Kat Sack here! Sometimes Katastrophic Sackrilege to the running community, but most definitely The Mountain Lioness to those who follow and join my adventures. I currently call Tallahassee, FL home. The mountains are my favorite place to be and explore but given my location, I dive into other types of rad places too!

I created this blog as a personal project to document my adventures. Photos are great, but I love text describing more of the story and to recall what I have learned. I am no expert at outdoorsy activities, but I learn as I go! If you end up here, I hope you can get something out of it.

My original focus was on backpacking, hiking, camping, kayaking, and mountain biking. I have thus shifted the scope as I discovered my love for National and State Parks. I have the National Parks Passport and the Florida State Parks passport which have allowed me to discover places I originally would never have seen. Now I write about national monuments, history, run-cations, etc.

At some point I hope to dive into personal growth as well with topics including self-sufficiency and improvement, turning boredom into adventure, steps to heal my body and mind, and overcoming social adversities.

Life is an adventure. Go outside. Pay attention to all that is around you. Get lost in the moment. Everything has a story. Listen for it, even if you do not speak the same language.

*Day 35 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 35 - January 25, 2019

The Last Day of the Current Shutdown, The Beginning of Three Weeks of Negotiations



The Politics


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National Park Service + Environment


Acadia National Park - Maine


NYC Parks


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Trump Tweets of the Day

*Day 34 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 34 - January 24, 2019



The Politics


State of the Union 











National Park Service + Environment


New Addition to the National Park Service!


Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 

The federal shutdown hit Sleeping Bear Dunes. So volunteers rushed in.*

Yellowstone National Park - Idaho, Montana, Wyoming


Blue Ridge Parkway + Atlantic Coast Pipeline










Trump Tweets of the Day

*Day 33 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 33 - January 23, 2019



The Politics


State of the Union Bickering Continues


Also The Washington Post has a detailed synopsis of the "letter duel" - The Trump-Pelosi State of the Union letter duel, annotated

Opinions About the Wall from Residents Who Live Along the Border

“This is not a war zone,” Ms. Hurtado said from her tax and immigration consulting office in downtown Calexico, from which she can peer into Mexico. “I’ve had a business here for 30 years and we’ve never needed the barbed wire. Why now? To me, it feels as if I’m enclosed.”
"The high volume of legal traffic does not mean that illegal border crossings do not happen here. The risk those migrants pose, however, and the characterization of the numbers who jump the fence is enormously overstated, Ms. Carrillo said. The real danger, many here said, lies in drug trafficking conducted through sophisticated tunnel systems built by cartels." 

H.R. 648: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019

To fund all agencies and departments impacted by the partial shutdown, except the Department of Homeland Security, through September 30, 2019 (my 28th birthday).

Vote breakdown, bill information, and tracking.

Instead of a barbaric barrier, let's put the money towards a "smart wall" with drones, refitted ports of entry, and other cool technological features. Since it's 2019. And let's plz reopen the government, k? - House Democrats

McConnell blocks bill to reopen most of government
We return to the 'Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Doesn't Like Letting Senators Vote Saga'. What a surprise. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia asked for consent to take up the bill for a vote and was denied.

Trump Learns How to Rhyme


Trumpty Dumpty wants a new wall. 
   Trumpty Dumpty begins his downfall.
      Nancy Pelosi and Dem Congressmen
         Will make sure Trumpty opens the government again.

Or... 'Build a wall, and crime will fall."

Some Americans Prefer Traveling to Mexico for Affordable Dental Care

Millions of Americans Flood Into Mexico for Health Care — the Human Caravan You Haven’t Heard About


National Park Service + Environment


The Underrated Preservers of American History


Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina & Tennessee

Donation opens visitor centers for holiday weekend*
Donations are likely the biggest thing keeping this country together at the moment, especially for furloughed and unpaid essential federal employees who barely make enough money to have a solid savings account. A donation from Friends of the Smokies allowed two of GSMNP's visitor centers to be open over the extended MLK Jr. weekend. Oconaluftee Visitor Center (at the southern entrance in Cherokee, NC) and Sugarlands Visitor Center (at the northern entrance in Gatlinburg, TN) were open Friday-Monday to minimize damage with the spike in visitors for the holiday weekend.

The donated money allowed education rangers to work the visitor centers and provide info to the visitors of the most visited National Park in the country. The money also covered the pay for employees to clean and maintain the restrooms. The Great Smoky Mountains Association has also stepped up providing money and staff. Revenue from recreation fees is allowed to go towards cleaning and maintaining the facilities, per the National Park Service and also reopening Cades Cove Campground and Picnic Area, including its visitor center.

Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains Association have also contributed earlier in the shutdown. GSMA donated $50,000+ to keep the three aforementioned visitor centers open from 12/22-1/1.

Haleakala National Park




Trump Tweets of the Day








*Day 32 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 32 - January 22, 2019



The Politics


Approval Ratings and Potential Impeachment Support

Democratic polling company, Public Policy Polling released its results from a survey of 760 registered voters from January 29-21 with a margin of error of +-3.6%
  • [40% Approve | 57% Disapprove] of Trump
  • [46% Support | 44% Oppose] the impeachment of Trump
The poll also showed that most voters prefer any Democratic 2020 hopeful over Trump.

Stop STUPIDITY (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years) Act

Democratic Senator Mark Warren of Virginia introduces a new bill that would essentially keep the government running by automatically renewing funding at the same levels of the previous year, except for the legislative branch and the Executive Office of President. 

House of Representatives Passes the NATO Support Act with Bipartisan 357-22 Vote

Sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., the bill seeks to prevent Trump from withdrawing from NATO. 

“What we have to realize is that NATO is not just a transactional relationship.” Panetta said. “Our sole focus can’t just be on who pays what and who gets what. Being a member of NATO is not like being a member of a country club.”

Let's see what the Senate does.

Trump's Potential Bargaining Chip is Shut Down by SCOTUS

A win that Trump assumed was his was squashed by SCOTUS today. Trump will not be allowed to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Allegedly, he may have used this to 'compromise' with the Democrats.

Don't worry....Pelosi and Trump are still bickering about the State of the Union Address, among other things

I don't really think I need a source for this.


National Park Service + Environment


The Impact on NPS Instagram Accounts

Marcus Gilmer, Assistant Real-Times News Editor of Mashable, describes the sad silence of the National Parks Instagram accounts. In a time where social media influences everyone's life, whether directly or indirectly, the lack of online presence from a large entity becomes noticeable. It's a stark contrast from the 13 tweets from the POTUS' account today alone [see below].

Words from Former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell

The article National parks and public lands suffer during US government shutdown* is based on an interview from PRI's Living on Earth with Steve Curwood.


The National Parks Service is just one component of the Department of Interior. Sally Jewel held the Secretary position during the Obama administration where she had experienced a government shutdown, but the parks and monuments were closed to protect them. She believes it to be "incredibly unwise" leaving them open this time around. There are over 400 sites under the NPS, and the National Forests under the department of Agriculture are also suffering.

"It leaves the assets that remind us of our history and our past vulnerable to vandalism, souvenir taking and bad action. The number of law enforcement people that are still on staff can't possibly be the eyes and ears that the National Mall or other parks need to make sure that these places are protected.” - Sally Jewel

The shutdown isn't just a risk for protecting the parks' assets and to visitors. It is disrupting research and data collection and also lowering the morale of the employees who know they will inevitably have to clean up huge messes if/when they eventually get back to work.

"I’m really feeling sick about the message the shutdown sends to the men and women who work for the federal government about their value. I'm sick about the impact on the science that we're not going to get back. I am sick about the poaching that I know is going on, the vandalism that I know is going on, the artifacts that I know are being slipped into people's pockets, the work that would be done to help protect our forests from fires, the work that would be done to reduce the risk of invasive species."

Mini National Park Reports

Nothing too crazy to report from Great Falls Park, Everglades National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Shutdown Shines Light on Pre-Existing Lack of Interest, Funding, and Management

Robert N. Meltzer expresses his strong beliefs about improper management, funding failures, and overuse that have been causing a National Parks crisis for decades

Buffalo National River - Arkansas

Buffalo National Park employees work despite furlough*
Fortunately for the employees of Buffalo National River, it's the slow season. However, there is still plenty of upkeep to keep the area within and outside of the national park clean. Volunteer group, The Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, was in town today on day 32 to assist the employees in keeping the park clean.

“Those furloughed national park employees aren’t just at home sitting around the fire, they’re out they did a cleanup project at our local library in Newton County just the other day. They’re out and about and helping out in the community even though they’re furloughed.”
    - Gordon Watkins, President of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance

Dinosaur National Monument - Utah/Colorado

National Parks Traveler - Shutdown In The Parks: Dinosaur National Monument*
"During the ongoing partial government shutdown, Zack Frank, a furloughed National Park Service employee, is striving to create one video per day. Today's video adventure travels to Dinosaur National Monument, which straddles the Utah-Colorado state line."

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina (& Tennessee)

Solar Power World - Solar microgrid helps return Great Smoky Mountains National Park land to the wild*
A lone power line travels up the peak of Mt. Sterling to a 60-ft communications tower where it provides power for a radio repeater. It crosses through vegetation and causes a variety of issues during an outage - lots of work for something that doesn't require much electricity. Duke Energy is responsible for the maintenance on the 13-acres of NPS land, from keeping the vegetation away to pole replacements, sometimes requiring helicopters or pack mules to deliver supplies. Don't forget the permits required for maintenance to be performed at the park.

Duke Energy and the National Park Service worked on an off-grid alternative - a solar+storage microgrid providing the power for the tower radio thereby giving it energy independence, minimizing maintenance, and allowing the land to return to its wild self.

"It benefits us because we’re removing unnatural governance from an area that we can now allow go back to its natural state. I think visitors will benefit because that visual of a power line will no longer be there."- Mark Collins, Environmental Protection Specialist at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Utah's National Parks

The Utah Governor's Office of Management and Budget only has enough money to keep the visitor centers open through January having spent $66,000 of the the authorized $80,000. The office intends to share a long-term strategy on January 28, 2019 for Utah's approach to the shutdown if the folks in D.C. haven't figured out any kind of resolution.

The current status of the specific parks:
Zion: The visitor center will be open through Jan. 30 supported by contributions from the state and local entities.
Bryce: The Bryce Canyon Natural History Association intends to support the operation of the Bryce Canyon visitor center through Jan. 30.
Arches: Canyonlands Natural History Association paid for the visitor centers at Arches to be open through Jan. 30.
Canyonlands: Canyonlands Natural History Association paid for the visitor centers at the Island in the Sky District to be open through Jan. 30.
Capitol Reef: The Fruita campground is open, but restrooms are closed except for the vault toilet. The scenic drive is closed.


Trump's 13 Tweets of the Day















*Day 31 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 31 - January 21, 2019



The Politics


1

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-mlk-day-memorial_us_5c45ef7ce4b0bfa693c5fc9c


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National Park Service + Environment


Martin Luther King Jr. National Park - Georgia


Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina & Tennessee


Alaska's National Parks


Zion National Park - Utah




New Hampshire



Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - Indiana




Trump Tweets of the Day

*Day 30 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 30 - January 20, 2019



The Politics


1


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National Park Service + Environment


Death Valley National Park - California & Nevada

How do tourists and locals feel about the beloved park after a month of shutdown? Photographer Ian Tuttle asked around.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

Thanks to a $83,500 grant from the Delta Air Lines Foundation and also park fee revenues, the National Park Service plans to reopen MLK Jr. NHP in Atlanta for 16 days which allows for people to visit in advance of Monday's holiday and people traveling for the Super Bowl on February 3 as well.
"This is yet another example of private organizations stepping up to ensure that our visitors from across the nation and around the world are able to have a meaningful experience at national parks," said David L. Bernhardt, acting secretary of the Interior.
In a statement, Delta CEO and trustee of the Delta Air Lines Foundation Ed Bastian said the group "felt it was important we do our part to ensure that the historical landmarks be accessible to the public." "Dr. King was about bringing people together and at Delta, we are about making the world a smaller place," he added.
Many of the civil rights movement historical sites of the National Park Service are completely closed during the shutdown. This includes the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., Selma-to-Montgomery March interpretive centers, the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, and Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.

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Trump Tweets (Mostly Retweets) of the Day








*Day 29 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown*

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 29 - January 19, 2019



The Politics


1


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3


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5



National Park Service + Environment


1


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5




Trump Tweets of the Day







Day 27 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 27 - January 17, 2019



The Politics


1


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National Park Service + Environment


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3


4

https://www.kcra.com/article/video-chp-helps-rescue-hikers-in-yosemite-national-park/25963411


5

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/01/17/its-quiet-zion-national/


6

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-01/usu-bsi011719.php



Trump Tweets of the Day

Day 26 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 26 - January 16, 2019



The Politics


1

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/22/supreme-court-takes-no-action-on-daca-weakens-trump-hand-in-shutdown-talks.html


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3


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5



National Park Service + Environment


1


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5

https://abcnews.go.com/US/yosemite-national-park-hikers-trapped-crevasse-helicopter-rescue/story?id=60544365


6

http://www.reporterherald.com/lifestyles/recreation/ci_32388985/shutdown-continues-heres-how-visit-rocky-mountain-national


7

https://dailycaller.com/2019/01/16/trump-national-parks-trash/




Trump Tweets of the Day

*Day 22 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 22 - January 12, 2019



The Politics


1


2


3


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5



National Park Service + Environment


Gulf Islands National Seashore - Alabama & Florida


2

*https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/good-federal-shutdown-news-mount-rainier-national-park-entrance-reopens/


3



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5





Trump Tweets of the Day

*Day 21 - The National Park Service & Environment VS The Federal Government Shutdown

The National Park Service & Environment 

         VS 

               The Federal Government Shutdown


Day 21 - January 11, 2019



The Politics


1


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National Park Service + Environment


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  • Did Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park Cut Down Trees During the Government Shutdown
    • https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/joshua-tree-shutdown/
  • What fees can (and cannot) do for our national parks
    • https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/424802-what-fees-can-and-cannot-do-for-our-national-parks*
  • Stop Playing Shutdown Politics with Our Parks
    • https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/01/government-shutdown-national-parks-partisan-politics/
  • The Government Shutdown Has Halted Wildlife Conservation and Research
    • https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/pa5jqb/the-government-shutdown-has-halted-wildlife-conservation-and-research*
  • Pensacola: National Seashore closed due to federal shutdown
    • https://www.pnj.com/picture-gallery/news/2019/01/11/pensacola-national-seashore-closed-due-federal-shutdown/2548501002/
  • 'We have people counting on that': Fla. governor weighs in on using hurricane funds for border wall
    • https://www.fltimes.com/tns/national/we-have-people-counting-on-that-fla-governor-weighs-in/article_257bea48-533a-5b9e-8ad7-24aad18dcd18.html
  • The View From Shenandoah: The Shutdown Is a Middle Finger to Our Civil Servants and National Parks
    • https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/01/government-shutdown-shenandoah-national-park.html
  • Shutdown Day 21: White House considers using storm funds to pay for wall; no pay for 800,000
    • https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2019/01/11/government-shutdown-puerto-rico-storm-funds-wall-federal-workers-no-pay/stories/201901110100
  • Puerto Rican Officials Livid At Reports Trump May Use Disaster Funds To Pay For Wall
    • https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/puerto-rico-trump-disaster-relief_us_5c38b7e0e4b045f6768b70c4
  • Shutdown moving event from Hopewell Furnace to Morlatton Village near Douglassville
    • https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/shutdown-moving-event-from-hopewell-furnace-to-morlatton-village-near-douglassville
  • Shutdown Affects Local Parks
    • http://www.wmra.org/post/shutdown-affects-local-parks#stream/0
  • Smokies trash pileup during shutdown may have lasting effects on black bears
    • https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2019/01/11/smoky-mountains-black-bears-trash-government-shutdown/2524824002/
  • People are cutting down Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park during the government shutdown
    • https://www.brownwoodtx.com/lifestyle/20190111/people-are-cutting-down-joshua-trees-in-joshua-tree-national-park-during-government-shutdown
  • NM Environment Review: Kicking off 2019 with snow, a shutdown & plenty of news
    • http://nmpoliticalreport.com/2019/01/11/nm-environment-review-kicking-off-2019-with-snow-a-shutdown-plenty-of-news/
  • Shutdown Impacts: Water Infrastructure, Environment and Public Lands
    • https://citiesspeak.org/2019/01/11/shutdown-impacts-water-infrastructure-environment-and-public-lands/
  • 10 House Republicans cross aisle to support ending shutdown of Interior-Environment programs
    • http://www.rollcall.com/news/10-house-republicans-cross-aisle-to-support-ending-shutdown
  • Nonprofit raises money to help national parks recover from shutdown damage
    • https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/424897-group-fundraises-to-help-national-parks-recover-from-shutdown
  • Shutdown hits American farmers already hurt by China trade war
    • https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/09/shutdown-american-farmers-china-trade-war-trump
  • The Impact of the Government Shutdown Is About to Snowball
  • Foundation raising funds to repair national parks when shutdown ends
  • Florida governor Ron DeSantis fires Rick Scott Everglades appointees
  • “On Jan. 11, 5,207 federal workers in Alaska missed their first paycheck, with no guarantees of when the next check will come.”
    • https://www.adn.com/opinions/2019/01/21/shutdown-impacts-piling-up-across-alaskas-national-parks-and-communities/




Trump Tweets of the Day