High Sierra Topix

This info comes from Sharon D. from the MK District Asc.
May 26, 2017
"The Mineral King Road gates are open, and the road is driveable to the end (Eagle trailhead parking). There still is a lot of debris limiting the road to 1 car width, so be extra cautious when driving up or down. Passing preference is given to the vehicle driving uphill."

Thanks for the post Shawn. This weekend I was planning to visit Roads End and do day-hikes (with snowshoes), but now I'm changing my plans and going to Mineral King.

This weekend I was planning to visit Roads End and do day-hikes (with snowshoes), but now I'm changing my plans and going to Mineral King.

Probably a good idea, less people.

And more marmots

I was wondering what the marmots will do this season given the snow......hoping they'll sleep in and show up in July.

Ha! Good point.

I was wondering what the marmots will do this season given the snow......hoping they'll sleep in and show up in July.

I've already seen them out and about over 10,000ft. Apparently they're hungry and don't mind the snow!

On that note, I've never protected my car and never had trouble in MK after roughly a billion visits. (Your results may vary)

Anyway, thanks for the heads up, I'll be heading up there Sunday to visit Castle Rocks for a few days!

I've never protected my car and never had trouble in MK after roughly a billion visits.

Only roughly!

I BPed out of MK about 8-9 times. I saw cars with wire mesh protection around the bottem of their cars. The marmots would chew on the hoses of the engines. I once talked to a man at the trailhead for timber gap who was waiting for emergency service from Three Rivers Quiet expensive.

There are numbers for local tow companies on the desk and plenty of evidence that it's a problem particularly in early spring. That one or two people can say they've never had the marmots chew on their cars doesn't surprise me -- it's like those people who pretend they don't need bear canisters in areas where habituated bears are based solely on the fact that they've never had bears in camp.

The idea of sitting in Mineral King waiting for a tow truck for hours, riding out for hours, spending the night in Three Rivers/footing the bill for the long cab ride to the bus station in Visalia, the wait for the bus, all the expense of coming back for the car.... Well, let's just say I'm the one who sees all the wilderness rangers on the trail checking permits, all the bears wandering into camp or licking the bear can, all the many ways one can run afoul of those risks rangers tell us about.... You can gamble if you like. I'll probably have a full car -- I usually take friends -- and won't be able to give you a ride.