Short term future of Needles climbing, the straight dope...

I was up in the area last week. Access to the Western Divide Hwy via Ducor/CA Hot Spring is closed. The gates are at Pine Flat from the west, and Johnsondale, coming from from Kernville. Also, Lloyd Meadows rd (lower rd to Voodoo Dome) is closed. Last Wed 5/1 afternoon:

Lloyd Meadows Rd at Johnsondale:

Parker pass rd over to CA Hot Springs at Johnsondale:

Hwy 190 from Porterville/Springville is ambiguous. Tulare County highway dept site says it is only open to locals beyond Camp Nelson, but a local told me yesterday that it is open to Ponderosa but there is lots of construction, and to expect long delays and nightime closures. I don't know if you can drive from Ponderosa to Dome Rock, it's a short bike ride though, if you can get up there.

Aside from road work, there is a massive logging "clean-up" going on as they remove as much of the viable timber that they can following the fires. Most of this is north of the Needles, and the trucks are coming out on the lower Lloyd Meadows Rd. 

Of course, 21S05 to the upper Needles trailhead is closed.

A security guard at Johnsondale told me that he heard the Ca Hot Spring to Johnsondale rd was going to open "in a few weeks." If it does, and the Western Divide Hwy is open, then Dome Rock becomes reachable by car, although one might have to walk the dirt rd.

Earlier Wed morning, when I was still out in the central valley, I stopped at the fire station between Ducor and CA Hot Springs to inquire about that rd. They could only tell me that there was lots of road work up there, no idea as to an opening date...

Sorry, no good news right now.

Kristian Solem wrote:

I was up in the area last week. Access to the Western Divide Hwy via Ducor/CA Hot Spring is closed. The gates are at Pine Flat from the west, and Johnsondale, coming from from Kernville. Also, Lloyd Meadows rd (lower rd to Voodoo Dome) is closed. Last Wed 5/1 afternoon:

Lloyd Meadows Rd at Johnsondale:

Parker pass rd over to CA Hot Springs at Johnsondale:

Hwy 190 from Porterville/Springville is ambiguous. Tulare County highway dept site says it is only open to locals beyond Camp Nelson, but a local told me yesterday that it is open to Ponderosa but there is lots of construction, and to expect long delays and nightime closures. I don't know if you can drive from Ponderosa to Dome Rock, it's a short bike ride though, if you can get up there.

Aside from road work, there is a massive logging "clean-up" going on as they remove as much of the viable timber that they can following the fires. Most of this is north of the Needles, and the trucks are coming out on the lower Lloyd Meadows Rd. 

Of course, 21S05 to the upper Needles trailhead is closed.

A security guard at Johnsondale told me that he heard the Ca Hot Spring to Johnsondale rd was going to open "in a few weeks." If it does, and the Western Divide Hwy is open, then Dome Rock becomes reachable by car, although one might have to walk the dirt rd.

Earlier Wed morning, when I was still out in the central valley, I stopped at the fire station between Ducor and CA Hot Springs to inquire about that rd. They could only tell me that there was lots of road work up there, no idea as to an opening date...

Sorry, no good news right now.

Thanks for the detailed update, much appreciated. Needles was such a staple for me for many years! I really miss climbing and spending time there...definitely a void in my climbing psych

Hello,

I wanted to reach out here in case there are any updates on the Needles access...I am from out of town, so not very familiar, but was going to spend time there early 2021 and thought Id start poking around to see what the general access and climbing conditions are like...would appreciate the info, but also don't want folks to get bothered if the access is so limited/variable that outsiders wandering around these roads next spring/summer/fall would bother local agencies/safety concerns?

Cheers and thanks

I called the ranger station in early-november 2024, asking for updates about the upper-road. (21S05) hoping to get a visit in before end of year.
They replied that they had been 'working on clearing downed and burned trees' and were 'hoping to finish before winter'. This is the same story they have been saying since 2022 fall : ) Called back two weeks later (mid november) and they weren't done / in fact they issued their general seasonal winter closures early it seemed.. 

As for access, it is legal to HIKE-in upon the (21S05) road, just takes a good bit longer. For a few years post-fire, even 'walking' on that upper road was technically not allowed. This year, the lower road (Lloyd Meadows road) was open, which gives you Access to Voodoo Dome, and the Warlock. You could even hike in and make a camp at the main-notch via the lower-road, its just a bit of a hoof, loose & steep.

in short- hoping for a may 1 - may 15 upper-gate opening this year, (but don't hold your breath) and you can climb in the needles before that- just have to be willing to hike the 4-5 mi gated road, then the 2.5 mi trail uptop, OR, use the lower road access (8 mi 1500' bike before gate opening)  They 'open the gates' in May every year (or earlier if low-snow-year)

Something about car-camping at the end of the upper-road really makes the needles the fun session spot that it is. hopefully that will be back for 2025 Memorial weekend : )

There is no water at the formations so camping there can be a heavy haul. and its pretty breezy with not tons of flat spots, its basically a ridge shoulder/notch.
I have a video from before the fire here if anyone is missing the needles:

Thanks for the info Colin! I was chatting with one of my CalFire buddies who has a good rapport with the new District Ranger (Tulare Co.) and he was mentioning to me that we may see another season with the upper gate closed. :(  I guess they are still pulling out fire timber and sections of the roads a pretty tore up from all the heavy equipment. I'll try to keep on top of this as spring approaches. We haven't had any real significant snow/rain locally and my fear is that this will be a dry season.

I think i mentioned it in pervious narratives within this thread that the original campsite, near the end of the upper road (before the trailhead), is decimated! All the trees that shaded that spot are all gone. When the gate was open for a short period, a year and half ago, folks were rogue camping next to the trailhead/parking area. A few of us have initiated a conversation with the FS to see if they were open to construct primitive camp sites at the trailhead. I took note that those that were camping there were constructing fire rings in the one remaining meadow within the woods (somewhat behind the SSCA vault toilet). Not a good look. It would be a shame if we lost that still intact area. It's my hope that the FS could provide a few picnic tables and metal fire rings at designated spots.

Colin, I do not believe that anyone can legally be in the upper road area while timber is being removed. So, suggesting hiking in during the closure may complicate access when they do open it up. Typically the area is shutdown winter thru like May anyway for now. - ec

Colin Sander wrote:

I called the ranger station in early-november 2024, asking for updates about the upper-road. (21S05) hoping to get a visit in before end of year.
They replied that they had been 'working on clearing downed and burned trees' and were 'hoping to finish before winter'. This is the same story they have been saying since 2022 fall : ) Called back two weeks later (mid november) and they weren't done / in fact they issued their general seasonal winter closures early it seemed.. 

As for access, it is legal to HIKE-in upon the (21S05) road, just takes a good bit longer. For a few years post-fire, even 'walking' on that upper road was technically not allowed. This year, the lower road (Lloyd Meadows road) was open, which gives you Access to Voodoo Dome, and the Warlock. You could even hike in and make a camp at the main-notch via the lower-road, its just a bit of a hoof, loose & steep.

in short- hoping for a may 1 - may 15 upper-gate opening this year, (but don't hold your breath) and you can climb in the needles before that- just have to be willing to hike the 4-5 mi gated road, then the 2.5 mi trail uptop, OR, use the lower road access (8 mi 1500' bike before gate opening)  They 'open the gates' in May every year (or earlier if low-snow-year)

Something about car-camping at the end of the upper-road really makes the needles the fun session spot that it is. hopefully that will be back for 2025 Memorial weekend : )

There is no water at the formations so camping there can be a heavy haul. and its pretty breezy with not tons of flat spots, its basically a ridge shoulder/notch.
I have a video from before the fire here if anyone is missing the needles:

Anyone have any updates on access?

I'll give a call to the Porterville office to get some status.

Thats amazing. I would be down to go work on the trail in the fall too if its super low priority for them. We could get a couple e bikes with trailers and some chainsaws and go clear the path. Would anyone local be down?

Not local, but if you need help lmk with some advance notice and I'm in. 

while working on the trail is always a good thing, the fire had no impact on the trail.  I've been out on the upper trail several times since the fire.  They are cleaning out the burned trees along the upper road and around the use camp ground.  forest management.  I heard Malibu Creek and Spy Mountain were good alternatives :)

Anyone hear from the Forest Service about access this year?

Also not local but happy to come help with enough notice. 

EC Joe just posted on FB that the dirt road to the trailhead is open (rd. 21S05).