Road and Gate News

First, my apologies for the lack of an advanced reminder that the Mineral King Road gate was to be shut and locked as of yesterday, October 30.  Remember, there is a new lock combination this winter, so if you need to access your cabin, contact an MKDA Board member by phone for the new number, or leave a message at (661) 776-5515.  The new combo will not be provided by email.

Also, below is an email from Ginger Bradshaw regarding the road work next month.

Sharon

Hi All,

The NPS project manager has informed me that Federal Highways requests to extend their work into Sunday, November 10, with the same closure and opportunities for pass-through. So the dates would now be from Monday, November 4 to Sunday, November 10. Would you share this change with your contacts and let me know if there are concerns?

Please call or email if you have any questions. I will be traveling to Denver for training next week, Monday - Thursday but I should be able to check my email periodically.

Be well,

Ginger Bradshaw

Environmental Protection Specialist

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

<ginger_bradshaw@nps.gov> 

559-565-4266

More Information About Road Testing

Testing Along Mineral King Road November 4-9 2019 in Sequoia National Park

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California October 10, 2019 – The National Park Service (NPS) has approved subsurface composition tests of five locations along a 15.29-mile section of the Mineral King Road in Sequoia National Park. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is gathering needed information regarding depth of bedrock in key locations along the road. Public access to Mineral King closes for the season on October 30, 2019, and this work will primarily affect local residents during these six days.

This work will consist of drilling 8-inch diameter holes up to 70 feet deep using a truck-mounted drilling rig.
Due to the narrowness of the road, there may be periods when it is impassable to vehicles due to the size of drilling equipment. FHWA will provide local access to Mineral King and Silver City cabin owners, business owners and their guests and contracted workers. Local traffic may pass through work zone daily at 8 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. with emergency traffic as needed.
Local residents are asked to plan ahead and contact NPS Liaison Ginger Bradshaw at 559-565-4266 or ginger_bradshaw@nps.gov with questions or concerns.

Sawtooth from the Air

Here is a photo taken by John Elliott of https://3riversnews.com of Sawtooth Peak from an angle few of us have seen!  It was taken from a helicopter flying over the Mineral King Valley.

Lake Kaweah Live Webcam

From the latest Sequoia Parks Conservancy newsletter. Check out the link here: https://pixelcaster.com/live/sequoia

Get Your Webcam On!

It's the dawn of a new era at Lake Kaweah with SPC's new webcam. The camera sits atop the Lake Kaweah visitor center and looks east toward Tharp's Peak and Case Mountain, with a nostril of Homer's Nose visible in the background. Both the image here and this month's header are photos taken from the webcam. If you're an early-bird, log on and watch epic sunrises, or check in on your family and friends to see if they actually are fishing like they said. The camera provides a live view of the current water level and a window into what folks are up to. If you love the camera, please share it with your friends and use the donate button to help support us!

The current water level continues to decrease by a little less than one foot per day. Despite the water moving out, there's still time for boating, jet skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking, angling (aka fishing), and swimming. Come on out for the fleeting days of summer!

Cut a Rug This Weekend

Looking for something fun this weekend at Mineral King? How about learning how to jitterbug at the Silver City Resort this Friday, August 30? For more details, call Hannah Parsons at Silver City, (559) 561-3223 or email hannah.parsons@silvercityresort.com

MKDA Board of Directors

The following members were elected to the 2019-20 MKDA Board of Directors.  Congratulations to all!

Mike Botkin
John Crowe, President
Glenn Cunningham
Sharon Devol
Ann Dungan
Sarah Elliott
Margie Ewen
Nadine Hack
Kathy Hath
Jim Ingram
Ben Koontz, Treasurer
William Martin
Bill Maze
Tracy Off, Secretary
Guy Wollenman, Vice President