All articles tagged with #yosemite national park
A dead bat found near Yosemite’s Curry Village in May tested positive for rabies, but the National Park Service did not alert the public until September. Officials cite routine surveillance protocols, but critics argue the delay risks public safety, as rabies is fatal if untreated. No human contact has been reported, but visitors are urged to seek medical advice if exposed.
Yosemite officials waited three months to publicly disclose that a bat found dead in May tested positive for rabies, prompting visitor anger over the delayed warning. No human contact is confirmed, but authorities urge anyone with exposure to seek immediate medical advice.
Yosemite National Park confirmed that a big brown bat found dead in May tested positive for rabies. No human contact is known, but officials urge anyone exposed to seek medical care immediately.
A Las Vegas developer is seeking a land swap with the federal government to build a road through less than two acres of Yosemite National Park. While the Interior Department denies any final decision or political pressure, critics warn the move sets a dangerous precedent for privatizing public lands.
The Trump administration is considering a land exchange that would allow a private developer to build a road into Yosemite National Park. While supporters argue the shortcut reduces emissions and traffic, 61 California lawmakers and conservation groups are urging the Interior Department to reject the deal, warning it sets a dangerous precedent for privatizing public lands.
A cement truck crash on Highway 140 sparked the Colorado Fire, which grew to 250 acres in Mariposa County. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Briceburg and Rancheria Creek Road, while crews achieved 10% containment by Wednesday afternoon.
The Trump administration is considering a land exchange that would transfer a small parcel of Yosemite National Park to a private developer, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, to facilitate a new access road. While the Interior Department states no final decision has been made and that the process will follow federal laws, the proposal has triggered intense backlash from conservationists, Democratic lawmakers, and park employees who view it as a violation of public trust. Critics argue the move sets a dangerous precedent for privatizing protected lands, while the developer claims the shorter route would reduce vehicle emissions. The controversy highlights broader tensions over the administration's approach to federal land management and environmental protections.
The Trump administration is considering a land exchange that would transfer a small parcel of Yosemite National Park to a private developer in exchange for equivalent property elsewhere in California. The deal aims to create a new access road for Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a Nevada-based firm, but has sparked fierce opposition from conservationists and California lawmakers who view it as an unlawful sell-off of public land. While the Interior Department insists no final decision has been made and that environmental reviews will occur, critics argue the move violates the spirit of national park preservation and could set a dangerous precedent for other protected areas.
The Trump administration is weighing a land exchange that would cede a small portion of Yosemite National Park to a private Nevada developer seeking to build a road into the park, with the National Park Service reviewing the plan and park advocates raising concerns.
Notus reports the National Park Service is weighing a plan to transfer a quarter-mile parcel inside Yosemite to Kingsbarn Realty Capital via a land exchange with equal-value California land; no final decision has been made and any move would undergo environmental review and public notification. The Interior Department’s top political leaders are said to back the idea, prompting outrage from conservation groups and California lawmakers who warn against privatizing public lands, while officials emphasize there is no predetermined outcome.
Speed climber Jacob Whisenant, 30, died in a climbing-related incident in California's Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness on August 2. After a two-day search, rangers recovered his body, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office lists the death as an accident. Whisenant was known for record-fast ascents on El Capitan in Yosemite (Lurking Fear) and The Prow on Washington Column, often with Brant Hysell; his family has started a GoFundMe.
Jake Whisenant, a 30-year-old climber known for speed records in Yosemite, died in a climbing accident in Tulare County, California; details of the fall are under investigation.
Yosemite's first summer without a timed reservation brought long entry lines, scarce parking, and crowded shuttles as visitor numbers jumped, prompting ongoing traffic-management efforts and ongoing debate among environmentalists about crowd limits; visitors are advised to arrive early, visit on weekdays, or use bus transportation to avoid the worst of the jams.
A Yosemite National Park employee was fired after participating in a demonstration to display a trans-pride flag over El Capitan, sparking controversy and accusations of silencing LGBTQ+ voices. The incident involved the group climbing El Capitan to raise the flag, which was later removed, but the employee's termination has raised concerns about free speech and park regulations. Activists are calling for reinstatement and an investigation, framing the event as a broader issue of civil rights and expression.
Professional rock climber Charles Barrett was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting a woman during a 2016 weekend trip to Yosemite National Park. Barrett, who was convicted on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact, used his status to assault women in the rock-climbing community. Three other women also testified against him, though their cases were not federally charged. Barrett's lawyers plan to appeal the life sentence.