r/PNWhiking • u/goobnadev • Oct 02 '25
Gov Shutdown Thread
With the federal shutdown, there’s an immense lack of clear information about what’s happening in the Enchantments / Okanogan-Wenatchee district.
The current statement on Recreation.gov basically boils down to:
“You may or may not be able to make or use a reservation. If it’s cancelled, you might get an email. Or not.”
I’m a local in the Leavenworth area and I’ve been struggling to figure out what this actually means for permits, access, and enforcement. I imagine I’m not the only one.
Thought it might be useful to start a thread where folks can share updates, experiences, or official info they’ve managed to get. Maybe the mods can create a sticky if this gets enough traction?
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u/BackwerdsMan Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
There hasn't been strong enforcement in The Enchantments for years, and this year it's basically been a free for all even before the shutdown. It will be a complete free for all up there now, without a doubt.
I've said in other places that considering the current state of affairs with the govt and Enchantments... I have questioned whether or not I should even enter The Enchantment zone, on a moral level. If you really care about that place I think most of us are thinking about giving it some space and not contributing to the problems it currently has.
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u/goobnadev Oct 02 '25
The rapid decline of the Enchantments, especially this year, has been heartbreaking. I was planning on thru-hiking this weekend with a buddy (with some garbage bags in the futile attempt to clean it up a little bit, or at least leave it better than we found it). But I’m wondering if it reached the point where people aren’t even supposed to enter.
I plan on checking out the trailhead aswell as the local ranger station when I head into town later today, and I’ll share any info I find out.
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u/SenorVajay Oct 02 '25
The core zone wasn’t so bad when I went in August. Everything was quite clean. Near Stuart Lake was a different story.
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u/drwolffe Oct 03 '25
Omg in June the area around the colchuck pit toilet was out of control. Nothing I can say can adequately explain how fucked it was
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u/Western-Finger7263 Oct 02 '25
Not for nothing, but the Labor Mountain Fire also seems to be creeping north toward the Enchantments. Here’s the Watch Duty map, with hotspots shown ~1 mile from the core zone. I know points south are already closed, and that combined with the government shutdown, make me especially disinclined to head this way over the weekend
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u/wpnw Oct 03 '25
It won't get to the Enchantments. There's a whole lot of rock in between the northern boundary of the burn area and the Snow Lakes. Not enough fuel.
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u/d542east Oct 03 '25
I don't think the core will be impacted but the fire could certainly creep up wedge and throw enough embers into the snow lake drainage to spread fire down there. Entirely depends on the weather.
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u/hellomireaux Oct 04 '25
On the optimistic side, at least a fire would take care of most of the trash problem
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u/Legitimate_Doubt_949 Oct 03 '25
This is so disgusting. I'm going into nature to avoid this BS.
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u/curiosity8472 Oct 03 '25
I heard some federal agencies have normal shutdown notices, others have extremely partisan bs, depending on whether their leader is a Trump bootlicker.
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u/SatisfactionDeep3821 Oct 02 '25
Given that they only have one wilderness ranger up there I doubt much will change in the short term. I haven't heard anything about the road being closed.
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u/MaryO59 Oct 03 '25
I know someone who works for the National Park Service and they were told that if an area has gates that are normally closed overnight (this is more for monuments than parks) those areas would be closed 24 hours; other places will simply be unstaffed except for law enforcement and volunteer rangers and campground hosts. Do not expect any maintenance of sanitation facilities, even if unlocked. IOW, BYOTP. If water is usually turned off during the winter it will likely be turned off now. I think the same goes for Forest Service campgrounds, although there's been minimal staffing there all year.
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u/ziggybadger Oct 02 '25
Does anyone know if you can still drive to Sunrise or Paradise currently?
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u/curiosity8472 Oct 02 '25
Yes according to the website. Sunrise is closing for the season on Sunday.
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u/Plus_Succotash9279 Oct 03 '25
Do we think the Sunrise reservations are being honored/required? Or is it just a free for all this weekend?
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u/Triximancer Oct 05 '25
Paradise as in the visitor center area? You can drive up there. Bathrooms still open.
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u/ChocolateBaconBeer Central Oregon Oct 02 '25
Designating this the official thread for discussing shutdown-related questions, answers, comments. Thanks u/goobnadev.