Yosemite Photos, Video and News

Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Friday, April 29, 2011

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley
Today: Sunny, with a high near 56.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 29.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 58.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

El Portal
Today: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 34.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

Wawona
Today: Sunny, with a high near 61.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 30.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 67.

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HAPPENING TODAY

MRP User Capacity Workshop
Today in the Yosemite Lodge Garden Terrace we will host an all day workshop to explore user capacity and the Wild and Scenic River Act. This workshop is designed to help you become an informed participant in the Merced River planning process. Park staff and experts will define user capacity and show how it is being addressed in the Merced River planning effort.

The format of the User Capacity Workshop will be different from the three previous MRP Spring Workshops. This workshop will last all day and involve a mix of presentations and group exercises. Short presentations will focus on specific concepts and examples. Exercises will allow participants to work on specific tasks related to addressing capacity, then reconvene as a large group to share information or ask questions.

This workshop is available by attending in person or online at yose.webex.com. Doors open at 8 am and presentations will begin promptly at 8:30 am. Copies of the agenda, exercises, and other workshop materials are available at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp_user_capacity.htm. (J. Friesen McCabe - 4/29)

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PARK AND PARK PARTNER NEWS
El Portal Trailer Court Power Outage
There will be a power outage at the Trailer Court only on Wednesday, May 4, from 9am until 4pm. This outage is to make repairs to damage caused by the spring storm. Questions to Kent Summers, 379-1236. (K. Bablitch - 4/29)
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Foresta Road Closure Update
Now that the slide and banks have dried out and are showing stability, El Portal Roads will begin removing the material next week, May 2. Due to noxious weed infestation, the material will be transported to the Mariposa Landfill and used for cover. Federal Highways will be engineering a long term fix with no date established for the work. The goal is to open the road after the material is removed from the roadway and shoulders. Please contact L. Summerfield with any questions. (L. Summerfield - 4/28)
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YARTS Schedule Change
Effective Friday April 29, 2011 YARTS Run 9 will not be stopping at Barium Mine Road. All other runs will continue to visit this stop as scheduled. Run 9 is the bus that needs to meet Amtrak in Merced. The delay caused by the rockfall detour has made this very difficult, so this run will turn around at the Maintenance complex to keep it on schedule. This change will remain in effect until Foresta Road is reopened between El Portal Road and Barium Mine Road. (W. Malone - 4/28)
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Mist Trail Opens
The Mist Trail to Vernal Fall is open for the season. Visitors are encouraged to use the Mist Trail rather than the John Muir trail due to snow, ice, and debris along the John Muir Trail. (S. Gediman - 4/28)
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Crane Flat Helibase Road Restrictions
The Crane Flat Helibase Road will be restricted to administrative traffic only until further notice, due to narrow, single lane access with minimal pullout options. The road has recently been plowed to only one lane which will create complications if 2 vehicles meet traveling from opposite directions. If you need access to the helibase (maintenance, med-flights, ect.), please use the YNP Fire Direct frequency (172.775 TX/RX) and make calls to "Crane Flat Helibase" or "anyone on the Crane Flat Lookout Rd." to let them know you are driving up. A blind call on YNP Common (168.350 TX/RX) would also be beneficial to contact any unexpected maintenance personnel. If you have any questions, please contact Eric Small (209-768-9304) or Jeff Pirog (209-379-1330). (J. Pirog - 4/27)

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EMPLOYEE NEWS
New Hires
We are pleased to announce that Shane Fairbanks has accepted the Corrals Supervisor position and Janelle McDonald accepted the YCC Camp Manager. Please stop by and congratulate them. (L. Summerfield - 4/28)

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CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Wawona Hotel & Store Repaving
Starting Monday April 11th, contractors began work to repave the Wawona Hotel parking areas and the Wawona Store Parking Lot. (E. Scott - 4/7)

Foresta Road Closed Until Further Notice Between Barium Mine Road and Old El Portal
Due to safety concerns associated with the recent slide on the Foresta Road, it is now closed to all vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the intersection of the Barium Mine Road and Old El Portal. The road will remain closed until further notice. Middle Road will remain open between the intersection of the Foresta Road and CA State Highway 140 (Access to and from Middle Road will be limited to CA St. Hwy. 140). As further information becomes available, it will be updated in the Daily Report. If you have questions or concerns please contact Michael Pieper at (209) 379-1263 or (209) 742-8593. (M. Pieper - 3/30)

Wawona Road Rehabilitation
Expect up to 30-minute traffic delays along Wawona Road starting Wednesday, April 20 and continuing through May 27. The work hours are scheduled for 6:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. There will be multiple work zones, similar to last fall, so please be patient as crews complete the remaining work on this project. (M. Pieper - 4/18)

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ACTING DESIGNATIONS

Liz Ballenger will be acting Branch Chief for Vegetation and Ecological Restoration on Friday, April 29 (379-3282).

Shawn Lingo (379-1416) will be acting Branch Chief for History, Architecture & Landscapes (HAL) on Friday, April 29.

Paul DePascale is Acting Branch Chief for Anthropology Programs Thursday & Friday, 4/28 & 4/29.

Kristin Ramsey is acting Branch Chief Interpretive Services from April 26 - May 4.

Caitlin Lee-Roney will be acting Branch Chief of Wildlife Management April 26-29.

Kevin Killian will be the acting Chief Ranger April 25-29.

Remo Fickler will be acting Trails Supervisor April 25-29. Remo can be reached in the Trails Office at 372 0526 or on his cell phone at 742-8909. Remo's radio number is 626.

Tom Clark will be acting Facility Projects Supervisor from 4/26 to 5/8 while Kevin Keheley is out. Tom can be reached at 379-1171.

Heather Cave will be Acting Emergency Communications Center Manager from April 22 - May 2.

Ken Stowell will be acting Facility Park Custodial Operations Supervisor from 4/16 to 5/8 while Alan Hawksley is on vacation. Ken can be contacted at 372-0533, or you may leave a message with Tammy Lawhon at 379-1271.

Jay Shields will be Acting Mather District Ranger until further notice.

Brenna Lissoway (379-1283) will be the Acting Park Archivist while Paul Rogers is on a detail as the Acting Regional Archivist (PWR). If you have need to access the Archives, or have archive related questions, you can call 379-1282 or 379-1104.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Poetry at the Art Center
Indulge your senses this May Day (May 1) by joining poet Yosemite poet James Downs and poet and publisher John Peterson for an afternoon of poetry and a look at publishing by the poet and publisher at the Yosemite Art and Education Center at 2:00pm. For all with a touch of poetry in your soul or an interest in knowing what goes into publishing a volume of poetry. Join us for coffee/tea and a celebration of the art that creates in a medium of word and meter and verbal imagery. (YAEC - 4/29)
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Housing Needed
I start work in early May in limited term job through mid-October as the Acting General Manager of the Yosemite Conservancy El Portal office. Looking for a sublet studio, in-law, room or house for rent, preferably in El Portal, but otherwise at least near a YARTS stop. With the right kind of roommate(s), a shared situation could also work. I'll be working 3 weeks/month in Yosemite and 1 week in the Bay Area. My wife will be up from the Bay Area for about 10 days/month. Ideally like to keep total rent to less than $900. rmiller@yosemiteconservancy.org, 510-410-0720. (R. Miller - 4/29)
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El Portal Town Photo
The El Portal Town Photo is now available at www.davidjaffe.info (please note the address is not a .com address). (D. Jaffe - 4/29)
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Yosemite Community Church Annual Marriage Renewal Service
May 1, 9:15am and 11:00am at the Chapel. Pastor Brent Moore (resident minister) will conduct this time honored tradition. Sunday School at the first service only. Call for questions at 209-372-4831 or see www.yosemitevalleychapel.org. (F. Moore - 4/29)
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Midpines Rental
Large, clean 2 bedroom, 2 bath home on 6 acres in Midpines on Colorado Road. Wood stove, swamp cooler, deck, w/d hookup. Available immediately at $1150/mo. Please call 966-3123. (W. Vittands - 4/28)
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Fire Hazard Abatement Inspections
The Fire Prevention Office will soon be conducting Annual Wildfire Prevention Inspections to ensure the Fire Safety of our community. Fires in the past few years have highlighted the importance of this program. Deadline to have hazardous brush or vegetation around all structures removed is June 10, 2011 at which time property inspections will be conducted. It is the responsibility of the occupant/owner to take all necessary actions to clear a defensible space of dangerous vegetation and hazardous brush from structures or buildings. This will assist in creating a defensible space for Firefighter's to operate and to increase your homes survivability in event of a wildfire. Official Notices will be included in the utility billing statements for each residence. If you have any questions, please contact Jack Alviso, Prevention Officer at 209-375-9541. (J. Alviso - 4/28)
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Forestry Storm Cleanup
As of April 20, ALW Enterprises, Inc. had ground 14 loads of chips and will also haul the one load that the Fire Safe Council chipper made. This equates to a total of approximately 250 tons of chips from NPS in El Portal. ALW will also be hauling an undisclosed amount of chips from the Caltrans operations in the Merced Canyon. Chips are rather stringy from all the limbs and twigs, so they are being hauled to ALW’s yard in Madera and will be mixed with chunkier chips. After that, they will be hauled to the Madera Power biomass generator. Biomass from the Yosemite storm cleanup yielded approximately 500 megawatt hours of electricity in 2010. 500 megawatts is the equivalent of 500,000 kilowatts. This amount could operate the El Portal Complex, which includes the El Portal Water Water Treatment plant, for two full months. (A. Summerlin - 4/28)
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Men's Retreat in Yosemite Valley (*revised)
Men's Retreat on Saturday, April 30 from 9am to 4pm at the Yosemite Valley Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room. Topic is on "Christian Code of Conduct" by Eric Thomas of the Christ Community Church. Lunch will be provided. Please take the time to fellowship with other men and strengthen your Christian Life. For more information, please call Pastor Moore at 209-372-4708. (D. Engelstad - 4/28)