Mineral King Road Closure

You all know that the Mineral King Road has been closed for the winter, and most of you have read about the damage to the road caused by this month's storms.

That damage is far greater than what anyone might have imagined. While there are many mudslides, fallen trees and large boulders blocking the road, those are the least of the problems. There are many places where large segments of the road have been washed away -- and worse, many places where the remaining pavement has been undercut, leaving what is left subject to collapse under any weight which might be placed upon it. And that kind of damage is visible now only on the lower part of the road which is not buried in snow.

As a result the road is now closed to all visitors. The combination lock which has allowed cabin owners to access the road is no longer accessible, and will remain locked off until the Park Service can be satisfied that minimal traffic might be safe. That will take a great deal of time, because until the snow melts it will not be safe to push a plow over what might well be an unsupported section of asphalt, and some of the required repairs may be very time consuming.

Under the circumstances, no one can predict when the road might again be open -- it may not be until well into the summer. As difficult as it may be, please try to be patient.

The Park Service is doing everything it can to survey the damage (even by hiring a helicopter to make aerial observations), to determine what repairs will be needed, to secure emergency funding to help pay for that work, and to secure the manpower, equipment and materials to do the work. And we are not alone with this problem. There are many other roads within the park which have been damaged -- including multiple washouts in the General's Highway.

The road below the lower gate, for which the County is responsible, has also suffered considerable damage. So PLEASE do not try a sightseeing drive up the road to see how far you can go, much less jump the gate and try to proceed further on foot or on skis.

The Park Service and the County will keep us advised of any changes in the road conditions and progress in the repair work, and we will immediately pass that information on to you.

Incidentally, the Park Service will be conducting a public briefing on conditions within the park tonight, January 19, at 6:00 PM at the Three Rivers Memorial Building. All are welcome to attend, and the program will also be available live on the Park's facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/SequoiaKingsNPS] -- and it will also be recorded for later viewing.

John Crowe

President, MKDA