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Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:22 am
by VermillionPearlGirl
In the articles I've read on the government shutdown they said that National Parks will be closed. Does anyone know if this would affect Angeles National Forest at all?
There's a list of consequences here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fed ... .html#usda
That includes "National Forest System recreation sites across the U.S. would be closed to the public"
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:33 am
by Hikin_Jim
It's a little vague. Not sure what it means. Does it mean designated areas like the Crystal Lake Recreation Area or does it mean anywhere one might recreate in a National Forest? Dunno.
HJ
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:43 am
by simonov
The only way they can close National Forests to hikers is by closing the gates to the access roads. There aren't many places where they can do that. Of course, car campgrounds can and probably will be closed.
By definition, in the event of a government shutdown no one will be able to patrol or enforce administrative closures.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:12 pm
by Hikin_Jim
simonov wrote: ↑By definition, in the event of a government shutdown no one will be able to patrol or enforce administrative closures.
Enforcement activities are specifically omitted from the shut down.
HJ
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:21 pm
by HikeUp
Wait! You mean the Forest has been open all this time??? WTF!
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:50 pm
by PackerGreg
Email from a friend...
"We just heard from Mike McIntyre. If the budget does not pass, the forest will be closed. He said that he cannot incur any staffing costs. We argued that they don't have staff here any way. Orders from the top.
Crap!!!!!"
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:55 pm
by Hikin_Jim
Will they be posting guards at all the entrances?
HJ
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:03 pm
by everyday
how do you close a forrest? cant you just take a different trail? like if they closed indian canyons out here...Id never even know cause i always go in the back way off fern, or just walk strait across the desert...
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:43 pm
by PackerGreg
Oh boy, that place will be buttoned up as tight as an Arizona border crossing!
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:59 pm
by everyday
then again, since its indian land, and run by them, i guess the shutdown wont affect that place.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:45 pm
by davantalus
According to my sources Sequoia and Kings Canyon to be shutdown - The parks will close at midnight tonight for an undetermined period of time.
Can't speak for anything else. Just the parks mentioned.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:50 pm
by PackerGreg
davantalus wrote: ↑Sequoia and Kings Canyon to be shutdown
Yep. I'm up here in Three Rivers now, and that was the word at the coffee shop this morning. I have a contract with Army Corps of Engineers @ Lake Kaweah so I'll be out of work too. But I have worked
every day since October 1st, so I'm looking forward to a short, albiet unpaid, vacation.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:10 pm
by obie
Off topic here but, I called some state park ranger offices today for camping info and no one answered at Pt. Mugu, Malibu Creek and Topanga. Got recordings at all three which informed me that if no one answered that I should leave a message and they would get back to me in "no more than four days."
Is it always like this at Ranger stations around Ca.?
One of the offices did offer some recorded gibberish about current fiscal situation etc.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:10 pm
by Hikin_Jim
Now, for every day that the government shuts down, I shouldn't have to pay taxes. I mean they can't tax me to support a government that isn't in operation, yes? So, let's all withhold that percentage of our taxes proportional to the number of days they shut down.
Oh, and congressmen would naturally forfeit a percentage of their pay and benefits proportional to the number of days they shut down.
HJ
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:18 pm
by obie
Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑down.
Oh, and congressmen would naturally forfeit a percentage of their pay and benefits proportional to the number of days they shut down.
HJ
The staff would have their pay affected by the shutdown, not Congress.
As I understand it Congressional pay is guaranteed by law(s) unaffected by fed budget snafus.
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:34 pm
by RichardK
The following was posted on death-valley.net and might be useful:
Death Valley park shutdown
-- all park roads that can be gated closed will be Closed, all other dirt roads will be signed as closed.
-- only Hwy 190 remains open but no access to Zabriskie Point, Dante's View, the sand dunes, etc. All NPS rest rooms and the visitor center will be closed. Visitors will not be allowed to hike off of hwy 190.
-- The campgrounds will be closed and all hikers and backcountry users will be told the park is CLOSED and that they must leave.
-- Stovepipe Wells resort will be forced to close after guests are given 48 hours notice.
-- all park employees exept for a few law enforcement will be laid off (put on furlough). employees will not be allowed to work or even volunteer, volunteers will not be allowed to work, workers will not be allowed to access their computes, employees must remain available to work, but may not get paid for "hanging around" waiting to be called to work.
-- the park website will be closed down
-- the park's weather might not be colleted for the first time in 100 years.
Below is information from the Furnace Creek Resort web site.
Furnace Creek Resort to Remain Open
Furnace Creek Resort is private property surrounded by Death Valley National Park. This in-holding status goes back many years and long before the land was designated a national monument and later a national park. The famed Fred Harvey Company owned and operated Furnace Creek Resort, and both became a part of Amfac (now Xanterra) Parks & Resorts in 1968.
Unlike most national park operations, Furnace Creek Resort will not close because the park closes. Remaining open will be the resort's lodging, restaurants, pools, golf course, tennis courts, stables and retail operations.
The main road traversing Death Valley is a California state highway and we do not anticipate that it will be closed down by the National Park Service (NPS).
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:09 pm
by Bill
Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑Now, for every day that the government shuts down, I shouldn't have to pay taxes. I mean they can't tax me to support a government that isn't in operation, yes? So, let's all withhold that percentage of our taxes proportional to the number of days they shut down.
Oh, and congressmen would naturally forfeit a percentage of their pay and benefits proportional to the number of days they shut down.
HJ
Here! Here!
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:01 pm
by Hikin_Jim
The NY Times is reporting that a compromise has been reached.
HJ
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:20 pm
by Taco
Re: Gov't Shutdown?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:45 pm
by HikeUp
Boner.