Edison & Florence "General Info." - Sept. 1st. 2020

[michaelzim]

I just had a chat with the owner of the store and such at Vermilion at Lake Thomas Edison. I had called to find out more about the ferry and shuttle between Edison and Florence - as the area has been much more smoke free than further north up in Yosemite, and south in Kings Canyon/Sequoia. I figured his report may be of interest to others too:

~ The ferry on Edison is definitely finished for the season due to low lake levels. The ferry on Florence is most likely going to stop after Labor Day.
~ The shuttle service between Edison and Florence has also stopped for this year.
~ The restaurant at Vermilion will be open until the final meal served which will be breakfast on Sept. 15th.
~ They will be doing an end-of-season full shutdown at Vermilion around the middle of September.
~ However, the store will remain "vaguely open" until the Sept. 20th. so customers are invited to come in and shout "hello!" to see what happens.
~ Florence is likely to be shutting down completely by mid September as well.

* Important, for anyone relying on them being open!!! Due to the lack of prevailing westerly winds recently, Edison area has been fairly smoke free. If this should change (I have wondered how long this "still air" pattern can last!) he said the Vermilion valley can become a smoke magnet and they will shut down completely.
What with the low lake levels from lack of snow; Covid; and now smoke threat, they are keen to put this year behind and head home (east side of the Sierra's)...so it will not take much to decide to just close up and go at any time once Labor Day is done, a week from today!

Well there you have it. Anyone like myself starting to re-look at this, so far, more 'locally' fire and smoke free zone between Yosemite & KC may find this information useful.

Stay safe ~ Michaelzim