http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/ancient-native-stone-formations-found-6960 "Like an army of minature Stonehendges, beguiling stone formations have been found in around Madison, Connecticut. The Hartford Courant reports that retired engineer and local resident Tom Paul has personally found thousands of them..........................."by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on What were these people trying to teach us? We are not alone? ======================================= I'm not always so quick to make assumptions. Primitive people THE WORLD OVER used stacked stones for various purposes, sometimes religious, sometimes astronomical. Would we be so quick to condemn and dismantle the above, if we found out that it was constructed by a grby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Dave, you'll want to get your ass up to just below the summit of Mt. Langley, where there are a series of cairns built by the Park Service, and so marked, so you can educate them about their workspace, and clean it up for them: Discussed here: http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=98155&page=1#Post98155by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotephantum This topic has made the news lately -- a group wants grizzlies back in the Sierra, among other places: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/grizzly-bear-06-18-2014.html I would be VERY cautious about this sort of move. If you go back in the historical record, there is little that scared the early settlers and explorers of Ca like the Grizzly. I strongly reby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have driven both ways many, many times. The back way used to be shorter, but the completion of the freeways have made that faster. However, I think it is nearly terminally boring. The Visalia route is much more interesting, particularly when you get into the farmlands. Personally, I make the decision on the road, and how I'm feeling. Some great mexican restaurants on the back road, bby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
As I spend several months out in Mos country each year, and hate them, I've always been looking for solutions. DEET works for me, but I simply don't like the feel of it on the skin. My discovery of Permethrin revolutionized my world. Treat the clothes once a season, cuts the attacks by 90%. I use it along with Picardin, which I find pleasant on the skin, especially the face, and I'm gooby Ken M - General Discussion
QuoteCalaveras It appears that there is a honeybee hive in the toilet in the restroom at the parking area for the hike to North Dome. It's been there since last year. For obvious reasons no one is going to use the facilities. It's hard to believe that whoever is responsible for cleaning the restroom hasn't noticed this. Can someone contact or supply the contact of the person who could get this taby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"This case serves as an important event in the history of the park. Since the establishment of the national lakeshore, local resident have long argued that the park does not have legal jurisdiction along Lake Michigan and have regularly threatened civil suits to assert private property rights over public lands. This was the first case that actually tested that opinion and confirmed that theby Ken M - General Discussion
For week-long stock supported trail crew trips, we run in to associated problems all the time. Tips that we have learned: More modern coolers are MUCH better insulated that older versions, even the same size and brand. Pre-cool the cooler with ice for a day, as well as the food. Freeze the food that will tolerate that. DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT, open the cooler repeatedly. Do not go on sby Ken M - General Discussion
You look at snow reports in similar areas, pictures from past years with similar snow (like last), reports from hikers/skiers. Or, I just use my drone!by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I dunno, Dave. You keep talking about avalanche risk, while the Park puts up notices saying that they have abandoned all avalanche precautions, because there is no snow in the Avi zones. I'm pretty sure that there was little to no snow in those zones 3 weeks ago, or 4 weeks ago. Certainly no Avi risk. So why didn't they start plowing/repairing, then?by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
What, Dave, 20 more feet? 40 more feet? Do you think the public is just stupid? that we don't monitor what the PS does? Many have looked at other years where there was FAR FAR FAR more snow than when they started on the 21st, but they started under those circumstances, anyway. There has not been any Avi danger for a long time. You don't have Avi danger from bare rock. You may think tby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
the people I spoke to were full time permanent employees. Perhaps they have a different perspective to seasonals, I certainly don't know. I'm just the messenger. OF COURSE the snow level changes the issue, but I thought that had been effectively discussed. They plowed the entire road in two days. Snow is NOT the issue, this year. But it makes you wonder, if they could plow the entire thby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Interesting turn of events. They plowed all the way to Tioga Pass in two days. That has to be a record. Besides the snow itself, it probably represents the advances in technology and knowledge of the technique and experience of the workers. I would expect that there were very few trees down this year. Snow is a big factor in tree fall, and there were no big wind events, either. That hasby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey, Andrea Brown is a friend of mine. Her husband, Mike, used to be the pilot of that helicopter until he retired. Great people.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetomdisco It sure is a comfort to know the road will not effectively be open until the sexual harassment training is completed. Our friends at the California Bar at work.....by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave QuoteKen M"I think most of the seasonals are on board already. I started Monday." Exactly. I can't speak for the Park Service, but I know that for the USFS, when the seasonals come on, it takes about two weeks to go through all the required training (sexual harassment, etc) If you started Monday, the 14th, then you would be available for service about monday, the 28th.We dby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"I think most of the seasonals are on board already. I started Monday." Exactly. I can't speak for the Park Service, but I know that for the USFS, when the seasonals come on, it takes about two weeks to go through all the required training (sexual harassment, etc) If you started Monday, the 14th, then you would be available for service about monday, the 28th. Like I estimated.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
No, Dave, I think the road will be inclusively fixed by the 25th. I spoke to a friend who works for the park who leads me to think that. After all, they completed half of the entire job in ONE day. However, getting the "human assets" in place to open the road is another thing. manipulating the budget elements to bring the people needed on staff, takes some time, too. However, iby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree with Katy that the ROAD will be ready by Ap 25. However, I think it will not be politically ready until a week later.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
when the road will be open is problematic. If you look at historical openings, you find when the snowpack was 31%, it opened on Apr 29. However, that was 1988, and there have been dramatic changes in the technology and skill in doing this roadwork. My guess is that the snow is not the issue, but rather road edge repair and signage replacement. But with so much less snow, I'll bet that wby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey, I know Lisa Krieger! Great reporter, did a great series on end of life issues and her own family.by Ken M - General Discussion
The statements about "irreplaceableble" parts of our heritage, these ridiculously low fines, prosecution as a misdemeanor, and no jail time pretty much guarantee that this sort of thing will continue to go on. They should have confiscated his truck (used in the commission of a crime), and they should have PROSECUTED.by Ken M - General Discussion
http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2694202-redwood-park-closes-road-to-deter-burl-poachers.html#.7518-stage-hero1-2 Sci/Tech March 05, 2014 Redwood park closes road to deter burl poachers Authorities say unemployment and drug addiction have spurred an increase in the destructive practice of cutting off the knobby growths at the base of ancient redwood trees to make decorative piecby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This is a HUGE, positive step. What currently happens, is that when a big fire hits, and it goes beyond the local forest budget, the rest of that forest's budget for other things is gutted, then surrounding forests and the region's budget is gutted. That translates into putting off any infrastructure expenses, replacement hires of permanent employees, early lay-off of seasonal employees orby Ken M - General Discussion
There is no more dangerous force in nature, than teenagers who want to impress their friends. With that knowledge, what would you allow them to do, with an understanding that you are miles and miles, and many hours away, from any professional help? Let them swim? How about above a waterfall? "OH! I can cross that log on one leg!" "I can cross that stream on those rocksby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
EEEK, you've mentioned population before, and I refuted that. 1. over the last 40 years, the total water usage in LA has stayed the same, in spite of growth of millions of people. 2. The usage of water in california by individual people is very small in the big picture. The big usage of water is by AGRICULTURE, which has expanded enormously in the last 40 years. Did we do that because we neby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Lawns do tend to use a lot of chemicals. Plus, the nature of decorative lawn is such that the soil is quite compacted, and the grass has interlocking roots, which combine to make water penetration very low compared to other treatments of soil. The water tends to stay on top, or run off.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1580/08-WEME-OR-299R.1 Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 20(3):244-249. 2009 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1580/08-WEME-OR-299R.1 Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in US National Parks Travis W. Heggie, PhDa,b and Michael E. Amundson, BSa aFrom the Recreation & Tourism Studies Program (Dr Heggie and Mr Amundson), University of North Dakota,by Ken M - General Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteKen MPoint of that, is that is a total waste of potable water. Sure, but as you pointed out it is not significant. And I for one really hate the stupid theater games. It may not, in and of itself, be significant, but it is the mindset is represents. If you don't think anything of wasting water, then you think nothing of letting the hose run, while you go inside to answer thby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion