COVID-19 Affecting Your Plans?

IntrepidXJ said:
I was hoping to head that direction this weekend, but now we are under a 'stay at home order' in Colorado...
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Until the actual order is made public (I can't find it anywhere online), I wouldn't worry about it too much. According to this article:

Despite the “stay-at-home” instruction, people will still be allowed to attend to essential tasks: going to the grocery store, filling prescriptions, doing laundry and picking up take-out food. Taking walks and hikes are still fine, as long as you stay six feet from the nearest person.
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Or, you could get some take-out food while in Utah and still be within the letter of the law. :D
 
Udink said:
Until the actual order is made public (I can't find it anywhere online), I wouldn't worry about it too much. According to this article:
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Yeah, it's not posted yet...I've been trying to look at the actual order. No matter what, my job is considered essential, so I still have to go to work.
 
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IntrepidXJ said:
Yeah, it's not posted yet...I've been trying to look at the actual order. No matter what, my job is considered essential, so I still have to go to work.
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The full order has been posted here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16nO05S6q0AGBew32r0NYelifwk11uDMO/view

I think I'm still good for this weekend based on this:

They can leave their home to:

To engage in outdoor activity, such as, walking, hiking, nordic skiing, snowshoeing,
biking or running. For purposes of outdoor activity, State parks will remain open to the
public to engage in walking, hiking, biking, running, and similar outdoor activities but all
playgrounds, picnic areas, other similar areas conducive to public gathering, and
attended areas shall be closed.
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For anyone thinking that UT is a safe place to escape the pandemic, "substantial numbers" of LDS missionaries are coming home early from their N American and overseas assignments, asked to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival.

A matrix detailing the changes was released Monday afternoon by the Utah Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a letter to Utah stake presidents. It showed that:
• All elders serving in the U.S. and Canada who have served 21 months or more will be released. Men serve for 24 months under normal circumstances.
• All American and Canadian elders returning from serving in other countries due to the pandemic will be released if they have served 18 months.
• All American and Canadian sisters returning from serving in other countries because of the pandemic will be released if they have served 15 months. Women are called to serve for 18 months....
The reductions in missionary service time were not a surprise. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced some mission lengths would be reduced in a letter Friday that said “substantial numbers” of missionaries would return to their home countries.
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source: Deseret News, 23 March 2020

and what "substantial numbers" might mean, and how well the self-quarantine plan is working:

When officials of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chartered five flights to evacuate more than 1,600 missionaries out of the Philippines due to the coronavirus, Salt Lake City International Airport spelled out ground rules for their arrival: Two people could greet each missionary, and they had to wait at their cars. Instead, hundreds of people gathered Sunday with balloons and welcome signs in the short-term parking garage at the airport, heedless of health officials’ pleas to avoid crowds larger than 10.
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source: SL Tribune, 23 March 2020
 
Ben said:
Idaho is shutting down non essential businesses for 21 days by governor order.
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Yes...everyone stay away......
 
Too bad there couldn't be a solo backpacker provision. For anyone not familiar with how things are in Tennessee, practically everything worth going to(waterfalls, arches, scenery in general) is in a freaking state park. Might have to start checking out some wilderness areas that I never go to...

The backcountry sites part really chaps my ass:mad:
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On another note, my friend in NC was just telling me about hordes of people on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The locals, and even Floridians that come north.
Perfect opportunity to bash the Florida people. He and his wife moved up there from FL:roflmao:

Business as usual in Alabama State Parks, but we don't have the visitation, particularly hikers/backpackers that TN or NC do.
 
OldBill said:
They closed Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks today along with Great Smoky. The latter I can understand as it was ridiculously overcrowded with many violations of distancing. I thought Yellowstone and Grand Teton are quiet at this time. Plenty of room to spread out. Apparently it was due to pressure from the 2 governors. Maybe to stop tourism entirely?

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireS...on-join-national-parks-closing-gates-69774141
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Rocky Mountain National Park was closed not because it's so busy or the social distancing wasn't being maintained, but because the small town of Estes Park would be easily overwhelmed and unable to care for people who started showing symptoms of illness. Not to mention tourists will be gassing up, buying food in convenience stores and grocery stores, etc. I'm guessing Jackson, and the various small towns around Yellowstone also heavily weighed those factors in asking the parks be closed.

But I was in the Grand Tetons last year about this time and it is indeed quiet. And wonderful! (although half the roads are closed)
 
I can't speak for Grant Teton, but in Yellowstone this time of year there are only a few roads even open. So, while there aren't as many tourists, the few that are there only have so many places to go. And this time of year you can't really get out and hike to spread out either. So, I think a major factor was the crowding at the few points of interest that are open. Also, the towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone have 0 facilities, so it would probably overwhelm Bozeman (Gallatin County) which already has our highest number of cases in the state.
 
Rockskipper said:
@Outdoor_Fool - would train hopping be a good idea right now - there's a line not far from my house and I have cabin fever really bad. I could hop a freight to SLC and back just for something to do. Probably pretty low contact... :)
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Hey @Rockskipper I would say that anytime is a good time but in the times of Covid-19, it may not be great. Could see some legal issues with local law enforcement if there are any lockdowns along the way. Sounds pretty crazy in the lesser 48. We're still doing OK up here but there's no way I would spend too much time in Anchorage right now. We're taking the recommended precautions and luckily we have some wild lands to play in about 1/4 mile away. If spring/summer ever show up, we'll probably go on about our usual plans for outdoor stuff. We'll see what develops in the coming months.

The way our tourist industry is taking a hit this year, even the busier locales may be dead quiet.

Overall, looks like the Africa plans are blown up as well as Yellowstone area next fall. Things could change mightily between now and then so we'll see.

Stay healthy everyone!
 
OwenM said:
Too bad there couldn't be a solo backpacker provision. For anyone not familiar with how things are in Tennessee, practically everything worth going to(waterfalls, arches, scenery in general) is in a freaking state park. Might have to start checking out some wilderness areas that I never go to...

The backcountry sites part really chaps my ass:mad:
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DBNF is still open as is BSF, I'll bet you can find somewhere to hike in one of those "areas" :)

Totally agree about the solo part, my goal is to not see anyone when I backpack :)
 
I got a DM on Instagram last night from someone who likes my photos and was looking for recommendations about hikes in the Four Corners region since they are tired of being stuck in their little apartment in Chicago and are driving down to an AirBnB in the Four Corners region of Utah this weekend for a couple of weeks to get away during this pandemic...
 
IntrepidXJ said:
I got a DM on Instagram last night from someone who likes my photos and was looking for recommendations about hikes in the Four Corners region since they are tired of being stuck in their little apartment in Chicago and are driving down to an AirBnB in the Four Corners region of Utah this weekend for a couple of weeks to get away during this pandemic...
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Anyone who is tired of it all right now, should try a lot harder to think about loads of healthcare workers now suited up in full gear working very long hours right now to help COVID-19 patients.

Think about reaching out to families of teachers who suddenly converted everything to on-line teaching overnight. Reach out to the families working in healthcare and see what we can do to help them.

Next Tuesday we use the Jeep to help a neighbor pick up 700 lbs of food that has to go from one food bank to another, as she can't do it alone with her car. So we will use 2 cars and keep our distance.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
I got a DM on Instagram last night from someone who likes my photos and was looking for recommendations about hikes in the Four Corners region since they are tired of being stuck in their little apartment in Chicago and are driving down to an AirBnB in the Four Corners region of Utah this weekend for a couple of weeks to get away during this pandemic...
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What were your recommendations? ;)
 
IntrepidXJ said:
I got a DM on Instagram last night from someone who likes my photos and was looking for recommendations about hikes in the Four Corners region since they are tired of being stuck in their little apartment in Chicago and are driving down to an AirBnB in the Four Corners region of Utah this weekend for a couple of weeks to get away during this pandemic...
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I hope you took the opportunity to educate them on how that could be a poor decision. I'm all for getting out to places near home, but that is insane. They could get in trouble in many states they pass through, and they could get kicked out of where they're trying to stay. Totally nuts.
 
Jackson said:
I hope you took the opportunity to educate them on how that could be a poor decision. I'm all for getting out to places near home, but that is insane. They could get in trouble in many states they pass through, and they could get kicked out of where they're trying to stay. Totally nuts.
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In particular I worry about the Native American population in the Four Corners. Many have high-risk comorbidities (diabetes, etc.) and healthcare infrastructure is minimal to non-existent on the reservations.
 
fossana said:
In particular I worry about the Native American population in the Four Corners. Many have high-risk comorbidities (diabetes, etc.) and healthcare infrastructure is minimal to non-existent on the reservations.
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The Navajo Nation seems to have quite a few cases so far, and they are on a lockdown. I was supposed to be backpacking on the Rez next week, but that's obviously not happening anymore.
 
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