Shuttered uphill, plentiful avalanches, stay home campaigns
I’ve lost track: was the past week an entire month? With the ferocity of coronavirus news developments and subsequent impacts on communities across the world, it’s easy to mistake a day for a week, or a week for a month. I’ve been starting to wonder if March will ever end. Last week, Colorado got an official statewide “stay at home” order which fully confirms self quarantine as the new normal at WildSnow HQ. Under the order, people can leave their homes for exercise once a day and for the weekly grocery run but that’s about it. Across the state and the country it seems the running theme is ‘shut down’ but that’s not stopping people from getting out.
Plenty of folks are still venturing into the hills in Colorado, both the backcountry and closed ski areas. So many in fact that our local Sunlight Mountain Resort put the kibosh on skinning altogether. Sunlight joins an increasing number of Colorado ski areas that have closed the slopes to uphilling, including Loveland, Eldora and Winter Park. Just yesterday, several ski resorts joined forces with the National Forest to issue a plea to keep people off of closed ski runs and prevent visitors from traveling to mountain towns to recreate. Apparently social distancing is harder to apply to ski touring, or at least that’s one concern. Safety is of course the other big one.
Safety is becoming increasingly worrisome for backcountry newbs and novices venturing into the wilds. In the brief time between March 20-26 the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported 34 human-triggered avalanches. Slides of varying sizes have been catalogued in the peaks around the state but especially in Gunnison County and in the San Juans where a snowboarder was caught, carried and badly injured, instigating a helicopter rescue. And while human-triggered avalanches aren’t uncommon throughout the winter months, 34 in a week is notably bad, especially during a time when folks are encouraged to minimize risk.
No doubt, there’s been an uptick in backcountry traffic around the state. Social media images of cars sardined at popular backcountry ski trailheads have been popping into the newsfeed. Backcountry ski shop owners saw a short-lived but frenzied run on uphill gear before being shut down by the ‘stay at home’ order this week. Ideally new users could take avalanche and other in-person backcountry safety courses before heading off piste, but most of those have been cancelled by order of public health concerns. It’s all adding up to stormy weather: free time + cabin fever + new backcountry setup + plentiful backcountry = trouble. Just hope it doesn’t snow. Oh, but that’s in the forecast too.
In light of all this, various efforts to keep folks at home are increasing. Snowsports Industry America launched a social media campaign on Friday called #curbyourturns, encouraging people to share posts of them recreating responsibly and close to home. Friends of CAIC, the fundraising non profit for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued a letter on Friday calling backcountry skiers to stay close to home or not venture out at all. And in San Juan county, cars with out-of-county plates parked along the popular backcountry access corridor of Highway 550 will be ticketed and fined as the county seeks to limit recreation.
But all backcountry access is not lost if you’re stuck at home. The American Avalanche Institute is posting free backcountry travel webinars on Instagram, Mountain Sense is offering deep discounts on online courses. BCA has long hosted free, plentiful backcountry travel resources. And of course, WildSnow has a deep archive of avalanche safety material as well.
Of course, in light of debilitating effects of coronavirus in other parts of the country — New York City, for instance — ski touring should be the least of our worries. It does seem that there’s a collective feeling of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ in some mountain regions though. How much longer that is sustained before more shut downs occur is an inevitable question, to which the answer is — as to so many things right now — we’ll just have to wait and see.
Readers: what does backcountry recreation look like where you live? Leave a comment to share the status of your situation.
Manasseh Franklin is a writer, editor and big fan of walking uphill. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and environment and natural resources from the University of Wyoming and especially enjoys writing about glaciers. Find her other work in Alpinist, Adventure Journal, Rock and Ice, Aspen Sojourner, AFAR, Trail Runner and Western Confluence.
34 comments
As of today, all trailheads, campgrounds, and day-use areas in the National Forests around Washington are closed, e.g.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mbs/alerts-notices/?aid=57349
I guess if you live within walking distance from them, you can get out on the trails, but otherwise it’s not allowed.
I’m sorry but that is nuts. How does closing access to the outdoors help anyone? We need to socially isolate but hiking and camping aren’t herd spectator sports. Their are some rescues and injuries that come with outdoor recreation and this is no time for people to be sustaining injuries that require hospital based care but to close access like this won’t prevent a single case of COVID-19. Is there no common sense?
I’m not into it, but if you’d gone to a busy trailhead in the last week (including touring areas), you’d have noticed a lot of people not following the distancing recommendations. I guess users have forced their hand.
Correct. The trailheads, ski area parking lots, and rivers in Washington were a complete junk show last weekend. Impossible to social distance when the lot is that full. They also shut down fishing as the boat ramps were super crowded.
Why not close the sidewalks and ticket people who walk outside to pick up their mail?
How many SAR call outs are there in the US for people getting lost or injured getting their mail Kevin?
The SAR question is legitimate. I’m just suggesting that perhaps public health officials might focus a little bit more on trying to test people who are sick or tracking sick people for contacts rather than ticketing solo tele hippies at a trailhead. There are certainly people getting hurt and making foolish backcountry choices. Probably those same people aren’t exactly isolating at home even if not skiing.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2411094/backcountry-accidents-coronavirus-colorado?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=onsiteshare&fbclid=IwAR3cP31df8ipnntSudovUcZlqfmnvz6aEDTheOoWmRt8L-d8lE2XMR7QUxk#close
In N. Tahoe, lots of folks are out. It’s hard to say if they are locals or locals and visitors. Lots of folks out as a family. This includes all types of snow sports, skis, splits, non-splits, snowshoes, XC (one place was still setting tracks, tickets on the honor system). Sometimes 10-40 cars at trailheads. On the slopes, folks are pretty spread out, not so much in the parking lots. There are a lot of locals who ski and many have some sort of BC set up (saw lots of plate bindings on heavy skis). It’s busy enough that some slopes are getting tracked out (e.g. Donner peak, backside of Juda, N. side of Negro Canyon, even the lake run as a lot of tracks on it). Since we are still getting snow and the AV danger is moderate, a lot of folks are out. Who can blame them, they live in the mountains and most are not working…. All of the ski areas are not allowing any sort of access. Only sugar bowl had an uphill program but that is shut down as well.
Squaw and Alpine did not have one. Four foot snow berm blocks that entrance to Alpine, Sugar Bowl has gates and a person sitting in a truck to control access. Squaw is wide open, but you will be seen and tracked down if you go on the slopes. Some nice spots outside of the resort though. I am back in the SF bay area now and will hang here for a couple of weeks, but I do plan to get out again. I have a cab over camper so me and my dog will be isolating. There are a couple of spots that I know of that are used very little, so I will try those. Can I please travel to Oregon in May? Please!
In addition to all Washington State Lands and Parks normally available for recreation, and closure of the Mt Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest, the local weather and avalanche center has followed in lock step by ceasing all avalanche forecasting for the areas stretching from northern Oregon to the Canadian border. Obviously no one will now need those forecasts anyway, with no recreation going on in the mountains. Right.
Here in New Zealand the entire country has been on “lock-down” since last Thursday for at least the next moth. This means all business is closed apart from essential services, and everyone is to stay at home. People are only drive when getting groceries or going to the doctor etc, and you can only go out to exercise in your local neighbourhood (ie walk, run or bike starting and ending at your house). This means no hunting, tramping, skiing, climbing etc. All the outdoor clubs and retailers are united in the message to stay home.
https://medium.com/@nz_msc/can-you-go-walking-tramping-trail-running-or-hunting-during-covid-19-alert-level-4-9448630eae78
Given the amount of denial in the USA about the virus, starting at the top with your incompetent leader, trickling right down to folks on this site, it’s no wonder the country now has the highest rate of corona infections in the world. It is truly scary.
If you’re referring to me, I am neither uninformed or in denial. I’m a physician in Denver and have seen about 20 cases of COVID-19.
I also happen to know that it is spread in close contact and more readily in dense urban environments, hence half of all US cases are in metro NYC. Yes, there are also major ski town outbreaks because of international travel.
What contact is happening on the skin track? On a trail? This is not at all where the disease is being transmitted. People in the outdoors are largely seeking isolation. This can be done in a way that is both responsible regarding potential for injury, and good for physical and mental health.
Public health leaders should be focused on populations or people who aren’t isolating, and in particular, on the vulnerable institutionalized elderly and front line healthcare workers.
In short, hikers and skiers aren’t the problem and virtue signalling isn’t the solution.
Well said. Thank you
Exactly!
‘In short, hikers and skiers aren’t the problem and virtue signaling isn’t the solution.”
This.
I completely agree with everything Happy1 said. Perfectly done, really. However, the National Forests will probably be shut down. It’s going to happen. The parking lots of Jones and Berthoud have been insane over the last two weeks. I have never seen Jones like that. I was in the Wasatch the last week for that storm cycle, and it was bonkers. My brother just left the PNW because they shut that down.
Here’s the issue: it’s not ski-tourers who are up there. The sled-necks at Jones were legion. I saw families heading into White Pine in LCC in Lange RS130 boots, helmets and goggles on, marching up the skinner as if they were going to get somewhere. It’s bizarre. If it were just the people who are normally skiing or hiking it wouldn’t be an issue. I was in shock driving down Clear Creek Canyon last week – more ropes up than I have ever seen. Oh yeah, the plastic palace is closed. The hordes are being pushed into us.
I put the probability as more than likely that within two weeks we won’t have the option of getting out. (There was a under-the-radar meeting last night at a municipal office to discuss how to shut down Jeffco Open Spaces…)
Buckle up
Colin
Golden, CO
Well said HAPPY1. Nonetheless, without restrictions in place, if people are moving freely to recreate and what not, especially now that many have free time, there will be far more interactions between people in the world at large; driving, car pooling, getting gas, buying coffee, getting food before or after, moving from one town to another, or from state to state…and so on. The danger is not necessarily two people passing on the tail, but ten people meeting at the trail head. It stands to reason that with more social distancing (the European word) or more shelter in place (the rather alarmist US word) the virus will spread less easily. And of course, it’s easier and more practical to have a blanket restriction (no travel/recreation/groups/whatever) than trying to parse the relative risks of different activities. In terms of how much contact is needed to spread the virus, prolonged close contact surely increases the chance of infection (and perhaps also the severity of symptoms), but I don’t think anybody knows exactly how much contact is needed for this virus to spread. It’s too early. I absolutely agree about focusing on people who are not or can not isolate, on the elderly, and on emergency and health care workers, and support staff. By the way, I think that using the term “virtue signaling” is a kind of virtue signaling. Like “fake news,” these words means something, but they’re political in nature. I find they never add to the conversation.
It seems like the before and after is the major issue…not the actual skinning or act of being outdoors. I live in Boulder and have been lucky to not have been a part of insane trailheads and the like, but have seen some pics of the trail conga line in effect. I could have gone skiing last Friday, but the whole scene didn’t seem or feel right to me.
I’m definitely NOT an advocate of staying indoors for two weeks and have been out and about outside, running and such. Also, I’m a professional medical worker and am front and center every time I’m on shift…let’s just say that this is a dress rehearsal for a bigger problem that is much bigger than your ‘need’ to rip skins and get sendy.
Everybody pump your freaking breaks and see the bigger picture.
Thanks again for keeping these discussions going, it’s good to hear what people are saying and finding out what is going on elsewhere. Several of us were going to go ski touring yesterday (70 mile drive one way), but on Friday we discussed and decided to stay closer to home and recreate (hike, bike). Why? Personally for me it comes down to trying to do my best to not stress the medical system and to support the spirit and intent of the Colorado lockdown. Even though the chances (esp what we ski) of needing assistance is very small for us in our skiing, probably what hits me hardest is doing my part to not put more medical workers/SAR/etc at risk in a more remote area. That pic of the medical workers (We are here for you, Please stay home for us) got to me.
So instead 2 of us went hiking. OMG – people (esp younger people) seemed oblivious to Social Distancing and we saw several groups hiking close together. Anytime someone approached on the trail, I would go 10+ feet away off the trail – most people would look at me funny. I was very disappointed in what I saw.
Thanks all for the comments. It’s super interesting to hear different reports from different regions as we’re all in this together, even if we’re experiencing it far apart…
Good suggestion to use some of our new leisure time to brush up (or learn) avalanche skills. Here is a set of online interactive avalanche courses. Investing some time in building or dusting off your skills is always a good idea, especially if you are stuck on the couch. Lots more interesting and valuable than a lot of other options. https://kbyg.org/learn/
Thanks for the link Paul Diegel!
Hmmm good points made by all. But here’s what I do not get… What do people not get when the message is ‘stay at home? Why is so hard to just do what one is told just this once? Is it really such a burden to be unselfish and do the right thing? Why not show a little respect to the nurses and doctors on the front line? I am sure nature will also appreciate a little downtime from all of us. So, do the right thing, stay at home, read some books or old WS Posts, do something for someone less fortunate than you and look forward to getting back outside when it is ok to do so.
This is very simple. If there is a stay at home order in your municipality stay home and exercise near your home. I understand in mountain communities this can mean skinning in the local area and hopefully not crowded, which seems reasonable. When I see numerous Denverites heading up to Berthoud, driving an hour plus from home, crowding parking lots, and potentially risking an accident….this is selfish. Stay home.
S,
I agree and well stated.
https://www.ksl.com/article/46735882/avalanche-experts-urge-backcountry-travelers-to-make-conservative-choices-in-wake-of-resort-closures?fbclid=IwAR2Cp6SgrXVHBhrodAKo5wG6p0QsYr7skSdHKrHEiEd8jaPPLJlh0jmZun4
I think people heading out in drones into the backcountry says something quite damming about the current state of the American Mindset. I too, at first, was heading out for an hour long jog a couple of times a week; now I really feel guilty about it. As many have said, stay home, even if your local authorities have not put a shut down order – how many of you have been with someone from out of state, from SF area, NY or Washington? I live in South America and I believe we are taking this as a very serious affair, way more than US political leaders (not even mentioning the state of public healthcare). Most countries (except for Brazil and Mexico) are under increasing restrictions. People will die like flies, like it or not. In the mountains and in urban areas. I am currently trying to make peace with the notion ill probably not be able to ski this winter. Stay home.
I agree. I’m adjacent to Boston, MA and people here are being quite reasonably strict. Did go to Battleroad National Park (its really just large walking paths through suburbia) this weekend. Not going back. Most people were respecting distances, but a few were oblivious. My most risky behavior is going to the grocery store. 100k to 200k deaths in the U.S. is the conservative estimate. Time to stay home and do some yoga or something.
Our ski areas closed 2 weeks ago, last weekend was an absolute shit show both at the areas and at backcountry trailheads, crowded and lots of poor physical distancing. This weekend it was much better, perhaps because the weather was worse but hopefully we’re collectively getting better.
The trailheads in the Cottonwoods this week were often as congested and busy as shopping for toilet paper at Costco (I didn’t stop, just drove by to find zero crowding). It seems silly to even have to point out that trailhead crowding is not helping anyone, but some of the comments reveal that evidently the commenters live in very remote places with zero crowding or they don’t understand how a virus is spread.
As predicted for Slovenia, since midnight we’re now stuck within municipality of residence and recreation is supposedly not possible (beyond walking a dog and such) because people just can’t seem to stay away from each other and find empty trails. Details and enforcement are not entirely clear just yet. I’ll see how it goes when I drive across country tomorrow to clear out my office.
A few thoughts:
Ski touring with proper social distancing conveys virtually zero risk of transmitting COVID-19. If you drive separately and stay 6ft away from other humans at all times, then you are not contributing to viral spread. Does that mean it is ok to ski tour right now?
I’ll leave the moral judgement of that up to all y’all. If you are injured ski touring, you will become one more burden on an already overwhelmed healthcare system. If you are caught in an avalanche, there is no way to dig you out and still maintain everyone’s 6ft personal bubble of isolation.
So if you do go out, please ski conservatively, drive separately, and practice meticulous social distancing at the trailhead and on the skin track.
Maybe more importantly: if you are traveling from your home outside the mountains to a ski town to go touring, understand that you are likely entering one of the nation’s COVID hotspots. While the absolute number of COVID-19 cases in our nation’s ski towns pale in comparison to New York, Seattle, etc, the COVID+ cases per 100K citizen ratio in our ski towns is staggering. As of today, Summit County UT has a COVID+/100K citizen ratio of 378. To put that in perspective, Italy peaked at around a COVID+/100K citizen ratio of around 120.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/2926572001
Whatever you choose to do: stay safe, stay healthy.
I posted on this subject last weekend, in the other post on here. I’ll just link to & quote from the Facebook page from one of our smaller MRT lot..please remember ours are all unpaid volunteers…
https://www.facebook.com/pg/OchilsMountainRescueTeam/posts/?ref=page_internal
Dated 21 March:- “”Scottish Mountain Rescue and iSMR teams across the country have been called out multiple times today and we are seeing significant activity on the hills in our area.
We do not have PPE for COVID19, quite rightly the NHS and front line emergency services must be prioritised.
Within OMRT we have NHS and Scottish Ambulance service medical professionals, 999 Emergency service personnel, and many others in the Scottish Government key workers groups.
Across all teams personnel will have people they live with who are classified as vulnerable, some will be self employed already facing significant hardship.
Our NHS services will be stretched, don’t add to their load.””
Dated 21st March:- “”This is a very fast moving situation
“All travelling to the hills stops now for all of us.
There will be plenty of help needed in your own communities in the coming weeks and we need to look after ours.”
Stay at home, Save lives. #ScottishMR””
Then we had great weather on the 22nd March with loads of people out making the usual car parks busier than a Bank Holiday..so ..
Dated 23rd March:- “”16 times in the last two days Please share and get the message out””
Then then UK Gov implemented a Lockdown on the 23rd/24th
They posted this yesterday (29th March):- “”No Callout ?
Thanks to all you fantastic people staying at home the team was not called out over the weekend.
We did not have to decide which of our volunteer responders to send up the hill.
We did not have to dispatch our medics with additional PPE
We did not have to request air support from Maritime and Coastguard Agency or Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance – SCAA
We did not have to handover to an already stretched Scottish Ambulance Service
Each and every one of you have contributed to saving the lives of people in our community.
A huge thank you from all at OMRT””
In my opinion if the proverbial hits the fan you are putting at risk the MRT & medical staff who are stretched at the moment…
Ironic that what “we” collectively profess to be Responsible backcountry behavior, ie communicate explicitly within and between parties, Get The Forecast, Get The Picture (thanks to KBYG…), acknowledge what you don’t know, and be conservative, tend to get swept to the side as a pandemic takes center stage. What we put into practice on a daily basis – on any day – does result in different experiential outcomes, for sure, but if we strive to Git ‘er Done and not just depend upon luck to see us through, we benefit from socially dispersed recreation for physical, spiritual and mental health, and avert the need for the services of first responders. Read ALL of Gov. Polis’ order, and you will see that he gets this, too. The COVID-19 exposure risk we face at the gas stations or at the grocery store are there regardless of our activity, whether we are buying bars or broccoli. At the trailhead, remember the last principle of KBYG: Get Out Of Harms Way; load and go and celebrate on WhatsApp instead of the at the tailgate.
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