02/18/2025
My hearts been heavy with soooo many friends loosing their jobs
Erik said it so eloquently ❤️
In the last few days, we've seen Rocky Mountain National Park take a major hit. For the past several years, Rocky has struggled with being significantly understaffed, making it difficult to operate a park that sees over 4 million visitors annually. From 2012 to 2019, Rocky experienced a 58% increase in visitation and a 16% decrease in staffing. Since then, staffing issues have remained tenuous. The cost of living has skyrocketed, especially in Estes Park, but park staffing budgets have not kept up. Many people assume that entrance fees should generate enough income to cover staffing costs, but entrance fees cannot be used for permanent park staffing. Additionally, a significant portion of those funds is distributed to other national parks. Because of this and other factors, staffing at Rocky has been a growing problem for many years now.
On Valentine’s Day, just a couple of days ago, a significant number of Rocky Mountain National Park employees were fired—employees essential to the park's operations. I just spoke with one of them, who lost their job and may now lose their home as well. This individual worked in search and rescue, as a paramedic in the park, and at the park entrance station. It would be difficult to classify them as non-essential.
Getting a job at a national park like Rocky is not easy. It typically requires a degree in the natural sciences, years of unpaid volunteer work, and eventually securing a paid position—one that does not offer high wages. Those who pursue this path do so out of passion, a passion for our natural world. These are truly special people.
The impact of these staffing cuts on the park remains uncertain. I have been unable to obtain any information directly from the national park staff, as they are not permitted to discuss the situation or its effects. They can only direct inquiries to a contact in Washington, D.C. As a result, we are facing an information blackout, leaving us uncertain about how severe the consequences will be this summer.
Our national parks generated over $55.6 billion in economic output to our country in 2023, primarily through gateway communities like Estes Park and Grand Lake. This figure represents a $5 billion increase from the previous year. This income provides over 400,000 jobs in rural areas of this country. Yet, in an effort to “cut government corruption”, decision-makers may be creating a situation where the economic damage far outweighs any savings. Firing staff who weren't that well paid and who are absolutely essential is insane.
This year, it is highly likely that Rocky Mountain National Park will experience long entrance lines, overflowing trash cans and restrooms, fewer rangers available to assist and educate visitors, and an increased risk of fatalities due to inadequate search and rescue staffing. Would you want to visit a park under these conditions? Probably not—meaning these staffing cuts may result in decreased visitation and reduced economic activity in nearby communities. How is this helpful?
If the goal is to eliminate government waste and corruption, the approach should be precise, like a surgeon’s scalpel, targeting areas where inefficiencies are clear and cuts would have minimal impact. Instead, it seems like a blindfold and a machete were used. The U.S. Forest Service and other agencies responsible for protecting our public lands are facing similar struggles. I, for one, am deeply concerned, and I believe you should be too.
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Now before everyone goes and comments with polarized political perspectives let me say that anger, hate, and attacking are all unproductive. We need to simply address what is not working and have it fixed. Voice your support for our national lands and for our park rangers, bring to light what is not right, but let go of your hate as it only leads to more of the same.
Photographer and TOUR GUIDE! Getting people outa their comfort zones! 
