I think their erecting the gate caused a significant stir, not only with the hiking community, but with the locals, too. I'm not sure where I saw it, but there was a picture of a group of concerned people meeting at the gate last spring.
Doug Sr from the Hostel and Whitney Portal Store posted last week asking for thoughts before a Board of Supervisors meeting on the subject.
Here is his post.
I like this message posted in that thread:
Doug,
So sorry this post is a day late. But I'll write it anyway.
Putting that gate up was a hostile slap toward the mountaineering public! With the county roads people opening the road only in time for the fishing season, they are completely ignoring the hiking public that brings a huge amount of business to Lone Pine and the Owens Valley.
When they put the gate up last winter, there were a number of people who canceled their plans to come to Lone Pine and head up the road to hike in April and May. So Lone Pine businesses definitely lost some income.
The winter hiking guides likely lost some clients as well, since the gate forced their clients to hike several miles up a clear and dry road needlessly.
Why in the world doesn't the county realize the business the Mt Whitney attraction brings to the county? As long as the road is mostly dry, they should be maintaining and clearing debris from it during the winter, at least as high as the snow level.
Please pass this plea along to the County Supervisors to keep the road open!
A concerned Whitney hiker.
The Inyo Register implies there will be a followup article. I hope there is.
