Why should we just sit and accept anything the park service
hands us? We are after all also providing a service to the
park at no cost. I guess some of you will shrug and accept
anything. That is not my nature. The park service is there to
serve the public. They are paid by the public. We are not just
"the public" we also are a feature at the park. I wonder how many
people in the FPOA have ever talked anyone above Mary Pass.
I have.
Rich
>On Thu, 13 Jan 1999 RichardN22@No-Spam wrote:
>
>> We're not talking about a forested area here, and they are placed in an
>> incredibly bad spot.
>
>That's correct. There was a time when the area behind the ranger's house
>was *the* place to set up. Best horizons combined and surroundings, hands
>down. Coulter has significant problems, with vehicular traffic and
>campers, the SW lot has a lousy southern sky and the trees ain't getting
>any shorter to the north and east there (not to mention the huge light
>dome from Salinas), and only a few people can set up by the observatory.
>The area behind the ranger's house was certainly a favorite, and it was
>promised "to stay the same" by the prior supervising ranger (and yes, we
>know people change jobs, etc., etc., etc...).
>
>So, after getting over the sentimental attachment to Fremont Peak, I have
>found the Ranger Bowers and Supervising Ranger Pass did me a favor, and
>motivated me to look elsewhere with the idea of making my primary
>observing site elsewhere. I've done that and found better sites both near
>to and far from the Peak. I understand others will still go to the Peak,
>but when viewed in relation to what *had* been (for decades), use of the
>Peak for amateur astronomy has been diminsihed (to the point of making the
>Peak a lesser choice among observing sites).
>
>I would also not be surprised to find that as the reduced access at the
>Peak becomes better known during the upcoming observing season, some of
>the long time (lifetime FPOA) members will look elsewhere too. I know a
>few who just don't like the other areas (SW lot or Coulter) for observing,
>period.
>
>Mark Wagner
>mgw@No-Spam-intl.com
>
>