Stan
Well-known member
Anyone know the status of Livermore and Greely Ponds Trails which were scheduled to be temorarily closed for construction? The contingency plans website is closed down and there doesn't seem to be any update on the NFS alerts.
Government shutdown...
- Thread starter bikehikeskifish
- Start date
Help Support vftt.org:
Casual Hiker
New member
I'm assuming the Lincoln Woods parking lot is gated. Is that correct? I was planning on heading up this weekend, but now, who knows?
With regards to Lincoln woods parking lot, I would assume it is open unless the FS changes its current shutdown policy. The outhouses may be closed and the cabin not staffed but it is normally run by USFS rather than a contractor and the current policy is that access is being allowed to the public on USFS lands (180 degree opposite of NPS policy which is lock it all down)..
Casual Hiker
New member
Fantastic! That's great news. It's great to hear that there are some people with common sense in charge there. Now I'll just be hoping for some nice weather.
Kevin Rooney
New member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2003
- Messages
- 3,667
- Reaction score
- 354
This apparent difference may be regional, not national. Am reading about instances of USFS closures in the West, particularly in the Sierra and San Bernardino Mtns, my old stomping grounds.
Daniel Eagan
Active member
Also closures in the Coronado National Forest near Tucson.
Lawn Sale
New member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2005
- Messages
- 899
- Reaction score
- 97
OMG that was funny.
Bernerbabe said:
There is a gate (multiple ones actually) and it is closed. Apparently the Rangers are pretty rude at people asking about the status, to the point of calling them names. I have not heard this firsthand, but on a reliable account. They are still letting cyclists, walkers, and rollerbladers in at the present time and it is still staffed at the gatehouse. BUT, when it was closed this past spring the wife and I took our bikes there for some enjoyment, and they still charged people to get through the gate onto the park road. We stayed at Blackwoods and thus had a Park Pass already, but many who went to bike were miffed since all the news agencies (even on the TV) reported you could bike/use the road for free. Incidentally, Blackwoods has been cleared out of all campers since it resides technically within the Park. They are even citing people found in the Park.
"The Recreation.gov website is not available due to a lapse in funding for the federal government. As the situation evolves we will provide additional information about how our services and reservations may be affected. For now, the site is temporarily unavailable. We invite visitors to return to this site for additional information after this situation is resolved. Please click here for additional information."
This is not about money, don't think for a minute it is. It's about a message.
* The Navy-Air Farce (I'm Army) game was cancelled due to the government shutdown, but people at the top complained that not only is it funded through private donations, it generates over $4 Million in revenue.
* Lake Mead residents, who own their homes, are evicted because they are on federal land.
* NPS Orders Closure of Park that Receives No Federal Funding: “You do have to wonder about the wisdom of an organization that would use staff they don’t have the money to pay to evict visitors from a park site that operates without costing them any money,”
* Shutting down the VIEW to Mt Rushmore, "...he had seen photos of the coned-off viewing areas, and he said it’s “outrageous” if federal officials are barring people from pulling over and taking pictures from the highway." The state asked the Feds to remove the cones from their highways, and they did remove some of them.
And the mess goes on...and on...and on. So it's not about the money, it's about sending a message. That message is power, and they want you to know they have it.
Wisconsin is telling the Feds "No" and keeping their parks open. "Despite receiving a closure directive from the National Park Service, Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has decided instead that parks partly funded by the federal government would stay open to the public. In the wake of this week's federal government shutdown, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also placed barricades by a boat launch on the Mississippi River because it was on federal land. Wisconsin’s natural resources agency reopened it."
Last edited:
Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,802
- Reaction score
- 168
If it were gated but the trails still open, I would assume that if you could find a spot to pull your car completely off the road above or below the area with the no parking signs you could leave it there and walk in. If you walked in on the Lincoln side of the bridge you wouldn't even have to go through the parking lot.
In addition to posting here, people should email their congressmen/women and tell them to stop the nonsense and reopen the government. Now.
Casual Hiker
New member
And the White House. This is executive action taking place, not Congressional action. This foolishness at the parks and forests has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with sending a message to us peons, as Lawn Sale so elegantly stated.
I'm just glad I can still go hiking this weekend!
JCarter
Member
My recollection is that there is a non-trivial portion of the Kanc on both sides of the Lincoln Woods lot that are posted "No Parking", most likely to prevent people from avoiding the rec fee at the lot by simply pulling off and walking in. Since it's never been an issue in the past, I haven't paid attention to exactly how far the parking prohibition runs.
You could always just park at the Hancock Notch Trail lot, take that trail to the Cedar Brook Trail, then cross the river on the suspension bridge...oh hold on, they got rid of that too.
NOTE: We do not mind discussion of the government shutdown as long as it pertains directly to backcountry access. Beyond that, it is crossing over the "no politics" line. Thank you for your cooperation.
Tim
Tim
Stash
Active member
Well lets hope that this action doesn't result in too much damage to the environment from folks making other arrangements to deal with closed formal parking and sanitary facilities, or harm to people using the areas because of a lack of organized management...
summitseeker
New member
Now there is a bipartisan statement we can all get behind. Thanks Stash, let's hope that this political game of chicken ends soon.
Z
JCarter
Member
Ok, can someone tell me what "Other backcountry shelters and tentsites" means?
http://news.outdoors.org/2013/10/update-mohican-wmnf-backcountry.html
You know, a *list* would be really useful.
http://news.outdoors.org/2013/10/update-mohican-wmnf-backcountry.html
You know, a *list* would be really useful.
marty
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,775
- Reaction score
- 231
On Saturday, Lincoln Woods was open and the parking lot was filled with leaf peeper vehicles and leaf peeper buses. Bathrooms were closed. The pay station tubes were sealed in plastic with signage indicating no fee.
Marty
Quietman
Well-known member
The RMC website has no mention of the shutdown, so I can't comment on their shelters. I can understand about the shelters at Hermit Lake with the reservation system, but how do you close a shelter in the middle of the woods?
Similar threads
