Yosemite National Park, Tioga Rd, and Lassen Park Highway Update

[Chicago_FJR]

Further to SLT's post, from the May 4, '15 San Francisco Chronicle, B2, Tom Stienstra

For those who love the high Sierra, winter's low snowpack translates into a spectacular bonus: an extra month of access and spring-like conditions this May.

The latest is that in Yosemite, Tioga Rd and Lassen Park Highway opened this past w'end. Tioga Rd. connects Highway 120 from Crane Flat up pat Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, Lyell Fork and Lembert Dome en route to Tioga Pass. But, all commercial services are still closed.

To the north, the 30-mile Lassen Park Highway/CA 89, which connects the park from north to south, was opened Sunday past the flank of Lassen Peak.

The trail to Bumpass Hell is closed.

All trans-Sierra routes are now clear and opened.

For those who love the high country, this is a special opportunity for early May. (end)

Ed's note: typed, not cut and pasted so it's not the full article. Left out parts about the open and closing in April of Highway 4. Of course, caveat emptor, another check through the CHP couldn't hurt.

Patrick

 

[Roy Epperson]

https://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

 

[SacramentoMike]

That's a handy link, Roy.

I had the pleasure of riding 108, the Sonora Pass, today. My very favorite road in California, period. It's the highest of the Sierra passes at 9624 feet, but what a gorgeous day and ride it was! Just a little sand in a very few of the turns, almost zero traffic--a real joy. After lunch, and coming back up 395 on the east side, one of those Caltrans moveable message boards announced "Highway 108, the Sonora Pass, will be closed today starting at 4 p.m." Turned out they planned the closure based on a major storm forecast--which actually occurred. It's still closed. For SNOW! This, from the Caltrans highway conditions website Roy Epperson linked to:

This highway information is the latest reported as of Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 23:42 .

SR 108
[iN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM 26.4 MI EAST OF STRAWBERRY (TUOLUMNE CO) TO 8.3 MI WEST OF
THE JCT OF US 395 (MONO CO) /SONORA PASS/ - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED
TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE

My point? Take nothing for granted in the mountains.

 

[marcusorelius]

Here's vid shot from my bike at the top of Tioga pass!