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      • Tioga and Glacier Point Roads Plowing Update

Tioga and Glacier Point Roads Plowing Update

Snow pack levels are changing daily along Tioga Pass Road. There are still significant amounts of snow at the Tioga Pass Entrance Station.

Tioga Road

June 24, 2017
The Tioga Road remains closed to all vehicular traffic, including bicycles. Melting snow is causing water to run over the road in multiple locations, creating a safety hazard. The park is diligently working to ensure that adequate sanitation facilities are in place to meet visitor needs and to protect the water quality in the Tuolumne River watershed. The road will remain closed until the impacted power, communications, water and sewer systems are operational to meet the needs of park staff and visitors. There is no estimated opening date. The Tioga Road is closed to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians from South Fork Bridge (6.5 miles east of Tuolumne Grove/NatureBridge in the Crane Flat area) to Tioga Pass.

Glacier Point Road

May 10, 2017
The Glacier Point Road opened for the season on May 11, 2017, at 9 am. Check the current conditions page for its current status.

Trails from the Glacier Point Road are very snowy; hikers will need cross-country navigation skills using a map and compass, as well as snowshoes or skis.

• Due to snow pack, trails along Glacier Point Road lose their definition. Every year, hikers become lost. Conditions this year are even worse than past years.
• As always, leave your hiking plan, including route, destination, and return time with a trusted person. Leave another hiking itinerary in the glove box of your vehicle.
• Hiking the Glacier Point area means hiking in winter travel conditions and anyone who hikes it should have good wayfinding skills including a suitable topo map and compass (GPS optional).
• Following footprints in the snow or rock cairns is risky; they may belong to someone else—who also got lost.
• Always pay attention to your return route and alwaysbe able to return from the way you came.

 

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

• How can I drive to Yosemite from Las Vegas or Death Valley when the Tioga Road is closed?
• What are the historical opening dates for the Tioga and Glacier Point Roads?
• What are the historical opening dates for Sonora Pass (Highway 108) and Ebbetts Pass (Highway 4)?
• Why does it take so long to open the roads?
  Road repairs, ditching, and brushing operations must occur once snow has melted back enough. The roads may also remain very icy even after they're plowed.
  
  Additionally, these are common causes for slow progress on the Tioga Road:

• Avalanche zones (26 potential areas). The Olmsted Point avalanche zone requires careful work, including application of charcoal over the snow to help with melting and blasting the snow slab to make it safer for personnel.
• Heavy snow pack slows the whole operation.
• Trees that have fallen across the road and been buried in the snow can cause substantial damage to equipment and result in a stop to all operations until they're cleared.
• Rockfalls buried by the snow can cause substantial damage to the equipment and result in a stop to all operations.
• Snow storms during the opening require a stop to Tioga Road operations in order to plow and sand park roads that are open.

• Will I be able to ride a bicycle on the Tioga or Glacier Point Roads before they open to cars?
  In some years, these roads may be open during limited periods to bicycles prior to opening to cars. Any updates regarding pre-opening access on these roads will appear on this webpage. Unless otherwise posted here, both roads are closed to cyclists.

 

• 

  Olmsted Plowing

  Every spring, both visitors and locals look forward to the opening of the Tioga Road, a high-elevation pass that crosses Yosemite National Park. Get a glimpse of what it takes to clear snow and ice from a section of the highway known for dangerous avalanches.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 35 seconds