Last month Rocky Mountain National Park published a short video on last year's Fern Lake Fire.
The Fern Lake Fire started in the park on October 9, 2012, and was one of the largest fires park lands have seen in the last 100 years. This unprecedented winter fire burned 3,500 acres. This short video provides a timeline of the event and how crews were able to stop this human-caused fire from exceeding park boundaries:
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Mesa Verde to Continue Current Course of Action for Trespassing Livestock
In January, 2013, the National Park Service invited public comment regarding a proposal to develop a management plan specific to controlling unclaimed trespass livestock in Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. In recent years, trespassing livestock includes between 100-150 horses and 10-20 cattle in and on the border of the park. The purpose of such a plan would have been to address the various issues trespassing livestock have on the park's natural and cultural resources.
The comment period ran from January 17, 2013 through February 28, 2013. About 3,500 comment letters were received by the park, most of which were form letters. The Park carefully evaluated the comments and has determined that the current course of action best accomplishes park goals while minimizing impacts to park resources.
Therefore, the Park will not pursue development of a specific management plan for trespassing livestock, but instead will concentrate on implementing existing measures utilizing available resources to address trespassing livestock in the following ways:
1. Physically exclude trespass livestock from entering the park using the most appropriate wildlife-friendly fencing designs available to us beginning in the highest priority areas.
2. Create passage ways in the park's boundary fence that allow trespass livestock already in the park to leave the park on their own but not return.
3. Deter trespass livestock already in the park from accessing natural and man-made (artificial) water sources in the park using wildlife-friendly physical barriers.
4. Capture and relocate in the park any trespass livestock that pose an imminent threat to public safety or park resources.
The Park also will continue providing information to the visiting public about the resource impacts and safety hazards posed by trespass livestock in the park.
For more information contact Paul Morey, Wildlife Biologist, at (970) 529-4617.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
The comment period ran from January 17, 2013 through February 28, 2013. About 3,500 comment letters were received by the park, most of which were form letters. The Park carefully evaluated the comments and has determined that the current course of action best accomplishes park goals while minimizing impacts to park resources.
Therefore, the Park will not pursue development of a specific management plan for trespassing livestock, but instead will concentrate on implementing existing measures utilizing available resources to address trespassing livestock in the following ways:
1. Physically exclude trespass livestock from entering the park using the most appropriate wildlife-friendly fencing designs available to us beginning in the highest priority areas.
2. Create passage ways in the park's boundary fence that allow trespass livestock already in the park to leave the park on their own but not return.
3. Deter trespass livestock already in the park from accessing natural and man-made (artificial) water sources in the park using wildlife-friendly physical barriers.
4. Capture and relocate in the park any trespass livestock that pose an imminent threat to public safety or park resources.
The Park also will continue providing information to the visiting public about the resource impacts and safety hazards posed by trespass livestock in the park.
For more information contact Paul Morey, Wildlife Biologist, at (970) 529-4617.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Do Yosemite In One Epic Hike
Did you know that you can do one hike that encompasses nearly all of Yosemite’s iconic sights? This epic 12.6-mile hike includes a full view of Yosemite Falls from the only place in the park to see both the upper and lower falls in their full glory. You’ll also see El Capitan, Half Dome, Illilouette Fall and Nevada Fall.
The hike tops out at Glacier Point, the spot first made famous by the photo of John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt standing together with the Yosemite Valley in the background. The hike also finishes with a trip down the famous Mist Trail where you’ll pass over Vernal Fall.
This epic one-way hike begins with a climb up the Four Mile Trail, and then travels back to the valley via the Panorama Trail, and is a must bucket-list item for every hiker.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
This epic one-way hike begins with a climb up the Four Mile Trail, and then travels back to the valley via the Panorama Trail, and is a must bucket-list item for every hiker.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Mountain: My Time on Everest
You could say there are two books in The Mountain: My Time on Everest. There’s chapter one, and then the rest of the book.
I have to say that I really struggled with the first chapter of The Mountain for some reason. To me it seemed unfocused and lacked flow. Author and world-class climber Ed Viesturs kept interrupting the narrative of the story of his first climb on Mt. Everest with anecdotes from other climbs and climbers, and from my standpoint, completely disrupted the flow of the read. I must confess I almost threw in the towel at that point.
Once I got past that first chapter, however, there was a noticeable difference in the flow and readability of the book.
Although Viesturs never intended to split the book into the two parts described above, he did intend to split it in another way. The book’s chapters alternate between his own personal experience with the mountain, and an historical overview of climbing on Everest. Viesturs discusses some of the early British attempts on the mountain, including George Mallory’s three expeditions. Subsequent chapters provide overviews of Edmund Hillary’s first summit, Reinhold Messner’s first Everest summit without bottled oxygen, the fatal debacle of 1996, as well as the first American summit in 1963, which included the daring attempt by Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld to scale the unclimbed West Ridge. Viesturs also discusses the highly controversial Chinese expedition of 1960 when one climber purportedly took his boots and socks off in order to gain traction up the Second Step - only a couple hundred feet below the 29,035-foot summit!
Viesturs also lays out his own personal history on the mountain, having made 11 attempts, and reaching the summit on 7 of those occasions. He provides insights into his first climbs as a guide, his inclusion in the 1990 international Peace Climb, his role in a couple of film making expeditions on Everest, as well as the compelling story of how his climbing buddy almost died as a result of a mucus plug.
Although the vast majority of the book was an interesting look into the history of the world’s highest mountain, there were a couple of occasions where Viesturs left his readers hanging. For example, in one case he mentions the “mysterious” death of Chantal Mauduit while she was in her tent at 21,500 feet on Dhaulagiri in 1998, but he provides no other details on why this was a mystery.
In 1997 Ed climbed Everest as part of a research team to find out what happens to the minds and bodies of climbers at extreme altitudes. However, he didn’t mention any of the scientific findings from this project.
I was also baffled by a passage regarding the 1960 Chinese expedition. Although the evidence is pretty overwhelming that the Chinese lied about their first summit, Everest historian Walt Unsworth still concluded that the Chinese story may have been factual. Viesturs states that he’s puzzled by this conclusion, which he absolutely should be. However, in the very next paragraph, Viesturs says, “It’s within the realm of the conceivable, as Unsworth states, that they did indeed make the first ascent of Everest from the north in 1960”.
Okay, so these might be a little bit nitpicky, I’ll agree. But overall The Mountain is a really good read, especially for those looking to discover a broader perspective on the history of Mt. Everest.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
I have to say that I really struggled with the first chapter of The Mountain for some reason. To me it seemed unfocused and lacked flow. Author and world-class climber Ed Viesturs kept interrupting the narrative of the story of his first climb on Mt. Everest with anecdotes from other climbs and climbers, and from my standpoint, completely disrupted the flow of the read. I must confess I almost threw in the towel at that point.
Although Viesturs never intended to split the book into the two parts described above, he did intend to split it in another way. The book’s chapters alternate between his own personal experience with the mountain, and an historical overview of climbing on Everest. Viesturs discusses some of the early British attempts on the mountain, including George Mallory’s three expeditions. Subsequent chapters provide overviews of Edmund Hillary’s first summit, Reinhold Messner’s first Everest summit without bottled oxygen, the fatal debacle of 1996, as well as the first American summit in 1963, which included the daring attempt by Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld to scale the unclimbed West Ridge. Viesturs also discusses the highly controversial Chinese expedition of 1960 when one climber purportedly took his boots and socks off in order to gain traction up the Second Step - only a couple hundred feet below the 29,035-foot summit!
Viesturs also lays out his own personal history on the mountain, having made 11 attempts, and reaching the summit on 7 of those occasions. He provides insights into his first climbs as a guide, his inclusion in the 1990 international Peace Climb, his role in a couple of film making expeditions on Everest, as well as the compelling story of how his climbing buddy almost died as a result of a mucus plug.
Although the vast majority of the book was an interesting look into the history of the world’s highest mountain, there were a couple of occasions where Viesturs left his readers hanging. For example, in one case he mentions the “mysterious” death of Chantal Mauduit while she was in her tent at 21,500 feet on Dhaulagiri in 1998, but he provides no other details on why this was a mystery.
In 1997 Ed climbed Everest as part of a research team to find out what happens to the minds and bodies of climbers at extreme altitudes. However, he didn’t mention any of the scientific findings from this project.
I was also baffled by a passage regarding the 1960 Chinese expedition. Although the evidence is pretty overwhelming that the Chinese lied about their first summit, Everest historian Walt Unsworth still concluded that the Chinese story may have been factual. Viesturs states that he’s puzzled by this conclusion, which he absolutely should be. However, in the very next paragraph, Viesturs says, “It’s within the realm of the conceivable, as Unsworth states, that they did indeed make the first ascent of Everest from the north in 1960”.
Okay, so these might be a little bit nitpicky, I’ll agree. But overall The Mountain is a really good read, especially for those looking to discover a broader perspective on the history of Mt. Everest.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Rocky Mountain National Park Seeks Applications for 2014 Artist-In-Residence Program
The National Park Service is accepting applications through November 15, 2013, for Rocky Mountain National Park's summer 2014 Artist-in-Residence Program. Selected artists are provided with a creative, contemplative environment in which to generate artistic works and share their works with the public. Artistic diversity, new ideas and creative uses of media are encouraged. Selected artists receive a two-week residency at the William Allen White cabin from June through September. Professional musicians, writers, sculptors, painters, photographers, poets and performance artists will be given equal consideration.
During their stay, artists share their vision in two public presentations. Following their residency, artists donate a fully finished work to Rocky Mountain National Park, representative of their stay. The National Park Service holds a noncommercial copyright to donated artwork.
A panel of professional artists will judge the applicant pool. Five to six artists will be selected to participate in the summer of 2014. Selections are made on the basis of the following criteria: entry materials, vision, and recognized talent as demonstrated by participation in juried shows, publications or performances. Having begun in 1984, Rocky Mountain's program is the longest running Artist-in-Residence program operated by the National Park Service.
Interested artists may obtain more information and download an application by accessing the park's website.
Detailed instructions are on the entry form. Applications must be postmarked by November 15, 2013.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
During their stay, artists share their vision in two public presentations. Following their residency, artists donate a fully finished work to Rocky Mountain National Park, representative of their stay. The National Park Service holds a noncommercial copyright to donated artwork.
A panel of professional artists will judge the applicant pool. Five to six artists will be selected to participate in the summer of 2014. Selections are made on the basis of the following criteria: entry materials, vision, and recognized talent as demonstrated by participation in juried shows, publications or performances. Having begun in 1984, Rocky Mountain's program is the longest running Artist-in-Residence program operated by the National Park Service.
Interested artists may obtain more information and download an application by accessing the park's website.
Detailed instructions are on the entry form. Applications must be postmarked by November 15, 2013.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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