Re: Visiting May30-June4

Hello!!

I've booked a trip to Yosemite for the first week in June!! and I'm counting down the days!!! a few questions for you all....
1) based on the amount of snow this year (as opposed to others) and the recent temperatures what is the chance of Glacier Point road being open???
2) will the Vernal Falls mist trail be open?
3) will 4 mile trail be open??

I know this would be pure speculation but I'm dying to know!!!!

Thanks

You're right about the "pure speculation" part; most of the answer depends on what the weather does from now until mid-May, so any answer is just a guess. Here are a couple of stats pages for Tioga, which is usually the same time, looks like you have a 50-50 chance overall, or thereabouts:
http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

The mist trail should normally be open by then, barring any severe weather in May; the four-mile trail is more dependent on late snows etc., but it's usually open to Union Point (about halfway). That side of the valley seems more susceptible to rock and snowfall, so pushing the opening time would be risky.

After this year's heavy late-mid February snow, I listened all day to the 'crack-boom-whoosh' of rock and snowfall on the south Valley wall all day, and would not want to be walking up any part of that trail at a time like that.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

thanks for the reply... is there any other way of hiking to glacier point when 4 mile is closed?? also, when does Mariposa road typically open. I'm worried that I planned my trip too early in the season !!! I wanted to avoid the crowds and see the falls at their peaks, but I guess there is always a trade-off.

Gary, I loved your gallery... I see that you were on glacier point exactly the time I plan to be!!! hopefully I'm as lucky as you were!!

Both the Pohono Trail (from near Tunnel View) and the Panorama Trail (from Nevada Fall) go up to Glacier point, but both are pretty long for a go & return day hike. I think the Pohono is just under 14 miles one way, and the Panorama is about 8.5 miles to Glacier from Happy Isles. Both trails are outstanding for views and scenery. I don't know much about the opening and closing of those trails, I've usually done them in fall just for the reasons you mention...the summer season hits before the upper roads and trails open. Maybe someone else knows if the Panorama trail is accessible before Glacier Point road is open (?) It's not too steep, and I can't think of any areas that might present a severe ice problem, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

Mariposa road (highway 140) is the most likely to be open of all the highways in, because of the lowest elevation. All 3 (120, Big Oak Flat, 140, and 41 (Wawona) are open all year, but 41 is the most likely to close for snow.

Thanks for the photo comments. Yes, last year we hit it nicely with our Half Dome trip at the end of May and having Glacier Point open to boot.

Even if Glacier Pt. road is closed, you won't be too depressed, I'd think. In late May the dogwoods are still blooming, the falls are huge, the meadows are turning green, rivers are roaring...there's not a lot to complain about 8^).

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo