Should I stay home or can I go? Navigating Covid-19 restrictions

Based on what we currently know about Covid-19 and on the best practices that you plan to follow, you may deem the risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19 acceptably low. And, therefore, you want to start your trip.

I would generally concur with you: thoughtful behavior in a backcountry setting — which has constant air flow and ample space, and where small groups are the norm — would not really seem demonstrably riskier than shopping at your local grocery store or running on a popular bike path.

For the 2020 season, though, I suspect that the bigger obstacle to backcountry use will not be your personal assessment of the risk but instead the layers of restrictions that have been placed on outdoor recreation and travel more broadly.

I think these restrictions are typically well-intended, even if they’re poorly nuanced or lacking factual basis. But what I think — and what you think — is irrelevant. As responsible backcountry users, it’s important to abide by the rules.

In deciding whether your trip is a go or a no-go, what conditions should you consider?

Bare shelves of toilet paper at my local supermarket. Such supply shortages (not necessarily of TP, but more critical items like beans and rice, or water purification) could amount to a “red light” for your trip.

This is a four-part series of backcountry best practices in the coronavirus era, and should be read as a whole.

Executive summaryPart 1 || Covid-19: Objective risk assessmentPart 2 || New normals: Policies and codes of conductPart 3 || Navigating restrictions on backcountry use








Green, yellow, or red?

In pondering the fate of trips I have scheduled for 2020, I’m looking at nine criteria, and assigning a red-yellow-green rating to each. A single criteria with a “red light” amounts to a deal-breaker. Ideally, they’re all green, but certain yellow lights may be acceptable.

Quarantine mandate for out-of-state visitors to Alaska, in effect through May 19, 2020







Stay-at-home order in your locale



Red light: Order is in effect through the starting date of the trip.Yellow light: Order is currently in effect, but set to expire before the start of the trip.Green light: No stay-at-home order in effect.



Quarantines for out-of-state visitors



Red light: Order is in effect through the starting date of the trip, unless you have the time to go through the quarantine process.Yellow light: Order is currently in effect, but set to expire before the start of the trip.Green light: Order has been lifted.



Land access



Red light: Public access to the trip location is forbidden through the start of the trip.Yellow light: Access is currently forbidden, but the ban is set to expire before the start of the trip.Green light: Public access is permitted.



Medical capacity



Red light: Medical facilities near the trip location and/or in your locale are strained by the outbreak, resulting in staff and PPE shortages, bans on elective surgeries, and overcrowded facilities.Yellow light: Medical facilities are operating near capacity or are concerned about being overwhelmed by an outbreak.Green light: Medical care is functioning normally.



Gateway communities



Red light: Binding mandates restrict access by non-locals.Yellow light: Non-binding preference for local access only.Green light: Open for business.



Trip supplies (e.g. food, fuel)



Red light: Panic or supply shortages has resulted in critical items being unavailable.Yellow light: Critical items are available if you look hard enough, or suitable substitutes can be found.Green light: Normal availability.



Rescue personnel



Red light: Official statement that personnel are not available for backcountry search and rescue.Yellow light: Exceptional discouraging of ambitious itineraries and risk-taking.Green light: Normal risk-adverse guidance.



Bailout options



Red light: Plausible scenarios where self-rescue would be impossible, combined with unavailable rescue personnel.Yellow light: Limited opportunities for self-rescue or assisted rescue.Green light: Relatively easy access if things don’t go according to plan.



Clients and guides

As a commercial operator, we must also consider the willingness and availability of our clients and guides to join and lead trips in this new coronavirus era.

Red light: Too few clients can join or too few guides can lead, in which case the trips would not be economical or the client/guide ratio would not be maintained.Yellow light: If current restrictions are not lifted soon, there is a risk of losing too many clients or guides.Green light: Enough clients and guides are available for the trips to be economical and for the minimum client/guide ratio to be maintained.



Leave a comment!



What other criteria should be accounted for in your go/no-go decision?Do you have suggestions for improving mine?

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