It may be a few months before snowdrifts settle in at Yellowstone National Park, but flurries of litigation over its winter-use policy are in the current forecast.

On Thursday, the Obama administration announced plans to reduce the number of snowmobiles allowed in the park to 318 per day — less than half of the previous daily limit of 720. The announcement was followed on Friday by Gov. Dave Freudenthal and other state officials seeking to keep the cap at 720. The state’s congressional delegation also voiced its opposition to this latest development in a decade-long saga.

The number of snowmobiles has been under scrutiny and debate since the Clinton administration set to ban the machines altogether in 2000.

Since then, the figures 318, 540, 720 and zero all have been tossed around in a tug-of-war to determine exactly how many snowmobiles can enter the park’s gates on any given winter day.

Those who live in the Yellowstone area are justifiably annoyed that people thousands of miles away have a sway in the park’s governance. Yet, since it is a national park, it is up to Americans — whether in Wyoming or Washington — to decide.

With the 318-per-day proposal last week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar also announced a 45-day public comment period, which ends Sept. 8.

This is an opportunity for those living at Yellowstone’s threshold to denounce or praise the newest snowmobile cap.

As Freudenthal said in an Associated Press article: “It would be nice if they sat down and said, ‘What really works for the folks who are wanting to visit, and the folks who are making a living up in Yellowstone?’”

Eventually, a permanent limit will be reached. Until then, speak up.

The July 31 event will include speakers, dedication of the rehabilitated Grotto Museum building, Paiute dancers and an evening chamber music concert.

The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. Entrance into the park will be free that day.

The park was established as Mukuntuweap National Monument by President William Taft on July 31, 1909. It was rededicated as Zion National Park a decade later.

The Associated Press

A wildfire burning in Zion Natural Park that forced the closure of a hiking trail has spread over 450 acres, but was reported to be 25 percent contained Wednesday.

The lightning-sparked Horse fire was discovered on July 7 and is located about 1½ miles southeast of Lava Point, in the northern part of the park.

On Wednesday, park officials said the northern part of the fire, which is most worrisome to fire officials, was slowed by a lack of fuel when it reached an area that was burned last fall.

The southern and eastern parts of the fire continued moderate growth Tuesday. The West Rim Trail from Lava Point to Potato Hollow was temporarily closed to protect visitors.

Smoke from the fire may settle into canyons at night, especially Zion Canyon, but canyon winds should blow it away by mid-morning, park fire spokesman David Eaker said in a news release.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 2009 — Joshua Tree National Superintendent Curt Sauer on Wednesday, July 8 ordered Jumbo Rocks Campground closed temporarily due to safety concerns raised by the presence of swarming bees, park Chief of Interpretation Joe Zarki said in a press release.

The closure went into effect at noon Wedneday and was expected to remain in force until noon Monday, Aug. 10.

To compensate for the campsites closed at Jumbo Rocks, park offials reopened Ryan Campground, located 6 miles west of Jumbo Rocks, Zarki said.

In recent days, campers at Jumbo Rocks have been harried by swarms of non-aggressive, but persistent, swarms of bees seeking moisture, he said. As seasonal dry conditions deepen before the onset of summer monsoonal rains, bees will actively seek out moisture from any available source including car radiators, coolers, drink containers, trash cans, restrooms, and even sweat on human skin.

 Though bees seeking moisture do not generally sting, their close, constant presence can negatively affect visitor enjoyment and create an unsafe condition, especially for those allergic to bee stings, Zarki said. 

Park biologists will monitor the bee activity at Jumbo Rocks during the closure. If bee activity diminishes, the campground will be reopened, he said.

Ryan Campground was closed in June as part of a routine summer closure due to normal reduced camping demand during the hot summer months. It will remain open until further notice, Zarki said.

For more information and updates on visiting the park online to www.nps.gov/jotr or call (760) 67-5500.

Bachar Portrait (Photo By Karl "Baba" www.peaklightimages.com)

Renowned climber John Bachar was found dead at the base of the Dike Wall near his home in Mammoth Lakes, California on Sunday, July 5. Environmentalist and outdoorsman Auden Schendler wrote the following eulogy after hearing of Bachar's death.

As a recreational rock climber and mountaineer, I’ve always seen my work on environmental issues as a natural extension of that passion for the outdoors, and also part of a long tradition: climbers and mountaineers have a long history of moving from their sometimes solipsistic, self-involved, and meaningless-by-definition sport into hugely important and weighty work, often in the environmental field. Names that come to mind include Yvon Chouinard, a shy and soft-spoken dirtbag climber and gear inventor who later founded Patagonia and became one of the leading thinkers, philanthropists, and spokesmen on sustainability. David Brower, the pioneering American mountaineer and tenth mountain soldier who ran the Sierra Club and defined modern environmentalism; Ed Hillary, whose mission in life and identity was tied as much to helping Himalayan villagers as summiting Everest for the first time; and of course John Muir, who was first and foremost an alpinist. Today, we have Greg Mortensen, Peter Metcalf, and many others working on important environmental and human issues.

This is not to indict those who were, or are, simply, climbers. In the climbing community there have always been other sorts of characters too—for some, climbing was the end in itself, and what the world did with that was up to them. John Bachar, who died yesterday while climbing solo in California, was one of those. He was a pure rock climber who redefined the sport by ascending sheer rock faces of extreme difficulty without ropes to protect him in the event of a fall. What he did was athletic achievement at the highest levels of human ability and training, on par with the skill and discipline of Nadia Comeneci, Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, or Michael Jordan. His climbs, only a few years earlier, had been deemed impossible, even roped; climbing them without protection was as absurd as if a man had presumed to fly. But Bachar did fly. And as a result, one can’t compare his numinous climbing to climbing: instead, you have to compare it to art. To explain it best requires words used for Beethoven’s transcendent ninth symphony; it was an “expression of the divine.”

I had never heard of Bachar, or rock climbed myself, until I was sixteen and read an article in Outside magazine, in 1986. There was Bachar, climbing the impossible, alone, wearing red striped tube socks and revealing running shorts. The article changed the way I looked at the world. When I started climbing, I also wore tube socks (it actually meant your shoes fit poorly, most climbers go barefoot inside their shoes) in homage to Bachar. And there was rarely a day of climbing that passed without a reference to Bachar. “Here’s Bachar pulling the crux on the hideous 5.7 directissima…”

Today, I work in an office, and I don’t climb that much, or that well when I do. Several of us at work convinced management to fund a small climbing wall, and we get out there for ten minutes a few days a week, returning to our desks to type awkwardly with pumped forearms. On the bouldering wall, it’s almost certain someone will mention Bachar, just for the fun of it: coming around a corner, a moderately difficult move, a colleague slips, and complains about the slick hold. “What are you, chickenshit?!” someone yells, referencing an alleged comment by Bachar to his partner on a legendary Tuolumne climb.

In college, when we were most avid, Bachar was always more than just a climber for us; he was more than a human being: he was a talisman, a kachina doll, a phylactery that we carried with us for courage and for inspiration. A friend on a climbing trip to Yosemite came back one summer and, as if he had seen Sasquach, reported that Bachar walked in front of his car. “He was huge,” my friend said. Bachar was ripped, for sure, though no giant. But he was huge to us.

Though I never met him, I didn’t need to. I had seen him climbing on videos, his smooth and deliberate and meditative progress up vertical and overhanging faces of granite. This virtuosity in fact and in concept tied to what I was learning in school: Bachar was proof of what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature,” evidence for a human will powerful enough to do great things; to end slavery; to solve large and pressing problems. I imitated him in the same way that I imitated McEnroe’s awkward but beautiful serve.

I spend my days working on what I consider an impossible task as a footsoldier in the battle to solve climate change. If you know even a little about the science, the challenge is awe inspiring. The best scientists tell us we have to cut global carbon dioxide emissions 80% by 2050, and even then we’ll have warmed the planet by several degrees and suffer the consequences. I call solving climate change the challenge not of our generation, but of our species. And the things we’ll have to do are so absurdly difficult that they are almost literally impossible: we have to retool society away from fossil fuel almost immediately, if we hope to succeed, and that means we have to change a cripplingly slow political process, reinvent capitalism, and bring the rest of the world along with us. I spend some of my time in despair. But perhaps that is too strong a word, because there are rays of hope. One of those rays is Bachar.   

Of all things, in this office today, as far from his life and his beloved Tuolumne as conceivable, John Bachar is helping me in my work. Bachar didn’t so much influence the sport of climbing as he altered our understanding of what is possible in the human world. His life suggests that if we’re not pursuing something impossible, we’re not achieving to our full potential. He unlocked a door of possibility, the idea that in the same way that we only use a tiny portion of our brain, we are also only tapping a tiny portion of our potential, a potential so great that like some of Bachar’s climbs, we can’t even fathom it. We will all need—and use—that vision in our common struggles ahead.

--Auden Schendler

National Park Service, NPS.gov

Here’s the standard info on the scheduled fireworks display on the Mall in D.C. for 2009.

- 9:10 p.m. – 9:27 p.m., Saturday, July 4, 2009

- The optimum viewing areas for the fireworks will be at a distance from the launch site (Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool). These areas include:
U.S. Capitol
Lincoln Memorial
National Mall between 14th Street and 3rd Street
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
The White House Ellipse
West Potomac Park
East Potomac Park
Anacostia Park
U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima)
George Washington Memorial Parkway across the Potomac River in Virginia.

- If you view the fireworks near the launch site (Reflecting Pool) during the fireworks display:
Consider wearing eye protection and ear plugs.
Do not enter the fenced safety zones around the launch site.

Following the fireworks, do not walk along Independence Avenue, SW between Daniel Chester French Drive, SW and 17th Street, SW, until safety teams clear the area of potentially harmful fireworks debris.

Arrive early in the day to claim your viewing spot and avoid the last minute rush!

Confiscated Fireworks

If you’re middle-aged like me, you probably grew up playing with bottle rockets, sparklers, firecrackers and even some custom made contraptions, on or near the Fourth of July.

Things have changed. Fire isn’t any hotter, or human flesh any less fire resistant, but things have changed in the associations between neighbors, friends and local authorities.

Like most reasonable people, I realize that fireworks themselves are not anymore dangerous than a standard book of matches. It’s dangerous behaviour that causes injuries.

We would like to offer some warnings and a video to watch that might help you plan a safe Fourth of July holiday where fireworks are involved. 

• In 2006, fireworks caused an estimated 32,600 reported fires, including 1,700 total structure fires, 600 vehicle fires, and 30,300 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated 6 civilian deaths, 70 civilian injuries and $34 million in direct property damage.
• In 2007, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,800 people for fireworks related injuries; 56% of 2007 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 36% were to the head.
• The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 5-9 or 10-14 as for the general population.
• On Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires. 

Source: NFPA’s Fireworks report, by John R. Hall, Jr., June 2009

Yes, it is sad that we can’t enjoy the great fun this Fourth of July that we traditionally enjoyed in years gone by, but the greatly increased population, as well as the propensity for litigation from bystanders, friends, neighbors and yes, even family requires us to display different behavior than we did back when parents watched over their children more closely.

Many of today’s children practically raise themselves: between watching TV and traveling all over the neighborhood unsupervised, there is a real danger that you may be inadvertantly involved in injuring a child. Some possible scenarios include one of your airborn incendiary fireworks landing in an unplanned yard where small children are playing. Or maybe an uninvited child runs into your yard while you are lighting some fireworks.

Back when judges used reasonable processes for making judgements and parents knew where their children were, we were all much safer from both injury and prossecution. But in today’s litigous society, if one doesn’t take care deliberatly to have fun in an environment of safety, it’s not too far fetched to imagine being sued for damages for something as harmless as your annual neighborhood pic nic.

Watch the following video on fireworks produced by The National Council on Fireworks Safety. And then make yourself aware of your local laws. They may have changed since you last checked.

Watch Video

Fireworks at The Capitol 2008.

Washington DC is a spectacular place to celebrate July 4th! The National Mall, with Washington DC’s monuments and the U. S. Capitol in the background, forms a beautiful and patriotic backdrop to America’s Independence Day celebrations. This is an all-day event in the nation’s capital, beginning with a parade along Constitution Avenue and ending with a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument. Following is a guide to all of the 4th of July events on the National Mall.

The 4th of July celebrations in Washington, DC are among the most attended events of the year and many people arrive early to stake out a seat on the lawn. There are plenty of activities scheduled throughout the day to keep the whole family busy.

Getting to the National Mall

The best way to get to the National Mall is to take the Metro. Stations nearby include Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown, Judiciary Square, Federal Triangle and L’Enfant Plaza.The Smithsonian Metro station will be closed on the Fourth.

Public access to the National Mall begins at 10:00 a.m., with all visitors required to enter via a security checkpoint. Read more about getting to the National Mall, public transportation, parking, security and road closures.

Washington, DC’s Independence Day Parade
Parade Start Time: 11:45 a.m.
Parade Route: Constitution Avenue and 7th to 17th Sts.
See a map of the parade route

Washington, DC’s 4th of July Parade features marching bands, military and specialty units, floats, and VIP’s. The parade draws a large crowd, so plan to arrive early to stake out a good viewing spot. Read more about the National Independence Day Parade

Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The annual event includes daily and evening music and dance performances, crafts and cooking demonstrations, storytelling and discussions of cultural issues. The themes of the 2009 program will be: Giving Voice: The Power of Words (African American Culture), The Americas and Wales. The hours on the 4th of July are 11 a.m to 5 p.m. Read more about the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

4th of July at the National Archives
The National Archives celebrates the 4th of July with special family programming celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the National Archives Building for this special birthday party from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. See the schedule of events.

White House Visitor Center Family Events
Between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., stop at the White House Visitor Center and enjoy games, crafts and other activities celebrating America’s Birthday. National Park Service rangers and volunteers will give you the opportunity to sample the sights, sounds, activities and personages that helped finalize the Declaration of Independence and create the United States of America on July 4, 1776.

Concert on the Washington Monument Grounds
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. the U.S. Army Concert Band and the U.S. Army Band Downrange plays on the Southwest corner of the grounds of the Washington Monument.

A Capitol Fourth Concert
Time: 8 – 9:30 p.m. (Admittance begins at 3 p.m.)
Location: West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol

A 4th of July tradition in the nation’s capital includes a live concert by the National Symphony Orchestra and several pop artists performing patriotic music on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. The concert and show is followed by a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument. The concert is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary. The annual event is broadcast live on PBS with a repeat airing at 9:30-11:00 p.m. The concert will also be broadcast over National Public Radio on WAMU – 88.5 FM. See photos of A Capitol Fourth and performers for the 2009 concert.

4th of July Fireworks on the National Mall
Fireworks Time: At dark, usually around 9:15 p.m. Rain Date: July 5th
Launch Location: The fireworks are launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and light up the sky over the Washington Monument. See Photos of the Fireworks

Best Places to View the National Mall Fireworks

• U. S. Capitol
• Lincoln Memorial
• Jefferson Memorial
• FDR Memorial
• East Potomac Park
• Anywhere along the National Mall between 14th Street and the Capitol
• Aboard a cruise along the Potomac River

Spectacular views of the fireworks can also be seen from the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) in Arlington, Virginia near the Rosslyn Metro station and areas along the Virginia side of the Potomac River that can be reached from George Washington Memorial Parkway. You may park at the Gravely Point parking lot, which is about a quarter mile from the 14th Street Bridge.

If you’d prefer to avoid the crowds of the city, there are plenty of alternative places to watch fireworks. See suggestions on pages 2 and 3.

For Fireworks in Maryland, See Page 2
For Fireworks in Virginia, See Page 3

See also, 4th of July Parades in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia

Gen. Robert E. Lee

July 01, 2009 12:10 AM

On July 1, 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee led Confederate troops into the battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. The three-day conflict left approximately 5,500 dead.