Conditions in Yosemite...

[Scott Rosenberg]

hey guys, i was thinking about shooting down to yosemite the weekend of 23-March. have anyone of been to the park recently? any idea of what the conditions are like?

thanks,

[Jeffrey Sipress]

There's not a time of year when it is not beautiful there.

[Scott Rosenberg]

There's not a time of year when it is not beautiful there.

no doubt! i know in the summer the place can be a bit over-run, but i didn't know when things started getting crowded there. the trip is on, i'm just trying to prep myself for what i might encounter. from my research elsewhere, i'm expecting a little snow on the ground and most of the high country closed.

[BradS]

considering the temperatures we've been seeing up in Sonora the past few weeks, I'm gonna guess that it'll be unseasonably warm.

[Ralph Barker]

You might try the NPS site, Scott. I seem to recall they have current conditions info.

[naturephoto1]

Scott,

You should probably follow Ralph's suggestion, but here is a link from the Yoesemite NP website which you may want to check regarding conditions:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Hope this proves valuable.

Rich

[kjsphotography]

Warm! It has been close to 80's yesterday and today is not far behind.

It is suppose to rain next week on Wed and Thurs but other than that more sunshine.

NO chains needed...

[John Kasaian]

We were up sking Badger Pass a few week ends ago after a big storm. The snow was melting at a pretty fast rate. That makes me think the falls ought to be cooking pretty well by now. My Tiger Cubs will be up there cleaning up a campground on the last week end of the month. I would think it would be pretty nice---falls, not a lot of crowds, perhaps the mosquitos won't be out yet but it could likely they already are. Be extra careful around water during the run-off---it'll suck you under faster than you'd imagine. Maybe someone can chime in on what is blooming in the meadows. I wouldn't expect Tioga Pass to be open but maybe Glacier Point road will be by the time of your visit.
Have fun!

[Hugh Sakols]

It is too early for the valley to be green. However, I hear that a few redbuds are in bloom along 140 in the Merced River canyon. This week the river has definately risen due to the warm weather. I can't wait to explore the foothills over the weekend.

[Jack Flesher]

If you haven't found them yet, Yosemite has a pretty decent set of live webcams. I check them whenever I'm getting ready to head up -- and of course when I wish I was getting ready to head up! http://www.yosemite.org/vryos/index.htm

Cheers,

[Turner Reich]

Can anyone tell if and when the Tioga pass is open? What other way is there to get to Mono Lake than Yosemite and not from LV?

[Hugh Sakols]

Tioga Rd. usually does not open until Memorial Day weekend. I wouldn't be surprised if it is earlier this year. Still they don't begin any snow removal until April 15th and there will be snow to remove.

[Ray Fenio]

I was in Yosemite yesterday. Beautiful weather with no clouds and not the best conditions for photos. There were very few visitors which was nice but the valley had very little snow left on the ground and the grasses and trees were still in winter mode-- not like the green it turns in a few weeks. The downside is that the water falls are not going to be as spectacular as they last year due to the 50% of normal snowpack in the high country. The merced river canyon (rt. 140) did have some poppies blooming and trees beginning to bloom.

[John Kasaian]

Can anyone tell if and when the Tioga pass is open? What other way is there to get to Mono Lake than Yosemite and not from LV?

HWY 395 from either Reno or San Bernardino or the Lake Isabella area. (if you're coming from Calif.)

Does anyone know when the Whoa Nellie Deli opens for the season?

[Keith S. Walklet]

March is a transitional month in Yosemite Valley. You can have waterfalls if it is warm, frost, snow and ice if it is cold. The plants don't really start to bud out for another month on the valley floor. But the light is still very nice for color work, especially working reflected light, reflections and sunrise/sunset.

In fact, it was on March 15, 1988 that we experienced one of the finest sunsets ever. It was so good, people stopped what they were doing, called each other on the phone, whistled, cheered, clapped. To this day I can't think of any other light show that outperformed that one.

But as Hugh mentioned, most of the action now is down in the Merced River Canyon where the flowers are out. Lovely color, beautiful reflections, and the redbud should be looking fine when you show up.

[Curt Palm]

And don't forget with DST starting earlier this year, you can sleep later and still catch the sunrise.

[Turner Reich]

John I will be comming from the north, maybe Sac.? I there any other connection to Mono Lake and Yosemite than the Tioga Pass? When I was in Yosemite in Nov. the road out to the West was closed and a temp. bridge was in place. It the road clear now? I took my trailer over it comming from LV and it made it but it could have traffic problems.

[Hugh Sakols]

Turner,
The bridges you are refering to detour around the Fergason Landslide that had hwy 140 closed last summer. The road is now open with a restriction of nothing over 28 ft. long. The reason is that all vehicles now must cross two narrow bridges to skirt around an imprssive slope of recently fallen boulders and earth.

[Scott Rosenberg]

guys, thanks so much for the information - all very helpful!

if any of you are going to be there the weekend of the 23rd and see a guy with a technika working out of a blue dana pack, come on over and say hi. knowing the density of photographers in the park, odds are about 1 in 30 it'll be me!

[John Kasaian]

John I will be comming from the north, maybe Sac.? I there any other connection to Mono Lake and Yosemite than the Tioga Pass? When I was in Yosemite in Nov. the road out to the West was closed and a temp. bridge was in place. It the road clear now? I took my trailer over it comming from LV and it made it but it could have traffic problems.

I don't know of any, other than back tracking to Sonora Pass, which may or may not be open by then (But I wouldn't count on it!) HWY 88 from Jackson would get you to the other side (Mono Lake) but not into the park until Tioga re-opens.

[Turner Reich]

Thanks John, I guess it's just luck for the first of next month or I'll have to go another time to the Lake. I passed it at 3am the first and only time in the dark. I will just have to make it a trip of its own. How is the drive down Owens Valley? I know Brett Weston called it home.

[Vaughn]

If any of you are going to be there the weekend of the 23rd and see a guy with a technika working out of a blue dana pack, come on over and say hi. knowing the density of photographers in the park, odds are about 1 in 30 it'll be me!

One in thirty?! Not judging by sound of clicking (and beeping) of shutters I heard while there last month! One in 100 or more! Granted, there was fresh snow on the ground -- with the footprints of photographers going every which way!

Enjoy your time there! It will be beautiful.

Vaughn

[Turner Reich]

Can anyone tell me where the closest RV park is from Yosemite? I found one but it's 26 miles from the entrance!

[kjsphotography]

There are two on the 120 side coming in from the Big Oak Flat side right up near the gate, pleas a couple of campgrounds as well.

I don't remember the names though...

[Turner Reich]

Thanks Kevin, now my son wants to go to Pt. Lobos. Oh my God will it never end?

[John Kasaian]

IIRC there are (is a?) campgrounds in Yosemite Valley that will allow RVs. I don't know the details so you might check the Yosemite NPS site---if so reservations are always a good idea. Have a great trip!

[Turner Reich]

Last November I drove in at 3am and there was RV parking unlimited. When I did find someone they said pay on the way out! It was a cold night but in the RV it was very warm. There are no utilities in the park, it's dry camping all the way. I do have a new Honda generator that is Nation Park approved in that it has an environmental feature and a special muffler that has a spark arrester. It's quiet and runs for a long time. Out side the park one would find Cable and Internet with all of the utilities. It's nice to be in the middle of the park though.

[Preston]

Hi All,

I live in Columbia, just north of Sonora. We're having some welcome rainy weather, but it looks like it will fair up tomorrow (3/21), and looks nice for the weekend. Temps will be at about seasonal normals. Tioga and Sonora Passes are both closed.

The poppies and redbud are doing nicely in the foothills, the grasses are a wonderful hue right now, and with the rain, the creeks should be up a bit. If I didn't have to work this weekend, I'd head for the Valley.

Turner: From Sac, the best way to get to 395 would be I-80. Then head south. Personally, I prefer CA Hwy 88 over Carson Pass: Nice country! The drive down 395 is one of the all-time greats! Owens Valley is sublime!

-PB

[David Karp]

Hi all,

Is that big slide that happened on the 120 a while back cleared? Or probably a better question, is the road open past that slide now?

[John Kasaian]

I don't know whats going on in Yosemite right now, but just South of there in Huntington Lake (about half way between Yosemite & Kings Canyon NPs) it was snowing like a big dog this afternoon.
If I didn't have so much work right now I'd be waxing my skis!

[Hugh Sakols]

Hwy 140 along the Merced River has an amazing display of poppies and redbud - the best I've seen since 2001.