Lake Tahoe attractions on USFS property to close during government shutdown
By Kathryn Reed
With the majority of the land in the Lake Tahoe Basin being owned by the feds, the impact of the government shutdown is starting to be felt.
This will be the last weekend Camp Richardson, Tahoe Tallac Site, Round Hill Pines and Zephyr Cove Resort will be open during the government shutdown. That is because the U.S. Forest Service owns the land.
Activities at Camp Richardson may not continue past this weekend if the federal government shutdown continues. Photo/LTN file
It doesn’t matter that independent concessionaires operate those entities on the South Shore.
“We got a 48-hour cease-and-desist notice (Wednesday) night,” Ginger Nicolay Davis, president of the Tahoe Tallac Association, told Lake Tahoe News on Thursday afternoon. That was the same message delivered by the USFS to the other concessionaires.
But by Thursday evening the Forest Service had changed its mind. A reprieve was given to the Tahoe entities through the weekend. This means the weddings scheduled at Valhalla will go on, Oktoberfest will happen and the paddle-wheelers will set sail.
However, on Monday all of the concessionaires are anticipating receiving a letter from the USFS explaining the closure procedure. This is assuming Congress has not resolved its differences and the federal government remains in shut down mode.
“This will likely have a major impact on tourism at Lake Tahoe in the short term,” Douglas County Manager Steve Mokrohisky told Lake Tahoe News. “There is an important point that should not be missed here: local governments and businesses are becoming increasingly important in providing services and information to our residents at a time when the federal government is literally inoperable.”
The two leaders within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the USFS — Nancy Gibson and Jeff Marsolais – are talking to government and tourism officials, but not to the media.
“If people stay home and don’t travel and tourists don’t come, it affects everyone,” South Lake Tahoe City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News. “If the federal government can’t get its act together and realize that their decisions affect everybody, they shouldn’t get paid. It’s unbelievable they are still getting their salaries. We have people here who don’t get to work.”
The local economic toll from the shutdown remains to be seen. Federal paychecks have stopped – which means those people are watching how much money they spend. And if concessionaires close up, those employees will be without income. The Tallac Association, which is a small nonprofit, counts on weddings to fund the summer arts and music festival.
“I truly believe this is coming from way, way up and not a local thing,” Davis said of closing Tahoe sites. “I do believe it’s a political move to get as much attention around this as they can, to get enough people mad so more people will start calling their congressmen.”
Davis had rearranged the two weddings set for this weekend before the reprieve was issued. While she said it was hard to call the brides to tell them a Plan B had to be found just days before the big event, they were understanding. The call to tell them Plan A was back on was a much more pleasant conversation.
The Tahoe Tallac Association has multiple weddings scheduled every weekend in October, so alternative locations need to be found now just in case the shutdown continues.
And with 50 guests for one of the weddings staying at Camp Richardson this weekend, word that the resort is staying open for at least the next three days was welcome news to many.
Kris Knox, general manager for Camp Rich, was not available for comment.
“The city is reaching out to anybody and everyone who has events. We will do whatever we can to accommodate them,” Kerry said.
Aramark, which operates Zephyr Cove Resort, and the M.S. Dixie II and Tahoe Queen paddle-wheelers, did not know about this weekend’s potential shutdown until Lake Tahoe News called. Officials never got back to LTN after saying they would.
The Queen would still be able operate because it is docked at a private marina in the city limits.
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority sent out a special press release Thursday letting people know Tahoe is open for business. North Lake Tahoe Resort Association officials said thy have no intention of doing anything special based on what Congress is doing.
Even though the Forest Service operates many of the trails in the basin, they remain open. There would be no way to close them even though USFS law enforcement officers are not furloughed.
In addition, there are state parks in both states in the basin that are not affected by the feds, as well as other commercial vessels on the lake.
I went from feeling a little sorry for the federal employees to despising them. This is bull @#$%%$$.
Just trying to punish our visitors and us. I hope the bill to pay them for lost time fails.
If they follow through with this threat I hope they gov stays closed until they starve to death
sunriser2 — Why would you wish ill will on the federal employees. They are doing what they are told from the higher ups. You should be angry at Congress not the federal employees. Also Congress is still getting their paychecks.
Having our elected Federal representatives treat the people of this country, those people’s incomes, and small businesses like pawns in a chess game has gone beyond tiresome. The only thing either political party cares about is getting their own way and they have again proven that they have no regard for how that will impact the people or small businesses in this country. Whatever happened to working together and making compromises that both sides could live with to advance the people’s and the country’s business? Instead we have a bunch of adolescent minded persons who throw temper tantrums if they don’t get their way while they continue to feed off the public trough. This is disgusting.
The Forest Service “manages” public land, it does not own property. All National Forest land, buildings, parking lots, etc., are owned by the American people. Somewhere along the way this fact has been forgotten. I can’t help but think that there is more behind these closures than Washington politics. The fact is that Federal bureaucrats have become far too numerous and much too powerful, and play the American people as pawns. These bureaucrats have forgotten who they work for and know very well just how dependent we have become on their services; and now they are out to prove it to make a point. Imagine the manager of a business behaving this way toward his or her customers. How long before the owner retakes control of his property and tosses out this errant boss? It is time that Americans wake up and retake their rightful power and position in this country.
Is the Salmon festival at Taylor Creek still going to happen this weekend? My kids look forward to it every year.
Amanda Adams — Nope. Gates are shut and locked.
I will still go to the Kokanee festival. USFS employees or not. Festival or not. I hope that I am not the only one that feels this way. Close Tahoe I think not. Let us be together and show the feds that Tahoe is still open for business.
Amanda, check out this story: https://www.laketahoenews.net/2013/10/lake-tahoe-attractions-usfs-property-close-government-shut/
LTN staff
The city of SLT should grow a pair and arrange to have free bus service to the gated off parking areas.
I’m with County Gal. Name a place and time and have half the town show up.
The city of SLT should manage its budget and keep its expenses down like Gov. Brown is doing. Sorry, its only an hour walk from the Y to Taylor Creek and 10 minutes on a bike. Get out and get some exercise folks.
Rep. McClintock’s office number is 916-786-5560. He voted for the shutdown, let him know what you think of it!
reza — what does the City of SLT have to do with the shutdown of federal entities?
IF the USFS decides to shut down the bussineses that are on USFS land it could have a serious effect on our local economy. We’re in our shoulder season and we need as many people here as we can get. Our economy is fragile in SLT and we don’t need anymore shuttered buildings and resorts. Heavenly Valley is on forest service land. Will they be shut down?
It’s too bad a small contingent of tea party / republicans can hurt so many people, here and across this country and if they don’t pass a budget or raise the debt ceilng the econonmic ramifications will be felt around the world.
See you at the Oktoberfest Saturday (hope it’s not the last one!) Guten tag, Old Long Skiis
This is NOT what our fore fathers thought the USFS would be doing with our lands. Playing dictatorship games… This is appalling. It is starting to have sounds of the wild west and the Indians taking their lands back from the white men….
Well said reza, get out there and get some exercise. A nice bike ride or walk and include all of the land that is closed along the shore. That would be a really pleasant day.
Just so I understand; the Forest Service is somehow responsible for shutting down the federal government? Or federal employees are supposed to work without pay and keep federal land open? Or more to the point, the USFS is supposed to defy Congress and not shut down the land?
Interesting that they are shutting down places that they dont pay for the upkeep and get money from. These properties were also donated to the goverment. I guess the donatees should have donated them to the states instead. I heard that heavenly got notices not to sell season passes.
The same people complaining about the shutdown are the same people that voted Rep McClintock and his nutty Tea Baggers into office. They are traitors, holding the country hostage for ideologies that were denounced in the last election.
These are self-sustaining entities! Shouldn’t require Fed. appropriation to keep them running!
The Forest Service, as it’s been pointed out, doesn’t own these lands. They manage them on behalf of the American people! And if they were looking out for the American people, they’d keep these lands open. Instead, they want as many as possible to feel ‘squeezed’!
But, so as not to be totally negative, good to know Oktoberfest is still happening!
I already called my Reps in the House. Twice. The GOP needs to stop playing games. I’ll call him again today and every day until a clean continuing resolution is passed.
I hear Heavenly received a notice from the USFS to stop all construction on mountain. They were told not to run the Gondona or Tram and mountain access with be stopped. I’m guessing pass sales would not be affected because this is on their land not USFS.
The possibility of Heavenly closing is extremely serious. Obviously Heavenly employs many of our people during the winter. Can you imagine what closing all ski operations would do to Aspen? Heavenly might be all over this already. Congress could probably interrupt their gridlock long enough to vote an exception to keep the ski industry open. After all, the ski industry doesn’t need federal money to operate.
Parker – your observation about being squeezed is right on target. Want proof, Google a few federal agencies today and see how many websites are down and not running because of the shut down. Now, many of you out there own or work for private business, and many of these businesses are closed for one or two days a week or go through rough waters now and then, but how often are your websites taken down? Ever?
This is political grandstanding at its absolute best. Let’s not forget that the USFS operates under the Department of Agriculture, a cabinet position in the White House. Are we really so naive and blind that we can’t see the hand of Thomas J. Vilsak and the other cabinet appointees plotting with the President on new ways to “squeeze” the American people into action on this shut down? We-are-being-played-as-pawns.
The American people need to grow-up and wean themselves from the government teat or we’ll never be free again and we will not breath the air of true liberty. This — THIS is what is at stake here and why the whole federal entitlement system and centralized government, which has an insatiable appetite for power, and can only enslave American people over time, must change and must change soon.
Word has been officially passed down from the NSAA. The government shutdown will not impact the day-to-day operations of Heavenly, Kirkwood or Sierra-at-Tahoe, and the resorts are still slated to open in November for the 2013-2014 ski and ride season.
Arod here is the defination of TRAITOR a person who is not loyal to his or her own country, friends, etc. : a person who betrays a country or group of people by helping or supporting an enemy.
The Tea Partiers are doing what the people who elected them asked them to do. So they are doing exactly what the constitutions tells us they should do.
Also I do believe there was a bill that was introduced in the house that would fund most of the goverment that affects most of the citizens on a daily basis.
There is a lot of Grandstanding on both parties part.
Why is the White House shutting down parks that recieve no goverment funding, like Zephyr Cove, Heavenly, and Camp Richardson. Why have they refused funding from Arizonia to keep the Grand Canyon open like was done in the last shutdown. Doing things like this is playing with peoples income and putting them in between a political battle for no reason.
The same people who loudly screamed that the government completely shut down are now the ones who loudly whine that they got their own way.
A couple important points – decisions on closing Forest Service managed lands including concessionaire locations is made in USDA Headquarters in Washington DC, NOT by “bureaucrats” in the Basin. My hope is that the discussions between Nancy Gibson, Jeff Marsolais and government and tourism officials is an attempt to prepare a justification for keeping the local concessionaire locations open.
Secondly, virtually NO federal employee is happy about the shutdown whether they ultimately get paid or not. With the exception of high level political appointees, and the VERY FEW employees who answer the phone, all that occurs during these shut downs is that Medicare payments processing, Veterans benefits applications, concessionaire contracts, Farm Bill application reviews etc, etc, etc, continue to pile up. Upon returning to service, the employee is even further behind than when they left. This applies to the rank and file Forest Service employees in the Basin.
So let’s keep our eye on the ball and put the blame where it belongs – with our politicians.
So far, the House has voted to fund the National Institutes of Health, the National Guard and Reserve, the National Park Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
More votes are scheduled for Friday, and the bill to retroactively pay furloughed workers is on the docket for Saturday. Obama has agreed he will sign this if the Senate agrees.
That means workers will be paid so they should be at work.
First, I voted for Obama twice. I really thought that he would end up being the one person that could reach out and actually bring both sides together and help this country pull through the mess that Bush left. I truly believed in hope and change. This past week has really made me question my president. While I am completely in favor of the affordable health care act, I do believe it was passed too hastily and really needs some major revision. The GOP rightfully has made a stand for what their constituents have voiced. A bill that was not even read by most members of congress was passed with zero repulican support. Thier constituents want accountability and have the right to it. Why can’t my president at least negotiate some type of deal to just put it off until it can be reviewed more thourpughly and get our government running again? Why must he be so stubnorn and cause irreparable harm to our already fragile country?
Has the inevitable hubris overcome him?
This is what happens when the federal government is shut down. You can’t support this tea party move on one hand, then complain about the results on the other. The bottom line is that people, communities, businesses across the country are all being negatively affected by this, very much including forest service and other federal employees here in Tahoe.
TahoeDave, whether or not you really voted for Obama, he is absolutely right in not undermining the health care law to appease the Republicans using this extortionist tactic. At no time in our history has one party tried to undo a law as a condition of funding the government or paying our debts. For you who support this move, would you therefore be sympathetic to a future Democratic Congress using these same tactics to reverse a law (say anti-environmental or labor) passed by a Republican Congress and President? I wouldn’t, on principle. If we are too live in a legitimate democracy, then the will of the people as expressed by the voting and legislative decision-making process has to be honored.
The health care law that Republicans are obsessed with stopping, was the product of years of debate, has survived legal challenges, 35 Republican votes to undo, a Presidential election. Now millions of people that have been locked out of coverage due to pre-existing conditions, etc. are flooding the new insurance exchanges to sign up. It’s going forward, whether you like it or not. I can think of scores of decisions I would have loved to have see reversed during Bush-Cheney (the Iraq War, tax cuts for the rich, etc) but no one proposed shutting down the government to win those fights.
The hubris, TahoeDave, is with the tea party who have forced the government shutdown, not with President Obama. If Congress were given the option of passing a clean continuing resolution that would reopen the government, they would. So, I’ll repost Mel’s note above:
Rep. McClintock’s office number is 916-786-5560. He voted for the shutdown, let him know what you think of it!
First, Tahoe Dave is whats called a sockpuppet-someone who lies on internet forums like this about who they are and what they really believe in-0 people and I mean exactly nobody voted even once for Pres. Obama so he would make sure that the GOP’s failed policies got a fair hearing-thats ridiculous-who are you trying to kid-then the stupid talking points that could have been straight from this mornings foxNfriends show-this is how pathetic these wingers are-what a dead giveaway phony and liar
TahoeDad – Your statement “At no time in our history has one party tried to undo a law as a condition of funding the government” is incorrect. In fact throughout the decades preceding the Civil War Southern Democrats routinely held-up federal budgets to thwart federal anti-slavery trade interdictions by the US Navy and Coast Guard. Prior to the war, as much as 3% of the federal budget was allocated to this purpose. These budget frustrations, and the expansion of slavery through acts such as the Missouri Compromise led to the formation of the Republican Party. I only point this out because passionate budget fights are nothing new in Congress.
There is nothing new under the sun, but it would be nice to think that Congress might have learned something in the years that have passed since the Civil War.
Holy cow.
Gus — I’ll check that out. Do you think shutting down the federal government and potentially defaulting on debt repayment are acceptable strategies to force changes in laws one doesn’t like in this day and age?
TahoeDad – No, I don’t think shutting down the federal government and defaulting on debts are acceptable strategies, but then again, I’m neither a Tea Party member nor am I the President. This game of Chicken has to end. Like two kids fighting on the playground, both parties should be sent to the Principal’s office.
Camp Rich. & Zephyr stayed open during the last Fed. shutdown! This is new!
The Grand Canyon was also kept open with funds provided by the state of Arizonia. The closing of our local Parks as well as many many others is a deciesion made by the Executive Branch to rachet up pressure on the House. This is just plain WRONG.
This is a ploy on the part of the Executive Branch to prohibit the Senate from negotiating with the House.
They are then shutting down parks which aren’t even federally funded to irritate the citizenry so they can later use it to blame the House.
It’s an old ploy and the national media is being used as their pawn.
Why they allow themselves to be used this way I’ll never understand. I’d like to see open freedom of the press, not biased freedom.
The way I see it we are at a turning point in out great nation. We have to curtail our federal spending. Just like may people learned the hard way a few years ago with the housing bubble. You can only spend borrowed money to a point and then you cant repay it. I hope some intellectual thoughts come to life of where to take our country. We have to change the way we are operating. It is too bad that the party lines get so tied up in this. Just simple business revenues and expenditures, but maybe im just to simple of a man to understand. I do not understand shutting down something that brings in revenue when you are supposed to be out of money. that just shows me the games being played are well out of our control and ideals. Hold on could be a wild ride
Next Saturday, October 12, I am getting married to the love of my life in South Lake Tahoe, CA. The venue that we chose for our ceremony, reception and guests lodging is Camp Richardson Resort which operates under special permit from the U.S. Forest Service. Yesterday, I was told they were going to have to shutdown today at 2:00 p.m. and that we would have to move all of our festivities. Later in the day I was told they received a reprieve and could stay open through this weekend. We have now been told to wait until Monday to learn if they will be shutting down next week. We have people traveling from all over the country as well as from far away as New Zealand. If the venue is closed due to the governmentshutdown we will have to find alternative accommodations for all, a new ceremony site and a new reception site. Not to mention coordinating with all vendors. We’ve been planning our event for a year. Attending is family and close friends totaling 80 people. We reside in Sacramento. We are having our ceremony in Tahoe because of our love of the outdoors. I’m still trying to figure out how a private entity that sits on public land is also being forced to shut down and I am at a loss as to what we are to do with everyone. I know next Saturday I will marry the love of my life. I know we will be surrounded by those we love. The where and when we don’t know yet. Camp Richardson is being very helpful but any ideas/options would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Beth Allison Pearson and Thaxton King beth.allison.pearson@gmail.com
I would say walk on down to the beach and have your wedding even if its not open. It is public land that we pay for everyday in our taxes. If the concesionare is closed then it is just public land right??
Beth….I sent you an email…I’d love to help!
Anyone notice nothing is being said about Meeks Bay???
Have to be political correct and support the native Americans.
Meeks Bay was closed Oct. 4 per federal government order.
http://www.meeksbayresort.com/
LTN staff
Kris Knox, general manager for Camp Rich, was not available for comment.
What a surprise!
I am a great supporter of the Tallac Historic Site and long time volunteer. I also support the special permit holders to stay open during the current situation to be able to honor the weddings that were scheduled, in most cases, over a year ago. I want to correct the mis-conception that all the properties that the USFS manage at the Tallac Historic Site (Dextra Baldwin Estate, Pope Estate and the Heller Estate Valhalla) were donations to the USFS. It is a matter of public record that in 1965 the USFS purchased the Pope Estate from the Pope family for $750,000, in 1967, following Dextra Baldwin’s death the USFS purchased, through pre-arrangement with Dextra Baldwin prior to her death, her Lake Tahoe Estate for $650,000. In 1971 the USFS purchased the Heller Estate (Valhalla) from the current private owners for $550,000.
So can we walk our dogs at Pope Beach without getting fined? (Picking up after them of course?)
As for Congress; thy should be considered inessential services and their salaries should be suspended.
I am also wondering when some enterprising monkey wrencher is going to knock the locks off a few of those closed gates…ah we have become such sheep.
Maybe King Bum-bling Bummer should announce a closure of all ski resorts for the season now just for the negative effect it would cause that he wants and the pain and suffering he is trying to cause for everyone. He already targeted those, many very elderly veterans who were flown to DC by volunteers who wanted to visit the open air WWII Memorial, those who wanted to use a boat dock, campground, ocean, lake or USFS leased facility. This is King Bummer on display, aided by the liberal media cover-up he counts on and he alone ordered the shut-down of the Govt. and is responsible for it and he wants it to continue for as long as possible.
The news networks are reporting that the House just passed a bipartisan bill to give furloughed federal workers back pay when the dust settles on all this. It looks like the Senate will follow. So now that this whole furlough business is really just one big work holiday, does anyone have any lingering doubts that the American people are the real targets and intended victims, and are being played as fools? Elected officials, their staffs and servants, and all other government employees will be made whole, in fact will benefit somewhat from the shut down, but “We the People” suffer. These are dark and shameful days for our republic.
Just think how great it will be when these @#%$#@ have control of our health care and decide to pull this stunt.
Gus, not only is it a work holiday, the federal employees will get double pay. They’re getting unemployment now, and will get their back pay later for work they never did.
All the while, the DC politicians are vindictively closing down THE PEOPLE’S public lands to them, yet keeping the White House chef on staff and the Congressional Gym open.
They have their priorities.
HERE IS GOV. SHUTDOWN – LIBERAL STYLE America the lame…
Sec. of Defense C. HAGEL IS AN INSULT TO AMERICA
HE MUST GO! HE IS A POLITICAL THUG AND WE DESERVE BETTER!
The ranks of the “so called” tea party are growing in leaps and bounds. Do you hear that drumming sound as Americans wake up to tolerating stupid.
People are realizing how vicious and aggressive the government has become.
Ronald Reagan said it best; government is not the solution, it is the problem.
America you have met the enemy … and it is us.
Republicans were idiots for forcing the closure. Obama is an idiot for giving orders to make the government shutdown as hard on people as possible.