Important Cold Springs Campground Information

Because Atwell Mill campground is closed this summer because of hazardous trees, our only other Mineral King campground, Cold Springs, is available by reservation only, Reservations may be made up to one month in advance at Recreation.gov.

Wilderness Permit Quota Season Begins Friday, May 28

 

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release For Immediate Release                                Contact: Rebecca Paterson, Public Affairs Specialist Media Contact: (559) 702-3400 E-mail: seki_public_affairs@nps.gov   Reference Number: 8553-2111 Wilderness Permit Quota Season Begins Friday, May 28 SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. May 27, 2021 – During the high-visitation summer season, there is a daily limit on the number of people that may enter the wilderness of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks from any given trailhead for overnight use. The wilderness permit quota season begins Friday, May 28, and will continue through September 18. Wilderness permits can be reserved through recreation.gov up to six months in advance of your entry date. A limited number of first-come, first-served permits will be available daily at permit issuing stations in Cedar Grove, Grant Grove, Lodgepole, Ash Mountain, and Mineral King. Reservations are the only way to be assured of a wilderness permit. The parks anticipate extremely high demand for walk-up permits this summer, especially for popular trails and weekend and holiday start dates. If you don’t have a reservation, have alternate plans in case your first or second choice of entry points is unavailable. All permits (reservation or walk-up) must be picked up in person at the nearest permit issuing station to your trailhead between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. To prevent the spread of disease at permit issuing stations, please maintain six feet of distance between your party, other visitors, and rangers. If you are getting a walk-up permit during quota season, you will be charged a fee, which supports trail work, wilderness visitor education, and other projects with a direct visitor benefit. The fee is $15 for the permit, and an additional $5 per person. Credit cards are preferred for fee payments, and exact change is required for other forms of payment. If you got your permit through recreation.gov, you will have already paid the fee online. A limited number of food storage containers (“bear cans”) are available to rent at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove, Giant Forest Museum in the Lodgepole area, and the Foothills Visitor Center in Ash Mountain. There are currently no container rentals available in Cedar Grove. Due to high demand nationally, it is recommended that you purchase or rent an allowed container well in advance of your trip. Wilderness travelers should be prepared for sub-freezing temperatures, snow and ice hazards, and the possibility of altitude-related illness on all high-elevation trails. The parks urge visitors to take the inherent risks of traveling to these areas very seriously.    Multiple search and rescue operations have already occurred this year in the Mount Whitney area alone. You are responsible for your own safety. Depending upon weather or other factors, there is no guarantee that rescuers will be able to reach you. Know your limits, and be prepared to turn back. For more wilderness information, visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/wilderness.htm, or contact the wilderness office at seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov or 559-565-3766.  - NPS - About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks These two parks, which lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, preserve prime examples of nature’s size, beauty, and diversity. Nearly 2 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks to see the world’s largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/seki. - ### -

Mineral King Road Bridge (Historic Oak Grove) Project

Please find below the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the Mineral King Road Bridge (Historic Oak Grove) Project. The MND is available on the County’s Resource Management website.

Written comments should be submitted to Mr. Hector Guerra, Chief Environmental Planner, at the address provided in the notice or by email at hguerra@tularecounty.ca.gov.

Best Regards.

Danielle Folk

RMA Planner I

DFolk@tularecounty.ca.gov

TULARE COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCY NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT

A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION 
Mineral King Road Bridge (Historic Oak Grove)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Tulare County intends to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) Mineral King Road Bridge (Historic Oak Grove Bridge) Replacement Project. The MND has been approved for public review by the Tulare County Environmental Assessment Officer. Copies are available for review and comment at the Resource Management Agency, Permit Center, 5961 South Mooney Blvd, Visalia, California 93277-9394. Comments and recommendations on the adequacy of the environmental document may be filed at the aforementioned address during the public review period established for the project.

1. PROJECT: Mineral King Road Bridge (Historic Oak Grove Bridge) Replacement Project 2. APPLICANT/AGENT: County of Tulare  
3. LOCATION: The Project site is located along Mineral King Road, approximately 6.5  miles east of State Route 98, east of the community of Three Rivers. The Project area   extends approximately 75 feet downstream and 60 feet upstream of the existing Mineral  King Road Bridge, and includes the northern and southern approach roadways and  encompasses Assessor Parcel Number (APNs) 069-390-021 and 069-390-010. The Project   is located in Section 15, Township 17S, Range 29E, MDB&M. 
4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project includes construction of a replacement bridge  on a new alignment. The new replacement bridge would be constructed immediately east   (approximately 50 feet upstream) of the existing bridge to preserve views from the  approach roadway . The replacement bridge would consist of an approximately 100-foot long clear span steel plate girder bridge the same width as the existing bridge,  approximately 19 feet wide from curb to curb. The total bridge width, with barrier rails,  would be 23 feet (including a 19-foot travel way plus two 2-foot barrier rails). The new   alignment would require cutting into the existing hillside at both bridge approaches as well  as the construction of rock anchor retaining walls. The Project includes three potential  construction staging areas, approximately 1.3 miles west, 400 feet northeast, and 800 feet  northeast of the existing bridge. Traffic would continue to use the existing bridge until   construction is completed. Following construction, the existing bridge will be permanently closed to vehicular traffic, partially rehabilitated, and used as a pedestrian crossing. 
5. ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: A copy of the MND will be available for review at the Tulare County Resource Management Agency, at the address above, (559) 624-7000, (Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm) and (Friday: 9:00 am to 11:00 am). Due to the coronavirus emergency, an appointment will be necessary to view the document at RMA.

The MND may also be viewed on the County web site at:
https://tularecounty.ca.gov/rma/index.cfm/planning-building/environmental planning/mitigated-negative-declarations/mineral-king-road-historic-oak-grove-bridge replacement/
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, no copies of the MND shall be available at any libraries at the moment.

6. REVIEW PERIOD: May 26, 2021 – June 24, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. 
7. CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION: Hector Guerra, Chief Environmental Planner at (559) 624-7121 or HGuerra@co.tulare.ca.us (para Español llame Jose Saenz (559) 624-7102).

The MND has a review period of 30 days, starting on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, and ending on Thursday, June 24, 2021, which has been approved by the State of California, Office of Planning and Research. Any written comments on the MND should be sent to the Tulare County Resource Management Agency at the address noted above, to the attention of: Hector Guerra, Chief Environmental Planner.

After the close of the public comment review period on the MND established by this notice, this  matter will be set for public hearing before the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. Notice of the  date, time and place for such public hearing will be published and/or mailed as provided by law. 
Please take notice that - pursuant to Public Resource Code Section 21177, Government Code Section 65009, and other applicable law - if you challenge the proposed action described above in court, then you may be limited to raising only those issues or objections you or someone else raised during the public comment period or the public hearing, or in written correspondence delivered to the Tulare County Resource Management Agency within the review period, or to the Planning Commission during the public hearing.

REED SCHENKE, P.E., ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OFFICER

Crowley Cabin Loses Family Member

My loving father Bruce Jackson from the Crowley cabin unfortunately passed away May 15th peacefully in his sleep in Northridge, California. Notification to the Mineral King community would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions regarding my father feel free to contact me anytime. Services will be held graveside at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, California on Saturday May 29th at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome.

Thank you,

Chuck (Brock) Jackson
chuck.jackson@sbcglobal.net

Mineral King Road Rehab Deadline: May 19

If you haven't commented on the NPS plan to rehab the MK road and parking areas, please do so ASAP. The deadline is tomorrow, May 19 at midnight. Here's the link to the details and comment form:

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=342&projectID=69154&documentID=111610

Paul Bissiri Passes at Age 95; Father Built the Bissiri Cabin

From son, Mark:

I thought I would pass on the news of another loss of a Mineral King icon.  My father Paul Bissiri passed away last night at 95 years old.  He was just short about 4 weeks from celebrating his 71st wedding anniversary to my mother Nadean.  

As you probably know,  he and Mom met in MK.  Their parents were friends when they were just a few years old. Although, Dad hung more with the Faculty Flat crowd and Mom hung with her relatives and folks around the Gate.  However when they were in their late teens, they started dating with their first real date being a hike to Columbine Lake. They dated about 5 years and finally got married in Exeter at the Catholic Church on June 16th, 1950. 

Dad was an outstanding fly fisherman and could cast a fly out further than anyone I ever saw fly fishing.  He also tied beautiful flies which were like works of art. Anyway, we will miss him and I am sure many of his friends in Mineral King will miss him too. Feel free to pass on this note to the MKDA distribution.

Take care,

Mark Bissiri

Mason Stansfield Passes Away From Ski Accident

Mason Stansfield, son of Tracy Off of the Green Cabin, perished in a ski accident last Monday in Alaska. Mason, a mountaineer guide, was only 28 years old.

Mason enjoyed his summers at Mineral King “since he was crawling,” Tracy said.

An open house at the Green Cabin (WMK 37) will be held on Saturday, July 31 from 4:00 pm until dark. Bring a chair, beverage, and food to share (or for yourself).

Our condolences to Tracy and her family.

Memorial Reception for James W. Ingram

Gather with us to share memories, hear stories, and celebrate Jim's life.

Sunday, May 16, 2021
Drop in any time between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Mavericks Coffee Company
238 E. Caldwell Ave.
Visalia, CA 93277

(A summer gathering is planned at Mineral King some time this summer. Details will follow shortly.)