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Replace San Joaquin Bridge Following Damage by Atmospheric Rivers in 2023
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks » Replace San Joaquin Bridge Following Damage by Atmospheric Rivers in 2023 » Document List
During the winter of 2022/2023 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks experienced several atmospheric river events delivering 279% of the annual Sierra Nevada snowpack and resulting in widespread storm damage to utilities, buildings, roads, and trails. At some point during the winter, the 69' steel truss San Joaquin Trail Bridge along the Pacific Crest/John Muir Trail was heavily damaged and failed due to the extreme weight of the snow.
The bridge is located in the northern portion of the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness and part of the John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail (JMT/PCT). The PCT is officially listed as part of the Designated National Scenic and Historic Trails/National Trails System Act of 1968 and annually hosts thousands of backpackers traveling the 2,650 mile PCT, the 211 mile JMT, and general multi day stock and hiking trips into the Wilderness. In 2022, 5,488 permits were issued to 13,329 individual hiker users. It is the primary and only official entry point along the PCT/JMT along the northern boundary of the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park and the only access for equestrian users along the northern border.
The San Joaquin River is frequently high and swift throughout the summer months and poses an extreme danger to wilderness travelers attempting ford the river. There are no other viable water crossings of the San Joaquin River for stock or hikers along the PCT from the northern border to the next PCT/JMT Trail junction (Goddard bridge). All stock access to this portion of the PCT/JMT is no longer possible. All cross-country routes through for north and southbound hikers are blocked by swift running impassable rivers, requiring through hikers to detour 15-35 miles to the Eastern Sierra via Piute Pass or similar distances through the adjacent Sierra National Forest via Hell for sure Pass. In 2023, an unofficial bypass route called the up and over was frequently used by visitors attempting to stick to the official JMT/PCT route as possible; any resource damage this route may have caused is unknown.
The bridge wreckage was removed by NPS trail crews in August and September of 2023 to prevent visitors from attempting to cross on the failed structure and risking their safety in the process. The materials from the bridge wreckage, too large to be moved by mule, were stockpiled on site.
The former bridge was considered critical for travel along this portion of the PCT/JMT and is required for the purposes of continued hiker and equestrian access, visitor safety, and resource protection. The PCT/JMT is identified as a Class 3 trail in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) which call for bridges to be present where needed to provide appropriate access.
The planned bridge replacement project will include:
1. Remove and properly dispose of the stockpiled bridge components that were disassembled by the Kings Canyon Trail Crew during the summer of 2023.
2. Design and fabricate in-kind replacement of bridge closely resembling original bridge with specifications to meet or exceed snowload requirement of the area.
3. Transport and install a new trail bridge at the original San Joaquin Bridge location including repair and/or replacement of bridge abutments.
4. Cleanup and demobilize construction site and staging areas after completion of the project. Remove all waste materials, equipment, and temporary facilities. Rehabilitate camp areas according to LNT and NPS best practices.
Because this project occurs within an applicable regulatory floodplain with associated impacts and relocating the action to a non-floodplain site is considered not to be a practicable alternative, a formal floodplain "Statement of Findings" has been prepared and is available for comment for 30 days, closing at midnight (MT) on July 6, 2024. See "Comment Now" on the left-hand menu to access the Statement of Findings related to the San Joaquin Trail Bridge and for instructions on how to comment.
The bridge is located in the northern portion of the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness and part of the John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail (JMT/PCT). The PCT is officially listed as part of the Designated National Scenic and Historic Trails/National Trails System Act of 1968 and annually hosts thousands of backpackers traveling the 2,650 mile PCT, the 211 mile JMT, and general multi day stock and hiking trips into the Wilderness. In 2022, 5,488 permits were issued to 13,329 individual hiker users. It is the primary and only official entry point along the PCT/JMT along the northern boundary of the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park and the only access for equestrian users along the northern border.
The San Joaquin River is frequently high and swift throughout the summer months and poses an extreme danger to wilderness travelers attempting ford the river. There are no other viable water crossings of the San Joaquin River for stock or hikers along the PCT from the northern border to the next PCT/JMT Trail junction (Goddard bridge). All stock access to this portion of the PCT/JMT is no longer possible. All cross-country routes through for north and southbound hikers are blocked by swift running impassable rivers, requiring through hikers to detour 15-35 miles to the Eastern Sierra via Piute Pass or similar distances through the adjacent Sierra National Forest via Hell for sure Pass. In 2023, an unofficial bypass route called the up and over was frequently used by visitors attempting to stick to the official JMT/PCT route as possible; any resource damage this route may have caused is unknown.
The bridge wreckage was removed by NPS trail crews in August and September of 2023 to prevent visitors from attempting to cross on the failed structure and risking their safety in the process. The materials from the bridge wreckage, too large to be moved by mule, were stockpiled on site.
The former bridge was considered critical for travel along this portion of the PCT/JMT and is required for the purposes of continued hiker and equestrian access, visitor safety, and resource protection. The PCT/JMT is identified as a Class 3 trail in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) which call for bridges to be present where needed to provide appropriate access.
The planned bridge replacement project will include:
1. Remove and properly dispose of the stockpiled bridge components that were disassembled by the Kings Canyon Trail Crew during the summer of 2023.
2. Design and fabricate in-kind replacement of bridge closely resembling original bridge with specifications to meet or exceed snowload requirement of the area.
3. Transport and install a new trail bridge at the original San Joaquin Bridge location including repair and/or replacement of bridge abutments.
4. Cleanup and demobilize construction site and staging areas after completion of the project. Remove all waste materials, equipment, and temporary facilities. Rehabilitate camp areas according to LNT and NPS best practices.
Because this project occurs within an applicable regulatory floodplain with associated impacts and relocating the action to a non-floodplain site is considered not to be a practicable alternative, a formal floodplain "Statement of Findings" has been prepared and is available for comment for 30 days, closing at midnight (MT) on July 6, 2024. See "Comment Now" on the left-hand menu to access the Statement of Findings related to the San Joaquin Trail Bridge and for instructions on how to comment.