The road has been plowed!
From Yosemite NP website
Quote:
Last update: April 26, 2012
Tioga Road: The Tioga Road has been plowed, but much work remains, including significant road repairs and rock removal, along with plowing of parking lots, side roads, and clearing of ditches. There is no estimated opening date for the Tioga Road.
Bicyclists get to go first. Yosemite NP website posting ....
Quote:
Last update: April 27, 2012
Tioga Road: The Tioga Road has been plowed, but much work remains, including significant road repairs and rock removal, along with plowing of parking lots, side roads, and clearing of ditches. The Tioga Road opens to bicycles (but not vehicles) on Saturday, April 28. There is no estimate when the Tioga Road may open to vehicles.
Why cant the Yosemite NPS give us any estimate of when Tioga Pass will be opening. Surely they now have an idea whether is an additional few days or several weeks. I wish they would put us out of our misery.
Still got my fingers cross for my estimate of the 3rd May 2012.
With a lot of work still to be done they don't like to speculate untill they are pretty sure. Even though the road is plowed along it's lenght, it probably still needs widening and the avalanch zones checked and cleared where needed. They have to consider the safety aspect and the fact that late storms can arrive any time to the High Sierra and halt progress. Having said all that and with the weather forecast as it is and little snow depth reported, I reckon we might see an announcement in the next few days. [Hopefully that announcement will say May 4th !] ;-)
Hmmm. I wonder if they are that close to finishing on Friday, whether they might work Saturday. Could Jessica be in for a Hat trick !!
Surely Dave has an advantage because the opening rules state
Quote:
Southwest Dave is the official Sheriff and Chief Wrangler for this contest and his rulings as to the naming of the winner are final, (& they also could be arbitrary & capricious)
^^^ I'm also in charge of the plow crews !! ;-)
Rumours are flying around at the moment. The Mono Lake committee are getting whispers that from an official viewpoint, they are looking to May 15th. However there are also reports of the pass being open by the end of the week and looking at the forecast, I would tend to think this is nearer the mark, although it could sneak into the middle of next week quite easily.
This report is suggesting end of week with Sonora pass possibly opening Friday at Noon.
Wouldn't a double opening on Friday be nice !
Looks like Monitor Pass is open, and Ebbetts Pass is almost open too.
You mean it could open on my birthday? Wow!
Ebbetts is already open? I'd love to be the first to drive it this year....
Mark
No - it's "almost" open -Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
Quote:
SR 4
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]
IS CLOSED FROM 2.5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF SR 89 TO THE JCT OF SR 89
/EBBETTS PASS/ (ALPINE CO) - FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO
USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
Well I never thought a Monday was likely so didn't pick my wedding anniversary.
Quote:
Tioga Pass to open Monday, May 7
From the May 2, 2012 Yosemite News Release:
Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the season on Monday, May 7, 2012 at 12:00pm for all vehicle traffic.
If this proves to be accurate, do I get dcTPP?
A May 7th opening? Holy Toledo
Mark
You mean to imply that you would have achieved the near-impossible and been a three-peat TPP if this holds up?Quote:
Originally Posted by CAnative
Wow!
Mark
Yes I spent some time thinking about days of the week and thought Mon was unlikely so did not pick it. And if it does open Monday, I'll still be very happy with picking date once and then twice.
I don't know how long the lines usually are. I recently read a posting on a blog by someone who apparently lined up at 5 am on opening day last June and was #56!
Just think, it might be possible to drive opening day on several passes this Fri through Monday.
Yeah, that would be a really fun road trip day, to capture a whole bunch of pass openings!
A few years ago, I did five Sierra Nevada pass crossings in one day -- Zig-zagging back and forth. That was fun!
Mark
While we're waiting... check out this new video by Shawn Reeder!
By George ! Yes you would get the dcTPP if it were to open Monday. Did you realise you had picked a Sunday George ? I kinda figured it was their day off ![??]
Hell, I'm gonna crack my whip and get them boys to open it for the weekend !! I'll give 'em Monday, what do they think they are playing at !!
Wow! What a beautiful day in Yosemite!
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...l-05-03-12.jpg
Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy
This is what it normally looks like in June or even July .... Not a good sign for watershed this year!
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...5-03-12-21.jpg
Photo: Courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy
We had the latest closing of the Tioga Pass Road and one of the very earliest openings on tap for Monday.... Could be a tough year for summer wildfires!
Sonora Pass opened today at noon.
The Yosemite National Park website now lists Tioga Pass as open. Pending confirmation from Sheriff, pleased to congratulate a long-time poster for having the closest guess.
My summer road trip may have to be to a location with plenty of water for showers.
The Tioga pass is now listed as open on the Yosemite web site !! May 7th is the official opening. I will see if I can confirm a time, but it was posted shortly before Noon.
Tioga Pass Prognosticator number Thirteen, didn't turn out to be a lucky one. We have no prize winner this contest.
What we do have is a new dcTPP [Darn close Tioga Pass Prognosticator] in George Carey [glc] who was within 24 hours of the prize when he guessed May 6th @ Noon. Well done George !
I am sure member dambrogio will be over the moon. Even though he didn't get the prize, the wish to drive the Tioga Pass on May 14th looks to have come true !! [ I hope you will take some pictures and share your story with us !!]
It looks like another record breaker, after the latest ever closure on Jan 17th. It's the shortest closure period since Yosemite started to keep records in 1980 !!
The weather looks great up there this week, with temps around 60f on the pass and in the valley, touching 80f, so anyone going is bound to have a great time !
Look out for contest No. 14 when we will be trying to predict the 2012 winter closing date.
Dave.
I see Jessica was quicker on the draw and got in while I was still typing !
Congratulations George!Quote:
Originally Posted by Southwest Dave
Mark
Ebbetts Pass opened Friday - now the only winter closures in California left are the Lassen Loop and 203 out of Mammoth Lakes. This is the first year in many that the June Lake Loop never closed for the winter.
Roads are not yet dry, but we've already begun to think about the cool, and hopefully wet, days of winter....
Click here for the 14th Running of the Tioga Pass Prognosticator!
Mark