First off, sorry if I'm jumping into this forum to ask about something a bit unrelated (hopefully not offensive!) to what you guys are about.
This forum is the only place I could find any mention of a lot of the USFS trails around the Merced, so I think you all might be the only ones who can help me out.
I'm planning a mountain bike-packing route around the Sierra in September. I am trying to avoid pavement, particularly highways. My original plan was to take the Hite Cove OHV route to El Portal and carry north, but the Ferguson Fire put an end to that.
So... it seems I'm at least partially re-routed onto Hwy 41 (booooo). I'm wondering if it would be possible (and not completely stupid) to get bail off Hwy 41 at Yosemite West, and take Pinoche Ridge to Cold Canyon, down to the Merced. I'm cool with pushing my bike, carrying over an amount of deadfall, and occasionally getting lost. But could I even make it through?
It is also unclear to me on the Sierra USFS website if that area is open yet? They still have the overall fire closure map up, but then there's a more recent "trail closure" order which specifically mentions Hite Cove, but says the South Merced Trail upstream of there is open, which to me indicates the overall closure has been lifted?
Anyway, thanks for any advice.
-Rick