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This is your photojournalist reporting in from an excursion taken today, Saturday, March 18, 2023. Trail Guy, The Farmer, and I drove about 4 miles up the Mineral King road, then continued on foot. There will be many many photos (I took 92 but will only show you 47—you are welcome), and a little explanation or commentary.
The Road Closed sign is barely visible here below Mile 4.
A friend was doing a similar excursion and began the same time we did. Trail Guy advised him to climb up to the flume for easier walking, because his destination was farther up the road than ours.
Common sight.
Ho-hum, another big rock.
Mud, road a little bit gone.
And yet another rock.
And another chunk gone.
Wait, are you telling me we could have driven another 1/2 mile up?? Apparently so.
Whoa. This is the big washout. I bet Mineral King folks will forever refer to this as Washout Corner, or Washout Canyon.
We had a little bit of boulder scrambling to do.
Then some water to cross.
Looking back at the mess.
About 1/2 mile farther up from the mess.
Standard mud-on-road.
Oh-oh. Are we finished? The road certainly is. This is at Skyhook.
Nope, we are not done. The Farmer scrambled up the bank to the flume, pronounced it doable, and we followed.
Our friend caught up with us on the flume, and we pulled aside to let him pass because he was on a mission to check on a man who lives farther up the road. We were just ogling, on a mission to see things.
We climbed down.
And headed down a paved road to the real road…
…only to discover we were on the uphill side of Skyhook. The flow went right through the center of the property.
I want to go to the bridge.
In the days before the flood, this would have been considered a disaster. Now, it’s merely another blip on the screen of the Winter of Water.
Bear Canyon survived. It appears to be abandoned, so even if it got washed away, no one would care. (what a waste)
Another muddy section.
And yet another one. I waded through this one in barefeet. 
By the time I got to this muddy mess, I just walked through in my trusty hiking Crocs.
Such a beautiful flow of water in this canyon after too many dry years.
MY FAVORITE BRIDGE IS FINE!!
Rocks, mud, no big deal.
Happy Centennial, Oak Grove Bridge!
Looking upstream.
Looking downstream.
Just looking.
And looking.
Time to turn around and head back to the pick-em-up truck.
Whoa. Is this a new disaster waiting to happen to the flume just below the bridge? Or are we seeing with new eyes, filtered for impending doom?
Here’s the abandoned Bear Canyon.
Climbing up to the flume just above Skyhook.
I really like walking the flume. Not supposed to do it.
Our friend told us that the flume had blown apart or been smashed by a tree, so he had to do some scrambling and crawling. We got to this yellow tape, and climbed down the steps to the access road.
This is the access road onto the flume, opposite the very wide spot in the road below the bridge.
We walked back without incident, happy to be alive, thankful for rain, thankful to be able to walk 5 miles, thankful for springtime, thankful for friendship, just thankful.
And looking forward to seeing repairs by the Tulare County Roads Department. But I bet the people at Skyhook and those on above are looking forward to that road work even more than we are.
Thanks for coming with me on this tour. Batten the hatches, because there is another storm coming our way tomorrow.
42 Comments
Wow!! Thanks for sharing the photos and commentary, Jana! I just showed to Daniel and Karl. Sounds like the central valley, Springville, and many other parts of CA are being heavily impacted by all the snow and rain. I will share link with Andrew. Daniel just got a story published in the OC Register on the snow levels and ski resort at Mt. Baldy in the San Gabriels. Take care!
Hi Anonymous Gina! Fun article and photos in Danny’s article – thank you for sharing the link! I am reposting it here in case anyone goes through the comments and wants to know.
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/03/20/locals-say-mt-baldy-skiing-hasnt-seen-dumping-of-snow-like-this-in-years/
Thank you for the road tour. Just bought a cabin in Silver City. Hope to visit it this summer!
Welcome to the community, Kristina!
And I Thank the Three of You for the Road & Flume Tour and the Great PIX! Hope to see you all Sometime this Summer.
Steve Dresser Cabin #3 EMK
STEVE!! Welcome to my blog and thank you for commenting. We WILL be in MK this summer, Lord willing (let’s not talk about the creek rising).
Thanks for sharing. I always enjoy your walks, pictures and your narrative. I learn so much.
Thank you, Nancy! Have you been able to keep your groves and place dry?? My guess is that you were in the path of the raging Yokohl.
Enjoyed your tour!
Thank you, Virginia. Happy to oblige.
What a wonderful, fact-filled tour, Jana! How some of those washouts bring back memories of when my children were little and my folks (Ord & Irma) lived at oak Grove! I remember wheeling Danaë in her stroller around the big washout below Bear Canyon – we had cars parked on both sides, thank goodness! Washout Canyon was originally “Grant” Canyon and holds memories of my Mom there with hot coffee and sandwiches for us when we would drive our cattle to Milk Ranch for the summer. I hope the County can repair all the damages so the NPS can complete their job! Thanks again, Dear Friend and please give Trail Guy my thanks as well!
Sophie, how fun to hear those historic names and your memories. Thank you for sharing!
Great pictures and commentary!
Thank you, Anonymous! Glad you enjoyed it, because I was wondering if it would fall into the category of “Too Long, Didn’t Read”.
Jana, amazing thank you
Wendy Mitchell
Wendy, thanks for checking in. It was truly amazing in many ways! We saw evidence that Terry had worked his way down to the new canyon at Sky Hook with his tractor.
Jana: Awesome narrative and images! Reminds me of much earlier, and happier years, with my grandparents in Oak Grove.
I wish Hawaii could keep some of our subtropical moisture instead of airmailing it to you all in California. Blame the zonal flow north of the Aloha State…
Stay dry and keep looking up!
Jeff, so nice to hear from you, and I thank you for all the moisture!
I agree Louise!! Thanks indeed for what we have been given??
Melissa, it was a grand day, in this most fantastical spring ever.
We are blessed to have anything in SC and MK as many years as we have.
Melissa, amen.
Wow! Thanks for the tour. Glad you are safe.
Nikki, I never felt as if there was any peril, even while climbing up to the flume with my feet slipping backward on the mud. Trail Guy and The Farmer are always there with a helping hand over the rougher spots. Thanks for checking in.
Wow, what a mess! Thank you so much for sharing the pictures! It looks like it was quite the adventure. As I see all the destruction I just can’t help but also be thankful for the much needed rain, enough to exceed everyone’s hopes for sure. Oak Grove Bridge is my favorite too. I think you’ll need to do a special Centennial painting of it showcasing all of that water.
Kelly, that is a fine idea! We had a great time with your dad as always, and wished your mom had been along too. But sometimes we have to share her with you. 😎
Thank you so much for the photos and the commentary! You guys are the best!
Sandy, it was a fun walk, and we are happy to be of service to our cabin communities!
Jana, John says the big rocks under the flume have been there forever, and he didn’t see anything different about them. He hasn’t talked to any of the guys about the other damage on the flume. Thanks so much for posting these. Loretha
Hi Loretha, thanks for checking in! What I am wondering about those big rocks is this: have they always looked this precarious?? I am just noticing them now because of all the pruning after the fire.
Thanks so much for posting this, Jana! That old road is one tough bird. ( Please give Michael an extra hug from me! ) Xoxo
Joyce, how nice to hear from you! The road is a tough old bird, but these storms might have been a bit tougher.
Oh, you brave, dear souls! Thank you for making the trek when we couldn’t Thanks so much for the photos and words! They were so helpful for us to see. It gives us a good picture of all the work that has to be done. We suspect it will be well into summer before we will be able to go up to our cabins. And Yes, we share in your thankfulness!
Linda and Tom, so nice to hear from you! It didn’t take a lot of bravery, because we were so curious to see the state of things.
Lovely!!! We enjoyed your walk
Mac &
Marilyn
Mac & Marilyn, thanks for checking in! You were able to enjoy the walk without mud on your shoes.
Love all the pictures!!!! Would be amazing if Tulare CO could fill in the BIG loss of road with boulders and rock tomorrow AM. Would that help with the rest of the road at that Point, Trailguy??????? I knew a teacher that lived right up that private road on the east side above the bridge; May be she went down before the first storm! HA! Thanks again!!!!!!!!!! Loved every step and wading with crocs!
Nice to hear from you, Sally! Crocs are the best shoes for me but my feet hurt anyway.
Oh my! This makes me sad–our beloved Mineral King Road! I remember hiking up to the flume with my grandfather back when it was still built out of redwood and had no cover.
At least you had nice weather!
May I add a few of these to our website photo gallery?
Help yourself, Sharon! Thank you for asking.
Great tour and photos! I loved your ending words of grateful thanks for what life has given us–hardships and all!
Hi Louise! So much power in nature this year.
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