The Adventure Guys - Last comments

In response to: SPOT calls lead to citation for Grand Canyon hiker

Don't you think that 911 from cell phones isn't abused?
Don't you think that the technology that the police use
is making them more and more dependent?
Don't you think that our decadent, lazy culture
has is head on a soft cushion of electronic gadgets?

In response to: SPOT calls lead to citation for Grand Canyon hiker

I agree with lupine15.

Without the technology, they would not have taken a hike that was beyond their skill level. Then why think the trek will be any easier or within your limits just because you have a SPOT tracking device?

Which goes to the point made by dltooley3, accountability.

Just because you have a tracking device or beacon, that doesn't turn dangerous terrain flat and easy if you need to be rescued. The emergency responders would not only have to deal with the injuries, but also any difficult terrain to move the injured to safety.

In response to: SPOT calls lead to citation for Grand Canyon hiker

I've been on the Royal Arch Loop (twice). It is very challenging and most is over little or no
trail. Water spots are few and far between, and the route even includes a rappel.

Hikers are warned that this is a rugged hike requiring advanced skills. These people
had no business taking on this trail.

In response to: SPOT calls lead to citation for Grand Canyon hiker

Good question.

I've done relatively dangerous solos, open canoe down the middle fork of the Salmon, isolated areas of NW Mexico, etc and managed to survive.

But if I'd hurt myself it would've been all on me. In this matter I'm reminded of corporate bailouts and the like, what's missing here is likely a culture of accountability in this Country.

In response to: Olympic National Park closes Sunrise snowplay area

I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. I am looking forward to hearing more from you.

Regards,
http://www.goldcoinsgain.com

In response to: State Parks officials vote to double Sno-park pass rate

I guess I'll consider the 33% increase in the cost of an annual permit to be in lieu of the voluntary donation to parks I would have made when I renew my vehicle registrations.

In response to: State Parks officials vote to double Sno-park pass rate

I dont mind a fee increase if the state will maintain them. Last year Sun-Top which is one of the closest to Tacoma was never re-opened after a wind storm in December. The year before too much snow fell and they would not remove it. I did not pay for a pass so I could take a drive and look at closed signs.

In response to: State Parks officials vote to double Sno-park pass rate

Sorry, unfortunately the hunting pass will not work at Sno-Parks.

Here's a link to info on the state Sno-Parks:

http://parks.wa.gov/winter/trails/

In response to: State Parks officials vote to double Sno-park pass rate

Craig-any local sno- parks? Also If i have a widelife parking pass for hunting can that be used?

In response to: What is your favorite national park?

p.s. Ironically, there are no pikas in Olympic National Park.

In response to: What is your favorite national park?

Olympic! The park with the wildest, most diverse landscape (and seascape) in the lower 48.

In response to: What is your favorite national park?

My favorite is a National Monument "Craters of the Moon"
http://www.nps.gov/crmo/photosmultimedia/index.htm?eid=157595&root_aId=306
with additional photos located at
http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS333&q=craters+of+the+moon+national+park+pictures&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=mV62SuKQDoTysQP50tjRDA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4

This NPS National Monument is a little of the normal traffic path, but is presents what the earth in our area has thrown-up from below.

In response to: What is your favorite national park?

I've always loved Yellowstone for is wildlife and big sweeping vistas. When I visited three years ago, I had forgotten how big the views are and how big the park is itself. I used to live in Great Falls, Mont., and would go to you Yellowstone to see animals and to Glacier for the mountains.

In response to: What is your favorite national park?

Yellowstone is my favorite. How can any park compete with bubbling, hot mud and geysers?

It's just the best of the best.

In response to: Anderson chosen to lead state Fish and Wildlife Department

Which commissioners voted which way? It is important that the new director has the confidence of those commissioners recently appointed by the Governor, if he is going to have any chance of success. A five to four vote does not bode well...

In response to: UPDATE: Two injured when car falls down slope at Mount Rainier NP

Is this different from the carpenter who fell asleep and went off Glacier Hill road a month ago--never saw it reported.

How come youse guys are not reporting on the massive vandalism going on in the Park? somebodies posting pie plates with bear paws on them. I've seen at least 225 of the double-faced pie plates! Just like in the National Forest when people want to advertise where the party is going to be. But the NPS seems to tolerate this pie plates! Is it a religious thing or something indigenous to the staff at MRNP?

In response to: UPDATE: Two injured when car falls down slope at Mount Rainier NP

Were they parked? Maybe a little hanky panky between two employees and one bumped the shifter and put the car in neutral. Glad they are okay, i" sure they have some explaining to do.

In response to: Rainier 110: A great day to hike Stevens Canyon

dltooley3, there will be more info on this hike in the Adventure section later this month. Just sharing the picture here.

But here's a little more info for you. Let me say this first, this is an exceptionally easy hike unless you combine it with one or more of the other hikes in the area. As you mention, maybe hike down from Paradise.

The Bench Lake-Snow Lake trip is packed, however, with two lakes, a pond and killer views in little over two miles. The trail rolls a little bit, but not enough to put a serious strain on fit legs. There are camp sites at Snow Lake, but check in at Longmire to make sure they are available. I'd estimate the elevation gain at about 250-300 feet on this hike (even though the park says 700 feet on its website).

Here's a link to more info on this hike:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/mora/trail/bench.htm

In response to: Rainier 110: A great day to hike Stevens Canyon

I've looked at this hike and wondered if it was worthwhile. The section below the road might be good if it was close to the creek, etc, but perhaps not. The section upstream from the road towards the East of Paradise looks great - and I'd bet that it is a relatively safe cross-country from the upper reaches back to Paradise.

In any case, more info on this hike would've been appreciated, thanks.

In response to: Ex- Rainier superintentdent nominated to lead NPS

Do they call him chief on the front page because no one knows how to spell
superintendent? Ouch!!!

Ex- Rainier 'superintented'