Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Going outside in 2024? Start planning early
------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Source: @glaciernps ([link removed])

Many of the country's most popular national parks have moved toward a reservation system to better manage crowds during periods of high visitation. 2024 will be a continuation of this trend as several of the most high profile parks look to limit crowding and wait times for the public.

Glacier National Park in Montana began accepting vehicle reservations last week ([link removed]) for the spring and summer season for access to the west side of the popular Going-to-the-Sun Road. Glacier Superintendent Dave Roemer said the park’s goal “is to learn how effective these systems are at improving visitor experiences and protecting park resources.”

In Washington's Mount Rainier, park officials say visitation has increased 40 percent in the last ten years. Mount Rainier Superintendent Greg Dudgeon said ([link removed]) it is common for visitors “to sit in idling cars for a couple of hours at the entrance stations and then make laps through the parking lots hoping for an empty parking space.”

It's not just national parks that are drawing crowds—reservations for heavily sought after backpacking permits and hiking destinations ([link removed]) have already opened, and the window for securing permits can close quickly. Visiting "The Wave" sandstone formation on the border of Arizona and Utah, or the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota this summer may require securing permits now, or better yet, yesterday.


** Quick hits
------------------------------------------------------------

The perverse policies that fuel wildfire

The New Yorker ([link removed])

Going outside in 2024? Start planning early

Backpacker ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])

Biden's oil and gas drilling approvals outpace Trump's by nearly 50 percent

E&E News ([link removed])

Increased funding sought to improve mapping of Utah's critical minerals

Deseret News ([link removed])

Lawmakers aim to fill gap after Supreme Court gutted federal protections for Colorado waters

The Denver Post ([link removed])

Bid to overhaul New Mexico's oil and gas regulations clears first legislative hurdle

Associated Press ([link removed])

More species may soon be added to the endangered list

The Hill ([link removed]) | Nevada Current ([link removed])

Colorado's Kit Carson Mountain could get a new name

Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
------------------------------------------------------------

” By now we have all heard how vital it is for the health and well-being of our youth to be active in the outdoors. Not only that, but nature immersion helps our youth develop resiliency and confidence—what kid doesn’t need more of that these days?”

—Anita Evans, Friends of Youth and Nature, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])


** Picture This
------------------------------------------------------------

@usinterior ([link removed])
The Racetrack at @deathvalleynps ([link removed]) is a playa (a dry lakebed) best known for its strange moving rocks. A rare combination of ice and wind pushes along the mysterious rocks. Some of them weigh up to 700 pounds and have traveled over 1,500 feet.

When visiting the area, please remember to recreate responsibly and plan your trip with safety in mind! The road to the Racetrack is rough and remote, and good tires, 4x4 and high clearance are usually required. Travel on existing roads and do not move or remove any of the rocks. When the playa is wet, avoid walking in muddy areas and leaving ugly footprints. This helps ensure future visitors will continue to make lasting memories at this incredible place for generations to come.

Photo by Leslie Scopes Anderson

#deathvalley ([link removed]) #publiclands ([link removed]) #california ([link removed])

============================================================
** Website ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Medium ([link removed])
Copyright © 2024 Center for Western Priorities, All rights reserved.
You've signed up to receive Look West updates.

Center for Western Priorities
1999 Broadway
Suite 520
Denver, CO 80202
USA
** View this on the web ([link removed])

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])