Coronavirus and hiking

[DixieFlyer]

Now that we are living in the era of "social distancing", it shouldn't be too surprising to see some hiking venues closed.

Here are a couple of examples:
* The Navajo Nation has closed all of their tribal parks: https://navajonationparks.org/public-notice/
* The road up to Kitt Peak is closed to the public...here is a pic that a friend took when he attempted to ride his bicycle up to the top: [ broken link removed ]

It would seem like hiking, especially in remote areas, would be one of the safer things that you can do...but with the frenzy that is going on, I imagine that there will be more closures in the coming days

[Tough_Boots]

DOI links are how institutions access formal science research. It's literally a scientific paper on the cutting edge of studying the epidemiology of COVID-19.

One link does not legitimize an entire chain letter. Let's be smart here.

[wildwesthikes]

@Tough_Boots
I agree with you on that. Not because it was a link in an email but yeah it's a single source. Those with the inclination can look at most or all of the data for themselves.
https://connect.medrxiv.org/relate/content/181

[Tough_Boots]

@wildwesthikes
For sure-- my point with all this is that we need to all be careful about the info we are getting and spreading. It's a mess out there right now.

[wildwesthikes]

@Tough_Boots
Totally. A lot of the emerging science on this has not been peer reviewed, because it's being done so rapidly. It's worth taking even that with a grain of salt. Hoping for a hike in a socially distant wilderness soon to get away from the clickbait.

[LosDosSloFolks]

@Tough_Boots @wildwesthikes
Well, I can assure you both it is not a chain letter. When I posted Dr. Kriebel's letter and the short response from Dr. Gorman I had two degrees of separation from both men. Since Kyle's response and profound skepticism I now have only one degree having spoken to them both in the interim.
Dr. Krieble and his staff of epidemiologists the University of Mass. welcome discussion on this important topic. That said, he is "mildly curious" on what points in his letter to his extended family and friends you take issue with or find spurious. He is open and willing to discuss the matter with you via Skype or Face Time at your earliest convenience.

When speaking with Dr. Gorman, PHD Harvard, he would only reiterate his thoughts that facts about viral mutation and secondary infections were not mentioned. He also said he understands that this was a semi-personal letter to friends and extended family and is a possible reason for Dr. Kriebel not "going into the weeds of minutiae" with laymen.

Mea Culpa...I originally stated that Dr. Gorman was the retired CEO of a major pharmaceutical company when in fact he is the retired head of R&D for one.

[wildwesthikes]

@LosDosSloFolks
No need to reply to me on the subject. I've used many, many DOIs for citation in my time studying immunology, biology and environmental science. I just don't work in the field so I don't want to make it sound like I'm any kind of expert. It is important that when someone sees a post like what generated this conversation that they don't immediately dismiss it as just another rumor. People should understand how to identify the difference between mass media reporting and primary source publications. At this point I think we are far off the topic of hiking & coronavirus so I will have to exit this conversation.

[CannondaleKid]

After seeing outdoor_lover's Massacre Falls photoset we figured we give it a shot to check out the falls but that idea lasted only as far as Jacob's TH along First Water Road. We had never ever seen that many cars there... double & triple parked as well as blocking other cars in. Kinda hard to do social distancing when the cars are parked within a foot of each other.

Anyway, figuring surely Massacre Falls would be just as busy I just turned around, drove a mile out Apache Trail, turned off onto Forest Road 1356, drove a half mile into the Bulldog OHV area and we set off on an off-and-on-trail extended loop and managed not to see another soul the whole time, not even at a distance.

I suppose we should have known with schools/businesses/etc. closed and snow-birds not yet wishing to go back to colder climes that there would be more than the usual amount of hikers at the popular trailheads.
Lesson learned! It's like the end of the world as we know it...

But no matter, as long as we're healthy (as in not-yet-infected) we'll still be hiking but we'll stick to non-trailheads and hike off-trail or at least avoid the popular/populated trails.

[herdbull]

@CannondaleKid couldn't agree more. We live about 10-12mins from that parking area on 1st water. It's been a zoo every time it rains. Even on a weekday before this virus stuff all started. We went today a few miles from 1st water road and had a great hike and didn't see a soul. Massacre falls is pretty much ruined until it dries up and quits raining.

Luckily I've found enough spots to go in my first winter here where social distancing won't be a problem. Unless you include rattlesnakes, bunnies and cactus

[wildwesthikes]

I always assume Massacre, 1st Water, Peralta, Canyon lake are a crapshoot a day or two after a big rain on the weekends but yeah it sounds busier than a Saturday in the middle of the week. Alarming.

Silver lining is every mid-April the filthy casuals disappear because it's like 89 degrees outside or something.

[herdbull]

went out to Willow springs TH this am for a nice 3 hour run. Some day I'll make it all the way to that darn river . Only 3 cars there at 8am but about 10 cars around 11am. Still not bad.

On the way up the trail tons of cars pulling into 1st water and even more heading towards Canyon Lake. So not much peace and quiet to be found out this way

[cactuscat]

Coronado National Forest, Douglas Ranger District closing all developed campgrounds ... I'm guessing that means all of FS will be?

In case you were planning to come here to SE Arizona, we just got this:
The Coronado NF will be taking additional steps to protect the public, as well as our employees, as the COVID19 outbreak intensifies. As of this coming Monday, 3/23, we will be closing the developed campgrounds on the Douglas District. This will include:

Idlewilde
Stewart
Sunny Flat
Herb Martyr
Sycamore
Camp Rucker Group Site
Rucker Forest Camp
Rustler Park
Cochise Stronghold East

This represents all of the developed campgrounds on the Douglas District. All developed campgrounds in the Chiricahuas and Dragoons will be closed. The agency is taking this action in accordance with the direction from the Center for Disease Control, regarding the need to limit gatherings of groups larger than 10 people to limit the spread of this virus. In addition to this, the prescribed cleaning of these sites would require specific protective equipment and training beyond the capabilities of our normal staff. In order to make sure that our developed campgrounds are not assisting in the spread of this virus we need to close them for the next few weeks. We will be assessing the public health situation in the area and working with our state and local partners in government, to determine the appropriate time to reopen these facilities.

Dispersed camping will still be available throughout the forest, and at this time no road closures are planned relative to this public health crisis. I appreciate the understanding from your members and from the residents in the Portal area, as we weather this storm together. We will get back to business when this crisis has passed. In the meantime, we will continue our work on ongoing projects and we will stand ready to respond to the impending fire season as things dry out this spring.

Doug Ruppel, District Ranger.

[outdoor_lover]

Unfortunately, I think that even after the Snowbirds finally go home, things will still be super busy during the week. Half of the Population just got laid off of work or is working from home, and the kids are on an indefinite spring break. So a LOT of people are no longer working 9-5 Mon-Fri... I ran into a couple today towing their 3 kids along. They were asking me if there was camping at Rattlesnake Cove as they wanted to get away from people. SB Cove was packed by 11:00 A.M.

[RowdyandMe]

@outdoor_lover
Yes and I expect things to get much worst. Several states are releasing prisoners early because they think that will help control the virus. And these early released prisoners will need jobs to survive good luck with that. A lot of people are not working right now.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Several states are releasing prisoners early

OMG prisoners released early without a job. No wonder the gun sales are up!

[sneakySASQUATCH]

Arches National Park is not closed, but the Governor of Utah effectively closed it by making camping on public and private lands in the three counties around Moab illegal. So much for spring break plan A.

[chumley]

@MtnBart01
This occurred in Flagstaff while Snowbowl continued to operate their outdoor functions. The residents of Flagstaff basically shamed them because these small mountain towns are not equipped to handle medical emergencies and the influx of visitors who are not local residents (Flag is actually "large" compared to Moab ... it has a level-1 trauma hospital ... Grand Junction, Salt Lake, and Vegas are the only other ones that surround all that tourist land in Utah).

... upset by the hundreds of people who flocked to her tiny hometown of Bishop, California, from Los Angeles and other large cities to vacation the minute schools shut down. “When people from urban areas are escaping, they’re escaping to vulnerable areas that have incredibly limited medical resources — and it felt pretty entitled and selfish,” she said in a phone interview. “It feels like a lot of first-world privilege knocking at our door.”

This is a good article from High Country News: https://www.hcn.org/articles/covid19-th ... blic-lands

After hearing that outdoor spaces are the safest areas to avoid the spread of COVID-19, many are venturing out, seeking the sort of isolation that public lands offer. But when visitors start overwhelming gateway communities, the public lands are no longer a safe refuge.

Sending people to parks means they’ll use the amenities in both the parks and in nearby towns. Grocery stores in the rural West, as in the rest of the country, are struggling to stay stocked, bathroom facilities will need cleaning, and the more visitors there are, the greater chance for injuries that might need to be treated in rural hospitals — hospitals that lack the capacity to treat them.

“There are ways to go outside without traveling to another area.”

It's tough, but I think you have to stay off popular trails where meeting recommended distancing guidelines isn't possible. And if you can't drive somewhere else to hike without needing to stop, eat, or shop, you should perhaps reconsider.

[cactuscat]

Here's another really good article on the subject, written by Chelsea Curtis - GRCA resident, and former employee of mine at the Gen Store ... all grown up to be a journalist at the Republic!

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... YyzPtZKltI

[Tough_Boots]

It's tough, but I think you have to stay off popular trails where meeting recommended distancing guidelines isn't possible. And if you can't drive somewhere else to hike without needing to stop, eat, or shop, you should perhaps reconsider.

Also at this point it's good to remember that you need to be distancing yourself during travel. Don't carpool to destinations with people you aren't already isolating with. Meet at trailheads and hike together but keep the recommended distance.

[sidhayes]

@cactuscat
Absurd

[AZLumberjack]

So I'm getting kinda tired of this self isolation stuff and wanted to get out for a quiet walk in the desert. I headed out to First Water Road at about 08:30 this morning and couldn't even make the turn off the Apache Trail for all the cars at the first parking lot. It was an absolute zoo out there. So I continued on the Trail to the Needle Vista, made a turnaround and went back into isolation.