like this get many college kids who don't care about things like mold or dripping water (those who stay and/or work there) and money is the bottom line for the owner so it just keeps on happening...over booking is common and with unskilled labor it all amounts to a poor stay...what can be done

Traveling the Oregon National Historic Trail: Looking Back

Aug 2nd - 12:42pm | Keith

I'm in the process of planning an Oregon Trail trip myself. I'll be going from Oregon to Missouri though, eastbound. I'm definately using Franzwas books.

Thundering Water

Aug 2nd - 12:21pm | Anonymous

Cool, I have a large poster with a photo of this exact spot (taken from footbridge). More moss on rocks to right in my pic. Nice.

Wouldn't It Be Nice If the National Park Service Resumed the Distribution of Park Window Stickers?

Aug 2nd - 11:42am | Seann

I just recently went on a road trip with my family and we covered quite a few national parks in Oregon and California. It was almost impossible to even find a bumper sticker at most parks or even in the towns around the parks. In the 70's and 80's you could often find what the park service didn't provide in the way of decals/momentos at local gas stations and curios.

Loons Employed To Help Biologists Better Understand The Birds and Great Lakes Botulism

Aug 2nd - 10:33am | onebigtree

Voyageurs National Park should be included on this list for the Common Loon.

Grizzly Bear Shot and Killed By Hikers In Denali National Park and Preserve

Aug 2nd - 09:41am | Heywood

First of all its not the bears territory....it ours. Human life is sacred and should be protected at all costs. Granted the bears should not be harassed , but we have the right, as humans, to ensure our security.

National Park Road Trip 2010: The Nez Perce

Aug 2nd - 08:43am | Anonymous

It's hard to believe this route (US 12 in Idaho and Montana portions) is threatened...ExxonMobile is currently planning to obtain oversized permits for gigantic oil drums and equipment (some as long as 250 feet and up to 125 wide) that will stop all traffic as they travel from turnout to turnout...turning Scenic 12 into an industrial route and threatening the pristine Lochsa and Clearwater Rive

Flamingo Lodge is No More

Aug 1st - 16:20pm | Anonymous

Just came across this article and must say good riddance to your kind or type....yeah what we need is more towering condo's here in Fl.......

Hubbell Trading Post Holds Native American Art Auction on September 19

Aug 1st - 16:01pm | Anonymous

www.friendsofhubbell.org www.nps.gov/hutr

National Parks Road Trip 2010: Return to the Missouri Headwaters

Aug 1st - 09:31am | Anonymous

We enjoyed your narrative regarding your travels along the Lewis & Clark Trail.

Glacier National Park Officials Urge Visitors to Be "Bear Aware"

Jul 31st - 20:26pm | y_p_w

tomp:

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