"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.
Cherokee National Forest is open. Facilities are still closed.
New Hampshire is looking rough. The AMC High Mountain Huts and the AMC White Mountain Hiker Shuttle are closed for the rest of the season. https://www.outdoors.org/articles/ne...s-for-covid-19
Thanks for your guidance and considerations in protecting the trail, and the people.
The huts probably should stay closed until this ordeal is completely over. They would require thorough cleanings and disinfecting which would add a lot to the costs, and they really want to prevent people congregating. Trails are to start opening soon according to https://www.fs.usda.gov/whitemountain
Although the Governor Scott's stay-at-home provisions in Vermont extend through May 15, 2020, the Green Mountain Club, which monitors the 100 miles of AT in Vermont, has different protocols for trail use. The trail is normally closed for mud season through the end of May. Due to COVID-19, trails have not been maintained, and the GMC has requested that people stay off the trail. I recently posted the latest information in the Long Trail Forum.
Anybody seen anything about trail crowding around Davenport Gap/Hot Springs, NC/Erwin, TN on the AT? Any closures anyone is aware of? Authorities keeping people off AT?
You can find some of the closures and restrictions by State on this site, https://appalachiantrail.org/explore.../a-t-closures/.
Looks like GSMNP is doing a "phased" reopening. Does anyone have any more info? Would love to hike the AT or BMT mid May. Thank you in advance.
This cuts down the remaining camping options in the Northern Presidentials (Jefferson, Madison and Adams) in NH. NH is slowly starting to reopen for state residents in May but every indication is that it will be July at the earliest before out of state residents will be allowed recreational access due to the much higher Corona Virus Impact in Massachusetts. If the state opens up earlier it is expected that Mass residents will rush in risking a possible uptick in virus cases. There still is dispersed camping options off the ridgeline but in many cases its 1000 foot loss of elevation and about a mile of trail.
Trying to enforce a no camping order is going to be a thankless job for the caretaker. Crag Camp could in theory be locked, but the Perch is wide open and is usually at overcapacity. How do you tell 20 people late afternoon or early evening they can't stay and for all practical purposes, there is nowhere else to go? All you can do is give them a lecture.
But it's the ATV'ers we're really worried about. They come in droves and have more direct and frequent contact with locals.
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I understand your concern about MA.
We live in one of the hardest hit areas of the state and have not been in any stores for well over a month, so I don’t have my finger on the pulse of things “out there”.
That said, I was rather discouraged while waiting for curbside pickups at Home Depot and Lowes last week.
Employees and customers alike were only paying casual attention to 6’ distancing. At Home Depot customers had to walk a couple feet by an employee with a clicker at the door keeping count of patrons. Not one person asked him to step away. Many customers and some employees I saw going in or out didn’t have masks.
Not impressed with people on local trails either.
I have no reason to think they will be exhibiting any more caution when they get up to your area.
Unfortunately I think you will see a lot of my fellow Bay Staters earning the “MH” nickname for real.
I was bored this morning and looked at airplane flights to Maine. My thought is maybe do a section in July since states seem to be opening up. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Maine's governor has issued an executive order (early April) mandating a 14 day quarantine for anyone coming into Maine from out of state. Supposedly the executive order ended April 30, but the Portland airport website has the warning in a banner on the home page as of this morning.
So, my question - Has the executive order expired or did it get extended? I searched this thread, the official Maine website and on Google and can find nothing.
Maine is only just starting to re-open. The executive orders have been extended, with business just now starting to resume in a staged approach. The staging information can be found here: https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine
In a nutshell - Lodging does not open to anyone from out of state until July. Lodging opens to Mainers in June. Anyone entering Maine is supposed to self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state. That means no contact (grocery stores, shuttles, etc) with anyone from the state.
Baxter has not changed their plans for opening before July. Hostels really have not announced their plans for opening. You would need to check with the individual hostels to see when/if they plan on opening.
Don't let the low number of COVID-19 numbers fool you - the virus is here. We have not had the ability to test those outside of hospitals, the healthcare community, and nursing homes. The general public has seen very little testing. Maine is one of the states that is beginning to open, though our number of positive cases is still on the rise. Maine did a fantastic job of initially keeping its number of positive cases low in the general public. As more summer people show up, the numbers will increase even more.
Please keep in mind all plans are still very fluid (and subject to change) for this state.
And you expect any of us to know?
But from what I can find, August is still the official end of the quarantine, but there is a push by the tourist industry to open up in July. The 2 weeks quarantine is aimed at the seasonal residents, but apparently applies to everyone entering the state for more then a day trip. Hard to say if the Governor will give into the lobbying or not.
The most important question is: "Can you be 100% sure you won't catch the virus while traveling and if you do, what's going to happen when it kicks in while in the middle of nowhere, Maine?" As more people decide it's okay to travel, the greater the chance of catching this. Is this a risk your really willing to take?
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Various states have 14 day quarantine (isolation) rules currently active. Sometimes this is for all visitors and sometimes limited to visitors from hotspots. Florida has one for visitors from hotspots doesn't it Idsailor?
"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.
And yet, you and Water Rat had more information than I could find.
Thanks for the information. If Maine allows it, yes, I will travel to the state. It's either that or I might as well curl up into a ball and suck my thumb until they find a cure.
Earlier Florida Governor DeSantis had a quarantine order on anyone arriving from New York, but it was kind of a joke. There was no way to enforce it. I don't even know if it is still in effect today.