So,
If government is "shutdown" can we still pick up our permits?

Better call Inyo ASAP.

The offices are shuttered.

Who will be there to enforce the anything? You can run yellow barrier tape across the various trailheads and post temporary signage but that comes down in about 5 seconds when no one is around.

My guess is volunteers will still show up and help, unless ordered by the forest service to stand down.

No answer on the wilderness permit telephone number.

Call me crazy (or maybe even logical) but if the government is shut down, then why would we need a permit to hike? They created the permit system, so if they're not there to enforce it, then it's open season for hikers!

It's a damn mountain. How can you close it? I can't believe the government is even involved in my outdoor activities in the first place. I wish I was in the Sierras so I could hike Whitney without a permit today.

This is a political stunt. It's really shameful.

I've gone through all the red tape, had my permit since April, and took the time off of work for my trip planned for tomorrow through Friday... I'm climbing that mountain.

SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) - DUE TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN - MOTORISTS ARE
ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE

I had no idea they'd close a public road...

> SR 120 closed

Well, it goes through Yosemite National Park, where the Yosemite rangers provide all and the only public safety support. So when they aren't working, I guess the only thing to do is close the road.

Sr 120 in that area is on federally owned and protected lands. It IS s toll road.

Hopefully, the shutdown will not affect Whitney Portal road/area.

If a hiker hikes in the forest and there is no one there to see him, is he there?

Forget about the permits. Where will I get my wag bags?

Brent N

Zip locks and Cat litter

There are plenty of bags on the trail . Just remember to bring it down when you are done using it.

Found this on Facebook:

Mt. Whitney Portal Campground


I believe the campground hosts are unpaid volunteers, so they are still operating.

If I had plans for a trip in National Forest land, I'd still be going. If you did run into a ranger, what's he gonna do: slap on the handcuffs? I'd be polite, but not necessarily turn around and head back to the trailhead. And if I encountered a volunteer, I'd say, "I appreciate what you're doing, but the FOREST isn't closed; the USFS is." That's a bureaucratic issue resulting from a few jackasses in Washington saying, "If we don't get our way, then everybody will suffer the consequences." That's not governing in a responsible manner; it's pouting and being obstinate.

And, BTW, I'm sure most people know, but SR 120/Tioga Road is a STATE highway, not federal. I get why it's closed, but just one more aggravating piece of this mess.

This news story is on the KCET website here http://www.kcet.org/living/travel/socal_wanderer/briefs/we-apologize-for-the-potential.html.

Hwy 120 is open.

Only travelers between the two sides of the park can gain access, a sigh of relief for those heading to or from the Eastern Sierra (even though snow usually closes Tioga Road in October). "Visitors passing through the Park to reach another destination (i.e. Mammoth Lakes, Tahoe, etc.) will be able to do so on a designated 'thruway' such as Hwy. 120 or 41," read a letter from Terry Selk of the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau. "Stopping or recreating will be prohibited."

Caltrans changed their website as well:

SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
1-WAY CONTROLLED TRAFFIC AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FROM THE SOUTH JCT OF US 395
TO 5.6 MI EAST OF THE SOUTH JCT OF US 395 (MONO CO) FROM 0700 HRS TO 1700 HRS
MONDAY THRU WEDNESDAY THRU 10/2/13 - DUE TO CONSTRUCTION - MOTORISTS ARE
SUBJECT TO DELAYS OF UP TO 20 MINUTES

IS REOPENED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) AT 0930 HRS ON 10/1/13

[YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK]
FOR YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK ROAD INFORMATION CALL 209-372-0200

Is there the possibility that the Portal Road will be closed the weekend? Hiking without a permit is one thing but the additional mileage up the road is a concern.
Per a conversation with the Portal Store employee, the road is currently open but does the Fed have the capability to deny access to the Portal parking lot?

Talk about the last thing I thought I would have to plan for in doing this hike

Ironically, today marks Yosemite's 123rd birthday as a national park. I guess it gets to take the day off.

Brent N

Dan, Whitney Portal Road is an Inyo County road, maintained by the county, and patrolled by the CHP (Calif Highway Patrol). Inyo National Forest administers the forest and the wilderness, but not the roadway.

I'm with you on this one...took time off work...booked my permits....booked my rental car...trained for 3 months...spent many many sleepless nights planning and planning....

I'M CLIMBING THAT MOUNTAIN TOO ON OCT 3RD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERMIT OR NO PERMIT!!!!!!!!

Gee... if it was a weather event that interrupted hiking, would y'all be stomping and waving around the same way?

Bee: where IS that eye roll emoticon??

While it obviously sucks, no matter how you look at it, I think there are more important things to worry about than "Do I get a shot at the tallest walk in the US?" Maybe put some of that energy into calling your Representative/Senator and try to express an educated opinion/constructive ideas about the bigger picture.

come on... you really can't compare an act of nature to an act of stupidity...i'd be fine if the weather changed for the worst...

yea..where is that roll eye icon...

Actually, with as many acts of stupidity (usually based on summit fever) that I see due to weather, yeah, I *can* draw the comparison.

Attitude is attitude is attitude.

As I said, the closure is due to pompous asses (on both sides!) who would rather spew meaningless talking points rather than really attempt to hash this out in a timely fashion. And that's all I really have to say politically on the matter.

So, fare thee well, cloud9. Hope you come back after your walk and perhaps explore the expanses the rest of the Sierra has to offer, instead of limiting your scope to simply the tallest.

(Maybe you already have. This *is* the internet, and I have no idea who you are.)

Well, Cloud9, I hope you make it to the top of one of the biggest ego-booster hikes in the U.S. Please, it is not a climb, it's a hike. A long hike, but still a hike that thousands have done, even little kids and old ladies. A climb is much more difficult - ever done one?

So get on with your big adventure, and remember that no one will be watching or caring.

yep. In total agreement here. Two things continue to baffle me:

1. The obsessing about Mt. Whitney. I suppose it's an ego-boosting deal for some people. Yes, there are much bigger challenges in the Sierras that most Whitney hikers (yes, hikers, not climbers) would never consider.

2. The Ship of Fools running our government: two egocentric groups, Republican and Democrat, that can't see that their power struggle is ruining this country.

This forum needs a hide button so I don't have to see posts from some people ever again.

What's with the attitude? Whitney may not be the hardest climb in the Sierra, but why would you go out of your way to crap on a guy who is showing some enthusiasm for making a climb that he has probably been planning for months?

He never said he was going to get to the summit even in a lightning storm, he just said he wasn't going to let beaurocracy stand in the way if attempting it, especially considering the red tape one has to go through in order to even be able to attempt the main trail.

Congratulations if you've done harder mountains. But why pooh-pooh someone else for whom this might be the biggest trip of their lives?

Go to their profile and click "Hide This User"

WIth all the discussions about permits, roads, rangers, mountains & molehills, as Bob R posted on the WPSMB(I don't think they will mind my borrowing the post), there are other issues at hand:

"With all the discussion about the effects of the shutdown on hiking plans, there is one question I haven't seen addressed: What if someone becomes injured, ill, lost, or worse?

Last weekend, for example, there were three brown shirts in the Whitney area. It didn't happen, but several times in the past I've been at Trail Camp when a hiker came over to report someone ill or injured near Trail Crest. Grabbing my radio, I've hiked up to the scene. If it's minor, a little first aid and assistance may do the trick, but often larger guns are needed. With the radio, other rangers in the area can be informed, helicopters can be readied, volunteer mountain rescue teams from Inyo and China Lake can start getting ready for the drive up and hike in. Most problems are resolved by the next day.

Fast forward to the coming weekend. Assuming the shutdown persists, there will be no brown shirts or radios in the wilderness. In case of a problem you will have to rely on someone hiking out. Maybe you will be lucky with early cell phone coverage, but help cannot come quickly. And until someone arrives on scene who can accurately assess the situation and report it appropriately, SAR resources will not be launched.

The point is, you can count on at least a 24-hour delay in getting help. In some cases (e.g., serious injury or HACE/HAPE or getting lost) it won't be the hospital they'll be taking you to.

Bottom line: For the time being, you're pretty much on your own, like in the old days. Please be careful out there."

I'm schedule for October 5th. I went last year..quite an amazing experience. It is a very challenging hike, especially if you do it in one day. I would be concerned about the 'lack of services' if you get sick or injure yourself. In any event, I wish you the best of luck.

Cloud9, have a great hike. Be self-reliant and make choices that will keep you that way. You are usually on your own up there this time of year, but a little more so now that we have furloughed some very hard working, poorly paid rangers who grace the area. This is about the time of year that you might see them hiking out from Crabtree to shut down the joint.

I think I understand the excitement. For me, planning, pouring over maps, gathering beta and practicing are like pre-Christmas days. I love the anticipation. Just keep summit fever in check, recognizing that the mountain will always be there.

Brent N

http://www.businessinsider.com/government-shutdown-craters-of-the-moon-search-rescue-2013-10

It's making SAR tough already......................DUG

Does anyone know anything about Horseshoe Meadows Road up to Cottonwood Lakes? Is the road closed?

Thanks,
Chad

the mountain WILL always be there, but will our government?

Not really crapping, but tongue in cheek for sure. (Bee, do we have *that* emoticon??) I didn't read it as simply enthusiasm, but more someone who is hell-bent to get to the top because "I did all the work, dammitol, and nothing will stop me now!" (I'm not really quoting anyone or anything here, just using it as an illustration) Bob wrote it up much more eloquently than I, fo shizzle. I think of all the training I've done, time spent in planning, etc, and then been completely skunked due to one factor or another.

You can't deny that the blinders-on attitude is pervasive when it comes to The Blonde, and even the most recently expressed sentiment of having more reliable cell service in the area (g-d help us)speaks to the general ignorance of a good deal of people heading up and away these days. Training away from the mountain is just one piece of the puzzle. Do people have contingency plans should the shit hit the fan? Who are you climbing/hiking with? Do they have any inkling of what to do in case you go down? Are you willing, despite the months of training/dedication/booked flights/booked cars/etc to turn around for whatever reason presents itself?

I don't care if you're on Whitney, or any other area of the Sierra (or anywhere else wilderness-wise, for that matter), the level of enthusiasm needs to be equally balanced with sound judgement.

So, go, climb your mountains, have FUN, gol-dangit. But don't forget to take care of the place you're in: Leave No Trace, respect the mountains and the wilderness, help someone else out who might need it back there. If the USFS and NPS can't be around to help, we need to police ourselves.

I too find things baffling. I discovered this forum while preparing to hike Mt Whitney. It seems many first timers also find the information posted here invaluable and appreciate the knowledge, wisdom, experience, and sometimes wit of the helpful patient Whitney veterans. I am a huge fan of several regular posters here who have the opportunity to hike (and climb) often. What causes such highly regarded mountaineers to belittle a fellow hiker? Perhaps "ego-boost.." and self esteem are factors.

Perhaps the more experienced mountaineers are just eager to share their knowledge and experience with new climbers out of a desire to be helpful; not out of some needed boost to their egos and self-esteem.

I was not trying to be-little Cloud9, crap on him, or anyone else in this forum by my comments. Often advice and criticism given in good faith can be received with open hostility.

This is one of the problems of forums like this, where the majority of posters are completely anonymous. We don't really know much about them, and can only make general assumptions. The few posters whose real names are open information run the risk of being unjustly criticized as being elitist. If we were all sitting in the same physical room, having a discussion with people we know outside of virtual space, the level of understanding of the others motives would probably be much higher.

I have asked Steve, if he has the ability to do so, to remove my permission to post here, because it has become a source of irritation for me. I'm tired of being tempted to jump in where I may not be wanted. But that's my problem. I don't have a problem with anyone on this forum - how could I since I've never had face-to-face contact with 99% of posters, and really don't know who most of you are!

I see Cloud9 is new here, having posted only twice. I remember the excitement and wonder of my first Whitney climb (2010), which came after a year of physical training, two years of weight loss, putting together a team, learning about the mountain (from, among other sources, the wise folks here), and reading up on altitude. The preparation paid off, and the experience was one of the finest of my life. It changed my life, actually (not just the summit...the whole journey). I see that enthusiasm in Cloud9's post.

Welcome, Cloud9. Cool trail name, I'm surprised it wasn't taken already. Be safe, and have fun.

Hi Frank,

your query of "what causes..." made me think about an interaction that I had just today. A close friend of mine has a son who lives at least two thousand miles away, and all he can think about is coming to Ca to hike Whitney. I exploded about a lot of places that are far more beautiful...blah blah blah. The wise father responded that I had the luxury of close proximity, thus, my opinion was sharply skewed by experience. The boy was only going to get to pick ONE place in time, and Whitney was HIS choice, so bee a sport and help him with his goal.

I had the luxury of close proximity & experience

You will notice that some of the harshest critics are those with accessablity & experience; such is the combination that can turn the nicest person into the harshest critic-cum-know-it-all. All too often experience forces us to retain the worst of possibilities and forget the encouraging optimistic words of delight.

I do not believe that in his heart of hearts Bob meant to rain on people's parades for a self-serving motivation, rather the memories of those times when unbridled determination rendered unfortunate outcomes still loom large -- especially for a former SAR team member(Bob) dispatched to clean up the results.

"the luxury of close proximity & experience"

Aha!!! That really does put a label on the phenomenon.

Hate to pull this thread back to the subject, but I see Doug at the Whitney Portal Store has announced that he...

"Just got word the campground is closed and they have 48 hours to secure the campground. Until we hear more information the store will stay open."

I would assume, then, that the overnight spots up at Horseshoe Meadow are (or will soon be) closed to camping, too.

I'll bet they lock up the toilets everywhere, too.

Now I wonder about parking lots.

I just left Whitney Portal this a.m after summiting on 1 October...being out of the loop for a few days, people going up were commenting "there is no government down there" I was scratching my head, till I realized what they were talking about. We left Portal campgrounds at 11am 2 October and it did seem to be sparse, no signs though or any "signs" of closure. There is NO ranger checking for permits at the Whitney Zone as there was when we were going up....as I told everyone else..GO UP WHITNEY NOW, NO RANGERS TO CHECK FOR PERMITS!!!

This time of year, it is easy to get a walk in permit, even when govt is functioning. No hiker is turned away in a normal year in October. But the rangers do an important job...many important jobs...so this ain't no bonanza. IMHO.

Lock up the toilets? They'll have to repair the locks on the ones in the lower parking lot. One is completely out. The other wasn't working. Also, in July, one of the ones at the trail head wouldn't lock. Does this constitute an emergency? Can they expend funds (safety of life exception) during the shutdown on account of this emergency? If so, I can come up with enough repair ideas to keep all the rangers employed indefinitely. I'm going up Saturday after a night at the Hostel. Right now the weather looks great

Shame...those people who made reservations for the campground and the permits...a deposit with no return.

Bet Doug is going to suffer a severe hit with the lack of business. It is October and the store will close in November, but let's hope the WP Store stays open until November 1. Hang in there, Doug and Earlene and the Portal Crew!

Bet dah bears are pissed without the campers. (I just had to say that.)

A lot of people across the US are fuming because of a change of plans due to closures like this. People planned family outings, weddings, etc. We wanted to go down to the Grand Canyon before Thanksgiving. Oh well, guess we will save on time and money. Will just get more turkey to bake or deep fat fry.

My wife and I wanted to go fishing on Tioga Lake and Ellery Lake this October (possibly November) and fish in Lee Vining Creek, but since Yosemite NP is closed and Tioga Pass is closed that won't happen it will have to be Bass Lake near Oh Cursed (Oakhurst, CA).

Lesson to learn: Never make any reservation that deals with the government around October 1 because of the new fiscal year.

Hopefully, your state parks can provide a great alternative during these troubling times.

My wife works for Social Security as a District Manager. She had planned leave this week. Due to the shutdown, she had to report to work. She cannot take leave during this shutdown. If this SD continues, she and her colleagues will have to work on Columbus Day and Veterans' Day (observed federal government holidays). Thanksgiving and Christmas? Working on those days is a possibility if this SD lasts that long.

Yes, all SSA offices are opened. Check with your local SSA office for hours of operation. This was a public service announcement.

Hey! Half Dome is WIIIIIIIIIIIDE open, yo! Let's hit it!

Let's definitely toss around the proximity and experience phrases.

I, like SO many others, started out with Whitney being my first "big time" mountain. For me, summiting the mountain carried a myriad of emotions, but most importantly, when I looked in all directions, I found myself asking, "What's over there?" And so began the insane roller coaster. One year later, I had uprooted myself entirely and moved to Bishop. I created my proximity.

And with that proximity came a sense of ownership. This range is not only my home, it is my friend. And I've watched as some of my favorite areas -- The WZ, Yosemite Valley -- become "loved to death". But it's not love: it's throwing another trophy on the shelf. And, yeah, watching certain places being reduced to that makes me angry.

Proximity also brings familiarity with those who share living here, and who populate the SAR teams up and down the Sierra. Those who put their own lives at risk in order to try and save those for whom the shit has hit the fan. Perhaps that's one reason why I am so bloody careful all the time: the guys have pretty much looked me in the face and said: We don't want to have to come get you.

Enthusiasm is one thing: and sorry, Cloud9, if you (and the person who posted above you about the same thing) bore the brunt of this due to your example. What *I* read, and took away from, your post, was roughly translated as "I want! I want! I want!" <insert pounding fists on table>

Yes, the government shutdown is stupid. Yes, I can't believe that we've got a Congress with a 90% incumbancy and a 10% approval rating. But does that mean we resort to anarchy (which is kind of what's happening here: Quick! The cats away! Let's PLAY!!)?

So if y'all are up there this weekend, take a second to think what it takes to keep a place like the WZ as awesome as it is coupled with the human impact (and I SWEAR TO GOD if someone brings up the solar toilets here I'm going to reach through the damn computer and...). Take an extra few garbage bags with you. Do your part. Use this time to not only achieve what is a dream for you, but help keep the area a little more pristine for others yet to come.

Own it.

Gary, 120 is open, you just aren't allowed to "recreate" off the road. Or something...

SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA.

[YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK]
FOR YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK ROAD INFORMATION CALL 209-372-0200

Article about the roads.

So don't give up on Ellery/Tioga Lakes.

Yeah, working Thanksgiving/Xmas is less than optimal. I know in healthcare we're always saying, how DARE people get sick on the holidays!!

MooseTracks wrote:
> ...and I SWEAR TO GOD if someone brings up the s...

I can't resist... Pssst, hey Laura, "If you build it, they will come."

Actually, if you build it, they will crap.

Gimme an S
Gimme an O
Gimme an L
Gimme an A
Gimme an R

Gimme a T
Gimme an O
Gimme an I
Gimme an L
Gimme an E
Gimme another T

What's that spell?

F-L-U-S-H T-H-E S-H-_-T-D-O-W-N! (insert any vowel for your personal enjoyment!

Thank for the info on 120, Moose!

I read the article...no stopping, no hiking...so what if you have a "flat tire?"...heck Tuolumne Meadows is closed anyways.

BTW, since there is no one manning the gates, does that mean the entrance to the park is F-R-E-E cuz they shut down everything and you can't top, can't hike, can't get a flat tire?

Y'all are going straight to hell.

No stopping. No hiking. No climbing. No flat tires...

I've been there and I'm due back soon................DUG

DUG n me, cruisin' the halls of hell...

I'll bring cookies.

Hey All,

Just got off the phone with the Store and they said they are being told they have to close because they're on federal land AND that they road IS being closed... Was supposed to be heading up tmw for a Sunday summit, but I think closing the road is the nail in the coffin.

More news:

http://www.sierrawave.net/26726/government-shutdown-impacts/

Reach on, said Bill Gates.

Bill Gates' foundation puts money on solar-powered toilet
Tue, Aug 14 2012

By Bill Rigby

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Bill Gates is betting the toilet of the future for the developing world will be solar powered.

The world's leading private philanthropist handed a $100,000 prize to the California Institute of Technology on Tuesday for its work on a self-contained, sun-powered system that recycles water and breaks down human waste into storable energy.

Gates is focusing on the need for a new type of toilet as an important part of his foundation's push to improve health in the developing world. Open defecation leads to sanitation problems that cause 1.5 million children under 5 to die each year, Gates said, and Western-syle toilets are not the answer as they demand a complex sewer infrastructure and use too much water.

The Microsoft Corp co-founder is looking to change that by sparking new inventions in toilet technology, which he says has not fundamentally changed since the invention of the flush toilet in 1775.

"Imagine what's possible if we continue to collaborate, stimulate new investment in this sector, and apply our ingenuity in the years ahead," Gates said at his foundation's Seattle headquarters on Tuesday. "Many of these innovations will not only revolutionize sanitation in the developing world, but also help transform our dependence on traditional flush toilets in wealthy nations."

His foundation announced $3.4 million in new funding on Tuesday for toilet projects being worked on by various organizations, bringing total investment in its "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge" to about $6.5 million.

About 2.6 billion people, or 40 percent of world's population -- mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia -- lack access to safe sanitation and are forced to defecate in the open, according to Gates.

Last year the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave grants to eight universities around the world to help tackle the problem by creating a hygienic toilet that uses little or no water, is safe and affordable and can transform waste into energy, clean water and nutrients.

CREATES ENERGY

Gates presented prizes on Tuesday to the teams that showed the most progress, handing Caltech the first prize of $100,000 for its working model of a solar-powered bathroom, where a solar panel produces power for an electrochemical reactor that breaks down feces and urine into hydrogen gas, which can be stored in hydrogen fuel cells to provide a back-up energy source for night operation or use in low-sunlight conditions.

The workings of the toilet are designed to be buried underground beneath a conventional-looking stall and urinal set-up, which the Caltech team showed in cross-section at the Gates Foundation courtyard. Water recovered from the continuous process is pumped up again to provide water to flush the toilet.

Gates also handed out prizes to Britain's Loughborough University and Canada's University of Toronto for their designs, which focus on transforming feces into usable resources.

The software pioneer is hoping many of the universities work together to develop the best technologies and is aiming to get new-style toilets into use in the next two to four years.

Gates' foundation is spending about $80 million a year on water, sanitation and hygiene issues, areas where it thinks it can make a marked difference in people's lives.

The $370 million in total it has committed to that area so far is still only a small slice of global funding for health, development and education provided by the foundation, which has handed out, or is committed to, more than $26 billion in grants since Gates started his philanthropic endeavors in 1994.

The foundation, which Gates co-chairs with his father and wife, Melinda, is the world's biggest private philanthropic organization with an endowment worth more than $33 billion.

(Editing by Eric Beech)

There, fixed it for ya!!


I'm bothered by thinking about what "usable resources" might be... ew ew ew ew ew...

I will bring organic chili...oh, and gotta have the organic brown rice to go with it...say what?....yup, that's right!...the boys round here, drinkin that ice cold beer...Talkin bout girls, talkin bout trucks, runnin those red dirt roads out kickin up dust...

Error 404 URL not found. Because of the federal government shutdown, Hell is not currently accepting new residents or visitors. For more information, go to www.doi.gov.

<burp>

O... M... G... You're bringin' Blake? YES PLEASE!!!

chew terbacca chew terbacca chew terbacca SPIT

Oh, wait, that's the gross part of the song...

And actually, I've got a permanent resident card for Hell. Comes for free when cutting switchers...

(Beeeee!! Devils horn emoticon!!!)

Now that hell is suddenly so popular, I don't wanna go. I need to find something off the beaten path, or "outside of the zone" as they say. I'll take a cookie and a cup of chili before I go though................................DUG

I just called Inyo County Roads department, today (Oct 4) at 10 AM. Here's what I learned:

1. Horseshoe Meadows road is closed at the gate (about 10 miles from HM).

2. Whitney Portal road is in flux: It sounds like there is some arm-wrestling over who can close it. Inyo tells me it is currently open.

4. Quite a few roads in Death Valley National Park are closed.

3. Other roads are open.

That's a real shame that Doug has to close the store...

I wonder how the Whitney Portal Cabin residents feel about the road closure...they have houses to winterize now if they haven't done so already...I believe some people get that done this month in preparation for winter

and if the road is going to be closed now...there are going to be some P*SSED OFF people. (*: insert vowel of choice.)

They will be singing (in bold)... MooseTracks wanted Blake "The Voice"...she got it!

Tearin' down a dirt road , Rebel flag flyin', coon dog in the back
Truck bed loaded down with beer and a cold one in my lap
Earnhart sticker behind my head and my woman by my side
Tail-pipe's poppin', the radio's rockin', "Country Boy Can Survive"
If you got a problem with that, ha ha! You can kiss my country *ss.

Well, I love turkey calls, overalls, Wrangler jeans, smoke nothin' but Marlboro reds
Tattoos up & down my arms, and deer heads over my bed.
My Granddaddy fought in World War Two, my Daddy went to Vietnam.
And I ain't scared to grab my gun, and fight for my homeland.
If you don't love the American flag...you can kiss my country *ss.

If you're a down home, backwoods redneck...
Hey come on, stand up and raise your glass...
But if you ain't down with my outlaw crowd...
You can kiss my country *ss.

Well, there's a whole lotta high-class people out there that's lookin' down on me...
Cause the country club where I belong is the Honky Tonk till three in the mornin'.
Don't wear no fancy clothes, no ties or three piece suits....
You can find me in my camouflage cap, my t-shirt and cowboy boots...
If that don't fit your social class...you can kiss my country *ss.

Well I'm a front-porch sittin', guitar pickin', moonshine sippin',
Backer juice spittin' country boy from the woods...
And I love fried chicken and bluegill fishin',
And outlaw women, an' I wouldn't change if I could.

I ain't tryin' to start no fight, but I'll finish one every time
So you just mind your own damn business...stay the hell outta mine.
If you got a problem with that...you can kiss my country *ss.

I said if you got a problem with any of that
You can kiss my natural born, Redneck to the bone, ever-lovin'

Country *ss.





We're goin' fishin'...

Usually they would still let residents in during a shutdown (they are in Yosemite). But YMMV.

nom nom nom nom nom nom nom...

Onion Valley Road is open all the way up.

Nice fix. I like it.

The mountains aren't the only thing...

Now, the oceans.

Miami Herald Article

I think you guys got me all wrong.

This entire thread was about the govt shutdown and how we were going to get our already booked permits.

I just didn't feel the need to reiterate that part in my post. I felt that if I said I'm going regardless, you guys would understand that I would not let bureaucracy come into my months of planning.

But whatever. It is the internet and people will choose to be who they are and interpret someone else's post the way they want.

I won't argue with anyone...and everyone has their own opinion....

but some pictures from the past 2 weeks...:)

Clouds Rest from the Valley floor...


From the 96 Switchbacks...



This is a great forum with a lot of info...helped me a lot before I chose to register...

Thanks....
Cloud9

cloud9, good for you. Gorgeous pictures and I'm so glad that the bureaucracy did not influence your trip. It looks like you had some amazing visibility from Whitney.

When we give the government the power to provide, we give the government the power to take away.

It is amazing to me that a shutdown means restricting access to public lands instead of simply sending government workers home to drink beers until this is resolved and they get their back pay.

So the rescue crew may not be readily available. There are plenty of other trails that don't have all of the luxuries of the MWT. If you hike, do so at your own risk.

I am picturing John Muir 130 years ago or so going up to Mount Whitney only to be stopped because a ranger says that the federal government is shut down and access to federal land is no prohibited.

Absurd,I know....that's the point.

Ironically, Muir's base for that first climb up the MR was the town of .... Independence

cloud9, your original post and intent was not lost on me, and I'm sure a lot of other folks. Just because some people took what you said out of context doesn't mean others didn't understand. Congrats and a fun and safe trip!!! There is a lot of useful information here for first timers.

An email from rec.gov said that my Whitney permit (which I obviously could not get from the closed Interagency Center) has been cancelled due to "NO SHOW".

I have a trip planned up to Shepard's Pass to hike Mount Williamson and Tyndall next week. I have 3 friends flying in from Boston with non-refundable tickets so we are still planning on doing the hike. I was curious to see if there were any gates on the roads into the trail head that could possibly be shut making the trip that much longer?

Thanks in advance.

I called Inyo County Roads department yesterday and they said that Whitney Portal rd is a County road, so it should be open. I have permits for the 21st but was thinking of just going up this weekend in case the road gets shut down sooner or later. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to get a ticket or something, I've heard they can be exorbitant.

I went up on the 11th. All the roads are open. We camped out at the closed Horseshoe Meadows Campgrounds http://www.hikespeak.com/campgrounds/horseshoe-meadow-campgrounds-golden-trout-wilderness/ the first night in order to acclimate, we had the whole place to ourselves and the bathrooms where not locked ( although they were getting full) Even though our permit ( that we couldn't get ) wasn't until Sunday we went up on Saturday, the parking lot at the top is wide open, plenty of people there, a lot of people going for little day hikes, but we meet a lot of people coming down from the top as we went up and they told us how bad the conditions were at the top, most people turned back around 13,000 feet or so, saying the snow drifts were knee to hip high and made it very difficult to navigate the trail. After camping the night at Trail Camp ( it felt like sleeping through a hurricane) we decided to cut our trip there and head back down into Lone Pine for burgers and beer. We got there just in time to sit and relax with our food and watch the Wild West Show and Parade I think they where having for the annual film festival.

Thanks so much for the trip report. Very helpful! Tannika

That is a beautiful shot. Talk about pure gold. You caught a moment.

Thanks

Government is now open!! Going up tonight but have been unable to get any information about the ranger stations/permits. Anyone hear anything regarding this? I would assume they will reopen but who knows!

Thanks!

Wow sweet, my permit is for Monday!

Just called Inyo. They said that the Eastern Sierra Interagency Office building will be open tomorrow.

Thanks for the Info!! This is great news.