This post prompted me to call the U.C. research station down in the Owens Valley near Bishop, as they coordinate the summer activities at their Crooked Creek and Barcroft research facilities.
I was told they have just been able to open their
Crooked Creek station, but they also said the road is blocked by snow beyond that. The person said U.C. does not have any snow-clearing equipment, Inyo National Forest will not be clearing the road, and Inyo County will probably not work on it either.
So we are left with waiting for the snow to melt. The person told me I should call back around the end of the month for a possible update. (You will get a better feel for the terrain if you pull down the menu --upper left corner-- then select "terrain".)
Here's a
Google Maps view of the area, with a line showing it is 7 miles from Crooked Cr. to the locked gate.
