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C&O Canal Hopes to Land Some Centennial Funding

Jun 30th - 22:26pm | Merryland

I own 3.5 acres adjacent to CHOH (I can literally spit into the canal prism from the property line), also close to Antietam Battlefield and really hope the towpath gets repaired so that cyclists and equestrians can go from Georgetown to Cumberland once again. Between miles 80 and 90, towpath goers are forced to detour from the towpath and follow public roads which are much more dangerous.

Paying to Enjoy The Parks

Jun 30th - 21:09pm | Merryland

I happiily pay the Annual Pass fee yet there are still parks that don't honor the pass for various reasons. Cave parks rarely honor the pass, and those with museums or historic homes as the focal point of the visit also often have separate or additional fees. I want a single fee card, whatever the price is, that will let me in everywhere.

Jun 27th - 23:46pm | Sally

Joseph: Jus' to let ya know, TAXES were originally set up by our founders to be paid towards one thing and one thing ONLY...DEFENSE of this great nation. So don't complain.... Granma

Jun 27th - 13:03pm | Anonymous

You, sir, are an illiterate

Jun 26th - 17:27pm | Joseph Hamelin

I think if have all that money to give away, and is are tax dollers. For WARs that are needless. We should NOT PAY one penny. to use parks that was payed for with tax dollers !!!!

Jun 26th - 13:04pm | Scott Silver

That Chattahoocchee article was important. So was the one I posted the day before from SW Oregon on the Wild Wilderness blog --- and so is the discussion folks were having about Kachess Lake Campground in WA state. The three are all related and together they point to the future.

Selling Scions by the Seashore

Jun 29th - 13:23pm | Glenn Scofield ...

One more example of the current administration's push to put everything under the control of business. If you think the government-run parks are messy, you should try it when corporations - who you can't vote out and have no motives but profit - get in control. The NPS is not a place for business interests... it's bad enough we have to wrangle with concessions to do what's good for the parks.

Jun 29th - 09:47am | snowbird

Jr. Ranger: Read some great books written by Edward Abbey (former NPS ranger and now deceased). May those books inspire you to stick your values!

Jun 29th - 07:35am | jsmacdonald

I wouldn't worry about it. First, you probably wouldn't want to apply to work for people who "remember nastygram"s, and you certainly don't want to stop speaking your mind because someone might remember. Fear is a powerful tool used to keep people in line (see Washington Post 4-part series this week on Cheney as evidence).

Jun 28th - 21:50pm | jr_ranger

I wrote letters to my Senators and Congressman - wonder what sort of reply I'll get. I wanted to write the super, but if I applied for a job there after school and someone remembered my nastygram, that wouldn't be too good...

Jun 28th - 12:28pm | Anonymous

Be concerned. Golden Gate NRA is the park that other NPS superintendents, looking for income-generating ideas, hold up as THE paragon of private-public partnerships. And those superintendents that do watch Golden Gate, do not have their park's best interests in mind.

Jun 28th - 10:25am | jr_ranger

ARGH! Who approved this? I don't like imports to begin with, but imports being sold in a national park is like two stabs in the back..... :( I should write someone a letter.

Jun 28th - 09:50am | Matt

Public lands are frequently used for commercial activities but they are generally limited to those that contribute to management objectives for an area. I don't work for NPS and am not up to date on their commercial activity permit policy and process, but I'm having a tough time figuring out how lining Scions up and down Alcatraz Island furthers management objectives.

Repairing Rainier: A Question of Values

Jun 29th - 12:55pm | Glenn Scofield ...

Back to the point, there is a fine line (as has been repeated over and over) between protecting the resource and providing access to people. I'm not sure if these things can be decided on a blanket, general basis. It seems that diverting Kautz Creek may be a frustration response by park officials who have sought to tame that road crossing for the last 50 years.

Jun 26th - 12:49pm | anony

Sally, I feel sorry for your grandchildren who have to suffer your physical abuse. Take your verbal abuse elsewhere.

Jun 26th - 12:48pm | Anonymous

Sally, I get this feeling that you've never read "How to Win Friends and Influence People".... Kurt

Jun 26th - 12:46pm | jr_ranger

Two things:

Jun 25th - 01:38am | Sally

You tree-huggers are pathetic..."too much damage" maybe we oughta just put a FENCE around it and keep everybody out.... The storm did one helluva lot of DAMAGE too, including dumping a LOT of SILT in the river too...who ya gonna blame, God??

Congress Takes a Step Toward Restoring the Great Lakes

Jun 28th - 21:38pm | repanshek

Jim, I'll have to double-check, but I believe current regs require ships to swap their ballast at sea before coming down the St. Lawrence Seaway. But I've been wrong before....;-) Kurt

Jun 28th - 21:33pm | jsmacdonald

When I was on Lake Erie last week, I heard a lot from an Ohio State University scientist about the need for shipping ballast regulation.

Welcome to the National Parks Traveler 2.0

Jun 28th - 12:36pm | fernando_vilarinho

Great new interface. Big Congrats. all good for your and this blog from Portugal, fernando_vilarinho

Jun 27th - 16:43pm | jr_ranger

Hey - if you guys did such a great job apart, imagine what NPT will be like! Keep up the great work! The new look and feel is wonderful.

Jun 27th - 12:39pm | Bob Mackreth

Congratulations! The new interface looks great, and I'm eagerly anticipating the results of your collaboration. Both NP Traveler and Park Remark have proven their worth many times over, and this new vision should be even more valuable for those of us who love the parks. Ranger Bob Home Page: http://www.bobmackreth.com

Jun 27th - 06:19am | jsmacdonald

Congratulations. It's great to see the two of you partner. I'm about to launch RSS feeds for the sections of the Yellowstone Newspaper (actually, they're already up, but I haven't published them yet as I see if there are any kinks). That can hardly cover the full range of stuff for all the parks, but it does a pretty good job for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

The Political Blotter

Jun 28th - 00:38am | VIC

I am not against snow mobiles or them having races, as long as they pass some kind of mechanical inspection, it bothers me when I see any mechanical driven vehicle burning or leaking oil. All should be required to have a valid inspection sticker, a nominal fee should be charged. The inspection should cover all mechanical and safety items, good for only 6 months.

Jun 27th - 15:45pm | Beamis

The days of government management should be drawing to a close. The continuing faith that is placed in this oversized and self-perpetuating bureaucracy with its legendary mismanagment is truly astounding! Can any of you out there name even ONE efficient federal government agency? One that is free of self-promotion, careerism and image mongering? Yeah, that's what I figured.

Hawaii Volcanoes Displaying its Geologic Might

Jun 27th - 21:11pm | Claire Walter

I'm in Hawaii right now, and tho' I'm not on the Big Island, this is major news all over the state. When someone mentions something like, say, the Agora Fire, some Hawaiian always points out that it will be contained and extinguished w/ the intervention of humans. Kilauea will be fiery until the eruption stops naturally.

Grizzly Attacks Man in Grand Teton

Jun 27th - 16:23pm | jr_ranger

Sally - how do you know the bear wasn't there first? Oh, wait, you don't. Excuse the rhetorical question.

Jun 26th - 13:02pm | Snowbird

Mustang Sally (aka acid tongue momma) my tribe always considers and recognizes the bear as a sacred animal regardless who was here first...what difference does it make to you...you seem so anti nature! Why!!

Jun 26th - 13:02pm | Sally

Birdie: How do you know the bear was "here first?" Was the bear older than the guy attacked??

Jun 26th - 13:01pm | windymesa

1.) In the Teton case.. responsibility lies with the NPS. It is entirely thier fault as was the 2 - 1967 Glacier deaths (well documented in the “Night of the Grizzlies, by Jack Olsen”. Jackson Lake Lodge is not a wilderness area where man should know that he is in harms way, and using his wilderness savy.

Mission

Jun 27th - 08:51am | Brodie Farquhar

Very nice new look and the content remains solid. This is gonna be fun!

A Modern History Of Public Lands Mismanagement

Jun 26th - 13:03pm | Snowbird

I wonder if there was any secret vistor's from the NPS and American Recreation Coalition having one of those famous clandestine meeting with Mr. Cheney...of course, will never know since the secret service torn up Cheney's vistor's files. A typical operation with this administration.

Should Anything Be Done With Angel's Landing?

Jun 25th - 01:36am | Phil

Sanitize NPS land holdings? You might as well just plow them under, dam the rivers, and open the ecosystem to whatever type of development, be it commercial or residential, whose shadows currently cast a blight on the majority of the nation.

Jun 21st - 03:25am | anony

Survival of the fittest. Hiking the trail is optional and there are plenty of warning signs. Until people stop hiking unprepared (I met one person on Angels landing who hiked it with 16 OUNCES of water in 110 degree heat), people will continue to be at risk. Nature can be dangerous, people (but not as dangerous as driving). Don't like it, stay home.

Jun 21st - 03:24am | Bobt

I'm having second thoughts about this hike, I have wanted to do for the past couple of years now. I belong to an online Zion group and read posts from people daily about Zion in general.

Jun 21st - 03:23am | Brian

When I climbed Angel's Landing I did so without touching the chains (much to my chagrin there were a couple places where the chain was right where I wanted a handhold). I wanted to take the climb on its own terms, and was extremely cautious--probably much more cautious than someone walking along holding the chains.

Jun 21st - 03:23am | Anja Leiendecker

When you look at the climb itself, you know where you are getting into. My opinion, be your better judge and know your own limitations in combination with the local conditions. No matter how well you might keep people from doing things. When you say something is not allowed and there are no guards, usually that is what people are going to do, just because it is not allowed.

Jun 19th - 15:50pm | kath

The park service can't station someone at the trail head to do 10 second physical fitness tests. It would leave the service really wide open to liability not only for falls but also for ADA violations. NPS Rangers aren't have no medical training to determine who is and who isn't fit enough to make the grade or to determine who is subject to dizziness or balance problems, etc. etc.

Woman Dies in Fall From Angel's Landing

Jun 25th - 01:34am | Sam Jackson

At the grand canyon, they have signs warning people about the dangers of not having enough water with strapping athletic people who got into trouble and had to be rescued; likewise I think it would be effective if the zion rangers would put up some pictures of good hikers who got into trouble on the trail and posted it up there. Tragedies could be prevented a little more, hopefully.

Take an Audio Snapshot of the Parks

Jun 25th - 01:30am | Steve Sergeant

I'll probably get a chance to play with this Zoom H4 unit at the Nature Sounds Society's Annual Field Workshop here in Northern California. It'll be interesting to see how it performs against some gear with a more impressive price tag. I've never had good luck myself using recorders which have built-in microphones.

Yosemite Fee Hike Spiked

Jun 22nd - 02:21am | matt

It's amazing what can happen when people become engaged in the process. Well played, folks, well played.

Tragedy Stalks the National Parks

Jun 22nd - 02:19am | Snowbird

Mustang Sally: Go to Olmstead Point (over looking the Tenaya Canyon) in Yosemite and you will find a beautifully engraved plaque that expresses the words "in creations dawn", if you have a soul you will know exactly what I'm trying to say. Loosen baby and read some poetry...it's called sensitvity training...I think you need it!

Jun 21st - 03:27am | Sally

Snowybird: Whaaaaaat??? What kinda mumbo-jumbo is that??

Jun 21st - 03:27am | Snowbird

Anon: Your comments are reality in the face. Death that stalks in beautiful places like Yosemite is to find your soul in the creation of dawn.

Jun 21st - 03:26am | anony

People die. I'd rather fall off Half Dome than die of a coronary in my cubicle or in a twisted pile of tons of metal and plastic on an interstate highway. People die. Why the morbid fascination with death in national parks?

Jun 21st - 03:26am | kath

The eyewitness accounts of the man who fell to his death from the Half Dome cables (via the link) were truly chilling. A very tragic sight for his children to see. But as to what the NPS will (note I'm not saying should) do? That depends. If this man's family files a wrongful death lawsuit against the NPS and wins a substantial amount of money, the cables will be taken down permanently.

Three Dead in Grand Teton Rafting Accident

Jun 21st - 03:22am | JANIE PEPPER

WE WERE REAFTING IN DURANGO, COLORADO ON JUNE 2, 2007 ON THE ANIMAS RIVER WHEN OUR RAFT TURNED OVER IN THE RApids. EVERYONE WENT INTO THE RIVER, AND WE NEARLY DROWNED. I WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE OVERTURNED RAFT, AND MY HUSBAND WAS SWEPT DOEN THE RIVER. WE WERE ALL RESCUED, BUT IT WAS THE MOST FRIGHTENING MOMENT OF MY LIFE!! THE RAFTING COMPANY TOOK IT VERY LIGHTLY!!!!

A New Foundation Arises to Aid Lake Superior Parks

Jun 21st - 03:20am | Bob Krumenaker

Thanks, Kurt, for your generous coverage of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Sunday and Monday’s posts. I’m pleased to say that Sunday the grand reopening of the Raspberry Island Light, which you pictured, went exceptionally well despite Lake Superior’s best efforts to make things difficult!

St. Louis Man Dies in Fall From Angel's Landing

Jun 19th - 15:52pm | kingsley

my heart goes out to the family- Angels landing is to be the highlight of my own honeymoon vacation- though i am considering not climbing angels now- it seems a lot more dangerous than anticipated and though having experienced ridge scrambling in scotland and wales i am having second thoughts- k

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