Muir Parking Beta - IMPORTANT
Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 8:47 pm
This past Memorial Day weekend will probably be the largest crowd we'll see at Muir this year, at least until the Fall. Sunday, there were 57 cars in the official and unofficial parking areas. Even with 190 plus routes now bolted in the Valley, it was a busy time at the walls.
To accommodate the ever growing number of visitors, the third expansion this year of the main parking lot will be done during this next week. If you are going to be at Muir during this next week, please do NOT park in the main lot (by the kiosk and maintenance building.) The dozer and gravel trucks need room to maneuver. The expanded lot will hold between 40 and 48 cars.
To ensure that the maximum number of cars will fit, please pull all the way up to the edge of the gravel surface and park reasonably close to the car beside yours. The new lot will have three rows of about 12 cars each plus an additional dozen or so "spaces" east of the graveled lot.
Remember that the north parking area is not on Muir land, and we expect the owner to close it in the near future. At that time, all parking for Muir will be in the main lot near the Muir maintenance building.
There is a new graveled road heading north out of the main lot that will be access for the upper Valley (Tantroft, Great Wall, Solarium, etc.). This new gravel road goes back to what will be our private residence and ends at a cliff. So, please do not go ALL the way back. Instead, about 800 feet back along this road, you will see pink sign markers for a footpath that leads off to the left to the old logging road that is currently used to access the Valley floor by those parking in the north parking area.
This route from the main parking lot is about 700 feet longer than the one now taken from the north parking area to access the Valley floor via the old logging road. However, it does reduce the elevation of the hike up by about 60 feet or so. Kind of a tradeoff.
Finally, thanks to all for driving slowly. The neighbors are a bit overwhelmed at the large number of visitors to the Valley. They are understandably concerned about road dust and safety for their children.
Rick
To accommodate the ever growing number of visitors, the third expansion this year of the main parking lot will be done during this next week. If you are going to be at Muir during this next week, please do NOT park in the main lot (by the kiosk and maintenance building.) The dozer and gravel trucks need room to maneuver. The expanded lot will hold between 40 and 48 cars.
To ensure that the maximum number of cars will fit, please pull all the way up to the edge of the gravel surface and park reasonably close to the car beside yours. The new lot will have three rows of about 12 cars each plus an additional dozen or so "spaces" east of the graveled lot.
Remember that the north parking area is not on Muir land, and we expect the owner to close it in the near future. At that time, all parking for Muir will be in the main lot near the Muir maintenance building.
There is a new graveled road heading north out of the main lot that will be access for the upper Valley (Tantroft, Great Wall, Solarium, etc.). This new gravel road goes back to what will be our private residence and ends at a cliff. So, please do not go ALL the way back. Instead, about 800 feet back along this road, you will see pink sign markers for a footpath that leads off to the left to the old logging road that is currently used to access the Valley floor by those parking in the north parking area.
This route from the main parking lot is about 700 feet longer than the one now taken from the north parking area to access the Valley floor via the old logging road. However, it does reduce the elevation of the hike up by about 60 feet or so. Kind of a tradeoff.
Finally, thanks to all for driving slowly. The neighbors are a bit overwhelmed at the large number of visitors to the Valley. They are understandably concerned about road dust and safety for their children.
Rick
