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Carbon River Entrance? Beware.... Mowich Lk Rd?


Dane

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The good news is Mowich Lake Rd should be open by late next week (July 1?) with a meter or so of snow at the lake. But geezus make sure you call and ask specifically about the road if you are planning on parking at the lake.

 

For the poor unknowing souls and the igit Ranger who can't be bothered to tell "everyone" that calls, "either bring cash or a check as they don't take CC or debit cards" for park entry fees and-or climbing permits. Carbon River is still in the stone age with pit tiolets so why should I be surprised at the level of help while trying to abide by the RNP climbing regulations.

 

No cash (or a check) no climb! Nearest ATM is back in Wilkerson. Ask me how I know that?

 

Why does the NPS even bother with a presence on the north side when it is so pathetic?

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I'm tell'in ya ... the boys and girls at Jenny Lake :tup: have this sort of thing dialed .. why the hell does RNP need to be any different than the Tetons .. why do any of the NP's need to be "different" .. typical government bs .. left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing .. why can't procedures for climbing in NP's be the same regardless of local :confused: ... our tax dollars at work ... :crazy:

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Wireless verifone? You got to be shitting me. Ever heard of a manual credit card imprint machine? Just how difficult does it need to be?

 

I have seldom whitnessed such incompentence or arrogance that the NPS seems so full of.

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Dane, I had a little chat with a climbing ranger after coming down to Paradise on Sunday. I commented that it was bummer the blog was not kept up as for $30 that was the only added value for the climbing permit as I do not use the DC or Emmons except as a descent route. His comment was that the climbing rangers were all on the hill 4 days a week so it was hard to update. I said that folks are not expecting daily updates but if they saw a blast of reports once a week folks would be happy. And they could do not when they come down. I plan to followup with a letter to the super. Part of my comments is that Gator set a very high bar and at the present they are falling far short and folks are going to start skipping the registration.

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I'm not upset about the lack of blogging, and don't really care if it comes back. It was nice to have the info, but all I want to know about is road closures and administrative hoops that I need to be aware of. I go up there to have an adventure. I don't want photo play-by-play of the corridor or if the finger is still skiable, or a daily liberty ridge update. I'd rather find out for myself and get skunked occasionally. And I'm coming from a lot further away.

 

It's unfortunate we have to be carrying cash. But as long as this info is made available it doesn't seem that big a deal. Rainier does have a lot of paperwork.

 

The blogging does not bug me, but I can live without it.

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I'm tell'in ya ... the boys and girls at Jenny Lake :tup: have this sort of thing dialed .. why the hell does RNP need to be any different than the Tetons .. why do any of the NP's need to be "different" .. typical government bs .. left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing .. why can't procedures for climbing in NP's be the same regardless of local :confused: ... our tax dollars at work ... :crazy:

 

Heehee, kinda funny to compare Jenny Lake with Carbon River....

 

Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen a manual credit card machine.... but if those things still even exists, sure seems like Carbon River could get one... if it could avoid washing away in the river this fall!

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Iain, for what you describe (roads and admin hoops) is already on the main Rainier NPS page. If that is all we are going to get there is no need for the climbing rangers and the $30 fee for those not going to Muir or the Emmons.

 

Having some good general route info is helpful for most. For instance, the Finger - knowing that it is in good shape and not yet bowling for climbers or having a report that it has pretty much melted out is good enough for most. Enough info to make a choice and still have an adventure.

 

Here is my heart burn I was told the climbing rangers are out on the hill and not in the office. So those issuing permits have little knowledge of what is going on the hill unless the climbing rangers given them some info verbally which then needs to be pass around to everyone running the desk. Not a good system.

 

Finally, where are the rangers? Emmons or Muir. Fine that is where 90% of the people are. So those 10% who are over say on the Finger get 0% added benefit. That is the problem.

 

PS Bend to Rainier is no big deal many come from much further. If you note there a several each year posting who are from the east coast. Knowing conditions is much more important for them.

 

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SS, fair points, I don't disagree. It's frustrating to pay for the necessary infrastructure to maintain order at Emmons and Muir when that's not your destination and not your problem. It also appears they need to rotate rangers into office duty more frequently to get some "field data" down to the registration desk.

 

Using your example on the Finger, you get some benefit by having well-acclimatized, trained people ready to run over from Muir or wherever to help you out should you be in trouble. Their response time on foot plus helicopter is probably very good if the weather is good. Whether people should have to pay extra for some mandatory safety cushion is another question. I suppose you also pay for camp quota enforcement on the Wilson G.

 

Certainly there is room for improvement. I have a hard time paying an annual $20 permit when I end up doing perhaps 1 trip there a year. Part of the reason I stay away is the red tape. Rainier is popular enough to require some infrastructure, and that costs money.

 

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I had a fairly long meeting earlier this week with the Chief Park Ranger and the Chief Climbing Ranger. Still trying to digest all the info.

 

There is a system being set up to enable the climbing rangers to down load condition info while on the mtn. IIRC climbing rangers work something like 6 days on 4 off....or something similar. And no one wants to down load reports after their trip on the mtn. Their answer is to allow a electronic bridge from Muir ot Ashford so they can do it online while on the mtn.

 

My take from that is a Ranger at a key board are not a good use of their time. I like seeing the ability to do so but question the logic behind it.

 

Climbing fees are about to increase again. (currently a $20 reserv. fee and a $30 climbing fee) The vast majority of personal, time and funds go to Muir and the Emmons. No surprise.

 

I had first encouraged climbing fee increases but after hearing that every improvement was years off I wasn't so thrilled.

 

My take is much of what could be done easily doesn't get done simply because those involved simple don't think the simple changes are worth the effort.

 

One thing they have done is make sure the rotation schedule has rangers coming off the mtn and going straight to the info desk so their info is current.

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And no one wants to down load reports after their trip on the mtn.

 

My take from that is a Ranger at a key board are not a good use of their time.

 

Dane, thanks for the info. If the rangers do not like to down load info then perhaps they need to find a new job. Further, what exactly do the rangers think is a good use of their time? Perhaps what they think and what the public (i.e. climbers) who are paying their salary want/need are different. Maybe they need to sit down with a few more folks ...

 

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