2013 National Parks Close for Government Shutdown

[Dschur]

If the government shuts down will the NP be impacted??? Has anyone heard on NP closures or reductions in things??

[Jim]

Not sure, but I didn't buy a Park Pass or White Sands yearly pass on my visit this week, just in case 1994 is repeated, or was that 1995? I figured 3 bucks is still less than 20 if I can't use the pass due to a closure, which would be awful as I figure fall is a great time to visit White Sands. At least they can't close the Sacs. Odds, are ideology will lose out at the last second as it has for a long time now.

[Sredfield]

It usually is. Good question for an elected representative ...

[cactuscat]

Decision will be made Monday, and if there is a government shutdown the Park will close Tuesday. It will take a day or two to clear out all the visitors ...
Our store will remain open on a very reduced schedule for the convenience of the residents.
I know several people who went through this when the parks closed in the 90's ... hopefully it will only go on for a few days like it did last time.

[Hippy]

Shut down!

[Hippy]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-0 ... es-q-and-a

Shuuuut dooooown!!! Trails closed... ut:

[PatrickL]

I guess I need to find a plan-b for my trip to Mesa Verde on Wednesday? So many pumpkins right now.

[azbackpackr]

Imagine if you have a permit to run the river in Grand Canyon, launch date is sometime this week or next week. Imagine you have a group of 15 other people, all set to converge on Lee's Ferry, with 6 to 12 boats, gear and coolers of frozen foods. You have put out anywhere from $12,000 to $20,000 for this, most of it non refundable, plus, many of your crew are from out of state, and have non-refundable plane tickets to Arizona. You may already have fully paid an outfitter (Moenkopi Riverworks, Pro, Ceiba or Canyon REO) to rent boats, groovers and cater your food, and what you have paid out to that company is non-refundable.

Even if the Park Service is able to give you a new launch date if the government comes back online in a few days or weeks, your logistics are now all messed up. Some of your crew may have to cancel, because they had to put in for THREE WEEKS off work in order to do the trip. They may also just not want to buy new plane tickets, and would prefer to cancel.

This shutdown affects me in a couple of ways. I can sign up for Obamacare today, yay! However the business where I work is dependent upon government agencies to order products from us. We make backpacks for wildland firefighters all over the US, for all agencies, and they will not order new gear until they know they have money to spend.

However, I'm proud of the Senate for standing up to the House.

[chumley]

Imagine if you have a permit to run the river in Grand Canyon...

I'd go anyway. Come and get me. Write me a ticket. I'll gladly add the fine for trespassing to the cost of my trip.

[azbackpackr]

Imagine if you have a permit to run the river in Grand Canyon...

I'd go anyway. Come and get me. Write me a ticket. I'll gladly add the fine for trespassing to the cost of my trip.

You wouldn't even get as far as the fee station on Lee's Ferry Road. Soft closure today from now until noon, so people with permits can launch today. After noon, road is closed, law enforcement officers are there. You could not get to the ramp. "Major Dan" one of the LE rangers, would be happy to arrest you just for driving on the road.

[Jim]

So, we close and gate places to keep people from their public lands when the parks are closed due to lack of funding, but we can find money to pay cops to keep them out? Nice.

I can understand locking gates at park entrances, but there are how many improvements that require money on the rive? At least they can't really close places like the National Forests. They can close White Sands, NM, the Dripping Springs Parking area in the Organ Mountains, and they will probably close the campground that is the trailhead for my planned 25 miles hike on Saturday. I guess it will just be a little longer?

[Bradshaws]

I think it pathetic!! They're acting like spoiled children in a sandbox!! It is absolutely embarrassing!!

It's easy for politicians to be so cavalier about the livelihood of so many people when theirs isn't on the line!! Lose, win, fail or succeed all the Senators and all the Representatives will still receive their paychecks...

:SB:

[Jim]

Ideologues adhere to their ideology, and nothing else.

[hippiepunkpirate]

Well, the tour company I work for may be in dire straights if this lasts for too long. We specialize in Grand Canyon tours, and obviously we can't go there. We're trying to convince the people that booked for today to go on a Sedona tour instead. We have countless other tours booked until the end of October which we could also very well lose. Talking to our owner, it sounds like we really need a good October to keep the company afloat until next season. To add insult to injury, we had a 25 year old lady that was dying of cancer ready to go on tour today. Going to the Canyon was on her bucket list. You can imagine her reaction when we had to call in tell that we couldn't take her.

[chumley]

The East Rim Road (AZ State Highway 64) is open (and won't be closed unless it snows). Rangers have roped off the outlooks and stopping at them is not permitted. It's probably not as easy to do in a tour van, but if I was entertaining visitors from out of town, I would find a way to make it work.

I would not be afraid of citation or arrest. Our border patrol can't use force on trespassers into our country, I would dare them to pull a gun on me for peacefully trespassing in a park. The political fallout of such actions would be astronomical.

Don't TASE me bro!

[hippiepunkpirate]

It's probably not as easy to do in a tour van,

If we got caught in there, I'm sure our company's permit to operate in the park would be revoked when the park does re-open.

[SAMBA]

@chumley
They didn't TASE any of these guys, http://www.mountainbikeheaven.com/archives/bagfame.html, and all it cost them was their top-of-the-line mountain bikes and some incidental fines. Now that I think about it, $244 for a helicopter ride out of the canyon seems like an incredible bargain to moi.

[Nighthiker]

Hayduke's got a new clutch in the jeep and heading out.

[MtnGeek]

I saw that that rafting the canyon will not stop and those who are already backpacking will be able to finish their trips.

[chumley]

At least they can't really close places like the National Forests... they will probably close the campground that is the trailhead for my planned 25 miles hike on Saturday.

An email blast I received from Coconino NF states that the ranger stations and offices are closed. ALL CAMPGROUNDS ARE CLOSED. The forest itself remains open (including dispersed camping), and is being patrolled by Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Personnel. All other employees are furloughed. Toilet facilities at high-use recreation areas may be locked as the employees who clean and maintain them have been furloughed.

AMERICA. tarzan swing YEAH!
http://youtu.be/IhnUgAaea4M
(Video link may be highly offensive to some viewers. NSFW.)
:tt: