Limited Time Only: "Ramble On: A History of Hiking" is available at 33% off!

With the beginning of the Christmas holiday season already upon us, I wanted to let you all know that my book will be on sale this week on Amazon. Beginning today, and continuing through the rest of this week only, the paperback version of Ramble On: A History of Hiking will be sold at 33% off the regular price. During this timeframe hiking enthusiasts will be able to purchase the book on Amazon for only $12.70 (the regular price is $18.95).

Ramble On: A History of Hiking is an outstanding gift idea for anyone who loves hiking, and wishes to learn more about the rich and amazing history of one of the world’s top pastimes. For more information, and to purchase, please click here.

As always, thank you for your support!


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Additional campgrounds move to Recreation.gov for the 2022 season

Visitors to Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway will now be able to reserve campsites at all park campgrounds in a “one-stop-shop” on Recreation.gov as all remaining campgrounds in the park transition to the website for the 2022 summer season.

The Colter Bay RV Park and Tent Village, as well as Headwaters Campground and RV Park, which were previously reservable through Grand Teton Lodge Company, are moving to Recreation.gov. These locations, along with Colter Bay, Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, Lizard Creek and Signal Mountain Campgrounds, will be available for booking on a six-month rolling basis. While a limited number of sites will be held back at the Colter Bay and Gros Ventre Campgrounds for reservation on a 14-day rolling basis, reservations are expected to fill quickly, and visitors are strongly encouraged to plan ahead. Park campgrounds will no longer be reservable through local campground call centers or websites.

A collaborative effort between the National Park Service, Grand Teton Lodge Company, Signal Mountain Lodge, and Recreation.gov was initiated in response to public requests for an advance reservation system at park campgrounds and launched last year with a portion of the campgrounds moving onto the platform for the 2021 summer season. The introduction of a reservation system at busy park campgrounds in 2021 was deemed a success, improving the visitor experience by streamlining the camping process, significantly shortening lines and reducing wait times, alleviating associated traffic congestion, and giving visitors the ability to plan ahead with confidence, knowing they would have a place to stay upon arrival.

Campgrounds in Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are operated by concessioners. Grand Teton Lodge Company operates Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, and Colter Bay Campgrounds. Flagg Ranch Company operates Headwaters RV Park and Campground. Signal Mountain Lodge LLC operates Signal Mountain and Lizard Creek Campgrounds.

Campsite reservations are available up to six months in advance on Recreation.gov.

For more information about camping in Grand Teton, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/camping.htm.


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

How did the Garden Wall receive its name?

The Garden Wall is an imposing, saw-toothed arête that stretches roughly 8 miles from Logan Pass to Swiftcurrent Pass in Glacier National Park. Separating the Many Glacier valley from the Lake McDonald valley, the wall also forms the Continental Divide in this area. Being an arête, the Garden Wall was created by two glaciers that carved the ridge into a thin rock spine.

The Garden Wall received its name from a popular song that was making the rounds in the late 1800s. While camping near Grinnell Lake during a trip guided by George Bird Grinnell in 1897, the party gathered around the campfire to sing songs. The event that led to the naming of the geological feature is described in The Father of Glacier National Park:

"One evening, around a campfire, they were singing the then-popular song, 'Over the Garden Wall', when one of the party remarked, “There is one wall we cannot get over.” The name was immediately applied to the ridge --- The Garden Wall"

Over the Garden Wall was composed by G. D. Fox in 1882, and the words to the song were written by Harry Hunter. Here's the first verse:

Oh, my love stood under the walnut tree,
Over the garden wall,
She whispered and said she'd be true to me,
Over the garden wall,
She'd beautiful eyes and beautiful hair,
Se was not very tall,
So she stood on a chair,
And many a time have I kissed her there.
Over the garden wall,

The song continues with three more verses.

Over the course of seven trips to Glacier spanning 13 years, Grinnell named 43 geological features within the future national park. This included Iceberg Lake, Swiftcurrent Mountain and Gunsight Mountain.


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Yellowstone National Park seeks public comments on revised Commercial Use Authorization plans

Yellowstone National Park asks for public comment on revised Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) and service-related operating plans that will guide commercial services in the park for the next five years.

The purpose of these revisions is to update the existing CUA and operating plans, last approved in 2013. These revisions would improve the CUA program's consistency with federal laws, policies and guidelines, and accommodate changing visitor needs and interests. The park would begin operating under this new plan beginning January 1, 2022.

The revised plans would affect both existing and potential CUA holders, and includes the following updates:

* Activity-based CUAs: Bicycling Tours, Environmental Education Tours, Skiing/Snowshoeing, Motorized Boating, Non-Motorized Boating, Overnight Backcountry Trips, Painting and Photography Workshops, Stream and Shoreline Fishing, Road-Based Transportation (groups 1-25), Wedding and Portrait Photography and Single-session Wedding and Portrait Photography.

* Service-based CUAs: Towing and Automotive Services (RV and RV appliance repair, tire repair, locksmith) and Water Access (specific to the Yellowstone River in Gardiner, Montana).

* CUA applications are accepted year-round. Applications may be submitted any time during the current operating year of January 1-December 31 (the previous application period was October 1-March 1). Applications for the following operating year will be accepted beginning October 1 of the current year.

* CUA permit application fees cost $300 annually for each activity-based CUA requested (remains unchanged), $150 every two years for a service-based CUA and $100 per Single-session Wedding and Portrait Photography CUA.

* Management fees remain unchanged and include 3%, 4% or 5% of annual gross receipts. Additional fees are not required for service-based or Single-session Wedding and Portrait Photography CUAs.

Comments must be received by November 23, 2021. Comments may be submitted online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELLCUA or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email or other means. Mail comments to: Compliance Office, Attention: CUA Plan Revisions, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Public Comment Considerations

* Bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.

* Before including your address, phone number, email, or other personal information, be aware that your entire comment – including your personally identifiable information – may be made public at any time. You may ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

MT Fish and Wildlife Commission seeks public comments on grizzly bear relocation sites

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is seeking public comment on proposed grizzly bear relocation sites.

Senate Bill 337, which was passed by the 2021 legislature, requires the Fish and Wildlife Commission to approve all sites where grizzly bears will be relocated by FWP. FWP staff, working with other land management agencies, have assembled a list of potential release sites in each of the Cabinet-Yaak, Northern Continental Divide, and Greater Yellowstone ecosystems. All proposed relocation sites are located within current grizzly bear distribution and occupied habitat and are located both inside and outside of designated recovery zones.

According to the SB337, FWP will not relocate a grizzly bear that is in conflict and captured outside of a designated recovery zone, although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or their agents may. The new statute doesn’t preclude the Fish and Wildlife Service from relocating a bear to any suitable release site. The list proposed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission is only for FWP grizzly bear relocation efforts.

Grizzly bears may be relocated for a variety of reasons, including to avoid conflict, population augmentation, such as in the Cabinet-Yaak Recovery Zone, or for the purpose of genetic exchange. Many more sites are proposed than will be used. However, it is important to have many alternatives as specific sites may not be available at the time a bear needs to be relocated.

The list of potential sites includes a mix of sites that have been used historically, and new sites.

For more information, including maps of the proposed sites, and to comment, please visit https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities. Comments can also be submitted in writing to FWP Wildlife Comments, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701 and by email to fwpwld@mt.gov.

Comments accepted until Monday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m., with final adoption at the December 2021 commission meeting.


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

HikinginGlacier.com Celebrates 10TH Anniversary

It's hard to believe, but its been 10 years since we launched HikinginGlacier.com. Building this website has given me an outstanding opportunity to explore dozens of trails in Glacier that I likely never would've considered in the past - simply because I would've continued hiking the most popular trails. In the process, I discovered many hikes that are just as scenic and enjoyable as Iceberg Lake, the Highline Trail or Avalanche Lake. Moreover, this website has given me an opportunity to discover many things about the park that I otherwise probably wouldn't have taken the time to learn, such as its rich and extensive human history, as well as the park's natural history, including its wide range of flora and fauna.

When we first launched this website in 2011 we covered roughly 40 hikes. Today the site covers a total of 68 hikes, and continues to grow. Over the last 10 years I've committed myself to making this the best possible online resource for hiking in Glacier by providing accurate trail descriptions, interesting historical anecdotes pertinent to as many trails as possible, and providing photographs that accurately showcase the beauty and the highlights of each hike.

Since launching HikinginGlacier.com in 2011 my wife and I have launched two additional websites for two other national parks. They include RockyMountainHikingTrails.com in 2012, and TetonHikingTrails.com in 2014. If you've never had the opportunity to visit either of these parks, I highly recommend both of them. Like Glacier, each of these parks offer many outstanding hiking opportunities.

Thanks to all of you for your support over the years!


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

No need to worry about the supply chain, "Ramble On: A History of Hiking" is available!

No need to worry about supply chain issues this Christmas! Ramble On: A History of Hiking is currently available for purchase from Amazon, and is the perfect gift for you and your favorite hiker!

As you've probably already heard, there are many warnings coming from experts that supply chain issues could cause major interruptions for Christmas shoppers this year. Fortunately my book is printed on demand by Amazon, and is therefore readily available. If you're worried about supply chain issues, and are looking for a gift idea, both the paperback and E-book versions of my book are available on Amazon. If you order now you'll still have plenty of time to have it shipped to your home.

Ramble On: A History of Hiking is the first broad historical overview of hiking in one volume. Among the variety of topics discussed about the early years of hiking, the book chronicles hiking’s roots in alpinism and mountaineering, the societal trends that fostered its growth, some of the early hikers from the 19th century, the first trails built specifically for hiking, the formation of the first hiking clubs, as well as the evolution of hiking gear and apparel. It also includes anecdotal stories of trail development in some of our oldest and most iconic national parks, such as Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

For more information on the book, and to purchase on Amazon, please click here.

Once again, thank you very much!


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Elk reduction program begins this Saturday

An elk reduction program begins Saturday, November 6, in Grand Teton National Park. The park’s enabling legislation of 1950 authorizes Grand Teton National Park to jointly administer an elk reduction program with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department when necessary for the proper management and conservation of the Jackson Elk Herd.

Respective federal and state resource managers have reviewed available data and concluded that the 2021 program is necessary. The need for the program is determined annually and is based on the status of the Jackson Elk Herd, including estimated herd size and composition and the number of elk on supplemental feed on the National Elk Refuge. A total of 400 permits are authorized for the 2021 program.

The only area open to the elk reduction program is Wyoming Game and Fish Elk Hunt Area 75, located mostly east of U.S. Highway 89. The Antelope Flats portion of this area closes November 22, and the remaining portions close December 12. The Snake River Bottom between Deadmans Bar and Ditch Creek is closed.

Wyoming Game and Fish Elk Hunt Area 79 is closed to limit harvest pressure on northern migratory and resident elk.

Participants in the program must carry their state license for Elk Hunt Area 75, conservation stamp, elk special management permit and 2021 elk reduction program park permit, use non-lead ammunition, and are limited in the number of cartridges they are able to carry each day. Harvest is currently restricted to cows and calves. The use of archery, handguns, or other non-center fire ammunition rifles is not permitted, nor is the use of artificial elk calls. In addition, participants, regardless of age, are required to carry a hunter safety card, wear fluorescent orange or pink, and carry and have immediately accessible a 7.9 oz. (or greater) can of non-expired bear spray. Information packets accompanying each permit warn participants of the risk of bear encounters and offer tips on how to minimize the risk of human-bear conflicts.

Following detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a mule deer within Grand Teton National Park in November 2018, the National Park Service increased surveillance efforts to include mandatory collection of elk heads from all elk harvested during the program. Park personnel will collect biological samples from the heads and submit them to the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory for testing. Participants can check their results online.

National Park Service and Wyoming Game and Fish staff will monitor and patrol elk reduction program areas to ensure compliance with rules and regulations, interpret the elk reduction program to visitors, and provide participants with outreach regarding bear activity and safety. These areas remain open to park visitors, and wearing bright colors is highly encouraged during this time.

An information line for the elk reduction program is available at 307.739.3681.


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

RockyMountainHikingTrails.com Adds 5 New Hikes to Website

RockyMountainHikingTrails.com continues to expand! Kathy and I spent a week and a half in Rocky Mountain National Park a few weeks ago, and as a result, we just added 5 new hikes to our website (in addition to several new photos for several other hikes). Hopefully you'll find that this expansion will make your hike and trip planning a little easier. During our trip we made our first trek to Lion Lake No. 1. Why did we ever wait so long?

Anyway, here's a rundown on what's been added to our site:

Lion Lake No. 1: For whatever reason, we haven't had a chance to take this hike until this past fall. Wow! What were we waiting for? The rugged subalpine landscape that surrounds this lake offers some of the most beautiful scenery in the park, while making it by far the most scenic lake in Wild Basin.

Timber Lake: At some point I thought the landslide area along the route would be cleared. I don't think this will ever happen, so we went ahead and hiked to the lake on the west side of the park. During our trip the slide really wasn't a big deal. The lake and the meadows along the way make this a very nice hike.

Lulu City: Although nearly every hike on this website visits a specific destination, you could argue that this hike is more about the journey. On this route hikers will enjoy beautiful meadows and mountain scenery as they proceed along the upper portions of the Colorado River. While there’s quite a bit of history along the way, the physical remnants are rapidly decaying.

Boulder Brook Loop: This is an excellent choice if you're seeking a bit of solitude in the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park!

Lily Ridge Loop: Provides hikers with the opportunity to view Lily Lake and the surrounding mountains from a higher vantage point.

Happy trails!


Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park