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Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:32 pm
by Harlen
I did mean Echo Lakes, sorry.
I just searched around the Caltrans website maps, and it looks like Hwy 50 is closed on the east side near Meyers, but open from the west through Echo Summit. Does this seem likely? Daisy, I appreciate your points about falling snow hazards; I think even more of a concern right know is just the difficulty of travel in these conditions- especially for Bear! With that in mind, I wonder if TahoeJeff and his tremendous snow-blower, would like to join us on a trip out to Lake Aloha? Are blowers allowed in the Wilderness?
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:43 pm
by TahoeJeff
Cal Trans QuickMap shows Hwy 50 open and traffic flowing well in each direction right now.
And Cal Trans or someone else, I believe runs a snow cat form the SnoPark on old Hwy 50 to Upper Echo. They used to anyway.
So, hopefully no need for a snowblower!
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:07 pm
by c9h13no3
Harlen wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:44 pmI've only been to Lake Aloha once, am I right that there is no avie risk on the way there from Ebbett Lakes?
Assuming you ski across the frozen Echo Lakes & Lake Aloha, seems like low avalanche risk to me. Some steep south facing slopes though along the PCT if you follow the summer trail though.
The snow was the wettest Sierra cement I've ever skied on south facing slopes today. Wax your skins, because it's always spring in California
.
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:05 am
by fishmonger
I guess this is obvious, but just in case you are really heading to Yosemite for the snow, read this first:
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/management/closures.htm
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:17 pm
by Harlen
Oh well. I was hopeful till today. The Tuolumne Ski Hut was not on the original list of closed facilities, though Snow Creek, Ostrander, and Glacier Point Huts were all listed as closed. I wondered if the TM area was remote enough to allow some modified use, but if I arrived to find folks already there, I would have to camp out in the meadows somewhere- not too bad, but why close the entire Park?
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:54 am
by The Other Tom
Harlen wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:17 pm
Why the entire Park though?
Unfortunately, there are always a few who ruin it for the rest of us. If the park wasn't closed, those people would be out there doing their thing with no NPS personnel to interact with them. So they close the whole park. Of course, this is just my guess/opinion. I don't know for sure.
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:28 am
by Harlen
I suppose you're right Tom, but at least in the case of T.Meadows the same winter ranger presence is going to be there. I assume the Pilewskis are kept on to continue their various other work- snow and rodent pop. surveys, and as general caretakers of all the Park facilities because of the same knuckleheads you speak of, who might break into cabins, move in and set up what?-- traplines, small logging operations... or just commit random acts of violence?
Just checked the winter ranger's weekly updates- here is the last, written 3/26:
It feels like the return to winter in more ways than one. Although Tuolumne Meadows is covered in a fresh blanket of white, all is quiet this chilly, sub-zero morning. Even the songs of spring are subdued. Yosemite National Park is closed. Stay healthy and take care of one another. Hats off to the health care workers on the front lines of this pandemic.
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:12 am
by maverick
Because of the virus, there is limited personnel at YOSAR, and like Inyo Sheriff's Dept, who requested folks to forego skiing, backpacking, and other dangerous backcountry activities, which would require their members to break the social distancing guidelines in an emergency, putting their SAR team, and family members, possibly at risk, is a good enough reason for me to delay any trips for the time being.
Do Not Take Part in High-risk Outdoor Activity in Inyo County
INYO COUNTY, CA, March 21, 2020 - The Inyo County Sheriff's Office, on behalf of Inyo County Search and Rescue (SAR), requests that people do not take part in high risk outdoor activities at this time. Activities include backpacking, climbing, peak bagging, backcountry skiing, or anything that puts you at risk for potential rescue.
If you get sick, lost or injured and require SAR assistance, the responding team of volunteers will have to break social distancing and State mandated isolation by sharing rescue equipment, radios, and vehicles. You will be potentially taking those rescuers out of service for weeks due to post-mission quarantine protocols. In addition, many SAR teams, including ours, are operating at a diminished capacity due to many members self-isolating and not responding to operations due to age or other risk factors.
Your preventable backcountry injury will also stress ambulance and emergency room services. It is highly unlikely helicopters are available to assist in your rescue. Inyo County Sheriff's Office DOES NOT own or operate any air assets, and our allied agency helicopters are currently operating at a very limited capacity.
The public can access the complete Inyo County Order, issued March 20, 2020 at:
https://www.inyocounty.us/…/fil…/2020-0 ... 0.20_0.pdf.
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:48 pm
by Wandering Daisy
Harlen, permits are required in Desolation Wilderness, YEAR-ROUND. Not sure how you get one with the offices shut down. You may check on Reserve.Gov and see if you can still get a permit, but I do not know if you could pick it up anywhere with the offices closed.
No permits or quotas are needed off-season in the wilderness areas off Hwy 88 (Kirkwood area). You may be able to ski into the Mokulumne Wilderness.
Re: See the snow in Yosemite!
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 8:33 pm
by maverick
Tuolumne Meadows rangers were out this past week posting “Closure” signs at the pass.