We’re all getting ready to go back outside. This year I’m planning on writing a couple of books about Jeeping, so I probably won’t be hiking as much as I’d like (much to my bathroom scale’s distress). I’ll still be out there – I’ve got a Mount Whitney hike planned for later this year, and I’ll be hitting some old favorites (Mounts Wilson (14 miles, 5,710’ elevation), Baldy (10 miles, 10,064’ elevation), San Jacinto (11 miles, 10,834’ elevation), as well as Cucamonga Peak (11 miles. 8,859’ elevation), San Bernardino Peak (16 miles, 10,649’ elevation), and San Gorgonio (17 miles, 11,503’ elevation)).
The Forest Service has announced that they’re starting to open up access to developed recreational opportunities.
In California we’re part of Region 5 – the Pacific Southwest Region, which manages 18 national Forests from Klamath and Modoc in the northern part of the state all the way through the Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland National Forests in the southern part of the state. These national forests cover more than 20 million acres of our lands and supply 50% of the water in the state.
Earlier this week, Yosemite National Park closed all campgrounds and visitor centers. The park’s entrance and hiking trails remained open.
After the governor issued his ridiculous ‘shelter in place’ nonsense, however, Yosemite has now been shuttered to all visitors for an indefinite period of time due to the Chinese Coronavirus. No one is allowed into the park except for residents who live within the boundaries of the park or at Yosemite West who have to use NPS roads to get to their homes, and authorized National Park Service personnel.
The U.S. Forest Service has announced that they’re going to postpone all new prescribed burns until further notice due to the Coronavirus. The canceled fire ignitions in California include burns in Six Rivers and Mendocino National Forests.
The U.S. Forest Service works in coordination with local and state health organizations when planning and managing prescribed burns and wildfires, and potential smoke impacts on the public are first and foremost in the planning process.
Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc., organizers for the Easter Jeep Safari, have officially cancelled the 2020 edition of the long-running event. I’m not particularly thrilled with this development, as I feel that it doesn’t show an ‘overabundance of caution’ so much as it shows an overabundance of ignorance. I don’t blame Red Rock, I blame Utah, and – in particular – the Grand County council and Moab City, who clearly don’t have a clue and haven’t been listening to information on the virus. Red Rock’s hands were tired. Here’s the notice posted on the Red Rock website: