Pitkin County braces for government shutdown during Maroon Bells peak season

Pitkin County has begun planning for a potential federal government shutdown next week that would affect popular areas in the county, like the iconic Maroon Bells. 

“Historically, what we’ve done is to close the road and stop (Roaring Fork Transportation Authority) service up there,” Pitkin County Manager Jon Peacock told the Board of County Commissioners on Thursday. “That is our game plan right now.” 

Discussions about a potential government shutdown have arisen as lawmakers at the national level debate a budget that would temporarily keep the government funded, according to CNBC. In the past 10 years, the government has been shut down a total of 38 days, 35 of which were from one single shutdown that lasted from mid-December 2018 until mid-January 2019. The other three days occurred in early 2018. 

Prior to that, a government shutdown occurred in 2013 and lasted 16 days. 

Those three separate government shutdowns all affected the Maroon Bells area in different ways, according to Pitkin County Public Works Director Brian Pettet. 

“We responded based on what we could do at the time,” Pettet told The Aspen Times. “In one case, we allowed people to drive up the road to the end of the county road, which is about a quarter mile from the Maroon Bells Scenic Area that is Forest Service land. On other occasions, we have closed the road at the gate of 287, which is what we’re planning to do this time.”

He noted that the full road closure would be warranted this time due to fall leaf color being close or at their peak, meaning there will be potentially thousands of people trying to visit the Bells via bus. 

“It would just be irresponsible to send that many people up there without adequate supervision,” he said. “So we’re planning to stop that bus service and won’t allow cars to go up, but people can go up there on bikes in the case of a shutdown.”

However, many services have already been cut this summer, or are operating at limited capacity, due to national government funding decisions.

The bathrooms at the Maroon Bells Scenic Area have already been closed this season due to federal cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which have closed the information center and running water as well. 

A full government shutdown could now bring a full closure of all remaining bathrooms at the Maroon Bells Scenic Area. 

“We’re working through Open Space and Trails to get portable toilets placed up there in the event of a government shutdown,” Peacock told the commissioners on Thursday.

Visitors with reservations will be reimbursed in the case of a shutdown, according to Pettet. 

“Whether it’s parking at the Bells or riding the bus,” he reassured, “all of those reimbursements will come if a shutdown indeed happens.”