Cellular towers in National Parks?

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adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 22, 2013 - 08:14pm PT
http://news.yahoo.com/americas-national-parks-weigh-solitude-against-cellular-access-180108301.html

....I thought people went to National Parks to experience nature and to excape, briefly, the trappings of the cities and the constant intrusions of electronic urban life? The thought of trying to experience a hike in nature as throngs of people are conducting their business/social media, via cell, along the trail sorta defeats the purpose imo. To bad that $$$ will probalby win out unless those that care speak out......Maybe skip a few moments of ST surfing to let those in charge of your favorite National Park know how you feel about this.
this just in

climber
north fork
Jan 22, 2013 - 08:18pm PT
There's far too many people in the national parks to be a nature experience. Surely this isn't the case for all parks, but all the ones I've been too.
WBraun

climber
Jan 22, 2013 - 08:19pm PT
Another clueless self righteous utopian fool who thinks a park is an independent island for him only .......
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2013 - 08:56pm PT
^^^ Must be Werner sarcasim. It would be nice to still have a place in this country to take my teenage kids on vacation where I could get them to stop looking at their phones for more than 5 minutes on a hike and enjoy nature. Never have a problem with having others around, but no sense tempting people to be inconsiderate. Don't have to take that business call in the Hetch Hetchy backcountry if there is no cell reception....ahh...........

And, I was thinking more for the benifit of those trying to escape the cities for a bit of peace and quite. I've had plenty of places to do that as I've spent my life living in the mountains and exploring nature. Just hoping that we leave some of that for our future generations. For myself, going to the city is my vacation/escape from the peace and quite of the mountains.....
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Jan 22, 2013 - 08:58pm PT
Hike a quarter mile past the trailhead and you'll lose a quarter of the people, hike another quarter mile and you'll lose another quarter, and on and on and on. Eventually you will be out in the real wilderness and won't have to worry about it.
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2013 - 09:12pm PT
^^^^Unless you are hiking with your teenage kids who never set their phone down as long as they have a signal, lol
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:14pm PT
NO!!!
Jan

Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:22pm PT
How about having them only around the visitor center and commercial areas of the park with very limited range so that people who wanted to use them could, but only in the congested areas? That would free up a lot of trails for the rest of us.
bit'er ol' guy

climber
the past
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:24pm PT
You can't publish a guide book

and

complain about crowds in the mountains.
John M

climber
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:28pm PT
I live in Yosemite. Once you hike more then half a mile, then cell phones become a non issue. Its e easy to get away from them, though the campgrounds can be a different issue. Then you can have generators, tvs, radios, heaters, air conditioners... Cell phones fall pretty far down as an issue.
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:31pm PT
Just take away your kids phones when you want them offline regardless of where service extends. You payed for those phones, fed those kids all their lives and sprung them from your loins. You own them.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jan 22, 2013 - 09:58pm PT
Really don't understand why this would bother anyone. Don't want to use a cellphone... don't.

You are not seriously trying to make the argument that other folks cell phones bother you are you?

If so you making the much more serious mistake of not getting away from people.

Which is easy.

I see no point in not having choices.

Plus folks like Werner and others actually live in the parks or work there.

WBraun

climber
Jan 22, 2013 - 10:13pm PT
Take their phones away if you don't want your teenage kids looking at them in the park.

What kind of dad are you anyways?

Cripes!!! people these days.

Are so ...... you fill in the blanks
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jan 22, 2013 - 10:15pm PT
^ +1

Perhaps he wants the federal government to do his parenting.
The Larry

climber
Moab, UT
Jan 22, 2013 - 10:25pm PT
Is it illegal to haul a generator up El Cap? My IPhone can't keep a charge.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jan 22, 2013 - 10:27pm PT
It's fine if it's pedal operated. Just no motors k
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Jan 22, 2013 - 11:59pm PT
Werner gets an amen even though I said the same thing up thread? What is he like a famous dude or something?
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Jan 23, 2013 - 08:17pm PT
Are there laws against texting and belaying?

A huge tower on top of the tower(Devils) seems about right.

Maybe we should be able to vote for one in every park or every peak in every park. I can see the headlines Lincoln's home crushed by masive weight of cell phone tower.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Jan 23, 2013 - 08:54pm PT
"People brake in the middle of the road to watch animals. The added distraction of a wireless signal - allowing a driver to text Aunt Madge to say how great the trip is - could have disastrous consequences," he said.
kev

climber
A pile of dirt.
Jan 23, 2013 - 09:14pm PT
Although I suspect it's illegal to transmit over the required frequency range, making a small close range cell jammer wouldn't be hard.
Trevbo

Trad climber
Jan 23, 2013 - 10:23pm PT
http://twistedsifter.com/2012/08/examples-of-cell-phone-tower-disguises/

Although this is probably not the usual or cheapest way to go, wireless companies can actually do a decent job in hiding cellular towers by getting them to match the natural settings (ie disguising them as trees). I noticed that there is always some above ground instrumentation in a small shed or small gated compound. If they (the wireless companies) can go one step further and house that instrumentation in a buried vault, then I wouldn't have a big problem with it... (if you don't know it's there, how could you object)? Might piss off a few woodpeckers though!
WBraun

climber
Jan 23, 2013 - 10:28pm PT
Why even need to hide the tower?

You don't here in Yosemite.

People come here all the time and can't for the life of them even recognize the cell tower staring them in the face.

I point it out them and they still have a hard time understanding what their looking at.

The bottom line is this thread stupid .....
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2013 - 11:02pm PT
Was trying to do a community service by linking this article. Just seems like a no brainer that limiting infrastructure and technology in the few places that we have set aside for nature and wilderness is a good thing. Not trying to start a debate about cell phone usage. I am as addicted to my I-phone as anybody. Btw, I just drove the RV 15 miles from where I am camped/climbing to get a cell signal, lol. And for the record, I have never told my kids when/ if they can use their phones. They are old enoug to make those choices for themselves. IMO it detracts from the ambiance of the natural setting to be forced to listen to someone conducting their business for hours in a loud voice, including screaming at their employees, at the base of a crag while everyone else is just trying to enjoy a peaceful day connecting with the outdoors.

If you're deaf like Werner I guess it wouldn't matter. I probably wouldn't care about graffitti if I were blind either. ;)

I am thinking more of the wilderness and hiking/crags not visitors centers, campgrounds and congested areas. Certainly didn't mean to whine or start a controversial thread. Just trying to get people to consider what makes going to National Parks and especially wilderness/semi wilderness areas so special and different from their everyday world.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
bouldering
Jan 24, 2013 - 12:40am PT
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jan 24, 2013 - 12:59am PT
Adventurous One, I think we all agree that John Muir is rolling over in his grave.
murcy

Gym climber
sanfrancisco
Jan 24, 2013 - 01:04am PT
You do know there are roads there, which people drive cars and trucks on, and buildings and businesses right? You're worried about radios?
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 01:38am PT
^^ I would be concerned if they wanted to expand those roads and buildings into the back country. The article says all that probably needs to be said for both viewpoints. For those that are commenting without having bothered to read the article it says that there is limited cell service in Parks like Yellowstone in developed areas but that they are considering expanding service into the backcountry from how I read it. Read the article, from todays Yahoo home page, which is the op link, and posted comments there and decide which viewpoint you agree with after considering the trade offs. And of course there are much bigger things to worry about, but encroachment on our preserved areas in increments can eventually add up even if it is only an un needed cell tower here and there. Not much to add really.

Back to the quite campsite with no cell service for another day. :)
j-tree

Big Wall climber
Classroom to crag to summer camp
Oct 18, 2013 - 11:26pm PT
^ Just federal law.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Oct 18, 2013 - 11:29pm PT
my foot
Andy1

Social climber
Houston, Texas
Sep 9, 2015 - 12:44pm PT
The most unique Signal Booster: weBoost Drive 3G Flex MULTI-USER Vehicle indoor Signal Booster. This is get you the cell signal at most remote areas. However - This will not boost 4g signal
Messages 1 - 30 of total 30 in this topic
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