Plan to keep the filthy casuals out of MRNP

[olyclimber]

http://komonews.com/news/local/would-you-pay-70-to-visit-mount-rainer

 

So up from $25 to $75. That's actually enough money to keep a pretty good segment of the population out. You could buy a lot of shitty beer for that extra $50 and just camp down by the river to enjoy the wilderness experience.

[Buckshot]

I think that they believe that the increase will have zero effect on how many people come and it will just magically bring them more money. We'll see.

[olyclimber]

Well there is some equation they must be using, as in yes less people (less use, less wear and tear...at least human wear and tear)...but much more money per visitor. Yes, I'm assuming they are actually thinking this through.

 

So every user is now bringing in 3x $ vs 1x. So a drop in usage by 2/3 will still bring in the same money for entry (minus concessions, I wonder about the vendors who do concessions feel about this any any contracts they might have).

 

The people who will find it hard to find the extra $50 to drive in now won't. Probably the average climber (I think, don't actually know) is someone who is rich enough to buy the gear and has the luxury of free time to go climbing...so probably isn't going to impact them too much.

 

[G-spotter]

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/outdoors/ensw7b/picture137880888/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/Yosemite%20crowds

 

$$$$$$$$

[Rad]

This is what happens when their budget gets slashed. We've seen this on many levels. Look at the Discovery Passes. BC has it right: tax everyone and make Provincial Park access free, unless, of course, you want to park http://www.canadatrails.ca/bc/parkfees.html

 

Also, the NP interagency pass is $80/yr, so you may as well get it and get into MRNP and all the others for a year instead of the one-offs. Locally, Olympic NP is truly spectacular and easily accessible.

 

I can't fault the Park., Look higher...

[ivan]

yosemite rules: enter the park before 6 a.m., leave after 10 p.m.

[G-spotter]

BC has it right: tax everyone and make Provincial Park access free, unless, of course, you want to park http://www.canadatrails.ca/bc/parkfees.html

 

 

BC hasn't had parking fees in parks since 2011ish, and has dramatically underfunded its parks for the last 15 years, leaving shit like this trail:

 

People from BC who regularly go to WA comment on how well-maintained the trails are.

[Rad]

People from BC who regularly go to WA comment on how well-maintained the trails are.

 

Had to wipe coffee off my monitor from laughing at this. There are artery trails in some high use places that see annual tree clearing and even building projects, but once you get off these you look at people like me and many on this board who go out to cut logs, remove brush, and mark the trail through the Western jungle.

 

Apparently the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. Want to trade governments for a few years? I'm down with that. Actually, it's both comic and tragic that our political pendulums seeem to be 180 degrees out of phase.

[manninjo]

Public comment on the proposed fee increase is open until November 23 - please let the NPS know how you feel if this increase doesn't jive.

 

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=442&projectID=75576&documentID=83652

 

 

[Rad]

Thx. Completed the survey. I oppose user fee-based revenue approaches because these are regressive taxes that block lower income folks, including but not limited to climbers, from accessing our shared natural resources. This makes these folks less likely to want to protect them. What is the fruit of this activity? People being OK w drilling in the Arctic, auctioning off large swaths of the Gulf for oil n gas exploration, selling public lands to mining companies, and so forth.

Insert Lorax image of trashed landscape.

[CascadeClimber]

The entrance fee was $5 for about the first 80 years the park existed. They've since doubled it twice and now this.

 

The shit thing is that while this is expected to increase revenue by $68MM, the asshat GOP budget cuts NPS funding by $300MM, so they net out $240MM less, if their projection is right (I suspect they've overestimated the new revenue).

 

All the while, the only thing I've seen MORA management do to cut costs is close the damn park. They've added cell and Internet service to the ranger huts and paid for an ENTIRELY unnecessary webcam at Schurman, and I've heard they intend to blast the shit out of the rocky are west of the Schurman hut to make yet another helo pad, which is entirely unnecessary.

 

So park management isn't doing the public any favors, either.

[ivan]

i don't see what folks are complaining about - i mean, teddy roosevelt n' donny-t are basically totally simpatico, no?