View Poll Results: When Will Tioga Pass Close for Winter 2013?

Voters
8. You may not vote on this poll
  • Before October 31st

    1 12.50%
  • November 1st to November 22nd

    1 12.50%
  • November 23rd to November 30th

    3 37.50%
  • December 1st to December 27th

    2 25.00%
  • December 28th to January 3rd

    1 12.50%
  • January 4th to January 18th

    0 0%
  • January 19th to January 25th

    0 0%
  • January 26th to Februay 1st

    0 0%
  • February 2nd to February 7th

    0 0%
  • On or after February 8th

    0 0%
Multiple Choice Poll.
Page 1 of 6 123456 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 56
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 1998
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Posts
    10,761

    Default Tioga Pass Prognosticator #16

    Advent of the Winter RoadTrip Season in the West
    This is our sixteenth 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 2013 summer travel season, and the road isn't even dry from the snow melt, but time marches on...)

    The current Reigning Chief Prognosticator, George Carey known on the Great American RoadTrip Forum as glc is one of the most active members of this forum. He was also the dcTPP (darn close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator) for the Spring opening, 2012. He joins a very august and rarefied group of sitting TPPs -- there have only been four other TPPs awarded since this featured event began in Spring, 2006. Although one of this elite group, Jessica Beagles-Roos, managed to predict the winning date with back-to-back predictions for the Spring opening and Winter closing in 2011.

    There are five other dcTPPs... Jessica Beagles-Roos CaNative, Don Casey (CalOldBlue), Hotel Charlotte ( Lynn & Victor), Kinless, and Sheriff Dave, for their predictive skills in the winter of 2013, 2010 and 2009, and the spring of 2008 & 2007, respectively.

    Rainfall & snow predictions will probably be trickier than normal this year. Do you have what it takes to be the new Chief Tioga Pass Prognosticator?

    ************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...

    So here's official list -- as approved by Sheriff & Chief Wrangler Dave Gomm:
    Prognosticators Extraordinaire To-Date:
    Tioga Pass Prognosticator Winners:
    George Carey (glc), Spring 2013 Opening
    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)
    *************Jessica Beagles-Roos, (CaNative), Winter 2013
    *************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 Closings in recent years:
    2013: November 18th
    2012: November 8th
    2011: January 17th, 2012
    2010: November 19th
    2009: November 12th
    2008: October 30th
    2007: December 6th
    2006: November 26th
    2005: November 25th
    2004: October 17th
    2003: October 31st
    2002: November 5th
    2001: November 11th

    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*
    Please read entry rules carefully
    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 (This is done by completing your poll selection).

    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...
    Spring 2012 Opening
    Fall 2012 Closing
    Spring 2013 Opening!
    Spring Opening 2014.
    Spring Opening 2014.
    Winter Closing 2014.

    Past honorees with their POG photos: (Proof of Gas...)


    Current reining TPP is George Carey (glc) shown posing above with this RoadTrip Ride at the local Conoco station.


    JESSICA BEAGLES-ROO, (CAnative): Winter Closing 2011 Tioga Pass Prognosticator


    JESSICA BEAGLES-ROO, (CAnative): 2011 Spring Opening Tioga Pass Prognosticator


    BRIAN SHANNON, (Exodus): 2010 Spring Opening Tioga Pass Prognosticator


    PHIL BOARDMAN, (PhilB): 2009 Spring Opening Tioga Pass Prognosticator

    And here you can monitor current conditions from 5 Web cams in Yosemite NP.

    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).

    By the way, click here to see what Half Dome looks like when snow is falling....

    Happy Predicting!

    Sheriff Dave and the Great American RoadTrip Forum Staff
    Last edited by Mark Sedenquist; 02-06-2015 at 11:44 AM. Reason: Winter 2013 Results

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1998
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Posts
    10,761

    Default Not quite to 2014...

    First Dart in......

    Monday, December 30th at 8:30 am

    Mark

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    South of England.
    Posts
    11,867

    Default I'm going earlier.

    After a couple of 'dry' winters I got a hunch there will be more snow this year and things will return to near normal, so for me it's,

    November 7th @ 5pm

    Good luck folks !

    Dave.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1998
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Posts
    10,761

    Default May have to adjust the poll!

    Yes, it's possible I've set the poll bar too low for an early winter closing...

    Edit: I've revised the poll so that the earliest benchmark is actually October 31st...

    Mark
    Last edited by Mark Sedenquist; 06-06-2013 at 01:53 PM.

  5. Default

    Extremely sad.

    Road appears to be closed now to the public in order to facilitate access for firefighters and equipment. Given size and intensity of fire, road may be closed awhile.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1998
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Posts
    10,761

    Default Update: Here is where the Rim fire is

    Here is a very good video using Google's Fly-by technology that shows were the Rim Fire is burning and it's location relative to other Yosemite-area landmarks.

    And one of the best sources for current information is this article, being updated daily.
    Last edited by Mark Sedenquist; 08-28-2013 at 03:06 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Joplin MO
    Posts
    10,208

    Default

    The pass is open - the road is closed between Crane Flat and Yosemite Creek.

    Map of the closed area

  8. Default

    the assumption has been that road would be closed for snow at a high point which is generally Tioga Pass but occasionally has been Olmsted Point (avalanche danger). On YNP website the road status is in orange.

    Sheriff Dave, can you provide clarification? Are we guessing closure at a specific point on the road, that is Tioga Pass, or closure at any pointon the road which precludes driving through the park.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    South of England.
    Posts
    11,867

    Default Sad news.

    I hope they can get this [and other] fires under control soon ! We need the rain gods to help out !

    As for the competition clarification, things haven't really changed. The winning date will be the one that matches the official closing date for Tioga Pass on the Yosemite NP pages, which is not announced until it is clarified as a permanent closure. It's not decided on a particular point along the road, it is a case of when the pass is no longer drivable across the Sierras for the season.

    Dave.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Joplin MO
    Posts
    10,208

    Default

    120 has been reopened from Groveland into the park, but the Tioga Road is still closed from Crane Flat to Yosemite Creek. Hetch Hetchy is still closed.

Similar Threads

  1. Tioga Pass Prognosticator #8
    By Mark Sedenquist in forum Memorable Breakdowns & Back Roads
    Replies: 83
    Last Post: 12-03-2009, 06:59 AM
  2. Tioga Pass Prognosticator #7
    By Mark Sedenquist in forum Memorable Breakdowns & Back Roads
    Replies: 69
    Last Post: 08-01-2009, 11:13 AM
  3. Tioga Pass Prognosticator #6
    By Mark Sedenquist in forum Memorable Breakdowns & Back Roads
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 12-14-2008, 12:48 AM
  4. Tioga Pass Prognosticator #5
    By Mark Sedenquist in forum Memorable Breakdowns & Back Roads
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 05-25-2008, 04:09 PM
  5. Tioga Pass Prognosticator #4
    By Mark Sedenquist in forum Memorable Breakdowns & Back Roads
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 12-10-2007, 03:54 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •