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| Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic |
Roughster
Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
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Aug 18, 2017 - 03:21pm PT
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Thanks for the heads up, geesh, what a disaster :(
Hello,
After carefully reviewing each proposal, Alternatives A, B, and C, I am strongly against B. This solution is not in alignment with the principals and mission statement of the National Park Service to, "creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun". It will significantly hamper the public's ability to enjoy IT'S land, not the park service's land. You are the stewards for the American people, not the key holder to modify the public's access at your whim. The fact that people still would need to pay to drive through, without being able to use the park, is absolutely hubris for the park service to even propose.
I am also opposed to Alternative C. I almost feel that Alternative B is so bad as to get people to support Alternative C, which is also a terrible option. Under no circumstance should an entire National Park, including a rightfully popular one, be off limits based upon what we all know will be an online reservation system that will work sub-optimally at best, and most likely result in significant barriers for the average American to be able to visit the park.
Given these poor solution, Alternative A is the only viable option until the Park Service invests meaningful time and energy into developing a solution that would actually enhance visitors experience in the park, not just make it more difficult for everyone to enjoy.
Aaron Rough - Vacaville, CA
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 18, 2017 - 03:40pm PT
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The tip of the iceberg. National Parks are getting loved to death. When I first visited Jackson Hole in the 60's I never would have imagined the Zoo it would become. The world's population has more than tripled in my lifetime, no easy solutions. Then again, a madman has his finger on the nuclear trigger.
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Aug 18, 2017 - 03:43pm PT
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Right "the population had more than tripled". Get a fukin clue people, start talking loudly about population control. It's really the only problem we face. Everything else is just a symptom.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver CO
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Aug 18, 2017 - 04:49pm PT
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Thanks for posting this kind of information. I'll never turn down an opportunity to participate in agency "notice and comment" which is a legal process they are required to do.
They ruled out the only solution, which is to prohibit cars. Zion is a big park, and this is not the part of it to visit anyway. It makes Yosemite Valley look like a wilderness. Here was my comment:
Zion was a fabulous place 25 years ago when I climbed the Moonlight Butress. I just went back to visit last year and couldn't believe how trashed it has become. None of the commercial development at the entrance was there before.
I am in favor of one of your rejected solucions: prohibit vehicle traffic. Close the road. The fact is, the best preserved areas are in places that are hard to get to, which means #1, no paved roads. Second, guides and similiar commercial business should be prohibited. In Canyonlands, guiding companies book all the campsites for the whole season, and you're not allowed to camp anywhere else.
Finally, the most beautiful places in the US should be protected as wilderness areas and managed by the Forest Service. The Park Service just wrecks them.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Aug 18, 2017 - 05:19pm PT
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Well, I was just there a week ago. And it's very crowded during the peak summer season. At 730 AM on a weekday, there was a sizable line for the shuttle. Sounded like the lot was probably full by 900.
And more importantly, the Narrows and Angels landing were pretty much a zoo, which very much impacts the experience.
This is not the case if you go outside of summer, or spring/fall holidays.
So I don't know there needs to be regs all year, but I do think some kind of reservations system might be needed for the summer. The canyon just can't handle that much human traffic.
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Roughster
Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
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Aug 18, 2017 - 06:22pm PT
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The whole issue of guides and "services" booking all available dates is real. It is already happening for the Lost Coast Trail up north and this is the first year of a new "online" permit system for the trail.
I think the permit system is not the solution. It doesn't really work for anything else. All it is does is create a secondary "black market" at infilated prices or requires you to pay for a guide/service you don't need or want.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Aug 19, 2017 - 12:51pm PT
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Norm said it
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Aug 19, 2017 - 01:18pm PT
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Blaming population growth is naive
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/us/usa-population-growth.html?mcubz=0
Our population growth is at a low point. Careful what you wish for, further reductions in population will have some negative effects. Like a major reduction in our standard of living. just look to countries that have gone into negative growth. Ironically immigration is the only reason we have growth.
It is not a good idea to equate our ability to freely vist a few National Parks with real problems. Simple truth is that a few parks are popular, more people visit them.
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