My New Book Has a Title!

So some of you may have noticed my lack of activity on social media over the last several months. Truth be told, I’ve been working on a super-secret project! However, today, I wanted to let you all know that I've been working on my new book for almost a year now, and right now I'm in the process of putting the finishing touches on it. In the meantime, I thought I would “reveal” the title of the book: “Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World”

More information will be coming in the next few days and weeks!

Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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

Glacier National Park is Seeking Seasonal Help

Glacier National Park posted this on their social media today:

Looking for a new office? Consider working here!

Enjoy the grandeur of Glacier National Park as your summer office and home and spend your free time exploring glacially carved lakes and valleys. Affordable housing is available with most positions at Glacier National Park, and by gaining valuable experience, a seasonal job can be the gateway to establishing a career in federal service.

Positions available include but are not limited to Park Ranger, Visitor Services Assistant, Biological Science Technician, Forestry Technician, Dispatcher, Equipment Operator, Maintenance Worker, Laborer, Automotive Worker, Carpenter, Masonry Worker, Volunteer Program Assistant, and more.

All positions are advertised on USAJobs.gov. To get started, create a USAJobs account at www.usajobs.gov. Browse currently advertised positions by typing “Glacier National Park” in the location search box at the top of the page.

Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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

Outdoor Recreation Economy Plays Strong Role in Wyoming’s Economic Future

The Outdoor Recreation Industry continued to thrive in 2021 as a strong economic driver across the nation and in Wyoming accounting for $1.5 billion or 3.6% of the state’s GDP according to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The total value added by outdoor recreation rose from $1.2 billion or 3.4% in 2020, representing a $3 million or .2% overall increase to the state’s GDP from 2020 to 2021. In 2021, Wyoming ranked 6th among all states in outdoor recreation value-added growth. Since 2020, outdoor recreation value added has grown 28.6% in Wyoming, compared with an increase of 24.7% for the United States.

Employment in the sector also saw an increase from 14,187 to 15,285 jobs accounting for 5.4% of the state’s total employment. Since 2020, outdoor recreation employment has grown 18.4% in Wyoming, compared with an increase of 13.1% for the United States.

In 2020, Wyoming’s outdoors saw unprecedented visitation throughout the state and those high numbers have continued through 2021. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks both celebrated record numbers and hosted a combined 8,745,787 recreation visits. Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites also hosted a combined 5,755,184 visitors in 2021, a 2% decrease from 2020, but 25% above the five-year average.

With record visitation, many outdoor recreation activities also saw significant growth in 2021 with some surpassing pre-pandemic value added. Snow activities saw an increased value added of $108,258 jumping from the 13th to 12th ranked state in value added. RVing, motorcycling and ATVing, climbing, equestrian, bicycling and recreational flying also saw steady increases across the board contributing a combined $166,423 in value added or an 11% increase.

In response to trending visitation growth and demand for new outdoor recreation opportunities and infrastructure across the state, Wyoming Outdoor Recreation has continued its efforts to help promote, enhance and expand responsible outdoor recreation in Wyoming through a variety of projects, programs, and partnerships at a local, state and national level.

In 2021, Wyoming Outdoor Recreation expanded its existing outdoor recreation collaboratives with the formation of 5 new initiatives for a total of 7 statewide. These initiatives bring together local community members, recreation stakeholders, businesses, conservation groups, federal and state agencies, and elected officials to identify and prioritize opportunities for the growth and enhancement of outdoor recreation in their region.

As participation in the outdoors continues to grow, strategic economic development will be crucial to improving the experience on public lands and taking the edge off overcrowding. New funding opportunities, investing in local recreation, and ensuring popular destinations have sufficient infrastructure will help reduce pressure and protect close-to-home recreation.

On July 1, 2022, Wyoming Outdoor Recreation announced the launch of the first Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Grant Program that will award funding to public outdoor recreation projects throughout the state. The program received nearly $72 million in requests for $14 million in available funding.

These projects and initiatives are part of a broader effort by Wyoming’s Office of Outdoor Recreation to diversify Wyoming’s economy and to have positive quality of life and economic impacts on local communities.

For more information about Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, please visit wyorec.com. You may also view the full BEA Report at https://www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/outdoor-recreation.



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’s Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel to remain closed for winter 2022-2023

Yellowstone National Park’s Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel will remain closed this winter season, Dec. 2022 through March 2023. The hotel closed immediately after the historic June flood because of damage to the area’s wastewater system. The hotel will be closed to overnight guests and food services will not be provided.

The hotel gift shop, coffee and beverage service, lobby and ski shop will be open. Regularly scheduled tours and snowcoach service between Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful and other iconic locations will be available.

In June 2022, unprecedented amounts of rainfall caused severe damage to the North Entrance Road between Mammoth Hot Springs and the park’s North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana. In addition, a sewer line adjacent to the road that carried wastewater from Mammoth Hot Springs to a sewage treatment plant in Gardiner was ruptured. Staff quickly rerouted the wastewater into percolator ponds used between the 1930s and 1960s, allowing for summer day-use visitors and residents to stay in the area. Currently, a new wastewater treatment system is being built to serve the Mammoth area, however, the temporary system is not ready to support hotel operations this winter. Yellowstone staff are working diligently to make this system operational and anticipate a reopening spring 2023.

The hotel concessioner is in the process of notifying guests with reservations about the situation.

Visit Explore in Winter for information about planning a trip to Yellowstone this winter.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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

New lifetime pass available for Military Veterans and Gold Star Families to access public lands

This should've happened a long time ago:

The Whitehouse announced that starting on Veterans Day (Nov. 11), veterans of the U.S. Armed Services and Gold Star Families can obtain a free lifetime pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests.

“We have a sacred obligation to America’s veterans. This new lifetime pass is a small demonstration of our nation’s gratitude and support for those who have selflessly served in the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Secretary Deb Haaland, whose father served during the Vietnam War. “I’m proud the Department of the Interior can provide veterans and Gold Star Families opportunities for recreation, education and enjoyment from our country’s treasured lands.”

Each lifetime pass covers entrance fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle (or passholder and up to three adults at sites that charge per person) at national parks and national wildlife refuges, as well as standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Veterans can present one of the four forms of acceptable ID (Department of Defense ID Card, Veteran Health ID (VHIC), Veteran ID Card, or veteran’s designation on a state-issued US driver’s license or ID card) at participating federal recreation areas that normally charge an entrance fee. Gold Star Families obtain information, self-certify they qualify and download a voucher on NPS.gov.

The Alexander Lofgran Veterans in Parks Act, passed in December 2021, authorized free lifetime access to federal lands to veterans and Gold Star Families. The new lifetime pass for veterans and Gold Star Families is in addition to the free annual Military Pass, which has been available to active duty servicemembers and their families since Armed Forces Day, May 19, 2012.   

Federal recreational land management agencies offer additional lifetime passes, including a Senior Pass for US citizens or permanent residents over age 62 and an Access Pass for US citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability. More information is available on NPS.gov.

The Interior Department and other federal land agencies also offer fee-free entrance days for everyone throughout the year to mark days of celebration and commemoration, including the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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

Fuel reduction burns planned in Grand Teton

Teton Interagency Fire personnel will burn slash piles created from fuel reduction projects in Grand Teton National Park in the coming weeks. Firefighters have focused on fuel reduction efforts in developed areas to reduce wildfire risk, and pile burning is the last step in this thinning process.

Fuel reduction includes thinning and removing lower limbs from trees and the removal of dead wood and brush from the forest floor. Firefighters place the slash from fuel reduction work into tepee-shaped piles and let them cure for a year before burning them. Firefighters will burn these piles under low fire behavior conditions resulting from wet weather and snow accumulation. Smoke may be visible from these piles during the day of ignition and may linger in the area for a few days.

Fuel reduction burns are planned to occur near the following locations in Grand Teton:

* Colter Bay
* Historic Bar BC Dude Ranch
* Beaver Creek
* Elk Ranch
* Kelly
* Murie Ranch
* Seligman South (near the south boundary at Poker Flats)
* Sky Ranch

It is difficult to predict exactly when the burning will occur because reduction piles are only ignited under certain conditions, including favorable smoke dispersal and weather conditions that limit the chance of fire spread.

Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in all burn operations. Fire management staff will monitor the piles to assure complete combustion and consumption of all fuels and to assess conditions for potential fire spread. If smoke lingers, signs will be posted along roadsides to remind drivers to use headlights for safer travel.



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 Saturday, November 5

An elk reduction program begins Saturday, November 5, 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 2022 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 475 permits are authorized for the 2022 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 21, and the remaining portions close December 11. 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 2022 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.

With detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in two mule deer and an elk within Grand Teton National Park since 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. More information can be found at www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/elkreduction.htm.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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