Contest. Tioga Pass Prognosticator 22.

[glc]

Caltrans reports all the other usual winter closures except for the June Lake Loop are now closed for the winter.

Interesting - Caltrans says Tioga closed on 12/1.....

[Mark Sedenquist]

Congratulations to travelingman for another expert and intrepid prognostication effort! I think you have earned a new RTA cap -- which is actually even rarer than a tank of roadtrip fuel. So, please get in touch with us.

Travelingman has been a member of RTA since April, 2010 and great to be able to give him some recognition.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

The Humpeth Returns!

Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy -- January 7th at 10:25 am PST

[DonnaR57]

Those of us downhill from the Sierras are thankful for any and all snowpack that the mountains get. It makes a huge difference to ALL of us, for our water supply! Perhaps it doesn't help us directly, but if the farmers get the water they need for their crops, they get more crops which keeps our produce prices lower.



Donna

[Mark Sedenquist]

Awesome video of Yosemite Falls here, the good news, the epic flooding that had been forecasted didn't happen. They eye of the storm shifted away from Yosemite Valley.

[Southwest Dave]

Yeah that's quite something ! Let's hope everyone uses common sense and stays safe.

Dave.

[Southwest Dave]

Well it's been a great start to 2017 as far as precipitation goes. It has gone from record drought to a very wet January, one of the wettest in fact. They are hoping Mono Lake water levels will rise by up to a foot and ease some of the fears over a water shortage in the LA basin.

So, do you fancy having a go at predicting the Tioga Pass 2017 Spring opening date ? Here's the link to the latest Tioga Pass Prognosticator thread for Spring 2017.

Dave.

[DonnaR57]

For the record: Most of California is out of the Drought stage, with the exception of a couple of counties. However, they are still asking us to conserve our water use, homes and business are still on a restricted schedule for watering outdoor plants-trees-lawns, and of course our water bills rise because the rates have gone up. Many of the reservoirs are looking better, though not to pre-drought conditions yet.

At the moment, rains in San Diego County have ceased, and the vast majority of folks that I have spoken with are glad to have the chance to "dry out" a little before the next storms are due in. During our last storm, the hills were so saturated that we were seeing rock slides and mud slides (not of the drink-able variety). A road that I use for a work commute was closed on three occasions, forcing me to use another route, because of rocks and mud that came down.

SWDave, we too would like to see Mono Lake filled, along with San Vicente Reservoir in our east county, Lake Poway and Lake Ramona in the northeast county, and Lake Hodges in the north county near Escondido -- and many more reservoirs.


Donna

[Mark Sedenquist]

December 3rd, 2016: Well spotted Jessica, although I had checked very recently and there had been no official notification at that time so you were quick off the mark. The official closing date was announced as being November 16th and although there is no official time I am aware they closed it late afternoon in preparation for bad conditions overnight on that day.

We do not have a winner this year with the correct date, but we do have a new DCTPP champ [Darn close Tioga Pass Prognosticator] who is travelingman who predicted it would close on November 17th @ 11:45am way back when the contest started in August.

Congratulations travelingman (And commiserations, you were so close to nailing it ! )

Dave.

Congratulations to travelingman for another expert and intrepid prognostication effort! I think you have earned a new RTA cap -- which is actually even rarer than a tank of roadtrip fuel. So, please get in touch with us.

Travelingman has been a member of RTA since April, 2010 and great to be able to give him some recognition.

Mark

Mark,

While entering this years contest, I just now learned that I came in a close second in last years Tioga Pass closing contest.

Out of curiosity, I looked up that thread and noticed that your post mentioned a Road Trip hat.

It's a year late, but is it possible that there's still a hat sitting around with my name on it?

I never win anything, so I never followed up on the contest. Stupid of me, I know.

--Michael E. Ward, October 1, 2017

Michael (Travelingman) there is no "statute of limitations" on this award, so yes, there is a RTA cap with your name on it, here in the office. I will be in touch to obtain your address!

And even though technically you didn't capture last year's prize of a tank of road trip fuel, we'd love to be able to post a POG photo of you wearing your hat in the weeks ahead!

Mark
Under-Sheriff

[travelingman]

That's great news!

Thank you so much!