There's lot's of rumors flying around about forest closure orders or lack there of in Idaho. Because each forest and each district can have distinct closure orders, its not really a clear cut situation. In this blog post I will try to summarize the orders by district and provide links so you can verify for yourself.
10 Person Group Size Limitation for Outdoor Recreation Groups: The Intermountain Region issued a 10-person group size limit for outdoor recreation on National Forest System Lands in Idaho through the end of May to adhere to the State of Idaho’s opening plan. Click here for the order.
As an FYI, the Intermountain region covers all or part of six states, including Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, California, and Colorado as shown in this map below.
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| Intermountain Region of USFS |
Closure orders can change at any time and become more or less restrictive. Knowledge is power. You should visit all the links and see if my summaries are no longer accurate as I will only have time to check this periodically. Leave a comment with specific updates and a link to a Forest Service website where I can double check.
For all COVID-19 closure orders on an interactive map, click here. Please note this site does not include all closure orders, just the ones related to COVID-19.
In general, most campgrounds, hot springs, and recreation areas are closed until further notice plus the some dispersed Camping areas.
Boise National Forest
To see closure orders by district, click here.Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland
Note, the current closure order closes all campgrounds, recreations areas, etc. until May 31
Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Note the current closure order closes all campgrounds, recreation areas, etc. until June 30.
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Note the current closure orders closes all campgrounds, recreations areas, etc. until June 30.
Payette National Forest
Note the current closure order closes some recreation areas and makes recommendations to be in alignment with State of Idaho guidance.
At this time we have a violent enemy of the people and those who would normally gather to pray for world peace are instead giving in to fear and calling for the annual gathering to be postponed until its “safe” to do so (presumably next year). Just as vision council didn’t know last year there would be a pandemic this year, nobody knows whether there will be an opportunity to gather next year either. And then cautioning those who might go that there won’t be the creature comforts that are normally provided by the kitchens and plumbers (that won’t be going) not to mention all the logistics folks that keep things running smoothly. Sounds to me like Utah 1974 where the number of people there couldn’t have reached 500 total and probably only 300 at any given time. There wasn’t any of that stuff back then. And while it was rough to say the least it is still one of my favorite memories of the gatherings past. Watercress was a staple (harvested wild) and there was only one kitchen. I’m not telling anyone to go (especially if the man has the forests closed) as that’s a personal decision, but to think you need all the creature comforts in order to pray would be missing the point of prayer. I have to ask, who or what are you praying to? And while I’m quite aware that people can pray anywhere there’s a reason why churches congregate and it’s not just to make a statement, though that is there, but more than that is the power in numbers. Many are being told not to go to church, but you know many of them would if they could. This thing is out of man’s hands and will require divine intervention if it’s to be sequestered anytime soon or are you planning on praying for a vaccine or a miracle drug, what?
ReplyDeleteThank you once again Karin for being the creative, intelligent and balanced giver of love, information and perspective in matters of Rainbow concern.
ReplyDeleteI’ve checked some of the links you’ve listed and see (most/all) the organized, group and established campgrounds closed, while, as you say: “plus the some dispersed Camping areas” (sic). My assumption is that Rainbow family has always been under the “dispersed” or “backcountry” category and that Family does not consider itself “organized” such that when over 75 people happen to be in the same general area we are required to select a leader who will accept responsibility to sign the permit imposed upon “organized” groups of more than 75 people.
Each year I have attended I never was “camping” in any “organized” manner with 74 other people, so I never broke the permit restrictions. 😀
I don’t want to get into the contentious permit signing topic, just note that Rainbow has traditionally danced around the government’s regulations and now it faces a new set of stricter oppressive regulations. I believe only time can tell us how justified these Covid restrictions are, or were, in stripping away our constitutional right to peaceably assemble.
Some countries/communities with few to none of the shelter in place/lockdown/social distancing regulations have sailed through the last three months virtually unscathed compared to others places with stricter regulations who are now suffering staggering losses. Time will tell.
I plan on being in Idaho in 7 weeks and camping in the woods and praying on the 4th of July. I will gather with my daughter and two grandchildren and maybe 6 or 46 or 71 other people, depending on the restrictions then in place. :)
Instead of a huge circle in the main meadow, from the sky the meadow on the fourth might appear more like Namibian fairy circles, small groups of “non gathers” dispersed within earshot of each other sharing their OM and their heart songs. https://scx1-b--cdn-net.cdn.ampproject.org/i/s/scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800/2017/2-inafricanfai.jpg
Keep in mind that currently Idaho has a no more than 10 people camping in any one area in the national forests. The closure orders are set to expire at the end of June, but as we all know the situation is fluid. This closure order is not in relation to the Group Use Regs, but rather COVID-19.
DeletePlease keep me abreast of the plans as they occur. I would like to be a part of seed camo this year, as this will be my fifth national gathering. Amy Pickle
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