Government shutdown??

[Aldaron]

That's true, but while you're moving through the backcountry, you're car is setting in one place all by itself at a road.

 

[Laura]

I drove into a heavily used national park before dawn last year and no one was there-not at the gate, nowhere. I didn't pay anything. And this is when they were fully staffed. They don't have the resources to patrol the perimeters as it is, so I'm sure you can walk in if you know where to go.

On another point, exactly how can they tell me I'm trespassing on public land? Isn't that an oxymoron? I can understand not providing shuttles, not providing campsites, and not providing rangers to rescue my sorry @$$ if I get in trouble, but how can they close public land? Which is probably what they don't want us asking, because it's probably their nightmare if people realize that they do have a right to access the land.

And I will be calling my elected representatives and tell them to act like adults!

 

[Nick]

Sort of playing devils advocate here, but if you think about it, they close public land to the public in many ways all the time. Yeah, it's absolutely ridiculous but to be honest, I'd kinda rather have them close a place off than not be able to provide the resources required to keep it from getting destroyed by irresponsible people. For example, should 1,000 people be able to go hike the Subway tomorrow rather than the 80 that are usually capped by the permit system? I totally agree with the concept that we should be able to go out there no matter what, and for most areas, I'd say "screw 'em, I'm going" but some of those really busy spots that draw crowds I totally get why they would be closed right now.

I can't believe they didn't get this crap figured out today. I figured it would be a one day stunt. Good thing I'm heading to unrestricted BLM land this weekend!

 

[River]

Don't plan to visit Yellowstone or Teton NP. Taken this afternoon.

 

[Yvonne]

I wonder what will happen to BLM areas like Coyote Gulch where you need a backcountry permit. I have planned to go next week and wonder if something will happen if I still go.
I mean it's a lot of land to patrol.
Maybe I just end up doing some stuff in the Swell or Roost area because I haven't done a lot out there.

 

[Duke]

I feel for the rangers getting these assignments. Someone, far above them, making a decision to make this painful and they get the dirty end of the stick and are told to "kick the boats out" or bar the gates, etc. That would not be fun and I am certain that no one that made this decision is going to be at the "deck plate" level doing the work.

 

[Dave]

I feel for the rangers getting these assignments. Someone, far above them, making a decision to make this painful and they get the dirty end of the stick and are told to "kick the boats out" or bar the gates, etc. That would not be fun and I am certain that no one that made this decision is going to be at the "deck plate" level doing the work.

To that point, I think a lot of the rangers/LEOs personally disagree with their own actions. However, it's the job.

 

[baltocharlie]

Just do what the WWII veterans did today at the Washington Malls WWII memorial(also closed due to shutdown). And they were in wheel chairs. How the hell do you close the Mall. A huge plot of park land with massive monuments.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...c2a376-2ab4-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

They also are closing the federally owned bike commuting paths in DC. Time to critical mass ride them.

 

[Aldaron]

They had some congressmen with them. That probably helped.

 

[baltocharlie]

So, if you are a congressman in the US, you can close the government except when YOU want to open it. You can also send workers home w/out pay, all the while collecting your own pay. What a gig they got going.

 

[Seldom Seen Anderson]

I wonder what will happen to BLM areas like Coyote Gulch where you need a backcountry permit. I have planned to go next week and wonder if something will happen if I still go.
I mean it's a lot of land to patrol.
Maybe I just end up doing some stuff in the Swell or Roost area because I haven't done a lot out there.

The BLM in Washington/Iron counties sound like will all be on furloughs I think the Spectrum said 744 of 750. Makes you wonder about other places managed by BLM?

 

[powderglut]

Heading out for Escalante this AM, until Monday. Meeting up with quite a few people. I know they have plans to see some of the popular stuff off HITR rd. and Sheffield/Spencer. Should be interesting.

 

[gnwatts]

We were going to head to my favorite aspen grove, on the trail from Maroon Lake to Crater lake, but no go. We might drive over to Crested Butte on the back road, they can't close that and it has one of the largest aspen groves in the world.

 

[slc_dan]

Even the websites are closed.

http://www.nps.gov/shutdown/index.html

 

[gnwatts]

From Romeo and Juliet:

Mercutio

..... A plague o' both your houses!

Amen brother.

 

[pixie1339]

We were going to head to my favorite aspen grove, on the trail from Maroon Lake to Crater lake, but no go. We might drive over to Crested Butte on the back road, they can't close that and it has one of the largest aspen groves in the world.

They closed the road to Maroon Bells? I thought they weren't going to be gating off Forest Service lands. WTF!?

 

[Laura]

I applaud the veterans and as a labor representative am embarrassed that I didn't think of it myself-when committing civil disobedience do it in large groups! I'm betting their funding bill gets passed today as a result. I do agree with Nick and wouldn't want to see fragile lands overrun, and I definitely sympathize with the rangers as I'm sure they'd rather be doing anything else at this point (and btw, the "fight" I was talking about wouldn't be with the ranger telling me to leave, it'd be with the courts if they tried to make a trespassing charge stick). However, I don't think you can legally charge someone with trespassing on public land.

Apparently a funding bill was introduced yesterday to fund the national parks but it was killed by the Senate. I plan to write both my senators, who are ardent environmentalists and who I've supported their entire career, and say that I want this one passed. It's not just about my trip; when I travel I stay in locally owned places, eat at local places, have used local guides-it's also about the economy, stupid! When the local economy profits from visitors to national parks and other public places, that's leverage to keep the oil/gas/development giants away and preserve the land. I'm just getting started!

 

[pixie1339]

Apparently a funding bill was introduced yesterday to fund the national parks but it was killed by the Senate. I plan to write both my senators, who are ardent environmentalists and who I've supported their entire career, and say that I want this one passed. It's not just about my trip; when I travel I stay in locally owned places, eat at local places, have used local guides-it's also about the economy, stupid! When the local economy profits from visitors to national parks and other public places, that's leverage to keep the oil/gas/development giants away and preserve the land. I'm just getting started!

The problem with the "mini-bills" the GOP is trying to introduce is that if passed, it would still effectively allow them to hold parts of the government hostage until they get what they want. I want the parks open just as badly as anyone else, however, I don't think it's fair to allow only a few factions of the government to open, while telling everyone else that they're shit out of luck. I think the Senate is doing the right thing by shutting down these bills because ALL of the government needs to open again. Ultimately I think the shut down will end more quickly if it isn't broken down into phases.

 

[Nick]

Agreed @pixie1339. There's a lot of people getting screwed that don't make great news stories like vets getting locked out of the memorial but they deserve to get back to work just the same as the rest of them.

 

[Laura]

Agreed @pixie1339. There's a lot of people getting screwed that don't make great news stories like vets getting locked out of the memorial but they deserve to get back to work just the same as the rest of them.

Sure they do, but organizing speaks volumes. If you're getting screwed and sitting there silently taking it, don't get angry when those that acted up and organized get results. The squeaky wheel axiom works.