Printable View
Look at the YTD -- clearly, the snow melt hasn't hit the Merced River yet. It is not that much elevated from the flow in May 2022 -- when there was very little snow melt compared to this year!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
April 7th at 5:55 am PD
First is my friend's cabin which is really a 2-story, 4 bedroom house. His family had it built 48 years ago. Kirkwood is location a few miles W of the Sierra Crest where storms that usually come from the SW drop a lot of snow. 705"/approaching 18 meter so far this year. To get from parking area (no garage) you have to climb step cut into snowbank that is at least 20' tall.
Attachment 5106
This is one of his neighbors houses. If you look closely (and it loads with enough detail), there is smoke rising from the chimney.
Attachment 5107
This is view of parking and the wall of dirty snow thrown up by snowblowers taken from the base of one of the main ski lifts.
Attachment 5108
California Highway 88 W of Kirkwood has been closed often this winter as it crosses an avalanche area called the Carson Spur. One week it was only open for about 24 hrs between storms. If Carson Spur is closed, my route home is about 50 miles longer and includes busier US-50. East of Kirkwood is 8573' (over 2600 m) Carson Pass, open more often as most of the employees who don't live at Kirkwood come over it and it's easier/safer to re-open. There are a few guardrails on the right going down the E side of pass damaged by avalanches that came down from peaks to the left. Some of the walls of snow overhang the highway and could fall onto the road as it warms this Spring.
Attachment 5109
Thanks for sharing, great photos ! According to the Tuolumne meadows winter Rangers it has been a record year for snowfall up there. Records began around 1930 and the previous record has stayed in tact since 1983, recording an average snow depth of 168.84 inches and 66.98 inches of water content compared to this years figures of 177.3 inches of snow depth and water content of 79.68 inches. With temperatures set to reach up to 55F over the next few days we could see the Merced river flow chart on the increase.
Dave
It looks like the snow melt is beginning to reach the valley floor!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
April 10th at 8:30 am PD
So, check this out! Last year at this time, it was already warmer and there was more snow melt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
The blue line at the top was from April 2022.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
April 4th to April 10th (2022 and 2023)
More snow melt data:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
March 12th to April 11th (2022 and 2023)
So, been looking at last year's flows. It looks like the heaviest flow was in the end of May when it reached 5 feet at the gauge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
March 14th to April 13th (2022 and 2023)
--> So I am guessing that it will reach 6.5 feet by the end of May and maybe not peak until June 15th.
As Spring temperatures start to rise the thaw begins and those flow charts are likely to rise. The April snow survey showed the snowpack to be around 244% of average in the Merced and Tuolumne area. They estimate this to be equal to 139 billion gallons of water in the form of snow in the watershed that feeds Yosemite Valley. I have no idea what that actually looks like, but it sounds a heck of a lot !!
So what does this mean for visitors to Yosemite ? According to the NPS.
**Tioga pass, Glacier point and Mariposa grove will open later than usual, that could mean July!?
**River activities like swimming, Kayaking and picnicking by the river are not likely to happen before July, even if the park is open.
**There may be some periods between late April and early July when Yosemite Valley is inaccessible due to flooding.
** The waterfalls will be spectacular, just try and be as flexible as possible when planning a visit.
A spectacular view across Tenaya lake captured on April 1st 2023.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ril-1-2023.jpg
Dave
So, one would think that as the water cooled down, that would indicate that more snow melt is getting into the river. But that theory doesn't necessarily hold. Warmer water does tend to show more more snow melt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
March 22nd to April 18th
I still don't think I would be walking across the lake!
Just thought I would move the active link up to this point in the thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
This what it looks like today!
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...Falls_0422.jpg
April 22nd at 8:40 am PDT
And I think the flows are starting to kick into high gear.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
April 22nd at 8:40 am at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
Mark
Look at the water sheeting off the high rocks into the meadow! I can't believe that all of the snow in this meadow has already melted. Holy Moly.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...fDome_0424.jpg
Half Dome Camera, April 24th at 5:00 pm PDT.
Most of Yosemite valley will close because of the likelihood of flooding.
From Yosemite nps.
Dave.Quote:
Most of Yosemite Valley will close starting Friday, April 28, at 10 pm, due to a forecast of flooding. This closure will be in place until Wednesday, May 3, but could last longer. Reservations for lodging and campgrounds in eastern Yosemite Valley will automatically be canceled and refunded. Wilderness permits can be rescheduled to alternate trailheads as space allows.
Not much sign yet -- but the daily cycles are going higher...Quote:
Originally Posted by Southwest Dave
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
April 26th at 5:30 pm at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
The water level didn't rise as much as expected so Yosemite is open today with limited services until 8pm and is expected to reopen fully tomorrow from 7am. Rivers are running fast and high so stay away from the edges.
The plow crews have been working hard up on Glacier point road and are getting ready to move equipment to the Tioga pass to begin work. The avalanche team are up there in snowcats at present, mitigating the Avalanche zones prior to work commencing.
Glacier point road crews. April 23rd.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...g-April-23.jpg
Glacier point road will not open until July due to construction work.
Dave
Yeah, there was speculation that bridge would see 9-ft or higher on Sunday -- but that didn't happen. There is still plenty of water going downstream.
This was from Noon today:
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
May 1st at Noon at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
Mark
Truly awesome video showing the waterfalls in Yosemite taken from a helicopter at 11,000 feet. Check out the snow!!!
(Courtesy from Mark Finan Weather)
I haven't updated the graph for a bit so here is today:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
May 9th at 12:30 pm PDT at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
Not as much flow as I was expecting but May 1 snow surveys came in at 231% of average for the Merced River basin and 253% of average for the Tuolumne River basin. There is still a lot of snow to melt and closures due to flooding is still a real possibility.
Up on Tioga pass the plow crews have managed to make their way through 8-11 feet of snow from Crane flat to 3 miles west of White wolf (Approx 11 miles) with 3 plows and 3 blowers.
The plow is taking off the top half of the snow and then the blowers remove the lower section. In the photo on the right you can see a tree exposed by the blower which delays operations while they clear it. I expect there will be plenty of boulders among the snow as well which can also cause damage to machinery.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...3-May-2023.jpg
Dave
Today looks like the melt is getting underway again!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
May 13th at 2:54 pm PDT at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
Yep, the melt seems to be getting underwayQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ercedRiver.jpg
May 15th at 6:30 am PDT at the Happy Isles Bridge on Merced River in Yosemite NP
Yosemite Valley Flooding NPS
Also some great photos from Yosemite Facebook page.Quote:
Alert 2, Severity closure, Yosemite Valley Flooding
Yosemite National Park is open. However, Housekeeping Camp and Lower and North Pines Campgrounds are closed. Additional closures are possible. We plan to announce any additional closures two days in advance.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...lood-alert.jpg
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...rced-river.png
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...te-falls-1.jpg
If you are planning to visit Yosemite I would recommend checking for latest conditions before travelling.
Dave.
The pictures say it all -- wow. Thanks for sharing those. We just met with a lot of folks last night who also live here in MO, and are from California. Several still have family back there and were saying how much different it is with dry rivers now having moving water!
Donna
I made my first trip in almost a year on US-395 on the East side of the Sierra, between South Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Wed/Thurs 5/10-11. I drove past closed Tioga and Sonora Passes,
Attachment 5112
and unusual for so late in the Spring, closed Monitor Pass, which does not really save me any time and misses less expensive gas in Gardnerville, NV. Monitor has since re-opened. See https://sierrarecmagazine.com/caltra...ass-on-may-12/
I skied Mammoth 5/10-11, then Kirkwood on my way back to San Jose on 5/12. Kirkwood ended daily operations April 30, then re-opened for Friday to Sunday 5/5-7 and 5/12-14. A lot of snow remains above Carson Spur, CA-88 about a mile W of Kirkwood.
Attachment 5113
Mammoth plans to have skiing through July 31. Photo of me taken by friend on 5/10. Top of mountain is about 11,000'
Attachment 5111
Given the water levels in the meadows, I figured that the Merced River HAD to be deeper in other places. Sure enough. This is from the Pohono Bridge in the park:
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...honoBridge.jpg
May 17th at 9:00 am PDT
My goodness, that is a lot of snow. Open to July 31st!Quote:
Originally Posted by tseeb
That's amazing.
Thanks for sharing the news.
Mark
The gauge at Pohono Bridge went over 12-ft a couple of hours ago. I am trying to remember how that bridge works -- but it seems like 12-feet must be over the road by now. Does anyone remember or know?
https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydr...=pohc1&wfo=hnx
23.45 Flood of record...1/3/97. $178 million damage to Yosemite Valley.
12.5 Northside Drive and Southside Drive, which are the main roads in Yosemite Valley, become flooded and are closed to traffic.
10 Western portion of North Pines Campground located at the east end of Yosemite Valley between the confluence of the Merced River and Tenaya Creek begins to flood. Water rises to the base of the swinging bridge downstream from Chapel Meadow.
9.5 Portion of Lower Pines Campground becomes flooded. Limited site-specific evacuations begin at Housekeeping Camp located along the south-facing bank of the Merced River. (Upstream from Sentinel Bridge and downstream from Stoneman Bridge)
9 Chapel Meadow (south side of river) and Cooks Meadow (north side of river) begins to experience overflow.
7 RIVER IS CLOSED TO RAFTERS AND FLOATATION.
Attachment 5112Quote:
Originally Posted by tseeb
I don't think it's been mentioned here that 395 just N of Lee Vining was closed on Feb 26 due to a series of avalanches probably from slopes in my picture. CalTrans started escorting vehicles through avalanche closure area during limited hours on Mar 23 and 395 was open without escort on Apr 7. This turned 2 hr drive from Minden, NV to Mammoth into 5 hrs.
Another unusual closure is 120 E of Lee Vining to Benton Hot Spring remains closed. If you want to go from Lee Vining to Benton or Tonopah, you need to go down to Bishop, adding many miles and more than 30 minutes to your trip.
See https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/...ergency-repair for details on both closure.
Yes I saw pictures of Lee Vining and there were significant amounts of snow along the roadsides. Thanks for the updates on the Eastern end of CA120 towards Benton Hot springs. The good news is that following April 1st surveys they predict Mono lake will rise by 5.5 feet during 2023 which is great for the habitat.
Dave.
The crews are making progress but they are certainly facing a challenge !
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...Tioga-pass.jpg
They are currently just East of White Wolf, roughly 15 miles from Crane flat. (May 25th update) They have uncovered new road damage 3 miles from Crane flat which will require one lane traffic control if it's not repaired before the opening of the road. There is a lot of work still to be done !
An update to road damage on the Big Oak Flat road (cont of CA120 into Yosemite). The road remains closed but with crews working 7 days a week they hope to have it opened to traffic on June 10th with some traffic control in place causing some delays.
Dave.
And here is a pretty cool link to Yosemite Falls timelapse videos.
That's a heck of a lot of water !!
Dave.
Lots of water!!!!! It brings back memories of one spring trip (early April) that our family took to Yosemite. We were still tent-camping then and got a spot at Wawona CG. One morning, we got up, had breakfast, went to the general store in the village for some apples and to fill our water bottles (water was still turned off at Wawona, so we were relying on big jugs and small bottles). Then we went for a hike -- up up up to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls. GORGEOUS view after a hellacious hike. We ate our apples up there and then hiked down. Ah, lovely memories. Thanks for sharing the timelapse.
Donna
Despite the snow melt they are still facing a mammoth task ahead as you can see in the picture below. It appears they have cut through another 3 miles of snow in the past week and are 18 miles east of Crane Flat.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...lat-June-1.jpg
Dave
Saw on local news this morning that 120 has reopened so my shortest route to Yosemite is available. But with my camper it's a one-way route as at least one of the tunnels only has enough clearance going into Yosemite Valley and even on that one I stayed away from edge.
Not the best written article, but interesting about Sonora Pass which has yet to reopen. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/the-ste...s-palms-sweat/ I've driven it (slowly going downhill with a stop to let others pass and brakes cool, late in evening) Eastbound, but would not try it Westbound in camper without an exhaust brake.
Yes that's great news and a day earlier than expected !! There will still be some works continuing as they apply the 'Finishing touches' so expect short delays and approach with caution is the advice.
Dave
According to https://snowbrains.com/8736-ebbetts-...or-the-summer/
Some research found https://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/a...bcf7cf98e.html (from 2020 - note they only let you see 5 articles for free) that includes:
"Opening dates for Sonora Pass over the past five years were May 30 in 2019, May 3 in 2018, June 13 in 2017, May 18 in 2016, and April 17 in 2015, which was also the earliest opening in the past 10 years and the height of the historic drought from 2011 to 2017.
The opening dates for Ebbetts Pass over the past five years were May 30 in 2019, May 4 in 2018, June 30 in 2017, May 13 in 2016, and April 17 in 2015."
Note that 2017 and 2019 where both Springs with deep snowpacks and late opening of Sierra passes. Also while top of Ebbetts is nearly 1,000' lower than Sonora that due to steepness Sonora does not have many miles above 7,500'. Ebbetts is narrow and climbs to 8,050', then drops to Pacific Valley at 7,600' before climbing again to pass at over 8,730'.
From https://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/a...539232cc8.html "Sonora Pass on Highway 108 is now open for the first time 211 days, the longest closure of the key tourism and commerce route since the 2004-05 winter season, when it was closed 220 days, Caltrans announced Friday." Only Tioga and Mt Lassen Loop among Sierra through highways remain closed.
Some smaller roads including 203 past Mammoth to Reds Meadow remain closed. Glacier Point Road in Yosemite is also still closed. According to https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/gproadfaq.htm "Glacier Point Road was closed to all traffic in 2022 to rehabilitate and improve the road. The road will be open sometime after early July, 2023, with 30-minute delays."
The crews are now 26 miles east of Crane Flat but have faced delays to their efforts due to heavy rain and thick fog being added to the challenge.
Dave
Breaking the ice here. July 1st at noon!