| Page 1495 | National Parks Traveler

Gotta love that U.S. Board of Geographic Names. They do a great job of vetting place name changes. My favorite Board decision was the renaming of a western place called Whorehouse Flats, which is now called Naughty Lady Meadow. At least that's the story as it was told to me. I don't want to know the real story, whatever that may be. Can't let the truth get in the way of a perfectly good tale.

Jul 3rd - 07:22am | Mookie

Another mountain that has recently tried to have its name changed is Mt. Clay in NH. In 2003 the NH State Legislature passed a bill changing the name to Mt. Reagan; however, the USGS won't even consider any feature named after a person until they are dead for 5 years, and even then it is up to them to change it on their maps if they want to.

Jul 3rd - 07:00am | MRC

Wikipedia claims that the Alaska Board of Geographic Names changed the name of the mountain with the park in 1980, only the U.S. Board of Geographic Names at the USGS kept McKinley on their maps. Congress is not involved in naming geographic features - at least not officially.

Jul 3rd - 05:59am | Bob Janiskee

You make an interesting point, MCR, but at the risk of blowing a fuse on the weaselspeak-o-meter I will point out that Denali is not celebrating a birthday this month like those two other parks are. ;-) Another thing, MCR.

Jul 3rd - 05:14am | MRC

You should of course mention Denali National Park, which was called Mount McKinley until 1980. Denali means "the high one" in the Athabascan language, while McKinley remembers William McKinley, the 25th President.

Senators Willing to Legislate Clean Air Over National Parks if EPA Does Protect Airsheds

Jul 3rd - 04:10am | Bob Janiskee

Pigeon Forge, TN, is a monument to bad taste. Please answer me this: If there is a God, why did He let Pigeon Forge happen?

Jul 3rd - 02:08am | Jim

I travelled from the UK last month to journey down through Shenandoah, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains, and in two weeks I don't think we saw further than 10 miles. It was a great shame, as we had gorged on images taken in better conditions before we travelled. We still enjoyed our trip very much, but the view was very much hampered by haze.

Prescribed Fire in Grand Canyon National Park Now Out of Control

Jul 3rd - 02:16am | MRC

Fire Management is and will be first and foremost a matter of trial and error. There is nothing wrong with a fire going beyond what was planned - if the safety zones were set according to prior experiences. Here it seems to work. A prescribed fire became to powerful, went beyond the targeted area and now gets suppressed.

Jul 2nd - 16:17pm | One of The Old Breed

With regards to GRCA having been in "high fire danger" when the prescribed fire was ignited ...when planning prescribed fires, in order to attain the desired flame length or heat/unit area that is needed so as to achieve the desired results, it is often necessary to implement the prescription when the fire danger is high.

Jul 2nd - 16:12pm | Anonymous

Then there was the "Outlet Fire" that closed the Park for quite some time in about 2001. It eventually burned all the way from west of the Lodge to Point Imperial and onto Cape Royal and several hundred acres of National Forest lands in the Saddle Mountain area. The Bridger Fire was a lightning strike on the Park which burned about 50,000 ares of USFS lands.

Jul 1st - 09:28am | Lone Hiker

It's deja vu all over again Yogi. I guess nothing of substance was culled from the last poorly executed "controlled burn" that torched the area in and around Powell Plateau some years back. Maybe they should only let these fire "experts" play with their matches from November to March.

Congressman Accuses Sec. Kempthorne of Pandering to NRA on Gun Issue

Jul 2nd - 23:09pm | Scotty

Owen, In Oregon we can carry in Schools, Churches, museums and libraries but not courthouses, post offices, police departments and federal buildings. I honestly thing we should be able to carry in all places. The more places "off limits" to CHL holders, the more chance of one getting arreste for a firearms crime and the more statistics the gentlemen above have to banter about.

Jun 30th - 09:41am | Rick

Anonymous sez: > having a loaded gun in a national park doesn't make you safer; when you're in one of the safest places in the country

National Park Quiz 9: The American Revolution

Jul 2nd - 22:11pm | d-2

Dear Rangertoo: There IS an 'authenticity of place' for its own sake, and not only with a battlefield, and it is more than just the original historic structure.

Jul 2nd - 20:05pm | Bob Janiskee

Why, of course I can name them. And their spouses and children and pets, too. Don't want to spoil a good quiz item, though, so I'm not going to share that information here.

Jul 2nd - 18:37pm | Rick Smith

Bob-- Now that you have dusted off Harry Yount's name in your previous quiz. can you name the only 5 recipients of the career Harry Yount award for service to the ranger profession? PS--they are all retired save one although he works for another agency. Rick Smith

Jul 2nd - 14:30pm | Bob Janiskee

Rangertoo, your comments highlight at least two quite troubling issues. One is the need to quit perpetuating historic myth. Here at Traveler we want to avoid passing along bad information, so we really appreciate it when you help us sort fact from myth. I really mean that. Another problem is the need to somehow deal with the temporal ambiguity inherent in the concept of site.

Jul 2nd - 13:28pm | Mookie

BTW Bob, love the quizzes. Also, the Freedom Trail from the Bunker Hill Monument to the Common is an easier walk -- all downhill.

Jul 2nd - 12:53pm | Rangertoo

Bob - I was not criticizing, just clarifying. You do a great job with this site and great service to the public in promoting national park issues.

Jul 2nd - 10:49am | Bob Janiskee

Rangertoo: I’m not sure I understand your first point. Guess I’m feeling a little dense today. (Maybe I’ve caught the National Geographic best list disease?) I thought I had my bases covered when I said “…signed in 1776” without specifying day and month. Or were you referring to something else?

Jul 2nd - 08:45am | Rangertoo

As I am sure others will point out, the Continental Congress declared independence on July 2, 1776 and adopted a declaration to that effect on July 4. The parchment we now see was then prepared and the first signatures affixed on August 2. Some signatures were placed on it up to years later.

Jul 2nd - 07:50am | Mookie

The Freedom Trail in Boston does not actually go to Bunker Hill. It starts (ends) at Bunker Hill Monument, but that is actually on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting of the Battle of Bunker Hill took place. [Ed: Nice catch! The Hauptquizmeister has edited the referenced item to remove the glitch.

NPR on the National Parks

Jul 2nd - 18:01pm | Barky

I'm just happy they are doing the reports at all. If it increases interest & visitation, then maybe these other problems will come to light. I am still hopeful, there's still a couple more days of their coverage coming. Maybe they have a wrap-up program covering these admin issues?? ==================================

Creature Feature: The American Marten

Jul 2nd - 17:25pm | Anonymous

saw one in the tahoe area recently, it looked at me for a good 30 seconds then took off. it kind of jumped away about 10 ft at a time

Former NPS Director George Hartzog Passes

Jul 2nd - 16:20pm | Jim McDaniel

What an inspiring and charismatic leader! Director Hartzog inspired me to move from Grand Canyon to Washington, DC in 1969 to be part of a new urban initiative. This fateful move led to a most satisfying career, culminating in a lengthy assignment as Director of White House Liaison for the National Park Service.

Jul 1st - 22:14pm | d-2

HARTZOG OBIT Here below is an Obit for Director Harzog, published today. Although it smacks of hagiography, the broad scope is accurate.

Jun 30th - 10:49am | d-2

NOT ENTIRELY FAIR ABOUT BOMAR: Director Bomar's piece "about" Director "Hartzog" actually does reference Director Hartzog or his wife by name six times. In the same message, she refers to "I" or "Me" or "I'm" NINE times. That is not as bad as the comment, as it amounts to only NINE for Bomar and as many as SIX for Director Hartzog. This is just to be fair.

Yellowstone National Park Bison Unhappy With Photo Shoot Tosses Pennsylvania Boy

Jul 2nd - 16:06pm | Betty H

Some of us have gotten way of topic here ! Another discussion whould be more appropriate for the "let the wildlife roam" topic, which by the way I do support !

Jul 2nd - 11:13am | d-2

Well, Ann & Jim, just an example of how the NPS is being politically undermined in this process, in case you did not know it:

Jul 2nd - 09:32am | jsmacdonald

One other point on this d-2, don't be too quick to put this only on Bush; this process started in earnest under Clinton. In terms of Montana's involvement, it's happened under both Republican and Democratic regimes. This is less about who rules the political machinery and a lot more about who controls the levers of that machinery.

Jul 2nd - 08:55am | Ann

d-2; then you're telling me that if brucellosis wasn't a cattle disease the Park would still just slaughter at will? I think not. They are killing bison because of the cattle and for no other reason. In my opinion, they are being used by the cattlemen's association, and the Stock Growers, as pawns in the all out war to eliminate any competition for grass.

Jul 1st - 22:28pm | d-2

Jun 30th - 18:13pm | Bob F

My feelings echo those of the previous contributors in that whoever made the decision to stand so close to the bison was the definition of stupidity. The question I have is who paid for the airlift and subsequent medical transportation? I would hope that the NPS sent any bill to the family as they were entirely responsible for this incident.

Jun 30th - 11:07am | Eva

KDoyle, I completely agree with you!

Jun 30th - 10:45am | Ann

Cindy K; And where do you come from? What kind of 'education' school of hard knocks or other wise gives you the 'authority' to ridicule ANYONE?

Jun 30th - 10:05am | jsmacdonald

A p.s. on this,

Jun 30th - 08:56am | jsmacdonald

Cindy K., We look forward to some hard numbers from NPS. What we have seen are counts that NPS sends out that say right up front that they are not population estimates. We would like to see those estimates and transparency on the method used to determine undercount.

Groups Sue Cape Hatteras National Seashore Over ORV Traffic

Jul 2nd - 14:38pm | In NOVA

I chased a plastic bag that had been picked up and carried by the wind about a half mile down the beach (the wind was quite fierce on the the shore that day) because I care so deeply about my favorite vacation spot. Chances are, I wouldn't put that much effort into it in my own apartment complex.

Senators Pushing To Allow Concealed Weapons in National Parks

Jul 1st - 22:57pm | d-2

Dear Anonymous: I was thinking about your comment " this is not about bears.. . . this is a right of the people. . " You make this sound as if a Right does not have a practical basis. All the points were put there in the constitution because they actually MEANT something and were NEEDED.

Park History: Olympic National Park

Jul 1st - 14:09pm | Cathie Klaassen

The beauty of the Olympic peninsula is absolutely awesome! No place quite like it. We came here from Iowa & just never could leave. This is a very interesting piece, and I will send the link to my friends & family. Thanks for the information! -Cat K

“10 Best National Parks”? National Geographic, You Have Got to be Kidding!

Jul 1st - 12:47pm | Kurt Repanshek

Now you're talking. I've had the pleasure to sample Yoho and, I think, Kootenay. Definitely need to head that way soon for a longer stay.

Jul 1st - 09:40am | DH Wall

For U.S. travelers, looking north reveals many more great national parks, some worthy of this Top 10 list. Consider the Canadian National Parks of Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Yoho, Kootenay, and Cape Breton, to name just a few.

Jun 30th - 09:01am | Bob Janiskee

Mookie, if even half of what you say about National Geographic operations is true (and I have no reason to doubt it), we should be including National Geographic in our nightly prayers. That noble institution has gotten itself into a deep hole and is still furiously digging.

Jun 30th - 08:29am | Mookie

As a former employee of the National Geographic Society, I feel i should point out a few issues that may or may not be at work here:

Park History: Mammoth Cave National Park

Jul 1st - 10:27am | Anonymous

We were there in May 2008. There are no more tours on the Green river, the Captain and owner died. The cave tour is awesome. I have never been in a "wet" cave before. There are a lot of caves in the Cave City area, we tried to get four of them in 3 days.

Oglala Sioux Just Might Reclaim Southern Half of Badlands National Park

Jul 1st - 09:17am | Lone Hiker

Defiling the land with casinos was instituted by Native traditions, eh? I guess you've never heard of such little communities as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, the Chicago-metro area, St. Louis, Blackhwawk (CO), Biloxi.......how many more do you want me to name?

Jun 30th - 00:15am | Roger

Lone Hiker: You forgot to mention that your "noble" natives tortured and killed their own in mass slaughter, buried the dead in mass graves. They now defile the land with casinos, spray paint "native pride" on the rocks on the rez, destroy the brand new, government housing we pay taxes for. Noble people? I don't think so.

Park History: Would There Have Been a Mesa Verde National Park Without Virginia McClurg?

Jun 30th - 06:39am | Bob Janiskee

The initial version of this article contained a serious mistake, which has been corrected. I stated that Mesa Verde National Park was proclaimed by President Theodore Roosevelt using powers granted by the Antiquities Act, whereas the park was actually created via Congressional legislation signed into law by President Roosevelt. That's a VERY important distinction.

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