High Sierra Topix

Mono Co Sheriff's Dept:

Caltrans has opened its gate on State Route 120 W near Lee Vining. Motorists now travel up to the eastern entrance of Yosemite National Park.
However, that park entrance is closed at this time and drivers will not be able to access Tioga Road or Tioga Pass.

Park continues to suck.

rlown wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:06 pm Park continues to suck.

When you have a guy die in an avalanche plowing the road in '95... yeah you're gonna take your time.

'95.. who cares. this is This year. 35" of snow over Tioga. plow it! Olmsted point is the only issue every year. CalTrans had the harder part. That East side is more precarious. I've done it in January on Ski. Markskor needs to get there.

One year when the park was insisting that they were keeping the road closed because of Olmsted avalanche hazard I drove over on opening day. I'm sure there wasn't 1 gram of snow within 1/4 mile of the Olmsted point.

Before the Olmsted avalanche I had skied to Tuolumne Meadows and the winter ranger told me that they kept they road closed an extra week to allow the roadbed to drain out to prevent damage from traffic. I remember a couple of years they allowed cars through but no large vehicles for 1 week after opening. They didn't explain why.

Just to add (FWIW).
Coming from the east side, we report to the TM store on May 20th, get our tents, check in, etc...probably road open to employees only, but...
The store, (if /when we get it stocked) is scheduled to open the 28th (maybe the 29th?), but definitely before the holiday...
and we only open if 120 is open...
so...

Just got the call, so an update...due to the possible Sierra storm approaching, we, the Tuolumne staff, report to the Meadows, on Monday, the 24th...assuming the east Tioga gate will be open to employees...planning a caravan with boss, meet up Mobile 9 AM.
The Store is still slated to open the 28th (thinking 29th but...), thus Tioga Pass will open 2021 sometime between the 24th and 28th. See you up there.
mark