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Writers
SIERRA NEVADA 411
BY JARRETT SMITH 3/24/2026
SIERRA NEVADA - Spring may have just sprung, but recent hot temperatures are teasing an early return to hot summer months.
Whether that is the case or not, there is no doubt summer fun is on the way! So what is open and what remains closed? Let’s check in on the national parks/forests in our backyard.
KINGS CANYON & SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Generals Highway is open through both entrances! That means A LOT more hikes, peaks and the trees within an hour of Squaw Valley…woo hoo! There are still closures for favorites such as Cedar Grove, Crystal Cave and Moro Rock. Expect those to reopen in late April to early May.
Some of the Garnet Fire burn scar has reopened, such as Garnet Dike along the Kings River and Dinkey Creek Road east of Shaver Lake. But further access along McKinley Grove Road to Wishon and Courtright is still under winter closure. It is slated to open at the start of May. Kaiser Pass Road is still two months away, as the road and Mono Hot Springs are
scheduled to kick off its season Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25).
With winter in the rearview, the roads into Yosemite look to be clear for the foreseeable future. The exceptions are roads within the park: Tioga Pass (Highway 120), Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove. The grove is scheduled to swing open its gates in late April. Tioga Pass and Glacier Point will be a longer wait, late May-early June. With recent hot temps and rapidly shrinking snowpack, perhaps sooner. An important reminder, reservations for Yosemite are no longer required, so expect heaps of traffic and visitors.
Be sure to check local National Parks and Forest Service websites for current conditions/road closures before your visit!
Musing of life 3/24/2026
Jasleen Says
First Attempts at Growing Food
By Jasleen Moran
When the world shut down in 2020, one of our first priorities was food. Seeds were disappearing everywhere, so we gathered what we could, knowing that growing our own was going to be part of our survival.
At first, things looked promising. I started seeds, hopeful for rows of vegetables to feed our family of seven. But reality set in fast. The April rains gave way to scorching heat that dried everything out in a heartbeat. Our soil, untouched and uncultivated, wasn’t ready to sustain life. We knew nothing about amending or treating it, and every sprout we tried to nurture seemed to wither away.
So, we adapted. We bought food-grade buckets, drilled holes in the bottoms, and turned them into makeshift planters. It was far from perfect, but it gave us a fighting chance.
Of course, the challenges didn’t stop there. Underground critters like squirrels, voles, moles, and gophers saw our efforts as an open invitation. And above ground, the deer roamed freely, easily able to leap over a six-foot fence to help themselves to whatever managed to grow.
It was humbling. It was frustrating. And it was also part of the education the land was giving us. Growing food here wasn’t going to be simple. It was going to take patience, resilience, and a whole lot of trial and error. Fast forward to today. We still don’t have an in-ground garden. Our plants are still in buckets. But we haven’t given up hope! Over the past six years, we’ve learned so much, and our vision has shifted toward permaculture. We’re planning to establish hardy trees that can endure the harsh climate up here. Over time, they’ll create a lush canopy, helping to restore nutrients and moisture to the topsoil naturally. In the meantime, our animals: sheep, goats, and chickens have been busy working the land. They have cleared all the brush and continue to till and fertilize the soil. It may not look like the garden we once imagined, but step by step, the foundation for abundance is being laid.
Jasleen Says
Building Safety, Foundations & Mud Lessons
By Jasleen Moran
When we first arrived on our property, there was no time to settle in quietly. We had work to do. With five kids and only a travel trailer and a rooftop tent to call home, the land around us had to be made safe and livable.
Those first days weren’t easy; they were filled with sweat and sore muscles: putting up a privacy fence, digging post holes, mixing cement, trimming back overgrown branches, and clearing out thick weeds. Living just below 3,000 feet above sea level meant sharing our new home with mountain lions, bobcats, bears, coyotes, and rattlesnakes. So every bit of progress mattered.
It was exhausting, but also deeply grounding. Each hole we dug, and every fence panel we raised, was a small act of faith, building not just a barrier of safety, but the
beginnings of a safe refuge. It was the start of shaping raw wilderness into a home.
Just when we thought we were making progress: privacy fence up, things looking good, the weather decided to humble us. Days of rain turned our driveway into a giant mud pit.
With both our cars being 2-wheel drive, we were stranded. My husband, ever the problem-solver, thought: “No worries, the Tacoma can handle it!” Well, it didn’t. The mud won. Wheels spinning, tires sinking, nowhere to go. Lesson learned the hard (and muddy) way: 4-wheel drive isn’t optional out here, it’s survival.
And if that wasn’t enough, when our neighbor rented us his skid steer to help grade the land, we managed to get that stuck, too, right on the ridge! We were both praying it wouldn’t slide down the hill, our hearts racing as we tried to figure out how to explain this to the neighbor. In a panic, we anchored it to the shipping container just in case. Talk about stress!
But here’s the thing, even the mud had its blessings. That rain gave us water we could collect, filter, and pump back into the trailer. And by the end, we had our first level pad around the container, setting the stage for everything to come. What felt like a frustrating mess became one of our earliest homestead lessons: sometimes you get stuck, sometimes you get soaked, but God always makes a way forward.
Writer's
Squaw Valley Post Office to Close
Squaw Valley Post Office to Close
Squaw Valley Post Office to Close
Squaw Valley Post Office Closure Update
By Paulette Dakuras
I recently received a response regarding my inquiry into the potential closure of the Squaw Valley Post Office—information that is important for all residents, especially those with PO Boxes at this location.
To clarify, this is not a temporary closure.
Tom Williams has reached out to Congressman Vince Fong’s office and was provided contact information for his assistant, Matt Bauer. I have also contacted Matt, and he is currently looking into what, if anything, can be done.
The Squaw Valley Post Office operates as a Community Post Office under contract with the United States Postal Service. This means it is run by an outside business that agrees to sell USPS products exclusively (no UPS, FedEx, etc.). At this time, it’s critical that our community makes its voice heard. I will be sharing information on how to contact our representatives.
Please don’t let our Post Office disappear.
Be sure to reach out to the representatives and if they tell you they cant help ,then tell them to direct you to who can!!!
Vince Fong
2187 Herndon Ave Ste 101
Clovis, CA 93611
Phone:
(559) 701-2530
(661) 327-3611
(202) 225-2915
David Tangipa
6245 N Fresno Ste 106
Fresno 93710
(559) 445-2029
(916) 319-2008
Jim Costa
2440 Tulare St ste 420
Fresno Ca 93721
559) 495-1620
(559) 749-9330
(202) 225-3341
Nathan Magsig
2281 Tulare Ste 300
Fresno, Ca. 93721
(559) 600-5000
Jim Patterson
6245 N Fresno st #106
Fresno Ca.93721
(559) 446-2029
File a complaint online with the United States Postal Service ( Quick Response Time)
https://emailus.usps.com/s/postal-facility-inquiry
Oak to Timberline by Maria Baker
Squaw Valley Post Office to Close
Squaw Valley Post Office to Close
Fuel Breaks: Connecting the Dots
Maria Baker, Public Information Officer for OTFSC
In the previous edition of SOS news, I shared some of the great work our Oak to Timberline Fire Safe Council (OTFSC) and Firewise Communities (FWC) have been doing, from volunteer workdays to grant-funded outreach. I’m back with more good news to share. This time, I want to shine a light on some major fuel break milestones that are making a real difference for our communities. The Pinehurst/Miramonte Ingress/Egress Roadside Fuel Break (PMIE) has been completed! This CalFire grant was awarded in September 2022 with a deadline of March 15, 2026, and the crew wrapped up a full month early which is a great feat considering the parameters that work must be completed within, like good weather (low fire risk, but not too wet), and road traffic considerations, not to mention obtaining almost 200 landowner agreements. The project created shaded fuel breaks along key roadways to
improve evacuation safety and slow the spread of wildfire. By clearing excess vegetation and reducing ladder fuels, the project improves access for emergency responders and creates defensible corridors for residents. The work protects communities including Pinehurst and Miramonte, covering 21 miles of roadway, hundreds of homes, and thousands of acres of wildland-urban interface. This project connects directly with two other OTFSC shaded fuel break efforts. The completed Brookside Fuel Break created an 81-acre, 200-foot-wide treated zone along Brookside Road in Miramonte, reducing years of fuel buildup and lowering the risk of high-intensity wildfire for more than 400 homes and critical infrastructure. The Miramonte Fuel Break, currently about 40%
complete, runs 200 feet wide along the Miramonte-Badger fire road. It’s designed to moderate fire behavior coming from the less-populated foothills to the south and create safer positions for firefighters. It also ties directly into the other nearby projects and adds another layer of evacuation route protection. While each of these grants and project areas is technically separate, zoom out on a map and a bigger picture emerges. Taken together, and with the newly approved Upper Millwood cross-country fuel break, we're looking at a nearly continuous
network of fuel breaks stretching from Delilah Ridge all the way down to Badger. OTFSC coverage spans
elevations from near sea level to 5,000 feet, and this
connected system of roadside, cross-country, and shaded fuel breaks is a meaningful layer of protection for all of them. More details on the Upper Millwood project
coming soon!
Pinehurst Lodge
3/24/2026
Pinehurst Lodge Turns a Page:
New Local Management Works to Rebuild Trust After Controversy
By Sal Fonseca, SOS Classified News
The historic Pinehurst Lodge, a staple of the mountain community since 1909, is stepping into a new chapter—one shaped as much by its past as by the promise of its future.
After several months of closure, the lodge reopened in March 2026 under a new, all-women cooperative management team. The transition follows controversy tied to the previous manager and owner, whose social media comments drew strong backlash from locals. In widely shared posts, he expressed disregard for the local community, indicating a preference for relying on passing tourists as the primary source of income. In a small mountain community where local support is essential, those remarks struck a deep chord.
The reaction was immediate. Many residents voiced frustration and disappointment, with some stating they would not support the business as long as ownership remained the same. Others noted the contradiction of criticizing the very community a business depends on. The situation played out publicly, with heated exchanges before the lodge’s social media presence was ultimately taken down. New Facebook activity is expected in the near future.
At present, the former manager has stepped back and now serves only as a silent owner, no longer involved in daily operations.
According to Sal Fonseca of the SOS Classified News, the lodge is now under new management, marking a clear shift in direction. Five local women—Georgia, Cristina, Connie, Sara, and Steffi—have formed a cooperative to run the lodge with a renewed focus on community connection.
“We saw something we held dear to our hearts being forgotten,” the team shared. “Pinehurst Lodge has been part of this community for 116 years. We want to bring it back so everyone—locals and visitors alike—can enjoy its rustic and familiar charm.”
Each member of the cooperative brings her own strengths, working together to manage daily operations. Their priorities are clear: consistent hours, quality food, and reliable service—key elements they believe will help rebuild public trust.
The lodge held a soft opening in March to work through day-to-day operations and plans to transition to full-time service in April. Weekend breakfasts are already being served, along with daily specials, a full bar, and house-made desserts.
Early online feedback has been encouraging. Peggy Hellweg described the lodge as
“The epitome of local color,” highlighting friendly service, quick meals, and reasonable prices. “I definitely recommend you stop by if you are in the area,” she said.
Even so, the shadow of past controversy remains. Some locals are still hesitant, noting that ownership has not changed. For many, rebuilding trust will take time—and consistent, positive experiences. The new management team understands that challenge. Though not owners, they are longtime locals with deep ties to the community and say they are committed to running the lodge as if it were their own. Their message is simple: come in, give it a chance, and be part of restoring a historic gathering place.
Whether the community fully embraces this new chapter remains to be seen. But for the first time in months, there is a sense that the story of Pinehurst Lodge is no longer defined solely by controversy—but by the possibility of renewal.
Paulette and I stopped by to interview them and to see firsthand the changes taking place. While we do not personally support the owners, we do support the local women working hard to save this historic establishment and its role in the community. We hope many of our readers will consider supporting these dedicated ladies—Georgia, Cristina, Connie, Sara, and Steffi—who clearly care about the place they call home. We ordered a burger and fries and enjoyed every bite. The management team has also chosen to advertise with the SOS Classified News. We welcome them and wish them success.