| Page 1236 | National Parks Traveler

RangerLady, It depends on what the motivation is behind these acts. It makes abolutely no sense, unless closing more beach is what you're actually after. Ponder on that one... Most folks who want the beaches open would never commit such an act, since the outcome is all too well known. It has been speculated that the perp's are one or more of the following:

Jun 1st - 17:09pm | RangerLady

So the people get mad about the closures and retaliate by doing something that will expand the closure. Is it me or does their thinking not make sense?

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

Jun 2nd - 11:39am | Anonymous

What is with all the sheeple here? What happened to the right to protect oneself and family, let alone a complete stranger? Most .45 shots are probably within 20 feet and that is no bluff charge. If you have EVER read anything about the grizzly, they get very upset when surprised and will almost always attack. This is what it sounds like here. These people are lucky to be alive.

Jun 2nd - 10:22am | Bob Janiskee

Anons: A point of clarification. The bear that climbed up on a roof to kill that young woman in Alaska was a black bear, not a grizzly. Black bears are superb climbers. Grizzlies can climb, but they're not very good at it.

Jun 2nd - 05:46am | Anonymous

If you hike up Mt Rainier in the fall you might get caught in a storm and die. If you hike into the Narrows at Zion a flash flood might drown you. If you back pack in Denali you might encounter a grisly bear and that bear might attack you. Shooting a grisly in Denali is wrong. If you go to Denali prepared to kill a grisly you shouldn’t be there.

Jun 2nd - 00:08am | MarkK

I agree, it be foolhardy not to be armed when going into an area where there might be a wounded bear. It's interesting because of the comparison of risk vs knowledge. A wounded bear is a greater risk than a non-wounded bear, but these are also rangers who presumably are experts in dealing with bears.

Jun 1st - 23:49pm | Anonymous

non-confrontational? Bear breaks into cabin -occupants retreat to roof - man goes for help. When he returns he finds his half eaten companion on the roof. That's pretty confrontational.

Jun 1st - 23:45pm | Anonymous

I have read a lot about bears and their bluff charges. I have read a lot of stories here about how some people would never carry a gun -as they could "Talk to the bear and wave their arms" for defense. I also read about the woman who was ripped from her roof and eaten. This after the bear broke into her and her husbands cabin and he ran for help.

Jun 1st - 22:20pm | Pat

MikeD wrote "I have to hope this is a rather cleverly crafted joke"... No sir, I am an antique arms collector and the last thing I want to do is have the Feds confiscate everything I've collected and lose my right to own arms due to breaking a Federal "no discharge" law. It's worth a lot to me, both monetarily and sentimentally, and at this point I'm considering leaving my sidearm at home.

Jun 1st - 18:52pm | Joenpb

I'll add one more thing, there are very few National Parks outside of Alaska where carrying a firearm is warranted. I too get nervous in the fall when I see hunters on horseback while out hiking. I can see where inexperienced backcountry visitors who are armed, possibly without much handgun/firearms training, can add up to a volatile situation.

Jun 1st - 17:18pm | Anonymous

You chose to enter the National parks at your own risk and therefore you assume the risk of a bear encounter. Having worked at Yellowstone I dealt with bear encounters and even had a close call myself. I agree that it is nice to have a firearm in case of an emergency but carrying a firearm poses a great risk to our law enforcement in the park. Not everyone is responsible with their firearm.

Jun 1st - 16:20pm | MikeD

One Anonymous person wrote: "I've taken over 30 hours of live-fire training on a range with former Law Enforcement and Blackwater contractors in order to react to a bear threat.... In my training, I've practiced one handed and one eyed (non-dominant) self-defense shooting for just this situation.... I don't want to go to jail and lose my firearm.

Jun 1st - 15:14pm | Bill

Without a lot more info, no conclusion can be drawn. Worked for a few years in AK back country, several friends were maimed and 2 killed by bears. Have been up close and personal with bears, cats, and other animals many times in many places, have had to shoot some of them.

Reader Participation Day: What Memorabilia Do You Take Home From A National Park Vacation?

Jun 2nd - 11:24am | Gaelyn

I too collect hat pins which I put on a curtain in RV living room. I also collect Jr. Ranger badges. First stop is the VC to get my Jr Ranger book and I always promise to complete the whole book. I've only been turned down once and was told I was "too old." What a bunch of bunk. I always learn a lot about the park doing these activities.

Jun 2nd - 10:44am | Rick B.

Passport stamps, baseball caps, tshirts, and KoolKanteen water bottles. I especially love the ones that are rare [like my Kalaupapa shirt]. As non-commercial as I usually am, when I see a park or museum gift shop, I'm a lost fool.

Jun 2nd - 10:08am | RangerLady

I do the lapel pins and the stamps for my passport book and of course I 'collect' all the pictures I can. I used to collect books but I have run out of room! I have 3 large bookcases in my house and still don't have room for the books I already have. I haven't yet found a way to display my lapel pins.

Jun 2nd - 09:50am | MikeD

Usually get a book as a souvenir as a gift and if the park has a handbook available I try to get it though not all parks seem to have them and the handbooks themselves can be out of date. So many of the parks are free so I like to get something to support them.

Jun 2nd - 09:32am | Anonymous

Lapel pins and NP Passport stamps for sure, and a hiking staff badge if I did enough hiking in the park. A long walk from the parking lot to the VC doesn't count as a hike. :-) My Girlfriend always gets a fridge magnet. One day the door is going to fall off when I open it for a glass of milk.

Jun 2nd - 09:11am | Dick

Stamps in my NP Passport books.

Jun 2nd - 09:10am | Brad

I collect patches and pins, and on occasion, my wife collects mugs. We are avid hikers so we also always buy a local park hiking guide and stamp it instead of using the blue passport books.

Jun 2nd - 09:00am | AnonymousD

T-shirts, hats. Also, at Shenandoah and Yellowstone, we've found these great little half-packs that hold about the amount of a wallet with room for an energy bar or two and have a water bottle holster. They're not as dorky as a traditional fanny pack, and they're great for a short hike. My 77-year-old mother said that half-pack was her favorite souvenir from a 4-state, 3-park trip.

Jun 2nd - 08:34am | Kirby Adams

I also collect the embroidered patches as anon said above. I try to have one for every place we go. Other than that it's books. If there's a book that highlights the natural history of the park I'm in, I'll buy it. I rarely leave a gift shop without a book in hand. You can usually find the same books cheaper at Amazon, but I consider that my extra donation to the NPS cause.

Jun 2nd - 08:12am | Laran

Pottery shards, sticks, rocks, pine cones, the odd critter for a new pet, fossils, wildflowers, saplings, a thermos full of geyser water..... KIDDING My family collects posters when we can find cool ones, passport stamps, lots of photos, and memories.

Jun 2nd - 07:50am | Anonymous

I collect the iron-on patches that most national parks sell. At first, I was putting them on a wall in our RV. Now, I have so many, I put them in a scrap book. One day, maybe I'll have a quilt made with them all.

Jun 2nd - 07:24am | Sparky

Similar to Connie, I look for an ornament if available. However, we don't have a separate Christmas tree - just a main one with all our travels / memories, which makes for a fun annual review. Other than that, I go for the photo magnets - we have quite a collage of beautiful shots stuck to our refrigerator!

Jun 2nd - 07:10am | Connie Hopkins

I have pins as well for my hiking hat and as an avid reader I HAVE to come home with a book! I enjoy history and biographies so anything about the local history of where we are holds my interest (Jim Bridger's biography, Missing in the Minarets,: the Search for Walter A. Starr Jr, etc).

Jun 2nd - 06:23am | Barky

I collect the lapel pins, stick 'em on a bulletin board in my living room to track my progress. At an average cost of $4 each, that's about $600 on a bulletin board!!

Deep Snows Push Back Opening of Devils Postpile National Monument

Jun 2nd - 09:53am | destroyerman

love the pic.and the dog...hopeto makeit there this yr.thanks for the info.

Jun 2nd - 06:19am | Barky

Wow, amazing how many parks are impacted by late snows this year. Never thought it was much of a problem before, maybe simply wasn't paying attention....

Calving Glacier Injures Two Hikers In Glacier Bay National Park

Jun 2nd - 08:10am | Jim Burnett

Sharon - Thanks for the additional information. We hope everyone involved makes a speedy and full recovery!

Jun 1st - 21:23pm | Sharon Early

We would like to thank the park service for all of your support and assistance. It was a relief when you arrived, even though you could not land, we knew you were there. Knowing you were aware our boats would be left in the Bay with you watching made it far easier to take care of ourselves as we left.

National Park Mystery Spot 10 Revealed: It’s the Jones House at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Jun 2nd - 02:41am | Anonymous

I recently visited the reserve and truely and honestly believe I have had a paranormal experience. Do you believe the estate could be haunted by the family members that have died there?

House Republicans Say Interior Secretary's Proposed Snake Ban Bad for Business

Jun 2nd - 00:49am | tha2010kid

thats what he said

Jun 2nd - 00:46am | tha2010kid

listen I am no breeder I'm not a pet owner i am a father.My CHILD is a 8 month old burmese alby python named Porhtose. He is barely 3 ft long and as beautiful as a sunrise over Moab Utah his favorite hobby is to drape over my shoulders and watch fraggle rock with me. He has never even hissssd at his brother High Gear or any of the kittens that live with me.

Jun 2nd - 00:14am | Anonymous

So on that last bit you say snakes are no different than you and me ok sounds right to me

Is There A Thaw Coming On the Three-Year-Old Freeze on National Park Fees?

Jun 2nd - 00:18am | Mark

Thank you for the kind words. Didn't mean to go off. Please don't take anything personally. I did have a great Holiday weekend after all. We went camping....and found yet another beautiful nature experience in a campground other than at a National Park, a place with next to no budget...

Lawsuit Over Deer Culling At Valley Forge Highlights Troubles Of Squeezed National Parks

Jun 1st - 21:34pm | Anonymous

I live in Chesterbrook, a neighborhood right next to VF park. I know atleast 20 neighbors that have been diagnosed with lime disease - it's a huge concern of mine. The way I see it is this... if the food chain had its way, we, as humans, would hunt the deer for food if we couldn't drive to our local store to purchase meat.

Ask A Ranger. Violence Is Nothing New To The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Jun 1st - 21:13pm | Rick Smith

Jees, Andrea, I don't remember asking the Chief Ranger to blame his/her rangers. I simply said that were I he/she, it's one of the things I would look into. Sorry my comment struck you the wrong way. Rick

Jun 1st - 19:35pm | haunted hiker

Rick, your tone of prejudice toward Lake Mead rangers sort of reminds me of comments like this: "i'm not saying she asked for it, but she could have been wearing a longer skirt." Please check the most recent comments about assaults on rangers. Several Lake Mead interpretation rangers are complaining of being threatened while in the performance of their duties.

Jun 1st - 16:02pm | Rick Smith

I worked with Bruce and concur he is/was a good ranger. On his blog, he cites an LA Times article that he says supports his contention that anti-government rhetoric is fueling the incrrease in incidents of violence against NPS protection personnel. The article goes on to state that there were no reported incidents in Yellowstone or Grand Canyon and a few in parks like Yosemite.

Tracking Crime in National Parks Is Not An Exact Science By Any Means

Jun 1st - 20:11pm | Joenpb

Its not surprising that as soon as you hike over that first pass, or out beyond 5 miles all that nonsense stops. In my experience the same people who cut you off on the road, or weave in & out of traffic, feel they're entitled to do whatever they want in the park, even if that means intruding on other visitors solitude, or threatening a park ranger.

Jun 1st - 16:58pm | RangerLady

Chief, I was threatened as well when I was interp. All I did was ask them to move from a handicapped parking spot to the one right next to it and they came after me. All the people at my program were scared and they scattered. Even though I called LE to come 'rescue' me, no one ever showed and that incident was never reported.

Jun 1st - 14:32pm | Chief of Interp...

Its not just limited to LE Rangers-It's amazing how many times one can be verbally assaulted as an Interp Ranger. Several times I've been threatened or come to the defense of another ranger who has been verbally threatened by park visitors-and the vast majority of that stuff is never reported-I know that in 10 years I've only actually reported one incident out of at least a dozen serious ones.

Survey Says National Park Service Is Far from the Best Government Agency to Work For

Jun 1st - 18:42pm | John

I found this article doing research on NPS employees! There is a culture that becomes apparent whenever I deal with them! As an ordinary visitor I see the problems with the NPS as they come through in the interaction. When NPS has a monopoly one has to put up with it, If I could get the product somewhere else, I would!

Updated: Drilling Rig Disaster Could Send Oil Spill Into Gulf Islands National Seashore

Jun 1st - 18:34pm | Anonymous

Future generations will likely not survive to invent anything new in an environment polluted by the natural gas industry. Onshore Gas Drilling Pollution Disasters have compromised water from toxic chemicals used in drilling fluids. The government exempted the Poisons from being included in water testing!

Jon Jarvis Finally Nominated to be Next Director of the National Park Service

Jun 1st - 15:31pm | Racism in the NPS

Jon Jarvis, in my opinion, appears to be supporting racism via his appointment of Gerard Baker as the new Assistant Director for American Indian Relations.

Traveler’s Checklist: Congaree National Park

Jun 1st - 15:19pm | Lisa

This is an excellent park. We've hiked twice, and canoed once. I highly recommend a strong bug spray as the SC summer heat/ humidity prove to draw every mosquito for miles around. If you're physically able, take one of the loops that adventure further into the forest ... away from the boarkwalk. An easy pace can bring you back to the Visitor's Center in a matter of hours.

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