High Sierra Topix

The drafts with the preferred alternatives were finally released yesterday for the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers Comprehensive Management Plans. Since the final decision will be felt for many years and (obviously) most of us here care a great deal about how this will eventually go down, I thought I'd post the links for any and all of us to comment. My point of view is that the more comments received the better, especially from individuals who know and love these places and are not parroting a company or organization's point of view.

Merced River:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cf ... ntID=50778" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tuolumne River:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome ... ctId=14043" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the LA Times yesterday -
A National Park Service plan intended to ease congestion in Yosemite Valley proposes numerous cutbacks to reduce tourist activities but stops short of placing a limit on the number of daily visitors.
The proposal is the agency's third attempt to produce a legally acceptable management plan for the Merced River and the ever-popular valley that it flows through. Environmental groups have twice sued the agency, winning court orders that compelled the park service to draw up new blueprints.
The latest effort, a lengthy draft document released Tuesday, navigates a middle course. The agency's preferred alternative would restore 203 acres along the river, change traffic circulation and parking, and eliminate an ice skating rink, commercial horseback riding, hotel swimming pools and raft and bicycle rentals.
But the plan steers clear of the politically sensitive issue of reducing the number of visitors to the valley, which on a busy summer day can be packed with nearly 20,000 people.
Kathleen Morse, chief of planning for Yosemite National Park, said the proposal tries to give the public what it wants. "The feedback they gave us was consistent with what we ended up with in the preferred alternative: We want to be able to come to Yosemite. We want to have our cars. We hate the traffic. We would like you to do something about congestion and we want more camping."
Park planners tried to figure out how best to use the limited land base of the valley, which is 1 mile wide and 7 miles long. They decided some commercial activities could go, including the pools, skating rink and other activities.
The draft will be open to 90 days of public comment, after which the park service will issue a final decision.

Markskor wrote:
A National Park Service plan intended to ease congestion in Yosemite Valley
proposes numerous cutbacks to reduce tourist activities but stops short of
placing a limit on the number of daily visitor

I heard on KGO yesterday that they were going to limit the number to
19,000 per day. This would make things interesting for backpackers who
would like to start their trips around the holidays like 4th of July, and
Memorial day when the park is over run.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/08/510059 ... itors.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LMBSGV wrote: Tuolumne River:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome ... ctId=14043" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Corrected link to Tuolumne River:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cf ... ntID=49369" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;