And we're closed
- Thread starter tomx
- Start date
Acting like and whats actual are 2 different things well many different things.
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Snipped most of your reply out, I agree with using logic, however there is science involved beyond current observations and death rate... so far the death rate of 1%, but if infection rates spike like they are in NYC, and overwhelm medical facilities, that rate will go up, such as in other countries like Italy where it is over 10%... YIKES. I disagree with closing outdoor "distancing" activities like snowmobiling... use a glove / plastic bag, and pay at pump, and safer than grocery shopping for sure. Just don't do the high risk riding like highmarking and instead thread some trees and powder meadows... so as to not need emergency services... and we should be good. If outdoor recreation / activity is approved and recommended then as long as we tone it down a bit, sledding should be good.
2 Weeks? There is 2 months of riding left (where I go), and everything is shutdown until mid summer at this point. I have a lot of $ tied up into my sled, gear, maintenance, tabs, insurance... The snowpark is 15 minutes from my house. Truck is full of gas and I have 55 gallons of AV gas and now I have to sit at home. Last year they quit grooming because of the shutdown and now this. It's easier for them to just shut everything down for everyone rather than put some thought into how to make recreation available to certain people in certain areas. Beaches and city parks were overcrowded so now all forest land is closed?
S
Steve86
Member
Best place to be right now is in the woods. Go ride!!! If the human race is this fragile then we are all dead men anyway. This virus isnt going anywhere, it will spike again when people once again concentrate in 1.2.3 months whenever that is. China screwed everyone and now we are stuck with it, I cant believe people are talking about being selfish. You can look China square in the face if you want to talk about selfish. 500 people going riding snowmobiles in the woods isnt going to make one bit of difference in the spread of this virus. make the scientific argument to prove me wrong. Its never going to happen. By the way I dont even ride anymore but if i did I would be riding right now. Like someone said on here go to wal mart and be 3-4 feet from someone but dont go snowmobiling LOL.
Don't disagree completely. But some facts - this type of virus (like H1N1, SARS, etc.) NORMALLY declines when the weather turns warmer, but we will see (due to the structure of the virus and the protective layer around it). Not sure if this one will or not and I don't think anyone knows for sure, yet. The snopark closing reasoning has (I am pretty sure) more to do with all the people gathered in the parking lot and not the actual riding, and having to maintain restrooms etc. (if they have them, dunno, never been). And one other factor specifically mentioned in Montana's shelter-in-place order is that outdoor activities are okay, but not high risk ones that may end up diverting emergency service resources from where they are needed for Covid to getting some sledder with a broken leg or worse yet a buried sledder out of the backcountry.
That being said, subject to change of my mind, I am planning on riding at this point whenever I can. I have a family member with immune related issues so I am not taking this lightly. I will avoid being anywhere near other people in parking lots and elsewhere. And I will be extra careful to not get stuck / stranded, and not ride alone (just a ways apart) and to not ride high-risk slopes. That along with the gas station precautions I take now whenever filling my tank... should be no higher health risk than staying at home and shopping for groceries. Just need to minimize risk of needing emergency services as much as my throttle finger will let me...
I tend to agree with all of this. The riding part. The getting out for outdoor activities is self isolating at its best. The worry of injury or potential stressing resources is always an issue in terms of sicknesses. I for one, will not be guilted. I’ve been sick with things way worse than this thing. Ive got family members that are vulnerable and they have an illness way worse than this. My wife has dealt with a trgedy that would dwarf this. In no way am I ignorant to the possible future struggles. But to be controlled by a media of fear, nope! Safety is always part of my day. Concern for others is pretty much my business, literally. We all should be able to get out for some fresh air where we want, not where we are told. Concerning times for sure.
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I'm generally in favor of keeping things open to locals, it's just not that much of a risk if people are smart about it, and the more you tell people they can't do things that aren't a risk, the less they'll follow restrictions in general. Lots of benefit with no real downside if people are smart about it. Unfortunately, a few people will still be stupid, but it's not like anything's changed there, or would change by telling them not to be stupid again...
Since someone mentioned Montana's guidance, I'll say it's kind of unclear, but I can't see why snowmobiling wouldn't fit the recreation exemption. "To engage in outdoor activity, provided that individuals comply with social distancing, as defined below, such as, by way of example and without limitation, walking, hiking, running, or biking." Sure, none of those are motorized, but not much difference. The example given for "enhanced risk" activities is "backcountry skiing in a manner inconsistent with avalanche recommendations or in closed terrain." Sounds like backcountry skiing is ok if you're smart about it, so why not snowmobiling? I haven't read into WA's guidance, but provided it's not prohibited, I say be smart and keep riding!
Since someone mentioned Montana's guidance, I'll say it's kind of unclear, but I can't see why snowmobiling wouldn't fit the recreation exemption. "To engage in outdoor activity, provided that individuals comply with social distancing, as defined below, such as, by way of example and without limitation, walking, hiking, running, or biking." Sure, none of those are motorized, but not much difference. The example given for "enhanced risk" activities is "backcountry skiing in a manner inconsistent with avalanche recommendations or in closed terrain." Sounds like backcountry skiing is ok if you're smart about it, so why not snowmobiling? I haven't read into WA's guidance, but provided it's not prohibited, I say be smart and keep riding!
Yes I agree, but as you said be smart about it. Missoula has confirmed that not all the covid cases in the county can be traced back to travel or direct contact, so we have "community spread", which means be careful what you touch, wash hands a lot (20 seconds is what it takes for hte foamy soap to break down the virus protective layer)... and be careful means make sure you don't get hurt or buried or have to call emergency services for ANYTHING when sledding. If you do something stupid and need to call 911 or S&R, they will explicitly shut us ALL down from sledding. And probably from 4 wheeling and motorbiking too!
So if you see that line and wonder if you can make it, don't do it. Not worth it. Think of the rest of us. Throttle therapy needs to be available to all of us!
Coronavirus: Oregon, Washington close all national forest sites, trails across 24M acres
The closures cover around 24 million acres of forest, mountains and coast spread across 17 national forests.
Author: Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
Published: 6:19 PM PDT March 27, 2020
Updated: 6:19 PM PDT March 27, 2020
The Pacific Northwest is closing outdoor recreation on a scale never previously imagined.
In the quest to contain COVID-19, and follow state-issued orders for people to stay home, the U.S. Forest Service will close all developed recreation sites across both Oregon and Washington in coming days, the agency announced Friday.
The closures cover around 24 million acres of forest, mountains and coast spread across 17 national forests, two National Scenic Areas, a national grassland, and two National Volcanic Monuments.
The shutdown includes all hiking trails, campgrounds, sno-parks, boat ramps and OHV riding areas — any place that is considered a "developed recreation site," officials said.
Coupled with the closure of Oregon and Washington's state parks — in addition to many local and county parks — and there are precious few places remaining for outdoor recreation.
"Recreation sites are closing to protect staff and the communities we serve and slow the spread of COVID-19," said Michelle Mitchell, assistant director for recreation in Region 6 of the Forest Service. "Washington and Oregon are aligning operations to support the states' governors executive orders for residents to, 'stay home, stay safe and save lives.'"
The details of the closure, and how it's implemented, will be left up to the individual forests, officials said, and some of the details could differ.
In the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the entire forest is closed — even to dispersed and off-trail exploring.
"Bushwacking into the backcountry is not allowed," spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz said.
In other forests, including Mount Hood and Deschutes national forests, dispersed use will be open but not encouraged.
Dispersed use generally means driving on a Forest Service road to a remote location to camp or fish or bushwhack.
"If a hiker or climber gets into trouble in the forest, response times will likely be longer and operating at a lower capacity," said Heather Ibsen, spokesperson for Mt. Hood National Forest. "Working emergency responders are also trying to focus on keeping their local communities and healthcare providers safe during the COVID-19 outbreak."
Is BLM closing its lands as well?
The other major federal land management agency in the Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management, is also closing its campgrounds, some day-use sites and restrooms, the agency said in a news release.
However, the BLM, which manages much of the desert in Eastern Oregon, said there are still plenty of areas to explore.
BLM will keep open the trails and wide-open spaces often used for recreation, it said.
"Multiple opportunities remain for the public to enjoy the outdoors as long as visitors heed orders, guidance, and advice of local and state officials and the Centers for Disease Control," BLM said in a news release.
The closures cover around 24 million acres of forest, mountains and coast spread across 17 national forests.
Author: Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
Published: 6:19 PM PDT March 27, 2020
Updated: 6:19 PM PDT March 27, 2020
The Pacific Northwest is closing outdoor recreation on a scale never previously imagined.
In the quest to contain COVID-19, and follow state-issued orders for people to stay home, the U.S. Forest Service will close all developed recreation sites across both Oregon and Washington in coming days, the agency announced Friday.
The closures cover around 24 million acres of forest, mountains and coast spread across 17 national forests, two National Scenic Areas, a national grassland, and two National Volcanic Monuments.
The shutdown includes all hiking trails, campgrounds, sno-parks, boat ramps and OHV riding areas — any place that is considered a "developed recreation site," officials said.
Coupled with the closure of Oregon and Washington's state parks — in addition to many local and county parks — and there are precious few places remaining for outdoor recreation.
"Recreation sites are closing to protect staff and the communities we serve and slow the spread of COVID-19," said Michelle Mitchell, assistant director for recreation in Region 6 of the Forest Service. "Washington and Oregon are aligning operations to support the states' governors executive orders for residents to, 'stay home, stay safe and save lives.'"
The details of the closure, and how it's implemented, will be left up to the individual forests, officials said, and some of the details could differ.
In the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the entire forest is closed — even to dispersed and off-trail exploring.
"Bushwacking into the backcountry is not allowed," spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz said.
In other forests, including Mount Hood and Deschutes national forests, dispersed use will be open but not encouraged.
Dispersed use generally means driving on a Forest Service road to a remote location to camp or fish or bushwhack.
"If a hiker or climber gets into trouble in the forest, response times will likely be longer and operating at a lower capacity," said Heather Ibsen, spokesperson for Mt. Hood National Forest. "Working emergency responders are also trying to focus on keeping their local communities and healthcare providers safe during the COVID-19 outbreak."
Is BLM closing its lands as well?
The other major federal land management agency in the Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management, is also closing its campgrounds, some day-use sites and restrooms, the agency said in a news release.
However, the BLM, which manages much of the desert in Eastern Oregon, said there are still plenty of areas to explore.
BLM will keep open the trails and wide-open spaces often used for recreation, it said.
"Multiple opportunities remain for the public to enjoy the outdoors as long as visitors heed orders, guidance, and advice of local and state officials and the Centers for Disease Control," BLM said in a news release.
Here's a link to the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest Closure. I fully support this. It is the right thing to do.
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures
www.fs.usda.gov
Too bad there is so much fresh snow everyware. Common sense is the first casualty in any war. This gives some puissant bureaucrat the chance to be a big shot and shut down every thing instead of just areas were people would gather. however in this day of sue happy people some one would go into the woods and get Covid 19 then blame the Forest Service that it was their fault because the forest was open
Doing something just to say they did something......
Something is absolutely better than nothing, too much of something is what kills people.... literally...[emoji3061](AKA overdose)
Doing a large blanket closure is the simplest way to do something.... anything else requires a lot of thought and time...
Sent it
Something is absolutely better than nothing, too much of something is what kills people.... literally...[emoji3061](AKA overdose)
Doing a large blanket closure is the simplest way to do something.... anything else requires a lot of thought and time...
Sent it
Social distancing was practiced all day. I didn't even help my buddy when he was stuck. I asked a local about search and rescue during these crazy times, he laughed and said you'd be better off getting yourself out... even during normal times
just heard second hand report blewitt had no signs saying area closed, guys rode all day ,had a great time no issues. SO IS THIS A PLACE TO GO????
Why not just go and makeyour decision. The problem is just this, it creates a crowd then it isnt a place to go.
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There was a rescue yesterday at Glacier Creek? SARS called in and the Navy and everything?
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