Yosemite Fee Hike Spiked
Under pressure from the gateway towns surrounding Yosemite, Director Bomar agreed to spike the proposed increase in the park's entrance fee, from $20 to $25.
EPA Takes Issue With Yellowstone's Winter Use DEIS
The EPA in its formal comments to the Yellowstone snomobile DEIS says the parks' preference to allow as many as 720 snowmobiles in Yellowstone on a daily basis in winter "may not ensure adequate resource protection" and would result in much more pollution than the snowcoach-only alternative.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 20th, 2007 8:05pm
Judge Allows Groups to Intervene In Death Valley Case
At issue is whether Inyo County, California, should be allowed to bulldoze roads in a portion of Death Valley that is designated wilderness. In agreeing to let the conservation groups intervene in the matter on behalf of the National Park Service, Judge Anthony Ishii wrote that the groups have a "significant protectable interest" in how the legal battle plays out.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 20th, 2007 1:15pm
C&O Canal Hopes to Land Some Centennial Funding
As the National Park Centennial Initiative moves forward, it definitely will be interesting to see how many projects arise and how decisions are made to fund them.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 20th, 2007 1:10pm
Tragedy Stalks the National Parks
It's been a rough few days in the national parks. A three-day search in Mount Rainier has led to the discovery of the body of a missing hiker, while in Yosemite another hiker has died while trying to negotiate Half Dome.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 20th, 2007 1:02pm
Should Anything Be Done With Angel's Landing?
What should the National Park Service do, if anything, with Angel's Landing in Zion National Park? This question arises every time there's a fatality, and rightly so. The recent death of Barry Goldstein has rekindled the debate, with at least one reader believing the Park Service should, in essence, certify the ability of hikers determined to reach the landing.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 19th, 2007 12:32pm
Take an Audio Snapshot of the Parks
A recent entry on the WildeBeat about the natural soundscapes present within our parks, has me inspired to share my experience and equipment list used to capture an 'audio snapshot' of my own visits.
A New Foundation Arises to Aid Lake Superior Parks
As times grow increasingly tougher, financially, for the National Park Service, individual parks can find a bit of a lifeline in non-profit friends groups. The latest non-profit to surface is the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 18th, 2007 6:18am
Off The Well-Worn Path: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Still wondering where to head for your summer vacation? Well, if you live in or anywhere near the Midwest, there's a gorgeous national lakeshore with a nice chain of islands to explore, called the Apostle Islands.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 17th, 2007 10:34pm
USOC Feeling Overly Proprietary About "Olympic"
The USOC is focusing its power on an Olympic National Park ranger, demanding that he be careful with how he uses the world "Olympic." And it wants him to forget about trademarking his guidebook 'Best of the Olympic Peninsula'.
- By Kurt Repanshek - June 16th, 2007 8:32pm
