Seit einigen Monaten gibt es Straßenbauarbeiten in den beiden NPS - die haben sich durch den Winter verzögert und man sollte auch in den nächsten Monaten mit Wartezeiten/Staus rechnen.
Wichtig für Wohnmobilfahrer!
Seit dem 5.4.13 dürfen nur noch Wohnmobile in die Parks, die kürzer als 22 feet sind!
Bear Incident at Sequoia National Park and Bear Safety Tips
ZitatAlles anzeigenOn Wednesday, June 17, at 7:30 a.m., a park visitor stopped at the Ash Mountain Entrance Station in Sequoia National Park to report an incident involving a bear and a camper at Potwisha Campground. (Potwisha Campground is located 4 miles from the primary entrance to Sequoia National Park along the Generals Highway.) According to reports, a bear nudged a man in a sleeping bag at a campsite in Potwisha Campground at approximately 6:30 a.m. The man woke up. The bear stepped on the man, who ran away from the bear. The bear followed him, then turned around to grab the man's sleeping bag and drag it to the edge of the campsite. Other campers stated that they banged pots and pans to scare the bear away. The man, a 25-year-old from Santa Cruz, CA, sustained minor injuries—lacerations to his back and a puncture wound. The individual refused further medical care by park staff. Currently, park staff is trying to locate the bear. Notices have been posted and campers contacted at Potwisha and Buckeye Flat campgrounds. Campground patrols have been increased. The incident is under investigation.
Superintendent Woody Smeck of Sequoia and Kings Canyon said, "Black bears in our national parks are wild, beautiful animals." Smeck added, "We ask visitors to admire them from a safe distance and to secure food and other scented items."
The following safety tips will help you reduce the risk of a bear-related incident or break-in:
Everyone: Bears that have been able to get human food in the past can become bold and sometimes aggressive around people. Never leave any food or scented item in cars where brown metal food-storage boxes are provided in the parks. (You may be fined if you do not store these items properly.) Don't let bears approach you or your food, picnic area, or campsite. Wave your arms, make loud noises, and throw small rocks toward them (--avoid hitting the face or head). Keep a safe distance but be persistent. Easily abandoning your food teaches bears that it is acceptable to approach people; it may hurt someone in the future. If a bear does get food, however, never try to take it back.
Backpackers: Hanging food often fails! Store all food in a portable container. Less than 3 pounds, it holds up to 5-day's food for one and fits in a pack. Metal boxes in a few wilderness locations offer backup storage. Rent/buy a container at visitor centers or markets.
Campers: Store food day and night in the metal boxes provided at each campsite (avoid bringing coolers that won't fit;most boxes are 47" long x 33" deep x 28" high.) Store ALL food, coolers, related items, and anything with an odor (even non-food) —including unopened cans and bottles. Latch the box completely. Food not stored properly will be impounded. Where boxes are not provided, seal food to reduce odors, cover it well, and close the windows. Keep a clean campsite. Deposit garbage immediately in bear-proof containers or store it like food. Take baby seats out of cars;the smells they absorb may attract bears.
Picnickers: Never move away from coolers and tables when food is out. Stay within arm's length of food.
Lodge Guests: Remove food from your vehicles.
Ich habe ja großen Respekt vor Bären... ob ich mich dann traue dort zu picknicken oder so...
Wir wollen sowohl im Yosemite als auch im Sequoia nur kleinere Wanderungen machen, da muss nur Wasser mit.
Aber das Essen aus dem Auto muss dann in so eine Box...gibt es die an jedem Parkplatz?
Na dann freue ich mich schon aufs Ein- und Auspacken 
Es doll ja auch kein Bärchen in Versuchung geraten! 
Im Sequoia / Kings Canyon muss bei Dayhikes nicht immer alles Essen aus dem Auto ausgelagert werden. Das ist bei jedem Parkplatz / Trailhead unterschiedlich geregelt und wird dort auf Schildern angegeben.
Manchmal reicht es, das Essen im Auto zu lassen und es blickdicht zu verstauen. Die Bären erkennen wohl eine Icebox mit einem Blick durch das Fenster 
Gruß
Volker
Schlimme Waldbrände in Kalifornien: Mammut-Bäume bedroht
ZitatIn Kalifornien sind tausende Menschen von Waldbränden bedroht, die rasch um sich greifen. Nach Behördenangaben
haben sich die Flammen südöstlich der Hauptstadt des US-Staates, Sacramento, auf einer Fläche von über 260 Quadratkilometern ausgebreitet. 15 Gebäude seien bereits abgebrannt.
Gouverneur Jerry Brown hat für die hügelige Region den Notstand ausgerufen, um auf diese Weise schnell Hilfe zu mobilisieren. Mehr als 3000 Feuerwehrleute kämpfen gegen die Flammen an. Auch in der Region der Sequoia- und Kings-Canyon-Nationalparks wüten Brände, die bereits Ende Juli durch Blitzschläge entfacht worden waren. Das Feuer bedroht auch Kaliforniens berühmte Mammutbäume in der von vielen Touristen besuchten Grant Grove.
Man hat es leider bei der Anfahrt auf den Sequoia NP deutlich gerochen. Und auch die vielen Dankesschilder an die Feuerwehrleute und andere Helfer waren ein mehr als deutliches Zeichen. Gemäß der Ausschilderung kommt man im Kings Canyon auch nicht mehr bis an Ende. Der Sequoia NP ist weiterhin uneingeschränkt zu besuchen.
Third river fatality this year at Sequoia National Park
ZitatA 26-year-old woman has died after falling into a creek in Sequoia National Park, the third drowning in the park this year, authorities said Sunday.
The incident occurred Saturday evening when the woman fell into Silliman Creek near the Twin Lakes Trail and was subsequently swept downstream, according to the National Park Service.
The woman’s identity has not been released.
Record high temperatures in the region coupled with rapidly melting snow in mountain areas is causing swift, cold and dangerous river conditions, park officials warned.
Traffic Delays on the Generals Highway
ZitatAlles anzeigenReconstruction on the Generals Highway, the main park road, is causing road delays in Sequoia National Park between Hospital Rock Picnic Area in the foothills and the Giant Forest sequoia grove. Traffic is held at Amphitheater Point Overlook at the lower end and Crystal Cave Road near the upper end (the work itself is from Deer Ridge to the Eleven Range Overlook). For tips on minimizing the waiting time to pass through construction, see the Frequently Asked Questions below.
Soon, vehicles longer than 22 feet will be prohibited on this stretch of road between Hospital Rock and the Giant Forest. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are never recommended on this section, but shortly after the July 4th holiday that is expected to change to a restriction due to increased construction activity. Hwy 180, the northern entrance to these parks, is the preferred route for these longer vehicles.
On weekdays from 7:00 am-5:00 pm
Expect delays of up to 1 hour through noon on June 30. After the delay, uphill traffic passes first, followed by downhill traffic. See Holidays, below, regarding the Independence Day weekend. Starting June 5, consistent 1-hour delays are expected from 7:00 am-8:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and 7:00 am-5:00 pm on Fridays, with traffic passing through the construction zone on the hour.
On weeknights from 9:00 pm Sunday through 5:00 am Friday
Nighttime delays are not expected to start for another few weeks. When they do, both lanes will close for 8 hours, one pass-through at 11:30 pm, uphill traffic first. Once nighttime delays are necessary, this page will be updated with that information up to two weeks in advance.
Other hours and on weekends
No delays when both lanes are open. When highway is limited to one lane, expect delays up to 20 minutes. Traffic lights will control traffic, uphill traffic first.
Holidays
There will be no roadwork on July 4th weekend noon Friday until 7:00 am Tuesday. Traffic may be controlled by traffic lights, with uphill traffic passing through first.
5 epic hikes through California’s ancient sequoia and redwood groves
ZitatGiant sequoias and towering, ancient redwoods once covered California’s landscapes. Today, only a small fraction of those groves remain.
Here are five spectacular hikes, where you can walk among these 2,000-year-old trees, drink in the sights and serenity, and offer up thanks to the conservationists who made this possible.
(2x Sequoia National Park, Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, Muir Woods National Monument, Mariposa Grove)
Road construction season begins in Sequoia National Park
ZitatAlles anzeigenThe second season of road construction in Sequoia National Park began on Monday, March 19. Work is being done on an approximately one mile long segment of the Generals Highway between Amphitheater Point and Crystal Cave Road.
Work on this segment is extensive and includes reconstruction of the road to widen narrow sections, construct new or rehabilitate existing retaining walls, improve drainage, construct new pullouts, and other improvements. This work will take place in elevations ranging from 4,500 to 5,500 feet.
The Generals Highway Construction Project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and is paid for by the Federal Lands Transportation Program. The estimated cost to complete the project is between $8 million and $12 million. LB Civil Construction, Inc. was awarded the contract on May 15, 2017.
Visitors should expect up to one-hour delays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 20 minute delays from 6-7 a.m. and 7-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. both lanes will close for 10 hours with one pass-through at 8 p.m. and another at 11:30 p.m. Uphill traffic first, downhill traffic will follow after the uphill traffic has successfully cleared the construction zone. Once both lanes of traffic have been cleared, the construction zone will close to all traffic, until the top of the next hour. No delays are expected Friday through Sunday and on holidays, unless the highway is limited to one lane.
Vehicles longer than 22 feet will be prohibited on the Generals Highway starting March 19, between Hospital Rock and the Giant Forest Museum. This closure will remain in effect until construction has been completed. During construction, the FHWA will close one lane of the highway by blocking it with K-rail. This will narrow the highway, making it unable to safely accommodate vehicles over 22 feet. The highway closure is being extended to the nearest turn around locations for vehicles of that size to the south at Hospital Rock and north at Giant Forest Museum.
Visitors with vehicles over 22 feet hoping to visit the giant sequoias are advised to either make a shuttle reservation prior to day of visit, or enter via the Hwy 180 northern entrance to these parks.
The Generals Highway was completed in 1935 and is the primary artery through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The Generals Highway is a narrow and winding road that was not designed or constructed for travel by the larger vehicles that are in use today. Since its original construction, the Generals Highway has needed periodic repairs to address structural deficiencies and normal wear that have led to deterioration. However, in 1993 the design and reconstruction of the entire 28-mile Generals Highway began. Reconstruction was needed because the Generals Highway was in poor condition with several failures, had short sight distances, several drainage issues, and did not meet FHWA design standards.
To date, reconstruction of the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park has been completed between the south Park entrance and Deer Ridge.
Verizon Wants to Build a 138-Foot Cell Tower Disguised as a Tree in Sequoia National Park
A cell tower mimicking some of the largest and oldest trees in the world.
ZitatAlles anzeigenAccording to a release by the National Park Service (NPS), Verizon Wireless is proposing to construct a 138-foot cellular tower within Sequoia National Park to improve coverage in the area. The cell tower, if approved, would potentially be built “to simulate a pine tree.”
The proposed construction area sits near Wuksachi Village in an established utility site at the end of an existing paved access road, and would affect approximately 0.23 acres (10,120 square feet) of park land. The goal of the project is to provide year-round coverage to a portion of the Generals Highway, the Wuksachi Village area, the Lodgepole area and the Wolverton area.
The press release by the NPS describes the cell tower: “Antennas would be directed, as much as possible, away from the wilderness. A 138-foot tall tower with panel antennas and microwave dishes, potentially constructed to simulate a pine tree, mounted on a 4 to 5-foot diameter footer.”
For reference, the Sequoia trees of Sequoia National Park reach upwards of 200 feet and are among the oldest and tallest in the world. The park also bills itself as a place where you can totally “embrace the escape” with limited cell and WiFi access. This plan would certainly sit on the opposite side of that sentiment.
In the release, the NPS admits that it is merely “considering the issuance of a right-of-way permit to Verizon Wireless to construct, operate and maintain a wireless telecommunications facility” at this time.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 made it so the NPS must consider any and all project proposals for telecommunications towers on federal land. This was followed by a fierce competition by telcom companies like AT&T, Verizon and others courting the most popular national parks to build cell towers. All done without specific policies for doing so in place, as many national parks have not released policy plans for cell tower projects.
According to a story by Government Technology at the end of 2017, “Because the National Park Service is highly decentralized, NPS headquarters does not track construction of cellular towers in parks nationwide. Nor has it developed a national policy to guide parks superintendents in reviewing such proposals.”
That story, along with other reports, has gathered information about how plenty of cell towers have been built in national parks (some unknowingly) since then. And a proposed bill in the House (The Public Lands Telecommunications Act aims to let individual parks keep the rental fees they collect for cell towers built within their boundaries.
The NPS has initiated the public scoping phase on the Verizon-Sequoia proposal, which means that public comments can now be submitted until midnight on May 4. The next phase is the environmental assessment, which will be coordinated by the park itself. A final decision on the cell tower project will be made by the end of this summer.
Sequoia Park road construction to slow down visitors
ZitatAlles anzeigenisitors to Sequoia National Park will have to plan ahead and wait a little longer to walk among the giants.
On Monday, the second season of road construction in the park began. The work will take place along a one-mile segment of the Generals Highway between Amphitheater Point and Crystal Cave Road.
Work on the segment includes reconstruction of the road to widen narrow sections, construct new or rehabilitate existing retaining walls, improve drainage, construct new pullouts, and other improvements.
The work will take place in elevations ranging from 4,500 to 5,500 feet.
The Generals Highway Construction Project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and is paid for by the Federal Lands Transportation Program. The estimated cost to complete the project is between $8 million and $12 million.
Construction Delay Schedule
Please note that the delay schedule may change at any time due to weather or emergencies.
Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m.-7 a.m.: Up to 20-minute delays. Traffic lights will control traffic.
Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Up to 1-hour delays. Uphill traffic first, downhill traffic will follow after the uphill traffic has successfully cleared the construction zone. Once both lanes of traffic have been cleared, the construction zone will close to all traffic, until the top of the next hour.
Monday-Thursday from 7 p.m.-8 p.m.: Up to 20-minute delays. Traffic lights will control traffic.
Monday-Thursday from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.: Both lanes will close for 10 hours, one pass-through at 8:00 pm and another at 11:30 pm, uphill traffic first.
Weekends, including Fridays and Holidays: No delays when both lanes are open. When the highway is limited to one lane, expect delays up to 20 minutes. Traffic lights will control traffic.
Vehicle restrictions
Vehicles longer than 22 feet will be prohibited on the Generals Highway starting Monday between Hospital Rock and the Giant Forest Museum. This closure will remain in effect until construction has been completed.
Visitors with vehicles over 22 feet scheduled to visit are advised to either make a shuttle reservation prior to the day of visit or enter via the Hwy 180 northern entrance.
2 deaths in 2 weeks at the same place in Sequoia National Park
ZitatAlles anzeigenIA 22-year-old man who jumped into the rapid Kaweah River in California's Sequoia National Park died trying to save a 5-year-old boy who had slipped into the water early Saturday morning.
The boy, after being pulled from the water, received CPR and was resuscitated, National Park Service officials said. The boy was transported to a hospital in Fresno for treatment. No names were immediately provided.
This is the second drowning to occur in June at the same location, the National Park Service said.
According to the park service, a family entered Sequoia National Park at about 6:45 a.m. Saturday and decided to walk down to the river near the park's entrance sign.
The boy slipped into the river, and the man jumped in after the child, park service officials said. The boy's parents jumped into the river, too.
Three nearby fishermen helped the parents and child out the water, the park service said. One fisherman and the boy's father provided CPR to the child and were able to revive him.
The young man was pushed under water by the strong current and drowned. His body was removed from the water about two hours later, officials said. His identity and relationship to the boy wasn't released by park officials.
The park service said Saturday's incident is similar to one two weeks in the same location.
"The issue is not people trying to swim," said Sequoia District Ranger Dave Fox. "People and children fall and slip into the river, family members jump in after them to try to save them. In both cases, the family members who jumped in after the children did not survive."
Fox said park visitors should keep in mind that rocks are slippery, the conditions of the rapids and the rocks below that can trap people under water.
"The rocks are super slick on the river's edge, and people should avoid getting close to the water," he said.
Twelve days ago, the treacherous Kaweah River inside Sequoia National Park took its first life of the season when a Los Angeles man was swept away and died in the cold, swift water.
The 36-year-old man went into the Kaweah River downslope of the Sequoia National Park entrance sign parking lot, the same spot the boy on Saturday slipped. Park rangers later found the man's body in the river.
His name has not been released.
2-Hour Road Construction Delays Begin on 10/22 in Sequoia National Park
ZitatAlles anzeigenhe second season of road construction along a one mile section of the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park will begin to wind down in the next month. Work on this segment has been extensive with rehabilitation or construction of new retaining walls, improved drainage, and new pullouts, among other improvements.
With the construction season coming to an end, more time is needed to allow for critical work to take place. Beginning on Monday, October 22 weekday delays will change from up to one hour to up to two hours in duration. These extended delays are scheduled through Friday, November 2, but may be extended if needed, and after park review.
“We hope to bring this project to conclusion before weather impacts the work that can be done,” said Woody Smeck, superintendent for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. “The improved roadway will much better serve the millions of visitors we get every year.”
Construction Delay Schedule
Please note that the delay schedule may change at any time due to weather or emergencies. For the most up-to-date 24-hour road conditions and advisories please call (559) 565-3341 (press 1, 1) or visit nps.gov/seki.
Monday-Friday from 6:00 am - 7:00 am
Up to 20 minute delays. Traffic lights will control traffic, uphill traffic first.
Monday-Friday from 7:00 am - 8:00 am
Up to 1-hour delay. Traffic lights will control traffic, uphill traffic first.
Monday-Friday from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Up to 2-hour delays. Uphill traffic first, downhill traffic will follow after the uphill traffic has successfully cleared the construction zone. Once both lanes of traffic have been cleared, the construction zone will close to all traffic, until the next pass through.
Monday-Friday from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Up to 1-hour delay. Traffic lights will control traffic, uphill traffic first. After 5:00 pm on Friday expect delays up to 20 minutes.
Monday-Friday from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Up to 20 minute delays. Traffic lights will control traffic, uphill traffic first.
Overnight Sunday- Thursday from 8:00 pm – 6:00 am
Both lanes will close for 10 hours, one pass-through at 8:00 pm and another at 11:30 pm, uphill traffic first.
Weekends and Holidays
Starting Friday at 5:00 pm, when highway is limited to one lane, expect delays up to 20 minutes. Traffic lights will control traffic.
22 Ft Vehicle Restriction
Vehicles longer than 22 feet are prohibited on the Generals Highway between Hospital Rock and the Giant Forest Museum. This closure will remain in effect until construction has been completed. During construction, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will close one lane of the highway by use of K rail. This will cause the highway to be narrowed, and unable to safely accommodate vehicles over 22 feet. The highway closure is being extended to the nearest turn around locations for vehicles of that size to the south at Hospital Rock and north at Giant Forest Museum. Visitors with vehicles over 22 feet hoping to visit the giant sequoias are advised to enter via the hwy 180 northern entrance to these parks.
History of the Generals Highway Construction Project
The Generals Highway was completed in 1935 and is the primary artery through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The Generals Highway is a narrow and winding road that was not designed or constructed for travel by the larger vehicles that are in use today. Since its original construction, the Generals Highway has needed periodic repairs to address structural deficiencies and normal wear that have led to deterioration. However, in 1993 the design and reconstruction of the entire 28-mile Generals Highway began. Reconstruction was needed because the Generals Highway was in poor condition with several failures, had short sight distances, several drainage issues, and did not meet FHWA design standards.
To date, reconstruction of the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park has been completed between the south Park entrance and Deer Ridge.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks' visitor centers reopen with donation
ZitatAlles anzeigenSequoia and Kings Canyon national parks visitors are in for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend surprise.
Park officials announced that visitor centers in both parks will be open for weekends and holidays, until funding returns to normal.
Sequoia Parks Conservancy, the parks official partner, made a donation on Friday that covers National Park Service Interpretive Rangers and facility maintenance expenses at all locations. The donation's sum wasn't released.
Pear Lake Winter Hut, managed by the conservancy, will also resume normal operations.
“We believe in the power of information as a way to guide and transform a visitor’s experience of these parks,” said Savannah Boiano, executive director of the Sequoia Parks Conservancy. “This donation is one way for the Sequoia Parks Conservancy to support Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks and the National Park Service.”
The visitor centers have been closed for the past 28 days since a partial government shutdown — now the longest in U.S. history — caused a lapse in appropriations on Dec. 22.
Both parks were previously closed to the public on Jan. 2 before reopening on Jan. 11 through the use of Federal Land and Recreation Enhancement funds.
Visitor centers will be open through Monday. They will reopen Friday through Sunday for the foreseeable future. Sequoia Conservancy employees and park rangers will staff the visitor centers and provide trip-planning and safety information.
Tire chains are currently required through much of the park after a series of storms brought up to 3 feet of snow across the Sierra.
Heavy snow closes roads to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon remains open
ZitatAlles anzeigenIf you're thinking about taking a snow day at Yosemite, think again.
On Tuesday, park officials announced that all roads in Yosemite are closed due to heavy snow and fallen trees.
"People currently in Yosemite should stay inside to avoid falling trees," stated officials on the park's Facebook page.
An update will be provided when roads are open. To check current road conditions, call (209) 372-0200 (then 1, 1).
Recently, Tioga Road closed due to snow. The road will remain closed until May or early June, officials said.
The road closure extends from the Tuolumne Grove, just east of Crane Flat, to Tioga Pass Entrance Station. Highway 120, the continuation of the Tioga Road outside the park, is often closed in winter from Tioga Pass to five miles west of Lee Vining.
When Tioga Road is closed, it is not possible to drive to Tuolumne Meadows or enter Yosemite National Park from the east.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks are also experiencing heavy snowfall.
If visitors are planning a visit, rangers encourage them to call 565-3341 before driving up, for road closures, weather, and current conditions.
The Generals Highway and other popular areas may be closed due to winter storm hazards. Weather conditions change moment to moment, park officials said.
Visitors can expect tire chains to be required in most areas.
Power outages and road closures may lead to the closing of visitor centers and other services without much notice.
"If you're coming up for some snow play remember to pack extra clothes to change into, bring warm layers, and be safe," park officials stated. "Don't forget to pack out any snow play gear, if it's broken please dispose of all pieces in a nearby trash bin."
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