Edison / Vermillion Info Update - May 25th. 2021

[michaelzim]

I just talked with Jim at Vermillion Resort at Edison and asked a bunch of questions regarding the 2021 outlook. He is up there now as the road is open - but not for visitors/the general public until this Friday May 28th. As always he was super helpful and had no objection to me sharing this info. *[Some of this may change if conditions change dramatically I guess, but that would need to be something really big like torrential rains for the next month. Unlikely!]

~ Lake levels are super low again and there is no snow/water reserve left to speak of.
~ The ferry for PCT, JMT & general backpackers will not be operating in 2021. Exception is for small groups of 6 people or less who drive in and want a trip across the lake, etc. Must be arranged in advance. Cost is $95. No PCT/JMT traffic as it's just too much to take on.
~ JMT/PCT hikers should walk in for re-supplies, etc.
~ A "casual" (no timetable) shuttle service will be loosely in effect for ferrying hikers to Bear Ridge and Bear Creek trailheads. No shuttling to Florence Lake.
~ The road between Florence and Edison has been beat up by heavy equipment fighting the fire, etc. Is passable with normal 2WD vehicle though.
~ Currently there are no mosquitoes to speak of at the resort = 7,700 ft. elevation. Being such a dry year there may not be many all season - but just a guess on that.
~ Some JMT hikers are reporting a recent heavy dump of snow around...what sounded like Silliman Pass (but that's down in KC), so was probably Selden Pass. The phone cut out so I'm not sure.
~ They have finally found new owners that will presumably carry on the good tradition with the backpacking community. The plan is for them to take over later in the summer.

That's all I had down in notes. Best ~ Michaelzim

[aaron_in_sf]

Friends went out to scope out VVR Mono Hotsprings and Edison Lake this past weekend. We have an annual campout there and reservations for later this summer.

As reported there is barely a lake now and in another few weeks there will probably be none.

The pack station is apparently open and while Mono HSR and VVR looked OK the drive up was described as truly bleak.



EDIT: not sure why I'm not getting the image expand but the direct link ftr is https://imgur.com/gallery/DqPUrZG

[tomba]

You are linking to the gallery page, not to the image. Here is the image:

[aaron_in_sf]

Thanks! Once I knew that... been a while since I posted pix from imgur :P