05/24/13
There is a SLIDE SHOW under the Photo heading, New Building. !! Or just go watch. Glass is finally in which means the doors are all locked.
See Harris if you want to peek inside. Have you seen the new sidewalk leading to the new doors!!
***Outside - the block exterior is FINISHED!!!!! Inside: Phase 1 ceiling and walls are painted and the electrical lights and outlets are nearly
finished! and the water line is going in so the sprinklers can be hooked up and tested. IT'S GETTING CLOSE!!
**5/22/13 Scotty's Castle tours canceled, maybe for the whole of Memorial weekend, and until further notice!! There was a fire from
the parking lot to the NE, burned the brush and trees up the canyon, but NO buildings were harmed at all. However, it took out the power,
water, and phones! The road at the castle is closed for a while, and no tours can happen until Power and water are restored. Sorry!!
Phone 760 786-3200 for updates. MIGHT open the 25th, but might not....
Kennedy Meadows area - all roads are open - including Sherman pass and the Monache Jeep Road! some of the motorcycle trails are still closed,
but most are open. It's DRY, DRY up there! Be careful! Fire restrictions in place. Stop at Blackrock Info Station for maps and info!
Fishing season is OPEN everywhere till November. **Reds Meadow road opens Friday 24th! good fishing, nice hike to Rainbow Falls.
It's still Spring in the Mountains!! The passes are open, but watch the weather if you plan to go high - winter can still happen!!
Fishing on the Kern Plateau works up to Troy Meadow. Golden Trout are in Troy! and Fish Creek.
Campgrounds open, but COLD at night.
The MuseumStore has a lot of sale specials! Go see. We still have lovely Poppy T-shirts.
An amazing website http://www.virtualtransportationmuseum.com/index.html
done by the folks at the Eastern Sierra Museum in Independence; historic photos of "transportation" in the Owens Valley area.
To get there, they had to come through the Indian Wells Valley. Fun history!
Snow level on Kern Plateau is 9000 ft And its COLD up there. Sherman pass is closed; gates locked at Blackrock. Mammoth -
Reds Meadow Roads CLOSED for winter at Minarett Summit. Lakes road open. Whitney Portal road open.
**Whitney Portal Road is OPEN. Snow begins about Mirror Lake. Horseshoe Meadow road open.
Fishing Season OPEN- and most road access should be open.
Telescope Peak now has NO snow. Last mile to Mahagony needs clearance and front or AWD.
If you plan to go high anywhere, be prepared! Take lots of clothes, blankets, food... just in case you get into trouble. However, trouble
is avoidable - use your head and turn around before the going gets too bad!! We want you back to visit our Museum!
The Fall schedule will be posted on this website
on August 19th. All questions regarding Petroglyph tours should be directed to Rachel Nielson, Petroglyph tours coordinator.
9 Mile Canyon road - new guard rails are in, 2 miles of it in critical spots! If you haven't been up that way, 9 Mile road is 2 lane, and paved
all the way to the forest. Keep going higher - it's cooler!! See under "Tourist Info", Kennedy Meadows SNOW can still happen any time now
!!!! Be prepared. General Store is open 9-5 every day. Road mostly clear as far as Troy Meadows. Fishing OPEN but river not stocked
Death Valley- popular dirt roads are OK. Jeep roads really ARE JEEP roads. Be sure to check the Morning Report if you're heading that way!
- it's linked to my Death Valley Info under "Tourist Info," down at bottom, Janet's pages, Road info.
I try to keep the Road Info page updated- it's a battle cuz it changes every day. All paved roads and all the major side road attractions OPEN.
The refurbished Visitor Center exhibits are wonderful!!
If you're going to Las Vegas from Ridgecrest, it's so much more pleasant and not much farther to go through DV than brave the traffic on I-15
and heat at Baker. Same time to get there, less traffic, much prettier!
Blackrock Info Station is CLOSED TILL Mid May. Only fire crews there now. There is an emergency phone but that's all.
No water, no help. Campgrounds open- Kennedy Meadows, =no water of course, COLD at night!
It's actually open all year, if you want to play in the snow. You can get to Troy and Fish Creek now.
Note the next Pizza Factory fundraiser date is Friday, May 31st.
Print your coupon from above logo button or pick one up in the museum store.
New - on Death Valley web site - a "virtual museum tour" of some of the items in their collection storage, you can play the Castle Organ, etc.
http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/death_valley/index.html
The refurbished Death Valley Visitor Center is now OPEN!! Completely new exhibits!! Furnace Creek Campground is open and
reservations are required! www.recreation.gov/
New water, fixed bathrooms, hardened parking places and changed numbers of sites!@ Be sure to look at the map
when you make a reservation! see my Death Valley info under Tourist Info for details. Don't forget that you can order
Scotty's Castle tour tickets through www.recreation.gov website! Know before you go.... Gas cheapest at Stovepipe Wells.
**Marta Beckett has retired from her "show" - End of an era! But- there are shows Sat and Sun - See http://www.amargosa-opera-house.com/schedule.htm
Trail of 100 Giants - road is OPEN and no parking fee. The USFS plans to build a walkway near the fallen sequoias
to complete the loop trail again. Construction will be started in the Sprng 2013
NEXT FREE DAY AT THE MUSEUM IS June 8.