Advent of the Summer Road Trip Season: Tioga Pass Prognosticator #13
Tioga Pass Prognosticator #13
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. For all of those folks who think that Tioga Pass is not a big deal... one of our long-time roadtripper colleagues remembers driving it in the 1930's when it was a single lane, dirt track, with no guardrails and drop-offs on both sides of the road....This has been an unprecedented year with the latest ever recorded closing, AND up to the latest snowfall this week, held a real possibility of re-opening.
Last Spring, RTA Forum Member, CAnative, claimed the title of Reigning Chief Prognosticator when she correctly named the opening day and almost the opening time of this famous highway. {CAnative' winning prediction was June 18th at 10 am} Here's the post announcing that achievement. The actual opening was 8:45 am. For the Winter Closing, CAnative reclaimed her title of Reigning Chief Prognosticator when she correctly identified January 17th, 2012. In fact, her predicted closing time of 3:00 pm was very, very close to the actual closing time -- which was 7:00 pm. Here is the announcement of Jessica's remarkable achievement posted on February 17, 2012.
We're now looking for the 4th Winning Prognosticator for the Spring Opening. The real question is.... Can CAnative threepeat this crown?
************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 could be arbitrary & capricious) Got a beef? Or a question? Take it up with him...
In the past we've had four winners of the dcTPP… (Which is also known as the official Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator) -- Don Casey (CalOldBlue), Hotel Charlotte ( Lynn & Victor), Kinless, and Sheriff Dave, for their predictive skills in the winter of 2010 and 2009, and the spring of 2008 & 2007, respectively, and the first Tioga Pass Prognosticator award was presented to weirj in Winter 2008. We're now looking for our fourth 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:
Jessica Beagles-Roos (CAnative), Spring 2011 and Winter 2011 (although it actually closed in 2012)
Brian Shannon (Exodus) Spring, 2010
Phil Boardman, (PhilB) Spring 2009
weirj Winter 2008
******dcTPP (Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator)
*************George Carey (glc), Spring 2012
*************Sheriff Dave Gomm (Southwest Dave), Winter 2010
*************Don Casey (CalOldBlue), Winter 2009
*************Lynn & Victor (Hotel Charlotte), Spring 2008
*************Joey (Kinless), Spring 2007
Official Tioga Pass openings in recent years:
2012: May 7th (Noon)
2011: June 18th (8:45 am)
2010: June 5th (8:00 am)
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
And here are the Yosemite NP's Official opening and closing dates for the last several years.
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 CLOSING 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.
When you have identified your prediction in your post, please "Ping the Poll" at the top of page
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
Spring Opening 2010
Winter Closing, 2010
Spring 2011 Opening
Winter 2011 Closing...
And here you can monitor current conditions from 4 Web cams in Yosemite NP:
Yosemite Falls
El Capitan
Half Dome
High Sierra
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).
Happy Predicting!
Sheriff Dave and the Great American RoadTrip Forum Staff
Hefting my dart.... and away it goes!
First Dart in:
Friday, April 20th at 8:00 am...
(The official closing date from January was my mom's birthday).
I think that we could well see the earliest opening on record this year....
Not scientific -- but look at these photos:
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...iteJan2011.jpg
January 13, 2011
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...l-02-13-12.jpg
February 13, 2012
May 14th - Will Tioga Pass be Open
hi we are from uk and will be visiting Yosemite for the first time ever on May 13 2012. We will be travelling from Vegas -3 days yosemite and then on to San Francisco. I was certain when we planned the trip last autumn chances of Tioga Pass being open was minimal - so plan was to go via Bakersfield. However, with the late closure of 120, I am wondering what people think the chances are the Tioga Pass will be open by the 13th May 2012. I would much prefer to go the scenic route via Death Valley, Mammoth Lakes and then onto the Tioga Pass.
I do hope the waterfalls are still gushing though as we are staying at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.
More of a gamble than a guess.
Since daughter's birthday (3rd May) has been taken, it will have to be her son's birthday - 14th May by 10am.
I take it you can't have a second shot. I'd put in another one for my birthday, as an outside chance.... 13th June. Wishful thinking... hoping you guys get the snow and water security.
Lifey
Nope, mulitple guesses work too.
Lifey,
Here are the rules related to your question...
* 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 CLOSING 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).
The current reigning Chief Tioga Pass Prognosticator made at least three prognostications, it was such a late closing that just about everyone made at least two... The poll doesn't accommodate multiple choices.
***Clarification**
The poll does accommodate multiple entries -- but it only lets you add then when you post the first time (frustrating I know). So if you've already made a poll post, then for follow-up posts, identify them below and one of the Mods will update the poll with your information.
And, given GLC's reminder, about the opening day for snow plow activities, I'm going to choose my birthday as my second choice -- May 12th at Noon.
Mark
Maybe you can "best" the current TPP!
RahRah, welcome! The current Tioga Pass Prognosticator, CANative, made one of her first posts on this Forum in the Spring 2011 Opening and she managed to nail both the opening and closing this year!
Mark
We go with Yosemites verdict.
Hi Don.
This year really has been a strange one that we have not seen the likes of, so anythings possible, but usually thay don't start plowing until mid April and that's only with 'weather permitting'. So unlike the winter closing, I don't ever re-call seeing it open, and then close again in the Spring. I'm not ruling it out though and if that were the case, we would still be looking to Yosemites Official verdict for confirmation. Basically, what they say goes.
Luckily enough [for me anyway] there is quite a bit of snow falling right now and we could see in the region of 20" of new snow lay during the first half of this week !!
Dave.
Ah! Finally, some nice new snow!
Finally, winter arrives in Yosemite!
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...el-0301-12.jpg
(Photo Courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy -- 11 am, March 1, 2012)
The difference a day makes.
Checked out the Sentinel Cam yesterday and it didn't look a lot different to the image posted above.
Took another look today and ...........................
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2.../March17th.jpg
With more to come !! [That's a little more like it]
Latest Snow Report sounds very encouraging
latest snow report by the NPS sounds very encouraging. So my fingers are still crossed that the tioga pass will be open by the 13th May 2012, when i hope to cross to get from death valley to Yosemite.
"Weather: (April 11 through April 18)
High temp: 52°F (April 16)
Low temp: 10°F (April 12)
New Snow: 16 inc...hes
Total settled snow depth: 17 inches as of April 18, 2012
Skiing Conditions and Weather: Both Winter and Spring ski conditions were found in the Tuolumne area this week. A cold storm came through on April 13 and left 16 inches here at Tuolumne Meadows and over 2 feet of snow in the higher elevations. Powder skiing has rapidly evolved into spring snow since then as sunny warm days and cold nights have transformed the snowpack. The snowpack is shrinking fast and if you want to enjoy the Tuolumne area with snow you better come soon. Bare patches are showing up on the Tioga Road within the park, and the east side of Tioga Pass is snow free from the park boundary to the gate at the bottom of Lee Vining Canyon.
Avalanche and Snowpack Conditions: For the latest avalanche advisory for this area go to www.esavalanche.org for the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center and click on advisory. The ESAC site is updated several times a week and more often during weather events.
There is significantly more snow than the 17 inches that is on our snow stake at Tuolumne when you get above 9,200 feet in all drainages and North facing slopes. The snowpack has settled from this week’s new snow and the avalanche hazard is presently low in the Tuolumne area. Wilderness travelers should pay attention to overnight temperatures and use caution on any days following nights that are not below freezing.
Wildlife: The sounds of spring are apparent throughout the area. Birds are now coming through and are very vocal on these spring mornings. The yellow-rumped warbler is the newest arrival and a wide variety of birds can be observed daily. The Tuolumne River is starting to open up and summer will be here soon.
Questions: Power and phones are out for the season. Contact the Wilderness Office at 209/372-0740 with any questions or concerns. Bring your ski & skin wax and happy skiing!! --
Laura & Rob Pilewski
Tuolumne Winter Rangers"
Confirmed [and unconfirmed] reports.
I have been keeping an eye on any news coming in and there has been a couple of unconfirmed reports. One that states CA120 has been plowed to the east gate and they are close to opening up to Glacier point. Another report taken from an NPS worker stated that the Plows are working up on the pass, but as yet there has been no confirmed updates from the NPS about this.
What the Yosemite site is stating is that the Glacier point road is opening today !! That's the earliest opening since they started records for Glacier in 1995, the average opening being May 23rd. Wow !
Spring is closing in on summer?
Watch out for those rivers !
It sure is melting away fast after seeing close to record breaking highs in Yosemite for this time of year ! The plow crews are already at Olmstead Point [and perhaps beyond by now] and making great progress. There have been reports of as little as 36" of snow and in some spots you could see the tarmac ! They are still taking the usual precautions of checking carefully through the avalanche zones [who can blame them] that may slow them a little, but with Caltrans having already plowed to the east entry gate, I feel as though the opening might not be that far away. There is a 'Special weather event' warning in place of a low pressure system coming to the area with a little snow. Doesn't look to significant but it might halt the progress for a while.
Watchout for the run off from that snow melt and be extra careful around the rivers and creeks !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwAcSnMAih0&feature=player_embedded
Dogwoods are early this year
OOOh, in the last frame of that video -- the Dogwoods are blooming
