Do you feel ALL state parks should be closed to the public use during this pandemic?
Simple yes/no poll to find out how WGA members feel about closing of the state parks.
- Yes
- No
This topic contains 20 replies, has 15 voices, and was last updated by 
Noonan 5 years, 4 months ago.
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While the stakes have certainly changed, participating in geocaching has always been done at your own risk. I feel it should (continue to) be up to each individual to decide if they are comfortable geocaching given the current risk factors. I believe it is possible to continue caching safely without endangering other people, but I won’t think ill of anyone regardless of what they decide for themselves provided they’re not being reckless.
I thank you all for providing your thoughts regarding the current state of affairs. Even though our individual views are not all the same, it is important to air our thoughts so we can all gain a better understanding of others opinions. I do believe the specific question asked can be answered by a simple yes/no. Even though your opinions on the matter may be extensive, you will see yourself sitting on one side of the fence or the other. I quoted the response above because it really sums things up nicely. Geocaching has been and always will be about the amount of risk one wants to take in being able to sign that logsheet. There are caches that take you to the tip top of spindly trees, along crumbling rock faces with sheer drops, and into city sewers that have the same potential to kill as any confined space a person could crawl into. If you are some one who is a higher risk taker, you are most likely going to take some precautions during this time and hope to see as many areas open to caching as possible. If you wish to assume little to no risk, most likely you are either staying at home completely or if choosing to find a geocache you are doing so solitary, very well protected, and in far away places where no other has been for a long period. Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. Again, consider the risks that can be taken with geocaching in others way and has been allowed for 20 years. Cache on; please do it safely, responsibly and with the health of others held in the highest regard.
I agree with you Russ. Us as individuals, following state and local rules, should decide what’s the best route if you want to remain actively caching during this unprecedented time.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
-Henry David Thoreau
Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. .
OK, but you DID single someone out at the beginning of this thread. The WGA is NOT “rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas.” The WGA is not making an official stance on the matter, largely because we have no control over how the state government chooses to react to the Covid situation. The comment that you referenced was made by an individual member of the board, expressing his personal opinion, not the direction or consensus of the board as a whole.
All opinions, comments, and useless drivel I post are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the WGA BOD.
Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. .
OK, but you DID single someone out at the beginning of this thread. The WGA is NOT “rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas.” The WGA is not making an official stance on the matter, largely because we have no control over how the state government chooses to react to the Covid situation. The comment that you referenced was made by an individual member of the board, expressing his personal opinion, not the direction or consensus of the board as a whole.
You and anyone else can believe I singled someone out on here, but I prefer to believe that I was simply reporting an individual’s opinion from a social media forum. Bringing it to, what I would like to think is a more appropriate forum for response from anyone involved and interested in the happenings of the WGA.
As I have pointed out in previous posts, I would prefer to be able to geocache very similar to how I have in the past. Doing so by following state mandated guidelines and keeping everyone’s health and safety in mind.
Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. .
OK, but you DID single someone out at the beginning of this thread. The WGA is NOT “rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas.” The WGA is not making an official stance on the matter, largely because we have no control over how the state government chooses to react to the Covid situation. The comment that you referenced was made by an individual member of the board, expressing his personal opinion, not the direction or consensus of the board as a whole.
I thought the same thing but the OP claims that is not the case so you and I must have misunderstood the original intent.
Just in time, was just reading through this thread and find out that evers is ordering to re-open 34 of the parks. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/288b97a TAKE NOTE: that also starting May 1st, admission fees will be required.
As with others I am/was mixed too with the closures. As important as it is to be outdoors and to use and recreate, its the equal purpose of the DNR to protect and preserve those lands as well. If both physical property abuse and trash and vandalism took place that hurts just one of the DNR’s general purpose. Then you add on top of how busy those parks were and just the physical capability to not even try to practice social distancing went against the current orders. So I can understand why some were selected. (when you looked at a map it was all the southern half parks aka the ones near population).
What I would of been curious is if both park fees weren’t waived, and did have such nice amazing weather right away on how that would of looked. If it was some of the cold and rainy days we got later, would there been as many out to of caused the “issues”.
I was surprised just watching the number of logs coming in on some of the WGA SPS caches. In some of the smaller parks the number of cachers that were finding the cache made me only imaging how many were there just hiking, which then thinking that there is no way social distancing was able to be practiced. (ie when I saw the number of logs for natural bridge)
Climbing To New Adventures
**The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.**
One big difference I see between the “you take risks every time you go caching” take (and I certainly took risks when I lived in Oregon) and the reality of COVID boils down to this:
- In Oregon, if I was caching along the edge of a butte, climbing a tree, crossing ice on a lake, etc. and something bad happens to me and I die – it’s just me that dies, (hopefully?) instantly.
- COVID – if I go somewhere, become infected, for two weeks I could be sick and spreading this to others, unknowingly. Those people include my family members, and we have an immunocompromised son. While we live a very isolated life as it is here at the grounds of the Sandland Travel Bug University, I would hate to think that I would be possibly spreading this to others during the few occasions we actually need to go shopping. While we take precautions, it’s painfully obvious that others do not. At all.
There’s more I could say, but I have students pinging me asking for help before they have to submit their homework to school (which I won’t see for another week because it will be in quarantine). Good way to avoid getting onto my soapbox too.
The best sig is no sig.
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