IMPORTANT NEWS FROM SEKI!

UPCOMING STORM / ACCESS

Good news/bad news - rain and snow.

I'm sure everyone is watching the weather and seeing the very large storm that is about to beset the community. I know it will be tempting to be in Mineral King to see the beautiful deep snow over the holiday. Please don't.

If the weather forecast holds out, we're looking at a potential of 9 inches of RAIN around Lookout Point, where the high severity burn occurred. I anticipate our maintenance staff is going to be engaged in emergency actions surrounding Lodgepole, Ash Mountain, and Grant Grove where full time residents live. We are preparing for our residents to potentially have to shelter in place while we clear mudslides that have become so much more common since the KNP Complex. With the forecast going for days with little break in precipitation, if you should find yourself in Mineral King and stuck because we lose the road, it may take a week or longer to find a way to extract you.

Worst case scenario, we lose a portion of the road entirely. Vehicles behind the road will not be accessible for months. People left behind may have to walk out. With the rain, clouds, and fog, we will not be able to bring in a helicopter. They cannot lift off from Fresno when it is foggy. Rescue staff is likely to be engaged in other operations.

Do yourself (and park staff) a favor - stay out of MK until after the event. We're going to be very busy.

Thanks,

Dave Fox

Sequoia District Ranger

559-565-3710 office

559-565-3195 24-hour emergency operations center

Campground Fees Going Up!

 

For Immediate Release                                Contact: Rebecca Paterson, Public Affairs Specialist​ Phone: (559) 702-3400 Email: seki_public_affairs@nps.gov

Reference Number: 8550-2232

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks announce campground fee increase and booking windows for 2023

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. December 21, 2022 – On January 1, 2023, campground fee increases will take effect for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. This is the first of two increases, with the second set to take effect in 2024. This phased increase brings Sequoia ancd Kings Canyon National Parks’ campground fees in line with prices of similar campgrounds in the area and follows a public comment period that was announced in August 2022.  

The increases will be implemented as follows:   

Site Type	Current Fee	January 1 2023	2024
Standard Campsite	$22	$28	$32
Stock Campsite	$22	$40	No change
Mid-sized Group Campsite	$40	$50	No change
Large Group Campsite	$50, $60, $70	$60, $70, $80	No change

No changes are currently being considered for park entry fees ($35 per vehicle, $20 per person, or $30 per motorcycle).  

The additional revenue collected under these fee increases will enable the parks to keep up with the rising costs of campground operations, as well as support ongoing maintenance and renovation projects, including the replacement of fire rings, picnic tables and food-storage boxes, the rehabilitation of comfort stations, and the removal of barriers for improved accessibility.

The National Park Service has also established booking windows for all campgrounds for the 2023 season. In response to public feedback, these windows vary in length to allow for different approaches to trip planning.  

Lodgepole, Potwisha, Sentinel, and Azalea campgrounds, as well as all group campsites throughout the parks, will have a 4-month booking window. In an effort to accommodate last-minute campers, Crystal Springs Campground will have a 2-day booking window (with the exception of its group sites). All other campsites will have a 1-month booking window.

All campsites will be reservable same-day if they are still available. Campsites must be reserved using Recreation.gov.  

As a reminder, at this time most campgrounds in the parks are closed for the snowy winter season. Sites in Potwisha Campground (Sequoia National Park) are available and must be reserved through Recreation.gov. Sites in Azalea Campground (Kings Canyon National Park) are first-come, first-served during the winter months but will require reservations in the spring and summer.  

For more information about camping at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, visit go.nps.gov/SEKIcampgrounds. To make camping reservations on the go, download the free Recreation.gov mobile app by searching for Recreation.gov in the Apple Store (iOS devices) or the Google Play Store (Android devices). 

Mineral King Road report

From a Silver City resident: 

Tried to get to Silver City today….made it past Cabin Cove, then got stopped by a LARGE tree across the road that was just too much for us to cut. 

We did clear several spots of downed trees on the way up. 

It was a very pretty day for the ride!

Mineral King Photos from October 28-31, 2022

Steven Bakos, our photographer friend wrote:

I had the time to process our pictures from the trip just before Halloween.

Here they are: https://yourownhike.com/pics/sequoia2022okt/

I think the coldest we got was around 12 or 14 at Little Claire Lake, but there was no wind at all and no snow yet. Also, we didn’t run into anybody else for the entire length of the trip.

 

Very excited to see the snow up there on webcam and satellite. Looks like another foot or two might fall by the end of this week. We can’t wait to go up there as soon as it settles (and we can get away).