Now that you’ve seen the photo that I’m referring to for yourself, I’m hoping that you now realize (and maybe even ‘feel’) what it is I’m talking about.

“Yosemite’s Superclimbers” or free solo climbers as they’re reffered to are essentially extreme climbers who have put themselves in life-or-death situations everytime they choose to embark on their next journey.  No harnesses, no ropes, nothing to protect them from a fatal fall if they make the wrong move or don’t have just the right grip.  Reading the article and looking at the images that accompany the story easily made my height-weary self cringe with fear.

Sure, the sense of accomplishment and pride you enjoy once you’ve completed your harrowing journey I can only imagine is amazing, but not knowing wethere or not you’ll make it to the top seems too close to a 50-50 draw for comfort. On our visit to Yosemite back in August we actually could spy climbers “camping out” on the ledges of Half Dome & El Cap – at night the light of their flashlight illuminated their portaledge that hung from the precipice.  Of course they were attached through a system of ropes and harnesses that acted as a safety net, but even then, their adventure in the park seemed like a gamble with the grim reaper.

Other ways to get your adrenaline pumping at Yosemite? How about BASE jumping off Half Dome. Highly illegal and not recommended to anyone unless their willing to take the risk and face consequences, BASE jumping in the park has become increasingly popular with climbers.  Why? “[Climbers say] it’s faster (and more fun) to parachute into the valley than to hike all the way down the back of the mountain.” (Nat Geo). Hey, whatever floats your boat.

I highly reccomend taking a peak at this issue. It’s intense as much as it is intriguing - it’s pure insanity and something that I never knew existed until yesterday, which makes it that much more interesting.  I’d like to learn more about extreme extreme sports in our National Parks. If you have any information on the best spots for adventure or new twists on experiencing the parks, let us know, we’d love to hear!

However – I think (and I hope) that we are seeing some new trends in the benefit of the two-wheeled mobile, making exploring our parks that much easier and that much funner.

At the Grand Canyon, Bright Angel Bicycle’s is the first bike rental shop to open its doors on the South Rim. However, their arrival wasn’t so ‘grand’ as they were met with some hesitations from the park.

“We got turned away a couple of times when we tried to do this,” says Wes Neal, owner of Bright Angel Bicycles. “But we had a vision and we stuck to it. That’s the key to our success. We knew it was going to make the park better and improve the overall visitor experience. And that’s the park’s goal, too.”

Bike rental and interpretive bike tours at the Canyon are a big hit with the visiting public. The feedback has been very positive, and people are enjoying the chance to see much more of the park than they could if they were walking or driving, and getting fresh air and exercise in the bargain. A bike shuttle service, with drop-off and pickup, is quite well received too, as there is one climb that can cause trouble for riders not used to riding at 7,000 feet.

From the park’s perspective it’s been a hit, as well. Visitor who bike help reduce auto traffic and congestion on park buses, both systems nearly overloaded by the popularity of the park.  Bright Angel submits a monthly report about to keep park staff up-to-date on rental activities and challenges that arise (which, thankfully, haven’t been many).

In the future, Bright Angel hopes to introduce “smart bikes”, allowing visitors to swipe a card and check out a bike and helmet at several locations in the park.  And they’re hoping to work with the park on a staff bike-sharing program, since many park personnel already ride their bikes to work.

The goal of bicycling in national parks is not extreme speed or thrills, but quiet, nonpolluting transportation and a deeper visitor experience.  For visitors seeking the sense of freedom, energy, and healthfulness that the national parks embody, two wheels can be just the right speed.
(http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/8317)

Fortunately for us, the initiatives don’t just stop there. Other parks are welcoming the idea of bike rentals for use by tourists, volunteers and park staff in efforts to keep the park more eco-friendly – cutting back on automobile congestion, traffic, and noise and air pollution.  At Zion National Park, they’ve introduced the “Green Fleet,” a ‘fleet’ of 17 bicycles to be used by park employees, volunteers and other staff members to help them get to and from administrative buildings, visitor centers and other operational facilities.

It seems that before you know it the main source of transportation at our national parks will be on two wheels as opposed to four. That’s certainly not a bad thing – the physical and mental health benefits certainly seem to out-weigh all potential ’downfalls’ to biking in our national parks. In fact, I don’t really see any potential downsides to that notion, do you?

When Karianne and I were leaving Acadia National Park we wished two things (in addition to a trip extension, of course)…we, 1) wished we had bicycles so we could have explored more of the park grounds in a day and 2) that they had on-site bike rentals for those of us who couldn’t make it to the park with one.  Hopefully, by the time we return, one of our wishes will come true.

Visiting Our Parks:

Clara Barton National Historic Site: This park commemorates the life of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. Located in Glen Echo, Maryland, this National Park Unit served as Clara’s home, headquarters for the American Red Cross and a warehouse for disaster relief efforts from 1897 until 1904.  Today, the American Red Cross has touched the lives of millions – domestically and overseas. They have lent a helping hand to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and to those affected by the Haiti earthquake – their efforts are world-wide and un-biased as they provide ‘neutral humanitarian care.’  Thank you Clara for your astounding achievements! (Clara Barton National Historic Site)

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site: President Truman dubbed Eleanor the “First Lady of the World” – and she certainly lived up to the title.  Prior to and following the death of her husband, Eleanor was a large supporter of his New Deal policies and also acted as an advocate for Civil Rights – striving to enhance the status of working women.  She was one of the co-founders of Freedom House (an international NGO that advocates for democracy, freedom & human rights) and largely supported the creation of the United Nations.  The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (also called Val-Kill) is located in Hyde Park, NY.

Everglades National Park: Did you know that the success of the preservation & conservation of Evergaldes National Park is largely due in part to Marjoy Stoneman Douglas, a freelance reporter for the Miami Herald and author of ‘The Everglades: River of Grass?’ In the 1940’s, Marjory brought to light the negative effects that commercialization and construction from population booms had wreaked on the Everglade’s ecosystem. In her book, Marjory describes the area and also includes a chapter on the disapearance of the Everglades. She writes, “what had been a river of grass and sweet water that had given meaning and life and uniqueness to this enormous geography through centuries in which man had no place here was made, in one chaotic gesture of greed and ignorance and folly, a river of fire.” Today we are grateful to have the Everglades as one of the areas protected by the National Park Service.

Lowell National Historic Park: During a time when job opportunities for women were limited if not nonexistant, America’s Industrial Revolution was in full-swing at the Lowell industrial park where they enlisted the help of hundreds of women between the ages of 15 and 35 to work in the mills. Women came from all over New England, seeking new work opportunities. It was a movement in social change that would soon lead to job equality for all. Visit Lowell National Historic Park today and be transported back to the era of textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.

 Susan B. Anthony House: On November 18, 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested by a US Deputy Marshal for illegally voting in the 1872 Presidential Election.  Her trial & conviction hearings went as follows:

“…despite the stirring and eloquent presentation of her arguments that the recently adopted Fourteenth Amendment, which guaranteed to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States” the privileges of citizenship, and which contained no gender qualification, gave women the constitutional right to vote in federal elections. Her trial took place at the Ontario County courthouse in Canandaigua, New York, before Supreme Court Associate Justice Ward Hunt. Justice Hunt refused to allow Anthony to testify on her own behalf, allowed statements given by her at the time of her arrest to be allowed as “testimony,” explicitly ordered the jury to return a guilty verdict, refused to poll the jury afterwards, and read an opinion he had written before the trial even started. The sentence was a $100 fine, but not imprisonment; true to her word in court (“I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty”), she never paid the fine for the rest of her life, and an embarrassed U.S. Government took no collection action against her. ” (Wikipedia)

Anthony rose above the unfortunate ‘incidence’ which proved to be nothing more than an opportunity to spread the word regarding women’s rights.  She prevailed as one of the prominent Civil Rights leaders, playing a pivotal role in introducing women’s suffrage in the United States. Visit the Susan B. Anthony House which is part of the Women’s Rights National Historic Park.

Below is a list of parks who also are dedicated to the valient acts of women in our history. Take a look & explore what they have to offer this month as we celebrate their existance.

First Ladies National Historic Site
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
Sewall-Belmont House National Historic Landmark
Whitman Mission National Historic Site
Women’s Rights National Historic Park
Fort Pulaski National Monument

In late 1995 and early 1996, the US experienced their last two major federal shutdowns – in what was descibed as a nationwide “trainwreck,”

“…hundreds of national parks closed, veterans’ checks and services were delayed, passport applications weren’t processed and billions of dollars in government contracts were held up. Analysts expect more of the same if no deal is struck this time around.” (USA Today)

During the 5-day and 21-day shutdowns of ‘95 and ‘96, 368 units in the National Park Service were shutdown – losing 7 million visitors. An additional 2 million visitors were turned away with the shuttering of National Monuments and museums, including the Smithsonian museums lining the National Mall. This time it would be worse – over 18 million people visited a National Park last March – a federal shutdown would put a damper on millions of people’s travel plans to our National Parks, infuriating each & every one turned away.

“Not only would a government shutdown jeopardize family trips and school field trips to places like the Statue of Liberty, we are concerned it would have a significant impact on the local communities and businesses that depend on tourism.” (John Garder of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association.)

“Utah’s five national parks, seven national monuments and two national recreation areas are mainstays of the state’s $6.3 billion tourism industry…If they close, tourists “might decide to either postpone or change (vacation plans) all together,” says Keith Griffall of Western Leisure, a company that runs motorcoach tours.” (USA Today Travel)

Let’s hope that the government can sort this out before Friday comes. Could your travel plans be derailed if the we see another federal shutdown?

He couldn’t be more correct – the tangible acreage of America’s open spaces as well as the intrinsic value that they possess are dwindling. We need to save what we have left.  As much as it was a ‘call to action’ it was also a demonstration of our government taking action. President Obama announced the full-funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund – a trust that was originally established in 1965 to provide money for our national parks, forests and wildlife areas. The money to fund the LWCF is to come from existing oil and gas leasing revenues. And his reasoning for this…(this part was my favorite)…

“Our attitude is if you take something out of the Earth, you have a responsibility to give a little bit back to the Earth.”

how awesome is that?

In that short 20 minute speech, President Obama delivered sentence-after-sentence of goosbump-provoking truths regarding our great outdoors. On conservation, he pointed out that maybe the act of saving our wilderness is essentially in our blood…

“It embodies that uniquely American idea that each of us has an equal share in the land around us, and an equal responsibility to protect it. And it’s not just the iconic mountains and parks that we protect.  It’s the forests where generations of families have hiked and picnicked and connected with nature.  It’s the park down the street where kids play after school.  It’s the farmland that’s been in the family longer than anybody can remember.  It’s the rivers where we fish, it’s the forests where we hunt.”

As Karianne & I started the Journeys Through America endeavor, it wasn’t only because we both had this undying love and appreciation for our National Parks and America’s Great Outdoors, but it was also because we saw a lack of interest to experience the beauty of our natural surroundings – mostly in young adults.  With the powers of technology skyrocketing faster than the speed of light and with childhood obesity levels consistently rising, it’s clear to see what generations are completely missing out! Both Karianne & I feel that America’s National Parks behold the greatest educational lesson of all time – it’s our history & culture lesson, science, & hey, even gym class, all in one – and it’s here for each and every one of us. Our National Parks are our most valuable teachers. With this proposed funding, you and I can only hope that future generations will be able to see what we see, hike what we hike, fish where we fish and play in the same big backyard.

To quote Obama once more…”The great Rachel Carson once wrote that “The real wealth of the nation lies in the resources of the Earth -— soil, water, forests, minerals, wildlife… Their administration is not properly, and cannot be, a matter of politics.”  Something more than politics.  That was the call echoed by Jefferson and Lincoln and Roosevelt.  It’s the call that has driven generations of Americans to do their part to protect a small slice of the planet.  And it’s the call that we answer today.”

Born on January 15^th, 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American clergyman and activist who quickly became a prominent leader and iconic figure during the fight for African American civil rights. Dr. King successfully led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957 and led the 1963 March on Washington where he delivered his most revered and unforgettable ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. On April 4^th, 1968 Dr. King was assassinated.

Honoring his legacy and the history of the Civil Rights Movement, we are all welcome to explore and learn more about this imperative chapter in U.S. history.

The National Park Service preserves many sites and landmarks related to Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement.  To view a full list, check out this link.

•  Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail: ‘The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail was established by Congress in 1996, to commemorate the events, people, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama. The March route is a component of the National Trails System, and is administered by the National Park Service… The 54-mile trail follows the historic voting rights march by beginning at the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma, and crossing the Edmond Pettus Bridge.’ (NPS.gov)
• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site: ‘Established on October 10, 1980, consists of several buildings surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr.’s boyhood home on Auburn Avenue in the Sweet Auburn historic district of Atlanta, Georgia. The original Ebenezer Baptist Church, the church where King and his father Martin Luther King, Sr. pastored, is also part of the national historic site. These places are critical components in the interpretation of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy as a leader of the American civil rights movement.’  (Wikipedia)

Today, visitation is high while thousands seek out to honor King’s legacy by driving or walking a portion of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, visiting his boyhood home at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site or standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking out to where a crowd of over 200,000 followers came seeking change.   And while “visitors can literally walk in Dr. King’s footsteps,” as said by National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis, “Several parks will also honor Dr. King by hosting volunteer projects for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 17…It is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a day on, not a day off.

Additionally, over 100 National Parks will be waiving entrance fees in honor of the federal holiday – parks like Olympic National Park will be commemorating the holiday by making special programs available to visitors  like the 30-minute video program titled “A New Time, A New Voice,” which is about the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King.

I truly hate being a bearer of bad news, or even just beating a topic to death, but maybe its best that we identify these issues at present so that we take advantage of what is at our doorstep now (not later) by experiencing the beauty and amazement of our National Parks.

Anyways, today I read an article by Grant Martin in the Tucson Sentinel. The first paragraph goes as such:

“A nine-mile paved loop in the Sonoran Desert outside Tucson is the only evidence of Saguaro National Park, which was shut down after its last surviving cactus was finally suffocated by an invasive grass.”

My reaction…’holy cow..Saguaro was shut down!?!’

Now, before I continue it’s important to note that Saguaro is NOT shut down and is indeed still fully functioning as a National Park.  The article goes on to discuss the impending effects that global warming could have on the state of Arizona given the current and speedy rate at which GW is wreaking havoc on our earth by the close of the century.

However, what I find scary is that that first paragraph is 100% believable – it’s no longer far-fetched or something out of the ordinary. It’s possible…and probable…and that’s frightening.  As a National Park lover I could never imagine what our Park’s would be like without their most notorious features.  As they say will happen (sooner rather than later), Glacier will lose it’s Glaciers – it’s happening right now as we speak at an upsetting rate – those massive mountains of snow are melting.  Now, when GNP no longer is home to glaciers they will not be changing the park name, which has been made very clear, and besides, why would they?  New Hampshire’s distinguished Old Man on the Mountain wasn’t changed to Crumbled Face on the Mountain just because it collapsed.  Glacier will still be Glacier National Park, a place of unimaginable beauty…

…but still…I can’t help but think how inconceivable that thought is.

One day Saguaro may lose all its saguaro cacti to an invasive grass that chokes out the plant population, and Joshua Tree may be home to just those impressive rock formations instead of those impressive rock formations and Joshua trees.  Glacier NP, Mount Rainier and North Cascades may become glacierless, and as Karianne mentioned, the whitebark pine beetles are doing too good of a job at what they do throughout too many of our parks’ forests threatening Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain NP (just to name two).

What we all need to do is re-evaluate ourselves. Think, ‘how can I reduce my impact on the earth? How can I minimize my carbon footprint?’  It only takes just a few small adjustments to make a difference – it may not be visible today – but it will be visible to your grandchildren when they visit Glacier National Park and Grinnell Glacier is still there.

Read these Global Warming Tips to find out how to make a difference – my personal favorite is #7 – Use the “Off” Switch. Use it. Live by It. Make a difference people…for me…for you and for your kids’ kids. They will thank you for it, I promise.

Glaciers and snow packs are melting, stream and lake temperatures are going up, coastal erosion is increasing, and changes in weather patterns are leading to heat waves and drought, both locally and regionally.  According to researchers the magnitude and pace of these changes, as well as additional ones, are unprecedented in human history.

Regardless of their causes, we must do what we can to manage these impacts and adapt to the new circumstances they bring. Perhaps the same wisdom that preserved our heritage in the past can guide us in making choices for the future.

For us throughout this journey, we witnessed these affects firsthand:  The heartbreaking “then and now”, photographs at Montana’s Glacier National Park and the disturbing prediction that most of the glaciers in the Park will be completely gone by 2030. Or that warmer winters have enabled bark beetles to significantly increase mortality of white bark pines- the critical food source for the grizzly bears of Yellowstone National park, this lowering the grizzlies’ survival rates and making them more likely to experience human conflicts in their search for alternative foods.  Each year floods and fires have damaged historic structures and are threatening the loss and archeological sites at parks such as Mesa Verde and Rocky Mountain Nation Parks.  Due to the climate warning, Joshua trees soon may no longer be found in the park bearing their name ., As Joshua trees require cool winters and freezing temperatures in order to flower and set their seeds.  And the list continues…

This journey opened my eyes to our natural surroundings and more aware of the sad effects we as a society are taking on nature. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere today are higher than they’ve been in over 650,000 years.  So, I ask you all to take a look around you and see what your carbon footprint is.  What can you do to conserve and reduce energy use.  Become “carbon neutral.” Change to more energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, unplug computers and electronic devises when they are not in use, use public transportation whenever and as often as you can. Every individual has the ability make the change and conserve and reduce energy use. The choice is yours, but I for one want to enjoy our parks for many, many years to come…

It was our 26^th National Park and 49^th out of 392 National Park Service Units.  2 and 1/2 months later, it was hard to believe our trip was finally winding down, it was bittersweet and slightly exciting at the same time and it was obvious that our emotions, both positive and downbeat, were amplified by all that we had to process.

This was my second trip to Mesa Verde National Park. My first time visiting the park was when I was in 7^th grade – it had been my first trip to Colorado and the first time seeing such unimaginable and impressive artifacts of our past ancestors. The second time around I felt just as I had when I was 13 years old – awe-struck and mesmerized by what was preserved within the park’s boundaries.

Mesa Verde National Park protects and preserves over 80 square miles of some of the most impressive archaeological sites found in North America…most notably are the Cliff Dwellings – which are houses and small villages built within caves or under rock outcroppings along the cliff walls.   It’s truly amazing to see the incredible ancient craftsmanship found at the park – especially knowing that the means they had for accomplishing such great tasks is far more outdated than you would think conceivable – for those who have seen the Pyramids in Egypt or the Colosseum in Rome, I would imagine they evoke the same emotions.

Essentially the park is two separate mesas branching off from the main road, which runs from the park’s main entrance to the Far View Visitor Center and then a few miles beyond where you reach your traditional ‘fork in the road.’  The eastern mesa, or Chapin Mesa as it’s called, is the most popular and heavily visited of the two historic mesas.  To the West is Weatherill Mesa, named after the Weatherill ranchers who explored the area during the early years of the ancient ruins’ discovery.

When we arrived at the park we headed straight for the visitor’s center.  At the visitor’s center you are able to book your spot on one of the many tours of the cliff dwellings. Because we were arriving post-labor day, the Weatherill Mesa was closed for the season, limiting our explorations to the Chapin Mesa dwellings.  With little hesitation, we booked our tours for the afternoon and were off to explore the park…

The remainder of our day was spent taking guided tours of two very popular cliff dwellings – Balcony House and Cliff Palace. The groups were smaller since the season had slowed down tremendously with kids being back at school and so the experience was much more intimate.  The rangers were attentive to detail and divulged as much information as they could about the history and storied past of Mesa Verde.  Coincidently, the two tours we went on were the same that I had embarked on eleven years ago – nothing had changed and everything seemed to be preserved in time – the only thing that seemed different was the size of the canyons that the dwellings were nestled into… this time around they were not as scary – but of course everything seems enormous when your 13.

We left Chapin Mesa towards sundown and headed for the park’s campground. As we drove north towards the entrance we spotted a group of wild horses just to our left – either saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye,’ depending on which tone you choose. It was reminiscent of the otter playfully swimming in Snake River during the magnificent sunrise at Grand Teton National Park – again, it was as though all the forces of nature had combined to create a beautiful moment…and a moment in time that will forever mark the end of an incredible journey.

While we were still able to visit and spend time at both parks, one thing I wish had been different was that we just weren’t able to do much hiking at all – at least not beyond 1 mile, which was our cap. In fact, the same was true for Capitol Reef, and looking back at it now, our last hike was in the Narrows at Zion – albeit a great way to end our hiking regimen of the trip, I wish I had known it was probably going to be our last.

But if there’s anything I took note of while in Utah, it’s that the hiking there is amazing and there is just so much to offer any visitor.  Southern Utah is home to some of the most renowned hiking trails – the beauty is seemingly unparalleled – and I look forward to going back and being able to really explore the area on foot.

Anyways, our second day in Moab was spent at Arches.  We drove from end to end, stopping at all the major scenic attractions and overlooks.  Arches NP is well-known for it’s, well, arches.  The unique rock formations are found all over southern Utah and the tremendously popular Delicate Arch can even be seen on the Utah license plate.  The park preserves over 75,000 acres of land and is home to over 2,000 remarkable sandstone arches.  Like many parks however, Arches is experiencing the natural downsizing of their unique features – like Glacier NP is slowly losing their glaciers to the effects of nature, Arches NP has seen over 40 arches collapse since 1970 to the powerful influence of mother nature. Since I’m no scientist, trying to explain and paraphrase how the arches, spires and unique rock formations came to be on this land would be impossible – all I know is that they are there and they are quite wonderful to see.

The most impressive of the arches that we were able to see was Landscape Arch.  Landscape Arch is found in the Devil’s Garden area of the park and spans approximately 290 feet.  Unfortunately, Landscape Arch is becoming victim to mother nature and since 1991, has lost 3 large sandstone slabs from its thinnest section – making most question how much longer Landscape Arch will be able to withstand the forces of erosion.  After seeing the arch and reading about the unfortunate incidences of what has occurred, I felt quite lucky to have been standing there in that moment – looking at what could quite possibly be the longest natural arch in the world – knowing very well that it may be gone the next time I visit Arches National Park.  It’s moments like those that I found I had the most appreciation for.

Overall I thought Arches was very impressive – and I’m not sure if anyone would leave the park feeling differently.  It’s so amazing how unique land formations seem to pop up all in the same spot – it’s as if the world was created for the sole purpose of establishing National Parks.

Despite limiting our activities to those things only accessible by car, I still felt as though I saw a huge portion of the park.  But, it will never cease to amaze me that after seeing a day full of arches, there are still hundreds and hundreds more for those willing to explore a little deeper.  I think that Arches National Park is a great example of what you will be rewarded with once you stray beyond the designated paths travelled by so many tourists.