Pacific West Region
Major Storm Causes Some Park Closures, Outages

A major storm hammered parks across the region last weekend. Stern travel advisories and public information about the storm and its impacts may have helped reduce significant incidents during this widespread event. Recovery continues, as many communities shovel out, attempt to restore utilities, or wait to dry out. Another storm system is expected to bring rain/snow beginning early today. Here’s a wrap-up from Pacific West parks:

Lassen Volcanic – Lassen is without power, phones and email. About eight feet of snow is reported at the southwest entrance on the Mineral side. Park staff are hunkering down, using small emergency generators, heating with wood stoves, and cooking on wood stoves and camp stoves. Few if any visitors are on the move, with just a few folks showing up yesterday to cut cross country trails in the very deep powder.

Oregon Caves – It has been difficult to contact the park because phones are out and there’s no cell service (unrelated to the storm). The park received about 44 inches of new snow in 48 hours, and the park will remain inaccessible by road until state plow crews clear Highway 46.

Point Reyes (and parts of Golden Gate) – Power is out at the lighthouse and at a couple of other park residences. Many trees are reported down, including some on power or phone lines. All roads are open except for Bolinas-Fairfax Road (GOGA). Trails are open, though assessments are still being made to determine how many trees are down blocking the park’s more remote trails.

Redwoods – The park received three inches of rain and wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour over Friday and early Saturday – typical for a severe storm in northwest California at this time of the year. A power outage affected HQ for part of Friday.

Yosemite – Windy conditions on Friday prevented Badger Pass ski area from opening. Normal operations resumed on Saturday. Localized power outages occurred in the Mather District, including the Hodgdon and Crane Flat housing areas. Rain fell at the lower elevations, turning to snow Saturday night. Snow accumulations varied from six inches in Yosemite Valley, to over 30 inches at Crane Flat, to nearly four feet in Tuolumne Meadows. There were no significant incidents.