Category Archives: National Parks

National Park Service removes trash cans from parks in an effort to shut down public lands

It’s already started back in D.C.

The National Park Service is REMOVING trash cans from national parks under a new “Trash Free Park” program that’s being instituted in some parks outside of California. According to the Question/Answer sheet found HERE, this is the idea behind the program:

“…Visitors are responsible for removing all refuse they generate in the park when they leave the park. Trash must be picked up and the area left in a clean condition before departure. Visitors are encouraged to come prepared when visiting the park. If they plan to picnic, barbecue, or in any way generate waste, they should plan ahead to provide the means to organize materials needed, and correctly package items and refuse, in order to efficiently remove it with them by the means in which they came -by walking, metro, bicycle, car, etc.. The park encourages visitors to consider how they package items. Using materials that can be recycled or composted when they return home is a positive way to help the environment…”

I don’t know about you, but my questions in no reflect the rainbows and unicorns questions dreamed up but the NPS flunky who wrote that sheet up.  My only question is this:

What fucking moron came up with this idiotic plan?

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The Yosemite Valley Stable is open for the summer season!

The Yosemite Valley Stable offers two great rides: One up to Mirror Lake, and one up to Clark’s Point.

The Mirror Lake trip is a two hour ride that offers riders great views and many photographic vistas.  It’s a great ride for beginners.

The Clark’s Point trip is a half-day excursion.  According to the website, the trail is “uneven, and consists of many switchbacks up a steep slope, with an elevation gain of 1500 feet.  This is a strenuous ride best suited to riders in good physical condition.”  This trip includes great views of Vernal Falls. Visit the website for more information HERE.

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Yosemite – Tioga Road OPEN!

It’s a good news/bad news situation.

Tioga Road at Yosemite National Park is open. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Tioga Road at Yosemite National Park is open.

Normally, snowplows take to the road right around tax time to begin clearing it. Clearing usually takes a couple of months – depending on snowpack – so the road generally opens sometime around the end of May, or as late as the middle of June. Because the snowpack is 50% lighter than usual, the road is opening early this year.

Tioga Road, a popular crossing of the Siera Nevada, is part of State Highway 120. From Wikipedia: Continue reading

U.S. Forest Service Keeping Its Logo!

When the United States Department of Agriculture released its Visual Standards Guide back in January, it contained the ominous phrase ‘agency logos are being phased out and replaced with a standardized signature model to be adopted by all USDA agencies.’

This reminded me of the Borg’s ‘you will be assimilated’ phrase from Star Trek the Next Generation.  And, given that the USDA is the same department that oversees things like the homogenization of milk, it makes absolute sense that they’d want to make sure that their employees, vehicles, websites, uniforms, etc. would all be … ‘assimilated.’

But here’s the thing.  The U.S. FOREST Service is all about forests and forestry.  The USDA’s logo is described – by the USDA themselves – as “a graphic representation of the land — the foundation of all agriculture — and the Department’s initials. The symbol’s colors — dark green and dark blue — represent the essential elements of earth, air, and water. Together these elements comprise the symbol.”

Falling back on my Southern California roots and lingo: “Dude.  Really?

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National Park Week is April 20th – 28th – Free Park Admission Monday-Friday!

April 20th through the 28th, 2013 is National Park Week!  For National Park Week 2013, get free admission to all National Parks (including your parking fees waived) weekdays from April 22-26.  Check with your local National Park (with 401 national parks, there’s bound to be one near you!) to make sure what the costs are before you jump in the car.  There’s a diclaimer on most sites: “Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.”

National Junior Ranger Day will be held on April 20th, which invites young visitors to “explore, learn and protect” our national parks, and includes being sworn in as a Junior Ranger.

For adults, April 27th is Volunteer Day, where you can help on a variety of national park projects across the nation.

You can find a nearby national park HERE.

To find National Park Week events near you, visit the NPS calendar page HERE.

The National Park Service’s National Park Week website is HERE.

The National Park Foundation (officially recognized charity of America’s National Parks) website is HERE, and their information page on National Park Week is HERE.