South Park Ranger District accepting comments on Kite Lake Improvement Plan

South Park Ranger District on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands is seeking comments on a plan for improving the Kite Lake recreation area near Alma, Colo. in Park County. Increasing visitation has impacted natural resources and infrastructure at the Kite Lake site and along the Buckskin Gulch corridor (Forest Service Road 8). The Kite Lake trailhead is heavily used by hikers for access to several popular fourteeners (mountains that exceeds an elevation of 14,000 feet). The public comment period will run through April 24, 2023.

The proposed action is needed to improve the recreation experience in addition to addressing emergency vehicle access and water quality concerns. It will include road and campground modifications, designated dispersed campsites and parking areas, and installing additional restrooms, gates, and signage. An adaptive management approach will be used to ensure flexibility in responding to unknown conditions and achieving the intended outcomes over time.

The Kite Lake Improvement Plan is the culmination of input received during the scoping period (Dec. 10, 2021 - Jan. 10 2022) and specialists’ analysis and planning efforts. It is available to view, and comments can be submitted via the project website at: www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61211. The most useful comments will address effects that may be caused by the proposed action. Written comments may also be delivered in-person to the South Park Ranger District at 320 Hwy. 285 in Fairplay, Colo.; Or mailed to Alixandra Jensen at PO Box 219, Fairplay, CO 80440; or emailed to Alixandra.jensen@usda.gov.

“These peaks are important features on our landscape in Park County. They are drawing over 25,000 visitors annually and the high visitor use has outgrown our infrastructure at the site. The district is hopeful to receive comments from local park county residents and visitors from the surrounding area to keep the public engaged in this important process and project,” said District Ranger Josh Voorhis.



Jeff
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
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Wetherill Mesa Closed for the 2023 Season Due to Construction

The Wetherill Mesa area of Mesa Verde National Park will be closed for the 2023 season to accommodate the demolition and construction of a new visitor contact station in the Wetherill area. The existing contact station was damaged by the Pony Fire in August 2000 and needs to be replaced. The lightning-caused Pony Fire devastated many of the day-use facilities in the Wetherill area that year and burned 1,352 acres, but no ancestral sites were damaged.

Demolition of the current structure is expected to begin in late April and will involve the removal of large amounts of concrete and steel. Material staging and construction will occur in visitor use areas large truck traffic will be on the narrow roadway resulting in visitor safety concerns.

The project was originally scheduled to be completed in time to open the Wetherill Mesa area to visitors in July. Late winter snowfall will delay contractor access to the site. Additionally, the manufacturing and delivery schedule for the new structure has been delayed by many weeks. Construction of the new contact station may not be complete until late October.

After much discussion regarding safety and the quality of visitor experience, the decision was made to not open Wetherill Mesa to the public in 2023. An additional large waterline replacement project may extend the Wetherill closure through 2024. Visitors and those making travel plans are encouraged to check for closures and alerts on the park website at www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/closures.htm.



Jeff
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HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Skier triggers avalanche above Emerald Lake

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

On Sunday, March 19, a skier triggered avalanche occurred on the Apron above Emerald Lake. Fortunately, no one was buried, including a snowshoer below the slide. This could have had a tragic outcome. Avalanches can occur even when the forecast is low or moderate.

Travel across and under steep slopes is not advised unless all members of your party have the rescue equipment, education and experience to make informed decisions about traveling in avalanche terrain. When traveling in avalanche terrain, always be aware of people below and above you and the consequences to each if an avalanche occurs.

#BeAvySavy - Take time to look up the latest avalanche forecasts by visiting colorado.gov/avalanche. The forecast for today shows that avalanche danger is considerable in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Jeff
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
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Moraine Park Campground to close from late May 2023 thru early summer 2024

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

Did you know that the Moraine Park Campground and Utility Rehabilitation Project is going to begin this summer? Moraine Park Campground will be closed from late May 2023 to early summer 2024.

Why is this project necessary and why will Moraine Park Campground be closed?

Moraine Park Campground is located on Bear Lake Road and overlooks scenic Moraine Park. With incredible views of Longs Peak and great wildlife viewing opportunities, this is a campground that many families visit year after year. Built in the 1960s, the water, wastewater, and electrical systems that serve the campground have not been updated since they were first installed and these systems are all well past the typical 30-year service life. This project will rehabilitate critical infrastructure and improve the overall camping experience for park visitors. For the safety of visitors, the campground will be closed for rehabilitation to take place.

Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act, this project will rehabilitate water, wastewater, and electrical distribution systems inside Moraine Park Campground and the surrounding area. It will also fix existing drainage and erosion issues; for campsites that frequently flood, these sites will be relocated out of wetland areas.

To better meet the needs of visitors today and in the future, as well as to improve safety, this project will also relocate electric powerlines in the campground underground. As part of these electrical improvements, electrical hook-ups will be added to approximately 60 RV campsites. Currently, there are no electrical hookups in any of Rocky Mountain National Park's campgrounds.

Moraine Park Campground is the largest campground inside the park, with 244 campsites for tents and RVs. This campground serves over 30,000 campers annually. Want to learn more about this project? Check out the project's StoryMap

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Great Sand Dunes Announces Free Programs and Events during “We Love Our National Park” Celebration in April

To honor the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and to celebrate being the Gateway Community, Visit Alamosa will launch the third annual, month-long ‘We Love Our National Park Celebration’ on April 1, 2023. Each year in April since 1991, National Parks across the country celebrate National Park Week with special programs, events, and fee-free days. This year, National Park Week is April 22-30, which makes April the perfect time to celebrate and honor the national park’s dedication to conserving world-class resources while also showing appreciation to the community that promotes and supports their national park.

Various restaurants, shops, and attractions will offer Great Sand Dunes themed specials and displays to show their love for the national park unit during the month of April as part of Visit Alamosa’s “We Love our National Park” campaign. Great Sand Dunes is also planning events and programs throughout April to align with the campaign. The month-long celebration will kick-off with a block party on San Juan Avenue in Alamosa on Friday, April 7. The evening will feature a variety of activities and entertainment for all ages. Starting at 4pm, multiple Adams State University musical ensembles will perform and Park Superintendent Andrea Compton will be joined by city and county officials for opening remarks. Great Sand Dunes park rangers and partner organizations will have information tables throughout the evening from 5pm to 8pm. Local band, the Celtic (K)nots, will perform at 6pm and performers from the Salida Circus will be entertaining throughout the evening along Main Street and San Juan Avenue. A free ranger presentation will also be offered at the local San Luis Valley Museum at 6pm.

Throughout the month starting on April 7, free ranger programs or activity tables will be offered at the park visitor center on most weekends. Daily programs or activity tables at the park visitor center are planned during National Park Week, April 22-30. To kick off National Park Week, entrance fees will be waived on Saturday, April 22 and the park will host a Locals Night Under the Stars event at the park’s outdoor amphitheater from 8-10:30pm. This event will feature guest speaker, Michael Rymer from the International Dark Sky Association, followed by ranger-guided stargazing, and telescope viewing and learning about the impacts of light pollution.

April is the perfect time of the year to enjoy a picnic at the Mosca Creek picnic area, splash in Medano Creek, spend the night in Pinon Flats Campground, or rent a sand sled or sandboard and experience the dunes in a fun and exciting way. For a full schedule of events during the month of April and more information on visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, including camping, hiking, Medano Creek conditions, Medano Pass Primitive Road conditions, visitor center hours, and other park news, visit www.nps.gov/grsa.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Red Rock Canyon Wilderness use permits available online with recreation.gov

Beginning Friday, April 14, 2023, reservations for Red Rock Canyon Wilderness use permits in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park will be available online at www.recreation.gov. As identified as a management strategy in the Wilderness and Backcountry Management Plan (WBMP) for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BLCA) and Curecanti National Recreation Area (CURE), the park will make permits available online to simplify the reservation process for visitors.

Recreation.gov is a government service and the travel planning and reservation system for 13 federal agencies, including the National Park Service. Recreation.gov is a valuable tool that helps federal agencies manage and sustain landscapes like Red Rock Canyon Wilderness in a responsible way while providing a streamlined reservation service for the public.

“We are pleased to move Red Rock Canyon Wilderness permits to Recreation.gov to provide easier access to advanced reservations for our visitors and eliminate the time-intensive mail-in permitting processes here at the park,” said Park Superintendent Stuart West.

Wilderness use permits for day and overnight use of Red Rock Canyon will be available for purchase on www.recreation.gov starting April 14, 2023. The permit fee will be $10 and permit holder must also pay the park entrance fee of $30 per vehicle or provide a valid Interagency Annual/Lifetime Pass number or Annual Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Pass number at the time of purchase.

To minimize resource impacts and maintain wilderness character, wilderness use permits will be issued for no more than two nights and for up to two groups of up to four people per night: for a maximum total of up to eight people per day/night.

Recreationists are asked to help protect wilderness areas. Please plan to pack in and out all supplies needed for the experience. Be prepared to pack out human waste, toilet paper, hygiene products, and all trash. Human waste disposal bags are highly recommended to transport solid waste. Please do not tie hammocks, slacklines, tents, or tarps to natural features. All wood or charcoal fires are prohibited. Only containerized fuel and stoves can be used for cooking while in the park wilderness. Pets are prohibited in park wilderness. Users are required to follow park regulations.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Key Milestones in the History of Hiking

The following timeline of key dates in the history of hiking was adapted from my new book, Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World:

Over the last several decades the sport of hiking has become one of the most popular outdoor activities in the world. According to the latest National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, 33.9% of all Americans above the age of 15 participated in hiking during the period between 2005 and 2009. Amazingly, there are several other countries that have far higher participation rates than the United States. This trend, however, leads to the burning question; when did people begin taking to the trail for pleasure? Since the dawn of mankind, humans have walked the earth to hunt, forage for wild edible plants, explore, trade goods with neighboring communities, and migrate to other regions. At some point in our long evolution we realized that we didn’t need a utilitarian reason to walk. Somewhere along the line we discovered the joy of traipsing through the countryside, observing the beauty of a wildflower, watching wildlife in their natural habitat, marveling at the roar of a waterfall, or contemplating the scenic grandeur from the top of a mountain. Is this a fairly recent phenomenon, or is this an innate characteristic of human beings? No matter the answer to that question, the following are the key milestones in the history of hiking that has led to its immense popularity today:

~3300 BCE: In 1991 two German tourists found the mummified remains of “Otzi the Iceman” in the Ötztal Alps along the Austrian–Italian border. Although scientists aren’t entirely sure what this late-Neolithic man was doing at an elevation hovering just over 10,500 feet, there are some who have speculated that he may have been an early mountaineer. More importantly, however, the remnants of the rucksack that he carried on his back is the oldest rucksack ever found.

125: The 2nd century Roman Emperor, Hadrian, hiked to the summit of Mt. Etna on Sicily to see the sunrise, making this the earliest recorded hike for pleasure.

1642: Darby Field makes the first recorded ascent of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, which would become the focus of one of the first tourist destinations in the United States in the late 1700s.

1760: The Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain, and is generally recognized as lasting until the start of World War I. The Industrial Revolution gave rise to the labor movement, automobiles, environmentalism, club culture, and even art. As a result, it is arguably the single most important event to spur the development of hiking and walking for pleasure.

1778: Thomas West, an English priest, publishes A Guide to the Lakes, a detailed account of the scenery and landscape of the Lake District in northwestern England. The guide helped to popularize the idea of walking for pleasure, and is credited as being one of the first travel guides.

1786: The modern era of mountaineering is marked by the first ascent of 15,771-foot Mont Blanc in France, the tallest peak in the Alps.

1799: Williams College (of Massachusetts) President Ebenezer Fitch ascends Mt. Greylock with two other companions.

1819: Abel Crawford, along with his son Ethan, blaze an 8.25-mile trail to the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. The path is recognized as the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States, and is likely the first footpath in the entire world to be built specifically for recreational hiking.

1830: A crew of 100 students and professors from Williams College blaze the Hopper Trail to the summit of Mt. Greylock. Later that same year students constructed a 37-foot wooden tower atop the mountain. This tower, and its replacement, were maintained into the 1850s, and were used for sightseeing and scientific observations.

1850: The Exploring Circle is founded by Cyrus M. Tracey and three other men from Lynn, Massachusetts. The National Park Service recognizes the club as being “the first hiking club in New England", thus, in all likelihood, making it the first hiking club in the world.

1854: The beginning of the systematic sport of modern mountaineering as we essentially know it today is marked by the ascent of the Wetterhorn in the Swiss Alps by Sir Alfred Wills. His book, Wanderings Among the High Alps, published two years later, helped make mountaineering fashionable in Britain, and ushered in the systematic exploration of the Alps by British mountaineers. These events also marked the beginning of the so-called “Golden Age of Alpinism”.

1857: The world's first mountaineering club, the Alpine Club, was founded in London.

1863: Professor Albert Hopkins of Williams College founds the Alpine Club of Williamstown, whose stated mission was “to explore the interesting places in the vicinity, to become acquainted, to some extent at least, with the natural history of the localities, and also to improve the pedestrian powers of the members”. It was the first hiking club to accept women as members, which likely provided an important template for future hiking clubs in America.

1867: John Muir begins a 1000-mile walk from Indiana to Florida, which was recounted in his book, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf. The trek launched a lifetime career of hiking and wilderness advocacy. His conservation efforts, articles and books would help to establish several national parks during and after his lifetime.

1872: Yellowstone becomes the world’s first national park after legislation is signed by President U.S. Grant.

1876: The Appalachian Mountain Club, America’s oldest recreational organization, is founded to explore and protect the trails and mountains of New England.

1876: Newtown, England entrepreneur Pryce Pryce-Jones designs the "Euklisia Rug", considered by many to be the forerunner of the modern sleeping bag. The rug included a wool blanket with a pocket at the top for a sewn-in, inflatable, rubber pillow. Once inside, the camper (or soldier) folded the blanket over and fastened it together, thus keeping themselves “snug in a rug”.

1879: One of the first hiking clubs in England, the "Sunday Tramps", was founded by Leslie White. These early “rambling” (the English word for hiking or walking) clubs sprang up in the northern areas of England as part of a campaign for the legal "right to roam", a response to the fact that much of the land in England was privately owned.

1882: William Pickering publishes Walking Guide to the Mt. Washington Range, which is likely the first modern trail guide to be published America.

1887: The first external frame rucksack is patented by Colonel Henry C. Merriam.

1922: Australian climber George Finch designs and wears a knee-length eiderdown parka during the 1922 British Everest Expedition. The shell of the coat was made from the waterproofed-cotton fabric of a hot-air balloon, which was filled with duck down. During the expedition Finch and climbing partner Geoffrey Bruce reached a height of 27,300 feet during their summit attempt, which set the record for the highest altitude attained by any human up to that point.

1922: Lloyd F. Nelson submits his application to the U.S. Patent Office for his "Trapper Nelson's Indian Pack Board", which is acknowledged to be the first commercially successful external-frame backpack to be sold in the U.S. The "Trapper Nelson" featured a wooden "pack board" as its frame. Attached to the frame was a canvas sack that contained the hiker's gear, which rested on the hiker's body by two canvas shoulder-straps. Prior to his invention most hikers used a rucksack, which was essentially a loose sack with shoulder straps.

1930: The Green Mountain Club completes construction of the Long Trail, making it the first long-distance hiking trail in the United States.

1937: Italian climber and mountaineering guide, Vitale Bramani, invents "Carrarmato", which tranlates to “tank tread" in English. This new rubber lug pattern provides mountaineering boots with outstanding traction, and allows them to be used on a variety of surfaces. The product is launched under the brand name "Vibram".

1937: America's first “grand” trail, the Appalachian Trail, was completed in August of 1937. A forester by the name of Benton MacKaye conceived the idea in 1921.

1948: Earl Shaffer becomes the first person to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

1967: Climber Greg Lowe invents the internal frame backpack. The “Expedition Pack” also featured the first adjustable back system, first side compressors, first sternum strap and the first load stabilizers.

1968: The National Trails System Act is passed by Congress, resulting in thousands of miles of trails being designated as National Scenic Trails, National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails.

1969: Bob Gore accidentally stretches a heated rod of polytetrafluoroethylene by almost 800%, which forms a microporous structure that was roughly 70% air. The discovery was introduced to the public under the trademark of "Gore-Tex", which became the first breathable, waterproof, and windproof fabric.

1992: Ray Jardine introduces the concept of ultralight backpacking with the release of his book, The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook. During his first PCT thru-hike Jardine’s pack weighed just 25 pounds. By his third hike it weighed less than 9 pounds. “Ray’s Way” of thinking has led to several innovations that have benefitted both backpackers and hikers.

This timeline is only a brief overview of the people, events, inventions and social trends that have helped to shape the sport of hiking as we know it today. If you enjoyed this short snippet of hiking history, please check out my new book, Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World, which provides a much more in-depth narrative on the rich and compelling history of hiking.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Backcountry permits to be released for Indian Peaks Wilderness

Permits for the rugged Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, a popular destination for visitors seeking a more remote experience, become available at 8 a.m. (mdt), Thursday, March 16 on recreation.gov. Visit Indian Peaks Wilderness to plan your itinerary in advance.

Overnight parking reservations for visitors planning to use the Brainard Lake Recreation Area trailheads for permitted overnight camping in Indian Peaks Wilderness Area will be available starting March 16 on recreation.gov. If you plan to use the Hessie or Fourth of July trailheads, check the Boulder County website for information on shuttles and parking. Information on that page will be updated before the season begins.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Petition launched to protect access to 14ers after closure of three peaks

A petition has been launched just days after it was announced that the DeCaLibron Loop Trail, which provides access to three 14ers: Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln, is now closed to all hikers as a result of the failure of Senate Bill 103. This bill, which failed to pass out of the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee last week, would have bolstered liability protection for landowners who allow access to their properties for recreational uses.

One of those land owners, John Reiber, was quoted in the Colorado Sun last week, stating, “I have been advised by my own attorneys on several occasions that I am rolling the dice by leaving these peaks open. Now I do plan to close the 14ers for access. Without any regulatory support … I just can no longer take on the level of risk in case someone gets hurt and wants to sue me.”

The petition was created to ask the Judiciary Committee to reconsider their decision on the bill. This is from the petition as posted on Change.org:

Mount Lindsey, a 14er near Alamosa, closed to access in 2021 due to this risk. Mount Bross closed for similar reasons back in 2003 and both remain closed to the public today. In March 2023, a bipartisan bill (SB-103) reached the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee that would remove one critical word from the Colorado Recreational Use Statute exemption and increase liability protection for landowners. However, the CO Trial Lawyers Association opposed the bill, leading to its failure in Committee in a 3-2 vote.

The four Decalibron 14ers closed to the public two days after the bill failed, and other peaks, trails, and hunting land are at risk of closure. Sign the petition and tell the three Senators who killed the bill that they must support it in the future to protect public access to private lands for recreation. Join 30 organizations, including The Colorado Mountain Club, The Wilderness Society, and Access Fund, and demand that the Senate make it right.

The failure of Senate Bill 103 has the potential to impact access to many other trails and recreational areas in Colorado if land owners fear they could be subject to liability. Hikers should probably make their voices heard to give landowners protection from frivilous lawsuits, and to ensure continued access to recreational areas.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

New National Park Service report finds shifts in visitation patterns

The National Park Service 2022 Visitation Report recently released shows visitation to America’s national parks continued to rebound toward pre-pandemic levels. It also demonstrates subtle shifts in visitation patterns after two years of efforts to bolster visitation at lesser-known parks and at times of the year when parks historically saw fewer visitors.

National Park Service statisticians looked inside the numbers to see what kinds of parks people visited in 2022. Parks known for recreation opportunities drew 38 percent of visitation, parks that primarily focus on United States history and cultural heritage drew 32 percent of total park visitation, and parks anchored by nature-based experiences drew 30 percent of visitation.

“People continue to seek a variety of national park travel experiences – to learn about American history and culture, get active, and enjoy breathtaking scenic views,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said. “We’re excited to see our efforts to increase visitation to parks in the off-season and in parks that are less well-known paying off. Many parks with record visitation in 2022 are on what we would call “the road less traveled.” The subtle shift in park visitation is good for visitors, good for protecting parks, and good for local communities whose economies benefit from tourism dollars.”

Whether people have a bucket list park trip for 2023 or schedule time to discover the rest of the National Park System, the National Park Service app and insider tips from park rangers through the Plan like a Park Ranger feature are keys to safe, sensational, and successful national park experiences.

Everyone who visits a park has, or develops, their own special connections. In 2023, the National Park Service is inviting everyone to share Your Park Story. You can take part by sharing #MyParkStory on social media and follow the conversation on National Park Service social media channels.

Visitation pattern shifts:

* The group of 330-plus parks that make up 25 percent of overall visitation had a 4.6 percent increase in visitation from 2021 to 2022.

* The group of 37 parks that make up 25 percent of overall visitation had a 2 percent increase in visitation from 2021 to 2022.

* The group of 19 parks that make up 25 percent of overall visitation had a 10 percent increase in visitation from 2021 to 2022.

* The group of eight parks that make up 25 percent of overall visitation had a 1.2 percent increase in visitation from 2021 to 2022.

Inside the NPS Visitation Report:

* 312 million recreation visits were recorded in 2022 compared to 297 million recreation visits in 2021, an increase of five percent year over year

* There are 424 parks in National Park System; 395 parks count visitors

* Parks with record visitation in 2022 are in the lower 50 percent of overall park visitation

* 3 parks had more than 10 million recreation visits  

* 9 parks had more than five million recreation visits

* 75 parks had more than one million recreation visits

* More than 15.7 billion people have visited national parks since 1904

The final chapter in my new book, Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World, dives deeper into the problems of overcrowding in our parks and on our trails. It also provides a look at some of the solutions that have already been implemented by state and national park managers, some that have been considered in the past, as well a few solutions that I think should be given consideration moving forward. Government projections on outdoor recreation indicate significant increases in the number of hikers over the next several decades. If not already, managing crowds in parks and on trails will become critical.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Colorado and Wyoming to receive additional $40.15 million in disaster relief funding

The USDA Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office recently announced that Colorado and Wyoming will receive $40.15 million in disaster relief funds this fiscal year, made possible through the Disaster Supplement of the Omnibus funding legislation. Colorado’s Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests will receive $39 million to continue post-fire rehabilitation efforts following the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires. The Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming will receive $1.15 million to repair flood damaged areas in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

“With the help of numerous partners, an enormous amount of work has been accomplished to stabilize the areas hardest hit, and our rehabilitation work is on schedule,” said Regional Forester Frank Beum. “We have only touched upon the long-term rehabilitation efforts that need to occur, it will take years, and this funding is crucial to continuing that work,” he added.

Watersheds serving multiple Colorado communities were decimated by the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires in 2020. Front Range water providers, in partnership with the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, accomplished $15 million of emergency watershed stabilization work on National Forest System lands in 2021 with funding made possible by the water providers and state grants.

In 2022, northern Colorado water providers completed $21.2 million of slope stabilization work on National Forest System lands in collaboration with local and federal partners. The work was accomplished with disaster supplemental funding that the forests received in June. The current funding will continue stabilization efforts on an additional 50,000 acres and begin long-term rehabilitation work such as road and trail repairs, reforestation, noxious weed containment, project planning, and recreation facility repairs.

Severe flooding impacted the Shoshone National Forest in 2022, causing damage to roads, trails, campgrounds, and recreational facilities. The funding will be used to continue emergency stabilization efforts, control further erosion, restore appropriate water flows, plant native vegetation, and repair, rebuild and relocate National Forest System Roads 119 and 120, which were severely impacted by the flooding. These roads are popular access for recreational activities and the only access to the Switchback Ranch during the winter.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

How did hiking become so popular across the globe?

The following is an adapted excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World:

Since the dawn of mankind, humans have walked the earth to hunt, forage for wild edible plants, explore, trade goods with neighboring communities, and migrate to other regions. At some point in our long evolution we realized that we didn’t need a utilitarian reason to walk. Somewhere along the line we discovered the joy of traipsing through the countryside, observing the beauty of a wildflower, watching wildlife in their natural habitat, marveling at the roar of a waterfall, or contemplating the scenic grandeur from the top of a mountain. Is this a fairly recent phenomenon, or is this an innate characteristic of human beings?

While history has preserved a few examples of men scaling mountains for an assortment of reasons prior to the early modern era, these feats were extremely rare. Before the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, mountains were commonly seen as dangerous and mysterious by most Western cultures. People from the Middle Ages widely regarded them with fear, loathing and superstition. Moreover, they thought the alpine world was inhabited by evil spirits, witches, wild beasts and bandits. Some men even swore affidavits before magistrates that they had seen dragons in the mountains.

However, as the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods progressed and spread across Europe, fear of mountains slowly began to subside, and more men began venturing into the highlands. Several modern historians contend that attitudes towards mountains started to shift as a result of the religious and philosophical tenets of natural theology, which proposed that God is revealed through nature, rather than through divine revelation or supernatural beliefs. They assert that individuals from this era began to realize that fear and loathing of mountains wasn’t justified. The perception that they were inherently dark and evil inevitably changed after it was understood that it was God that had created them. Consequently, people started viewing mountains as images of God, as natural cathedrals, or even as sources of spiritual inspiration. Leslie Stephen, on the other hand, claimed that attitudes simply evolved in conjunction with the revolution in ideas and thinking that occurred during the Age of Enlightenment. As one of the most famous British climbers from the “Golden Age of Alpinism,” Stephen argued in 1868 that "The history of mountaineering is, to a great extent, the history of the process by which men have gradually conquered the phantoms of their own imagination."

By the mid-1700s we begin to see the first documented rambling and walking excursions. While the historical record seemingly indicates that mountaineering preceded hiking by several decades, or even centuries, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people didn’t hike or walk for recreational purposes prior to the late modern era. Rather, it seems more likely that those who set out on foot never would’ve considered a walk in the countryside to be noteworthy or important in any way. Therefore, very few individuals would’ve taken the time to record their rambles for posterity. As a result, hiking doesn’t have a date of birth, nor even an approximated timeframe for its origins. It seems most likely that walking for pleasure was a natural form of recreation that evolved over time to a point where individuals began to take it more seriously, for any host of reasons, whereupon we begin to see the first descriptions of walking excursions in diaries, letters, poems and travelogues.

The roots of hiking and walking for pleasure were firmly established by the late 1700s, especially in Great Britain and certain parts of Europe. However, during the earlier part of the century, walking was generally looked down upon. “Respectable” citizens during this era usually rode in carriages or on horseback to travel any significant distances. For the most part only the poor walked. In Victorian England, during the mid-1800s, wandering vagrants were derogatively known as tramps, a word that would eventually refer to hikers, and now used by New Zealanders to describe backpacking.

While overcoming the fear of mountains, and the gradual breakdown in the social stigmas associated with walking certainly enabled mountaineering and hiking to germinate, I would argue that the single most important event to spur the development of hiking and walking for pleasure was the Industrial Revolution. The social changes brought about by industrial development were profound. While many of those changes improved the lives of people around the world, there were also many detriments resulting from industrialization.

Ramble On explores how industrialization both enabled and inspired people to seek the forests and mountains for recreation, which allowed hiking to eventually become one of the most popular outdoor activities in the world.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Recreation.gov is Charging "Junk Fees"

A consumer class action lawsuit was recently filed by the law firm of Tycko & Zavareei against Booz Allen Hamilton, the government contractor that runs Recreation.gov, the portal used by national park visitors (and other recreational users) to purchase timed entry permits, lottery fees and other recreational passes. In short, the lawsuit, filed in the Virginia Eastern District Court, alleges that Recreation.gov is charging excessive "junk fees" to access federal recreational lands and national parks.

According to the Tycko & Zavareei website:

Based on our investigation, when a reservation is made on recreation.gov, there are two fees charged. A “use fee” (often free) paid to the applicable federal agency (e.g., the National Park Service) and a “reservation fee,” that is paid to the for-profit federal contractor Booz Allen. As at least one federal court has recognized, “[n]o part of the [reservation] processing fee is remitted to [the federal agency].” Kotab v. Bureau of Land Mgmt., No. 220CV01957JADEJY, 2022 WL 972416, at *1 (D. Nev. Mar. 31, 2022).

Based on our investigation to date, we believe that the reservation fees may be unlawful for at least three reasons. First, as at least one federal court has already found, Booz Allen is not authorized to charge the fees under federal law. Second, Booz Allen operates recreation.gov to create the false and deceptive impression that the reservation fees are paid to the federal agencies that actually administer the federal land. Finally, the reservation fees may deprive veterans and others of free access to national parks, in violation of federal law.

Since this is a class action lawsuit, anyone who made a reservation through Recreation.gov may have standing in this lawsuit. For more information, you should contact Tycko & Zavareei.

The complaint and court filings can be found here. Also, the National Parks Traveler published an excellent article detailing many of the issues surrounding Recreation.gov and this lawsuit.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park