Yosemite's Tioga Road-delayed opening

Unofficial news from a local.....

NPS has really struggled to get Tioga Road opened this season, mostly thanks to Mom Nature. Snowpack is about 50% above "normal." If you know the area, one of the problems is at Olmstead Point. On the north side of the road, there is a huge piece of granite where the snow and ice still has not come down (the same area were an NPS employee was killed by an avalanche years back during road clearing operations). NPS has been very creative in trying to get the ice down, and it apparently needs to come down before they will open the road. The cool weather we are having hasn't helped speed the thawing process. Depending on the weather, it is currently expected to be at least the first or second week of June before the road opens, and maybe even later. Rain and snow are in the forecast this weekend.....

The other concern is outside the park on the east side. Back in December-January-ish the Tuolumne Meadows area lost power. Southern California Edison apparently thinks the break in the line is near Ellery Lake, buried under 7-8 feet of snow--or maybe in the lake. So, SCE needs to wait until the snow melts enough to properly access the area. Until it is repaired, no electrical power to the TM area (i.e., water sewer services, and business operations).

And if that isn't enough, somewhere between TM and Yosemite Valley, the phone lines were severed in at least one place, so there is no phone service (and also network connections our company and NPS needs).

If you plan to visit Yosemite soon, I'd shoot for a mid-week visit. With Tioga Road closed, there will be less room for people to spread out.

On the flipside, the waterfalls have been really cool this season, and the dogwood trees are still blooming!

If you are a climber, be careful. Far too many falls so far this year--and they don't usually end well. Be safe!