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Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
#56930 05/01/20 01:59 PM
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123Zero Offline OP
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Also, is the lower gate on Whitney Portal Open? If so I might go up there and have a look around.
Found it:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD731608

Looks like all trailheads are open and wilderness camping is permitted.

Last edited by 123Zero; 05/01/20 04:37 PM.
Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
123Zero #56941 05/02/20 02:02 PM
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Looks like you can't get a wilderness permit. So i guess you can hike up to the point that the wilderness starts?

As per the link:
"However, the Inyo National Forest has cancelled the issuance of Wilderness permits, including Mt. Whitney day and overnight permits, through May 15."

Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
jimsisco #56943 05/02/20 04:33 PM
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> So i guess you can hike up to the point that the wilderness starts?
Actually, on the Whitney trail, the wilderness starts at the North Fork crossing. But people can hike all the way to Lone Pine Lake on the trail, and to Lower Boy Scout Lake on the North Fork without a wilderness permit.

...Of course the north fork might be avalanche-prone right now, so I'd stay out of that area if there is any snow cover that could slide.

Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
Steve C #56946 05/02/20 08:06 PM
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123Zero Offline OP
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I was planning on driving out to see if the bottom gate is open and maybe do a short hike up to LBS to check conditions, but I ran 20 miles last night and I'm too beat today to do it.

Anyways, I've been calling around Lone Pine, and no one seems to know if the road is open. I talked to all the local gas stations and of them one thought that the lower gate *might* be open; the other two had no idea.

It's looking like our playboy governor is going to partially re-open the state this week, including retail and some restaurants, so I'm looking forward to some off-season hiking up there before it gets hammered after the 15th. Maybe put some money into the Owens Valley Economy. I spoke with someone at Eastern Mountain Sports as part of my intel gathering process; they didn't know about the gate but they said that the shutdown has been really hard on businesses over there.

Last edited by 123Zero; 05/02/20 08:10 PM.
Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
123Zero #56951 05/03/20 04:06 PM
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The residents and local governments of the Owens Valley have been quite clear about visitors staying away until given the "all clear" signal despite the regrettable economic impact. And not to get political, but the overwhelming majority of people think "our playboy governor" has done a pretty good job managing this crisis, unlike other pols who shall remain unnamed for the sake of hiking board propriety. We're ALL itching to get out there, travel, and spend money, especially with summer approaching. Have to be smart about it. 67K dead in the US and counting...

Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
SoCal Jim #56952 05/03/20 04:47 PM
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123Zero Offline OP
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I'd love to respond but this forum should be reserved for non-political topics.
And at any rate, the governor is the one who said he's about to modify the shelter-in-place order, which I mentioned.

Last edited by 123Zero; 05/03/20 05:33 PM.
Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
123Zero #56953 05/03/20 07:51 PM
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I was up there on Thursday (last day of April), the lower gate on Whitney Portal Road was still closed. I don't have any insider knowledge, but my sense is they are not in a rush to open up the Portal area. All campgrounds on the Inyo NF are hard closures (concrete barricades), and the Alabama Hills area (BLM) is shut down to all camping and day use.

There is another little heatwave coming this week, I'm sure whatever didn't slide last week will slide this week. The instability up high is pretty spooky for this time of year.

Re: Does anyone know if they reopened the parks today?
Ian B #56954 05/04/20 09:17 AM
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123Zero Offline OP
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I thought they might try that. I've gone some alternatives in mind.
The governor is going to speak today on re-opening the state. We'll see what he says. The Bay Area counties announced the relaxing of a bunch of rules this morning, and probably telegraph some of what the governor is going to do.

Last edited by 123Zero; 05/04/20 09:18 AM.

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