National Parks

PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
I've seen people saying national Parks may be closed for the summer, I hope not.

What's the over/under for them being open for the travel season?
 
Monello

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
100% open.

It's not going to be like when obama put up steel barriers around outdoor monuments so folks couldn't just walk up to them.
 
Sneakers

Sneakers

Just sneakin' around....
PeoplesElbow said:
I wonder if the parks can be self supporting or how close they are to being self supporting.
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I wanted to say they have been operating in the red for years, but a quick search says they brought over $55 billion into the economy in 2023. What it costs to run the parks might offset that.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
PeoplesElbow said:
They said they are worried there won't be enough park rangers.
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Since what's being cut is waste, fraud, and abuse, I'm guessing there will be enough park rangers. Now, DOGE might go through the park finances and find waste or malfeasance, which would then be cut or modified, but legit necessary park rangers shouldn't be affected.

This is the problem with the whiny hate-Trump media - they make up stupid sht and peddle it to hysterics and fear-porners who don't consume any other news. DOGE found waste and abuse in SS, so immediately the Demtards start screaming that ELON MUSK IS STOPPING ALL SOCIAL SECURITY!!! :jameo:

I'd be shocked if Trump okayed gutting our national parks, considering he's a huge fan of them. But some Redditard the other day insisted Trump was going to clear the NPs and build luxury hotels and casinos, so who knows.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
vraiblonde said:
Since what's being cut is waste, fraud, and abuse, I'm guessing there will be enough park rangers. Now, DOGE might go through the park finances and find waste or malfeasance, which would then be cut or modified, but legit necessary park rangers shouldn't be affected.

This is the problem with the whiny hate-Trump media - they make up stupid sht and peddle it to hysterics and fear-porners who don't consume any other news. DOGE found waste and abuse in SS, so immediately the Demtards start screaming that ELON MUSK IS STOPPING ALL SOCIAL SECURITY!!! :jameo:

I'd be shocked if Trump okayed gutting our national parks, considering he's a huge fan of them. But some Redditard the other day insisted Trump was going to clear the NPs and build luxury hotels and casinos, so who knows.
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I'm thinking stuff like staff to run the lodges etc.

This summer is close enough that things may not be evened out enough to be able to figure out what/how many are actually necessary. I'm sure over time there will be enough staffing, it just might not be in time for this season.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
vraiblonde said:
Those are all run by private corporations. If, say, you work at Yellowstone in concessions or lodging or whatever, you work for Xanterra, not the USGov.
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I'll assume that most of the probationary NPS employees were rangers? Not really sure what all a ranger does, but I assume so many, within reason, are needed to keep a park open.

Maybe there are a lot of management/clerical type workers in those where the parks can be run without them, I hope so.

The constitution does not mention anything about the NPS, but that is one thing I don't mind my tax dollars going for, imagine most people would feel the same way.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
PeoplesElbow said:
I'll assume that most of the probationary NPS employees were rangers?
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I want to say private companies run the rangers as well but I'd have to look. It seems to me when I was scrolling about to work at a national park, rangers were one of the job offerings. Electricians I know are contractors because I looked for a friend.

And now that I think about it, I'm not sure why - in the event of a government shutdown - they'd close national parks considering none or at least very few of the people who run them are government. They all work for Delaware North or Xanterra or one of the other contractors.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

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vraiblonde said:
But I swear I saw Ranger on the Xanterra list....now I'll have to look that up too.
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Nope, Rangers appear to be Interior.

But now I'm sucked in! There are so many cool jobs in so many cool places I don't know why anyone would stick with something they hate. I want ALL those jobs!!
 
SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
vraiblonde said:
Nope, Rangers appear to be Interior.

But now I'm sucked in! There are so many cool jobs in so many cool places I don't know why anyone would stick with something they hate. I want ALL those jobs!!
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Got me curious - what did you see that you liked? And what did it pay?
 
Monello

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
PeoplesElbow said:
Man those jobs in Death Valley don't pay much, not enough to get me to work there. Great place to visit in the winter though.
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I worked in YNP last decade. I worked for a concessionaire. The older employees were either retired or school teachers. The youngsters were college students or recent college grads doing something different before entering their career fields. Foreign J1 visa holders rounded out the rest of the work crew. It was such a rewarding experience dealing with J1 workers from Europe & Asian. Hard workers, willing to please and hardly ever complained.

The pay isn't great. The concessionaires promote the park experience not the individual jobs. All employees get room & board at YNP. Nobody is commuting there on a daily basis. I spent 3 months living in the park. I fished when I could. You see so much wildlife living there, that after a while it doesn't faze you a bit.

Xanterra at that time hired 3,300 seasonal employees for the park. They are spread out over 8 different areas in the park. They have some very unique jobs like horse wrangler & fishing guide. Most jobs are retail, hotel and restaurant related.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Monello said:
I worked in YNP last decade. I worked for a concessionaire. The older employees were either retired or school teachers. The youngsters were college students or recent college grads doing something different before entering their career fields. Foreign J1 visa holders rounded out the rest of the work crew. It was such a rewarding experience dealing with J1 workers from Europe & Asian. Hard workers, willing to please and hardly ever complained.

The pay isn't great. The concessionaires promote the park experience not the individual jobs. All employees get room & board at YNP. Nobody is commuting there on a daily basis. I spent 3 months living in the park. I fished when I could. You see so much wildlife living there, that after a while it doesn't faze you a bit.

Xanterra at that time hired 3,300 seasonal employees for the park. They are spread out over 8 different areas in the park. They have some very unique jobs like horse wrangler & fishing guide. Most jobs are retail, hotel and restaurant related.
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That actually sounds awesome. Is the room and board like a dorm/enlisted quarters?
 
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