Mt. Whitney after Government Shutdown

[James VanDeVelde]

I have a permit for Mt. Whitney on Monday, and a reservation to camp at Whitney Portal Camp Sunday and Monday nights. Now hear that the camp just got closed due to Govt Shutdown. Does anyone know how far back from trailhead they might close the road? Is there parking prior if I just want to hike the trail, acknowledging that in an injury I am SOL?

[Andrew F]

I'm just speculating, but since Whitney Portal Store is there, my guess would be that they wouldn't gate the road. There is a gate about halfway down to Lone Pine that is used in the winter that they could close if they were going to block access, though.

Also keep in mind you could get a ticket from a ranger if they see you on the trail. I've heard a few stories of that happening in the last shutdown under Clinton.

[Anonymous]

Aren't the rangers furloughed?

[HkNewman]

Aren't the rangers furloughed?

Not law enforcement rangers in general from what I've read. Guessing the national parks and national monuments (park service, forest service and BLM) are more heavily patrolled than plain old forest with many access points (again from what I've read in other states – YMMV).

ed:title

[Billy Ray]

The overnight/hiker parking has nothing to do with the campground.

And I doubt they would gate the road because there are, no doubt, many cars parked there by people who are still in the backcountry that will need to drive out… though I suppose they could gate it with a ranger standing there to allow people to leave… seems doubtful if they are short handed due to lay-offs.

You can park on the side of the road anywhere that it is wide enough… that's what we do when the overnight/hiker parking is full… maybe 100 or 200 yards down from the trail head.

Bill D

[Bob Gross]

I will wager that you do not have a Mount Whitney permit.

You might have a permit reservation, but you do not hold the actual permit.

The Interagency Visitor Center only issues the permit form when you show up there the day before your hike. I guess the center will be closed, so I guess there will be no permit for you.

The Whitney Portal Road has been closed unexpectedly in mid-season before, and it will probably be closed again.

–B.G.–

[Billy Ray]

If there is any place they will have a ranger out to enforce a trail closure it will be the Whitney trail, I think, since it is the most popular trail in Inyo National Forest.

Bill D

[Bob Gross]

"If there is any place they will have a ranger out to enforce a trail closure it will be the Whitney trail, I think, since it is the most popular trail in Inyo National Forest."

How would you like to be the Inyo National Forest wilderness ranger with that job?

In one respect, it would be a great location for a job. In another respect, if that enforcement job must be done, the ranger better be packing a sidearm.

–B.G.–

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

BTW, business run in the parks are shut down in most cases – all the NP Inns are shut down by now. So don't assume a store will be open.

[Bob Gross]

A business like the Mount Whitney Store is outside of the national park and outside of the wilderness area.

–B.G.–

[David Thomas]

>"BTW, business run in the parks are shut down in most cases – all the NP Inns are shut down by now. So don't assume a store will be open."

LA Times: "One of the most jarring repercussions is the impending closure of 401 national parks that include Yosemite and Joshua Tree, among others.

"Anyone who's hoping to arrive, even for a day visit, would see gates closed and would be turned away," said Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service. "There won't be any access."

Visitors already at park campgrounds or lodges will have 48 hours to leave."

Which leaves me (1) pissed that my lodging and hiking permit for Sunday in Yosemite are apparently cancelled (got an email from reservations.gov that my permit fee will be refunded but I'm kind of doubting they'll cover the airfare), and (2) wondering how the concessioners will be made whole. Acts of God, fires, floods, etc, are probably in their contract. The US House deciding not to pay their bills? Not sure that would have been in the contract with the Curry Company, Fred Harvey, or their modern equivalents.

[James VanDeVelde]

From the Whitney Portal Campground Facebook, as of 9:25pm last night they learned they are to close all campgrounds on 10/3rd and all staff must vacate within 48 hours. So while the store is indeed a private entity, it appears that Marshall Law is in effect.

[Bob Gross]

Correction. I don't think that he meant Marshall Law, and he didn't even mean martial law. That would be only if the military had taken control. The campground and store sit on national forest land, so the feds have the right to force a closure in special circumstances.

–B.G.–

[Jennifer Mitol]

And if no one can go in the park, who is going to shop at the stores or stay in the hotels?

[Bob Gross]

Which park do you refer to?

This is the reason why there is suddenly a lot of advertising from the tourist businesses that surround the national parks. Tourists are not even going near many parks since they can't go in.

–B.G.–

[Jennifer Mitol]

Honestly, probably all of them.

But I can't imagine the Whitney portal store would be doing much business if no one can get to Whitney.

[Bob Gross]

The concessions inside the major national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite are really put on the spot. There is a lot more money riding on tourist traffic.

The Whitney Portal store is small potatoes by comparison. Maybe they sell five fewer overpriced t-shirts and ten fewer burgers.

–B.G.–

[Anonymous]

" Maybe they sell five fewer overpriced t-shirts and ten fewer burgers."

What are all those poor bears going to do for food? A lot of them aren't going to come out of hibernation next spring. :(

[USA Duane Hall]

I'm thinking unlike normal retail stores that get into the black around Thanksgiving or shortly there after, that places like the Whitney Portal store have made their money for the season already. This would just be there slowing down time. They may just have to write off perishables if unable to freeze them.
Duane

[Stuart .]

The same can't be said for towns around other NPs. Estes Park, CO was hit hard by the floods last month, and just as they were starting to get back on their feet for the influx of leaf peepers and elk bugling fans, the Fed shutdown closed Rocky Mountain NP. I heard today that approximately 350 jobs will be lost in Estes Park within the next couple of weeks.

[Bob Gross]

"A lot of them aren't going to come out of hibernation next spring."

If they don't come out of hibernation, what are they going to do, wake up dead?

–B.G.–

[Gary Dunckel]

You're right on, Stuart. I talked with my pal tonight that works in Estes, and he mentioned that several shops on the main street have shut down for the season. Some had flooded basements, some figured the tourist flow would not be worth it, etc. It's nearly impossible to get to Estes from Boulder, so most locals are thinking about doing other things right now.

Today, I chose to dodge several road closures to buy some pinon wood for the winter down in Arvada. Not really an easy afternoon. Things are still messy all along the northern Front Range.

And forget trying to see the classic aspen color in RMNP…

[Ken Miller]

Apparently the NPS is barricading private property at other areas. Mount Vernon is privately owned and has also been barricaded. This whole thing is a mess, many of the rangers must think they turned in their green shirts and got back brown ones. I know people do what they're told, but a little civil disobedience would seem appropriate.

Maybe Clinton and Bush 43 could be summoned to figure out a compromise. Heck, they could all play a round of golf at Andrews AF base, since the course remains open

[BlackHatGuy]

"they could all play a round of golf at Andrews AF base, since the course remains open"

The course remains open because it's not funded with appropriated funds – none of the non-appropriated fund activities need to close/are directly affected by the budgetary impasse.

[Ken Miller]

I thought they were out of money. Oh well, when you've got a global credit card it must not matter. The senate hasn't passed a budget in 5 years, autopilot into the fog, full speed ahead.

It's kinda of weird that the stone monuments that have no interiors get closed down. I guess there's no money to cut the grass or pick up the pigeon droppings?

Some agencies have over 95% non-essential employees, ouch! The remaining 5% are getting some good parking spots.

[Author]

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