NORTH RIM development.

While access to the North Rim from Utah points is being constantly improved and it is likely that a chain of hotels, camps, and lodges with adequate transportation facilities will soon be built and while there are magnificent canyon, forest, and wild life scenes to be observed from the North Rim, for many years the South Rim, open all year with a railroad into the park itself, with long established accommodations for tourists and with other natural advantages, will deserve and receive the larger share of Federal appropriations for the park.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS SOLVED.

In assuming control of the Grand Canyon Park there was insufficient realization on our part of the inadequacy of accommodations for a park force, nor was provision made in appropriations for reasonable care of our own employees. This resulted in dissatisfaction and inefficiency, and it was with difficulty that necessary permanent employees were kept in the park. Šupt. D. L. Reaburn resigned in December, 1921, and Col. W. W. Crosby was appointed to succeed him in February of this year; Col. John R. White, superintendent of Sequoia Park, and formerly chief ranger of the Grand Canyon, taking charge of the park in the meantime. Under Colonel Crosby housing of the park employees has been given needed attention. New equipment has been secured; the telephone lines have been rebuilt; new paths along the rim have been constructed; existing improvements have been well maintained; property has all been inventoried and stored in sheds and warehouses; and in other directions, while efficiently maintaining and protecting the park, preparations have been made and an organization developed to accomplish big results when more funds are available. In other words the park is ready to do business in a really broad-gauge way. Furthermore, Superintendent Crosby has taken an interest in the gateway cities and has increased the prestige of the park in these communities.

The Grand Canyon National Park is at last coming into its own, but its needs are many and varied and it should be realized by Congress as well as by ourselves that the Grand Canyon is surpassed by no other park in scenic splendors or in importance from the standpoint of prestige of the service, the department, and the Federal Government in general, because it is visited every month in the year by people from all over the world.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, COLO.

The Rocky Mountain National Park continues to lead all other parks in the number of visitors recorded despite the fact that this year there was a falling off from the high record of last year. This was due in large part to the long-continued railroad and coal strikes, there being comparatively little travel from distant points after September 1, September having usually a heavy travel.

The class of accommodations demanded by the traveling public has also changed considerably during the past few years. Two years ago hotel accommodations and the more expensive class of cottages were in great demand; this year the great demand has been

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for camp grounds and inexpensive cottages. However, the 14 hotels within the park limits, 5 operated under Government supervision, have enjoyed a gratifying patronage. The transportation company, operating under Government franchise, enjoyed a prosperous season, handling a large number of special railroad tour parties in addition to regular traffic. The circle trip from Denver to Denver by way of Fall River Pass and Grand Lake was especially popular.

ADDITIONAL CAMP GROUNDS NEEDED.

The demand for camp grounds created a difficult problem. At present the only camp ground in the park is in Glacier Basin, and its capacity was overtaxed during most of the season. Because of crowded conditions Glacier Creek, the source of water supply, became subject to contamination and effort is being made to develop spring water at this point. There is no other suitable place for campers on the eastern side without encroaching on private property. There are a number of private camp grounds located along the roads, radiating from Estes Park village, most of which make a charge of 50 cents per night per car. Above the private camp grounds visitors have camped on private property, especially along the Fall River Road, but the city of Loveland complained that its water supply was being contaminated and owners of this private land, finding that the campers were careless and damaging the places where they camped, have fenced off their property, with the result that campers are having increased difficulty in finding a space for overnight camping. The only apparent solution of this problem will be for the town of Estes Park or for the Government to purchase suitable grounds near the village for camp ground purposes.

ROADS AND TRAILS.

The general condition of roads has been better than during any previous season in the history of the park, this being due in large part to the dry season. The Fall River Road was opened to travel on June 15 after the removal of snow near the summit of Fall River Pass, about two tons of T. N. T. being used in this snow removal work. The work of widening the second, tenth, and eleventh switchback curves of the Fall River Road was completed and these curves are now wide enough to permit the passage of long wheelbased cars without backing. The Colorado State Highway Department also employed a force of men and teams for other work on the Fall River Road and did effective work in widening and reducing heavy grades. While no funds were appropriated for the construction of new trails and only $2,000 for the maintenance of old ones, a large amount of trail maintenance was accomplished. The trail to the summit of Longs Peak was marked by painted symbols, which greatly lessened the danger of people losing the trail and getting into dangerous places. Over 1,000 people made the climb to the summit of Longs Peak, altitude 14,255 feet, during the season, half to two-thirds of these making the ascent without licensed guides.

NEW BUILDINGS.

An attractive three-room log ranger station was constructed at Horseshoe Park and occupied as a permanent station during the summer. A stone shelter cabin was erected at the summit of Fall

River Pass and forms a pleasing and permanent structure, which will withstand the severest winter storms. It is used daily by many visitors and is most useful during storms, which are frequently severe at this location, even in summer.

TELEPHONe line comPLETED.

The Fall River telephone line, which was partially constructed last season, was completed this year, a distance of approximately 16 miles being built. Emergency telephones were installed along the line at intervals of approximately 5 miles, and motorists who are stalled on the mountain for any reason may call for assistance without walking over 2 miles.

FISH PLANTING.

Fish from the Estes Park State fish hatchery were planted in park waters, including 370,000 eastern brook trout and 25,000 native trout. In addition 330,000 native park trout were planted in waters adjacent to the park.

WINTER SPORTS.

Winter sports in Rocky Mountain National Park are rapidly being developed and the park's opportunities for these sports are becoming more extensively known. The ski and toboggan courses at Fern Lake were in better shape than ever before, as a result of work done by the park rangers.

LAWSUIT TO DETERMINE JURISDICTION.

On July 27 Lee and Shaw, attorneys, of Fort Collins, Colo., obtained permission from Governor Shoup to bring a suit, in the name of the State of Colorado, against the superintendent of the park to determine whether or not the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior have jurisdiction over the roads in the park. The suit was filed on August 5 in the Federal district court, and on September 7 United States district attorney filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which motion has not yet been heard.

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK, OREG.

This year marks the beginning of a new era for Crater Lake National Park. It has taken its place with the other big parks of the West, having developments in progress that insure adequate facilities for the accommodation of visitors not only now but for those of the future.

PUBLIC UTILITY CHANGES HANDS.

Last year we recorded the hopeful outlook for a permanent change in conditions which was made possible by the leasing of the Crater Lake Co.'s property by a new corporation, the stockholders of which were business men and public-spirited citizens of Oregon, who recognized that in Crater Lake Park was Oregon's greatest scenic asset and natural tourist attraction. In May, 1922, this group of men, headed by Mr. Eric V. Hauser and Mr. R. W. Price, of Portland, acquired the property leased by them last year, purchasing it from the Parkhurst interests who had pioneered in hotel and transportation service in the park, but who, in recent years, found the financial

burden of keeping up with the demand for more and better accommodations too heavy to carry. Immediately upon acquiring the property the new owners developed an organization for caring for the season's travel, and also began planning for future improvements. The Crater Lake Lodge was further improved for the entertainment of guests this year, and plans were drawn for the erection of an 80-room addition. At the present time the stonework is practically finished, and the structure will be entirely completed and furnished by the opening of the 1924 season. The architecture of the new wing follows the design of the old lodge, stone being used for foundations and for the walls up to the second floor.

IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

Hardly less important than the new hotel wing is the improvement in transportation facilities made this year, a fleet of powerful new seven-passenger touring cars being established between the park and its gateway cities, Medford and Klamath Falls. Service in all lines of activity engaged in by the public utility under its new management was high class in every respect, and was the subject of numerous compliments, while practically no adverse criticism or complaint was heard by Park Service officials.

NEW FRANCHISE ISSUED.

In order to protect the investment of the new owners of the Crater Lake utility and to encourage them in the development of their plans for further comprehensive improvements and extensions in accommodations for park visitors, a new franchise was granted the Crater Lake National Park Co., the corporate name under which the purchasers of the enterprise transact their business. The term of the new franchise is 20 years, and while it offers inducements for progressive development of the Crater Lake properties, it also carries reciprocal obligations on the part of the owner to keep abreast of the demand for increased facilities, in so far as this can be done with due regard to the short season, reasonable return on the investment. and similar considerations.

Great credit for the successful consummation of the transactions involving the purchase of the park utility is due the superintendent of the park, who was able to adjust differences of opinion as to the value of the property, largely because of the great confidence in his judgment that all parties to the transactions had, and because of the personal esteem in which he was held by them.

APPROACH ROAD IMPROVEMENT RAPID.

Another encouraging result of the year to be noted here is the steady improvement of the main approach roads to the park. Almost every mile of the roads between the gateway cities is ready for macadam or gravel surfacing or is actually being surfaced, the grading work and drainage being practically completed. Good progress is being made on the approach road from Bend, and the Forest Service has built a new road to the north park line from the Diamond Lake region which it is hoped will soon be added to the park. A few years ago the park roads were the best in the southern part of the State of Oregon, but within a year it appears that progress all around the

park, while we have been at a standstill in the park, will leave us with the worst roads in that section.

The time is at hand when permanent improvement of the park roads by surfacing must be made. Provision for this work is contained in the general road budget, and much can be accomplished in three years to put the park roads on a par with the State roads if the appropriations requested are granted.

GENERAL CONDITIONS IN THE PARK GOOD.

Aside from the surface of the roads park facilities are in excellent condition. Much progress was made during the season just closed in repairing buildings, cleaning grounds, rebuilding telephone lines, etc. New tanks and tankhouses were erected at various points on the rim road, which encircles the crater in order that park road crews and motorists might be able to get water with more facility; much attention was given to betterment of sanitary conditions; and the camp grounds, which were used more than ever before by motorists, were splendidly maintained all season. Travel increased more than 10 per cent over last year's total number of

visitors.

FISH AND Game HAVE BETTER SEASON THAN USUAL.

Deer and bear have been seen in the park this year in greater numbers than ever before and there have been more birds in evidence than usual. A heavy planting of rainbow fingerlings was made in Crater Lake in August, but all summer fishing was unusually good. There was an extraordinary interest taken in the flowers of the park by this year's visitors and there was an insistent demand for a publication telling about the flora of the park region. This we hope can soon be supplied.

DIAMOND LAKE PROJECT STILL PENDING.

We are sorry to report again this year that the Diamond Lake region has not yet been added to the park. No action was taken on the pending extension bill during the past year. Sentiment in Oregon is now generally favorable to the project, practically all of the organizations that have heretofore opposed the measure now being in favor of the plan to add Diamond Lake and its adjacent mountain region to the park. We have conclusively proved that the territory proposed for park enlargement is of no commercial value even for pasturage of live stock, and there seems to be no reason why the extension of the park can not now be made. In the meantime the usefulness of the region for park purposes is being impaired by the granting of summer home sites to individuals and the leasing of other sites for small business enterprises. It is hoped that early action on the pending bill may be taken by Congress.

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WASH.

Mount Rainier National Park is particularly fortunate in having as her best friends two great cities, Tacoma and Seattle, that have ever been interested in her welfare and ready to help her. Recognizing that the time had come when the Federal Government should begin road improvement and construction in the park, on a scale reasonably