Tioga Pass - Method to the Closing Madness?

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mountainLight
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Tioga Pass - Method to the Closing Madness?

Post by mountainLight »

I am hoping to be able to do a day hike out of Tuolumne meadow this friday. Its seems to me that they have the road open during the day and then closed at night. I figure they will do this until they completey close the road for the year. Does anyone know or have any idea of when it opens up, is there a pattern? I like to get an early start like hitting the road by 6am. When you call you just get that automated message with little info. Also where do they actually close the road at? If you got a late start heading back could you get trapped on the road?

Any advice greatly appreciated.
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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

From experience a month ago while on vacation there, the road would be closed to incoming traffic but you could exit. I was only able to enter at Tioga Pass after 9:00AM. However, some people I talked to had to camp in the Yosemite Crk area (Porcupine Flat?) because the road was closed temporarily east bound. The morning I left I was able to leave east bound but west bound traffic was not allowed into the Park but no one was stopping them that I could see at the time. The road was slick also as a few cars found out almost too late. When I went they were waiting for the road to melt off a little.
Piece of cake.
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Post by SSSdave »

Believe both SR120 and Glacier Point roads are closed for good after the storms a week or so ago. Likewise Monitor, Ebbetts, Sonora passes were closed as in gated for the winter. ...David
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Post by SSSdave »

Someone just posted information that both Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads are open again. Apparently the high snow levels of the last storm and subsequent fair weather along with possible prodding from eastern Sierra business interests has led them to re-open the road for this Thanksgiving week. Also the forecast storms this week will apparently be just over the northernmost Sierra mountains leaving SR120 likely dry. ...David
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BSquared
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Post by BSquared »

SSSdave wrote:Someone just posted information that both Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads are open again....
Did you see this on another bulltein board, Dave? Where? I'm always on the lookout for more ways to waste time dreaming and chatting about the mountains when I should be working ...

Glad the road's open; now maybe they'll fix the Tioga Pass webcam, which went back down again about three days after coming up! http://meteora.ucsd.edu/cap/
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mountainLight
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Post by mountainLight »

Thanks for the info dave. I gave up on trying to figure it out and went up to Desolation Wilderness instead.

I wish they would provide more clarity in their messages. The website states it is open but to call. When you call you get a message that isn't very helpful. I finally messed with the menus enough to get a Ranger who only could tell me it was closed. I wish they could have told me, it is closed for the year, or we think it might open by the weekend, or something useful for planning. Sigh.

Anyway, still had a great trip even if I missed Tioga. I hope somone else can take advantage of it. I will post more on my trip and picts later in the week when i have time.
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Post by SSSdave »

BSquared wrote:...Did you see this on another bulltein board, Dave? Where?
http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewto ... 081b51f48a
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