The National Parks - America's best idea?

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ezabielski
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by ezabielski »

ker0uac wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:48 pm A private enterprise uses the supply/demand curve to control usage. As prices go up, eventually the number of people wanting to visit a certain attraction will equal its recommended capacity. So if the NPS wants to limit visitation while making lands ever more accessible, then raise prices. RMNP charges $35/vehicle. Bump it up to $70/vehicle and see how demand changes. The government already has a history of taxes to curb demand for certain goods. The current administration is against fossil fuels, and it's not shy about doing what it can to raise oil prices to curb demand.
Yup. National Parks are only for people who can pay $70 to enter. Great solution.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by TeamTayberry »

Been going to Rmnp for many years. Last year was first with reservation system, the earliest time slot being 6 to 8am. As a result, glacier gorge th parking was full by 6am. Bear lake shortly after. So coming in with reservation didn't mean u would get a spot. We had the 6 to 8am reservations, but ended up starting at 5:30am. This year the reservations start at 5am. So expect those two lots to be full around that time. Then, the buses from the main lot don't start till 7am. As a result you could enter at 5:15am and face a full parking lot and have to wait around till 7am to catch a bus up to bear lake parking lot. Not gonna be fun. Looks like we will be starting at 4:30am if using GG or BL trailheads.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by jfm3 »

TeamTayberry wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:11 pm Been going to Rmnp for many years. Last year was first with reservation system, the earliest time slot being 6 to 8am. As a result, glacier gorge th parking was full by 6am. Bear lake shortly after. So coming in with reservation didn't mean u would get a spot. We had the 6 to 8am reservations, but ended up starting at 5:30am. This year the reservations start at 5am. So expect those two lots to be full around that time. Then, the buses from the main lot don't start till 7am. As a result you could enter at 5:15am and face a full parking lot and have to wait around till 7am to catch a bus up to bear lake parking lot. Not gonna be fun. Looks like we will be starting at 4:30am if using GG or BL trailheads.
I climbed Hallett Peak via Tyndall Glacier on Friday and started at the Bear Lake trailhead. I got to the parking lot at 4:50 AM and there were maybe 10 vehicles in it. My guess is that while there's still a lot of snow that prevents easy travel to the main destinations in Glacier Gorge (Flattop Mountain, Sky Pond) there will be plenty of room in the lot that early.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by ker0uac »

ezabielski wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:02 pm
ker0uac wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:48 pm A private enterprise uses the supply/demand curve to control usage. As prices go up, eventually the number of people wanting to visit a certain attraction will equal its recommended capacity. So if the NPS wants to limit visitation while making lands ever more accessible, then raise prices. RMNP charges $35/vehicle. Bump it up to $70/vehicle and see how demand changes. The government already has a history of taxes to curb demand for certain goods. The current administration is against fossil fuels, and it's not shy about doing what it can to raise oil prices to curb demand.
Yup. National Parks are only for people who can pay $70 to enter. Great solution.
It's not a great solution, but it's in line with how governments here manage consumption of public goods and common-pool goods. Allocating the use of a public good based on who can login into a website faster is ineffective besides beyond idiotic.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by TeamTayberry »

If it's that full now, come August GG is gonna be full by 5am.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by TeamTayberry »

Wouldn't hurt to start early for McHenrys anyways.... good job on Hallett via Tyndall. That one didn't make the schedule this year.
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by ker0uac »

Look at this bill being proposed in Colorado. How does this make sense? The agency wants to address the increased demand for outdoor recreation by encouraging more people to access the outdoors while raising revenues to build more infrastructure which will in turn further increase demand for the outdoors. Maybe we should make gas-guzzler vehicles more accessible in order to address fossil fuel emissions?

https://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2021/04 ... rado-wild/
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Re: The National Parks - America's best idea?

Post by colin j »

If you're interested in providing your opinion outside of an internet forum the NPS is taking public comments until July 19 on the current access management plan. They even have a powerpoint that shows how bad the impacts of the crowds are (see link)

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.c ... tID=112392

My personal opinion; I've walked into RMNP from six separate THs for free and that do not currently need a reservation. I'm good with implementing the current reservation system and adjusting as they go.
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