Power Outages Lead to Closures in Sequoia National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on December 28, 2008 - 10:35am

If you were planning a pre-New Year's Eve trip to Sequoia National Park, you might want to check with park officials before you head there. A power outage that hit Christmas Day has forced closure of facilities in the Lodgepole and Giant Forest area.

Park officials closed the areas at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, and say the areas will be closed for at least two days.

The closure starts at Hospital Rock and includes Giant Forest (including the Giant Forest Museum and General Sherman Tree), Lodgepole, Wuksachi Lodge, and the Wolverton Winter Play area. Park officials say the power outage is compromising visitor safety and sanitation as there is no electricity, running water, or sanitary sewer services.

“It is with deep regret that we implement this closure,” said Dan Pontbriand, Sequoia District Ranger. “We know that is very special time to visit and enjoy the beauty of the parks in winter. However, we have to ensure the safety of our employees and visitors. We will make every effort to re-open the area at the earlier possible time.”

Other areas within the parks remain open and park rangers are working with visitors to provide alternative activities in the area.

For updates on this situation, you can call 559-565-3134. For questions about the Wuksachi Lodge, call 559-565-4070.

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Comments

Submitted by Chad (not verified) on December 28, 2008 - 12:27pm.

I work at the Lodge and Im in Three Rivers CA for a few days. It is not safe to travel in the Park at this time, however the town of Three Rivers is a nice option with many lodging choices. It is really beautiful here this time of year but if you're looking for snow, maybe try Yosemite or somewhere in the Tahoe area. I would think that when I return to work, we'll have several days of clean up so plan your trips accordignly. The snow is good above 3000' in the Sequoia area. The skiing is not that good, since there is not much of a base, however snowshoeing and snowplay is good.