Camp Muir has long been a smelly slum; my first night in the public shelter in 1974 was also my last. I've always preferred Anvil Rock as a day-trip destination, but it's been years since I've been to either, due to injuries & general feebleness. Are those incredibly ugly turd vault storage racks still near the camp? Is the 'Client' shelter still used exclusively by RMI or do the junior guide services share it?
I'm concerned that the NPS 'Preferred Alternative' in this and most other mandated Environmental Assessments is to throw money at problems or perceived problems. I haven't waded through the entire EA, but it looks like just removing & replacing structures is estimated to cost $700K, with "utilities" improvements probably a similar amount. Perhaps toilet technology has vastly improved, but quarter-million dollar solar composting toilets were tried in the past and failed in the harsh environment. Even the old-fashioned simple outhouses were subject to improper door latching in winter, resulting in them being filled with ice much of the summer.
I'm inclined to support Alternative 2, removing the non-historic 'Client' & Butler shelters without replacement. It's interesting that the EA contains no alternative to address the crowding & resource issues by simply lowering use levels. Guided overnighters are only about a third of the current quota, so independent parties would likely be the ones limited. I doubt the NPS scare figure of 500 day-trippers is reached (or even approached) very often, but they could implement a defacto quota (& reduce SARs) by just requiring a climbing permit to travel above, say Pebble Creek.
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