Understanding Transportation-related Effects on Visitor Experience Quality in Mount Rainier and Denali National Parks

OMB Control Number: 1024-0224
Current Expiration Date: 6/30/2011

Instrument B – Transportation Effects on Soundscape
Experience – MORA
2011

National Park Service
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK VISITOR SURVEY
Thank you for agreeing to participate! This questionnaire should take about 15 minutes to
complete. Your participation in the survey is completely anonymous and voluntary, but since
only a select number of people are being asked to participate, your cooperation is extremely
important. The National Park Service will use your responses to better serve the visitors to
Mount Rainier National Park.

Introduction
Welcome to the National Park Service visitor’s experience questionnaire. Your answers will
inform National Park managers about visitors’ experiences at many different types of natural,
cultural and historical sites in the United States. This questionnaire asks about your experiences
during this visit to Mount Rainier National Park
Please wait to begin until the interviewer provides instructions on the first page.

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1.

Have you visited Mount Rainier National Park before today? [Topic Area 1. VISITHIS1]
No
Yes___
a. If YES, approximately how many times have you visited Mount Rainier during
the last 12 months, including this visit?
Number of prior visits ________ (approximate)
Don’t know /not sure

2.

During this visit to Mount Rainier, did you go to any of the following locations? If you
did not go to a site, please indicate this. [Topic Area 3. VARIATION ITIN3]

REVISION NOTE: This question must be individually formatted for
each site. Identifying locations within the site may require maps,
photos or other aids in addition to names.

a. Paradise ...................................................................................
b. Longmire .................................................................................
c. Sunrise .....................................................................................
d. White River .............................................................................
e. Ohanapecosh ...........................................................................
f. Carbon River ...........................................................................
g. Mowich Lake ..........................................................................
h. Other location [Please describe.] ...........................................

2

Went to
T

Did not go to
or
Not sure
T

3.

On this visit, what activities have you and your group participated in while at Mount
Rainier? Please check all that apply. [Topic Area 3. ACT22]
Take
part
T

Did not
take part
T

a. Viewing the scenery .................................................................................
b. Viewing a sunrise or sunset......................................................................
c. Picnicking or having a meal .....................................................................
d. Watching birds .........................................................................................
e. Viewing wildlife (other than birds) ..........................................................
f. Hiking or walking ....................................................................................
g. Camping ...................................................................................................
h. Entering a visitor center, lodge, store or other building ...........................
i. Attending a ranger-led talk, walk, or campfire program ..........................
j. Attending some other demonstration, talk or other organized activity

or performance [Please describe.] ............................................................

k. Other activity [What activity?].................................................................

4.

How important are the following experiences to you on this visit to Mount Rainier
National Park? Mark one response for each experience. [Topic Area 4. PREF1]
[Topic Area 6. Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Not
Somewhat Moderately
Very
Extremely
important important important important important

Experience:
a. View the natural scenery ......
b. Enjoy the natural quiet and

sounds of nature ...................
c. Appreciate the history and
cultural significance of the
site ........................................
d. Experience a sense of
adventure or challenge...
3

T

T

T

T

T

5. During this visit to Mount Rainier how much did you… [Topic Area 6. Individual
Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Not
relevant

T

a. Appreciate the natural
b.
c.

d.

e.

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scenery.............................
Enjoy the natural quiet
and sounds of nature.........
Appreciate the history
and cultural significance
of the site .........................
Experience a feeling of
calmness, peace or
tranquility .........................
Experience a sense of
adventure or challenge .....

Not at all Somewhat

T

T

Moderate
Extreme
amount Very much amount

T

T

T

For the next question, please
Step 1: Please mark (ν) each sound that you heard during your visit to the site today (NOTE: “Comet Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be specified in site-specific
printings of the questionnaire).
Step 2: Under the ACCEPTABILITY OF SOUNDS column, please circle one number which best describes how unacceptable or acceptable the sound was for this
location in the park: The scale is on a continuum from: - 4 as very unacceptable, - 2 as slightly unacceptable, 0 as neutral, +2 as slightly acceptable, and + 4 as very
acceptable.
Step 3: Under the PERSONAL INTERPRETATION column, please circle one number which best describes how pleasing or annoying the sound was to you: The scale
is on a continuum from: -4 as very annoying, - 2 as slightly annoying, 0 as neutral, +2 as slightly pleasing, and + 4 as very pleasing.
Step 4: Under the EFFECT OF SOUNDS column, please circle one number which best describes the effect this sound had on your experience: The scale is on a
continuum from: -4 as detracted greatly, - 2 as detracted somewhat, 0 as neutral, +2 as added somewhat, and + 4 as added greatly.

6.

Answer Question A, B, and C about each of the sounds you heard during this visit to Mount Rainier. [Topic Area 4. VARIATION SOUND9]

e. Bird chatter
f. Frog sounds
g. Animal sounds
(unknown)
h. Waterfalls, running
water, or waves

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Effect of Sounds on Your Experience

e Extremely

e Very

e
Moderately

--Positively add -

e Neutral

e Slightly

e
Moderately

e Very

e Extremely

Negatively detract
e Extremely

--Please--

e Neutral

e Very
e
Moderately
e Slightly

--Annoy-e Extremely

e Extremely

e Slightly
e
Moderately
e Very

--Acceptable--

e Neutral

e Very
e
Moderately
e Slightly

SOUNDS
a. Insect sounds
b. Sounds of other small
animal
c. Sounds of large
animals
d. Bird song

Heard
the
sound

e Extremely

--Unacceptable--

Personal Interpretation of Sounds

e Slightly
e
Moderately
e Very

Acceptability of Sounds

C. How much did this sound positively add to or
negatively detract from your experience

e Slightly

A. How acceptable or unacceptable was B. How much did this sound please or
this sound?
annoy you?

i. Rain or thunder
j. Wind
k. Wind through trees
l. Group of people
talking
m. People shouting or
speaking loudly
n. Walking sounds
o. Someone’s radio or
TV
p. Someone’s iPod or
other audio device
q. Someone’s cell phone
r. Motorcycles in a
parking lot
s. Motorcycles on a
road or highway
t. Cars or trucks in a
parking lot
u. Cars or trucks on a
road or highway
v. Airplanes (propeller)
w. Jets
x. Helicopters
y. Motorboats or other
motorized watercraft
z. Engine (unknown)
aa. Park trail work
bb. Park maintenance
activities (besides
trail work)

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7. Did you hear propeller-driven airplanes, jets, helicopters, or any other aircraft during
this visit to Mount Rainier? [Topic Area 6. Individual Perceptions of their Park
Experiences]
Yes - heard . ...........
No – did not hear ....
8.

„ Skip to #10 on page 8.

During this visit to Mount Rainier, how much did sounds from airplanes, jets,
helicopters or other aircraft annoy you? [Topic Area 6. Individual Perceptions of their
Park Experiences]
Not at all ..........................................................
Slightly ............................................................
Moderately ......................................................
Very.................................................................
Extremely ........................................................

9.

On this visit to Mount Rainier, how did the sounds of aircraft affect your ability to
experience each of the following? Mark only one response for each item. [Topic Area 4-SOUND3]
Did not Detracted
experience
from
T

T

No
effect
T

a. Enjoyment of the site (NOTE: “Comet

Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be specified
in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ............................................
b. Appreciation of the natural quiet and
sounds of nature at the site (NOTE:
“Comet Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be
specified in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ............................................
c. Appreciation of the historical and cultural
significance of the site (NOTE: “Comet
Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be specified
in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ............................................

Please explain any “detracted from” responses to this question.
_______________________________________________________________
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Added
to
T

10. Did you hear cars, buses, trucks, or other motor vehicles during this visit to Mount
Rainier? [Topic Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Yes - heard . ...........
No –did not hear .....
11.

„ Skip to #13 on page 9.

During this visit to Mount Rainier, how much did sounds from cars, buses, trucks, or
other motor vehicles annoy you? [Topic Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park
Experiences]
Not at all ..........................................................
Slightly ............................................................
Moderately ......................................................
Very.................................................................
Extremely ........................................................

12.

On this visit to Mount Rainier, how did the sounds from vehicles affect your ability to
experience each of following? Mark only one response for each item. [Topic Area 4 - SOUND3]
Did not Detracted No
experience from
effect
T

T

T

d. Enjoyment of the site (NOTE: “Comet

Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be specified
in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ..............................................
e. Appreciation of the natural quiet and
sounds of nature at the site (NOTE:
“Comet Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be
specified in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ..............................................
f. Appreciation of the historical and cultural
significance of the site (NOTE: “Comet
Falls” or “Clover Lake” will be specified
in site-specific printings of the
questionnaire) ..............................................

Please explain any “detracted from” responses to this question.
_______________________________________________________________

8

Added
to
T

13.

Did you hear sounds other visitors made during this visit to Mount Rainier? [Topic
Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Yes - heard . ...........
No – did not hear ....

14.

„ Skip to #16 on page 10.

During this visit to Mount Rainier, how much did sounds other visitors made annoy
you? [Topic Area 6 – Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Not at all ..........................................................
Slightly ............................................................
Moderately ......................................................
Very.................................................................
Extremely ........................................................

15.

On this visit to Mount Rainier, how did the sounds of other visitors affect your ability to
experience each of following? Mark only one response for each item. [Topic Area 4 -SOUND3]
Did not
Detracted
experience
from No effect
T

T

T

g. Enjoyment of the site (NOTE:

“Comet Falls” or “Clover Lake” will
be specified in site-specific printings
of the questionnaire)...........................
h. Appreciation of the natural quiet and
sounds of nature at the site (NOTE:
“Comet Falls” or “Clover Lake” will
be specified in site-specific printings
of the questionnaire)...........................
i. Appreciation of the historical and
cultural significance of the site
(NOTE: “Comet Falls” or “Clover
Lake” will be specified in sitespecific printings of the
questionnaire) .....................................

Please explain any “detracted from” responses to this question.
_______________________________________________________________
9

Added
to
T

Background Information
16.

How many adults and children are in your personal group (spouse, family, friends) on
this visit to Mount Rainier? [Topic Area 1 - VARIATION GRP3]
Adults

Number

(age 16 or over)

Children (age 15 or under)
17.

Number

On this visit, are you and your personal group with the following types of groups?
[Topic Area 1 -GRP6]

18.

Guided tour group ...

Yes

No

School/educational group…

Yes

No

Other organized group…

Yes

No

What is your gender? [Topic Area 1 -GEND2]
Male ........................
Female .....................

19. In what year were you born? [Topic Area 1 - AGE1]
Year

1
20.

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Where do you live? [Topic Area 1- VARIATION RES1]

21.

United States .........

„

What is your Zip code?

Another country ....

„

What country do you live in?„

What is the highest level of formal education you have completed?
[Topic Area 1 -VARIATION ED1]
Some high school .................................................
High school diploma or GED
Some college, business or trade school
College, business or trade school graduate
Some graduate school
Graduate degree ...................................................

10

„

22.

Are you Hispanic or Latino? [Topic Area 1 - RACE/ETH2]
Yes ..........................
No............................

23.

What is your race? (Check one or more.) [Topic Area 1 - RACE/ETH3]
American Indian or Alaska Native……………..
Asian ....................................................................
Black or African American ..................................
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander ...........
White ....................................................................

Please give your questionnaire to the interviewer.
Thank you for completing the survey!
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. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. The permanent
data will be anonymous. 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: Barbara Samora, Natural Resource Manager,
Mount Rainier National Park, 55210 238th Avenue East, Ashford, WA 98304, Barbara_Samora@nps.gov.

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