Yosemite is open!

[balzaccom]

During the federal government shutdown, Yosemite is open and concessions are operating normally. Roads normally open in winter remain open, conditions permitting. Many National Park Service facilities are closed. If you have an emergency, call 911.

[bobby49]

I would expect that Yosemite has the park dispatcher and front country law enforcement working, but not back country. Permits and all that stuff will be locked down for now.

[AlmostThere]

No, the Conservancy is issuing permits. I ran into multiple people heading into the backcountry with permits.

[bobby49]

Yes, the Conversancy may be issuing permits, but there is likely to be little backcountry enforcement (permit checking).

[Wandering Daisy]

There is not a lot of back-country "hiking" in Yosemite right now, unless you want to ski or snowshoe. Regardless of shutdown, you self-register this time of year anyway, unless they recently changed that. The good news is that Yosemite Park itself is open to the valley so you can at least get to the valley trailheads and Camp4 would be open. One of my favorite winter "hikes" is simply to walk the 12-mile valley loop, hang out in front of the fireplace at one of the lodges and then hop into my tent at Camp4 (they heat the bathrooms, by the way!). If the shutdown continues, however, I wonder how long they will be able to do this.

[mrphil]

Friggin' disgusting and reprehensible! Why do people have to wantonly destroy when left to their own devices? What's it been now, about 12 days? "Free stuff" and anarchy going hand in hand. Speaks poorly as to what would quickly happen if things really kicked off.

It's time to close the parks if they can't be adequately protected when you stop to consider that so much of the NPS's mission is conservation and protecting national treasures. 4-wheeling and garbage thrown on the sides of the road, really? Nothing a little martial law and a few deputized and well-armed volunteers wouldn't fix right up though, I'm sure.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/9122 ... f=mosthome

[TahoeJeff]

"two men enter, one man leaves...."

[mrphil]

"two men enter, one man leaves...."

Yep, nothing says don't drive in the meadow quite like a 50 cal round punching a fist-sized hole in your engine block.

"bust a deal, face the wheel..."

[rightstar76]

Nothing a little martial law and a few deputized and well-armed volunteers wouldn't fix right up though, I'm sure.

Instead, how about a civilized functioning government?

[mrphil]

Nothing a little martial law and a few deputized and well-armed volunteers wouldn't fix right up though, I'm sure.

Instead, how about a civilized functioning government?

That would be remedy that was set forth by the founding fathers. Just a few as examples, and the rest would fall right into line. I guess we can dream.

Anyhow, it's not right that parks should stay open when they can't be protected and the laws enforced. But it's still appalling what people do, and how quickly and mindlessly they go there when left on their own. It would be wonderful to know we live in a society that knows better and has some respect.

The way I understand it is that for these now what seem like annual shutdowns, everybody eventually gets paid retroactively anyway, so might as well stay and take care of it. That said, we all want and expect to get paid for our work, but I would hope that a moment in one's career would be secondary for people that we would like to believe have a higher purpose in what they do in life. I've never really considered being a park ranger as being "just a job" but more a calling and a set of principles that transgresses just a paycheck.