Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Onion Valley Road

Does anyone have beta on how far up Onion Valley road you can drive. Last Forest Service info on their website is March 31st.

Call the Forest Service office in Bishop - they can probably tell you. (760) 873-2500

From April 20 via Inyo Sheriff's Facebook page. See No. 7.

Current Road Conditions for Inyo County Mountain Roads:

1) Upper Rock Creek, above Tom’s place – CLOSED- Mono County is expected to begin snow removal operations the week of April 17th (weather permitting). Inyo Road Dept. will not be able to access or estimate the snow removal timeline for the last mile of Rock Creek Rd. in Inyo County until the week of May 1st.

2) Pine Creek Rd. – OPEN- No restrictions

3) Sabrina Rd. - CLOSED- Inyo section, one lane clearing operations to the (unplowed) USFS parking lot, 0-5’ of snow on roadway. Due to avalanche concerns, snow removal operations have been suspended until this storm cycle ends (approximately May 1st). The lake is currently covered in 2-6’ of snow. Caltrans section, unknown timeline to opening.

4) North Lake Rd. – CLOSED- Currently 0-5’ of snow on road way, due to the narrow and hazardous sections of road, there are no immediate plans to open North Lake Rd. conditions will be monitored and reassessed May 1st.

5) South Lake Rd. – CLOSED- Closure is at the Bishop Creek Lodge, one lane clearing operations to the Pack Station, 2’-6’of snow, operations dependent on weather and avalanche conditions.

6) Glacier Lodge Rd. -OPEN- No restrictions

7) Onion Valley Rd. – CLOSED- Closure is at Seven Pines Rd., Currently clearing as weather and conditions permit, anticipated opening May 1st.

8) Whitney Portal Rd. – CLOSED- Closure is just above Hogback Rd., snow/rock removal operation is in process, anticipated opening May 1st to the USFS parking lot.

9) Horseshoe Meadows Rd. – CLOSED- Due to road structural damage and rockslides; Inyo County is currently working with partner agencies on repair options. Anticipated opening June/July.

10) Nine Mile Rd. – OPEN – No restrictions.

*The large quantity of snow this winter, and the weather patterns, is hampering the spring road opening operations. As storms continue, expect and be prepared for, changes to road conditions.

Mostly true except the road to Sabrina. Gate is open at Aspendell as of yesterday (Monday). The road to Sabrina is totally cleared of snow yet they have a road closed sign posted at the end of 168 near the Sabrina Campground. I rode my bike there. Easy to drive around up to the lake where the parking lot is cleared and ready for "Fishmas" on Saturday. Lake Sabrina is frozen over and for hikers there is about 2 feet of snow pack at the trail head. North Lake road is going to take some time to open. Heavy drifts over several sections well before North Lake.

Road is closed, deep snow about 1/2 / 3/4 mile from trailhead, rocks and ice on the road this AM,County working to get it open may make the May 1 date but area is covered and North facing slopes are still covered, south facing clearing fast. Looking up into the Pass area total coverage.

I recently took a couple ski tours in Onion Valley. The last one was on April 21 and they had cleared the road to 9000'. There was still 2-3' of snow in the parking lot. We were able to get to Kearsarge Pass on skis in around 4 hours.

Here's a photo gallery: Onion Valley April 19, 2017


Kearsarge Pass April 19, 2017

Inyo Co really worked hard and got a lot of roads open for Fishmas - April 29 fishing day. Onion Valley road open to the parking lot, but snow starts there.
Check with Inyo Co. Sheriff's page on Facebook for current conditions, and Inyo NF web page. More and more roads being opened as snow melts, but still lots of snow from 9500 ft. up.