| Page 15 | National Parks Traveler

There are thousands of state and federal employees who have never done the things this man has. Those that have been caught are punished And frequently lose their jobs. There is no reason to be lenient with this man. This gives the entire park service a bad name, and certainly hiring him back is ignoring that this was a crime, and he's working in OUR parks with OUR $$$.

Oct 17th - 09:49am | Longstreet

Sadly, Ed's conduct embarrasses all those of us senior managers who actually believe in, and abide by the rules. His hiring is a disgrace and the region and NPS are apparently blind to the signal it sends.

Oct 17th - 08:53am | Loui

"There is no such thing as a small lapse in ethics" - Walt Disney Thank you for highlighting this paradigm of how the swamp operates.

National Parks Traveler's Lights Going Out

Oct 18th - 19:51pm | Rick B.

Very sad. I'm a longtime supporter but unable to financially bear a load. I'll have to live with that, in the dark.

Oct 18th - 18:27pm | Steven Mullen

I've been doing my part - you are one of the few organizations that I donate to. I'm sad to see you go, and we will all be worse off for it.

Oct 18th - 17:11pm | Flash

Will greatly miss the site but I certainly understand the decision. I've heard it said that "Journalism is worth what you pay for it." Now we all get to pay but not in cash. Thanks so much for your efforts over the years!

Oct 18th - 14:32pm | Ben in VA

What terrible news. I treasure the Traveler for all my park news. Sorry to see you go.

Oct 18th - 11:09am | A. Johnson

I've enjoyed reading all things on NPT, and will miss the content. While I understand that some moderation of comments is necessary, I found that the censorship was often lopsided in favor of a left-wing agenda--and largely unnecessary.

Oct 18th - 10:27am | y_p_w

Sorry to hear that. It's been a fun ride.

Oct 18th - 10:13am | Loui

This is the worst news possible. The NPS, like all government agencies, needs watchdogs and public spotlights on their behavior. Sorry to see you go.

The National Parks' Lodging Problem

Oct 18th - 16:46pm | James Michael O...

Not really. They only charge $16.20 per day and that includes 3 great meals plus transportation if needed.

Oct 18th - 14:32pm | Philip Hedgepeth

There is no question that Xanterra treats their employees poorly. Look at the quality of food they charge their employees for. It's not acceptable. When a concessionaire cannot treat their people well, they shouldn't be allowed to operate in the park.

Oct 17th - 11:08am | y_p_w

Loui: Expensive accomodations at marque lodges does not deny anyone access to national parks. You can still come in for the day, camp, or RV. When these lodges were originally built, who do you think stayed in them? Steel workers and train engineers? No, the wealthy who could afford to travel.

Oct 17th - 08:50am | Loui

Expensive accomodations at marque lodges does not deny anyone access to national parks. You can still come in for the day, camp, or RV. When these lodges were originally built, who do you think stayed in them? Steel workers and train engineers? No, the wealthy who could afford to travel.

Oct 17th - 08:50am | N_r

We visited multiple National Parks in September and were sad and frustrated by the conditions in some of the campgrounds. Many bathrooms were either closed or in very bad shape. At Crater Lake the Lodge was $300 a night while the campground facilities (operated by the same concessionaire) were in very rough shape. Broken laundry equipment, dirty showers and toilets etc.

Oct 16th - 18:13pm | y_p_w

I don't know about now, but some of our experiences were of international workers on J-1 visas. The Finnish desk clerk in a cowboy hat at Roosevelt Lodge. The Chinese busboy at Bryce Canyon Lodge. The Singaporean server at Zion Lodge. The eastern European housekeeping staff.

Oct 16th - 16:59pm | DJC75

Xanterra ruins and profiteers from everything they touch. These contracts should be split among mulitple concessioners, not a monopoly under Xanterra. Delaware North used to (may still?) have some shops/food outlets in Yellowstone and Grand Canyon. It was night and day in their managed properties when compared to overpriced Xanterra.

Oct 16th - 15:19pm | Laura122

Our experience at Yellowstone with Xanterra in September 2022 really turned us off to Yellowstone. We stayed at Yellowstone Lake cabins, Grant Village and one night at Old Faithful. We felt very well prepared and yet, Grant Village and Yellowstone Lake had limited food and beverage at their restaurant, despite our reservation and their numerous emails confirming we would be there.

Oct 16th - 13:39pm | y_p_w

I remember my various stays in most basic accommodations back in 2006 and 2007. I still have copies of most of my reservation confirmations, although some seem to be missing and I think I only printed them up.

Oct 16th - 05:04am | Jenny Upchurch

Xanterra in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion charges employees a significant portion of their wages for housing and meals and yet provides poor living conditions. That aspect of operation cannot be an excuse for higher and higher room rates.

Creature Feature: A Lightning Whelk Knows What to Do With a Clam

Oct 18th - 08:25am | bartholamue

beachcombing

Improvements Have Come To Shiloh National Military Park

Oct 13th - 15:07pm | Angela

Why can I not find pictures of all the staues that have been removed? I've looked online & have found not one picture or record of the erasing of our history in this country.

Sequoia Seedlings To Be Planted In Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks

Oct 12th - 09:06am | Cary Carlson

Certainly the loss of Sequoias is a tragedy. Fire suppreFssion over the last hundred years was bad policy exacerbated by drought. But I disagree on the funding allotment mentioned before. Maintenance is a huge budget item but can't keep up with old structures and overwhelming visitation. Law enforcement is chronically short. As a former NPS employee, I've seen the development of resou

Oct 11th - 20:06pm | Tom

The sad part is that this catastrophe was predicted to occur 50 years ago in the initial research on giant sequoia fire ecology. Fifty years passed, and after initial Redwood Mountain prescribed fires in the 1970's, little else was done, for a variety of reasons, but the threat remained and grew.

Oct 11th - 13:05pm | Anonymous

They failed miserably in their stewardship responsibilities. Now, neither this generation nor future generations will be able to enjoy these groves. And, of course, no one was held accountable. Thank you for your views.

Oct 6th - 10:30am | Paul S.

Here's a different take on this story: Park management was given $17 million in U.S.

Dinosaur National Monument's Visitor Center Getting New HVAC System

Oct 11th - 12:56pm | A. Johnson

Any reason given by the NPS why a 12-yr old HVAC system needs to be replaced?

Some White-Knuckle Drives In The National Park System

Oct 10th - 22:58pm | Kimber

Just did that Muir Woods drive. First time and last time. It was foggy so I couldn't see the road. I finally pulled over in the one spot on the side and after a panic attack, not kidding, let my husband drive the rest. It was probably another 109 meters to the top but you couldn't see anything.

Finland Agrees To Return Remains, Some Items Taken From Mesa Verde In 19th Century

Oct 9th - 10:19am | Greg Ridge

True, but this is not about the "U.S.". This is about the Indigenous Native Tribes whose ancestors lived there. Those tribes do not have museums of U.S. Artifacts, or any Finnish artifacts that they could return. They just want the items that were buried with thier ancestors returned back.

Public Comments Sought On North Cascades Grizzly Recovery Proposal

Oct 8th - 02:32am | Michael Woods

I prefer the experimental population want it seems the most pragmatic choice.

Oct 2nd - 10:57am | A. Johnson

Returning grizzlies to the NC is a mistake.

NPS Issues Concession Prospectus For Zion National Park

Oct 7th - 23:06pm | Jim Gramann

The reason for the high franchise fees is that there is little cost to the concessioner and little additional benefit to the visitor in charging more for "non-core lodging" (what the market will bear) than for core lodging. The latter has long priced using comparable lodging outside the parks. The non-core method went into effect in 2017.

Additional Tests Confirm Dates Of Fossilized Footprints At White Sands National Park

Oct 6th - 06:28am | Glavine James

Isn't it possible that the tracks were made by individuals who had migrated north toward the glacial ice pack from their arrival point to the south? Could these have been made by humans who descended from those who crossed the Pacific Ocean, west to east, rather than from those who crossed into North America from Siberia?

Recreation.Gov Lawsuit Withdrawn

Oct 3rd - 19:06pm | ecbuck

I want to know why they dropped the suit "with prejudice". No reason to do so unless they were compelled/bribed to do so. There is too much going on behind closed doors with our government. That's why the trust in government is dwindling every day.

Oct 3rd - 13:54pm | COD

I work in web development. I don't know what the initial development contract was worth - let's say $20 million. Some devs, UI/UX experts, a QA team, a couple of PMs, etc and maybe you need a team of 10 to manage the site at a loaded cost of $200K each annually.

Oct 3rd - 11:33am | BIll

Pretty rich coming from Grassley whose party wants to gut spending for the park service saying they should pay for the website. How does he think that works, it some guy in his basement at Booz Allen bilking the government for $140M. I mean, it's two guys at least (I jest), but software development isn't as cheap as people think. There are overhead fees on the credit card processing etc. As

Men Who Allegedly Poached Deer In Yosemite National Park Were Cornered By Their Own Records Of the Hunts

Oct 3rd - 13:28pm | Big John

GPS doesn't add a whole lot to the hunt beyond normal navigation. GIS is much more likely to be mentioned and a lot more useful during the hunt. This can be done with readily available software and a simple drone.

National Park Service Approves Plan For Historic Lake McDonald Cabins At Glacier National Park

Oct 3rd - 12:46pm | Christine Ann P...

Mae Greve was my grandmother. Hans Greve was my grandfather. Dutch and Ruth Greve were my great aunt and uncle. We used to visit them at their cabins in Glacier every summer when I was a child. I'd love to talk to you. Please email me [email protected]

Senators Still Waiting On Answers Regarding Recreation.Gov

Oct 3rd - 11:00am | Bandelierman

Time for Congressional hearings.

Oct 1st - 19:42pm | Loui

Booz Allen and the swamp creatures they do business with will try to wait out the Senate inquiry. They don't have good answers to those quesitons. Hopefully plaintiffs dismissed their own lawsuit to perfect it in some way and will refile.

Greater Yellowstone Coalition Successfully Halts Gold Mine Near Yellowstone

Oct 2nd - 22:12pm | Mike Painter

Great news!!!

Old Faithful Inn At $424: Who Can Still Afford A Yellowstone Road Trip?

Oct 2nd - 11:33am | A. Johnson

And I know a lot more dollar figures and data about this than you've assumed I do Good to hear. So, you'll be eager to answer this question: Please tell us just what are Xanterra's profits from their operation of the Old Faithful Inn, so that we can decide for ourselves if they're "obscene"? And no, asking pertinent question does not make one rude.

Wilderness Waterway At Everglades National Park Is 40!

Oct 1st - 12:06pm | Terry Redding

It was. My first and only canoe trip. But what a trip. There were so many fascinating aspects. I was very fortunate to be invited along by two highly accomplished micro-backpackers. Both Jim and Doug have hiked the Appalachian Trail. Them with their angle nets and seabags. Me with a Rubbermaid footlocker. I was so very lucky it fit in the width of the larger canoe.

Sep 30th - 12:44pm | Kurt Repanshek

Thanks for sharing, Terry. Looks like a fantastic trip.

Sep 30th - 12:36pm | Terry Redding

Here is a photo essay of my 2003 trip through the Wilderness Waterway. https://tredding.org/canoe/

Autopsy Could Tell Whether Bear Killed Great Smoky Mountains Backpacker Last Fall

Sep 30th - 14:35pm | Carl

What an incredibly stupid thing to say. This may well have been a classic predatory black bear attack and Mr. Madura was likely doing nothing wrong. How arrogant this poster is!

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