Do you think the AT will reopen before or after July 1st?
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Do you think the AT will reopen before or after July 1st?
it's already more open than closed
right. Not sure why people keep saying it's closed. You can't camp in shelters or use a privy but could tent camp at all shelter sites. I think some parking areas are closed down south and probably else where. Obviously not a good time for a thru hike but the trail isn't closed.
i was on Whitetop yesterday and saw 7 thru-hikers. parking lot was open and no signs stating the AT is "closed"Quote:
Originally Posted by LazyLightning
apparently some places are closed but not much. Shenandoah and a few other random spots. I guess it's not all the shelters/privys on the trail but the ones on the national forest service land? …. I read through briefly on the ATC website. ATC may have tried to shut the entire trail down but the national forest service didn't agree and I think they made a good move to not close the entire trail. If it's to crowded, close the trailhead parking areas and keep it open.
Splitting hairs here doesn't help... A few months ago the idea of a 'closed' AT was unfathomable, now it's reality - especially for those of us who have postponed our hikes. National parks aren't 'random' spots, and there's more than one on the AT as I recall. A list of all the places on the trail that are, in fact, officially closed would not be 'underwhelming'. Must we burden the OP with specifying so precisely what we all, I hope I can safely assume, can clearly see as the basic premise of the question? Or perhaps it's not such a burden, and with respect to the OP, I'll offer the following redaction: Will the ATC give the green light before July 1?
The National parks aren't the random spots. Shenandoah, 27 other miles in VA and NJ state parks and forests are closed. That's all the trail that is closed, down south a lot of parking areas and facilities are closed and then It looks like shelters/privies VA and north. Then Baxter is closed to camping and hiking above tree line.
My guess is actually July 1 - ie ATC will give its humble 'blessing', coinciding with lifting of recently imposed restrictions at BSP.
The Trump Administration wants to open things back up, so they will pass the instructions down through the Secretaries to the agency heads. Remember the Administration originally lifted NPS entrance fees so as to encourage outdoor recreation. Only the Gov't can close or open what the Gov't owns. The ATC has no legal standing.
According to ATC policies one can still thru hike by roadwalking around sections due to a emergency. Now if a pandemic rises to that point to be considered a emergency IDK, I've never heard it it terms of the Noravirus, although they said avoid shelters. Additionally IDK how a termination point closure due to a pandemic would be considered, however there is precedent during the wildfires that ATC gave recognition if one got to Hot Springs. :
https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.or...t/thru-hiking/Quote:
In the event of an emergency, such as a flood, a forest fire, or an impending storm, blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks are viable substitutes for the white-blazed route.