Yosemite Photos, Video and News

Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley
Today: Sunny, with a high near 54. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. 
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. 
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.

El Portal
Today: Sunny, with a high near 63. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. 
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 66. 
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. 

Wawona
Today: Sunny, with a high near 62. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. 
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. 

These photos show Hwy 120 in Yosemite and the area where the rock came down on 1/22/12. As you can see NPS has made great progress and has what is left of the road paved. It looks like it will take a lot of work to fix the downhill side where part of the road and the wall were taken out.

You can also see the release point where the large boulder came from. I am no expert but this type of release looks like it is much less likely to continue with rockfall than say a crumbling cliff side. It appears to be just a random boulder that fell off and this is good news.

On 1/22/12 at 11:30 pm we had a significant rock slide on Hwy 120, the Big Oak Flat Road the took the entire east side of the road and possibly part of the west bound lane as well. The damage is severe enough that it may be a while (unknown at this point) before the road is repaired enough for travel.

This rockslide is just up from the junction of Hwy 140 & 120

On 1/22/12 at 1130 pm we had a significant rock slide on the Big Oak Flat Road the took the
entire east side of the road and possibly part of the west bound lane as
well. The damage is severe enough that it may be a while (unknown at this
point) before the road is repaired enough for travel. We closed the gate at
Foresta Junction going east bound and I have asked the roads crew to place
signs to show its closure near the Old BOF Road Trail. It is also closed at the junction of Hwy 120 &140. So as of right now
you will not be able to access the Valley Floor without going through
Greeley Hill and El Portal.

Half Dome Permit LOTTERY information: Application period opens MARCH 1, 2012!

The National Park Service has extended the interim permit system for climbing the cables on Half Dome that begun in 2010. To make it easier and to be more equitable, the park is going to institute a lottery system for distribution of these permits. You can make a first choice of dates and up to 6 alternate dates and have up to 6 people on a single application.

Apply between March 1 and March 31, 2012 for all dates that the cables are expected to be up this year (May 25 -October 8, 2012). Permits for 300 people per day will be available. An additional 50 permits per day will be distributed through a secondary DAILY lottery. This lottery will have an application period two days before the hiking date with the results announced one day in advance. The first daily lottery for Half Dome permits is expected to begin on May 23, 2012. Check back then for more information.

Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley
This Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 48. West southwest wind
between 7 and 9 mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low
around 34. South wind around 6 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly after 9am. Cloudy, with a
high near 49. South southwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

El Portal
This Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind around 6
mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low
around 28. Southeast wind around 7 mph.
Thursday: Rain, mainly after 4pm. High near 65. South southeast wind
between 3 and 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wawona
This Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 55. West southwest wind
between 3 and 6 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Southeast wind around 7 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of rain after 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high

Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park to Close this Evening, January 17, 2012

The Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park will close at 7:00 p.m. this evening, Tuesday, January 17, 2012. A series of wet weather systems, with the possibility of heavy snow at the higher elevations, are predicated over the next several days. This possible precipitation, coupled with cold temperatures, will result in hazardous driving conditions on the road.

The Glacier Point Road will remain open through at least this evening. The park will assess the road and weather conditions tomorrow, and there is a possibility the road may close due to hazardous driving conditions.

If conditions change that precipitate the reopening of the Tioga Road, the park will issue a subsequent news release.

For updated 24-hour road and weather information, please call 209-372-0200.

El Portal
Today: Sunny, with a high near 57. 
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. 
Wednesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 59. 
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 67. 

Wawona
Today: Sunny, with a high near 50. 
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Wednesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 54. 
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 56. 

Tioga Pass Road has now been open the longest ever since its opening and closing in 1933.

Since Yosemite National Park has been keeping records on the opening and closing of Tioga Road in 1933, this is the longest the road has ever stayed open. Park Rangers have already responded to multiple ice-related medicals on Tenaya Lake and one search and rescue operation in the Tuolumne area. Visitors and park employees are urged to exercise extreme caution while recreating in the park at the higher elevations, especially while on Tenaya Lake, as ice can be very dangerous.

Yosemite, CA -- Attendance in Yosemite National Park last year was the best it's been in well over a decade.

Park Ranger Kari Cobb says 4,098,000 people visited the park in 2011, compared to 4,047,000 the year prior. Yosemite continues its upward visitation trend. 2010 had been the first time the park registered over 4 million visitors since 1996.

Cobb says the dry, warm winter seems to have boosted the numbers. 133,000 visitors came to Yosemite last month, 30,000 more than in December of 2010.

Historically, 1996 was a record breaking year when the park saw around 4.2 million.

"Who knows, we make break our record in 2012," says Cobb. "The weather continues to be good, and we're entering the year with very good visitation stats."

Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. 
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. 
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 52. 

El Portal 
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. 
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 66. 
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 68.

Wawona
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 20. 
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. 
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. 

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The Village Store will be closed for remodeling beginning Tuesday, January 17 th and will reopen on Thursday, February 16 th @ Noon

Yosemite National Park to Waive Entrance Fees for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Weekend -

In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Yosemite National Park will offer free admission into the park starting Saturday, January 14 through Monday, January 16, 2012.  The fee free waiver is for all visitors in honor of the holiday weekend.

Fees being waived for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend include the fees associated with entrance into the park only.  All other fees associated with camping, lodging, or activities within the park are not waived.  The fee waiver is good for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend only.Visitors coming to the park over the fee free weekend are urged to be aware of the possibility of changing weather and precipitation.  Ice on the roadways may be present throughout the park.  For updated 24-hour weather and road information please call, 209-372-0200.