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PSA: Big Bend NP closed again

3,907 Views | 31 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by oragator
labmansid
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Just saw yesterday where Big Bend NP is closed effective today indefinitely. It appears they had an employee test positive for Covid. Hopefully it will only be for a couple of weeks or so. I have a week long trip planned out there with some friends for next month, and hoping we can still go.

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/bbnp-closed-2020-07-01.htm
The Fife
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Well that sucks, how on earth are you supposed to catch the rona out in the desert or away from the tourist areas at the basin?! Do they think cactus or trees can transmit it somehow?
dave99ag
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AG
The biggest issue is that Alpine's hospital cannot handle COVID cases and Odessa is at capacity too. That area went from 1 confirmed case up until June to over 150. Their system just can't handle it.

When we go down there, we stick to our place as to not put the locals at risk. Yes, the park is huge, but people still go get gas / food in Terlingua, Alpine and Marfa.

DanTanna86
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No BBNP for my family. We will probably just put a towel down again and enjoy the outdoors.

[b]THE BEST College Football Power Rankings[/b]..[URL]www.DanTanna.com[/URL]
CrawfordAg
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Hope it's only temporary, we have a 5 day trip planned for Lajitas and wanted to spend a couple days in BBNP. If a national park of that size isn't social distancing....
jpb1999
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dave99ag said:

The biggest issue is that Alpine's hospital cannot handle COVID cases and Odessa is at capacity too. That area went from 1 confirmed case up until June to over 150. Their system just can't handle it.

When we go down there, we stick to our place as to not put the locals at risk. Yes, the park is huge, but people still go get gas / food in Terlingua, Alpine and Marfa.




Are all 150 in the hospital?
AgDad121619
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AG
Have a trip planned to Yellowstone in September - hopefully that won't be affected. Will have to frequent the National forests around it if they move to close park as a backup plan. I have not heard of any restrictions for National forest access to date.
schmellba99
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AG
The Fife said:

Well that sucks, how on earth are you supposed to catch the rona out in the desert or away from the tourist areas at the basin?! Do they think cactus or trees can transmit it somehow?
They don't care. It's about control, plain and simple. If you haven't figured that out, don't know what to tell you.
moo
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AG
Gonna need story on this place based on folks in the background.
AZAG08
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I can understand limiting some of the facilities if they want to discourage people congregating in one place, but how do you close the outdoors?
Animal
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DanTanna86 said:

No BBNP for my family. We will probably just put a towel down again and enjoy the outdoors.


You seem to have some really interesting family gatherings there....what exactly is going on in the background??
AgBQ-00
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AG
Animal said:

DanTanna86 said:

No BBNP for my family. We will probably just put a towel down again and enjoy the outdoors.


You seem to have some really interesting family gatherings there....what exactly is going on in the background??
What a photobomb!! I don't care who you are, that's funny!!
Communists aren't people. They are property of the state.
billyboy2001
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AG
Ya, Guadalupe Mountains NP (which I go to often) just opened up last week after being shut down for awhile but the trails they reopened are the ones that I think see the most foot traffic. So go figure.
BenderRodriguez
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Welp, now I'm in on this thread. Wtf?
Snow Monkey Ambassador
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Came here to say this . . .
labmansid
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schmellba99 said:

The Fife said:

Well that sucks, how on earth are you supposed to catch the rona out in the desert or away from the tourist areas at the basin?! Do they think cactus or trees can transmit it somehow?
They don't care. It's about control, plain and simple. If you haven't figured that out, don't know what to tell you.
I would imagine the decision is based on several things. Nothing official about their reasoning for the closing that I'm aware of. I suspect one big reason is if one employee has it, they want to have others quarantine to be sure they don't have it as well and prevent spreading further to other employees and guests. Even in the big outdoors, people do still have some contact between each other, especially in Terlingua/Study Butte and visitor centers.
labmansid
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DanTanna86 said:

No BBNP for my family. We will probably just put a towel down again and enjoy the outdoors.


Way to derail a thread!

AgEng06
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gdit
dave99ag
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To add to Sid's comment, I can only imagine if there's an emergency in the park and Rangers are sick with COVID. It's already a bit dangerous due to high heat in the summer, let alone not having enough personnel to help someone that's in trouble.

I don't like the decision to close down the park again, but I also respect it knowing the limited resources in the region.
highlonesomeaggie
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In!
AggieChemist
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Stupid city people are congregating in outdoor spaces. You know what city people need? Toilets. You wanna share a bathroom with several hundred people a day during the 'rona be my guest. And some poor ******* has to clean it.

Lot of people talking out their asses about muh freedom that have no clue about the logistics of some of these places.
terradactylexpress
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Do rural people not use toilets? That explains a lot
Ag 11
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Furlock Bones
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cohibasymas
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Animal said:

DanTanna86 said:

No BBNP for my family. We will probably just put a towel down again and enjoy the outdoors.


You seem to have some really interesting family gatherings there....what exactly is going on in the background??



HAHAHAHA AWESOME PHOTOBOMB
Tony Franklins Other Shoe
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AG
We have/had plans for the 16th. The "indefinitely" part is the worst. Just my luck we schedule a trip to the vast open spaces and they shut it down. Should have checked with Moose.

jpb1999
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AggieChemist said:

Stupid city people are congregating in outdoor spaces. You know what city people need? Toilets. You wanna share a bathroom with several hundred people a day during the 'rona be my guest. And some poor ******* has to clean it.

Lot of people talking out their asses about muh freedom that have no clue about the logistics of some of these places.
Ha, so I have to use the bathroom here at work also that is used by more than several hundred people. This is something that is easily done without licking the toilet seat... Both using and cleaning them.
rootube
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AggieChemist said:

Stupid city people are congregating in outdoor spaces. You know what city people need? Toilets. You wanna share a bathroom with several hundred people a day during the 'rona be my guest. And some poor ******* has to clean it.

Lot of people talking out their asses about muh freedom that have no clue about the logistics of some of these places.
Meth will get some of the country folks before the rona. (NSFW Language)

MouthBQ98
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People are filthy apparently. Meaning the rona.
angryocotillo
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The Fife
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AggieChemist said:

Stupid city people are congregating in outdoor spaces. You know what city people need? Toilets. You wanna share a bathroom with several hundred people a day during the 'rona be my guest. And some poor ******* has to clean it.

Lot of people talking out their asses about muh freedom that have no clue about the logistics of some of these places.
At Big Bend that's what cactus and scrub brush are for if you're in the desert, big rocks and trees if you're at the basin.
Stringfellow Hawke
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jpb1999 said:

dave99ag said:

The biggest issue is that Alpine's hospital cannot handle COVID cases and Odessa is at capacity too. That area went from 1 confirmed case up until June to over 150. Their system just can't handle it.

When we go down there, we stick to our place as to not put the locals at risk. Yes, the park is huge, but people still go get gas / food in Terlingua, Alpine and Marfa.




Are all 150 in the hospital?


I have yet to see any person show written proof of confirmed Covid test as it relates to my job. Which makes me wonder, are employers requesting written proof or just taking person at their word?
oragator
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It goes beyond toilet logistics, if other employees there were exposed to this person, they don't want rangers Interacting with guests. This is one national park I haven been to so I don't know how common that is.
But here in metro DC, in the heart of suburbia, Great Falls NP has been open, they just aren't manning the entrance gate. When the lot gets full they cone block the entrance and update the website and social media. When it calms down they send out another one saying it's open again. Easy for the 5 million in an hours driving distance to monitor.
I would assume that isn't as practical for a more out of the way park that people have to drive long distances to visit. It also might not be as practical if there are things like sensitive plant life, wildlife etc that requires monitoring when guests are around and staff is limited.
Jmo.
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