December 2007 - Posts

• Glacier NP Quiz #2

  Adventure-Crew’s Park of the Week is Glacier National Park in Alaska. What is the normal high peak temps for summer within ... continue Posted Dec 18 2007, 04:17 PM by Stu Marks with no comments

• Christmas Time Trail Bar Info

  In searching for appropriate gear subjects for the Christmas and New Year's season, I stumbled upon another of The Gear Junky's offerings, this one leaning towards an issue that many of us face every year at this time; caloric intake. continue Posted Dec 18 2007, 04:04 PM by Stu Marks with no comments

• Scottish Immigrant Moves into White House and Promotes National Parks; Video

  The White House released this video for the Christmas season promoting the new pro-national park direction that the Bush Administration has taken. Using the “Barney Cam”, the “First Dog”, Barney takes viewers through the “’House” as one dignitary after another converses with the black Scottie on matters national park and Christmas.   Barney Cam link.   Source; The White House, The Baltimore Sun   Posted Dec 12 2007, 03:58 PM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: National Park, White House

• New list in "Adventure Lists" in the Adventure Seeker Daily

  See the new adventure list ... Posted Dec 11 2007, 06:41 PM by Stu Marks with no comments

• Badwater inside Death Valley, California

  If you’ve been to Dante’s View or Telescope peak, it’s likely that you looked down to the salt bed floor to see the tiny forms of antlike humans acting like they were out for a day at the beach. From up top, one has to wonder what is so special about apparently nothing out in the middle of nowhere... more Posted Dec 11 2007, 03:26 PM by Stu Marks with no comments

• Yellowstone National Park geyser spews to life

  A fickle geyser has erupted back to life in Yellowstone National Park. The erratic Giant Geyser is in the Upper Geyser Basin along the Firehole River, and has been a show stopper to viewers. Traditionally it's gone months, and even a year without erupting, but since the summer of 2005 Giant Geyser has been erupting with a frequency that has not been seen since the 1950s. In recent months the geyser has been putting on a show every five to eight days, with eruptions of 200 feet or higher. Giant Geyser was named back in 1870, on the same day as Old Faithful. - Beth Saboe reporting from Z7 in Bozeman Park Page for Yellowstone   Posted Dec 11 2007, 12:12 PM by Stu Marks with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Yellowstone, explosive guyser

• Haleakala National Park in Hawaii is closed indefinitely

  According to island news sources, Haleakala National Park in Hawaii is closed indefinitely. A Breaking News Story released 8 hours ago states; Haleakala National Park road open, but many facilities remain closed Advertiser Staff HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK ROAD OPEN, FACILITIES CLOSED. Road crews have cleared debris from Summit Area road of Haleakala National Park. The park road is open. The park remains without power and facilities are closed. Phones are not working. Kipahulu area remains open. High winds, and rain are expected at the summit through the weekend. Visibility remains at less than 20 feet. Summit Area: Headquarters Restrooms-Open Headquarters Visitor Center- Closed Hosmer Grove Campground- Closed Summit Area Visitor Center – Closed Summit Area Restrooms- Closed Kipahulu Area: Open Sources; The Honolulu Advertiser, Google Advertiser, Google Posted Dec 08 2007, 11:13 AM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: park closed, breaking news, Hawaii, Haleakala

• Upgrade your outdoor vacation; NOW!

  With over-the-edge everything being the new gold standard in marketing, if you aren’t ordering the up size or biggee size of whatever, then you just aren’t with it. So, what about your vacation? Tired of the same ole’, same ole’ theme parks, RV camps and endless road trips just to see one old relative? It’s time to up size your vacation. See three “breathtaking” canyons in five days. Click to see entire image Adventure-Crew and Zach Dunkin of Indystar.com has found a perfect alternative for an exciting, romantic retreat, or an adventure packed family vacation.  Take a five day drive and see three of our nation’s best; Zion, Bryce, and The Grand Canyons. While researching for great winter escapes, I came across this article by Mr. Dunkin, a writer from Indystar.com, a Gannett owned outlet, who posted this story about a great getaway that encompasses three really exciting places to experience. Adventure-Crew teams have been shooting in these canyons for years, but we have never done the five-day-tour that gets you to three of the really awesome canyons in one trip. Here's the itinerary; -Day 1; St. George, Utah, to Zion National Park, 43 miles, 1 hour, 6 minutes. -Days 2 and 3; St. George, Utah, to Bryce Canyon, 132 miles, 2 hours, 26 minutes. -Days 4 and 5; Bryce Canyon to Grand Canyon North Rim, 146 miles, 2 hours, 57 minutes. Here’s the story Posted Dec 05 2007, 03:33 PM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: Zion, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Adventure Vacation

• Bicycles have new roads to discover in Mammoth Cave National Park

  Bikes, in December? You read it right. The Mammoth Caves N.P. has just announced the opening of a new bike and hiking trail. The grand opening ceremony is scheduled for 10am Saturday December 8, 2007. If you live any where near Central Kentucky, slap the bike carrier on the SUV and get on over there. You might see Adventure-Crew there! Map Courtesy of Adventure-Crew.com MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK (November 26, 2007) – Superintendent Patrick Reed announced today that the opening ceremony for the completed, nine-mile, Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 8, 2007.  The public is invited to attend the informal ceremony, outside the Mammoth Cave Hotel. “We want to celebrate and publicly thank those who worked on the trail or provided funding for it,” said Reed. “Our friends at National Park Concessions, Incorporated donated $745,000. Volunteers put their sweat equity into it. Our park workers constructed the final, and very difficult, link across Doyel Valley. We are grateful to them all.” The ceremony will take place at the internal terminus of the trail near the Mammoth Cave Hotel. Participants are encouraged to bring their bicycles or hiking boots to try out on the new trail following the ceremony. The trail in total is nine miles within the park, connecting to the one-mile Park City bike trail, and terminating at historic Bell’s Tavern. It is designed with several entry points so that hikers and bikers may choose to cover the entire length, or opt for shorter segments.  “It’s already popular with the public,” added Reed. “About 4,000 people used the trail in 2006, and statistics look like that number will be nearly 6,000 by the end of 2007.” NPCI’s contribution funded approximately 55 percent of the trail and wayside exhibits; the National Park Service funded the remaining 45 percent. Park City received a state/federal grant to fund its trail. “We in Park City would like to thank everyone who has helped with the trail, especially Park City resident Charles Hogan,” said David Lyons, mayor of Park City. “Charles was instrumental in the funding and design of the Park City Hike and Bike Trail.  We also want to acknowledge District Three of the Kentucky Department of Transportation and the National Park Service for making the trail connection with Mammoth Cave National Park possible.” The trail follows the remaining portions of the old berm of the Mammoth Cave Railroad, from Park City to Sloan’s Crossing, across Doyel Valley to the park headquarters area near the Mammoth Cave Hotel. It is constructed of dense-grade gravel, averages eight feet wide, and is designed for family use.    Sources; WNKY.net, Google, Adventure-Crew.com  Mammoth Caves N.P. Park Page Posted Dec 04 2007, 11:00 AM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: Hiking, Kentucky, Mammoth Caves, Bikes

• Rocky Mountain Snow Warning

  If you’re traveling east or west in Colorado this weekend, you better make sure you’re well equipped for snowy roads or an unexpected hotel stay. The National Weather Service is issuing winter weather advisories for a wide swath that includes the Rocky Mountains where I-70 passes through. Blowing snow advisory issued for Cameron Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park By Coloradoan staff and wire services The National Weather Service has issued a snow and blowing snow advisory for western Larimer County including Cameron Pass and Rocky Mountain National Park. The advisory is in effect from 5 p.m. this evening to 5 p.m. Saturday. A snow and blowing snow advisory means that visibility will be limited, especially in open areas, because of a combination of falling and blowing snow. Snowfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are forecast by Saturday evening in the mountains. Southwest winds of 20 to 35 mph will create the treacherous conditions. A powerful storm rolling toward snow-starved southwest Colorado today is expected to dump up to five feet in the high mountains, and even the snowplow drivers were excited. “Those areas of the state had a pretty light winter last year, so even our crews are looking forward to this,” said Stacey Stegman, a spokeswoman for the state Transportation Department. “They enjoy their jobs and the more time they can find them-selves in the plow the better.” The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for parts of the San Juan Mountains and said gusts could hit 70 mph in the high country. Other parts of western Colorado were under a winter storm warning, with rain forecast at lower elevations and up to three feet of snow in the mountains. “This would be a gift from heaven,” said Crested Butte ski resort spokeswoman April Prout. “We could get anything form five to 10 inches to five feet depending on where it hangs up.” The rain, snow and wind were expected to hit by tonight. Up to seven inches of snow was expected in the northern Colorado mountains. Freezing rain was expected in Colorado Springs and most of the eastern third of the state by early Saturday. The forecast for Denver and other cities along the eastern foot of the Rockies called for snow showers or up to three inches of snow. Little snow has fallen across most of the state this season. Accumulations in the southwest quadrant ranged from 19 percent to 28 percent of the 30-year average, and the statewide average was 37 percent. See Coloradoan.com for updates. Posted Dec 01 2007, 09:38 PM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: Snow, Weather Advisory, Rockies

• Grand Tetons go Hi Tech; Link to Video Here

  The National Park folks at Grand Tetons and some University students got together to produce some very interesting outdoors videos that were designed to be a part of some educational modules (that’s edu talk for “segments”) that are helping to promote the national parks to techno savvy kids who might not otherwise get exposed to things outdoorsy. Take a peak at some of the videos, you’ll be amazed how much fun they are to watch; even for an outdoor producer such as myself… Webisodes Park Page   Posted Dec 01 2007, 09:19 PM by Stu Marks with no comments Filed under: Grand Tetons, Video, Hi-Tech