Action Alert: Help Public Lands During the Government Shutdown
Unlock this article and more benefits with 40% off.
Already have an Outside Account? Sign in
40% Off Outside+.
$4.99/month $2.99/month*
Get the one subscription to fuel all your adventures.
- Map your next adventure with our premium GPS apps: Gaia GPS Premium and Trailforks Pro.
- Read unlimited digital content from 15+ brands, including Outside Magazine, Triathlete, Ski, Trail Runner, and VeloNews.
- Watch 600+ hours of endurance challenges, cycling and skiing action, and travel documentaries.
- Learn from the pros with expert-led online courses.
*Outside memberships are billed annually. Print subscriptions available to U.S. residents only. You may cancel your membership at anytime, but no refunds will be issued for payments already made. Upon cancellation, you will have access to your membership through the end of your paid year. More Details
As the government shutdown approaches the three-week mark, America’s public lands and their irreplaceable climbing areas are paying a steep price, having been left open without a plan for managing the impacts of thousands of visitors. Toilets are overflowing, trash is piling up, and public safety is at risk as emergency services, law enforcement, and critical maintenance have ceased or been severely limited—and we need climbers’ help.
Despite the heroic efforts of many well-intentioned volunteers, parks like Joshua Tree, Mt. Rainier, and Rocky Mountain may close due to resource impacts and road conditions. Although some parks may dip into entrance fee money to support a few basic services, this situation is unsustainable.
Two Ways the Climbing Community
Can Help
1. The President and Congress need to hear from you—use our easy letter-writing tool at this link here (bottom of page).
Many congressional representatives are eager to share their constituents’ stories about how the shutdown is affecting them and the impacts they are seeing in our National Parks and other public lands. Please take 5 minutes to use our easy letter-writing tool below and share your personal appeal with the President and your representatives. Tell them why the government needs to reopen and appropriately manage our public lands.
2. If you choose to visit public lands during the shutdown, be prepared.
Services are severely limited, and your safety and the integrity of these amazing landscapes are at risk.
—Choose your climbing objectives carefully & communicate your plans. Remember that search and rescue services are severely limited, so make sure to share your climbing plans with other people before you venture out.
—Learn how to poop in a bag and pack it out. It’s not as gross as you might expect. Here’s a handy video that demystifies the process.
—Pack out all trash. Make sure you’re prepared with a bag to pack out all trash.
—Help others to act responsibly. Be an upstander, not a bystander. If you see others making unacceptable impacts, kindly share your minimum impact knowledge.
It is widely publicized that the shutdown has already resulted in expensive and measurable damages to our public natural resources, but other, less publicized impacts include the loss of critical data that is collected in our national parks to support ongoing science initiatives on climate change, endangered species, and visitor experience. Fuel reduction efforts that thwart dangerous wildfires have also halted.
This extended shutdown reminds us that our beloved national parks can’t run properly without the appropriate funding to maintain, manage, study and protect our public lands. Please tell the President and Congress to stand up for these amazing places.
Sign up for Action Alerts
Access Fund will let you know when there is a credible threat to climbing access and we need to activate your voice.
SIGN UP HERE!
This article originally appeared on accessfund.com.