North Cascades National Park Stephen T. Mather Wilderness Visitor Survey

OMB Number 1024-0224

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK STEPHEN T MATHER WILDERNESS SURVEY

(ON-SITE & ELECTRONIC)

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. We are authorized by the National Park Service Protection Interpretation and research in System (54 USC §100702) to collect this information. The routine uses of this information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in North Cascades National Park in future initiatives related to the visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and expectations during their visit at North Cascades National Park. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. All contact information collected for the purpose of the follow-up survey will be destroyed at the end of the collection period and no personal identifiable records will be maintained or stored for any purposes. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number (1024-0224). We estimate that it will take about 15 minutes to complete this on-site questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Will Rice, University of Montana, william.rice@umontana.edu (email); or David Pettebone, National Park Service, david_pettebone@nps.gov (email).

Topic Area 7: KNOW1 (Variation: specified wording to apply to wilderness area.)

1. Before taking this survey, were you aware that you were recreating within the boundaries of the federally designated Stephen T. Mather Wilderness area during your trip?

• Yes

• No

Topic Area 3: CVIS2

2. In which year did you make your first visit to the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness?

year

Topic Area 2: BACCOM8
Reviewer Note: On-site survey will include hour option for day trips and online survey will include nights for overnight visits.

3. How many nights [or hours] did you spend in the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness on this trip?

number of nights (if an overnight visitor)

number of hours (if on a day trip)

Topic Area 1: GROUP4

4. How many people were in your [personal, organized, tour] group, including you?

____ Number of people

Topic Area 1: GROUP3

5. Do any of the following describe the group you are/were traveling with? 

• Commercially guided group

• Research group

• Club/organization/school (specify__________________)

• Other (specify__________________)

• Not with an organized group
  
  

Topic Area 2: INFOSOURCE9

6. Prior to your arrival, what sources of information did you and your group use to plan your trip? (select all that apply)

• Park website (nps.gov)

• NPS social media accounts

• Recreation.gov

• Other websites/social media/apps (specify____________)

• Commercial guide/concessionaire

• Other (specify__________________)

Topic Area 5: ACT11

7. Below is a list of activities available in the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness. Please indicate:

1. which one of these activities was your primary activity during your visit

2. which of these activities have you participated in during your visit

	(A) Primary activity (Check only one)	(B) Participated in (Check all that apply)
Backpacking
Mountaineering/Alpine Climbing
Stock Packing
Horseback riding
Trail running
Paddling/Kayaking/Canoeing/Pack rafting
Recreational Fishing
On-trail hiking
Off-trail hiking
Photography/Videography
Night sky viewing
Guided hike or climb
Wildlife viewing
Other (specify):

Topic Area 5: ACT47 (Variation: dropping number of days.)

8. On this trip, or any previous trips you have taken to the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness, did you participate in Mountaineering/Alpine Climbing?

• Yes

• No (skip to Question 10)

Topic Area 8: MGMTOPT3 (Variation: Specified wording to focus on climbing.)

9. If you selected “yes” on the previous question, please provide your level of support for each climbing related management action that may be explored in a future planning process and subject to NPS policy and regulations:

	Strongly Oppose	Oppose	Neutral	Support	Strongly Support
Disallowing future installation of fixed anchors, but leaving existing fixed anchors	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Removing existing fixed anchors, and disallowing the placement of future fixed anchors	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Authorizing existing and future fixed anchors	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Increasing patrols of climbing rangers to check permits and assess resource and climbing conditions	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Implementing required permits for individual climbing routes to limit the number of climbers on a route at one time to improve safety and opportunities for solitude	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 5: BACK17

10. The following items are problems you may have run into on your visit to the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness? Please indicate how much of a problem each item was for you. (select one answer for each statement)

Conditions	Not a problem at all	Slight problem	Moderate problem	Serious problem	Did not observe
Presence of toilet paper and human waste	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Presence of scientific monitoring stations, wildlife cameras, radio towers, other installations and developments	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Noise from motorized use such as chainsaws and helicopters	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 6: CROWD29 (Variation: Reworded to encompass day and overnight visits.)

11. How much did the following conditions add to or detract from your opportunities for solitude in the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness? (select one answer for each statement)

Conditions	Strongly detracted	Slightly detracted	Had no impact	Slightly added	Strongly added	Did not experience the condition
Hearing and seeing visitors on the trail	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Hearing and seeing visitors while camping	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Having a visitor capacity (limited permits) for designated campsites and cross-country zones	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 3: PA1

12. Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with each of the statements. (select one answer for each statement) 

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree
This is the best place for the activities I like to do.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
No other place can compare to this place.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
I wouldn’t substitute any other place for the recreation activities I do in this place.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Compared to other National Parks in the Pacific Northwest, North Cascades should be the least developed and the most challenging to access.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 6: EXP9 (variation: reworded to understand visitors’ intentions and motivations.)

13. Please rate how true the following statements are/were for your trip in Stephen Mather T. Wilderness. (Select one answer for each statement.)

In planning and during my trip to the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness, I was motivated to…	Not at all True	Slightly True	Moderately True	Very True	Completely True
…gain a greater sense of self-reliance through challenge.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…to see what I am capable of doing.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…to test my abilities through challenge.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…strengthen family or social bonds.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...be with people who share similar values.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…increase my sense of belonging with others.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...enjoy the sounds of nature.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…get to know the environment.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…cultivate a closer relationship with the natural world.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…to experience life without everyday technologies	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
…to be in an environment mostly free of human-made intrusions	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...be away from crowds of people.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...experience minimal rules.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...roam wherever I want.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
...make my own plans.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 8: MGMTOPT3 (variation: modified wording to focus on campsite management.)

14. Please rate your support for the following techniques of distributing (or rationing) campsites in the Stephen Mather T Wilderness.

	Strongly Oppose	Oppose	Neutral	Support	Strongly Support
First-come, first-served (i.e., the first arrive get campsites)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Increasing the fee/cost for reserving a campsite	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Online advance reservations (i.e., reservations on Recreation.gov)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Online lottery (i.e., an advance lottery on Recreation.gov)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Combination of techniques (i.e., 50% reservation and 50% first come, first served)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Combination of timeframes (i.e., 25% available 6 months-in-advance, 50% available 1 month-in-advance, 25% available first come, first served on the day of arrival)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Topic Area 1: CROWD18

15. Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with each of the statements regarding guides and guided trips. (select one answer for each statement) 

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly  Agree
Guides provide opportunities for people to access the wilderness that would not otherwise be possible.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
There are too many guided trips and outfitters in the wilderness.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Guided trips help support appropriate behaviors of visitors in the wilderness.	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
Topic Area 1: AGE2

16. What is your age?

• 18-24

• 25-44

• 45-54

• 54-64

• 65+

Topic Area 1: RES2

17. Do you primarily reside in the United States?

Yes – what is your ZIP code: ______________________________________

No – what is your country of residence? ______________________________

Topic Area 9: ECON9

18. Which category best represents your annual household income (before taxes) last year?

Less than $25,000	$100,000-$149,999
$25,000-$34,999	$150,000-$199,999
$35,000-$49,999	$200,000 or more
$50,000-$74,999	Do not wish to answer
$75,000-$99,999

19. What is your race and/or ethnicity?

Select all that apply and enter additional details in the spaces below.

• American Indian or Alaska Native—Enter, for example, Navajo Nation, Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government, Nome Eskimo Community, Aztec, Maya, etc.

  
  

• Asian—Provide details below.

Chinese	Asian Indian	Filipino
Vietnamese	Korean	Japanese

Enter, for example, Pakistani, Hmong, Afghan, etc.

• Black or African American—Provide details below.

African American	Jamaican	Haitian
Nigerian	Ethiopian	Somali

Enter, for example, Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Ghanaian, Congolese, etc.

• Hispanic or Latino—Provide details below.

Mexican	Puerto Rican	Salvadoran
Cuban	Dominican	Guatemalan

Enter, for example, Colombian, Honduran, Spaniard, etc.

• Middle Eastern or North African—Provide details below.

Lebanese	Iranian	Egyptian
Syrian	Iraqi	Israeli

Enter, for example, Moroccan, Yemeni, Kurdish, etc.

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander—Provide details below.

Native Hawaiian	Samoan	Chamorro
Tongan	Fijian	Marshallese

Enter, for example, Chuukese, Palauan, Tahitian, etc.

• White—Provide details below.

English	German	Irish
Italian	Polish	Scottish

Enter, for example, French, Swedish, Norwegian, etc.