Earthquake near Walker CA

[Wandering Daisy]

I immediately knew it was an earthquake at 4:50 this afternoon, as far away as I am, in Fair Oaks out of Sacramento, as my house rocked and swayed. Later a friend who was on her way to start a trip from Sonora Pass called and they could not get there. According to the news, Walker Canyon is still closed; a video showed HUGE rocks in the road and cars weaving in and out of them. The 6.0 earthquake has had numerous smaller aftershocks. The USGS estimates a 6% chance that this earthquake could have a larger "aftershock" (now THAT IS scary).

Other than the obvious worries about getting to the McGee Creek trailhead Monday, there are the worries about what this has done in the backcountry. Anyone have thoughts on whether this should be of concern if we plan on a trip soon?

The Caltrans road reports do not show any closures on Hwy 395. Not sure if this means the rocks are cleared up, or the traffic is slowly weaving its way through them, or if the information is just not updated. Anyway, be aware of possibility of some delays.

[rlown]

It's been on KCRA and KXTL for hours. 395 is open. Expect instability in the rocks. Seems like one should avoid Markleeville.

[TahoeJeff]

Felt it big time, for about 20 seconds here in SLT.

[Wandering Daisy]

I am not going over Monitor Pass Monday- there is a section of it with a steep rock wall, just before you get to 395. And there is the west part that is erosive since the fire a few years ago. My worry is that all the little aftershocks may shake loose more rocks. It does not take a very big one in the road to wreck your car.

Poor Walker, CA. They seem to get the brunt; wildfires and canyon floods. Now this. Some of the structures in that town are old and probably not up to code with respect to earthquakes.

There is a section of 395, west of Mono Lake, that had the big landslide a few years back. They put up fencing- evidently it held. And then there is Hwy 50 from Echo Pass down to S. Lake Tahoe. They have been doing a lot of road work up there- hope that did not get damaged.

[Gazelle]

I am 20 miles north from epicenter had a few 4.? last night. I want to go hike up monitor pass/sonora pass but not going for at least a week! Yes poor walker has been getting hammered!