FB Post from Moab Rock Climbers re: COVID-19

Tim Stich wrote: My friend and I drove to Albuquerque, NM from Colorado Springs to do some climbing in the Sandias despite the virus threat. We tent camped and saw people hiking on our approach, but absolutely no one on the rock. Which makes sense, as it is still officially winter. It was not in fact as warm as Shelf generally is, for it is higher altitude. But non the less, I think if you have all of your food provided and stay in the desert somewhere like Indian Creek that should be fine. Gas stops can be restricted to pay at the pump. If you sanitize your hands before you enter a store and also afterwards, that should be an adequate precaution for transmission of the virus either from you to others or vice versa.

And also, it's good not to shitcan the fragile economies of places like Moab by avoiding them. Just be smart about how you travel.

If one goes out, more also want to .. groups form/have "contact".. virus spreads (can also happen through air)..

Yeah it sucks, but the responsible thing to do right now is to stay at home!

Say you go to a small town and want to limit contact with people. You call in your food order and go pick it up at the counter, making sure again to sanitize your hands, credit cards, etc. You keep the local business afloat by buying the food and services and you still do your trip and get to eat something other than Mountain House.

J Child wrote: Today was the day. I heard they were doing this in Italy and Spain but never thought I'd see this in this country. I'm heading through Moab on my way to IC and a stereotypical small-town sheriff stops me and tells me I can't get to Moab. He was directing all traffic back north to the I-70. Now, I'm sitting in a hotel in Green River trying to figure out if I try to get the IC via the Colorado back roads or if I should give up and head to RR or J-Tree instead. Does anyone know if RR or J-Tree are still open? 

any update?

From an email from the Access Fund yesterday afternoon:

The impact of the COVID-19 virus, both at-large and to our organization, is an extremely fluid situation. As a result, Access Fund has decided to cancel Work Week in the Creek, originally scheduled for March 19–22, 2020 in Indian Creek. It was a difficult decision to cancel the event; however, it is our responsibility to share in the necessary precautions to prevent further spread to our staff, community members, and their families.  
 
 Thank you for understanding. We will keep you updated on future opportunities to volunteer with the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Teams.

Adam Fleming wrote:

I realized Arches and Canyonlands don't have gates. Even during the government shutdown they were accessible. I don't know if they are allowed to barricade the entrance, but maybe that's the solution here. Even then, Moab has plenty of BLM land that is impossible to restrict access to. 

I don't know how this town could force folks to stop coming unless hotels, rentals, restaurants, and campgrounds all close down. 

That will happen eventually.

J Child wrote:

I decided to head to Southern Arizona. I have a friend who lives in Tuscon and has been wanting to take me to Cochise Stronghold. I plan to meet him down there and avoid Tucson all together so I can exercise some social distancing. I decided since all of Salt Lake and Colorado seem to be headed to Moab this week, combined with the city shutting down, I should go somewhere else.

Also, it looks like the weather will be better there than Southern Utah for a little bit.

I don’t think social distancing means what you think it means. 

Tim Stich wrote:And also, it's good not to shitcan the fragile economies of places like Moab by avoiding them. Just be smart about how you travel.

The local economies are going to take a bit of a dive regardless. Here in Tahoe, some local businesses are having to close or significantly limit business operations in order to protect employees. The level of concern about community transmission wasn't nearly as high before all of the people from out of town started showing up.

Quit being selfish and stay home, the climbs aren't going anywhere.

All of CO is going to Moab.

and theyre pist about it.

Adam Fleming wrote: I don't know how this town could force folks to stop coming unless hotels, rentals, restaurants, and campgrounds all close down. 

I'll just say the stuff that's pertinent to this user group.  Paraphrasing from the Southeast Utah Department of Health's Facebook Live video just published:

Effective March 17th at 10pm, all hotels, overnight rentals, and campgrounds (including BLM sites) are closed for anyone not residing in Grand County.  Restaurants are limited to curb-side pickup or delivery.

This means you can't park your van at any campgound around Moab unless you live or work here.  Please stay home.  Wait it out and come climb with us in the fall!

http://www.thundercling.com/2020/03/the-pandemic-comes-to-bishop-a-small-climbing-community-struggles-b

Adam Fleming wrote:

Effective March 17th at 10pm, all hotels, overnight rentals, and campgrounds (including BLM sites) are closed for anyone not residing in Grand County.

Looks like I'm officially staying put. Hope others get the memo and follow suit. 

J Child wrote:

Social distancing is reducing your contact with other people. This is why I chose to not go to Tuscon. If you're not going to add anything constructive to this conversation then you should just keep quiet.

Looks like someones got a case of the grumpy virus. 

Social distancing is not staying away from one place, to go see people in a different place. Thats called socializing somewhere else. 

Peter Beal wrote:

PA state public lands closed 

according to social media, that's not stopping the self-important instabangers.  #haycock4lyfe

Read this. Page 4.

No camping, stay home. March 17. 

https://4e6bd201-e3fb-408c-938c-c65baf6521c2.filesusr.com/ugd/0df2c0_495ccbf7f030407e8eab77b6a952836c.pdf

B P wrote:

I don’t think social distancing means what you think it means. 

Have you been to Cochise Stronghold? It might be the definition of social distancing.

sclair wrote:

https://4e6bd201-e3fb-408c-938c-c65baf6521c2.filesusr.com/ugd/0df2c0_495ccbf7f030407e8eab77b6a952836c.pdf

While youre at home why dont you take the time to hyperlink this so it actually serves a purpose. 

Moab is a shitshow right now, crowded as fuck with CO plates. Bike shops are closed, hotels are closing tonight, BLM campgrounds are closed, stay the fuck where you are. Yes, it's going to destroy our economy. The alternative destroys the economy and leads to people dying. Stay the fuck home. No, you aren't better than the rest of the people and yes you will cause harm by traveling, even if you think you somehow won't contaminate anyone. What if you break an ankle then pass the virus to the responders who come to help you, and they can't treat patients in the coming weeks. I work at a bike shop in town and we closed down today, too many idiots coming in and telling us how they came from a lockdown zone and are treating the telework/school closing as vacation time. No, stay the fuck home.

I understand the stay home mentality but why are people pissed over some dude going to Cochise? If he does not go into any towns and holes up at Cochise he will have less interaction than most of us that stay at home. Maybe I am a bit jaded since my job is public facing and I have to go to work and interact with people. I would love to go to Cochise to get some distance and be safe instead of being exposed to every germ in the world every day.

He will need to fuel up.
He will need to buy beer or something.
He may break down & need assistance.  

Mark Frumkin wrote: He will need to fuel up.
He will need to buy beer or something.
He may break down & need assistance.  

I needed to do the first two today. What is your point? That he will need to do so in Tuscon? I'd wager one interaction during the entire trip vs. the chances of several if sticking around where he lives. Cochise is pretty secluded.