Proposed Winter Rule Available

The rule governing winter use in Yellowstone has been published.

.. Here are some quotes:

" . . .the temporary plan requires that all recreational snowmobiles entering the parks meet best available technology (BAT) requirements. This requirement, along with air emissions requirements for snowcoaches, ensures that the vast majority of recreational over-snow vehicles operating in the parks employ current emissions control equipment, and has resulted in improvements in air quality and natural soundscapes."

"Beginning in the 2011-2012 season, all snowcoaches must meet air emission requirements, which will be the functional equivalent of having EPA Tier I emissions control equipment incorporated into the engine and drive train for the vehicle class (size and weight) as a wheeled vehicle."

"Beginning in the 2011-2012 season, snowcoaches must meet a sound emissions requirement of no greater than 73dBA; test procedures to be determined by the NPS."

"No more than eight snowmobiles would be permitted in a group with one commercial guide; no more than 17 snowmobiles would be permitted in a group with two commercial guides on separate snowmobiles. Group numbers include the guide's machine."

"As of the 2008-2009 winter season, the East Entrance road would be closed to through travel by oversnow vehicles in order to address the avalanche risk at Sylvan Pass that cannot be reasonably mitigated. The one-year delay in implementing the change on the East Entrance road is proposed in response to comments received from cooperating agencies who expressed concern for communities and businesses to make appropriate adjustments."

.. Comment period closes July 16, 2007.
.. See the rule, and comment HERE, (key word=Yellowstone.)

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Did You Know?
At peak summer levels, 3,500 employees work for Yellowstone National Park concessionaires and about 800 work for the park. Just who is running Yellowstone National Park?

Spring Road-Plowing Announced

nps photo

PLOWING TO START MARCH 4
SYLVAN PASS Draft ASSESSMENT
Read The Yellowstone "BUSINESS PLAN"

.. The National Park Service has announced the schedule for clearing the roads for the summer season. This process takes time and the weather makes the posted schedule problematic, Check the Yellowstone Road Page for more accurate information. Or, Call park headquarters at (307) 344-7381.

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Starting 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, roads from Mammoth to Norris will be closed:
Then the closure of Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon at 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 6. Remaining roads will close to over the snow vehicles at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.

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Roads will open again to vehicles on Friday, April 20, from Mammoth to Old Faithful; Madison to the West Entrance; and Norris to Canyon.
Roads from Canyon to Lake, and from Lake to the East Entrance are scheduled to open Friday, May 4;
Lake to the South Entrance, and West Thumb to Old Faithful, Tower to Tower Fall on Friday, May 11; and Tower Fall to Canyon over Dunraven Pass on Friday, May 25.

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.. The Draft Avalanche Report for Sylvan Pass press release is available at the Yellowstone National Park web site. The full report is available HERE (PDF). The report says that there will be no changes to travel through Sylvan Pass.

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The Yellowstone National Park Business Plan is an interesting, (and lengthy document,) it can be accessed HERE (PDF). For a glimpse into the thought process of people planning the future of Yellowstone check the sections: PRIORITIES & STRATEGIES - Park Goals, and LOOKING FORWARD. This is a glorified budget request and justification. Note the Biz Buzz and words like "JUSTIFICATION" & "PUBLIC."

Of Wolves And Railroads

ARE GERMAN WOLVES

LIKE AMERICAN WOLVES?

ARE CANADIAN WOLVES

LIKE AMERICAN WOLVES?

What's Going On At The Grand Canyon?

Are They Red Or Are They Not?

Yellowstone's "Buddy Boulders"

________________

.. Thanks to Stephen Bodio's Querencia, we were directed to an L.A. Times article about wolves in Saxony and their behaviors, that are similar to those in Yellowstone. The behaviors and attitudes of their human neighbors are also similar.
.. Wolves are excellent at making a living, as are dogs, and cats and coyotes and cougars. If it's smaller &/or weaker it is potentially food. And if it's available to a pack, it's just plain food.
.. In the more densely populated German countryside the wolves are both hunter and scavenger. They enter the villages, they roam the pastures, and they make a living on the bounty of the land. They have become habituated to humans. Germany also has a social & economic system that recompenses farmers and ranchers for lost livestock similar to the one in the United States.
.. This year because of climatic and other environmental circumstances the wolves are taking a lot of elk calves in Yellowstone. The early winter elk survey shows that there are fewer bulls and more calves, and with the lack of snow cover it's just easier to make a living off of tender meat.
.. We all know about Little Red Riding Hood. We all know about the 3 little pigs. These ancient stories have meaning and truth to them, as do most parables. We all know how the wolves have been vilified in ancient tales and nursery rhymes. But what we seldom hear about are the contemporary tales of wolves attacking people. The attacks are rare and usually due to special circumstances, but they do occur.
.. Last September King's Outdoor World Blog posted a note about an unusual wolf attack. The attack was by a lone wolf, that proved to be in poor health. It was just trying to make a living in a Canadian provincial park. The wolf was just trying to make a living off of tender meat in the easiest way possible.
.. Six people were injured, from ages 3 to 14. The attack was in daylight and among a small crowd of people enjoying a holiday outing at the beach.
.. Are these "foreign" wolves like American wolves? They are. And, as the area around Yellowstone National Park becomes more densely populated, we can expect to have incidents and encounters with wolves. As time passes wolves will discover the easy meals; the tender meat. And, as the American Gentry move to the country there will be more encounters.
.. The discussion forum at King's Outdoor World Blog has a string of factual and other tales that help illustrate an overriding concern of ours. Will we lose all of our Poodles, Dachshunds and Jack Russel Terriers to wolves in the coming years?
MORE:
INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER
TOP SECRET ANIMAL ATTACK FILES

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.. It Must be coincidental. The book store at the Grand Canyon is attacked by PEER, the bloggers have a field day, truth turns out to be stranger than fiction, then Xanterra buys the Grand Canyon Railway, and Joe Alston decides to quit rather than accept a position in Washington D.C.
.. We really like these sorts of coincidental timings. They breed speculation. They fire the imagination. They provide words for blogs.
.. We suspect, however, that there is probably not too much to these events piling up on one another, (or is there?).
.. Joe just can't stay in one place too long. He never has, and he has stayed at the Grand Canyon, in the SES, longer than most would have stayed. PEER always needs Headlines, and bloggers always need words. And, as we all know Xanterra is busy monopolizing and privatizing the parks as fast as they can, (along with Delaware North.)
.. Xanterra even believes it already owns some of the parks:

"Xanterra properties include those at Death Valley, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the prestigious Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California."

.. In-holdings are always a sore spot, but whole parks? This subtle tyranny of words is either intentional, or ignorant - either way it should rankle conscientious citizens.
.. The monopolistic concessionaires really enjoy the opportunity to gang up on the park service as they have done in Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. They are constantly talking about the 'economies of scale' and the efficiency of size. Should this sound just a bit thin, we direct you to an excellent post by Scott Silver at Wild Wilderness. The unholy alliances are all around us, and are going to continue.
.. For a pile of money as deep as the Grand Canyon, "Xanterra Parks & Resorts will take over the assets of the railroad company, including the trains, rail route from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, an RV park, restaurant and several real estate parcels in Williams." This is beginning to sound like the Disney Corporation.
.. The deal is final ----- pending National Park Service approval ----- HA. Wan'na' bet? How 'bout a ride on the rails? Want to see how the other half enjoys the Grand Canyon? CLICK HERE. And we bet that nobody complains that Xanterra is lying to children about going to the North Pole on their new "Polar Express."

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.. The not so wild elk that recently escaped from an Idaho game-hunting farm have been declared "Genetically Pure" by the members of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association.
.. This announcement comes as the Idaho State Legislature is considering eliminating the tame-elk hunting ranches. An escaped cow elk was killed and genetic tests showed probable Red Deer genes, based on a Canadian laboratory report. For the members list of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association visit their members page.

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.. A nifty bit of natural history has been reported by The San Francisco Chronicle. The phenomenon of buddy boulders is explored in a news essay "Like A Rock" wherein trees and their buddy boulders form a life-long symbiotic relationship. Examples of this are visible across Yellowstone.
.. Boulders can shade seedlings from harsh elements and the result is "buddy rocks", as seen especially in the flat known as "Little America" above the east bank of the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. <<Photo by Mollie Rights.>>

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DOANE AGAIN

KIM READS
Commercialism Creeps
old faithful steams

<<-- Kim Allen Scott will read from his book on Doane, “Yellowstone Denied,” at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Pioneer Museum in Bozeman. As previously noted, Gustavus Cheyney Doane was a soldier, inventor, author and explorer who felt he should be famous for "discovering" Yellowstone National Park and wealthy from one of his inventions.
.. Montana State University has finally issued a news release about this fascinating saga of the man and his obscurity - aided, interestingly, by a selfish, (or preoccupied historian.) The book is an interesting compilation, the story is even better.
.. The book is getting the good play that it deserves, including another note in the Helena Independent Record. If you're in Bozeman this Saturday stop at the museum and give a listen.

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.. Montana State University has a couple of employees who will be evaluating the "Windows Into Wonderland" series about Yellowstone National Park. The award winning series of electronic field trips has attracted millions of visitors and details a wide range of Yellowstone's various features and attractions.

________________

.. We noticed an interesting essay about commercialization, American values, and our national parks in Jim's Eclectic World. One point in the essay is very apparent in Yellowstone National Park -- CREEPING COMMERCIALISM.
.. As we've noted before, (here & here & here,) there are major corporations spending a lot of money to get their name associated with Yellowstone. The "Windows Into Wonderland" series mentioned is just one of them.
.. Via The Yellowstone Newspaper we were directed to a not so playful spoof of the future of Yellowstone in A Step Apart.
.. A pair of notes serve to illustrate the way this is working. WebWire has a note about how Canon is persistently pushing itself into Yellowstone. And the CSRWire has a note about how Toyota is doing the same thing.
.. This should not be too surprising in that the very origin of Yellowstone was fostered by the commercial interests of the Northern Pacific Railroad. An excellent review of Berringer's book "Selling Of Yellowstone: Capitalism & The Construction Of Nature" can be found HERE.

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.. There are two articles addressing the declining attendance at our national parks. The site Inside Bay Area.com lets us know that Yosemite is busy competing with Play Station & X Box. And over at Hotel Online, a similar note suggests that the decline is not all bad.

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.. The Voice Of America reports that one of the alternative energy sources we should be utilizing is geothermal power. So to does ARS Technica. No mention was made of the Iceland fiasco that destroyed much of the beauty of their geyser fields for steam heat.

OIL DRILLING IN IDAHO ?

.. This Quote from MidCurrent says it all:
"After the U.S. Congress loosened controls on oil and gas drilling on public lands in 2005, the price of oil encouraged the Forest Service to open more national forests to exploration -- meaning more roads and test wells in areas previously considered unsuitable for drilling. "The U.S. Forest Service is drafting a plan to lease areas of the Caribou National Forest and Curlew National Grassland along Idaho's southeastern border for oil and gas exploration." Jesse Harlan Alderman of the Associated Press."
.. The Daily Herald article gives us the details. The energy crush is bringing exploration closer to Yellowstone National Park all the time.

Yellowstone's Bears, Bison, Wolves, & Rich People

BEARS POPULATION EXPLODING
BISON HAVE RICH FRIENDS
Yellowstone can be bought - Yosemite can't
WOLVES EAT BEEF
Yellowstone is now 100% commercialized in winter!

.. Just because Yellowstone slammed shut it's doors to prepare for 100% commercial tours in the winter, doesn't mean there's no news.

.. Wolves kill elk on steps of Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.
.. 108 luxury cabins planned for Yosemite stifled by judge.
.. Wolves solidifying gained ground - disperse slowly.
.. Tester vs. Burns - Stay tuned!
.. Grizzlies off threatened list?
.. The joys of shoulder seasons past and present.
.. Tourism gaining ground.
.. Kobuck the bear - trash can tester.
.. Wolf conservation vs. wolf control.
.. Patagonia Loves Bison Billboards.

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..

Yellowstone Greets Winter

IT'S NOT HERE YET
be informed
plan ahead

-- We noticed an interesting post in a blog entitled "The Testosterone Bloggers" and had to visit the site. The site "A STEP APART" relates to many topics about Yellowstone.
-- An interesting perspective arises from perusing several pages on the site: 1.) there is abundant, (mostly justified,) negativity surrounding the use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, 2.) there is little effort spent in addressing the underlying problems with the machines, 3.) there is poor understanding about safety of travel in obsolete conveyances, 4.) and there is little if any conversation about the issues.
-- The history of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone is detailed at the site, and a brief note suggests that plowing the roads would be advantageous to both Yellowstone and the public. Some notes are started in what looks to be an exhaustive history of transportation in Yellowstone National Park.
-- The reading convinced us that it might be time to address the real possibility that, in the future, there will be a personal over-the-snow conveyance that is cleaner, quieter, less intrusive, safer, and more economical than the mass transportation used by commercial interests. Should this become reality, the rage against the machine named 'snowmobile' will have to be reassessed.
-- Bicycles were reviled when they first entered Yellowstone, so too were automobiles. Neither were banned. Problems were addressed: solutions and accommodations were reached.
-- Today, tour buses spew noxious fumes, smog accumulates, and snowmobiles intrude on the winterscape. All are problems, and all need to be addressed.
-- Banning tour buses is not a solution that is contemplated very seriously. Banning automobiles is not considered either.
-- If snowmobiles cannot meet sound, safety, and emissions standards then they should not be allowed into the park - BUT if the standards can be met they should be treated as any other vehicle.
-- Automobiles today are cleaner and safer than they were 50 years ago. Even diesel belching buses in good repair are are cleaner than in the past.
-- It's time to direct the conversation about "snowmobiles" to the problems that they cause. And, it's time to understand that technology can make a difference. Safety of all winter travel has been neglected by the arguments against the snowmobile. There are many safety issues that obsolete conveyances pose. Jumping to the commercial solution may pose more problems than it solves.
-- There are several employees in the planning department at Yellowstone National Park that envision solutions other than banning snowmobiles. Plowing the roads can be a viable solution. Establishing, (and enforcing,) standards for safety, noise, pollution and intrusion, can and should be developed for all winter vehicular travel.
-- A recent article in the West Yellowstone News detailed the interesting history of plowing roads in the winter. It has been successfully implemented in the past. It is an option in the upcoming winter use plan. Plowing is a viable option and one that has been lost in the debate about snowmobiles.
-- The issue should be how to provide safe, non-intrusive access to Yellowstone National Park in the winter, and still protect the park - not just about banning snowmobiles.
READ MORE:
Wilderness Society
National Parks Traveler
MONTANA: Snow machines in the gardens

Yellowstone's Quagmire

nps photo

WHAT'S IMPORTANT ANYWAY ??

-The National Park Service, in general, and Yellowstone National Park, in particular, have failed in one of their most important missions: EDUCATION. Specifically education about the parks and their origins, and their reasons for existence.
- Popular, idiomatic speech, has clouded their thinking. Bribes from 'do-gooding' rich folks have twisted their priorities. Management by litigation has destroyed their perspective.
- The very vocabulary of the popular press, (Newspapers, TV, Weblogs, etc.) includes such words as tragedy, disaster, rampage, etc. when referring to the natural processes that are, (and have been,) responsible for the very parks that we call wonders.
- Fires, Floods, Glaciations, Erosion, Earthquakes, and the whole complement of natural processes that produce the parks are decried as terrible occurrences by the public - and sadly by the NPS & Yellowstone, as well.
- The tragedy is that the public believes that Roads, Fancy Hotels, Visitor Centers, Trinket Shops, RV Parks, Yacht Marinas, and the rest of the built environment is what the parks are about - and - these things are perceived as equally important as the natural features of the parks.
- It seems impossible, (in the popular mind,) to separate a stay at the Old Faithful Inn from a perfect visit to Yellowstone. The same can be said for other parks such as Yosemite. Yet, truth be told, these ephemeral structures will be long gone while the wonders of these places continue to change and evolve.
- Education of the public is mandatory if the NPS is going to get it's house in order. Money is tight and promises to get tighter. Visitation is down and promises to fall even more. Infrastructure is rotting and crumbling - so much the better; get rid of it.
.. The parks are not about weekend revels in a $70,000.oo motor home. They are not about the sumptuous meals at a given dining room. They are not about palatial surroundings in historic buildings. They are about the way that the natural world has conspired to produce beauty and majesty.
- The blinders worn by do-gooders allow them to believe that edifices are somehow comparable to the surroundings - get real. Fire must be suppressed, (or it might destroy a fancy old building,) rivers must be returned to their beds, (or they might destroy roads,) hot spring run-off must be diverted, (or it'll cover up a structure built in the 50's.) This attitude is called NIMP - Not In My Park. It's endemic in the popular mind, and growing in the NPS. Let nature take it's course elsewhere but - NIMP!
- Fires, Floods, Glaciations, Wind, Rain, Sun, Run-Off, Explosions, Poison Gas, etc. should be celebrated. There is no way to curtail these forces and in the same breath call the parks "wilderness," "natural," or "wild." The corollary attitude is that since we protect the elk and bison to the point of danger, we should also protect every tree.
- The public wants Disney World! The NPS, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN; and the rest of the popular press want to deliver it.
- If the political system that governs our country is valid, then soon the populist perception will become the policy of the NPS. So be it; but do not, then, decry in the same breath, the vanishing 'wilderness' experience. Unless, of course, the public becomes educated - and still wants Disney World.
- Read carefully the news presentations and commentaries for the subtle tyranny that words work on the concept of our parks. Development is viewed by the NPS as vital. They are busy transforming the interior of the parks into the same kind of tourist slums that are represented by the 'gateway' villages.
- They are terrified of refusing millions of dollars - lest they offend Conoco, or Westinghouse, or Casio. So buildings are built that stress the skinny budgets. This is called improvement - not impact, or it's 'acceptable impact." Maybe Conoco needs educating too.
- We want it both ways. Drive to the park, call the roads access not impacts. Call the hotels accommodations not impacts. Call the sewage treatment plants infrastructure not impacts. Call the parking lots necessary not impacts. The first rule of access is impact. No cute rationalization removes it. It can be large or small; terrible or benign, but it is impact.
- Now we have the interesting phrase of "Acceptable Impact." Of course the acceptability of any impact is culturally determined. If the culture continues to want their parks served up with a dose of cute hotels, fancy parking spots, developed campsites, etc. the range of "Acceptable Impacts" will grow.
- Climb in your Sabru, drive to a park, sleep in a fancy hotel, eat a gourmet meal, flush the meal, visit an air conditioned visitor center, watch a movie about the park, decry the fires of '88, and call yourself environmentally friendly. After all you just "DID YELLOWSTONE." And the NPS helped.

Thermophilic Algae

PARKS GET ROYALTIES ?

Voice Your Opinion
park camping down
yellowstone river
recycling.nps photo.

.. After over 15 years of poking around in Yellowstone's thermophiles, the government has decided to explore the ramifications of commercial exploitation of thermophilic bacteria. This has been expanded into a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for all of the National Parks. Not just the algae and bacteria of Yellowstone are addressed, (though they are the driving force,) but all of our park's resources are included in the EIS.
.. The National Park Service news release finally asks for public input. It's available HERE. It's reproduced below. The prefered alternative is:

"The preferred alternative would require researchers to enter into an agreement with the NPS before using their results for commercial purposes. Researchers would have to qualify under the strict standards for a park research permit before any discussion of a benefits-sharing agreement could begin. The agreement would require researchers to provide some benefit back to the park, such as staff training, new research equipment, royalties or money to be used to support resource conservation and management. Researchers would still be prohibited from selling specimens or samples collected in parks. Researchers would not be given any special privileges just because their research may result in a commercial application."

.. Yellowstone National Park is the lead agency in this review process, (as if they had so little to do already,) and the complete EIS information is available through the "Benefits Sharing DEIS Team, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190." A Hard copy on CD is available.

NPS NEWS RELEASE

National Park Service News Release

For Immediate Release:
September 25, 2006
Contact(s): Al Nash, 307.344.2010

Gerry Gaumer, 202.208.6843

National Park Service Releases Draft Environmental Impact Statement On Benefits Sharing For Public Review

A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addressing whether the National Park Service (NPS) should benefit from commercial applications arising from research in the parks has been released for public review and comment.

The Servicewide Benefits Sharing Draft EIS addresses the occasional circumstance when researchers who analyze small genetic or biochemical samples discover commercially useful scientific information. The alternatives in the draft EIS do not change the way research permits are issued or the way research is conducted in the national parks. The alternatives only change the obligations some researchers would have to parks as a result of their use of the research.

The alternatives address whether the NPS should benefit in some way if the outcome of research conducted in the parks can be used for commercial purposes, known as benefits-sharing.

The preferred alternative would require researchers to enter into an agreement with the NPS before using their results for commercial purposes. Researchers would have to qualify under the strict standards for a park research permit before any discussion of a benefits-sharing agreement could begin. The agreement would require researchers to provide some benefit back to the park, such as staff training, new research equipment, royalties or money to be used to support resource conservation and management. Researchers would still be prohibited from selling specimens or samples collected in parks. Researchers would not be given any special privileges just because their research may result in a commercial application.

The Draft EIS and an electronic form to submit comments on the internet can be found at the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. You need to select “Washington Office” and then click on “Benefits Sharing”. The Draft EIS is also available on CD or in hard copy by writing the Benefits Sharing DEIS Team, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight, December 15, 2006.

-www.nps.gov -

..
..nps photo..
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.."Let's face it: It's hard to protect the parks if no one is interested in them," said Park Service statistician Butch Street. This quote from a news story about why park attendance and camping is down. Read it HERE.

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.. The Helena Independent Record reminds us of the Yellowstone River and its central role in Yellowstone. Read about it HERE.

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.. Recycling is a key topic in Yellowstone these days. "Five years ago, nearly 90 percent of the trash from Yellowstone's 3 million visitors each year found its way to the landfill. Now, about 65 percent of the trash is recycled." ''Twenty years ago, we were throwing everything in a garbage can and taking it to a landfill,'' said Steve Iobst, the park's chief of maintenance. ''That's not practicing what we preach.'' Read it HERE.

YELLOWSTONE DELAYED !!

HOW USUAL

JUST LIKE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY
..

. Well folks, after all the hoopla the "SOOPER VISITORS CENTER" at Old Faithful has been delayed.

.. HERE'S the AP press release:

Plans to build a new visitor center near Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park have been delayed at least a year. The park received only one bid for the project this summer, and park officials say it was too high. They're re-examining the project, to see if there's any way to trim the cost to match their 26 (m) million dollar budget. In the meantime, demolition is poised to begin at the existing visitor center at Old Faithful. Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash says it's not unusual for a large project to be delayed, especially in times of high materials costs and brisk construction business. About 85 percent of Yellowstone visitors go to Old Faithful. During the peak summer season, five-thousand to six-thousand people a day wait on the boardwalk for an eruption. And when it's over, they go to the nearby visitor center. (Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

.. Of coures there is still no YNP news release to share with you.

PARKS & ELK & WEDDINGS

nps photo by ken wilson ->

GENES TO BE MIXED
A Pertinant Point Of View
smokey mountain weddings

.. The ongoing fiasco of elk, genes, shoot-em-up, and poor law enforcement is making more news in the southwestern corner of Yellowstone National Park and the adjacent portions of Idaho; from whence cometh the herds.
.. KBCI in Boise tells us a bit about the story, so too does NWCN. Now we will have more debate about purity of genes and the pros and cons of genetic diversity. Well . . . . . . if you mess with Mother Nature . . . . And of course there is the the hunter fall out. New West is right on top of all of this.
.. As the winter approaches, and the sure revival of the winter access debate looms, there is an interesting article by Mark Dowie, in the High Country News. Maybe civilized discussion could be had if "the other person's shoes" were walked in for a spell.

.________________.

.. Right on the heels of our post about the exploitation of park facilities by religious ceremony's and the abuse of public facilities by the wedding industry, comes an announcement from the Smokey Mountains. Fees will be raised and implemented due to the costs associated with the wedding industry. At least someone in the National Park Service is paying attention. LINK.

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In the "Don't say your weren't warned," department.

..

OF RLIGION & WEB CAMS

Get Married In A Park

Giant & Old Faithful Caught Together

.. Two of the most lucrative aspects of profiteering in the National Parks are: 1) the wedding business and, 2) the "FREE" use of park facilities for religious services. You won't hear about this from conventional news sources. You won't hear about it from members of congress. You won't hear about it from the National Park Service. You won't hear about it from the gateway communities.

<-nps photo
.. Weddings and wedding tours start in the neighborhood of $2,500 and go up from there. These take place in Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, Arches, Grand Tetons, etc. They are often run by the same concessionaires that peddle you around the park in exhaust spewing luxury vans, and buses, and limousines. Some use helicopters or horses or rafts. What a kick. (Arches has a $50 wedding permit fee.)
.. Glacier Park, Inc. promotes it's weddings and charges for the services. They even include a 2.75% utility surcharge for staying in any of the five properties in the park.
.. Even more surprising is that the permit to hold religious services in Yellowstone is free - although if it's a wedding, the commercial photographer must pay a fee. This includes the chapel at Yellowstone.
.. Scheduling is a problem because there are already established special interests that have tied up most dates. There must be some kind of exclusive access that allows the perpetuation of "established" ministries to continue year after year. Of course free-will offerings and collections are allowed!
.. We wonder why the whiners who decry the commercialization of our parks ignore this aspect of filthy lucre? We refuse to speculate.
..We do know that maintenance, heating, & electricity in park facilities are expenses that could be offset by fees. We also know that the National Park Service was not created to subsidise weddings or religion. And, we doubt that these functions - IN ANY WAY - protect or preserve the resources. So; what gives? We've received no answers to our inquiries.
.. The Deseret News just ran an article under religion and ethics about this very situation. The piece includes many glowing remarks from religious entrepreneurs & praises for the parks. Although The NPS is charged with oversight for the public structures at Yellowstone; General Ranger Daven Hafey is quoted as saying that ". . .he doesn't know how many people attend because the Park Service doesn't get involved."

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WEB CAM COMES THROUGH

.. The Old Faithful Web Cam has just caught another wonderful "double." On screen is Friday's simultaneous eruption of Old Faithful & Giant Geysers. Giant, you may recall, has been surprisingly active throughout the Summer, and now that Fall weather and moisture have returned to the region there is hope that this behavior will continue.

..

.nps web cam photo.

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