Tioga Pass Prognosticator #6

[Mark Sedenquist]

This is our sixth 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 connects California’s Owens Valley with the Central Valley while crossing the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain range. When the snows of autumn descend on this alpine route, we know that winter in all of her majesty is about to close the high country for another summer road trip season and so this poll is a traditional rite of passage for the Great American RoadTrip Forum. (I know it just opened for the 2008 travel season, but time marches on...)

Last year, this famous road closed on December 6th.
In 2006 it was on November 26th and the 25th of November in 2005. ….hmmm, maybe there is a trend here somewhere. Here are the official opening and closing dates from 1980 to the present. We have yet to award a winner for a closure!

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).

For the second year in a row, for the 2008 opening, RTA Forum member, Hotel Charlotte ( Lynn & Victor) used their highly honed prognosticator skills and predicted that Tioga Pass would open for the summer, 2008 road trip season, on May 22nd. Unfortunately, it actually opened at 8:00 am on May 21st, so for the want of this 24 hour period, they missed the grand prize but earned the equally coveted title of dcTPP… (Which is also known as the official Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator) More about the Spring opening poll can be found by clicking here. The previous year, Kinless, was the winner of the dcTPP prize.

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 closing date.

Good luck!

RTA Editorial Team

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

[PNW Judy]

Why? Well, I don't know about California but, here in Washington state, we are having the worst June in recent memory. It might as well be March still. So I'm hoping the west coast has a long, warm and sunny fall that will push winter off as long as possible since summer seems to have such a late start this year.

[glc]

Hmmmmmm.........put me down for December 1. Why? I dunno. It's Monday after Thanksgiving weekend.

[Southwest Dave]

My crystal ball has just told me the closing date will be November 21st

[Kinless]

I'm gonna give Friday, November 28th a shot this year.

Most likely that's a few days too late but I think I spent all my dcTPP energy the first year I participated and I've gotten everything wrong since. I'm just using darts now.

[k9david]

I'm going to go for November 18th, probably too early but you never know, beginners luck and all that.

Cheers

David

[Midwest Michael]

I'm thinking winter will be a little earlier than the past couple years, so I'll go with November 12.

[PNW Judy]

November 15.

[Mass Tim]

I vote for November 24th.

11/24/08 --> 1+1+2+4 == 8 == 1*1*2*4

I now throw down the gauntlet and ask Mother Nature to prove this theory wrong!

[Mark Sedenquist]

A scientific proof for the end of the Tioga Pass season -- what a concept!

Mark