Major Wind Event Causes Widespread Damage: An unprecedented windstorm caused damage in Devils Postpile, Red Meadows and Whitney Portal areas of the Inyo National Forest. The National Weather Service used several area weather stations to calculate that gusts on the top of Mammoth Mountain exceeded 180 mph and wind speeds did not drop below 120 mph for over three hours. From Mount Whitney to Tioga Pass, thousands of trees were affected by the storm. Over 100 trees fell on the Red Meadows Road alone. Given the extent of damage and the number of trees that need to be removed, there is a high probability that the spring openings of campgrounds, trails, trailheads and day use facilities will be substantially delayed.

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Experience the Dunes at Dawn at White Sands: Registration opens 2/25 for White Sands NM wonderful Dunes at Dawn hike on March 10. Come join a ranger to see the sun push over the Sacramento Mountains at 7:15 am. These events are very popular and often fill up with just hours. The registration form will be available for download on the WS website until the hike is full. Once capacity has been met (limit of 40 participants), the form will no longer be available. Other upcoming hikes are April 14, November 10 and December 15.

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Balloon Festival in Monument Valley: There’s not much that can make Monument Valley a more beautiful experience, but the Annual Balloon Event certainly adds another dimension. Morning launches are on the scenic road near Rain God Mesa on 2/25 and 2/26. During the Night Glow Show, the balloons don’t lift into the air but remain on the ground glowing like a colorful candle. The Night Glow is near the primitive campground north of the Visitor Center on the 24th and 25th beginning at 6:45 pm

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Lightning Field Reservations for 2012: Advance reservations for an overnight stay at The Lightning Field in northwestern New Mexico are accepted beginning March 1 for the current year’s visiting season only. Visits by parties of up to 6 people (one night only) are available from May 1, thru October 31, seven days a week. A cabin adjacent to the Field provides shelter and simple meals during your stay. The Dia Art Foundation provides transportation to the site from Quemado, which is about a 3-hour drive from Albuquerque. You may not take your own vehicle into the Lightning Field

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Santa Rosa Island Now Open Year-Round: For the first time ever, Santa Rosa Island in California's Channel Islands National Park is now open to visitors 365 days a year. A private hunting operation closed last month that had limited access to most of the island for up to five months a year. The move is a boon for park enthusiasts looking to experience the second-largest island off the coast of California, featuring 53,000 acres of mountains, cliffs, beaches, and diverse plant and animal species. The change comes at an opportune time for whale watchers, as now through mid-March is the best time to see gray whales from the islands.

See Related Story: The Channel Islands: California's Galapagos

Prime Season for Subway Applications: If you’re thinking about doing The Subway in Zion this year, you have to stop thinking and start applying. Most reservations are awarded by lottery (limited day-prior walk-ins are available), and applications must be received 90 days in advance. For those of us who are calendar-challenged, May trip applications must be received in February, June in March, July in April, etc. Previous lottery results show that 70% were awarded a reservation from one of their three date choices. Success rates improved when dates were not on weekends or holidays.

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Free Admission to Mesa Verde: Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado is offering free admission for the month of February. The park's main road and Mesa Top Loop Road will be open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily. The park offers walking tours and cross-country skiing, and the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum will be open. Food service is available from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Spruce Tree Terrace.

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Elevator Access to Carlsbad Caverns Limited: A renovation project that is months over schedule is continuing to impact visitors to Carlsbad Caverns. Since early fall, the park has been relying on two small secondary elevators to ferry passengers into the cave while the two large elevators are upgraded. But now the cables on the alternate elevators must be replaced. So on weekdays until March 8, elevator service will be limited to a few hours a day. On weekends and holidays, one elevator will be available all day long. The park service hopes to complete all the work before visitor count picks up in mid-March.

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