JACKSON HOLE, WYO – With a 1pm contingency deadline come and gone, it looks ever more likely that a partial federal government shutdown will go into effect at midnight, December 22. How that will impact air travel and park visitation is of more than some concern to locals and visitors alike.
The work stoppage begins with nine Cabinet departments and smaller agencies when their budgets essentially expire and freeze at midnight tonight. It will furlough some 380,000 federal employees, while another 420,000 will be expected to work without immediate pay. They will receive back pay once a budget is resolved.
Close to home
First off, holiday travel should be relatively unaffected by the shutdown. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will remain on the job screening airline passengers though they will not get paid until the federal government approves a budget. Same thing for FAA air traffic controllers.
So air travel, other than the expected crunch around the holidays, should not be affected by a government shutdown.
What about your packages? With last-minute shipping of Christmas gifts or eagerly anticipated deliveries worrying many folks, here’s the good news: the US Postal Service is not affected by a government shutdown. Why not?
It’s a common misperception that the USPS is a government-owned corporation of some kind. The Postal Service is an establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States and as such it, is controlled by Presidential appointees and the Postmaster General. Beginning in 1971, the USPS has operated as an independent agency of the US federal government.
But the agency that lost $2.7B in 2017 receives no federal funding, no taxpayer dollars. It therefore is not affected by any unresolved federal budget issues.
So, your Christmas packages will continue to come and go even through a government shutdown.
National Elk Refuge, Visitor Center
Programs and services on the National Elk Refuge that would be temporarily suspended include:
- The Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, located at 532 N. Cache Street in Jackson, will remain closed until further notice beginning Monday, December 24. This includes the postponement of any scheduled educational programs at the facility. General travel and area information will be available from the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce’s main office at 260 W. Broadway or their satellite location in the Home Ranch Welcome Center, located at 210 N. Cache Street.
- The National Elk Refuge’s web site at fws.gov/refuge/National_Elk_Refugewill not be updated in the interim and may be temporarily taken off-line. Refuge staff will not be posting to social media sites.
The following public access opportunities will be available if there is a lapse in appropriations:
- Wildlife viewing sleigh rides, offered by a private contractor through the Grand Teton Association, will continue to operate as scheduled from 10:00 am through 4:00 pm daily, except for Christmas Day. Ticket sales and shuttle bus service to the sleigh boarding area will be temporarily relocated to the Home Ranch Welcome Center, located at 210 N. Cache Street,beginning on Monday, December 24. The Home Ranch Welcome Center, one block north of Jackson’s Town Square, is adjacent to the Town of Jackson’s Home Ranch parking lot. Sleigh riders are encouraged to continue parking at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, two blocks north of the Home Ranch Welcome Center, and walk to the temporary sleigh ride ticket sales location.
- The Refuge Road will remain open as a travel corridor and access road to private lands. A Winter Wildlife Viewing Guide for travelers on the Refuge Road or North Highway 89/191 overlooks provides key information to minimize harm to wildlife and will also be available at the Home Ranch Welcome Center at 210 N. Cache Street.
- Bison hunting on the National Elk Refuge will continue as scheduled through January 31, 2018. Hunters will be allowed into Refuge hunt areas if they have a current permit and valid matching license.
Bridger-Teton National Forest
Regarding the Bridger-Teton National Forest, there will be no office staffing in the event of a shutdown beginning Monday, December 24 but public lands would remain open and available for use as always.
It is unclear whether Game Wardens or any law enforcement presence would be maintained in the field but if so, it would likely be extremely limited.
Independent concessionaires operating on forest land—for instance, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Snow King—will continue to operate unaffected. Granite Hot Springs, also, will be open this weekend and beyond.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks
In a nutshell, national parks remain accessible but not operational during government shutdowns.
Visitors will be able to access the park with limited-to-no visitor services available in Grand Teton. Park roads currently open for the winter season will remain open if they are essential for emergency response involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.
Don’t expect anyone to be manning any government-run facilities in either Grand Teton or Yellowstone. All concessionaire-operated facilities like Old Faithful Inn will be open.
In response to the lapse in federal appropriations, Yellowstone National Park is implementing its plan for a government shutdown:
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Yellowstone will remain open, however, all government-run operations and facilities are closed. Entrance stations will not be staffed.
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The road from the park’s North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, through Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast Entrance at Cooke City, Montana, is open to wheeled vehicle travel. Visitors can access all the commercial services along this route (including commercial services in Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower).
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Visitors can also access commercial services in the interior of the park via oversnow travel (e.g. at Old Faithful). Concessioners are currently providing funding for road grooming so that oversnow access to the interior is possible.
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Guided snowmobile and snowcoach trips with commercial operators will be allowed. Non-commercially guided snowmobile trips will also be allowed.
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If conditions become unsafe at any time, roads and/or developed areas in the park may be closed.
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Park staff will provide emergency services and law enforcement. All park regulations, including those regarding oversnow travel, are in effect as normal.
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The park website and social media sites will not be maintained.
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All administrative offices, including the public affairs office, will be closed until the government reopens
- Park roads will remain open if they are essential to respond to emergencies-this includes most roads that are normally maintained and open at this time of year. Access to all residences will be maintained.
- Emergency response may be delayed.
- Entrance stations will not be staffed.
- Grooming of the Teton Park Road will continue through a partnership agreement with Grand Teton National Park Foundation. Grooming is scheduled to occur twice a week.
- Teton Interagency Dispatch Center will be available during normal winter hours-6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Emergency 911 calls will be answered by Teton County Dispatch 24 hours/day.
- Park website and social media sites will not be maintained.
- Concessioners and Commercial Use Authorization holders may continue to provide visitor services after coordination with the park to ensure compliance with government shutdown protocols.
- Access to Yellowstone National Park’s south entrance will continue, including staging and winter services available at Headwaters Lodge at Flagg Ranch in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.
Santa still on the way
And, finally, fear not, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and he is still coming whether the feds are working or not. The Santa Tracker run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, will remain online.
A recent tweet from NORAD read: “In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year.”
