I saw this recently mentioning the rangers will not be chasing anyone in SNP. Wish there was someone to call!
http://www.wtop.com/892/3468610/Answ...ine-Drive-open
I saw this recently mentioning the rangers will not be chasing anyone in SNP. Wish there was someone to call!
http://www.wtop.com/892/3468610/Answ...ine-Drive-open
One thing to consider:
Even IF most places won't/can't enforce closure of the AT or another facility, if you proceed, you run the risk of encountering a Law Enforcement Ranger who: a. Takes his/her job very seriously, or b. Has a bad attitude (take your pick). In either case, you'll get a ticket and a fine.
Looking for authoritative information about access to national forests during the shutdown, I looked at ...
Green Mountain National Forest website:
Which took me to this useless statement:Due to the lapse in federal government funding, the U.S. Forest Service, as with other federal agencies, is closed with the exception of certain essential services. However, we will attempt to make timely updates about public health and safety on these web pages as appropriate. We sincerely regret this inconvenience. For general information on Forest Service shutdown procedures, please visit USDA’s website.
USDA's website:
So the US Forest Service is closed. What's that, an office? No clarity about whether the forest itself is closed. The ATC announcement linked earlier in this thread said the AT is "closed across the approximately 700 miles managed by the National Park Service". Logically then, until informed otherwise from an authoritative governmental source, I conclude that the AT is NOT closed through the GMNF.Due to the lapse in federal government funding, this website is not available. After funding has been restored, please allow some time for this website to become available again.
Feeling hopeful about our upcoming hike.
Why would he lie? No reason.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
The 2 ATC maintaining clubs in VT are the Dartmouth Outing Club and the Green Mountain Club. I'd contact them if I had any questions about hiking in Vermont rather than the bureaucrats. I would expect that the ATC could also answer your questions.
I called Grayson Highlands today and the ranger there said the AT South into Mount Rogers was open as far as Damascus per his instructions, and there was no closings on the trail north until SNP.
Uumm...yeah. Actually the AT IS closed within the boundaries of ALL national parks that it goes thru. Sorry if you can't accept that as fact. The guy that posted that he was kicked out of SNP would have no reason to make that up and the park service has stated that they have rangers/law enforcement patrolling the trails and enforcing the shutdown. Every single NP has issued statements that ALL trails, including the AT, ARE closed. So you hit a point where the rangers were lazy and not caring about the shutdown. You are an exception, NOT the rule.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Based on published statements from various Forest Service officials around the country, it seems Forest Service lands are open for hiking....
I found this on Ravalli Republic (Montana):
http://www.ravallirepublic.com/news/...ment_form=true"As long as a ranger or contracting officer isn’t needed nearby, the public can continue to play and work in national forests during the federal government shutdown.
"“As long as they don’t need a contracting officer to do the work they’re doing, they can continue operating,” Forest Service Region 1 spokesman Brandan Schulze said on Tuesday morning. “People using undeveloped campgrounds that don’t have a ranger present can still stay there. The trails will still be open. I don’t imagine people are going to get rapped behind gates.”"
And this from Summit Daily (Colorado):
“We aren’t really allowed to say much at this point,” said Bill Kight, the public affairs officer with the White River National Forest. He was in the office wrapping up loose ends for a few hours on Tuesday morning before leaving the headquarters, he said.
“People are still going to hike on trails and recreate on the land, but facilities will be closed,” Kight said.
http://www.summitdaily.com/news/8363923-113/forest-service-shutdown-closed
And this from Ohio:
Trails for all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and horseback riders are closed, as are campgrounds at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area near Ironton and Leith Run Recreation Area near Marietta, said spokesman Gary Chauncey.
Parts of Wayne National Forest remain open to hunting and all hiking trails remain open, Chauncey said.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...shut-down.html
Crescit Eundo
Well, about 50 other SOBO's are also the "exception". Not sure why you are even making any "argument" here based on what you saw on Facebook. I am here (SNP), you are not. I talked directly to a ranger in SNP, and he assured me the AT itself would not be affected. Did you talk to a ranger directly? I think not. I slept in a shelter at the north end of SNP with 10 (crowded!) other SOBO's last night who were bummed only because the waysides were closed, but they certainly were not in the least concerned about any perceived or actual "closures" of the AT. There is nothing at either end of any NP I've passed through along the AT that would in any way tell a hiker that the next section of the trail is in any way closed. There are only self-registration permit stations. Never ever saw a ranger on the trail in either SNP or GSMNP. I call a very large BS to any current policing of the AT within these NP's. Basically, any NP rangers would be doing so on their own time. Why would they??? Makes zero sense. In any case, I know FIRST HAND that the AT within the SNP is alive and well (technically "closed" or not) and actually quite busy with perhaps the main wave of SOBO's. A fine groups of folks, by the way.
Get in touch with reality. FACEBOOK is not in this realm. Hike on.
Just walked 26 miles out of the south-end of SNP today. I saw no rangers on the trail today, at all. The only sign of the shutdown was the blockade on Skyline Drive (see attached photo).
However, my other SoBo friends were told to leave the park today. But they stayed at a pay campsite the night before and were told the park was closed promptly in the morning. Sooooo, stay stealthy and hike on! The rangers don't seem like they're out to get us.
Folks, another reminder. Please don't get political with the thread, or they'll shut it down. That doesn't help anyone. We all understand the frustration and we all would like to vent as well, but please don't.
Thank you.
I'm currently living on private property inside Glacier National Park.
When I drove back to Apgar Village after working at the Inn outside the Park all day, I arrived to find the road barricaded. The LEO finally let me through when I convinced her that I live here in a house on private property. (There are a number of private dwellings inside the Park.) She cautioned me that I must remain in my private residence and not "recreate" in the Park. (So...all customers are being kept away from our privately-owned store.) And I will not be walking to the lake front tonight.
People who were in front-country campgrounds were given 48 hours to leave.
At the Inn, which is just outside the Park, we had a number of customers today who were quickly reconfiguring their vacations. Most of them are heading for Canada.
If not NOW, then WHEN?
ME>GA 2006
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3277
Instagram hiking photos: five.leafed.clover
Here is a letter from the ATC Director of conservation that may clear up some things:
And, here is the sign:From: Bob Proudman [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 2:50 PM
To:
Cc:
Subject: Message to A.T. Volunteers
Dear A.T. Volunteers:
As you all know now, at midnight September 30, the U.S. government shut down. All National Park Service units including the Appalachian National Scenic Trail are closed. All of our ATC Trail crews and seasonal staff are now exiting the woods and will stop working on federal lands for the duration of the shutdown.
A.T. maintainers and Trail club volunteers should cease work on the A.T. and its side trails immediately. The NPS Volunteers in the Parks program (on NPS and some state lands) is suspended. The Volunteers in the Forests program is also suspended. In the event of an accident, lack of those protections would expose A.T. workers, their clubs, and ATC to tort claims and medical costs. Therefore, all A.T. maintenance must cease for the duration of the shutdown.
National park lands are closed to public use. Except for two NPS-APPA NPS law-enforcement officers (Chief Ranger Todd Remaley and Park Ranger Travis Baker), all APPA park personnel have been furloughed, as have most of the staff in the six national park units crossed by the Trail. Incident reporting remains as in the past (see http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiki...rt-an-incident). We urge your compliance in honoring the closures on our national parks and avoiding use of national park lands during the federal government shutdown.
We have learned from the USDA Forest Service that—unless an area can be gated—it will remain open. This is also the case on state lands crossed by the A.T.
The ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, is owned by the NPS, and the agency has determined that it must be closed for the duration of the shutdown.
For A.T. volunteers in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, northern Virginia and the Catawba Valley in Southwest Virginia (NPS-APPA administered lands excepting state lands) the attached signs can be laminated and posted at bulletin boards at Trail heads warning the visiting public about the closure. For this task only, volunteers are covered by VIP until noon tomorrow, October 2, 2013. I have also enclosed a fact sheet from the Department of Interior.
If you have any other questions, please call your ATC regional office http://www.appalachiantrail.org/who-we-are/locations or me here at ATC-HQ. We pulled your names from two lists, so there may be duplicates of this email, with apology.
Thank you for your outstanding service to the Appalachian Trail, ATC and our federal, state and local agency partners.
Bob
Robert Proudman
Director of Conservation Operations
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
799 Washington Street | PO Box 807
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425-0807
.
park-closed-sign.png
crazy! Hope they come to an agreement in DC! Weird how your prospective changes when your effected by some government shut down like this. I am bummed, but I think of the others like motels,planes,rental cars,local restaurants,shuttle dudes,hiker supplies,web site that sell camp stuff, and on and on! We all lose when the great ones in doc that we sent can't figure out that what they do matters! Any way bummed in Wake Forest NC that my sons and my 18th hike through the north GSMNP my be on hold! Hope the get their act together by then. For all our souls! any good 3night 4day hikes close to this? I stopped last year at Clingsman Dome on my way to K. So the north end of the GSMNP fit my plan, but whatever! It is what it is and life goes on. Any ideas for a good hike? Can we get from Standing Bear to Hot Springs in 4hike days? My 16year old son has never hiked before, so trying not to overdo it.
.
If you go to the Department of the Interior page this message is at the top.Due to the lapse in appropriated funds, all public lands managed by the Interior Department (National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management facilities, etc.) will be closed. For more information, FAQs, and updates, please visit www.doi.gov/shutdown.
Following the above link leads to the NPS contingency page.
News Release 10/1/2013 is attached.NPS-Shutdown-News-Release.pdfDEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
CONTINGENCY PLAN ONE PAGER SUMMARY
As stated in its original authorizing legislation, the National Park Service mission is to “preserve
unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the
enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”
The National Park Service manages over 84 million acres in all 50 States and Territories in 401 park
units that preserve, protect, and share the history of this land and its people. Nearly 287 million
people visited the national parks in 2012 and NPS works to provide visitor services in partnership
with over 250,000 volunteers.
Services and programs that will remain operational.
• Law enforcement including the U.S. Park Police and emergency and disaster assistance.
• Firefighting and monitoring.
• Border and coastal protection and surveillance.
• Limited management of ongoing projects that are funded from non-lapsing appropriations.
• Access to through roads.
Services and programs that will be ceased.
• All national parks will be closed and secured.
• Visitor centers and other facilities will be closed.
• Education programs and special events will be canceled.
• Permits for special events will be rescinded.
• Guests staying in hotels and campgrounds will be notified of the closure and given 48 hours to make
alternate arrangements and leave the park.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
Just got emails from GSMNP that my reservations have been canceled. Waste of time staying up to 2am to get the reservation several days back. Hope they will honor my reservations if the great ones in DC get it together in next few days. HIKE ON!!!!!
MIller
If not NOW, then WHEN?
ME>GA 2006
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3277
Instagram hiking photos: five.leafed.clover
I read online how Smoky national park is closed. Roads, trails, and everything else. What does that really mean? Does that mean I can't hike out there? Thanks for the help.
Means exactly that, it's closed.
You could theoretically park on the edge of the park at a trailhead and hike in, but the Park is closed for business, which means you're less likely to encounter NPS personnel and you may(may, being the operative word here) have to expect SAR personnel to take a little longer in reaching you if you need it. Your guess is as good as mine if there's some kind of penalty if you do that though.
FS and BLM lands are still "open" although developed campsites are closed. Maybe go hiking in one of the many National Forests NC has?
"You know your camping trip really isn't going well when you find yourself hoping to stave off sepsis with a six-pack of Icehouse. "
"Age is not an accomplishment, and youth is not a sin."