The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

80% is probably how they figure you’ll use the pass. Idk. That’s a guess.

I’ve been wondering why so many “friends of” groups exist. Most of them are 501c3 groups. If you want to spend some time, look through the form 990’s. Executive salaries.

The state parks often have deals about what the friends group does and how they’re paid, the more common deals are 80% for the foundation and 20% for the state. Not sure how it works for federal agencies.

I can guarantee you that not everyone has an equal seat at the table when it comes to decision making.

This is why I care so much about fees and such. Especially when a friends group CEO make almost $400k or the National Park Foundation CEO makes almost twice that.

 

Lol has me thinking of what an amazing pay station would look like.
Would it be like those cell towers disguised as trees? A rock cairn on the side of the road that transforms into a kiosk when a human is within proximity?
I imagine it would have a USB charging station and a filtered water dispenser. Perhaps that's also disguised to preserve the scenery?
The rubber lizard mouth dispenses the dash tag and a sign below it says:
"Plug into the lizards toes for USB-C, squeeze his tail to fill your canteen"

 

Probably belongs elsewhere but good news! Hwy 120 has been cleared of snow and is undergoing road repairs. Not open, just a lot farther along than I would have expected.

Cheers to the progress!

 

Always wonderful to get that road open again. I do worry a bit about what that means for snowpack and water/fires over the summer, but I know a lot of the Sierra didn't get much this year. Was considering going to a special spot up there as early as March, when sometimes we can't get in until late June!

 

Last time I checked, the snowpack measurements for the Sierra were around 90% and we've had spring snow. I don't know what that means because as you mentioned for water/fire, the melt might be as important for flow rates later in the summer and a snowfall, melt, snowfall, melt cycles we've had might mean more water in the high lakes/aquifer than lower areas.

I didn't see how much road repair was needed--could it be a few weeks, a month, less? More? idk.

 

The amusing Tioga Watch website has more info on the road repairs and is guessing around a 6/2 opening:

https://tiogawatch.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/05-20-25-conditions-updates/

 

Anyone heading up past Lee Vining for the weekend check your route.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/5/22/inn-fire

 

Looks like Tioga Pass will open tomorrow!

 

Alabama hills was full as to be expected. Camped at lone pine campground instead which I ended up really liking more than Alabama hills beside the fact it wasn't free. It was closer to the mountains and had a creek running through next to our site #5 and #7. All I know is people camping at Alabama hills didn't look thrilled about the amount of people coming up to their site to turn around after finding out it was taken. Glad to not be a part of that. Our group hiked Mt Whitney trail to lone pine lake for some fishing, and finished off with Mazourka peak camping.

 

I keep ending up at Tuttle Creek Campground because I'm rolling in close to midnight after a 8+ hour drive and don't want to deal with figuring out the Alabama Hills permits and searching for an unoccupied spot in the middle of the night.

 

I've stayed there before. I liked it because it was kinda "private".

 

We went to the open house a year ago and it was big fun.

 

I read that Manzanar held a recently. Wow. It's nice to see what they've achieved recently!

 

Anyone going today?

 

Really good episode
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zgwCKO0AnMyi4S8hiXHjt?si=SvFXClJGTreJnJdubYXhfg

 

Not at all what I expected. What a way to summarize a life in 20 minutes!

 

I wish. I'll be out towards Mono and Mammoth next weekend, at least.

 

It was good.

 

Hopefully it was better than expected.