Tuolumne Meadows Winter Conditions Update for February 27, 2019 New snow: 14 inches Total settled snow depth: 90 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 40°F (February 26) Low temperature: -12°F (February 22) Ski Conditions and Weather February is going out warm and wet. Our thermometer here hit the 40°F mark for the first time this month yesterday, and our precipitation gauge hadby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A 56-year-old woman died in Yosemite National Park while hiking on a closed trail, park officials said Monday. https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article226765614.htmlby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
When we drove through the Valley on Monday morning the intersection near Stoneman Bridge was closed off both to the south (Curry Village Dr.) and east (Happy Isle Loop Rd.). Your only choice coming in on Southside Drive was to turn left onto Northside Drive and cross the bridge. From the way the Do Not Enter signs and barricades were arranged it did not appear that shuttle buses were going pastby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My guess on that last pic: Snow Creek Trail. And I'll second the thanks for those pics of the valley in heavy snow... really cool.by FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/update-for-february-6-2019.htm February 06, 2019 Posted by: Laura and Rob Pilewski New snow: 97 inches Total settled snow depth: 102 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 46°F (January 31) Low temperature: -20°F (February 6) Ski Conditions and Weather This week saw an impressive return to winter with a series of storms that dropped aby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The time lapse on the High Sierra webcam at Sentinel Dome has shown some significant snowfall over the last two days (Saturday and Sunday). If Monday's snowfall is anything like they are predicting, we might not be able to see much of anything from that webcam when the storm clears. http://www.halfdome.net/movies/sentineldome/by FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
New snow: None Total settled snow depth: 47 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 55°F (January 27) Low temperature: 3°F (January 25) Ski Conditions and Weather It’s good to be back posting after the government shutdown. January was a good month for snowfall and skiing in the Tuolumne area. We measured 73” of new snow for the month, and our settled base depth nearly doublby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The bridges along the PCT route between Tuolumne Meadows and Glen Aulin were all in place and in good shape last summer. The bridge over Conness Creek leading into the High Sierra Camp and backpacker camp at Glen Aulin is out, but unless you were planning to camp there that shouldn't be an issue.by FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2019/01/joshua-tree-national-park-close-cleanup-repairs-vandalism-illegal-roadsby FatFlatlander - General Discussion
Joshua Tree National Park will close to all visitors Thursday because of damage to the park during the partial government shutdown, now in its third week. Without rangers on hand, visitors created new roads by driving off pavement and defaced the park’s namesake Joshua trees, a park spokesman said Tuesday. https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-joshua-tree-national-park-to-close-shutdown-20190by FatFlatlander - General Discussion
We didn't notice a big problem with waste, but we didn't hang out much at the Welcome Center (parking lot) or the Arrival Center (entrance to the grove). We did stop for lunch at the picnic area about halfway between, and several people approached looking to use the locked pit toilet there. I believe the only restrooms that are open are those operated by a park concessionaire. When we went uby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We were at Mariposa Grove on Friday and it was packed. They may have intended to close it that day also, because the main parking lot was blocked off when we arrived around 10am. There were at least thirty cars parked in any available space (designated for parking or not) around the nearby restrooms and the tiny parking loop outside the huge lot, with a steady stream of cars milling around lookby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wonderful write-up and absolutely gorgeous pictures! I was up there with my family just a month ago and can't wait to return and explore the area some more. Thanks for taking the time to document your trip so well!by FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Tposa dome it is, then! Can't have the other letters in Tuolumne and Mariposa feeling left out...by FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I thought (d) was Chickuolumne Dome...by FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Day 6: Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin At last the day had arrived for our hike in to Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. We pried the kids away from playing around the Dana Fork, loaded up, and headed out. (Quick aside: I mentioned we are looking to start backpacking. My wife and I had recently bought some 60+ liter packs in preparation, and we brought them on this portion of the trip. And forby FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Alternate title: Conquering the Glen Aulin Curse! Background: We visited our first High Sierra Camp (May Lake) three years ago. We chose May Lake because it would be a short (if a little steep) hike in for our kids, who were 7 and 9 at the time. We stayed only one night, but had a wonderful time and decided to try to get reservations at Glen Aulin the next summer. We lost out in the HSC loby FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Currently the only way in to the park (by auto, at least) is via 120W from Lee Vining. Stretch of Highway 120 closed From the Caltrans web site: SR 120 IS CLOSED FROM 11.6 MI EAST OF GROVELAND (MARIPOSA CO) TO THE TUOLUMNE/MONO CO LINE - DUE TO A WILDFIRE - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE Although if the closure is as extensive as described here... I thiby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yosemite Valley will be shutting down from noon Wednesday until Sunday. Guests are being asked to leave by Wednesday morning. Part of the Wawona Road between Wawona and the tunnel will be closed as well. Fresno Bee articleby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Smoke/Air Quality forecasts for the area affected by the Ferguson Fire and a more granular one for the Yosemite area: Ferguson Fire Smoke Report Yosemite Area Smoke Reportby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This earlier trip report has a "before" view of the bridge (seventh picture from the top). https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,76416 Some other pics on the web show an "immediately after" state with the handrails and some of the decking planks still attached. Looks like those have been since removed and the few remaining deck planks trimmed to the width of the tby FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Wow! Great report and beautiful pictures. I'm not a botanist either, but I think the flowers in your picture from Day 1 are Mountain Heather. Thanks for taking the time to do the write up!by FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
You know it's bad when you read "Fire doubles in size" and you realize that was yesterday's headline also. Ferguson Fire Doubles in Size (SF Gate) Over 9300 acres now. LA Times Storyby FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Looks like the repairs to Conness Creek Bridge are going to take longer than originally anticipated. Maybe it received additional damage this past winter? I just received the below email regarding our trip to Glen Aulin HSC. We are scheduled to arrive at the camp on August 9th. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We look forward to your upcoming stay at Glen Aulin High Sieby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We had reservations for early July at Glen Aulin HSC this year. (Actually the reservations were for last year, but the High Sierra Camps never opened due to the near-record snowfall. Fortunately, they just pushed our reservation to the following summer and we didn't have to try our luck in the lottery again). We got a call from the HSC folks at Aramark several months ago saying that Glen Aulinby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
When I saw the quote from superintendent Mike Reynolds, I was wondering for a second if the new superintendent of Yosemite was also somehow superintendent of Death Valley. Turns out the new (as of January 2018) Yosemite superintendent is a different Mike Reynolds. The Mike Reynolds of Death Valley Nat'l Park has been superintendent since 2015.by FatFlatlander - General Discussion
May 3, 2018 The Tioga Road is plowed, although side roads are still snowy. Crews are working to remove hazard trees, rocks, and other debris along the road corridor. There is no estimated opening date for the Tioga Road.by FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds like they are making good progress. Isn't the area around Olmsted Point often a problem for these crews due to avalanche danger? Maybe it wasn't much of an issue this year with the lower snowfall totals.by FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The Tioga and Glacier Point Road Plowing web page says they were mobilizing to begin plowing Glacier Point Road on 02 April, and they expected to begin plowing Tioga Road around 15 April. I'm guessing the big valley flooding event and the recent April snows probably forced them to divert manpower and equipment from plowing those roads to other more immediate road maintenance duties. Not sureby FatFlatlander - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
New snow: 18 inches Total settled snow depth: 22 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 51°F (April 14) Low temperature: 2°F (April 17) Ski Conditions and Weather This is our final post of the winter of 2018. Several storms came through the central Sierra Nevada this week leaving fresh snow and cold temperatures in their wake. This time of year the new snow generally melts pretty fastby FatFlatlander - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion