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Merced River Plan Update 2/11/12

The Yosemite Park Planning group is holding workshops coming up to discuss Preliminary Alternative Concepts and site visits. See the schedule if interest – and you should at least be interested in the webinars. The MRP could RADICALLY affect the path Yosemite takes in the future.  MORE INFO 

 FYI – I tried to register for the webinars but that page was not “hot” to accept registrations. Sigh.

Tioga Rd is now really, really closed. Really. The park got tired of opening & closing with good/bad weather. It’s closed until late May-ish.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Moon River, wider than a mile. I’m crossing you in style some day. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you’re going I’m going your way.” – Andy Williams

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Moon River, wider than a mile,. I’m crossing you in style some day. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you’re going I’m going your way.” – Andy Williams

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome

 …

Finally- Media Coverage for Merced River Plan

Today I’m just going to link you to an article by Joshua Emerson Smith of the Merced
Sun-Star. <HERE> While not the SF Chronicle, the Sun-Star is trying to bring attention to the impact that the MRP may have on us. I chatted with him about my perspective. I have no clue why in 2011 we need to have a golf course at Wawona – the south fork of the America River flows nearby.  But it’s true – with turnouts of from 10 to 50 per in-person session, the workshops should have had standing room only. 11 people took the time to join the webinar. That’s it.  I’ve done a lot of reading on the whole issue and am convinced that the park as we now know it will change. The User Capacity thing is a major item in the lawsuit settlement.

So take the time and complete your comments on the NPS worksheet.  Warning: It took me a couple hours to complete. There is just too much info presented and the form is too small to read easily. You have to scroll and zoom a lot to navigate it.  You can do so <Here>.…

The Merced a Wild and Scenic River

Yosemite National Park is currently developing alternatives for protecting the Wild and Scenic River status of the Merced River through the Park. But just HOW did the river become designated as a WSR flow?  The original WSR Act was passed by Congress in 1968. In summary it states: “. . . to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present
and future generations.” To illustrate the size of the project, the National System protects 12,598 miles of 203 rivers in 38 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; this is a little more than one-quarter of one percent of the nation’s rivers. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across the country have modified at least 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American rivers.

But in 1968, the Merced was not designated as such. Porque? Why?  Well it seems developers were getting antsy to dam up the Merced again. This time south of the park.  There is a massive downstream dam called the Exchequer Dam that stops the flow as Lake McClure. Locals got wind of the plans and lobbied to stop a new dam by getting WSR …

Wilderness Watch & High Sierra Camps

The comment period for the Merced River Plan is extended  to December 14.

Close the High Sierra Camps? Really?  Read what the Wilderness Watch said in their letter  to the Superintendent in Feb, 2010.  Oh, the purpose of  Wilderness Watch is (their words): The preservation and proper stewardship of lands and rivers included in the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and National Wild & Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS).”

>>>>>

Dear Superintendent,

Wilderness Watch is providing these scoping comments on Yosemite’s Merced River Plan. We’re pleased that the NPS is moving forward with a new plan for this remarkable area. We sincerely hope that this effort will result in a plan that is worthy of the Park’s extraordinary natural and scenic values, and that will protect and restore those values that have been lost from what may have seemed at the time to be appropriate developments and activities, but are now recognized as detracting from and harmful to Yosemite’s wilderness and natural values.  

Wilderness Watch is particularly concerned with those aspects of the plan that involve the wild segments of the Merced River and the Yosemite Wilderness. We recognize, however, that activities originating within the more developed areas of the Park …

Close Merced High Sierra Camp?

As part of the Merced River Plan, the NPS is looking at ways to reduce the impact on the river from the Merced High Sierra Camp. I’ve stayed there and it is very nice. One thing I have not seen is a quantified “impact” on the river due to the camp. Like XXX tons of effluent dumped per week, or YYY pounds of litter that ends up in the river. No, just we need to look at doing things differently. That means a range from close the camp to limit permits to deliver supplies by helicopter to _________ . All this will be determined by June 2013.
My suggestion: Make it a tent cabin with a kitchen area kind of place. You gotta bring all your stuff. No prepared meals, no linen. And how about they hire young (or old) people to Sherpa the needed supplies up and let the mules go free range. Your thoughts?  Voice them via the MRP worksheets <here>. By Nov 30 for it to do any good.

REI sale going on Nov 18 – 28. I got their sales brochure. I gotta tell you about my boot – the Vasque breeze on sale …

Audience Participation – Rafting at Yosemite

One of the touch points for the discussion about alternatives to protect the Merced River deals with recreation. Specifically floating and rafting. You may know that the park has a concessionaire, DNC, that runs the raft rentals. How do YOU feel about the impact this may have on the river? Look at all the rafts that they put on the Merced every summer day.

Do we need them? Is that what a national park is about? Can’t people just go to water parks for their  fluid thrills? Think of all the crud the people drop into the river, along with suntan lotion, brewskies and e-coli laden baby swimsuits.

The soapbox is all yours. Hit COMMENT.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.” – Traditional 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Merced River Plan Webinar recap

Today I attended the 90 minute webinar for the Merced River Plan. We had  11 on line. Their 4 in-person sessions have yielded a total of about 150 participants.  Out of the 4 million that come to the park. So I have a new attitude. Selfish. I’m going to comment on things that I want done and not try to cover everyone else. The format was for a “facilitator” from the contractor, Grove Associates. She was very good. It mostly was her tossing out a topic…like “camping” and we entered text via chat with our thoughts.

The big topics from past workshops were” traffic, camping, floating, ecology and user capacity.” YNP was on the line to offer inputs.  They hope to have a document out in the spring with their “Preliminary DRAFT alternatives.” Gee that’s hedging.

Still no word on the Half Dome plan. When I know – you’ll know.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “A little Indian brave who before he was ten, played war games in the woods with his Indian friends. And he built up a dream that when he grew up he would be a fearless warrior Indian Chief. Many moons past and more the dream …

I hope that we can jam the lines Monday night for the Merced River Plan webinar. It’s rfom 6:30 to 8 pm. Even if you can’t stay, let’s let the park (and the media) know there are people who care about what’s going on. This plan could remove retail stores, rafting, golf course and have us park in Merced. I dunno. Regardless of how you feel, let them know. I got the following into the Letters to the Editor of the San Jose Mercury. 10^th biggest city in the country. See you then. You can register and join in <HERE>.

A chance to help plan future of  Yosemite

Yosemite is currently developing alternatives for the way the park is managed for future decades. The Merced  Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan is a court mandated solution that will govern all activities that affect the river. This plan must  be finalized by June 2013 and will address recreation, transportation, water  quality, resource protection, development, user capacities and other factors.  Citizen participation is being solicited to help develop alternatives. A search on “Merced River Plan” will reveal upcoming workshops and a webinar on Nov. 14 open to all. …

Chevrolet and Half Dome

Here is the photo that in yesterday’s discussion. We’ve had a few theories as to where this shot was taken. To me it seems like a Sentinel Dome perspective. I think that Washburn Pt would make the face disappear.  What think ye?  Also, did GM fake the pix for the ads? The photos they held up do NOT look like 80 year old gems from granny’s scrapbook. Olde tyme photos have jagged edges along the borders. Click <HERE> for the complete commercial.

If you plan to attend the SF MRP Workshop on Nov 9, let us know how it goes. It’s at the Palm Room, San Francisco Film Centre. Go here for directions. it looks like it is a real working session. The workbook they created had to cost a bundle. The on-line version is huge and I need to scroll back and forth to read it.  First class and ready for the White House. They will expect you to fill in words with your position on a few topics. Then they will capture them all and collect for analysis. Wonder if the analysis is similar to a shredder or if a human will actually read and act …

Merced River Plan wants YOU

Hello America,

RangerRick (not really a Ranger) is back on the air at HikeHalfDome.com, broadcasting to the free world from a bunker deep inside the earth’s crust. The magma is getting warm. 5 weeks of recuperation ahead. PT starts Wednesday.

Harley Electra Glide upside down

A few days ago I got contacted by an AP writer about the Merced River Plan. Here’s the story.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iv8e0_GOgtH4VLyByvGKBHU6uOSQ?docId=71df06e1ff5141b4b982273616b31967

The plan is out  for public discussion of possible alternatives via workshops – already held at El Portal Wawona and the Yosemite Lodge. Has anyone gone?  Got a report to share? We gotta pack these meetings and be involved or things may happen while we sleep.

I will not be able to attend the SF one on Nov 9 but will dial in via Webinar on the 14^th.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.” 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…