As outdoor recreation lovers, Alpine Shop employees are naturally drawn to our national parks. As a company, we celebrate their existence, their protection and their continued preservation for our use and our children’s use and our children’s children.
The National Park Service consists of over 375 parks and historic sites covering an amazing range of landscapes, wildlife and history. Below are just a few of the most interesting facts on this expansive park system.
More than 300 million people visited our national park areas in 2010.
The first national park, Yellowstone, was created in 1872 through a law signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. The cavalry was the first caretaker.
The first nationally-proclaimed protected area of public land in the United States, Yosemite, was created in 1864 by the passage of the Yosemite Grant.
The largest living things in the world live in national parks; Sequoia Trees, and the world’s largest carnivore; the Alaska Brown Bear.
National park areas have volcanos, glaciers, white sand beaches, and dinosaur fossils.
Starting in 1910 with “The Immortal Alamo”, filmmakers have been coming to national parks year after year to capture majestic scenery for their productions.
While all of these parks are worthy of protection some hold a special place in the American experience. While there will never be a consensus on which parks are the best we have listed below the ones that have become part of our staff’s hearts and souls.
Bull Elk resting in Yellowstone National Park, Montana.
The 2,221,766 acres of this astounding land make up the world’s first national park. Created in 1872 the park features nearly a thousand miles of trails, over 280 backcountry campsites and 466 miles of roadways.
Within it’s boundaries you will find over 10,000 hot springs, geysers, and other thermal features, dramatic mountain ranges, beautiful rivers, hundreds of waterfalls and some of the best wildlife viewing this side of the Serengeti.
Much of the park sits in an ancient caldera of a super volcano resulting in over 2000 earthquakes in an average year.
The iconic face of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California.
This crown jewel of the National Park system in California was the first park to be protected by the American Government in 1864 with the passage of the Yosemite Grant.
Yosemite Valley is famous throughout the world for its waterfalls and the dramatic granite cliffs rising up, in some cases, 5000 feet above the valley floor. The iconic face of Half Dome in the southeast corner of the Valley can be seen on everything from the California quarter, the logos of such respected outdoor companies as The North Face and Sierra Designs and on countless tourist photographs throughout the world.
The park extends for 1169 square miles, 94% of which is wilderness.
The tranquil shores of Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana
This park in NW Montana is dubbed “The Crown of the Continent”. This mountain park lives up to it nick name featuring stark mountain landscapes, dozens of glaciers, and amazing wildlife.
The park has about 700 miles of trails with each one more beautiful than the last. It is a hiker’s paradise with many backcountry campsites to choose from. The Going to the Sun Road is one of the most beautiful drives to be had anywhere. This 52 mile long roadway was constructed in the 1920’s. There are many sheer drops sans guardrails to keep you holding tightly to the steering wheel.
The park is one of he last refuges of the great Grizzly Bear. Other wildlife includes Mountain Goats, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Lion, Black Bear and deer.
The beautiful sandstone sculptures of Arches National Park in Utah.
While tiny in comparison to Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier National Parks, Arches packs a tremendous amount of things into its borders. Crammed into it’s 76,000 plus acres are over 2000 sandstone arches. Many of these outstanding geologic formations are easily accessible by car and short hikes. A couple of the more impressive arches include Landscape, Double and the states symbol Delicate Arch. The park is just a couple of miles north of Moab, Utah and features a small campground and picnic areas.
The beautiful walk up the Virgin River into the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah.
Another “can’t miss” Utah park is Zion. This fantastic park offers canyoneering, waterfalls, great rock climbing, and unusual geologic formations. One of the most popular activities is a walk up the Virgin River into the Narrows. On this walk the canyon walls will tower over you rising up to 1500 feet from the canyon floor A convenient shuttle bus system takes you into and out of the canyon proper. There are two campgrounds, lots of trails as well as excellent opportunities for cross county travel.
Beautiful pictures abound in this third Utah National Park on our list.
The old story goes that if you cannot take a great photo in Bryce Canyon you may as well throw your camera away. The park is a series of horseshoe canyons carved out of the top of the Grand Staircase geologic formation. Trails will lead you though a fairyland conglomeration of brightly colored spires, walls, hoodoo’s, and fins.
Ready to Explore on Your Own
Alpine Shop offers a continuous series of programs on these and other of America’s incredible national parks. If you would like to learn all about these parks from people who know them intimately visit our Great American National Parks Programs by clicking here.
On Tuesday, May 17, Alpine Shop Kirkwood hosted a press conference organized by American Rivers, Friends of Ozark Riverways and Ozark Fly Fishers. The purpose of this publicity event was to announce that American Rivers – a national organization that protects and restores the nation’s rivers and the clean water that sustains people, wildlife, and nature – had named Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways one of the 10 Most Endangered Rivers in America.
Below is the press conference in its entirety broken up into four parts. Get informed and visit American Rivers’ Most Endangered List for information on how you can help the cause.
Press Advisory:
National Organization Joined by Local Paddlers and Conservationists to Announce Ozarks Riverways among Nation’s Most Endangered Rivers
Press Conference:
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 – 10 a.m.
Alpine Shop
440 N Kirkwood
Kirkwood, Missouri 63122
Representatives speaking include:
Ms. Kally Higgins,
Spokesperson for the Friends of Ozark Riverways – A coalition representing 21 Missouri conservation, fishing, and outdoor organizations.
Mr. J. Gordon Philpott
Board member of the national organization, American Rivers
Ms. Lisa Hollenbeck
Co-owner of Alpine Shop, representative of outdoor industry and Missouri paddlers and recreation enthusiasts
Missouri’s premier national riverway, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, is being named one of the nation’s ten most threatened riverways in American Rivers annual report released May 17, 2011.
Representatives from many statewide environmental, fishing, paddling, and conservation organizations are joining together to put the National Park Service on notice that the NPS needs to manage the pristine river and parklands with an eye to the future. There are signs that the river so loved by Missourians and millions of visitors each year may be destroyed by pollution, erosion and poor management.
Today’s announcement serves as a wake up call to the National Park Service that Missouri’s largest national park needs to step up its management and address problems in the park that have slowly been eroding the quality of the park.
“We have to do more today to avert the catastrophes of tomorrow,” says Kally Higgins, Friends of Ozarks spokesperson. “ We are seeing visible signs that the health of the Current River is in trouble. For example, we have seen in recent years signs restricting swimming in certain areas because of too high bacteria and we often see riverbanks damaged by erosion where inappropriate access points have sprung up. We want to work with the National Park Service to make sure that these problems are examined, inventoried, and given full environmental review before it prepares its general management plan.”
Next year, the park service will be releasing its 10-year General Management Plan and the conservation community has identified past decisions, policies, and practices that collectively are causing harm to the park resources.
This is the first time that the Current River and its tributaries have been named a threatened riverway on American River’s Endangered Rivers list, which began in 1985.
Photo Opportunities:
The press conference will be held at Alpine Shop with a background of kayak, canoe, and paddling equipment.
Many representatives from the 20 + organizations will be present for comment.
A map that depicts that excessive number of access points along the 132-mile stretch of river will be available.
A 3 minute video that depicts the riverway’s scenic beauty will also be launched on the American Rivers website and the Friends of Ozark Riverways site on the 17th and B- roll available, upon request.
Photographs of damage to the river will also be available.
A year ago, I wrote this post on What Does Earth Day Really Mean. I’ve decided this year, I have no interest to get into any political discussions. All I’d like to see is Alpine Shop’s customers’ favorite places on earth.
Because what good is Earth Day if we can celebrate our planet’s most beautiful locales? So whether you’re a mountain lover, a beach comber, a prairie dweller or an ocean-goer, visit our facebook page here and post your pics or video of your favorite places on Earth. If you could celebrate 4/22 anywhere on Earth, where would it be?
My favorites? Well, here you go…
The view of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, from Glacier Point.
Yosemite holds such a spell on me, it’s difficult to describe. (If you’re interested in learning more about it though, join me on May 26, 2011 for a clinic on the park at our Kirkwood location.) Yosemite Valley may be overrun with tourists, but I still love it. And I love getting out of the valley and exploring miles of trails that are virtually deserted. Pure paradise.
The Castor River Shut-Ins near Fredericktown, Mo.
Most people don’t know about the Castor River shut-ins at Amidon Conservation Area near Fredericktown, Mo. In all honesty, I’m not sure I want more people to know about it. I was married about 100 feet to the left of the spot where this photo was taken. My wife and I love it. Our kids love it. It’s just a magical, beautiful place. Go during the late spring when floods have scoured the pink granite walls clean but the mud has had a chance to dry!
Bloody Bay in Negril, Jamaica.
In honor of my wife who taught me to relax on a beach and just enjoy the waves rather than immediately get into a kayak and go paddle away into them, I have to put Negril, Jamaica on my list of favorite spots on this earth.
Let’s get this out right from the start: we’re an outdoor recreation company. We love to be outside. Nothing is more relaxing, more exhilarating or more life-affirming for us than to take part in the activities that the great outdoors make possible. So, yeah, we have something at stake when it comes to the state of our planet.
Today, April 22nd, 2010, we recognize Earth Day and we will participate in a number of events this weekend to show our support. We’ll be at the Farmer’s Market in Kirkwood, on Saturday, April 24 and we’ll be in Forest Park on Sunday, April 25 for St. Louis’s city-wide celebration. If you’re out and about, we hope you’ll join us.
Loving political landmines like we do, let me just put it this way – No matter what you’ve heard about our environment today, research your own facts. Find out whether or not the “truths” you believe in are really the facts. This goes for global warming, water quality, air quality, and much more. So much of the vitriol that is thrown from both sides over the internet is simply half truths at best. We all have our beliefs – and our reasons for them. There’s nothing wrong with that. So maybe, if we can all understand why each side believes what they do, then, maybe we can all sit down rationally and find a way to move forward.
And no matter which side of the argument you land on, hopefully we can all agree that this is the only planet we’ve got.
Hopefully, we can agree to make this the best place for our kids, and our kids’ kids, and so on, and so on, to grow.
Hopefully, we can agree to make sure we all appreciate what we’ve got.
And hopefully, we can agree – for one day – to celebrate this magnificent place we call home.
But a lot of showy ones are starting to fade. There were a lot of great ones the week-end before last such as Bellworts, Virginia Bluebells, and Dutchman’s breeches, but now we are moving into some of my other favorite such as Jack-in-the-pulpits, and Columbines (which I haven’t seen any of yet).
Due to our huge swap event this past week-end, I didn’t get to get beyond the confines of my backyard, but luckily I have a pretty cool backyard!
The Courtois Gap in the wonderfully scenic Ozark Trail is now history thanks to the hard work of over 200 volunteers who devoted their time and energy in this great cause! The weather was beautiful as were the campsites at Bass River Resort and it was a great opportunity to see spring budding out all over this part of the Ozarks.
Here are some scenes from the event week-end.
Thanks again to everyone who came and helped!
from Rich Orr, Angie Bono, Justin Scott, and the rest of the Alpine Shop staff and friends.
Late afternoon (April 10th) and evening pictures of the Current River and it’s valley near Cedargrove, MO. The river was running full; about 1-2 feet above normal stage, the redbud was in full bloom; dogwood coming out, temperature 75F, clear skies, light wind. The next 7 days looks to have a nice forecast and the water is perfect. Go take advantage for at least one day !! Stop by Alpine Shop for gear and updates on floats. Love to see you.
Wood warblers begin to arrive in Missouri for courtship and nesting, and some may be just passing through Missouri to the northern states and Canada for nesting. A few older birds begin their trek from South America, the Caribbean, and Central America in early March. The courtship and nesting begins in early April in Missouri and continues through June.
Warblers are small birds usually colored grey, black, bluish, yellow or orange. They spend much time in the top of trees and along creeks and rivers. Vireos are much the same but often have a buff or greenish tint.
Their songs are buzzy, of low volume, and pretty; so they are not as prominent as the larger ground and bush dwelling bird common here year round.
To view warblers in Missouri, wear rain gear, a good pair of hiking boots, carry a wood warblers guide and a pair of binoculars in a fanny pack. It your plan to photograph them, it take patience and a very good lens of at leans 300mm due to their small size, and high activity. Find a trail along a creek or river; such as Castlewood State Park or the Rockwoods Conservation Area.
I have included a few pictures of some warbler photographed by me in March; a Yellow Warbler, Yellow Throated Warbler, a Common Yellowthroat (raccoon like face) a Northern Water Thrush (warbler), and a White eyed Vireo.
Follow this link to a check-list of Missouri’s 428 species of birds from the Audubon Society:
