Quoteparklover Quotey_p_w I think Yellowstone has Yosemite beat when it comes to a diversity of features. Obvious there's the most diverse set of geothermal features anywhere in the world. Then there are canyons, waterfalls, meadows, rivers, and some of the best wildlife viewing anywhere in North America. Yellowstone is also considerably larger, and it has far better road access. However, I wby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I think Yellowstone has Yosemite beat when it comes to a diversity of features. Obvious there's the most diverse set of geothermal features anywhere in the world. Then there are canyons, waterfalls, meadows, rivers, and some of the best wildlife viewing anywhere in North America. Yellowstone is also considerably larger, and it has far better road access. However, I wouldn't say it necessarilyby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteOhnivy-Drak Smokey Mountains is a bit surprising to me. I would have guessed Yellowstone would be ahead in terms of visitation. Maybe it's a bit out of the way? Smokeys probably get most of the east coast folks. There's a lot of stuff going on in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. It's pretty easy to combine a trip to Dollywood with a short visit to the park.by y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave This is not good news to everyone. Now many popular rock/mineral collecting sites are now off limits. Some of the new rules are amazingly stupid. One is that if you happen across a pretty rock then you can pick it up and keep it. If you are out looking for rocks to collect, you can't pick up any or take any with you. It depends on who is in charge. My understanding is that of these tby y_p_w - General Discussion
Quotesonics Thank you so much parklover, YPW, and eeek I didn't know that I can drive up to the Badger pass... Well, if we have time after valley loop trail hike, and if she feels ok, then I will try there. If not, oh well, than we can come next or next next week. $80 would be a good investment for travel around, I will consider that. Regarding foods, anyway we don't need the bear canisteby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I found one interesting trademark registration. It looks like a concessionaire registered the trademark for LeConte Lodge at Great Smoky Mountains NP. Apparently this was done with the OK of NPS, and the registration was assigned to NPS. NPS then licenses it to the concessionaire for $200/year. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/trademark-trouble-at-national-parks-2ae0266b-c295-12d8-e053-01by y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover I agree. DNC was so sure that they were going to get the contract that they spent all that money the past several years on completely remodeling rooms, the stores, etc even when they were working under a temporary contract while the Merced River Plan was being finalized. As I see it, trademarking more names behind the NPS's back was done with lots of forethought about how they coby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover After reading that, all trademarked names need to be given to the NPS. Then they really need to change all contracts to read that names of places are to be licensed for use by the concessionaires only during the period of time that they have the contract. Otherwise, companies are using names to force the NPS to extend or renew contracts. The NPS didn't keep up with the times aby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotesonics Thank you so much Kevin D, YPW, Parklover, and hotrod 4x5. Broadcast says that the weather of Yosemite at this weekend will be fine, so we will give a try this Saturday. Finally, for the first time in my life, I have a chance to visit this beautiful place. So happy Tire chain + Yak Trax are ready. I will rent hiking stick or I can get one from nearby. We don't have a bear canisteby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuotesonicsI heard of the bear-proof lunch box. Should I need to buy one? Or it would be more better to use snack bar or restaurant in the Park? Again, thank you so much for all those info. You can bring food, but food or coolers can't be stored in your parked car at night, and needs to be in your trunk during the day. Bears typically don't break into cars during the day. They prefer nighby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotesonics Hello all I just moved to central valley area of CA, and I'm glad that now I have a chance to explore the Yosemite area time to time. My wife is also greatly excited to visit there, and she wants to go there within a few weeks. http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/valleyhikes.htm Are there any good combination of hike route for winter? With beautiful scenery, and low difficuby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover Quotey_p_w That was really good, although he probably didn't understand that the Space Shuttle Atlantis trademark was registered with the permission of NASA and the express understanding that it will transfer for free to a new concessionaire. Which brings up the question why NASA and DNC worked together to make the service mark and DNC went behind the back of the NPS to trademarby y_p_w - General Discussion
That was really good, although he probably didn't understand that the Space Shuttle Atlantis trademark was registered with the permission of NASA and the express understanding that it will transfer for free to a new concessionaire.by y_p_w - General Discussion
Quoteparklover Wasn't the inherent advantage thing removed by an amendment to contracts (36-CRF part 51) in the final rule in 2000? Well - there's no more "preferred offeror" except for really small concessions. Before the YP&CC had no problem renewing every time the contract came up. All major contracts go up for a "fair" bidding process now. I do remember there waby y_p_w - General Discussion
Quoteparklover Wow this is one of those times that I wish I was an attorney so I could understand it more quickly. Yeah there's a lot of legal lingo in there, but it's pretty easy to understand the idea of "incumbent advantage". They're claiming that NPS took away their inherent advantage when it came to proposing contract terms. A new entrant would have to consider the cost of buyiby y_p_w - General Discussion
I found it on the National Parks Traveler website as an attachment to one of their articles. However, there are a variety of sources and I'd rather not bog down their servers since there are other sources. https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2690966/Gov-Uscourts-Cofc-31586-12-0.pdf Delaware North also protested the prospectus in that they claimed it didn't adequately state the valueby y_p_w - General Discussion
Quoteparklover Quotemarkskor While in full agreement that this makes no sense, however... Back in 1993 DNC was "obligated" to then purchase these rights (names - Ahwahnee, Curry, Wawona, etc) as a codicil to the contract in order to take over the concessions. IIRC, it cost them ~$20 million in 1993 dollars - and they paid up. This is not much different/ basically the same as today's taby y_p_w - General Discussion
I know the Ahwahnee Hotel is the most mentioned name in these discussions. In my opinion the irony is that "The Ahwahnee" is the best case that Delaware North legitimately owns a trademark for a Yosemite property, as the trademark was registered when the former concessionaire had a possessory interest in the building, and wasn't registered around 2002 when NPS had possessory interest iby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehikerchick395 Gas was $1.57 a liter. (More in line with Canadian prices, eh?) We are usually in search of the cheapest gas but this was a case that we decided to support the local small business... There aren't many choices in the area. When I visited as a kid in the late 70s, they actually had gas for sale at all the major NPS areas inside SEKI, including Grant Grove, Giant Forest, Loby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoterecycling1991 Thanks for your thoughts everyone. A few comments: 1. I was on recreation.gov; just got the website name in the email wrong (thanks for the correction). 2. Re: moving to a lottery system, my husband also commented that the odds for us getting a site would be worse with a lottery system, and I understand that, but I would feel it is more fair than the current system. 3.by y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek It appears to be an inholding. Hopefully the fire cleaned up some of their mess: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=36.818811,-118.886055&z=18&t=s Forest Service areas are kind of odd with regards to private ownership of the land. There are vacation homes in some of these areas that are technically privately owned, but the the FS owns and leases the land. I recallby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehikerchick395 Too bad the fire didn't burn the ugly paint job off of the gas pumps. (Seriously, I'm glad that they survived.) We decided to give the Lodge some business in 2012. Got gas at the historic pumps and it was probably the big purchase for their day (King's Canyon had just opened to Road's End.) We filled up a full sized truck. The lodge operator seemed a bit on the grumpy siby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebasilbop QuoteThe Other Tom ..."And how do travel companies, that cater to foreign tourist campers, get their reservations?" I've always wondered that myself. The only think I can think of is that DNC is/was in cahoots with the travel companies. Maybe that will change now. DNC (or Aramark) are not involved with the campground reservation system. Unlike many national forestsby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover Quotey_p_w Quoteparklover Quotey_p_w QuoteDave The more I hear about Aramark, the more I like them. I just hope they live up to what they say. Frankly none of the big concessions companies have very good reputations. Aramark is often ridiculed for the quality of their ballpark concessions. Xanterra is owned by Phillip Anschutz. Don't know enough about Forever Resorts though.by y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I searching for some other location I noticed that the Kings Canyon Lodge in Giant Sequoia National Monument burned down last August. http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article31737783.html http://abc30.com/news/rough-fire-destroys-kings-canyon-lodge/952365/ http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2015/08/23/kings-canyon-lodge-destroyed-rough-fire/32246875/ http://www.yourcentralby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebalzaccom I have been outspoken about Delaware North's ransom in this whole thing...they are shameless and should be boycotted wherever they do business. But that last story also struck a chord. My wife is a professional chef...and it can't be easy to attract competent service staff at some of these destinations. It's not exactly a career move...and when the kitchen is understaffed, anby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover Quotey_p_w QuoteDave The more I hear about Aramark, the more I like them. I just hope they live up to what they say. Frankly none of the big concessions companies have very good reputations. Aramark is often ridiculed for the quality of their ballpark concessions. Xanterra is owned by Phillip Anschutz. Don't know enough about Forever Resorts though. You'll always have the sby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave The more I hear about Aramark, the more I like them. I just hope they live up to what they say. Frankly none of the big concessions companies have very good reputations. Aramark is often ridiculed for the quality of their ballpark concessions. Xanterra is owned by Phillip Anschutz. Don't know enough about Forever Resorts though. You'll always have the same issues with seasonal wby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Aramark was staying out of commenting on trademark ownership earlier, but it looks like they have an official stand on it now. Quotehttp://www.sierrastar.com/2016/01/20/76874/public-outcry-following-planned.html Aramark spokesman David Freireich said the company is committed to a smooth transition, whatever takes place. “I think it’s important for the local community and visitors toby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave Ah.... just got an idea..... The Yosemite Conservancy might be a solution to end this problem. After the current mess makes it through the courts the YC should jump in and copyright/trademark/whatever the names. Then charge the NPS $100 a year for the rights to use them. Sounds good to me. They'd be in the same predicament that Xanterra is in and that perhaps Delaware North finds itseby y_p_w - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion