Wildcat closed for two weeks - good time for a winter hike

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peakbagger

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Amid CV-19, one good thing for those opposed to paying a fee to access public lands is Wildcat is closed for two weeks. Might be an opportunity to do a hike up the slopes in calendar winter without paying a fee (for the next 5 days).
 
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Just please please be mindful of the situation we're in -- it's not bad yet in NH, VT or Maine, but at least 2 doctors here in MA have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and many more will follow. We're going to have a reduced healthcare workforce. We don't have nearly enough beds, let alone emergency care, ventilators, etc for the volume of people who could, and likely will, become infected.. if something goes wrong and a hiker needs to be rescued, not only will all the SAR personnel and volunteers have to violate social distancing protocols, but that hiker could divert services and resources from people who will soon really, really be in dire need of intensive care. It's a long drive, too, which of course statistically increases the risk of a car accident. This is why Spain and Italy have forbidden recreational bicycling, hiking, climbing, etc.

It's also really difficult to get to the mountains while maintaining social distance -- I know a lot of hikers this weekend went out to dinner or breakfast, and of course there are the gas station stops, pit stops (I myself made a pit stop)... Personally, I will not be going to the mountains for at least the next 2-4 weeks. If I've been exposed, I don't want to expose folks in NH, VT, ME. I don't have to go hiking; it's a choice, a luxury, and so I will wait. The mountains will still be there, and there are plenty of places close by to walk around and get fresh air and exercise.
 
Just please please be mindful of the situation we're in -- it's not bad yet in NH, VT or Maine, but at least 2 doctors here in MA have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and many more will follow. We're going to have a reduced healthcare workforce. We don't have nearly enough beds, let alone emergency care, ventilators, etc for the volume of people who could, and likely will, become infected.. if something goes wrong and a hiker needs to be rescued, not only will all the SAR personnel and volunteers have to violate social distancing protocols, but that hiker could divert services and resources from people who will soon really, really be in dire need of intensive care. It's a long drive, too, which of course statistically increases the risk of a car accident. This is why Spain and Italy have forbidden recreational bicycling, hiking, climbing, etc.

It's also really difficult to get to the mountains while maintaining social distance -- I know a lot of hikers this weekend went out to dinner or breakfast, and of course there are the gas station stops, pit stops (I myself made a pit stop)... Personally, I will not be going to the mountains for at least the next 2-4 weeks. If I've been exposed, I don't want to expose folks in NH, VT, ME. I don't have to go hiking; it's a choice, a luxury, and so I will wait. The mountains will still be there, and there are plenty of places close by to walk around and get fresh air and exercise.
good thinking. We should all be considerate of others.
 
"The mountains will still be there, and there are plenty of places close by to walk around and get fresh air and exercise". In my case and others your statement of plenty of places close by is directly applicable to Wildcat and many other mountains. My use of public services on the way to and back from a hike is minimal at best, I have the same use of public resources and much higher exposure potential going to the local store than I do hiking and take that into account when I go to the store. If you really want to derail the thread and discuss the 24/7 news cycle/hysteria I could argue that the best thing for many is follow the recommended precautions applicable to their area and turn the continuous media cycle off and get outdoors and breathe. The ski areas were not closed for the risk on the slopes as much as the risk of the group spaces associated with ski operations, a base lodge is the definition of crowded gathering spot with plenty of opportunities for poor social distancing and the few I have entered tend to underinvest in the infrastructure or staff to make a safe space, the ones I have been in is one step away from a cattle corral. I have read some resorts still allow access to the slopes but have closed down services, that I expect is nightmare to manage so the easiest approach is close the resort down and reassess in few weeks.

I don't use those group spaces or facilities when I hike and current studies show that the far more likely vector is close contact, yes surfaces can be contaminated but there is lot of debate on if that is a primary vector. except in close spaces. At some point the local resources of the EMS system may be needed but currently they are not particularly stressed more than at any other time except dealing with the far bigger resource and exposure route to northern NH which is the still very active snowmobile business and to date the state of NH has not pulled the welcome mat to that business or associated hospitality industry nor has the state deemed it necessary or advisable to self quarantine except in the case of the elderly and immune compromised. Maybe it will change and the state will throw roadblocks across I93 from Mass but it has not done so yet. If someone is in an area where the virus is "in the wild" such as where you may elect to live and self quarantine is recommended and avoid unnecessary travel then sure its irresponsible not to follow the recommendations in effect for your area but I don't support the broad brush approach. Maybe I will be wrong an hour from now but that's my opinion based on current recommendations on where I live and suspect it will apply to many others.

Edit Soon after I posted the governor of NH told restaurants to switch to takeout or drive thru only. His primary reason was that since Mass had imposed rules on restaurants that NH would get flooded with folks from Mass on St Patricks day. I think my standard approach of tailgating with a cooler has a lot to be said for it.
 
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"The mountains will still be there....


They may be but the AMC won't. They just announced closure of facilities as follows...

In support of the national effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to minimize the risks to the most vulnerable among us, AMC will immediately begin the process of temporarily closing all lodging and foodservice facilities and suspending all in-person staff and volunteer led programming.

At this time no AMC guest, AMC-led trip participant, volunteer, or staff member has been reported as a confirmed or presumptive case of the coronavirus. However, due to the risks inherent with large gatherings, all AMC programs, trips, and activities will be canceled or postponed to align with the best interest of the greater community. We take these actions out of an abundance of caution and with concern for the capacity of local healthcare facilities should the virus continue to spread.
 
peakbagger - you live there. That’s very different. Most of the cars at most trailheads don’t have NH plates, that’s all.

Thanks for understanding my meaning, Richard. This is a hard time for all of us. I just want to limit my impact as much as possible.
 
I will have precisely zero interaction with people on any trip I will be doing this month. One benefit of avoiding 4ks like the plague (see what I did there?). If I stay home I'm interacting with many more people. I'm going to the mountains.
 
I will have precisely zero interaction with people on any trip I will be doing this month. One benefit of avoiding 4ks like the plague (see what I did there?). If I stay home I'm interacting with many more people. I'm going to the mountains.

Agreed! My social distance on these trips is measured in car lengths.
 
Just please please be mindful of the situation we're in -- it's not bad yet in NH, VT or Maine, but at least 2 doctors here in MA have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and many more will follow. We're going to have a reduced healthcare workforce. We don't have nearly enough beds, let alone emergency care, ventilators, etc for the volume of people who could, and likely will, become infected.. if something goes wrong and a hiker needs to be rescued, not only will all the SAR personnel and volunteers have to violate social distancing protocols, but that hiker could divert services and resources from people who will soon really, really be in dire need of intensive care. It's a long drive, too, which of course statistically increases the risk of a car accident. This is why Spain and Italy have forbidden recreational bicycling, hiking, climbing, etc.

It's also really difficult to get to the mountains while maintaining social distance -- I know a lot of hikers this weekend went out to dinner or breakfast, and of course there are the gas station stops, pit stops (I myself made a pit stop)... Personally, I will not be going to the mountains for at least the next 2-4 weeks. If I've been exposed, I don't want to expose folks in NH, VT, ME. I don't have to go hiking; it's a choice, a luxury, and so I will wait. The mountains will still be there, and there are plenty of places close by to walk around and get fresh air and exercise.
Thankyou for stating this. Good Advice!
 
North Conway must be getting crushed right now. That area already gets exposed to rough extremes in business conditions as it is, especially shoulder seasons. Closing stores and restaurants pretty much shutters the town and gives people no reason to go. Hopefully it doesn't do any serious long term damage to the businesses and the people working in them. All those high risk occupations concentrated in one spot must be tough for Conway, Gorham, Lincoln, etc.
 
Tourist traffic tends to taper off in later March after school vacations weeks. Losing St Patrick's day is a big hit. The weekends are strong until Easter, usually by April the tourist trade goes into "mud season" This shutdown is about 2 to 3 weeks early. Many small business owners take vacation in early April. The snowmachine traffic is starting to taper as the snow pack is melting. ATV season starts in about a month once the trails dry out so assuming things calm down its close to the least bad time of the year for the North Country. If issues stretch into mid May then it becomes a much bigger problem as there are steady tourist activities starting with bike week.

Tucks will be a problem this year if the AMC is closed at Pinkham and at Hermit Lake as they maintain the rudimentary toilets.
 
I will continue to hike, but my impact on others is very minimal. For one, I never go out to eat, I bring my own food and coffee with me. I always have my dog with me and I don't leave him in the car to eat and such. As far as potential impact on SAR resources? I never leave plans with anyone anyway, so nobody will be looking for me. I'm single, my parents are gone and my siblings understand. I will alter my plans in one regard, there are some cool non 4K hikes, I have not done. Time to get off the crowded trails and explore some new ground.
 
North Conway is a virtual ghost town. The restaurants are closed, most of the stores are closed. People up here who would normally be eating and dining out, if they have a kitchen, are eating in. Among the standard items that have been missing on the shelves, almost all of the frozen veggies were gone today. I ended up with a three pound bag of peas, I only wanted a pound, thankfully I like peas. Only other choices were green beans in a family bag, Okra and black eye peas.

In the flurries on Tuesday, there were four or six people in the Green Hills Preserve. On Pierce today, the best day weather-wise for the last three days of winter, we saw maybe three people on our way up but maybe a dozen on our way down. No one in more than a couple of two. IMO, with a HS student, a college student commuting and a school teacher. I'm more apt to catch it at home. As discussions on possible additional restrictions are being discussed, walking your dog and hiking have been listed as possible things you can do providing you kept to other social distance rules.

I suspect with the less than fair forecast tomorrow, I'll see less people tomorrow. Will be avoiding 4K peaks Saturday and Sunday although as the first weekend of Spring, people looking at Peakbagging for Spring, this weekend is the same as the first two in June, without the bugs.
 
Back in the days that TB was a threat, the northern ADK's and being outdoors was thought of as treatment for people to recover. (I'll leave the rest of hoax treatments to that other network. You get to pick the one you trust least.)
 
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