Fairweather

I know, NCNP should get off their asses and put up a restaurant and tram already!! Why must one of the last remote areas in the lower-48 stay that way?? Europe has already proven you can place humanity on every square inch of the alpine, so let's get our act together. Seriously though, I'm actually curious wtf you are talking about? I spend nearly all of my outdoor time up in the N Cascades, a large % of that in the NCNP. I have never been locked out of anything, nor unable to do what I wanted to do. If we are talking about washed out roads or something...well, that's what mountain bikes and not being lazy are for. Or is there something else in particular I'm not aware of? I'm sorry josh, but this is priceless--coming from a guy (you) who crashed the washout gate on the Suiattle road in his 4wd Audi Quatro a few years back and posted the video online.

Nice try, but of course you know I was referring to to closed grade beyond to Cottonwood.

Yep. But I think Democrats have worn down this tired old racism meme. ID for beer, to cash a check, to rent an apartment--but, God forbid, we ask for ID when one registers to vote. :roll eyes:

How thoroughly rude and elitist.

If, by voter suppression, you mean trying to thwart the efforts of Democrats to enfranchise non-citizens (both documented and undocumented), then yes, guilty and proud. Of course, this isn't really suppression. In fact, the Democrat notion that low income citizens are incapable of engaging the franchise without their help goes back to the patronization/paternalism I referred to above. And the Democrats oft-expressed belief that most of these poor are minorities is abhorrent.

Specifically, Stehekin Road. And no, you can't ride your bike up the road either. The grade has been legally "enclosed" in the adjacent wilderness.

THANK YOU USFS!! (x1000)

These are nice sentiments, but you have never conveyed or practiced any of them here. If you have had some sort of epiphany recently, well, ok. But forgive me if I remain a skeptic.

Uhh, this is a first. Heretofore, you've always peddled the notion that it's evil Republicans who bear all the blame for our nation's racial injustices.

And who's been running Milwaukee--for the last hundred years? Democrats and Socialists. Wiki

Your short-legged companions are exactly the reason West Side needs to be reopened. Fantastic day hikes that offer a great introduction to the outdoors. It's always ironic to hear NPS officials and staff complaining about crowds on trails out of Paradise and Sunrise--since some of this pressure could be relieved by restoring access to the Carbon and West Side. That said, MRNP doesn't hold a friggin candle to the let's-lock-out-the-public agenda of management and staff up at North Cascades National Park.

Yep, and Wisconsin is a great example. Walker landslide. Home of Muir, Leopold, and, of course, University of Wisconsin Madison. Can't wait until we get Walker version WA. We took a small step in the state Senate this past Tuesday.

Respectfully, Jim, Rainier Park officials found enough money to acquire, restore, and staff the new ranger station on the old Carbon Ranch site. Meanwhile, the WSRoad is 99% intact. It would cost next to nothing to open it to the public--just as it is now for NPS vehicles. No, it's not about money. Still, if park officials would simply uphold their promises, folks like me would support their needed fee increase.

Sorry, I guess I just assumed you understood the historical roots and context of our republican system of government. My bad.

My comments: Increasing fees while limiting access will not build long-term support for national parks--particularly at MORA. Foremost, I'm referring to the closure of the Carbon River Road and the failure of Rainier Park officials to follow through on their own Environmental Assessment's commitment--a promise to allow cars one mile up the road to a turn-around/parking area just beyond the Old Mine Trail. Arbitrarily applying back-country/wilderness rules to Ipsut Creek Campground has also been a betrayal of promises made along the Carbon. Secondly, I take issue with park official's failure to reassess the status of West Side Road twenty years after the Environmental Assessment that temporarily closed it. This was supposed to be done in 2012 per your original 1992 Environmental Assessment. More money for MORA? Only if we can enjoy it in ways we were promised.

I have no real gripe with the initiative process. On one hand, it is a bit "mob-rules," and has the potential to trample on minority rights/points of view if not buffered by the courts. On the other hand, it sends messages to entrenched representatives. Still, for a state to gain admission to the union, it must adopt a "representative form of governance." The initiative process is an after-the-fact end-run around this form of government. (Article IV, Sec 4.1) Anyhow, I like the initiative process--but have some reservations about it.

Damn straight.

Sorry Feck, the peeps aren't belivin your boogeyman anymore. Move along.

I agree. Oregon Measure 88 - failed with 68% against.

[video:youtube]BUSRZo1BE5o

More money, less access. So much for the people's park. No matter, more and more of us are using non-traditional ingress nowadays.

When B-Ho goes all exec-order on the border, the fireworks are gonna fly for sure. When the R's start taking BamaCare apart piece-by-piece the fireworks are gonna fly for sure. When Barry appoints another sycophant to head Justice in the lame duck, the fireworks are gonna fly for sure. When the R's apply Harry Reid's semi-nuclear option simple majority, the fireworks are gonna fly. Popcorn anyone?

Gotta love the way the WA State Senate is going. The tastiest bite of a pretty sweet pie, IMO. The 594 feel good is not a big deal. WA Ceasefire will feel emboldened on their black gun agenda--or cwp--and get smacked down left scratching their collective head next go-round. Harry Reid taken down a big notch. The second best bite of the night. I wonder if he'll be screaming for restoration of the old post cloture rules now?

Just curious, why are some lookouts left unlocked/accessible during the winter months, while others aren't? Of course, I'm thinking of Suntop which is locked up off season. Is it just a matter of finding a group that is willing to take responsibility and perform scheduled check-ups while the snow is falling--and convincing the USFS bona fides?

Wow, I had absolutely no idea. Stunning--and sad too. Thanks for the links, Water.