Yosemite 7 Day Limit to be enforced
THis was on the Super topo website forum:
From: Yosemite, CA
Ok… Man, can’t wait to see where this one goes…
If you’re new to this whacky forum, I work as the climbing ranger in Yosemite. Part of that job is trying to keep the climbing community up to date with recent events, policy changes, new regulations, rumor control, etc.
For those who haven’t stayed in Camp 4 recently, this is a heads up. For decades Yosemite has had a policy that visitors coming to the park during the summer months (June through mid September) are limited to a stay of one week in Yosemite Valley, two weeks in the park as a whole. This limit exists so more people can enjoy Yosemite without trashing the place by having a zillion people here at one time. Greatest good to the greatest number, spread the wealth, demand outweighing supply, Camp 4 is a humanities education all to itself.
In order to enforce that limit more effectively (and thereby enable more people to experience Yosemite), the campground office is tracking visitation in Camp 4 with a computer system. As of… well, now, in order to stay in Camp 4 each camper must provide a valid photo ID (Driver’s license, passport, etc.), phone number, and address. Once you have stayed in the Campground seven nights (any seven nights over the course of the summer), that’s it, no more. Sorry, time for someone else to enjoy the Valley.
This rule shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but its strict enforcement might. Before everyone yells “foul” and starts picketing the superintendent’s office, here’s a few things to consider (you can still protest, just consider this stuff before writing up your banners and picket signs):
“The NPS is picking on climbers.”
Well… no. The park doesn’t care if you’re a climber, a librarian, or a salesman of propane and propane accessories, you’ve got a week in the valley. This doesn’t have to do with people “climbing” too long in Camp 4, it has to do with “staying” too long in Camp 4. Be careful not to get sucked into the “we deserve special treatment” argument.
“The NPS is picking on Camp 4.”
Well… yes. There is a computer system to register in the other campgrounds (Upper and Lower Pines), but only one member of each party is required to provide a name. In that sense this rule makes Camp 4 a bit different. But wait! Careful what you ask for… if Camp 4 were held to the same system as the other campgrounds, one person could take each site, and then thirty people would fill up the campground. Camp 4 is filled by the slot (six slots per site) and not by the site. That way more people can stay in the campground and that whacky close-quarters international mixing pot community is maintained. If you want to sell slots instead of sites in Camp 4, each person is going to have to register.
“But climbers are different, a week isn’t enough time to enjoy the Valley.”
Fair enough, I won’t try and tell you a week is plenty. I’ve been here seven years and my tick list is still getting longer… but I think most people will agree there has to be some kind of limit. Keep in mind, this limit is only for staying overnight; there is no limit for day use in the park.
If you think the limit should be longer than a week, write letters, come talk to park administrators in person, make phone calls, whatever, just don’t complain without doing anything (that’s one of my pet-peeves).
(abridged)
From: Yosemite, CA
Ok… Man, can’t wait to see where this one goes…
If you’re new to this whacky forum, I work as the climbing ranger in Yosemite. Part of that job is trying to keep the climbing community up to date with recent events, policy changes, new regulations, rumor control, etc.
For those who haven’t stayed in Camp 4 recently, this is a heads up. For decades Yosemite has had a policy that visitors coming to the park during the summer months (June through mid September) are limited to a stay of one week in Yosemite Valley, two weeks in the park as a whole. This limit exists so more people can enjoy Yosemite without trashing the place by having a zillion people here at one time. Greatest good to the greatest number, spread the wealth, demand outweighing supply, Camp 4 is a humanities education all to itself.
In order to enforce that limit more effectively (and thereby enable more people to experience Yosemite), the campground office is tracking visitation in Camp 4 with a computer system. As of… well, now, in order to stay in Camp 4 each camper must provide a valid photo ID (Driver’s license, passport, etc.), phone number, and address. Once you have stayed in the Campground seven nights (any seven nights over the course of the summer), that’s it, no more. Sorry, time for someone else to enjoy the Valley.
This rule shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but its strict enforcement might. Before everyone yells “foul” and starts picketing the superintendent’s office, here’s a few things to consider (you can still protest, just consider this stuff before writing up your banners and picket signs):
“The NPS is picking on climbers.”
Well… no. The park doesn’t care if you’re a climber, a librarian, or a salesman of propane and propane accessories, you’ve got a week in the valley. This doesn’t have to do with people “climbing” too long in Camp 4, it has to do with “staying” too long in Camp 4. Be careful not to get sucked into the “we deserve special treatment” argument.
“The NPS is picking on Camp 4.”
Well… yes. There is a computer system to register in the other campgrounds (Upper and Lower Pines), but only one member of each party is required to provide a name. In that sense this rule makes Camp 4 a bit different. But wait! Careful what you ask for… if Camp 4 were held to the same system as the other campgrounds, one person could take each site, and then thirty people would fill up the campground. Camp 4 is filled by the slot (six slots per site) and not by the site. That way more people can stay in the campground and that whacky close-quarters international mixing pot community is maintained. If you want to sell slots instead of sites in Camp 4, each person is going to have to register.
“But climbers are different, a week isn’t enough time to enjoy the Valley.”
Fair enough, I won’t try and tell you a week is plenty. I’ve been here seven years and my tick list is still getting longer… but I think most people will agree there has to be some kind of limit. Keep in mind, this limit is only for staying overnight; there is no limit for day use in the park.
If you think the limit should be longer than a week, write letters, come talk to park administrators in person, make phone calls, whatever, just don’t complain without doing anything (that’s one of my pet-peeves).
(abridged)