Smalley says increase in Park fees no big deal for him

“That’s it! There’ll be no more discussion on this topic in this house!”

OK, so I can’t bring it up at home again. BUT, I do write an outdoor column and this is an outdoor topic, so here’s my nickel’s (previously two cents) worth…

In my mind, $70 a carload for 7 days in Glacier National Park is not out of the question. Sure, I’d rather see a tiered admission policy or maybe even smaller steps increases over several years, but I don’t see the 70 buck fee as a hill to die on.

The biggest objection I’ve heard is that visitors will be priced out of the Park. Really? I’m priced out of half the restaurants in Whitefish.

I don’t see a family from Dubuque turning around at the entrance station and heading home because of an additional $35.

We all expect to pay more to do special things.

In September, we paid $99 a ticket to sit three rows from the top of Husky Stadium to watch the Grizzlies get pummeled by the Huskies, after walking 2 miles to avoid a $56 parking lot fee.

Fifteen years ago, we paid $85 per family member for a lame 2-hour luau in Hawaii, sans lei.

Ever been to an NFL game? Or NBA? Ticket prices are insane.

Local physical therapy was $140 for 45 minutes last time. MRI $3,300.

Can’t imagine what two days at Disneyland costs now.

If you gotta or you really wanna, you will pay. And that includes a trip of a lifetime to Glacier National Park.

Surrounding businesses are fearful they will lose business. Questionable, after record visitation years.

Nothing good has ever come by neglecting maintenance needs.

It’s so popular now to scream “Woe is me” at any increase in prices.

The amount of belly-aching and crabbing was monumental when FWP added $2 to a fishing license in a knee-jerk reaction to help fund watercraft inspection stations.

An additional 2 lousy bucks and you’d think some people would go without food for a week.

Locals may complain, but if you use the Park multiple times, you should pay more.

A Glacier annual pass would be $75. National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands pass stays at $80.

No doubt, many frequent visitors will, rationally, opt for the season pass

A $35 per carload increase for a family of four is an increase of $1.87 per person per day.

Still one heck of a bargain!

Public comment period has been extended to Dec. 22. Go to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/proposepeakseasonfeerates.

Jerry Smalley’s Fishful Thinking column appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.