I was unable to locate my book on the deaths in Yellowstone, but suffice it to say that normal, abnormal or anything else, several campers over the past 25 years have been extricated from their tents, dragged away, killed and devoured. The best known is the female Swiss tourist who apparently did everything right except that she hiked alone. In the past several months, I heard from a retired beby Dearborn - General Discussion
I simply cannot believe the "spin" that has been put on this event. Facts of the incident in the Cody area come from both "The Cody Enterprise" and "The Billings Gazette," and Mr. Neal - a retired federal biologist, if I am not mistaken - appears to be drawing largely from the earlier "Enterprise" article that was printed before many facts had been releaseby Dearborn - General Discussion
I've been gone from central California for 35 years; I thought large-scale dredges had been banned. For a real laugh, look at a GoogleEarth image of the area between Snelling and Merced Falls: Row upon row of dredge tailings.by Dearborn - General Discussion
"...threw a bunch of right-wing religious zealots out in the last election." Just about all of the political litmus tests that I have ever taken indicate that I am more of a centrist, so I will dare to comment on so-called American right-wing zealots: I worked with pro-Shah Christian Iranians (called "Assyrians" in the central valley when I was in grad school. After I gotby Dearborn - General Discussion
My seemingly off-the-wall comment was prompted in part by a vague recollection that French frogmen (no pun intended!) may have planted a mine on a Greenpeace vessel that killed at least one Greenpeace member. As for the French, I believe they're still capable of some startling surprises. A friend used to divide his time between Jackson Hole and the Congo, and he mentioned the growing threat ofby Dearborn - General Discussion
I say - tongue in cheek - whatever you do, do NOT allow the French government to provide any suggestions on the appropriate punishment for the Greenpeace activists. Unbeknownst to many, the French can play real rough.by Dearborn - General Discussion
Throwing rocks at bears? Bluff charge... I remember well arriving at a campsite in Wawona in 1971 to see a bear pawing through an ice chest while surrounded by a half circle of park visitors. When I stepped out of the vehicle - in uniform - the bear took one look at me and took off. Must be the uniform or the vehicle. On false charges, the first was in 1969 with a sow black bear with 3 cby Dearborn - General Discussion
Ach du lieber! Ve need ein Dachs hund ("Badger Dog" to take charge of the betrunken badger! Having said that, I recently saw an image of a live badger that went through a hay baling machine. There he was - held by the baling twine, and mad at the world as only a badger can be.by Dearborn - General Discussion
In the summer of 1969, I had the good fortune to work on the Yosemite campground maintenance crew with the late Jack Kirk (1906-2007). Jack voiced his admiration and respect for Phoebe Hogan, who I believe had recently passed away about that time. In the intervening years, I have forgotten most of what Jack said of the lady, except for one memorable topic. Jack said that Phoebe Hogan had toldby Dearborn - General Discussion
I can only hope that you're not experiencing the same Pine Beetle infestation that the northern rockies are. If so, you just may see some real bad fires down the road. Let's hope!by Dearborn - General Discussion
Years ago, I heard a few people made snide reference to the "Curry Hurries" (Yosemite Park & Curry Co.), but I never had any problem with the employee meals. Chlorine bleach will kill the norovirus, and I've known campers that made absolute certain they they included Chlorox to add to their dishwashing effort. I sure hope it doesn't upset a bunch of vacations, though.by Dearborn - General Discussion
The Old Big Oak Flat Road was so narrow from Gentry's to the valley floor that traffic went up and down on different schedules. I wrote my BA thesis on the development of transportation in Yosemite in 1971, and I encountered numerous mentions of the controls used. I also just snooped around my den until I found my copy of the thesis and observed a photocopy of the first Yosemite automobile peby Dearborn - General Discussion
In July, 1970, I transferred from an NPS laborer position in the Valley to a seasonal ranger position in Wawona, and thus began a law enforcement career that has been anything but boring. I have never liked the death penalty, and I advocate life without parole for all but the rare mad dog killers who are a threat to every living creature around them. Having said that, I have seen a fair share oby Dearborn - General Discussion
There is another dimension to having a firearm in an exclusive federal jurisdiction such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. In addition to felons and individuals convicted of misdemeanor family violence, a federal statute prohibits drug addicts from possessing firearms. One individual of my professional acquaintance had a string of misdemeanor drug possession convictions, and he was found in possessiby Dearborn - General Discussion
Actually, do you recall when a former Yosemite Superintendent closed a number of campgrounds - Bridalveil included - for the same reason? I don't want to darken the air in one of the world's finest environments with dirty politics, but I think we realize that a lot of funds are being diverted to an ever-growing number of non-citizens. I have felt for a long time that a lot of those problems cby Dearborn - General Discussion
Brett French of, "The Billings Gazette" AKA "Gazoo" frequently writes some fantastic articles for a pretty good newspaper. I believe I shared with him the link for this forum some time in the past. The Gazette also has an Outdoor section every Thursday that is well worth consulting. I didn't think to first look up the URL for the paper, but I'm sure you can find it on Googlby Dearborn - General Discussion
I should be asking you about Highway 120. I have been on it a number of times, but I don't know the road very well. After studying several options, I decided to approach Coulterville from the west, then to Greeley Hill and Highway 120 east of Groveland. I was pulling a 19' RV, and that seemed to be the easiest way at the time. Otherwise, I prefer the Arch Rock entrance without an RV, and Soutby Dearborn - General Discussion
You are missing an opportunity to drive one of the old stage roads from the Mariposa area to Wawona, past a pretty neat USFS campground at Summit Camp, the site of Murphy's (where the Chowchilla Mtn. Road and the road to Fish Camp meet), the crossing of Big Creek where bordellos by the names of Tipperary and Happy Camp operated, logging railroad grades, bedrock mortars, at least one Indian camp,by Dearborn - General Discussion
"Discharge for sound effect...?" I left Yosemite in the early 70's and moved to Yellowstone for three long seasons. I now live on the east side of the park, and I can assure you that I have now heard years of hunters claim that when a grizzly bear hears a gunshot, they come running to claim either the gutpile OR the entire game animal if they can intimidate the hunter. Perhaps Yoseby Dearborn - General Discussion
Frank, My kneejerk reply to the assertion that law enforcement "organizations" initially supported the Brady campaign is that their remark did not reflect the sentiment of the street officer. For example, the leadership of the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed William Jefferson Clinton, but I don't know of a single officer who stated that they supported him. I hope you accept thby Dearborn - General Discussion
I have stayed largely quiet on this issue, but I am actually of two minds. On one hand, the individuals who have been issued concealed weapon permits are scrutinized for criminal and psychological disqualifications and often have formal firearm training above and beyond the norm - before they are issued the permit. Further, I believe the State of Texas has kept a record of violent offenders, anby Dearborn - General Discussion
The late Mr. Fletcher also wrote, "The Man From the Cave" - based upon a 10-year quest for information on a man who left a trunk and contents in a cave downstream from Hoover Dam during the Depression. Before I left California in 1974, I recall reading an article in either the "Examiner" or "Chronicle," seeking any information on the trunk. Years later, I read in tby Dearborn - General Discussion
I'm not certain the trail from Happy Isles to the Vernal Falls bridge actually qualifies as wilderness. I also once saw a Lamborgini (sic) mini-road grader on a trail in Pinnacles National Monument in Monterey/San Benito Counties. I also apologize for my mistake in referring to Mr. Snow as Harold instead of Albert. I haven't researched that family in years, and confused the name with someone eby Dearborn - General Discussion
Eegad! To think that I used to reside there in 1969-1972, and the roads were still 2-way for part of summer, '69. Hmm...Nixon was President, we got a paid holiday for the moon landing, I saw the Glacier Point Hotel burn ('69), witnessed the Stoneman Meadow riot ('70), wrote my thesis on Yosemite ('71). And I worked for $2.89/hour in NPS campground maintenance the first summer and $2.71/hour asby Dearborn - General Discussion
From approximately 1870 to 1890, Harold and Emily Snow of Groveland operated La Casa Nevada (the "Snow House" between Vernal and Nevada Falls. If you can locate some of the stories of their years up there, they are highly amusing. Two of my favorite were that you could find 11 feet of snow at that location; Harold was 6' tall and Emily 5'. The other that I have personally adopted is tby Dearborn - General Discussion
I'm not really certain if the term, "curmudgeon" could apply to Jack. He could be colorful, but he had an exceptionally clean vocabulary. He was not the least bit bashful, but he was polite. I worked with Jack on the Yosemite campground maintenance crew in the summer of 1969. I was 20, he was 63 and we got along great. One of his favorite memorable remarks would occur when we wouldby Dearborn - General Discussion
Frank, Bill Kirk's signs were made with a cutting torch, with letters/numbers first written with chalk. Bill made a sign for the home of my late parents in 1969, and I saw the steel plate before he used his torch. Bill's younger brother Jack also told me that Bill made use of steel from the bridge that used to exist at the Bridalveil Moraine located just east of Bridalveil Falls. I have walkeby Dearborn - General Discussion
I was pleased to see the metal sign made by former NPS welder William T. Kirk (1904-2003), the older brother of my former partner, Jack Kirk (1906-2007). The stories those two men could tell about Yosemite...by Dearborn - General Discussion
Frank, I contacted a number of friends in the Turlock area last night, and two have responded thus far this morning, one of them with, "On most nonfoggy winter days I can see Half Dome From Geer Rd or Monte Vista and Santa Fe. I wonder if the picture was taken from Monpilier? As I recall grain silo and out building with that configuration." The other friend grew up in Turlock, and saby Dearborn - General Discussion
Perhaps I can share a bit of enlightenment. When rare arctic weather fronts visit central California, they clear out the smog and provide incredible visibility. I seem to recall that you had such weather at some time in February... In March, 1971, I was a senior at Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock. At that time, we experienced the aforementioned cold, crisp windy weather that allowed me to looby Dearborn - General Discussion