Yosemite National Park

Planning Update

Volume 3, Winter 1997
What Does All This Mean to You? undercut road A visit to Yosemite in the near future will be different than normal, but not impossible. Parts of the park have reopened for winter recreation and work continues to reopen other sections. Highway 41 to Wawona reopened a few weeks ago followed shortly thereafter by Badger Pass. Both areas offer cross country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities as well as guided naturalist activities. By the time this newsletter comes out Crane Flat will be open providing access for skiers or hikers to the Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. Yosemite Valley sustained the most flood damage and will require a longer time to reopen. Since the flood, response teams have been working to make emergency repairs to the utility systems, remove debris, assess damage, and begin salvage operations. These are just the beginning stages of a recovery effort that may take many months. Every attempt is being made to reopen the Valley as soon as it is safe to do so!
What Can You Expect This Summer?

Campgrounds
Approximately half of the campsites in Yosemite Valley were damaged by the flood and will not be available for use this summer. These include all of the Lower River, Upper River, and Lower Pines campgrounds. Damaged campsites will be replaced in the Valley, but out of the floodplain in accordance with the General Management Plan. This will allow sensitive areas to be restored to natural habitat. This summer there will be approximately 1,400 campsites available throughout the Park.

In addition to Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Crane Flat, and Hodgdon Meadows Campgrounds, the Wawona campground will be added to the reservation system this summer. Reservations may be made by calling: 1-800-436-PARK (1-800-436-7275).

Trails
The full extent of trail damage has been hard to determine due to the extensive snow cover. We do know many trails have been damaged. Some trails may be closed. Others will have difficult stream crossings due to bridge damage, particularly during heavy spring runoff. Park personnel will work closely with back-country users to assist with trip planning.

Lodging
Fewer lodging units will be available in Yosemite Valley this summer. Over 350 lodging units flooded at Yosemite Lodge. Curry Village will be open, but the number of tent cabins available may be reduced because of the need for employee housing. The damage and repair for Housekeeping is still being assessed. The Ahwahnee Hotel was largely unaffected by the flood.

Roads
Expect traffic delays and temporary closures throughout the park. Extensive road and bridge repairs will be ongoing throughout the summer. Access to the Valley via Highways 41 and the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120) should be available soon. Highway 140 was damaged the most and will require rebuilding rather than repair. We expect this work to take several months, but it should be open to visitors with some traffic restrictions. Damage to the Tioga Pass road is unknown at this time.

Other Services

Some visitor services may be curtailed due to damaged facilities. Trail damage and a shortage of employee housing will prevent commercial horseback rides from being offered in Yosemite Valley this summer. Stores, restaurants, and gas stations should operate as normal.

The Winter is Not Over The remaining weeks of winter weather hold the promise of additional rain and snow. The latest snow surveys indicate that the water content in the snowpack is at approximately 200% of normal. The potential for serious spring flooding still looms and, along with that, goes the possibility of further damage.

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