Denali Park Road Stated Choice Survey

OMB Number: not yet assigned
Expiration Date: not yet assigned

VTS Survey
Denali Park Road
Visitor Survey
2009

ID______

Date ________

Conditions:
Approximate temperature: _____________ (degrees Fahrenheit)
(Please circle all that apply):
Cloudy

Sunny

Rainy

Smoky

Other:______________

Type of road user (please circle a user type):
VTS Bus User

Lodge Bus User

Tour Bus User

Other (specify type)

Camper Bus User
Tundra Wilderness Tour
or
or
General Bus User
Natural History Tour
[This first page is for the surveyor to complete before giving the questionnaire to the respondent.]

1

Section I. Your trip on the Denali Park Road
This series of questions asks about your trip on the Denali Park Road.
[3.TRIPC11]

1. How long did you spend traveling along the Denali Park Road today?
Number of hours: ____________
[3.ACT19 variation]

2. How far out on the Denali Park Road did you go on this trip? (Circle one number.)
1 Savage River
2 Sanctuary River
3 Teklanika
4 Polychrome Pass
5 Toklat River
6 Eielson
7 Wonder Lake
8 Kantishna
9 Other (please specify destination): ______________________________
10 Don’t know
[1.VISITHIS1]

3a. Have you been on the Denali Park Road before today? (Circle one number.)
1 Yes
2 No (Skip to question 4.)
b. How many times have you been on the Denali Park Road before today?
Number of times (not including this time): ____________

2

[1.VISITHIS4 variation]

c. In what year did you first travel on the Denali Park Road? (Enter 2009 if this is your first
trip.)
Year: ______________

Section II: The Denali Park Road Experience
The next series of questions asks about the conditions you would prefer to experience on the
Denali Park Road. Each question includes two sets of conditions (or “scenarios”) that could be
experienced. Please read each pair of scenarios and indicate which one you would prefer.

3

[Topic Area 7 – Individual Opinions on Park Management]

4. Which of the following two scenarios would you prefer? (Circle one number at the bottom of the page.)
Scenario A

Scenario B

A. You would have a 25% chance of seeing a grizzly bear on your
trip.
B. Many visitors would have to wait a day to get on a bus.
C. Bus trips would average about 6 hours (reach the Toklat area).

A. You would have a 75% chance of seeing a grizzly bear on your
trip.
B. Most visitors would be able to get on a bus on the day and time
they prefer.
C. Bus trips would average about 4 hours (reach the Teklanika
area).

D. You would see the number of buses along the road as shown in
the following photograph:

D. You would see the number of buses along the road as shown in
the following photograph:

E. You would see the number of buses at informal “wildlife stops”
along the road as shown in the following photograph:

E. You would see the number of buses at informal “wildlife stops”
along the road as shown in the following photograph:

F. You would see the number of buses at rest stops along the road
as shown in the following photograph:

1 I would prefer Scenario A
2 I would prefer Scenario B

F. You would see the number of buses at rest stops along the road
as shown in the following photograph:

4

QUESTIONS 5-12. [SAME AS ABOVE, EXCEPT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS—SEE
ACCOMPANYING MATRICES FOR VTS AND COMMERCIAL SURVEYS]
Section III. Bus Trip Characteristics
Bus trips on the Denali Park Road could be designed and conducted in many ways. This last
series of questions asks your opinion about a number of these issues.
[6.EVALTRAN4 variation]

13. Please indicate the extent to which you think the following bus trip characteristics are a good
or bad idea. (Circle one number for each item.)
Bad
Idea

No
Opinion

Good
Idea

a. Some buses would leave as early as 4:00 a.m.

Very
Bad
Idea
-2

-1

0

1

Very
Good
Idea
2

b. Some buses would leave as late as 6:00 p.m.

-2

-1

0

1

2

c. Most buses would facilitate hiking by stopping
on demand to drop off and pick up hikers

-2

-1

0

1

2

d. Some buses would be scheduled to allow short
hikes that are guided by park rangers

-2

-1

0

1

2

e. Some buses would provide “express” service to
specific locations along the road without
stopping to view wildlife

-2

-1

0

1

2

f. Some buses would provide “specialty” tours
(e.g., birding, geology, “family oriented”)

-2

-1

0

1

2

g. Buses would be designed to provide more
passenger comfort than existing buses

-2

-1

0

1

2

h. Most bus trips would start and end in the park
(e.g., at the park visitor center)

-2

-1

0

1

2

-2

-1

0

1

2

-2

-1

0

1

2

i. A local shuttle bus system would provide access
to the park (including the departure area for bus
trips on the Denali Park Road) from
surrounding hotels
j. Most bus trips would include a stop at the park
visitor center (to view park film, exhibits, etc.)
[3.TBACK1]

14a. Did you get off the bus today to take a hike?
1 Yes
2 No (Skip to question 14e.)

5

[3.TBACK3]

b. Approximately how long (minutes or hours) was your hike?
Length of hike: __________ minutes OR hours (circle one).
[Topic Area 3 – Individual Activities and Uses of Park Resources]

c. Did you hike on or off-trail? (Circle one number.)
1 On a trail
2 Off-trail
3 Both
[3.ACT8 variation]]

d. Did you hike with a guide/ranger? (Circle one number.)
1 With a guide/ranger
2 Without a guide/ranger
[3.ACT25 variation]

e. If you did not get off the bus today to hike, would you have liked to? (Circle one number.)
1 Yes
2 No (Skip to question 15.)
[3.ACT27]

f. Why didn’t you get off the bus today to hike? (Circle all numbers that apply.)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bus tour did not provide an opportunity
Inclement weather
Some members of my party were not interested
Some members of my party were not able
Concerned for my safety
Worried about catching another bus
Few/no marked trails
Other (Please specify: ___________________________________________)

[Topic Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park Experience]

g. On a future visit, would you prefer to hike on a trail or off-trail? (Circle one number.)
1 On a trail
2 Off-trail
[3.FVIS10 variation]

h. On a future visit, would you prefer to hike with or without a guide/ranger? (Circle one number.)
1 With guide/ranger
2 Without guide/ranger

6

[6.EVALTRAN4]

15. Information and education about the park could be provided to bus passengers in several
ways. Please rate the desirability of each of the following forms of information/education on
the Denali Park Road (Circle one number for each item.)
Very
desirable
1

Desirable
2

Undesirable
3

Very
undesirable
4

b. Park rangers would ride the bus and
provide commentary/answer questions.
c. Park rangers would ride the bus for part
of the trip and provide commentary/
answer questions.

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

d. Park rangers would be stationed at
selected stops along the road.

1

2

3

4

e. Bus passengers would be provided a
written guide to traveling the road.

1

2

3

4

f. Bus passengers would be provided a
recorded narrative about traveling the
road (e.g., podcast).

1

2

3

4

g. Interpretive signs would be posted at
selected stops along the road.

1

2

3

4

a. Bus drivers would provide commentary
during the trip.

[Topic Area 7 – Individual Opinions on Park Management]

16. Bus trips on the Denali Park Road could be designed to provide many types of trips (lengths,
destinations, themes, etc.). This would offer many choices, but might be confusing to visitors.
Trips could also be designed to offer a few types of trips. This would offer fewer choices, but
might be less confusing to visitors. Please indicate how you think bus trips on the Denali Park
Road should be designed. (Circle one number.)
1
Many types of
trips, but possibly
confusing.

2

3

7

4

5
Fewer choices in
types of trips, but
possibly less
confusing.

[2.TPLAN11]

17. How did you and your group obtain information about bus trips in the park? (Circle all that
apply.)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Travel agent
Brochures
Park newspaper
Internet
Denali Park Transportation Reservation Agent
Park ranger
Railroad staff
Hotel staff
Other (Please specify:______________________________________________)

[Topic Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park Experience]

18. How easy or difficult did you find getting information on bus trips in the park? (Circle one
number.)
1
Very Easy

2

3

8

4

5
Very Difficult

Thank you for your help with this survey! Please return it to the survey field staff.
PRIVACY ACT and PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT statement:
16 U.S.C. 1a-7 authorizes collection of this information. This information will be used by park managers to better serve the public.
Response to this request is voluntary and anonymous. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information
requested. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
BURDEN ESTIMATE STATEMENT: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 15 minutes per response.
Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to:
Laura Phillips
Denali National Park & Preserve
P.O. Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755-0009
[email protected]

9

DENALI 2009 - FRONT-END FORM
TIME: ______________

DATE: ___/___/___

DATA COLLECTOR: _____________________________________

WEATHER: ____________________________________
Contact
Time

Refuse

Sampled
Previously

Survey
I.D. #

# in
Group

Alone

Friends

Family

Family
&
Friends

Other

Personal
Group or
Organized
Group

Respondent’s
Gender

Comments: explain reason for
refusal