Tioga Pass Prognosticator #15

[glc]

Wow!

Thank you - you should have put in a guess! I just guessed May 11th at 8 am.

Caltrans confirms it's open from Lee Vining to the park gate. Monitor Pass is open, Sonora and Ebbetts are still closed.

NPS.GOV confirms:

Last update: April 19, 2013

Glacier Point Road: Plowing begins April 22.

Tioga Road: Plowing begins April 29.

EDIT: In the interest of fairness, if I win I will share the prize with you unless you choose to put in a guess for a different day and time.

[CAnative]

The snow in AZ on Wed reminded me that it was time to guess. I'm going to try my anniversary on May 7th at 10 am. because I think my twin son's birthday on May 4th (at 9 am) will be too early.

I haven't forgotten the photo -- just need to review ones taken on last week's road trip.

[Southwest Dave]

Is this optimistic news or what?

May 11th? Is this even possible, in such short time?

It's not only a very low average snow pack, there has been very little in the way of late snowfall to keep it topped up. I have seen several photos of the road taken by a local cyclist and cannot believe how bare the road is in places and how little snow is on the verges.

So yes it's very possible and if it were not for the delays in starting the plowing effort and as I said earlier, I think it would have been the earliest recorded opening and it could have happened during April. With a normal to heavy snowpack you have bigger problems with avalanche risk areas with rocks and trees carried onto the road, which all delay the plowing effort.

I'm gonna take a shot at May 10th @ 4pm.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Jessica's (CANative) photo showing RTA's dime paying for her road trip ride can be found on the bottom fo this page, (scroll down).

Is your road ride feeling thirsty?

[Southwest Dave]

Anyone wishing to make a prediction needs to make sure the date selected is not already taken, identify there prediction by posting a time and date in a post here in this thread and enter it in the correct date range in the Poll at the top of the page.

Qualifying prediction dates already taken; May 7th; May 10th; May 11th; May 12th; May 16th; May 20th; May 22nd; May 24th;

[Hmm seven dates identified in posts and 9 Poll votes ? Those 2 extra Poll votes will not count unless the date is still available and identified in a post.]

Good luck and happy predicting !

Dave.

[Dermeta]

Okay,
i would like to take the May 12th, 9am, if that is OK with the rules.

I voted later on the pool, so not sure which vote now counts. ;)

[Southwest Dave]

Hi Dermeta.

The May 12th @ 9am prediction is fine as you have identified and claimed it in your post. Good luck !

Dave.

[CAnative]

I think there will be a winner this spring.

From YNP website --

Tioga Road: Plowing begins April 29 with a tentative opening date of May 11.

I'm going to take a second guess -- May 13th at 10 am.

[glc]

Caltrans is reporting that Sonora Pass will open at noon tomorrow, and the Stockton Record is saying that Ebbetts Pass may open sometime this week.

[Southwest Dave]

The temps up at 8500ft are rising to 60F + over the weekend and there is already a lot of bare road showing !

What a wonderful time to visit the valley with the waterfalls flowing, a clear sky and temps high up in the 70's this weekend !!

Dave.

The last winter Rangers report for this year from Tuolumne meadows.

New snow: 0 inches
Total settled snow depth: 0 inches as of April 24th

Skiing Conditions and Weather: This is our last post of the winter of 2013. The snow stake here at Tuolumne Meadows reads 0 inches, so it must be time to head for our summer range down south at Sequoia National Park. There was a lot of melting this week as temperatures were in the upper 50s each day. There is patchy snow below 9,000 feet on all aspects except south, and the best coverage remains above 9,500 feet on north aspects. The freezing temperatures overnight this week has produced some good corn skiing on select slopes in the alpine zone. The Tioga Road within Yosemite National Park is a patchwork of bare pavement and snow drifts, which is not conducive to good ski travel.

Check out the total snow depth !