Skull Hollow/Grasslands - $$$

[crimper]

Thanks Bill for getting where I was coming from. I'll be up at beacon with kevbone, snoop and some other degenerates in two saturdays; maybe I'll see you out there.

 

Alpinfox, thanks for providing more information for those who want to weigh in on the subject. I saved my letter so i'll send it there as well; it can't hurt to send it twice, can it?

[chelle]

Thank you for the link Alpinfox. Comments sent.

[Alpinfox]

Here is a sample letter:

 

 

Hi,

I'm, like, totally opposed to having to, like, PAY for stuff, 'cause paying for stuff, like, totally is not as cool as getting it for free.

 

OMG! Can't you just, like, put toilet paper in the bathrooms, and just, like, get some volunteer to clean them every once in a while? And OMG! those things could use an air freshner or seven (GAG ME WITH A SPOON) and how about some water out there too! OMG!

 

Yours truly,

____________________

 

 

edit: Yeah, I know I'm being a dick, I just want people here to talk about why they think they should get these services for free. Is the Grasslands campground so important to society that all taxpayers should subsidize it? If not, don't you think a user-targeted fee system is the best way to cover the costs?

 

 

I think $2-5/site/night would porbably cover the costs of the bathroom maintenance. That seems reasonable to me. However, it probably would NOT cover enforcement, so it would pretty much be a voluntary system.

 

I hate the ludicriously priced, Nazi-run campgrounds that are managed by private, for-profit companies like "Thousand Trails". $16/car/night for a patch of dirt to pitch a tent on, a picnic table, and a Honey Bucket??!?! That's bullshit. Plus, most of that money goes to the company, not the NFS.

 

[chelle]

Go ahead and be a dick. It might produce a good discussion.

 

I am opposed to fee camping at the site, unless the alternative is to close it completely. It's a primitive campground, the past two times I've gone there it was BYOTP. There is no water, the sites are undeveloped. A minimal fee, if needed to maintain what is there and supply TP to the two pit toilets is all that is being proposed it might be reasonable if it keeps the area open. Hell, put in a envelope collection system and ask for donations to help maintain it. I'd put in a few bucks every time I stay there.

 

If there is a proposal for more development of the area, bone fide safe fire pits, tables at the majority of the sites, clean drinking water, etc. I think it would make sense to see a cost benefit of leaving it the way it is and spending money developing it and subsequently managing it.

 

I would hate to see it turn into an 8-mile campground experience leased out to 1000-trails, where some retired couple camping out in their generator supplied RV serve as "managers" who appear to truly enjoy harrassing everyone at 6:30 a.m. about whether they have paid the fee or have parked outside the allotted parking space.

[Alpinfox]

... A minimal fee, if needed to maintain what is there and supply TP to the two pit toilets is all that is being proposed it might be reasonable if it keeps the area open. Hell, put in a envelope collection system and ask for donations to help maintain it. I'd put in a few bucks every time I stay there.

 

...

 

Perhaps suggesting this as an alternative solution in your letter to the NFS would be a good idea. One could point out that a voluntary donation system would probably cover the overhead costs as well as eliminating the need for law enforcement rangers/campground hosts to patrol the area.

[Camilo]

What do people think about suggesting the removal of toilets? Pee in the grass, poo when you get to the park in the morning? Seems that bathroom upkeep is the most expensive thing.

[kevbone]

How about $5 a week. A little bit of money is better than no money. Just to clean the bathrooms.

[Winter]

I think the best bet here is a voluntary donation system. How much money can it really cost to maintain that place? I know I would be happy to kick in a few $$ once in awhile to avoid a mandatory fee system.