Proposed Manhattan Project National Park stirring debate over locations

The National Park Service is working on a draft of a new national park to commemorate the Manhattan Project which developed the atomic bomb that ended World War II. One option of the plan is to establish the official park site at Los Alamos, New Mexico, where displays would acknowledge the contributions of other cities such as Hanford, Washington, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Residents of Oak Ridge, however, believe that their city deserves a park site as well. Watch this video to learn more.

Second woman goes missing at Point Reyes in two weeks

Authorities say that foul play is not suspected in the disappearance Sunday of a Nicasio woman at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Search crews on Monday continued to hunt for Silvia Lange, 77, a docent beloved by hiking enthusiasts and colleagues at Angel Island State Park. She also trained dogs to become helpers with those with disabilities.

Lange has not been seen since Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon, her car was found at the North Beach parking lot at Point Reyes, triggering a search-and-rescue effort that lasted until 11 p.m. and continued all day Monday.

What triggers an alert for many is that Lange's disappearance comes two weeks after search-and-rescue crews could not find 37-year-old Katherine Truitt of Alameda at McClures Beach, also in Point Reyes, eight miles north of the North Beach area. Truitt has not been found.

"We have no evidence of foul play," says Lucas Marciniak of the San Mateo Search and Rescue team, "and no evidence to suggest a link" between the two disappearances, said Don Neubacher, superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Point Reyes National Seashore, extending out into the Pacific Ocean on a prominent peninsula north of San Francisco, is a windy, chilly place even in summer, but in winter winds can be ferocious, fog thick, and rain heavy. Winter visitors are hardy and few. Hikers may not see many others in the large and isolated park.

I have hiked many of the trails in the park, and can say from experience that it is easy for hikers to fall from a collapsing bluff, or slip into a rain swept canyon where it may be days--or weeks for isolated trails--until another person comes along and finds them.

But the other possibility should also be considered. Though foul play is not at this time being talked about, the disappearance of two women, both alone, from this park that is lightly used in winter, within two weeks of each other would be a striking coincidence.

Nevertheless, the gray whales are migrating and whale watching is excellent at Point Reyes. Visitors should not be discouraged from these wonderful sights of spouting leviathans, but caution is advised. Don't visit and hike these lonesome trails alone if you can find a companion, both for the unthinkable reason, and for the inherent trail dangers of rain, loose slippery banks, isolation, and other winter hazards of this wonderfully scenic national seaxhore.

View whale migration from Point Reyes NS

The California gray whale swims 10,000 miles each year, the longest migration of any mammal, spending about one third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California.

Jutting ten miles into the Pacific Ocean, the headlands of the Point Reyes National Seashore offer one of the finest spots along the California coast to view the gray whale. The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary provides a twenty mile-wide "highway" through which the whales cruise.

Sometimes they swim well off the coast, but often travel close in to shore, where they can easily be viewed from the high bluffs of the headland. The areas around Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse offer some of the best whale watching spots in the park.

The peak of the southern migration usually occurs in mid-January and that of the northern migration in mid-March. Late April and early May afford the opportunity to see mothers and calves close to shore.

What drives the gray whale to undertake this incredible annual round trip from Alaska to Baja? The basics of mammal urges, food and reproduction.

Yellowstone is rumbling again

The magma chamber that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park is what remains from an initial volcanic eruption of 2.1 million years ago that was 2,500 times more powerful than the Mt. St. Helens eruption, and may have been the largest, most violent volcanic eruption in the history of the earth.

Enough ash and volcanic debris--roughly 600 cubic miles of material--exploded from the eruptions to cover the entire western half of the United States with about a four-foot deep layer of ash.

Explosions of this magnitude "happen about every 600,000 years at Yellowstone," says Chuck Wicks of the U.S. Geological Survey, who has studied the possibilities. "And it's been about 620,000 years since the last super explosive eruption there."

That's comforting.

Now the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory reports that Yellowstone is rumbling again. Since Sunday, there have been 901 measured earthquakes in the park. The largest has been of magnitude 3.8.

"The swarm earthquakes are likely the result of slip on pre-existing faults rather than underground movement of magma," reported the United States Geological Survey on Thursday. "Currently there is no indication of premonitory volcanic or hydrothermal activity."

Two of the strongest earthquakes were measured on Wednesday night with eight of the earthquakes measuring 3.0 or more. While the vast majority of the earthquakes have been too small to feel, people in and around the park have reported feeling a few of them. The earthquakes have centered near the northwest edge of the Yellowstone Caldera.

The USGS believes there is nothing to indicate any serious cause for concern. Earthquake swarms have been quite common in the area since the time of the last major eruption.

Maybe that's just the earth letting us know she's still pretty awesome. However, it's still OK to visit Yellowstone. No major eruptions are predicted, and the likelihood of an eruption in any given century is is minuscule, since such events are measured in tens of thousands or even millions of years apart.

Steamtown National Historic Site

Steam rises around you. A giant turntable revolves. Excitement simmers in your chest. It might sound like you’re dancing the night away at a trendy club, but the turntable before you (used for positioning locomotives) isn’t manned by a DJ, and here, steam creates power not ambiance.

At Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania, thrills sweep through visitors as they travel by rail or watch an “iron horse” race along its track. The park offers train excursions of varying lengths. In 2010, trips start in April, but don’t delay a visit until then. Steamtown, like the United States in the 19th and early 20th century heyday of rail travel, boasts plenty of opportunities in addition to riding the rails.

You can enter locomotives for a view of their controls and take a peek inside one locomotive that has had parts of its exterior cut away to reveal the operation of its steam engine. You can also walk through a post office car and a business car and check out museum exhibits. The History Museum at Steamtown acquaints visitors with life on the railroad and with early railroads, as well as with the interaction between businessmen, laborers, members of the government, and people who used, owned, or worked on railroads.

At the Technology Museum, learn about freight cars and the building of railroad tracks. Find out more about the railroads’ architecture, a sample of which is available at Steamtown in surviving portions of the Scranton roundhouse and locomotive repair shops of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad.

Steamtown National Historic Site is the 32nd feature in the National Park Getaways series.

New interactive photo guide to Yosemite

On Monday “iFotoGuide”, the only interactive location photography guide available on the iPhone and iPod Touch, released their second installment, the “iFotoGuide: Yosemite Valley” available at the Apple App Store.

This comprehensive digital guide to photographing one of America’s most popular national parks was created by photographers for professional and amateur photographers and claims to provide users with all the tools necessary for a successful and productive photo trip.

Filled with dynamic, interactive content and breathtaking images, “iFotoGuide: Yosemite Valley” replaces out of date hard copy guidebooks. Upon arrival in the park they can use the guide to find locations to photograph, the best time to be there, and what gear they’ll need.

An interactive park map allows users to zoom, pan, and select photography locations by name. Images in the photo gallery are interactive, with one touch providing detailed instructions for getting to and photographing each location.

NPS announces Golden Gate National Park's Day of Service

National Park Service news Release
January 13, 2010
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

America’s Best Idea: National Park Getaway

SAN FRANCISCO – Hearing about the plight of natural areas around the world—areas invaded by non-native species, sullied by pollution, and beset by a host of problems linked to climate change—can create a feeling of helplessness. One may hardly know where to start when confronting global phenomena.

You’ll find a way out of this dilemma, however, in San Francisco on January 18, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here, make a small but significant start on preventing and undoing damage to the environment by participating in the Golden Gate National Parks Day of Service. Volunteers can help maintain trails, restore habitats, and clean beaches. They can also contribute to planting projects and help birds find nesting materials.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the 31st national park to appear in a series of weekly National Park Getaways, (www.nps.gov/getaways) online articles that introduce prospective travelers to, or remind them of, places where they can reconnect with nature, history, family, and friends. Often, a getaway is about getting—that is, what you will get out of a visit to Jewel Cave, Cuyahoga Valley, or another featured destination. This week’s getaway, however, helps people to plan a trip that is as much about giving as it is about getting.

The feature piece and photographs put readers in touch with more information about giving time and efforts to the recreation area on January 18. Readers will also discover some surprises and hidden gems of the park. The offerings of this urban park include historic places, beaches, and opportunities to hike. Among the redwoods and alongside the Pacific Ocean, beauty abounds. Maintain this beauty and savor it on the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Summer jobs at Grand Teton

Grand Teton National Park is now recruiting participants for the 2010 Youth Conservation Program (YCP). Thanks to generous donations made by several donors through the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, this marks the fifth year that the park has offered this youth employment opportunity. Grand Teton plans to recruit 15-20 short-term positions. Applications must be postmarked by March 12, 2010.

If you have a teen or know of one that would fit this program, consider the YCP summer employment program for high school students, ages 16 to 19. YCP enrollees develop an understanding of National Park Service (NPS) conservation ethics as they assist with critically-needed maintenance and rehabilitation on park trails and pathways. Participants work alongside NPS crew leaders and become familiar with NPS stewardship goals, while learning essential trail maintenance skills. YCP participants may also answer basic visitor questions and serve as park ambassadors as they complete project work on some of the most visible, and most impacted, park trails.

The 2010 YCP program will run for ten weeks from June 14 through August 19. Participants must be at least 16 years of age by June 14, and live locally as housing is not provided. Applicants must also be United States citizens and students in good standing. Other qualifications include good team skills, a willingness to learn about Grand Teton National Park and its trail system, and the ability to work at a physically demanding job which may involve lifting 30-40 pounds. The program includes three work crews with five to six YCP trail members, and wages are set at $10.88 per hour.

To obtain an application or get further information about the 2010 YCP, call Brian Bergsma in Grand Teton National Park at 307.739.3364, or write to YCP Program, GTNP, Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012. Applications are also available online at http://www.nps.gov/grte/supportyourpark/ycp.htm.

Yosemite visitation highest since 1996

Yosemite National Park received 3,866,970 visitors in 2009. This marks the highest level of visitation in the park since 1996.

Visitation to the park peaked in 1996 with 4,190,557 visitors. Since 1996, the park has experienced a downward trend in visitation. This trend continued through 2006, with the park receiving 3,366,500 visitors. In 2007, the trend reversed and visitation began to increase.

Visitation to Yosemite National Park first hit the one million mark in 1954. The park saw two million visitors for the first time in 1967. In 1987, the park hit the three million mark with 3,266,418 visitors.

Great Smoky Mountain NP: Our most visited national park

This is the third (first was Mesa Verde, second Joshua Tree) of my Top Ten National Park picks, a difficult choice with so many great parks to choose from. To qualify, they had to be RV friendly, offering camping, road-touring, or optional means of seeing the park. They had to encompass some of the most breathtaking and wild scenery in the country, have abundant wildlife, and offer a variety of recreational opportunities to make it a destination choice, a place you could spend days or weeks. They represent several types of terrain spread over nine states and Canada, from Maine to California.

Already by 1930 two-thirds of the future park area had been cut of its timber. A saving act by Congress established the park in 1934, the mission of which was to preserve this unique mountain area’s features, to rid the park of exotic plant and insect species, and re-establish wildlife, much of which had already been lost.

From the base of the mountains to the tops, the park’s five distinct forests support 130 species of trees, from spruce and firs of the higher elevations to oaks and hardwoods at lower elevations.

Road-touring, wildlife watching, high mountain scenic viewpoints, hiking trails, easy access to population centers, free admission, and the unique history of the mountain people combine to make Great Smokey Mountain our most visited National Park with over nine million annual visitors.

Coyotes, woodchucks, raccoons, opossums, red and gray foxes, and bobcats—65 mammal species--live in the park. Between 400 and 800 deer live in Cades Cove. About 1,500 black bears, about two bears per square mile and one of the country’s highest densities, roam the park. Red wolves, elk, and river otters have also been re-introduced.

Ten campgrounds nestle in the woods and along streams in the park, none with hookups, but three take reservations and six can accomodate rigs over 30 feet.

The park is located between Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN in western North Carolina on the Tennessee border. Visit the park's Website for more information.

Fort Pulaski National Monument

The American Civil War pitted brother against brother and
parent against child when it erupted in the mid 19th century. Today,
however, the conflict is uniting family members. Together, they listen to
accounts of the struggle and explore the battlefields and defensive
structures where it raged. At Savannah, Georgia’s Fort Pulaski, for example, architecture, natural surroundings, and demonstrations of historical weapons afford experiences for members of a family to share.

A moat and a drawbridge, built as protective features, render the brick
fortification vulnerable to visitors’ interest. Instead of blocking people’s entry, the moat and the bridge draw them into the building, where they walk in the footsteps of Confederate and Union soldiers, on the parade ground of the fort, and among its arches and thick walls.

Visitors can also climb to the top of the fort and look out over the Savannah River and Cockspur Island, across marshes and woodlands. The interior of the fort, which housed Confederate prisoners after falling to Union troops, seems to demand that visitors stay alert, like prison guards or defenders, while the external, natural world soothes those who stroll through it in the shade or under the warm sun.

The liveliness of a visit to Fort Pulaski can only increase when one stops at the visitor center for exhibitions and a film or witnesses a ranger at the fort firing a Civil War-era musket. The history in which the fort is steeped engages visitors of all ages.

Increase in national parks camping in 2009

In the worst economic decline in the nation since the big depression, camping visitation still increased in our national parks (see figures below). In fact enough visitors flocked to Yellowstone National Park in 2009 to set a record -- with nearly 3.3 million visitors passing through the park’s gates, representing a 7.5% increase from 2008 crowds, and a 3.6% boost from the old record of 3.15 million visitors counted in 2007, according to park officials. Maybe when the economy is tight more people visit the national parks and go camping instead of taking higher priced vacations and weekend getaways.

It could also mean that retiring baby boomers increased the ranks of potential campers. The same pattern held with state parks around the country, most of which saw even higher percentage increases in camping in 2009. Maybe I'll have to start making reservations rather than winging it.


Increase comparison between 2008 and 2009

Tent camping increased from 2,956,761 to 3,141,248 or +6.24%

RV camping increased from 2,012,532 to 2,135,371 or +6.1%

Back country camping increased from 1,797,912 to 1,806,154 or +0.5%

Concessionaire camping increased from 1,224,864 to 1,301,419 or +6.25%

Overall increase went from 7,992,069 to 8,384,192 or +4.94

Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi offers January 2010 programs

Ranger-led programs are offered each week in Ocean Springs in the Mississippi District of the park, which is open year-round. With over 400 acres, visitors have a variety of activities to choose from in the Davis Bayou area, including camping, fishing, hiking, biking, and boating. All programs are free and open to the public.



On Sunday, January 3, learn about sea turtles. Which species might you see in our own coastal waters? What do they eat? Join a ranger to find out more about these creatures in a program suitable for all ages. Meet at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center auditorium at 2 p.m.



On Sunday, January 10 at 2 p.m., watch the film Aliens of the Sea. The leafy sea dragon, pipe fish, and other wonders of the deep appear on our new, large screen. The 50-minute film will be shown in the William M. Colmer Visitor Center auditorium.



On Saturday, January 16, join a volunteer naturalist, Dr. Libby Graves, and a park ranger for Winter Bird Walk at 8 a.m. What birds live in Davis Bayou in the winter? Which are only passing through? Join us to learn the answers to these questions and more. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. A few pairs of binoculars will be available to borrow.



On Saturday, January 23 at 1 p.m., discover the plants and animals that thrive in our southern marshes. Meet at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center for Boat Davis Bayou and enjoy the salt marsh with a ranger on a flat-bottomed boat. You must sign up prior to this 45-minute tour.



On Friday, January 29 at 6 p.m., explore the park by moonlight. Learn about nocturnal animals, phases of the moon, moon lore, and making the most of human senses in reduced light. Meet at the campground amphitheater for this one-hour event, the Full Moon Fever walk.


Dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. For more information about the above material, please contact Susan Blair at 228 230-4106.