Mt Whitney Zone
My Whitney closure extended to June 30

https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazon..._Mail__002_.pdf
Boy, a lot of reading.

So, what I get out of it, and please correct me, anyone, that there is no reference to Onion Valley and Kearsarge Pass and also Horseshoe Meadows.

Those two areas are still open for hiking and camping?

paul
Gyms and bowling alleys in Georgia - reopened today

Wilderness trail in California - still closed for two more months

This makes no sense. Does anyone think that there's a realistic possibility of them reversing that order and reopening the trail by June 1? A large portion of the businesses along the Eastern Sierra are going to go bankrupt if the order lasts until June 30.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/24/us/georgia-coronavirus-reopening-businesses-friday/index.html
Where did you find this document? The INF website still gives April 30th as the expiration date for the closure. Seems odd they would jump from April 30th to June 30th when all of the data is pointing to reopening all other aspects of life by the end of May at the latest.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/home/?cid=fseprd717045
I agree this is odd. This may have been a draft order that never went into effect. It is not signed.
Originally Posted By: DJB
Where did you find this document? The INF website still gives April 30th as the expiration date for the closure. Seems odd they would jump from April 30th to June 30th when all of the data is pointing to reopening all other aspects of life by the end of May at the latest.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/home/?cid=fseprd717045

From what I can tell, the expiration date is May 15. As of this post, you can't get a day use permit on recreation.gov for any date from May 1-15, but there are plenty of available weekday permits after May 15.
Editing my previous post. I found the source of this information. It was apparently discussed at a Mammoth Lakes Town Council Meeting:

https://granicus_production_attachments....8fdc966a240.pdf

Still seems bizarre to me.
Yes, that document is a PROPOSAL, not an official document. When you view it, notice the info in the top of the left column.

I called the Inyo Wilderness Permit office and go that info.
Adding more info: I had a good conversation with the staff at the Wilderness Permit office. This weekend is (was) the official fishing season opener. A bunch of clueless folks brought their RVs and travel trailers, without first checking on the situation. With everything (campgrounds, BLM areas) closed, people are parking their units every few hundred feet along Hogback Road, and other dirt road places. Whitney Portal Road's parking lot at the "road closed" sign is full of these.

Also, there is an undercurrent of anger in some of the locals toward people coming into the area despite the travel bans. Apparently there have been a few tires slashed (multiple, not just one, so how are they gonna leave? People can be crazy.)

As of now, the trail permit system has refunded reservation fees through May 15. Things are so bad, the "bunkhouse" housing for Inyo seasonal workers is closed, so they can't/haven't even hired the workers at this point. So when things open, there will still be some time to get everything up to speed.

The Inyo "developed" sites and Visitor Centers will remain closed until the county officials decide it is time to open things up. The county governments are controlling the situation.
Originally Posted By: Steve C
Yes, that document is a PROPOSAL, not an official document. When you view it, notice the info in the top of the left column.

So there's still a chance that the mountain will be open in June!

Please email David Andersen (his email is toward the end of the document that ace posted) to provide him with your feedback. Here are some sample comments that I've come across:

"It has come to my attention that the US Forest Service is proposing to close the Whitney Zone until June 30.

I believe that by closing these areas, you are forcing citizens into smaller areas, thus causing more human interaction. To ensure social distancing, please keep all public lands open for foot traffic, bike traffic, and vehicle traffic."

"There’s a balance between physical public health and mental public health and it’s a tricky line right now, but I urge you
to consider the mental health ramifications of further shutdowns of recreation areas."

"I fear that these closures will push people to do stupid things or go to more remote areas which will have worse impacts to the environment or greater impacts to rescue services."

"As our number of Covid-19 victims continues to decrease, we should be relaxing restrictions, not expanding them"
Originally Posted By: Steve C

Also, there is an undercurrent of anger in some of the locals toward people coming into the area despite the travel bans. Apparently there have been a few tires slashed (multiple, not just one, so how are they gonna leave? People can be crazy.)

Yeah, that's ridiculous. I bet that those people will be begging for bailouts once the layoffs bite and their businesses go under. Karma is a b!tch.
It is truly a proposal. The link "https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/574388/025_30_ESSRP_INF_PropsedClosures_200417_Mail__002_.pdf" the document share on Amazon S3 infrastructure, and has not be published. All USFS sites still say April 31st.

Fingers crossed
Steve, you wrote:

"Also, there is an undercurrent of anger in some of the locals toward people coming into the area despite the travel bans. Apparently there have been a few tires slashed (multiple, not just one, so how are they gonna leave? People can be crazy.)"

Where did you read about tires being slashed? I've read nothing about that in the local media or in law enforcement reports. Hopefully that is just a product of the rumor mill.

Sad, if true. But Yes, there has been a lot of local chatter, and anger, about people ignoring the travel ban.
I'm just saying that if the reports of locals vandalizing visitors' cars are true, those responsible deserve to have their jobs and businesses go under.

This might have been what Steve was referring to:
https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazon...ril_2020_v2.pdf

"Is Mammoth Lakes safe? Have seen stories where the locals might slash tires or wax windshields to nonlocal visitors!"

I think bruce in another thread said it best:
"The effects on the economy will be felt far worse than the virus and will need to be opened up as much as possible. Reasonable social distancing and appropriate mask wearing is 90% percent of it and everything can open up in a few months that don't include large gatherings. Fortunately hiking isn't one of them.

Shutting down hiking permits for the whole year would be like trying to kill a mouse with a bomb. The mouse is dead but you blew up the whole store in the process. I can understand cancelling large events until 2021 but not this."
> Where did you read about tires being slashed?

I was talking by phone with an Inyo N.F. person. It was stated that TWO tires were slashed. I don't know if that is rumor mill or true.
There are currently quite a few day use permits available for July - October (unclaimed lottery reservations), but none available for May or June. I got a June permit a few weeks ago but haven't gotten any emails regarding it.
Originally Posted By: Big Pine
There are currently quite a few day use permits available for July - October (unclaimed lottery reservations), but none available for May or June. I got a June permit a few weeks ago but haven't gotten any emails regarding it.


Thanks for mentioning this. I had forgotten about the May 1st unpaid-for-permit releases.
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