Tioga Pass Prognosticator #9
This is our ninth attempt at predicting future road conditions on one of our favorite mountain crossings in the American West. Last spring, (June, 2009), we awarded our the second ever official Tioga Pass Prognosticator Award to Great American RoadTrip Forum member Phil Boardman. More information about that award can be found here.
Tioga Pass which is found on California State Route 120 provides the eastern access to Yosemite National Park and is usually the last pass opened to the roadtripping public each Spring. As such, it has become the RTA harbinger for the start of the summer road trip season in the west.
************Forum Moderator, Dave Gomm, (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 be arbritrary & capricious) Got a beef? Or a question? Take it up with him...
In the past we've had three winners of the dcTPP… (Which is also known as the official Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator) -- Don Casey (CalOldBlue), Hotel Charlotte (Lynn & Victor) and Kinless, for their predictive skills in the winter of 2009, spring of 2008 and 2007, respectively, and the first Tioga Pass Prognosticator award was presented to weirj in Winter 2008. We're now looking for our second Tioga Pass Prognosticator for the Spring road opening. Maybe you're the next one?
So here's official list -- as approved by Sheriff & Chief Wrangler Dave Gomm:
Prognosticators Extraordinaire To-Date:
Tioga Pass Prognosticator Winners:
Phil Boardman, (PhilB) Spring 2009 (Click here for news about this achievement)
weirj Winter 2008
******dcTPP (Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator)
*************Don Casey (CalOldBlue) Winter 2009 Click here for the declaration of dcTPP winner!
*************Lynn & Victor (Hotel Charlotte) Spring 2008
*************Joey (Kinless) Spring 2007
Official Tioga Pass openings in recent years:
2009: May 19th (10:30 am)
2008: May 21st (8:00 am)
2007: May 11th (this was an early one!)
2006: June 17th
2005: June 24th
2004: May 14th
2003: May 31st
2002: May 22nd
2001: May 12th
The "Contest"
You are welcome to use your predictive talents and if you manage to hit the correct date -- the RTA Editorial group will pay for a tank of roadtrip fuel in your personal roadtrip ride. Legal has suggested that we identify what this means.... So, for the record, the prize will be limited to $75.00 USD
* To win this prize, the date must be posted** on this Forum more than or equal to fifteen (15) days prior to the official Tioga Pass Road OPENING date. (**Your "date" must be identified in a post on this thread...**)
* Further, you must identify a particular date in your post.
* Further, you must identify a particular time in your post (date and time is required for the winning entry).
*And if you manage to identify the correct opening time within 60 minutes.... you'll receive an additional surprise gift from RTA.
* A single calendar date can only be claimed by one member. If two or more members chose the same calendar date, and that date proves to be the "Winning Date", the prize will go to the member who "claimed" the date the earliest in this contest period.
*The official date for this Tioga Pass Prognosticator contest tracks with Pacific Time (USA), so no matter what date it might be in your local neighborhood, the date used for this contest will be the same one used by the officials at Yosemite National Park for Tioga Pass.
Previous Predictive Efforts:
Spring Opening 2006
Winter Closing 2006
Spring Opening 2007
Winter Closing 2007
Spring Opening 2008
Winter Closing 2008
Spring Opening 2009
Winter Closing 2009
And here are the Yosemite National Park Official Closing and Opening Dates for the last several years!
And this is a very cool page -- it lists the opening and closing dates for other high Sierra Nevada passes, which might give you an edge as predict this year's dates.... (Produced by Caltrans).
Here are some Web cams from Yosemite Valley.
Happy Predicting!
Great American RoadTrip Forum Staff
Going for my birthday again
I think the odds are that one of these years, it will happen (again) on my birthday and so May 12th at 10:30 am
Mark
Thanks for the happy wishes!
Bummer on the TP Prognosticator -- but hooray for that much snow up there!
Thanks for the birthday greeting as well!
Mark
June is looking more likely again!
Wow, and I can attest that in southern California, it has been chilly and wet of late.
Mark
You should know by tomorrow
Since Memorial Day is closing fast -- the Park Service has pledged to notify the public about Tioga Pass by tomorrow -- here's a news blast to this effect
Normally Sonora Pass -- which I think is prettier in some ways opens first -- but this is an odd year..
But in in any case, neither Sonora or Tioga is open you can always cross on US-50 and keep your planned route intact.
Here's the official road on all of those passes: Click here
Mark
Every pass in the Sierras is SCENIC
This time of year, every pass is replete with rushing waterfalls and snow...
My all-time favorite pass is Ebbets -- but it's a long ways from opening this year.
But US-50 is really a nice road -- even I-80 is scenic.
Mark
At this particular moment, I80 is a little less scenic...
Courtesy of the CHP website (read from bottom up):
For those who want the condensed version: overturned tanker trunk spilled gobs of diesel early this morning. Completely closed for awhile, some lanes now open.
Here's the site for those who'd like to keep it for future reference.
Incident: 0228 Type: Collision - Non Injury Location: EB I80 JEO REST AREA ThomasBrothers: 7148 5C info as of: 5/26/2010 12:43:19 PM
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
12:29PM 1039 S4 LINE 163
11:52AM PER S4 #2 LANE CLOSED 4-6 HRS
11:44AM 23A CPYS WILL HANDLE BREAKS / 21B CAN 1022
11:44AM 21B ENRT TO HANDLE BREAKS FOR CZP1
11:34AM REQ BEAT UNIT ASSIST W/BREAKS IF NEEDED
11:27AM PER 70-D2,GOLD RUN OFC IS GETTING COMPLAINTS CMS STILL SHOW CLOSED
11:17AM EB TRAFFIC IS MOVING THRU THE T/C SCENE IN THE #1LN
11:15AM **UPDATE SIGALERT**ESTIMATED TIME FOR CLEARING 3 PM
11:13AM **UPDATE SIGALERT**RIGHT LANE STILL CLOSED, UNKNOWN ESTIMATED TIME OF RE-OPENING
11:06AM 1039 45-S4 VIA LL
11:00AM 1039 ENTAC - OFCR CARTER
11:00AM #2 CLOSED FOR CLEANUP
10:57AM PER CT RELEASING TRAFFIC AT COLFAX NOW
10:57AM CONFIRM WHICH POINT THEY ARE ESCORTING TRAFFIC?
10:52AM #2 LANE WILL BE CLOSED AT TC SCENE EO OF SCENE
10:01AM PER S1 STILL ON TRACK FOR 1100 OPENING
8:50AM CORR LINE H2O ENVIRONMENTAL 1097
8:48AM H20 1097
8:47AM F&G 1097
8:35AM TRK MEADOWS WATER AUT 1097
8:08AM 1039 80-S4 LINE 103
7:52AM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1097
7:40AM 1039 80-D2 LINE 94
7:35AM 1039 COMM 168 WILL ASSIST W/ 1184 AT KV
7:27AM 1039 80-D2 LINE 89
7:10AM LOG ROUTED TO SCC FOR FREEWAY CLOSURE
7:05AM **UPDATE SIGALERT**EB I-80 FREEWAY CLOSED AT COLFAX, TRUCKS ARE BEING HELD AT APPLEGATE
7:04AM PLS UPDATE SIG ALERT
6:55AM TMC COPIES LINE 71, 1039 CT DSP
6:54AM REQ CT HOLD BIG RIGS AT APPLEGATE
6:45AM **UPDATE SIGALERT**ESTIMATED TIME OF RE-OPENING 11 AM
6:44AM 1039 ENTAC
6:44AM CMS ACTIVATED AT BELL RD
6:42AM LATE ENTRY, ACTIVATED CMS EB I80 AT RAINBOW AT 0615
6:41AM ** UPDATE SIGALERT ** TRAFFIC IS BEING HELD EB 80 AT KINGVALE AND AGAIN AT CATLE PEAK FOR ACCIDENT
6:38AM REQ ACTIVATE EB 80 AT GLR CMS- TC AHEAD
6:35AM 1039 DEPENDABLE TO CANCEL LOWBOY
6:34AM 1039 DEPENDABLE FOR LOW BOY & BIG RIG
6:33AM 1039 CAL FIRE WITH OES #
6:32AM 1039 OES # 10-3241
6:31AM 1039 DAVE HUFF NEVADA CO ENV HEALTH / HE WILL CALL S4 ON HIS CELL
6:28AM 1039 F & G / THEY WILL RESPOND
6:27AM REF BLK CHRY TC LOG 250
6:25AM 1039 SCALES 109-6 OR 109-2 WILL COVER FRWY
6:22AM 23A REQ 1185R FOR BLK CHRY 300 STUCK IN SNOW EB 80 JEO DSRA, JWO TK, TRLR TC
6:20AM ADV RESP G UNITS SLICK FOR 200 YARDS PRIOR TO TC
6:16AM RED KENWORTH TRACTOR DOUBLE LENGTH, 1ST IS UPRIGHT, 2ND IS O/TURNED
6:12AM ACTIVATED CMS EB I80 AT RAINBOW
6:11AM # 1 LANE OPEN #2 1125
6:11AM 2ND VEH IN DITCH JWO TC
6:09AM 80-11A- O/TURNED
6:07AM **UPDATE SIGALERT**CALTRANS HOLDING TRAFFIC AT KINGVALE
6:06AM PER CT 2,500 GALLONS OF FUEL IN TANKER, TANKER IS LEAKING
6:04AM ** UPDATE SIGALERT ** EAST BOUND 80 EAST OF THE DONNER SUMMIT REST AREAM, THE RIGHT HAND LANE IS BLOCKED, TRAFFIC IS BEING HELD AT THIS TIME
6:01AM 1039 CAL FIRE
6:01AM NEG 1125, TRFC GETTING THROUGH PER RP 6
6:01AM 1039 S1 / NOTIFY FIRE
6:01AM **ISSUE SIGALERT**OVERTURN TANKER TRUCK, UNKNOWN ESTIMATED TIME OF CLEARING, NO DETOUR AT THIS TIME
6:00AM RDWY SLICK, SNOWING
5:59AM PER CT THEY ARE 1097, TK AND TRAILER, TRAILER IS ON ITS SIDE
5:59AM 1039 MIKE AT CT
5:54AM TANKER OVERTURNED W/FUEL OO TANKER LEAKING
