NPS avy gear census at Crystal Southback

Upon cresting the Throne hike today on my way to the SB, I was surprised to see the NPS ranger Monika( a lovely girl BTW to whom I hold no animosity even thought she works for the NPS) standing very bureaucratic like, armed with clipboard asking each hiker if they had a beacon, probe and shovel. She was feverishly marking her clipboard with the answers, trying to keep up with the never ending throng.

I of course refused to answer and told her politely that she had no power to require an answer( no surprise I'm sure ).
However the question needs to be asked ...... Why?
Many dark conspiracy theories could be hatched in terms of the NPS's self proclaimed and once defeated attempt to try and close the Crystal boundary access to the park.

Beware, the NPS wants access to the Park from Crystal closed and will continue to try and find reasons to do so.

Thank you for commenting on this. I too would like to know why she was interrogating the public. As I passed her, I had no idea she was talking to me (as this is not customary or at least not something I have ever encountered) so I just kept walking by. Yes I had my beacon, my shovel and probe as always. Why the new "checkpoint"?

Scotsman, what if the NPS is more likely to leave access open once they understand that the people hiking out the southback are properly equipped ?? Your tactic may backfire in that case?

Dare I point out that these Crystal survey wages could go toward staffing an earlier Sunrise opening than the currently scheduled June 25?  Plowing to Sunrise could also begin sooner at little extra cost if the Park would let the Paradise Valley road just melt out.

Doesn't Jackson Hole have an open boundary arrangement with Grand Teton NP?  Anybody know if the rangers there get paid to count tracks & beacons?

As for conspriracy theories, smoke this one in your pipe, Scotty:  Skiing down to 410 will eventually be limited by requiring expensive guides to enter the Park from Crystal.  RMI has under-utilized personel, vehicles & insurance, as well as a long, cozy relationship with NPS management... 

I don't think there's anything wrong with a survey, and there is certainly nothing wrong with declining to answer. BTW, is this Monika as in "Monika The Fast"? I met her once at Camp Muir and she seemed perfectly nice to me ... and ... eye-wateringly hot as well ... of course I'm talking about the weather at Camp Muir that morning and not her looks. ( Just to avoid sexism, I'll also say that Ranger Dan is awfully cute but I'm not going to say that he's eye-wateringly hot. )

As for conspriracy theories, smoke this one in your pipe, Scotty: Skiing down to 410 will eventually be limited by requiring expensive guides to enter the Park from Crystal. RMI has under-utilized personel, vehicles & insurance, as well as a long, cozy relationship with NPS management...

In good conditions, Big Bertha is fun, but it's a very long ski and boot back to Crystal Mountain Boulevard. Haven't skiied Kempers or Park Place since the closures, but Kempers looks appealing. Of course, it's a nasty avalanche path but that's why it's so much fun to ski... all those pesky trees removed by all the flowing snow and perfect pitch to boot.

It would be fair to require people who ski the lines to have a day pass or annual Parks Pass, but shutting down the lines doesn't seem fair.

Is NPS paranoid about someone starting a big slide that dumps on people down below?
How often does Kempers run full path?
Big Bertha is much more dangerous in my opinion.

Has anyone asked her / NPS / Crystal Patrol about the purpose of the survey?