I was thinking about doing the Art Loeb trail instead.
I was thinking about doing the Art Loeb trail instead.
Do southbounders have to go around since the park is closed?
It's closed so they aren't legally permitted on it, so...yes?
Like I said, I don't think anything is stopping someone from just walking in, but there might be a penalty if you get caught.
"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."
"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."
I believe the ATC policy is that if a section of trail is officially closed for any reason, that it is not required to complete an official thru hike. This happens on occasion along the AT when an area is closed due to fire danger or storm damage. After Hurricane Irene, the Green Mountain National Forest and the White Mountain National Forest in VT and NH was officially closed for several weeks and thru hikers did not need to do these sections (some did out of general principle). I expect the same rule would apply for a federal government shutdown.
From what I've read elsewhere (sorry, I didn't save the links) there won't be any trail maintenance going on, but hikers are free to hike through the parks. Some may be closed off, but most will not have anyone preventing you from hiking through. As far as I can tell, this only applies to the AT, FTA and most other long distance trails. Shorter day hikes, which are enclosed in one park may be closed. Just don't expect rescue or any help from anyone if, in the hopefully unlikely event, you need it.
If you go missing they won't come looking for you. They are asking for volunteer experienced hikers to continue the search for this missing Idaho woman.
Shutdown hits search for missing Boise hiker at Craters of the Moon.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/1...rs-search.html
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/1...#storylink=cpy
They do actually have personnel posted at the parks to prevent poaching. Sweet alliteration. They are considered essential.
~Trudging the road of happy destiny~
I can't speak for the Smokies or Shenandoah, but I know Rocky Mtn NP gave visitors 48hrs to leave their front country and backcountry campsites. No new permits were given.
(Same way Marta described Glacier)
I was on a trip this weekend to RMNP. The backcountry just opened up after it was closed due to flooding and we ended the trip the day before it closed due to govt shutdown. Wow..talk about timing!
Last edited by Mags; 10-02-2013 at 10:09.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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Twitter: @pmagsco
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The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
The Shenandoah webcam is still up and running! They must not have noticed it...
http://www.nps.gov/webcams-shen/pinnacles.jpg
"Waning Gibbous" would be a great trail name.
Politico says hikers will 'not be shooed off the AT.' http://www.politico.com/story/2013/1...ges-97618.html
From the PCTA, but may be applicable to he AT as well:
http://www.pcta.org/2013/how-the-fed...the-pct-14684/
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
Anyone know if the road through rockfish gap in Va is still open?
I did a road trip out to the Shenandoah Valley, VA today. While on US29 going through the Central/North part of the park I passed a 'Trail Closed' sign appended to the concrete post at the Pass Mountain Trail. When I got to the top of the mountain the entrance station was deserted and the road was gated. When I got to the bottom of the mountain I passed the SNP headquarters. There was a park employee out front with a sign that said "We want to work!". I went into Luray, vA, then traveled up US340 to Front Royal. When I got to the north entrance to Skyline Drive again the entrance station was abandoned and the road was gated. I have uploaded a picture of this. Also, as I was approaching the entrance station a yearling bear leisurely was crossing the road. I could not get my cell phone out in time. There were cars parked along the entrance drive outside the north entrance as well as along US29 near the central entrance so people were accessing the park.
This sucks because no official word has come out from most of the national forests...we have a 6 hour drive to Dolly Sods, and still don't have any idea whether the fire road gates will be open. It's quite a walk from the gates to the trail head we want to use. I think no one has told the person in charge at each National Forest the official spiel. I do know that I am reading that GWNF has closed signs at major trail heads, and at the same time have found a press release from Plumas NF that "Visitors may continue to enjoy traveling on forest system roads and trails, cut firewood with a permit, hunt and camp, among other activities. All campgrounds without gates are open although services are curtailed."
Does anyone have a clue whether that is the stance of all national forests?
Thanks for the report. I imagine you're referring to US 211 or US 33 in terms of a highway crossing through the north-central part of SNP, because US 29 runs parallel to the Blue Ridge along the east (Piedmont) side, and never crosses the mountains. It does not cross SNP at any point, either.
FWIW, I've seen listings like those which are cited at #117 concerning National Forests here in NC. "Visitors may use undeveloped NF recreation areas, but developed facilities will be closed during the Federal shut-down".
AO
The Hiking Upward Facebook page just posted this, which directly contradicts what you posted:
So are you planning on hiking this weekend? Here are the basics of the closures: All federal Park or Forestry Lands including the Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, Jefferson National Forest, and Monongahela National Forest are closed. State Parks and Municipal Lands are not included in this restriction.
I asked them for citation, because of the evidence others have posted that National Forests are still open.
"This is the time of year when many southbound thru-hikers along the Appalachian Trail pass through the Smokies. During the government shutdown, those thru-hikers can complete the 70 miles of the A.T. through the park at their own pace, but they have to remain on the trail and not leave to resupply in Gatlinburg as many typically do."
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/oc...sse-continues/
This is via knox news. I also herd a story yesterday an elderly man was at alum cave trail and was approached by a ranger that stated the park was closed. The man then told the ranger "i hike this trail every tuesday morning,i pay for this park, im hiking up to the bluff today, if you wanna stop me, shoot me. Story goes the ranger said "well im not going to do that sir" and left.