Tioga Pass Prognosticator #5

[Mark Sedenquist]

This is our fifth attempt at predicting future road conditions on one of our favorite mountain crossings in the American West.

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.

Official Tioga Pass openings in recent years:
2008: May 21st (8:00 am) It is now official!
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 opening date. (**Your "date" must be identified in a post on this thread...**)

Last Spring, RTA Forum member, Kinless used his highly honed prognosticator skills and predicted that Tioga Pass would open for the summer, 2007 road trip season, on May 10th. Unfortunately, it actually opened at Noon on May 11th, so for the want of this 24 hour period, he missed the grand prize but earned the equally coveted title of dcTPP… (Which is also known as the official Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator). Maybe you will be our official first TPP (no one has yet claimed that title...)

Previous Predictive Efforts:
Spring Opening 2006
Winter Closing 2006
Spring Opening 2007
Winter Closing 2007

And here are the Official Closing and Opening Dates for last several years!

The Official Closing Date for 2007 was December 6th!

Happy Predicting!

Great American RoadTrip Forum Staff

Current Record Holders:
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

[Mark Sedenquist]

So, I am looking for a repeat of the 2001 opening date in 2008.

Mark

[RoadTripper Brad]

May 17th. That's my guess. I'm beginning to think though that this dart is not working though.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Look at the nordic ski tracks in today's photo at the Tioga Pass Entrance Station!

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

I think I'll throw in my guess at June 11th, but the way this winter is going, a date in April or July wouldn't shock me.

[Southwest Dave]

oh well why not?
i predict the tioga pass will open on may 23rd

[UKCraig]

May 8th :D

[PNW Judy]

Let's go with June 3rd. No reason.

[Boneco]

Here in Brazil a Macumbeira, a "voodoo lady", told me May 13th...

[Eris]

How about 1 June.

“……..at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, the realities this winter………….

…………….Kathi Younger, 51, and Jeff Kamps, 47, are park rangers who live about 15 miles from the nearest plowed road from roughly mid-October through mid-May…………..

……….At Lembert Dome near Tioga Pass and Snow Flat below Mount Hoffman, there is still 7 1/2 feet…………

……….snowplow operations will start clearing 50 miles of Tioga Pass Road on April 16. With avalanche debris in several spots and typical equipment breakdowns, that means Younger and Kamps face another 45 days in remote captivity.……….”

So 45 days from 16 April looks like an opening day of 1 June 2008. We’ll no doubt see in due course :- )