Shutdown Updates

Dylan Colon wrote: I thought this thread could be a central place for clearing up misinformation and confusion with regards to the government shutdown.

I'll start, is the Pit campground at Bishop open or closed?

At whitney during the last shutdown, the road stayed open and they even rented us bear cans the night before the shutdown hahahahah.

Matthew Wells wrote: Are guiding companies allowed to operate in the National Parks during a shut down? I have a guided trip coming up. 

If permits have already been pulled, I'd say it's a good chance. What's your own guide say?

Yosemite update: All services open, no entrance fees, perfect weather. Get Sum!
Erik Sloan, Yosemitebigwall.com RockclimbYosemite.com

As of yesterday most things in Yosemite are still open. All of Half Dome Village and Yosemite Village are open. Some restrooms closed and no gate fee on the way in. The shuttle and everything is running!

Dylan Colon wrote: I thought this thread could be a central place for clearing up misinformation and confusion with regards to the government shutdown.

I'll start, is the Pit campground at Bishop open or closed?

Why would Bishop be affected by a shutdown?

Roots wrote:

Why would Bishop be affected by a shutdown?

BLM is federal land. Theoretically they could close the campground or access. 

Camp 4 looked about a third full this morning (no entrance fees, self-registration at the campground, so much down wood you can collect to have campfires). It's clear and beautiful in the Valley.  Temps at the down canyon crags have been tshirt weather - Parkline is amazing. Some folks were on Lurking Fear the last couple days, but didn't see them today so maybe they bailed.......that top out can be tough if it is icy. LIve it Up!

Pinnacles east side is closed unless you have camping reservations 

Erik Sloan wrote: Camp 4 looked about a third full this morning (no entrance fees, self-registration at the campground, so much down wood you can collect to have campfires). It's clear and beautiful in the Valley.  Temps at the down canyon crags have been tshirt weather - Parkline is amazing. Some folks were on Lurking Fear the last couple days, but didn't see them today so maybe they bailed.......that top out can be tough if it is icy. LIve it Up!

PSA: collecting down wood for fires is ILLEGAL. 

Shelf Road is still open for business, including camping, day trip climbing, and Satanic rituals in the nude.

Government shutdown, day 9-

I rest my faithful horse and set up camp for the evening out in a wooded area adjacent to what once was a freeway, it is now crumbled and collapsed within itself. I awake to find my horse is missing. I follow her footprints to a local Wendy’s, where she has been harvested for hamburger meat. Thanks to the lack of a USDA, there are no food laws. I refuse the offer of a tainted horse burger and trudge along the side of the decaying interstate, toting my backpack and spear.

I come upon a local airport, and attempt to procure a flight out of the US. Since there is no TSA, I have to fondle myself for weapons. I pay particular attention to my crotch in an effort to portray a true security agent. I find a bottle of suspicious, steaming liquid in my backpack, so I toss it in the trash next to me. I get to the gate, but since there’s no FAA, planes are literally careening towards the ground below, exploding on impact. So much for that idea, back to hoofing it northwards. Thoughts and prayers appreciated.

Pinnacles NP west side is open with no fees or services. Great time today on machete ridge! Although the caves are “closed” so plan accordingly. 

Brother Numsie wrote: Government shutdown, day 9-

I rest my faithful horse and set up camp for the evening out in a wooded area adjacent to what once was a freeway, it is now crumbled and collapsed within itself. I awake to find my horse is missing. I follow her footprints to a local Wendy’s, where she has been harvested for hamburger meat. Thanks to the lack of a USDA, there are no food laws. I refuse the offer of a tainted horse burger and trudge along the side of the decaying interstate, toting my backpack and spear.

I come upon a local airport, and attempt to procure a flight out of the US. Since there is no TSA, I have to fondle myself for weapons. I pay particular attention to my breasts in an effort to portray a true security agent. I find a bottle of suspicious, steaming liquid in my backpack, so I toss it in the trash next to me. I get to the gate, but since there’s no FAA, planes are literally careening towards the ground below, exploding on impact. So much for that idea, back to hoofing it northwards. Thoughts and prayers appreciated.

I lol'd.

Cross posting from the Taco:

Words from a Ranger today in Yosemite National Park. (Name not shared for obvious reasons.) - Chris Falkenstein

“Today I worked. We held Yosemite open to 4th of July-level traffic with no support staff whatsoever. We did so with 4 rangers in Wawona/Badger, 4 in Yosemite Valley and (may be slightly off....) 4 in Mather. That is 12 people working while we were seeing 240-270 cars per hour coming into South Entrance. Let that sink in. TWELVE people. In a park the size of Rhode Island. Badger sold almost 1,000 lift tickets today (their limit is 1200).

There are piles if human sh#t everywhere. Gross, but so seriously true. Every roadside turnout has toilet paper and trash. Garbage cans are overflowing until we can get time to pick it up. People are screaming about paying their taxes and having rights, people are fighting over tickets issued for violating closures when they duck under barricades and walk past signs so they can do what they want.

Keeping parks accessible is reasonable if people can fend for themselves and care for the park themselves, but the large majority can't. The large majority needs a map because their GPS quits working when cell service drops, and they don't have one because the Entrance staff wasn't there to give them one. The large majority has no idea what a cat hole is and would never consider picking up their used toilet paper and sticking in their purse. The large majority doesn't know what to do if they break an ankle and can't get 911 on the phone. The large majority cannot use their public lands in a way that allows them to remain unimpaired for their kid's children. That is why they hire the National Park Service. To provide a service to the vast majority who don't know how to be a true steward for their land or don't care to be.

I beg all of you to stay home and not visit your parks until everyone comes back to work. Your experience will be ten thousand times better.”  

Huh? Don't visit and enjoy Yosemite because a few people are trashing the place? Weather's perfect - Live It Up!

Erik Sloan wrote: Huh? Don't visit and enjoy Yosemite because a few people are trashing the place? Weather's perfect - Live It Up!

You sir. Sound like a fucking asshole. 

Realistically I don't think climbers are the people that message is targeted towards. As a community climbers generally seem to know not to shit on the road and pack their trash out. I'd say that message is directed at the people wanting to take advantage of the free admission because they're infrequent users of public land 

Chuffy McChuffface wrote: Realistically I don't think climbers are the people that message is targeted towards. As a community climbers generally seem to know not to shit on the road and pack their trash out. I'd say that message is directed at the people wanting to take advantage of the free admission because they're infrequent users of public land 

I don't disagree with you but that doesn't mean we still can't be good examples to the general public. If people see us out and about they will follow.

Erik Sloan wrote: Jen I think they're encouraging people to collect wood in Yosemite right now - there is so much down wood it's hard to believe your eyes sometimes, like maybe a month worth of all night, twenty foot bonfires!

I think trash collection would be a better avenue if people are picking things up.

If you plan on visiting an understaffed park, bring a huge garbage bag for your and other's trash removal and some wag bags to take out your own poop.