Re: Winter Grooming of GP Road?

Does anyone know if Glacier Point Road will be groomed for skiers and snowshoers this year?

It looks like yes: Badger Pass, but...

Remember that the grooming--everything between and including the parallel tracks--is primarily for x/c skiers. Snowshoers and post-holers should travel on the outside of the tracks (the shoulders of the GP road) to avoid damaging the groomed surface and tracks, and to stay out of the way of skiers who will likely be moving much faster.

The general rule-of-thumb for snow travel is: snowshoers should not travel in ski tracks (groomed or otherwise), and post-holers (hikers/walkers) should not travel in snowshoe or ski tracks, despite how tempting it might be.

I think it's ok for people to walk in snowshoe "tracks". Certainly not a cardinal sin like walking on ski tracks.

Thanks for the info.

The admonition about not walking in ski tracks is up on the Yosemite NPS site:

"A Note on Etiquette

Along the groomed portion of Glacier Point Road, snowshoers should stay to the edges of the groomed road – outside the parallel ski tracks for classic cross-country skiers. The wide center lane is for skate skiing (a style of cross -ountry skiing that uses a side to side motion like ice skating) and beginner skiers who need the extra space for stopping and turning. The tread of snowshoes (or boots) can create divots and ruin carefully laid ski tracks, creating hazards for skiers."

It's also something emphasized by staff at the Nordic Center, for people who rent snowshoes there.

Clump, Clump, Clump...easy for you to say!

But, yes, that is the unwritten (but often not unspoken!) rule.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2021 04:39PM by balzaccom.