Yosemite Valley Flood - January 7, 2016 Morning Update

January 07, 2017 Posted by: Yosemite National Park Rangers

This blog serves to help inform the public of the incoming weather system and forecasted flood in Yosemite National Park, the weekend of January 7, 2016. Updates will be posted when they become available. 

Via Yosemite National Park News Release from January 6, 2017- 

As of 5:00 pm January 6, all roads leading into Yosemite Valley are closed in anticipation of the significant winter storm. There will be no visitor services available in Yosemite Valley throughout the storm. These closures are being implemented to ensure the safety of park visitors and employees during the coming storm.

Visitor services and facilities in the park will be extremely limited through the coming storm and assessment. The following areas are anticipated to remain open and operational:

  • Hetch Hetchy via Evergreen Road will remain open daily from 9am - 5pm.
     
  • Along Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120 West): Hodgdon Meadow Campground will remain open on a first come, first served basis, Tuolumne Grove and Merced Grove will remain open, and Crane Flat Gas Station is open (credit cards only).  The Big Oak Flat Road is closed at the junction to Foresta.
     
  • Along the Wawona Road (Hwy 41): Wawona Campground will remain open on a first come, first served basis. Visitors will have access to the Redwoods Guest cottages. There is access to Yosemite West.  The Wawona Road is closed at Chinquapin (no access is available to the Glacier Point Road).
     
  • The El Portal Road (Hwy 140) is closed at the park line in El Portal. Businesses along Hwy 140 outside of the park are anticipated to remain open.   

Park visitors are asked to be aware of hazards, including potential wet and icy road conditions, rockfall, and debris in roadways. The park has experienced significant rainfall over the past month and ground saturation could lead to hazardous conditions along park roadways.

The storm is forecasted to peak mid-day Sunday, January 8, 2017. The roads leading into Yosemite Valley will remain closed at least through Sunday. The park will assess conditions early Monday morning. There is no anticipated date or time for roads into Yosemite Valley and guest services to reopen.

The park experienced a significant flood event in January 1997, which caused extensive damage to park roads, campgrounds, lodging, and utilities. The park was closed until March 1997 due to flood damage to the park’s infrastructure. During the closure, there was no running water and electricity was intermittent. Since the 1997 flood, the park has made significant improvements to park roads and facilities.

For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200 and press 1. 

Last updated: January 7, 2017

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