NPS @ Joshua Tree = WHORES

YOUR NATIONAL PARK IS FOR SALE !!!!!!

This last weekend a movie crew was using the split rock area as a filming location.

They had set up a ghost town that ran from the main road all the way to the loop at split rock. The surrounding desert area was completely trashed.

They had a fake grave yard, and drive in movie theater that extended hundreds of yards out into the desert.

The fragile desert was damaged in ways that will take hundred of years to repair.

What the hell is the NPS thinking!

I cannot tell you how pissed off I was to see what was done to our National Park.

Someone should really put a stop to filming at Joshua Tree!

Jenny

I did lead my first 5.10 trad - Bird of Fire onsight, no falls - after being so upset - WOW

Before you buy.

I saw this when I was there a month ago. I did not see any of the damage to the surrounding area that you describe. However, it was a little annoying not to be able to park in the parking lot. (I'm not categorically claiming that there was no damage, just that I didn't see it.)

I'm so sick of everybody bitching and whining about how evil the park service is. Yes, there are assholes among them and people who don't like climbers. But on the whole they are not Nazis or whores. They are trying to do a difficult job with insufficient funding, balancing the demands of many different user groups and dealing with any number of cranks and crazies. It's inevitable that everyone will not be satisfied at every moment.

I think that people who are inclined to complain and call names should think about what the alternative might be. National Parks being privately owned by mega-corporations? Now there's a great idea. (JT: Pay 50 bucks to get in, wait in line for 2 hours to get on Double Cross, get food poisoning from bad cotton candy... )

How 'bout this, Kyri: no movies, no buildings, no pavement, no kiosks, no electricity. Remove the crowds, and the problems go with 'em...

- Sumo

Before you buy.

Pave the friggin' place. Put in a Wal-mart, a grocery, a bar (ala Mtn. Room) and of course, a strip club.

And don't forget to bring your purple helmets.

Before you buy.

You want to be really pissed off, go check out what they're doing to Barker Dam road. Look around as you drive all over the park. See all those marker stakes off to the side? That's how wide the road is going to be when they're done. All those huge old Joshua Trees outside of Hidden Valley? Gone. All for the RVs. The film set was indeed pretty outrageous, but at least the desert will have a chance to recover. After they pave it with asphalt, no chance.

Congrats.

<<snip of NPS bad judgement>>

Rage is good food. Wait until you break into 5.11 rage. Stand back.......

Fragile climbers, er, the fragile desert will take a hundred years to recover from this devastating visit.

Congrats! That was my first 5.10 trad lead, some 5 years ago.

Saw the movie set a few weeks ago and last week. PITA

Andy

Before you buy.

I'm at a loss as to how what you said relates to what I said, but OK, cool with me. You bulldoze the pit toilets and those stupid 'exhibit here' displays, I'll put birth control in the water.

OK, you're right. I'm just tired of people complaining about stuff and not doing anything about it. If the NPS is not fulfilling its mandate then there are constructive solutions available to us. Whining is not constructive.

I also am friends with someone who works for the NPS and I guess I get a little tired of the Nazis and whores stuff. Whatever you think about their policies, and I certainly am not saying they're above criticism, many of the *individuals* concerned do not deserve to be called nasty

'Jeremy the Sumo Climber' wrote:

Are you being sarcastic? Sounds like a good idea to me.