We will see far bigger disruptions this year at the park, I expect, due to budget and personnel cuts. We will all need to be flexible and adaptable to surprises. Frankly, whether i need an Ursak or not, and whether i know the answer now or a few weeks before my trip, is the least of my concerns. I ...

Yes but No. That's a miserable excuse because this started WELL before the new administration. NPS should have been in front of this the beginning of last season in May when the problem was identified.

New food storage rules should have been ironed out and published before last seasons close ...

Phenomenal job on the parks part here, we're down to 34 days until the park opens & they still don't have an "official policy" announced?

I get there's gov red tape, boards to meet, etc... but at the end of the day excuses are just that & it's clear they dropped the ball on this a couple times ...

Tortuga, you raise n interesting point about finding an “ok” branch. Odds are very low of finding a branch ten feet high and extending ten feet from the tree trunk. Last year, i didn’t even try, well not try hard anyway. A question for folks: The ten and ten rule is really meant for bears. I am not ...

I circumambulated Mt Rainier on the Wonderland Trail a few years ago. They have bears. (Also glaciers.). Camping is allowed only in designated areas. Each area has a fixed tetherball-type pole about 12 feet high, with 4 or 5 hooks radiating from its apex. The foot storage protocol is to keep your ...

In my view, a bear canister is a huge overkill. I am doing the same route and will hang my food. I will also place it in an ursak bag.

I have a Big Agnes Scout 2 for years. It is single wall but i have never had a major problem with condensation. The biggest drawback is the single, front entry and needing to navigate around the pole to get in. Gets harder every year! It also has no real room for packs, unless used as a one-man tent ...

Anyone have any guess as to how this plays out? What do they mean that animal-resistant food storage will be required? Will someone be checking? Is this similar to the requirement that you filter and chemically treat water that most people don’t actually do? I’ve read that people coming from the ...

Last year, most campgrounds on the east side had “lockers” installed and all food items were to be placed in them. In reality, these were the crates the wolves were placed in when being relocated to the island. Different rangers said the complete opposite of each other on this point, but i was also ...

A few years ago, i started losing all appetite once on the trail. It got worse over the years. Thankfully, i seem to be over this now (lost a lot of weight and maybe that is what did it?). Anyway, i cobbled together a few dishes i could stomach, sometimes: Bone broth; a Snickers bar; PB and ...

A few years ago, i started losing all appetite once on the trail. It got worse over the years. Thankfully, i seem to be over this now (lost a lot of weight and maybe that is what did it?). Anyway, i cobbled together a few dishes i could stomach, sometimes: Bone broth; a Snickers bar; PB and fritos ...

Low staffing will require the lost and injured to be left behind for fertilizer.

Self rescue or start digging


You jest but there is truth in what you write. On the more trivial end of the spectrum, don’t count on any TP in the outhouses and ranger talks are at risk. Last year, some sections ...

Recent staff firings are already affecting the Grand Canyon and other parks. What will IR be like this summer? I have a few guesses. I won't be surprised if the Greenstone is not issued. Maybe more importantly, I expect trails will be a bit of a mess, with downfalls left in place and boardwalk ...

I think you may notice more hikers than seven years ago, perhaps especially first timers. Make sure you reserve your ferry seats (if that is how you plan to arrive).

Last year, the rangers were contradicting themselves on the issue. some said to worry only in those campgrounds with lockers. Others said to hang food everywhere. I did speak to hikers who had a quite close encounter with wolves on a trail. Let’s hope things are better this year, but i would plan on ...