Dave Uberuaga has the same question for anyone who asks – he’s one day closer to finding out whether he is staying at Yosemite National Park or returning to Mount Rainier.
Just as quickly, he admits, he doesn’t know when that day is coming.
Nearly a year into his stint as interim superintendent, Uberuaga is awaiting word on whether he will take over at Yosemite or return to his office outside Ashford. No matter the final decision, Uberuaga said the experience has been a good one, but not without its trials.
“It’s just a demanding place with millions of visitors, millions of dollars going through there,” he said.
The park, for example, is renegotiating its concession contract worth about $130 million a year. In comparison, the contract at Mount Rainier nets $5 million. He said the Yosemite summer staff topped 1,000 people for the first time. At Mount Rainier, the number is closer to 200.
Another comparison is the number of people who visit each park.
Yosemite is in driving distance of 35 million people. Los Angeles is five hours away, the San Francisco Bay area is four hours away and Sacramento is three hours away. About 3.4 million people ride the Yosemite valley shuttle each year.
At Mount Rainier, the park saw its biggest use of its shuttle system last summer, attracting 30,200 riders.
“It’s the same things as at Mount Rainier, but just much bigger, more zeros on the numbers,” Uberuaga said.
Then there was the incident now being called “Dave’s fire.”
A small prescribed fire in late August quickly expanded and escaped control. By Labor Day weekend there were 1,300 firefighters battling the blaze and 2,000 people had to be evacuated.
“I had to fight a firestorm, figuratively and literally. I had to admit we messed up and we would take care of it,” he said.
The spotlight also is much brighter at Yosemite, each action scrutinized by various groups.
He cited the recent agreement on developing a comprehensive plan for the Merced River valley. The plan will include a user capacity for the valley. The deal ended a nine-year legal battle with conservation groups. Uberuaga attended more than a dozen public meetings on the plan in the last two months.
“I haven’t had a chance to watch TV or read the paper since Thanksgiving,” he said.
Those meetings also have gotten in the way of his nightly phone call to his wife, Barbara, living in Eatonville.
“It’s been harder on Barbara than on me. She has just been steady,” he said.
He talked about the time he had a weekend full of meetings, dinners and celebration.
“All of those things are exciting and fun and then I call Barbara and she tells me it’s raining sideways and it’s cold.
“It’s two different worlds we live in. One time, I was having lunch at my picnic table and it was 60 degrees, and it was raining back here. So I have to be careful what I say sometimes,” he said with a laugh.
Uberuaga said he tries to come home about every three weeks. They also attended the wedding of their son and celebrated their 35th anniversary this summer.
“When I’m home, we focus on each other. We go for walks. There’s nothing more important than being together.”
The couple agreed they would give the temporary assignment a few weeks and then reassess the situation.
“Who knew it would turn into a year,” Uberuaga said.
In the time he has been away, Uberuaga has grown to appreciate the collegial feeling at Mount Rainier.
“At Yosemite you have camping and climbing coalitions, gateway communities, 55 congressional representatives in California. You have all these groups and they don’t always agree with each other.
“At Mount Rainier, there is a love of the mountain and all the groups get along. We have to compromise sometimes, but we eventually agree on how to move forward.”
Whether Uberuaga moves forward at Yosemite or returns to Mount Rainier remains to be seen. But he feels a decision could be made soon.
National Park Service director Jon Jarvis named Dec. 15 a new superintendent for Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
“I have a had a great experience down there and made some new friends,” Uberuaga said.
“I miss the people, being able to effect change,” he said of Mount Rainier. “It seems more peaceful and parklike, rather than just congestion.”
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640
jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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