It definitely is a time of exasperation.

We are a permittee on a United States Forest Service, thus we need to follow their direction along with Inyo County and the State. We have been informed by the Forest Service who runs the Inyo National Forest that we will not be permitted to open until the State enters into Stage 3 or the travel bans are lifted and we have all our ducks in a huddle – one day we think we can open on June 1, then the next we hear it’s July 1, oh but wait, it will be when the travel ban is lifted. The Forest Service has allowed the campground hosts to enter the campgrounds and start prepping them for y’all. Fishing is still scheduled to open June 1 in Inyo County, but just heard fishing will open May 23 in Mono County, but remember most campgrounds and hotels are closed.

This was posted by Inyo County, California on FaceBook on May 22, 2020

We know you are ready to get out of your towns and into the backyard, but please remember the governor's statewide stay-at-home order prohibits short-term rentals and recreational travel at this time. All campgrounds and developed recreational facilities (including bathrooms) in our region are closed. All overnight lodging is closed. We look forward to this storm passing and welcoming guests back to recreate in our backyard. As restrictions are slowly lifted, check the link in our bio for information regarding the current status of our campgrounds and local covid-19 updates.

For those of you with boat rentals in June – we just don’t know - just heard we might be able to open the store, but they couldn’t give me an answer if we could rent boats – and the Café cannot open as we are still jumping thru Inyo County hoops. We will not open the store until we can also rent boats. The restrooms are currently closed at the end of the parking lot (and I wouldn’t go behind those restrooms). 

 We’re getting our store set-up for social distancing – got the Plexiglas around the register and our personal mask, we’ll be putting up signs and dotting the ground along with controls signage to tell you which direction to go. Still trying to figure out what industry we are in for the County, but not getting any responses from the County. Just got a response from the county – we are lumped into in-house dining and retail and the message we got about boat rentals was – “For now, you are welcome to rent boats to local people with only members of the same household in each boat.”  Not exactly sure what that means as when you go to a restaurant you can have 10 of your family and friends sitting at the same table. I do have another email into the County – stay tuned.

 We would like to thank Dan Totheroh, our county Supervisor, for stepping up and trying to help with all his backdoor phone numbers. 

 We had a report on hiking to Blue Lake – there is snow on the trail. Best to head up early when the snow is still firm as she came back down about 3pm and sunk to her waist on Lombard Street (the switchbacks right below Blue Lake). Luckily, she had a friend with her who helped her dig out!

 The deer are starting to head up the hill, so take it slow. We, also, heard about a very large bear down in the Aspendell area. 

 That’s about it for now – things are changing minutely – not sure when the Café will open.

 Stay tuned . . . we’ll keep trying to keep you informed.

 Juanita, Rick, Patti, Dwayne, Bob, Jesse and Matt