National Park News

Lost Backpackers Found at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, AZ. – At approximately 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, a National Park Service (NPS) search team found a pair of backpackers later confirmed to be Alan Humphrey and Iris Faraklas—the focus of an extensive search effort in an area 25 miles west of Grand Canyon Village in Grand Canyon National Park. The couple was found, tired but otherwise in good condition, in the Royal Arch route area. They were evacuated to the South Rim Helibase where they refused any medical treatment and were reunited with family members. They were reported to be extremely happy to be back on the South Rim.

NPS rangers and search teams had been attempting to locate the couple since a family member reported them as overdue on Sunday, May 25. During the investigation, it was determined that the pair had a permit to backpack the Royal Arch route from May 17 – 23, and that their vehicle was parked at the South Bass Trailhead—the entry point for the Royal Arch route. A search of the Royal Arch route and surrounding area was initiated. Search efforts included aerial searches, three teams of ground searchers and one technical rope team. A follow up interview with the couple will be conducted by the National Park Service tomorrow.

The Royal Arch route, while popular with more experienced Grand Canyon travelers, is a difficult route. Like many of the routes in the Grand Canyon, completing this loop requires route finding, canyoneering skills and traveling through areas with limited water. Park rangers recommend that people planning to travel in remote areas leave a detailed itinerary with family or friends and that they include an equipment list that includes descriptions of footwear and gear which can aide emergency personnel during a search effort.

Storm May Dampen Memorial Day Weekend in Glacier National Park

Date: May 22, 2008

WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Memorial Day Weekend marks the traditional beginning of the summer vacation season, and many activities, including some concession operations, are scheduled to be available this weekend in Glacier National Park. Park officials caution visitors that the National Weather Service is forecasting significant rain for the park for May 22 to 23, 2008. Should this storm materialize and bring the predicted five inches of rain, flooding within the park may occur, potentially prompting evacuations or impacting the operating status of roads and visitor services. Additionally, due to continued deep snow and the potential for flooding, several campgrounds will remain closed this holiday weekend.

Many park roads are currently open for vehicle traffic. On the Going-to-the-Sun Road, visitors may travel east approximately 16 miles from West Glacier to Avalanche and 6 miles west from St. Mary to Rising Sun. In addition, the Camas Road, the Chief Mountain Road, the Many Glacier Road, the Two Medicine Road to Running Eagle Falls, and the Inside North Fork from the Polebridge Ranger station south to Logging Creek and north to Big Prairie are also open to vehicle traffic. (Note- the Akokala Creek Bridge en route to Big Prairie has a total vehicle weight limit of ten tons.) These roads may close at any time for safety reasons.  The Cut Bank Road from the park boundary remains closed at this time; it will not open this weekend. The Apgar Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Apgar, St. Mary and Sprague Creek campgrounds are currently open for full-service camping for $20/night. Full-service camping is also available at Bowman Lake starting on May 23, for $15/night. Cut Bank, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine campgrounds will not open this weekend, due to snow in the campgrounds. Kintla Lake and Rising Sun campgrounds are closed due to the potential for flooding. They will open when conditions permit. At that time, Rising Sun Campground will provide full-service camping for $20/night. Officials note that once reopened, Kintla Lake Campground will be in primitive status (no water provided, $10/night) due to a waterline problem; it will be repaired and open as a full-service campground for $15/night as soon as possible.

Activities are scheduled to be available this holiday weekend from several park concessioners. Glacier Park, Inc. operates tours aboard the refurbished historic red buses starting May 24. Sun Tours is currently offering interpretive tours featuring a Blackfeet perspective. Guided day hikes and backpack trips are available from Glacier Guides, Inc. Swan Mountain Outfitters offers horseback rides at Lake McDonald and Apgar beginning May 24. Boat rentals will be available this weekend (May 24-May 26) at Apgar from Glacier Park Boat Company; its daily summer operation at Apgar begins on May 31. Glacier Park Boat Company will start boat tours for the season at Lake McDonald on May 24. Waterton InterNation Shoreline Cruise Co. boats are currently offering tours of Waterton Lake; landings at Goat Haunt begin on May 31.

Lodging is available from park concessioner Glacier Park, Inc. at the Lake McDonald Lodge starting May 24. Privately-owned lodging and other visitor services are available in the park at Apgar Village and in gateway communities. Glacier National Park entrance rates are $25/single vehicle and $12/single entrant. An annual pass, good for unlimited entry to Glacier National Park for one year from the date of purchase, is $35. Even when the entrance stations are not staffed, entrance fees are still required. Follow the posted instructions to pay the entrance fee at the self-pay stations at each entrance. Park visitors are reminded that all park animals are wild, unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Feeding of any park wildlife is against the law and is subject to fines. Visitors are urged to keep a safe distance from all wildlife and to report any bear and/or mountain lion sightings to a park ranger as soon as possible.

As noted, visitors are cautioned that weather conditions may cause hazardous driving conditions and/or temporary closures of park roads. Visitors should also watch for avalanche slides, falling rocks, and debris. Officials will provide additional updates if conditions deteriorate. Visitors are reminded to use extreme caution near water. Debris-laden streams and rivers are flowing fast and the water is extremely cold. Should flooding occur, visitors should stay at higher ground, and should not cross flooded roads or bridges. Road conditions and flooding updates will be provided on Glacier’s automated system 406-888-7800 (extension 2). This recording will be updated as necessary.

Symposium and Exhibit to Commemorate 75th Anniversary of CCC at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – On March 31, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed legislation creating the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It quickly became the most popular government program of the Great Depression. The first young CCC men arrived at the Grand Canyon on May 29, 1933. During their time at the park, they were responsible for building miles of trails and creating much of the park infrastructure that is still used by visitors today. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the CCC and to commemorate the important contribution of these young men to the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service at Grand Canyon National Park will be hosting a symposium, titled “Saving Lives; Shaping the Land; Building Parks: the CCC in the Southwest, 1933-1942”.

The symposium will be held from May 30 through June 1, 2008. Registration for the full three days is $50. All of the indoor sessions will be held at the Shrine of the Ages auditorium, located in Grand Canyon Village – next to park headquarters. The symposium will begin with guided hikes and tours on Friday, May 30. On Saturday, May 31, there will be presentations by fifteen historians and scholars, as well as a panel of men who served in the CCC. And on Sunday, June 1, the symposium will conclude with guided hikes and walks. Visiting historians will be coming from New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, and Colorado as well as Arizona. Registration for the symposium can be done on-line at www.nps.gov/grca/historyculture/ccc.htm or “at the door” at the Shrine of the Ages on Friday or Saturday.

In conjunction with the symposium, the Grand Canyon Association and the NPS will also open an exhibit titled “It Saved My Life, the CCC at Grand Canyon, 1933-1942.” The exhibit’s grand opening is open to the public and will be at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 30, at the Kolb Studio. Exhibit goers will learn about the despair of the Great Depression, the fear of a possible ‘lost generation’ of young men, and the feeling of hope that the CCC brought to poor unemployed young men and their families. Historic photographs and artifacts, never before viewed by the public, will be on display. Attendees will learn about the many things the CCC accomplished at Grand Canyon and the positive changes the program brought to the CCC men and their families. This free exhibit will be available at the historic Kolb Studio from May 31 through October 19.

National Park Service historian John Paige stated, “The CCC advanced park development by 10-20 years during the program’s first two to three years.” Some have called the 1930s the ‘golden years’ of the National Park Service in large part due to the almost unlimited labor pool provided by the CCC. Grand Canyon National Park had as many as four 200-man companies working simultaneously. The most significant CCC accomplishments at Grand Canyon include trail building, the South Rim Community Building, the beautiful stone wall in the Village, the trans-canyon telephone line, and trail shelters.
The National Park Service invites the public to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the CCC by participating in the symposium, visiting the special exhibit at the Kolb Studio or attending one of the special programs about the CCC that will be available for all ages throughout the summer. For more information and questions about the symposium and planned events, please contact Bob Audretsch, Park Naturalist, at Bob_Audretsch@nps.gov or at 928-638-7834.

Grand Teton National Park Breaks Ground on Pathway Project

Tioga Road to Open in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park Superintendent Mike Tollefson announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the season on Wednesday, May 21 at 8:00 a.m. for all vehicle traffic. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by State Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada. There will be no commercial services available along the road. Additionally, the Tuolumne Meadows Campground, other campgrounds along the corridor, and the Visitor Center will not be open. However, there will be restrooms available on the road. All visitor services, including the campgrounds, store, gas station, etc. will open over the next several weeks.  

Visitors who are planning to visit Yosemite National Park over the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend are urged to take extra safety precautions, especially along the Merced River. With the current warm weather and accelerated snowmelt, the river is running fast and cold. People should take extreme caution along the river and watch children at all times. The park is expecting a very busy weekend. People should plan on arriving in the park as early in the day as possible. People visiting Yosemite Valley are urged to take the free Yosemite Shuttle Bus to explore the sites and hike on the trails. If people can not arrive early, they should wait until late afternoon to enter the park as park entrances can become congested, especially mid-day.

There are a limited number of first-come, first-served campsites available in the park. However, those are expected to fill up as the weekend approaches. There are many opportunities for camping and overnight accommodations in the gateway communities surrounding Yosemite National Park. Finally, the cables on Half Dome are up for the season. The cables allow visitors an opportunity to climb to the top of Half Dome and view the park from an elevation of 8,842 feet above sea level.

Series of Prescribed Fires Planned in Zion Canyon

Zion National Park will be implementing a series of small prescribed burns this spring in Zion Canyon. The first of these burns is planned in the vicinity of the Zion Lodge in Zion Canyon on or after May 12. The exact dates of the burns will depend on predicted weather conditions and current fuel conditions. The primary objectives of these burns are to reduce the amount of exotic vegetation and their associated fire hazard, thus providing safety to park visitors, staff and park infrastructure, while simultaneously restoring native perennial grasses. These fires will only be ignited if favorable weather conditions exist and required firefighting personnel are available.  Short-term impacts from these prescribed burns may include short-term smoky conditions and temporary traffic control measures in the vicinity of the burn units. 

This series of 5-30 acre burn units is located in Zion Canyon from near the main park entrance up to the Temple of Sinawava. In recent years Zion Canyon has seen a number of exotic, annual grasses (mainly cheatgrass and ripgut brome) take over and out compete the native perennial grasses that once covered the area. Because these fine, flashy exotic grasses cure late in the spring they represent a considerable fire danger throughout the summer.  The reduction of these exotic grasses by prescribed fire will help to reduce the fire danger in Zion Canyon and also provide the native grasses an opportunity to re-establish themselves.    

The goal of the prescribed fire program in Zion is to use management-ignited prescribed fire, where appropriate, for the restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems and species-specific resource management goals. Prescribed fire projects are to be conducted in a manner consistent with land and resource management plans, public health considerations, and approved prescribed fire plans. The park works very closely with other state and federal land management agencies in the planning and management of these fires. The policy of using fire as a tool will help decrease risks to life, property, and resources; prescribed fires will help perpetuate the natural resource values for which Zion National Park was established.

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – On Monday, May 12, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Grand Canyon National Park’s emergency dispatch center received multiple reports of a vehicle accident near Twin Overlooks on Desert View Drive (Highway 64) located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Witnesses in the area stopped to offer assistance to the two male occupants. Both refused assistance and left on foot carrying large backpacks. Park rangers responded to the accident scene and initiated an investigation.

Later, at approximately 7:15 p.m., a man called the emergency dispatch center from a market within Grand Canyon Village to report that two men had taken his vehicle at gunpoint from a location east of Mather Point and had headed west toward Grand Canyon Village. The two men matched witness descriptions of the men who had left the scene of the vehicle accident that had occurred earlier near Twin Overlooks.

Descriptions of the two suspects follow:

SUSPECT #1: Travis N. Twiggs a.k.a T- Bo
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Age: 36
Height: 5’ 8”
Weight: 200
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Facial hair: not clean shaven
Tattoos: on arms and leg
Habits: Heavy Smoker
Violent Criminal History
10+ years of Military Experience
Tracking and Survival Skills
Most recent

SUSPECT #2: Willard J. Twiggs a.k.a Will
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Age: 38
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 180 Hair: Shoulder length Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Facial hair: not clean shaven
Tattoos: on arms and legs
Violent Criminal History
No Military or related Experience

The stolen vehicle is a 2008 white Dodge Caliber 4-door hatchback, bearing Arizona license plate 606RFC. Law Enforcement Rangers, and Officers from the Department of Public Safety and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office are searching all areas within and adjacent to the Grand Canyon Village. Check points have been set up near both the Desert View and the South Entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, and Rangers and local law enforcement officers have increased patrols in the Grand Canyon and Tusayan areas. The investigation and efforts to develop further leads are on-going. Both suspects and the stolen vehicle have been entered into Arizona and National law enforcement data bases. The two suspects are considered armed and dangerous. Travis “T-Bo” Twiggs suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may behave unpredictably. Anyone with information regarding the suspects or stolen vehicle should immediately call Grand Canyon’s emergency dispatch center at 928-638-7805. Grand Canyon’s Incident Information Center (928-638-7922) (recorded line 928-638-7688) has been mobilized.

Car-jacking at Grand Canyon National Park

Date: May 12, 2008

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – At approximately 3:30 this afternoon Grand Canyon National Park’s emergency dispatch center received multiple reports of a vehicle accident near Twin Overlooks on Desert View Drive (Highway 64) located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Witnesses in the area stopped to offer assistance to the two male occupants. Both refused assistance and left on foot carrying large backpacks. Park rangers responded to the accident scene and initiated an investigation.

At approximately 7:15 this evening, a man called Grand Canyon’s emergency dispatch center from a market within Grand Canyon Village to report that the vehicle he and his passenger had been riding in had been carjacked near Lipan Point on Desert View Drive. He stated that two men had taken his vehicle at gunpoint and headed west toward Grand Canyon Village.
The two men matched witness descriptions of the two men who had left the scene of the vehicle accident that had occurred earlier near Twin Overlooks.

The two suspects are described as Travis N. Twiggs (aka T-Bo), age 36, height 5’8”, weighing approximately 200 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes, and facial hair (not clean shaven). The reporting party also stated he had tattoos on his arms and leg. The second suspect is described as Willard Twiggs (aka Will), age 38, height 6’2”, weighing approximately 180 lbs, with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. Willard also has facial hair (not clean shaven) and has tattoos on his arms and legs.
The stolen vehicle is a 2008 white Dodge Caliber 4-door hatchback, bearing Arizona license plate 606RFC.

Law Enforcement Rangers, and Officers from the Department of Public Safety and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office are searching all areas within and adjacent to the Grand Canyon Village. Rangers and local law enforcement officers are increasing patrols in the Grand Canyon and Tusayan areas. An investigation is on-going in an attempt to develop further leads. Weather conditions in the area currently include low visibility and blowing snow. Both suspects and the stolen vehicle have been entered into Arizona and National law enforcement data bases. The two suspects are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding the suspects or stolen vehicle should call Grand Canyon’s emergency dispatch center at 928-638-7805.

School Bus Collision Causes Minor to Moderate Injuries in Yosemite National Park

Date: May 8, 2008

Two school busses headed toward Yosemite Valley from the Yellow Middle School in Newman, California collided today in a rear end collision. The collision occurred at about 10:55 am approximately 1 mile north of the Big Oak Flat/El Portal Road intersection along the Big Oak Flat Road. 40 children total were on board the two busses. Injuries are reported as being minor to moderate. Children are being transported by ground ambulance to John C. Fremont Hospital in Mariposa, California. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

Missing Hiker Found Safe near the Middle Fork of Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park— The National Park Service received a report on the afternoon of May 1st that a 21- year old man had gone missing from his group while on an extended trip in the wilderness of Sequoia National Park.

The Sierra Institute, an extension of Humboldt State University, was conducting a seven-day wilderness skills course in the Redwood Meadow area of Sequoia National Park. On the afternoon of April 30, Matthew Gleason, of Santa Cruz, became separated from his group. After the group conducted a search on their own, two members hiked out to get help on May 1st. The National Park Service was notified at 2:00 p.m. of the situation. A helicopter from the California Highway Patrol conducted an aerial search for Gleason with no success. National Park Rangers hiked in and met with the rest of Gleason’s group. Rangers investigated the situation while the rest of the group was escorted out of the backcountry.

The search continued early yesterday with three teams of rangers searching on the ground, including a search dog and handler. A helicopter contracted by the National Park Service searched the area and located Gleason along the drainage of a creek at 12:25 p.m. A note was dropped confirming his identity and status. Because there was no safe landing site in the area the rangers continue their hike to Gleason’s location. The helicopter dropped food and water to him while he waited. The terrain where Gleason was located is very steep and rough. The rangers reached him at 4:00 p.m. and found him in good condition. He lost a boot while crossing a stream and was unable to self-extricate. They had a pair of boots and additional supplies dropped by helicopter, and hiked him out. He arrived at the trailhead at 9:00 p.m. where the leader of his group was waiting for him, and was soon reunited with his father at park head quarters.

Date: April 29, 2008

Yosemite National Park Superintendent Mike Tollefson announced today that the Glacier Point Road is expected to open to visitors Friday, May 2, 2008 at noon. Glacier Point is located about 30 miles from Yosemite Valley off the Wawona Road, the section of State Highway 41 inside the park. Restrooms along the road and the Glacier Point Snack Stand will be open to visitors on Friday as well. Additionally, the Mariposa Grove Road opened on April 26, 2008 for vehicles under 24 feet in length and under 7 tons. These temporary restrictions are due to continuing wet and icy conditions on the road.

No date has been determined for the opening of Bridalveil Creek Campground. Roadways may be wet due to ice and melting snow and wildlife is very active on the Glacier Point Road. Visitors are advised to drive with caution. An opening date for the Tioga Road (Highway 120 outside the park) which crosses the Sierra Nevada through Yosemite National Park, has yet to be determined.

Castle Rock Cut Expected to Become Passable to Boaters by June

Page, Ariz. – This winter’s heavy snowfall in the Rocky Mountains means that Lake Powell is projected by the Bureau of Reclamation to rise some 50-feet this summer, with the lake seeing its highest water levels since 2002. Snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin is currently at 124% of average. As this snow melts, it will flow into the Colorado River and eventually into Lake Powell. The spring runoff is expected to reopen the Castle Rock Cut early this June. The Castle Rock Cut is a popular route on Lake Powell that allows boaters to conveniently travel between the Wahweap Marina and other destinations uplake. Traveling through the Castle Rock Cut saves about 12-miles to popular areas such as Rainbow Bridge, Padre Bay, and Warm Creek Bay. Due to long-term drought conditions, however, the Castle Rock Cut has not been usable since 2003.

With the promising spring runoff expected, the National Park Service will not need to proceed with plans to deepen the Castle Rock Cut this spring. The Bureau of Reclamation’s projections for Lake Powell indicate that the Castle Rock Cut is expected to remain passable for boats into 2010. This will also save Glen Canyon National Recreation Area $1.5 million, which can be directed toward other park needs.

“With the runoff anticipated into Lake Powell this spring, it’s going to be a great summer at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. We are expecting a busy season with the likely opening of the Castle Rock Cut,” said Superintendent Stan Austin. “Lake Powell should quickly start rising in April and May and it will be nearly impossible for us to deepen the cut this spring.”
The National Park Service released an environmental assessment for public review in February 2008 that examined deepening the Castle Rock Cut so it would be passable for boats at lower water levels. The environmental assessment process will continue, even though the Castle Rock Cut will likely become passable to boats this summer. Currently, public comments are being reviewed and analyzed. A formal decision about whether or not to proceed with the deepening project is expected to be made later this year, and the Cut could be deepened in the future if lake levels drop again.

Instead, he flew to the U.S. with a buddy, hopped in the Caddy and began a road trip that included the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks in Utah, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

"This is adventure. This is cruising," Meissner said recently as he shopped at a roadside stand on the popular south rim of the Grand Canyon. "Driving west with a '56 Cadillac — that's a dream."

Like an increasing number of foreign travelers to the U.S., Meissner couldn't resist taking advantage of the weak U.S. dollar and gas prices here.

"Our euro is so up, and gas is dirt cheap," said the 45-year-old wedding photographer, who shipped the car to Germany after his adventure. "We pay $8 a gallon in Germany, so we enjoy pumping gas at three bucks a gallon."

International visitors to the United States increased to more than 56.7 million people in 2007, an 11.1% increase over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Visitors from Canada, Mexico, England, Japan and Germany top the list. Although Grand Canyon National Park officials don't track visitors' nationalities, they say they've noticed a sharp increase in international tourists in the past year or so and estimate that they now make up about 40% of all visitors to the massive gorge.

"Every other group is speaking a different language," Grand Canyon Superintendent Steve Martin said. "You have Brits, people from Australia and New Zealand and India and a number of Asian countries and Hispanics. It's just incredible."

Martin said domestic visitation to the Grand Canyon likely is staying constant. Overall visitation to the Grand Canyon increased to more than 4.4 million tourists in 2007, a 3.1% increase from the previous year. That reflects a greater number of visitors going to national parks across the country. The national park system recorded more than 275 million tourists last year, a 1% increase over 2006. The large, iconic national parks in the West, including the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, and Yosemite parks, saw some of the largest increases. Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson said it's difficult to explain the trends, but attributed some of the increases at the iconic parks to pent-up visitation.

"People just love those Western parks," he said. "Maybe they hadn't been to see Yosemite for three, four or five years or so, and the guy just says, 'Marge, we have to go to Yosemite this year,' and they do."

Olson also suspects foreign travelers are boosting the numbers.

"The Canadian dollar is much stronger, the euro is much stronger, and that translates into good travel deals in the United States for Europeans and Canadians," he said. "If people overseas had postponed a trip the United States for a couple years or so, the strong euro was probably a nice incentive to make that trip."

John and Christine Rickard from England's Isle of Wight recently took advantage of the U.S. economy, taking a three-week trip to the Western United States that included stops in the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas and San Diego.

"You're really feeling the pinch at the moment," Christine Rickard, 66, said with a wink at one of the Grand Canyon's stunning overlooks.

"We just had a cup of hot chocolate and it was half of what we would have paid in England," John Rickard, 68, said. "It's very worthwhile coming here in the present circumstances."

Although international visitors in the U.S. are up overall, the Washington, D.C.-based Travel Industry Association points out that they are being driven by Canadians and Mexicans. Commerce Department figures show overseas visitors are still about 2 million below those prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"With the dollar at an all-time low, this is a phenomenal bargain," said Travel Industry Association President and CEO Roger Dow. "We're not realizing the numbers we should. We certainly have a long way to go."

Tom Sargent, manager at the Desert View General Store on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, isn't complaining.

"We're really happy to have the foreign visitors," he said. "Without them, we'd be up a creek."

Happy National Park Week!

You may not have heard, but Saturday kicked off the first National Park Week, a Presidentially-endorsed celebration of our many natural and historic national parks. National Park Week runs through Sunday, April 27. From the mouth of President Bush himself: 

"Our National Parks belong to each of us, and they are natural places to learn, exercise, volunteer, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy the magnificent beauty of our great land. During National Park Week and throughout the year, Americans of all ages can pledge to help maintain and enhance America's national treasures for future generations. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 19 through April 27, 2008, as National Park Week. I invite all my fellow citizens to join me in celebrating America's national parks by visiting these wonderful spaces, discovering all they have to offer, and becoming active participants in park conservation."

That sounds serious — we better get out there. Several national parks have scheduled official events for National Park Week, including outdoor skills schools, nature walks, and Junior Ranger days. And, in another bit of auspicious timing, the first roads have opened up in both Yellowstone and Glacier. The holiday seems a bit early, considering that summer remains the busiest season for most national parks, but maybe even the Fed prefers to avoid bear jams on Going-to-the-Sun road.

Yosemite Landmark Destroyed By Fire

April 21, 2008

The El Portal Market, near Yosemite National Park, burned down early Monday morning. The fire occurred just before 5 a.m. Firefighters from the National Park Service, DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., and Mariposa County responded to the fire, quickly containing the blaze and eliminating any threat to the national park. The El Portal Market, which was adjacent to the park on Highway 140 in El Portal, had been a family run business, and an institution in the area since 1966. It was was built around 1934, and originally served park visitors traveling to Yosemite by railroad. From 1966 to March of 2008, the market was operated under Vaughn, Vaughn, and Carter. It had closed down at the end of March for renovations, but was expected to reopen by the late spring.

There are no reports of injuries from the blaze; the cause of the fire is still unknown. The Superintendent for Yosemite Park, Mike Tollefson, said the blaze is devastating for the community,"It is impossible to imagine the loss that this is for the community of El Portal and the park as a whole," he said.

Yosemite park managers are expected to meet on Monday to go over options for replacing the building.