Drought Means Booming Business At Tiny Yosemite Post Office
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (CBS13) — A small post office deep in the Yosemite takes in more than 100 packages a day, stacked from floor to ceiling.
The sun came up three hours ago, but some Yosemite hikers have been waiting longer than that.
"That five or six pounds can make all the difference in the world," said Sharon Young.
They're waiting on packages that mostly contain the same necessity—food.
Hikers wait for this man to give it to them. The Jazz playlist sets the mood for Michael Kochakji.
"It calms everybody down," he said.
The phone rings a lot at the Tuolumne Meadows Post Office, which is run by two guys in a room that is too small to be an office. It's so small and far away, they're still waiting on new stamps.
Yet, the small post office takes in more than 100 packages a day. So far this summer, it's received 3,000 boxes, all for extreme hikers. The considerable increase of packages at the post office has everything to do with the growing popularity of two trails out here in Yosemite.
The Pacific Coast Trail Association says the movie "Wild" about the Pacific Crest Trail, along with California's drought opening up snow areas of the John Muir Trail have brought new hikers to the area. But since the trails can take days to hike, more supplies are needed.
The self-named Post Maestro and Junior give out packages on the hour.
"For the most part, they're very nice, with the exception that a hungry man is an angry man," Kochakji said.
The postmen have to stop giving packages in order to sort the regular mail.
"About four times a day," he said. "There's a nice one huh? They all claim to have hiked Half Dome and they've all seen 20 bears."
At 1 p.m., a new shipment of packages comes in.
"We get to play Santa Claus every day and give them their resupply packages. So these guys love us. Unless of course, we don't have their package," he said.
They work through breaks and will stay after closing for late hikers.
"I'm in awe with how good that kid's personality is," said Stewart Kuperstock.
It's only a summer job, but it's one this Post Maestro has held for 18 years.
"It's a joy to watch them open packages up," Kochakji said. "That they have people who are caring for them and pulling for them. And we're just instruments in the process."