Overview
- Videos posted by climber Charles Winstead capture repeated jumps off El Capitan on Oct. 6 and 12.
- An anonymous park employee reports campground squatters and says only a volunteer ranger is patrolling as most staff are furloughed.
- Recent images and accounts describe unpermitted hikers crowding Half Dome’s cable route despite the permit system.
- The National Park Service reiterates that BASE jumping is illegal in all national parks as Interior emphasizes ongoing law‑enforcement and investigations.
- Conservation groups and former park leaders are urging temporary park closures until funding returns, citing mounting safety and resource risks.