Winter Rite of Passage: Tioga Pass Prognosticator #12

[Mark Sedenquist]

I prefer to travel west-bound over Sonora (mostly because of the dramatic sights seen when reaching the pass from the eastern side in early spring.)

Ebbetts -- Most certainly -- east bound -- Make sure you find a place to stop at the last lake before the pass. There is a cabin on a little island in the middle of the lake that is magical.

Tioga, I've gone both ways, but maybe west-bound is more thrilling.

Monitor Pass -- You gotta go eastbound -- that drop to the desert is thrilling.

For that matter Sherman Pass is pretty dang cool -- and again eastbound and the descent to the desert is memorable.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

I'm gonna throw a third and final dart as there is still no sign of anything about to change.

January 20th @ 4pm !!

I've brought this forward from Marks last re-cap. If it's wrong, blame him ! ;-)


January 4th at 4:00 pm.........glc
January 6th at Noon.....Mark Sedenquist
January 13th at 4pm........glc
January 20th at 4pm....Southwest Dave.
January 27th at noon..Mark Sedenquist

[Odd coincidence ! I just noticed that the last 4 dates are exactly one week apart and on a Friday. It's not gonna close on a Friday then !!]

For George. Are you hitting the road and heading for the pass still ? Looks as though you could be in luck if it's within the next week !! It would still be wise to call ahead and check the status within the park on the Yosemite number. Mornings would be the trickiest as they sometimes keep it closed until overnight ice thaws out during the morning. Sure hope you make it and get some photo's for us to check out. Some recent ones I have seen show an icy Tenaya Lake. Ideal spot to make a quick stop.

Dave.

[CAnative]

News reports stated that Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain received 2 inches of snow in Dec.

My predicted date has passed again so on to new ones (in 2012).
January 17th at 3 pm.
February 8th at noon.

[glc]

My plans right now are to hit Tioga this coming Saturday - the 7th. I'm planning on spending Friday night in Carson City and Saturday night in Sonora. A friend of mine is coming up from Modesto early Sunday morning, then we will go to Bodie via Ebbetts and Monitor passes and return via Sonora pass. I just made reservations in the Days Inn in Sonora for Saturday and Sunday nights.

I'm hitting the road in a couple hours - spending the night in Hays KS and having dinner with a friend.

[Southwest Dave]

It's looking good so far George !

There are no hazardous weather warnings so far through that period, with highs on Saturday of 40-45F and mostly sunny up at 9000ft. That'll be in the low 50's as you make your way down, Wow !

Starting out from Carson should give that sun some time to work it's magic on any overnight ice that may have formed on the road.

Have a great trip !

Dave.

[CAnative]

We heard (second-hand) the open road was very nice 2 or 3 days ago. Envious of your trip and looking forward to photos.

[glc]

A bit of a setback - I toasted a wheel bearing on the truck today - spend 5 hours sitting around a Ford dealer out in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska. $600 later, I'm back on the road and playing catchup. I have a hotel reservation in Sonora Saturday night that I want to keep. Drove till 8:30 tonight and made it into Laramie, getting up at 6 tomorrow.

[Utahtea]

I'm gonna throw a third and final dart as there is still no sign of anything about to change.

January 20th @ 4pm !!

I've brought this forward from Marks last re-cap. If it's wrong, blame him ! ;-)


January 4th at 4:00 pm.........glc
January 6th at Noon.....Mark Sedenquist
January 13th at 4pm........glc
January 20th at 4pm....Southwest Dave.
January 27th at noon..Mark Sedenquist

[Odd coincidence ! I just noticed that the last 4 dates are exactly one week apart and on a Friday. It's not gonna close on a Friday then !!]

For George. Are you hitting the road and heading for the pass still ? Looks as though you could be in luck if it's within the next week !! It would still be wise to call ahead and check the status within the park on the Yosemite number. Mornings would be the trickiest as they sometimes keep it closed until overnight ice thaws out during the morning. Sure hope you make it and get some photo's for us to check out. Some recent ones I have seen show an icy Tenaya Lake. Ideal spot to make a quick stop.

Dave.

Put me down for January 22 (Son's Birthday) at noon if that date hasn't been taken.

BTW, I saw a trip report on another forum where they showed pictures of people ice skating on Tenaya Lake. Here's a link to the pictures: http://suewallace.zenfolio.com/p1036439552

Utahtea

[Southwest Dave]

Sorry to hear that !!

Hope you get a good run today and can play catch up. I guess you could head for Ely for the night and with another early start still make it to Sonora over Tioga pass [via Tonopah and Benton Hot Springs]. Although my mapping program makes it an hour quicker than going via Elko over the 2 days, you do have the option of pushing on further than Elko [maybe as far as Winnemucca?] whereas Ely is isolated and would be your only real option. Another 6am start should put you at the entrance gate around Noon.

It actually looks like unless you can make it to Winnemucca for a shorter distance to Tioga next day, Ely could be your best option.

Ely Motel 6 has reasonable reviews.

Details.

Motel 6 - Ely #4672

US 93/S 7th Street at Avenue O
770 Avenue O
Ely, NV 89301
(775) 289-6671

Good luck !

[glc]

Actually I've got 2 days to make it to Carson City - no sweat. If I can hit Wendover by around 3pm, I'll press on to Ely. I've stayed in the Main Motel in Ely before, it's decent - it used to be the Best Western. I'd like to make it to Ely and have dinner in the jail cell, but if I don't, oh well. I do not like driving after dark, especially on open range roads.

By the way, we do talk about hotel coupons here - I used one last night to get a $59 room at the Ramada for $39. This place even has a free full hot breakfast.