COVID-19 Affecting Your Plans?

Came back from a trip to Capitol Reef. Hot and a bazillion files, but all had a great time and fairly easy to distance thanks in part to a minivan with a 21 gallon tank and superb (for the class) fuel economy of nearly 28 mpg overall, good-sized campsites, mask wearing whilst in restrooms/stores/Rowley's Red Barn, and limited trips for supplies (except ice, which melted like mad in the heat). Visitor Center and Gifford House close at noon each day for cleaning. Good Stuff!
Sulphur Creek had water earlier in our time there but by weekend it wasn't running (irrigation diversion I'm guessing). Mask wearing was spotty, but mostly non-existent. In Torrey, some places were enforcing masks/hand sanitizer (Torrey Trading Post) whilst most weren't, but we didn't feel judged if we wore them. Owner at TTP was kind about it but was clearly concerned and wanted visitors to her store to respect her wishes. Side note: we've used her place in the past for a cabin and I highly recommend the establishment.
Most hikes had none to very few people on them (exceptions: Hickman Bridge and pool/waterfall 3 at the end of Sulphur Creek) or you could easily social distance if there were people (example: Grand Wash). Hike early or late and stay in camp during the middle of the day especially if you have a treed site (hardly anyone in campground during the heat of the day). About 8 or so no-shows each night. People with license plates from all over. We play the license plate game with the kids and we got about the same haul as we usually do including such rarities (for us) like Delaware.
 
1 week from my trip to the Winds and suddenly, there is a spike in COVID in Wyoming. They are very close to hitting the limits for mandatory quarantine for the NY/NJ/CT triad. So, it looks like the rest of my group will have to cancel. Anyone with a job can't risk that quarantine. A year of planning shot.

From reports, there are enough tourists from COVID-heavy states that WY won't miss the revenue. From the little information that is available explaining the spike, it may be due in part to (a) prison in Rawlins (b) U. of Wy student parties
 
OldBill said:
1 week from my trip to the Winds and suddenly, there is a spike in COVID in Wyoming. They are very close to hitting the limits for mandatory quarantine for the NY/NJ/CT triad. So, it looks like the rest of my group will have to cancel. Anyone with a job can't risk that quarantine. A year of planning shot.

From reports, there are enough tourists from COVID-heavy states that WY won't miss the revenue. From the little information that is available explaining the spike, it may be due in part to (a) prison in Rawlins (b) U. of Wy student parties
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I've been watching this, too, since I'll be heading out there on Sunday. I too lost most of my group - for good reasons, but unfortunate nonetheless. Thankful and appreciative that one is making significant effort to join me though, so I won't be solo. I enjoy a good solo trip, but that's been all I've done so far this year and it'll be nice to have some company.
 
Back now from 10 days in this year's edition of the September Sampler of Southern Utah or S3U for short--OK I made that up cuz it is actually just called the Utah trip. This year's Utah trip is brought to you in August and for a shorter time period by Covid-19. Grrrrr..... it should have been longer and not involved so much driving. Part of that was due to us wanting to not drive across the Navajo nation, since they have been hit hard by Covid, from our wave patrol dates in Kanab to our "own" part of the trip in SE Utah.
As with our earlier Capitol Reef jaunt this summer, in most places it is the out-of-towners who wear the masks except of course in supermarkets like Honey's in Kanab. Kane County has a pretty good share of visitors although we discovered while doing the wave patrol that online wave lottery winners don't always show up this year. Once you get east of any Lake Powell access we discovered the number of visitors went WAY down, except of course, in Moab. Natural Bridges has its campground closed until at least September 10, Hovenweep apparently has no visitor center access--unlike Natural Bridges, whose VC is open. Hovenweep's campground is also apparently closed and we were told it will likely open about the same time as Natural Bridges. Kane Gulch VC is pretty much always closed in August so that was nothing new. The Needles was pretty quiet until the day we left, then it appeared to have a somewhat similar number of visitors as we typically see in late August. Moab was still pretty busy (we just drove through on way back from Needles) and there was a pretty strong wear a mask order.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
Related article: https://www.hcn.org/articles/writers-on-the-range-opinion-the-wreckreation-in-our-wild-places
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That was a really good article. Bringing up the difficult issue of how recreation is much more of a conservation issue than it's made out to be by a lot of conservation groups and gear companies, and on social media. I've got lots of internal conflict on that one and I don't know that there's much of a way to find a good balance aside from making everywhere permit-only eventually.
 
wsp_scott said:
I think this was the money quote from the article

“It might be time to establish limits on public access to protected areas and encourage changes in the behavior of recreationists.”
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We were told recently by someone in Kanab and in reference to the wave permits that Trump is considering opening up the public lands even more. We were told this with specific reference to the wave permits being increased to the tune of from 20 (currently) to as many as 96. Announcement expected in September or October.
P.S. This is NOT intended to be an endorsement of one side or the other, just reporting information from a reliable source that lives in the Kanab area and is involved with wave safety patrols.
 
Reef&Ruins said:
We were told recently by someone in Kanab and in reference to the wave permits that Trump is considering opening up the public lands even more. We were told this with specific reference to the wave permits being increased to the tune of from 20 (currently) to as many as 96. Announcement expected in September or October.
P.S. This is NOT intended to be an endorsement of one side or the other, just reporting information from a reliable source that lives in the Kanab area and is involved with wave safety patrols.
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That was the proposal the BLM made last year: https://www.thespectrum.com/story/n...liffs-national-park-hiking-trails/1137882001/

Opportunity to provide input on policies for Coyote Buttes North ("The Wave") and nearby areas

I received an email today from the BLM with the attached "Notice of Public Scoping Letter for the Proposed Change in Management of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness and Other Related Actions." If you'd like to provide ideas and feedback related to permitting for and/or maintaining...
backcountrypost.com
 
IntrepidXJ said:
That was the proposal the BLM made last year: https://www.thespectrum.com/story/n...liffs-national-park-hiking-trails/1137882001/

Opportunity to provide input on policies for Coyote Buttes North ("The Wave") and nearby areas

I received an email today from the BLM with the attached "Notice of Public Scoping Letter for the Proposed Change in Management of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness and Other Related Actions." If you'd like to provide ideas and feedback related to permitting for and/or maintaining...
backcountrypost.com
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That’s correct. Apparently there was backlash from local guides and others in the community and it went underground so to speak. But apparently the word is it is going to come back as an announcement this fall potentially as part of an opening up of public lands initiative.
 
Reef&Ruins said:
We were told recently by someone in Kanab and in reference to the wave permits that Trump is considering opening up the public lands even more. We were told this with specific reference to the wave permits being increased to the tune of from 20 (currently) to as many as 96. Announcement expected in September or October.
P.S. This is NOT intended to be an endorsement of one side or the other, just reporting information from a reliable source that lives in the Kanab area and is involved with wave safety patrols.
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So glad that we got in two visits to Coyote Buttes north in the early-mid 2000's! Other than the obvious swarming of the main features, more permits will inevitably result in way more of the un-prepared out there, than there are already.
Maybe though it will result in less visitation to CB south and White Pockets?
Back to plans affected by covid- it seems certain that our annual (since 2003) October Colorado Plateau trip won't happen, as the Canada-US border looks to remain closed to non-essential vehicle traffic for some time yet. :cry:
 
Word didn't help my November request - already got my rejection email. Five years and counting....:(
 
SteveR said:
So glad that we got in two visits to Coyote Buttes north in the early-mid 2000's! Other than the obvious swarming of the main features, more permits will inevitably result in way more of the un-prepared out there, than there are already.
Maybe though it will result in less visitation to CB south and White Pockets?
Back to plans affected by covid- it seems certain that our annual (since 2003) October Colorado Plateau trip won't happen, as the Canada-US border looks to remain closed to non-essential vehicle traffic for some time yet. :cry:
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A 17-year tradition sounds essential to me!

Sorry to hear that though. Hopefully it eases up sometime soon. I'm not optimistic with how it's being handled here, but a person can hope!
 
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"How has Covid-19 affected my plans?"

Well, I've hesitated posting this, and I don't post it for sympathy, but just to get it off my chest. Covid has affected my plans in a pretty negative way. It happened so gradually that I didn't even realize it was happening. At first it was that we were in lockdown and couldn't leave the house much. Then, they started opening things back up, but I still didn't really feel safe going out and doing much yet, so we continued to stay home. Then, I slowly realized I kind of liked the idea of not leaving the house (I've been working from home and haven't been to the office since St Patrick's Day). We got a lot of projects done around the house, so I didn't feel so bad not leaving the house much.

But, now, I look back and realize, I literally did nothing all summer. The few times I did try to plan an outing, I always found that I had little motivation to do anything so I would always find an excuse not to go, or to go but turn around well short of my intended destination. That's when it really hit me, I've become very depressed through all this. I've lost all interest in doing any of the things I would normally obsess about all summer. I even cancelled a trip at the last minute that I had been planning with friends for over a year. The morning I was supposed to leave for the trip I backed out. There were numerous other smaller trips where I'd have a plan all week to do something, then just decide to sleep in and not do anything all weekend.

Last weekend I sort of forced myself to see through a hike. I climbed a couple of peaks in the Tobacco Roots that have been on my to-do list for a while. It was so great! Even though the wind sucked, I felt so much better afterward, and I feel like I've got some motivation back to get out and do more on the weekends.

Be aware out there, my friends, this lockdown can have some very negative effects on our mental health, without us even realizing it!
 
MikeM said:
"How has Covid-19 affected my plans?"

Well, I've hesitated posting this, and I don't post it for sympathy, but just to get it off my chest. Covid has affected my plans in a pretty negative way. It happened so gradually that I didn't even realize it was happening. At first it was that we were in lockdown and couldn't leave the house much. Then, they started opening things back up, but I still didn't really feel safe going out and doing much yet, so we continued to stay home. Then, I slowly realized I kind of liked the idea of not leaving the house (I've been working from home and haven't been to the office since St Patrick's Day). We got a lot of projects done around the house, so I didn't feel so bad not leaving the house much.

But, now, I look back and realize, I literally did nothing all summer. The few times I did try to plan an outing, I always found that I had little motivation to do anything so I would always find an excuse not to go, or to go but turn around well short of my intended destination. That's when it really hit me, I've become very depressed through all this. I've lost all interest in doing any of the things I would normally obsess about all summer. I even cancelled a trip at the last minute that I had been planning with friends for over a year. The morning I was supposed to leave for the trip I backed out. There were numerous other smaller trips where I'd have a plan all week to do something, then just decide to sleep in and not do anything all weekend.

Last weekend I sort of forced myself to see through a hike. I climbed a couple of peaks in the Tobacco Roots that have been on my to-do list for a while. It was so great! Even though the wind sucked, I felt so much better afterward, and I feel like I've got some motivation back to get out and do more on the weekends.

Be aware out there, my friends, this lockdown can have some very negative effects on our mental health, without us even realizing it!
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Very similar thing with me, especially with having weekend plans and just ditching them in favor of sleeping or sitting around. I'm glad you posted this because I didn't think of it as depression until now.

I could've made time to get out even despite my move, but I always shelved everything but some easier dayhikes and kinda became a homebody this summer. And my phone screen time has skyrocketed. I finally backpacked a bit this past weekend, but the trip got cut short. I know it could only help if I got up and did more, which will now be even harder given the lower temperatures and dwindling daylight.

And let me know if you ever need a buddy for a hike or overnighter or something. I'm not too far away.
 
Jackson said:
Very similar thing with me, especially with having weekend plans and just ditching them in favor of sleeping or sitting around. I'm glad you posted this because I didn't think of it as depression until now.

I could've made time to get out even despite my move, but I always shelved everything but some easier dayhikes and kinda became a homebody this summer. And my phone screen time has skyrocketed. I finally backpacked a bit this past weekend, but the trip got cut short. I know it could only help if I got up and did more, which will now be even harder given the lower temperatures and dwindling daylight.

And let me know if you ever need a buddy for a hike or overnighter or something. I'm not too far away.
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Indeed. Screen time and alcohol use have both increased, unfortunately.

Glad you were able to get out last weekend, even if it was cut short. Yes, we need to try and meet up one weekend soon!
 
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