Yosemite - Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Yosemite National Park Zone Forecast
Today: Not as cool. Sunny. Highs 47 to 63. Southwest winds up to 10 mph with gusts to around 30 mph shifting to the west with gusts to around 40 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Clear. Lows 29 to 43. West winds up to 10 mph with gusts to around 35 mph shifting to the southeast with gusts to around 20 mph after midnight.
Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs 46 to 62. Southwest winds up to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph
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NEW & HAPPENING TODAY
Tunnel View Parking Closed Wednesday May 22
Tunnel View Parking lots will be closed on Wednesday, 5-22-2024 to allow for maintenance and restriping. Crews will reopen the lots as soon as possible, likely midafternoon.
Apologies for any inconvenience. Enjoy your day. (YOSE Sign Shop)
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Exploration Center Bookstore and Museum Store Early Closure
The Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at the Exploration Center and Museum gift store will close early on Wednesday, May 22 at 3:30 pm, for staff gathering. (O. Laizer)
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Happy Isles Early Closure
Happy Isles Art & Nature Center will close at 3:30pm on Wednesday 5/22 and resume regular operating hours the next day. (L. Spielman‑Dell Isola)
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Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at the Mariposa Grove Early Closure
The bookstore at the Mariposa Grove welcome plaza will close early on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:45pm, for staff gathering. The bookstore at Wawona Visitor Center will remain open until 5pm. (K. Bouchard)
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RECENT NEWS
AAPINH Month Mixer and Trivia 5/23
Join the BIPOC ERG in celebrating AAPINH Heritage Month on May 23rd! Engage at this casual, early-season mixer, with some light snacks provided (6-8pm). Also, prepare to get to down to business… to defeat… other trivia teams for AAPINH inspired Disney trivia (starts at 7pm). Want to learn more about joining an ERG? email [email protected] (C. Lau)
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Chowchilla Mountain Road Open
Chowchilla Mountain Road will open for the season on Tuesday 5/21/2024. High-clearance vehicles are recommended. (H. Edgecomb)
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Helicopter-H-40 and Yosemite Helicopter Rescue Team Training at El Capitan Meadow
We will be training with California Highway Patrol doing high angle helicopter hoist rescue training out of El Cap Meadow 21st and 22nd. From approximately 0630-1300.
Central Pillar of Frenzy on Middle Cathedral as well as Slab Happy Pinnacle on the far East side if El Capitan will be closed for the days we are conducting the training. Expect short traffic delays and more limited parking at El Cap Cross. El Cap Meadow around the landing zone will also be closed during operations for the safety of staff and visitors. (J. McGahey)
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Apartment for Rent
Vey nice, conveniently located, one bedroom apartment in a duplex in Mariposa town. Yard, deck, water included.
$1275 month. Call Lee or Connie 209 742-4663 (YOSE Housing)
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Yosemite Medical Clinic Screening Event and Extended Hours
Screening of The Paradise Paradox!
Yosemite Theater
5:15-7PM, THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024
YMC Extended Summer Hours to 6pm
To better serve our patients and residents, please reserve your appointment early for new and ongoing primary care services.
Orchid Room for quiet time, and telehealth
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Internet and phone available
RSVP by Text (209) 372-5452
Free Counseling Service
Michele Weisenberger
Evergreen Counseling at Yosemite Medical Clinic Tuesday and Thursday
[email protected]
Tel: (209) 742-5080 ext. 1
Mariposa Heritage House
Healthcare, food, and housing navigation, (209) 966-7770
1:1 Peer-to-peer support, Aaron Collette, (209) 347-0883
(P. Ulrich)
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Valley School Information
Do you hire personnel that will live in the valley? If you have a candidate with school age or soon to be school age children, please do not hesitate to reach out to Cathy DeCecco at Yosemite Valley School. We have a
Welcome Packet that explains the school history (since 1875!), how a multi-graded classroom works, and our unique programming. In person tours or informational phone calls can be arranged by contacting me at [email protected] or 209-401-8922.
Check out our YVS Facebook Page: CLICK
HERE (C. Decocco)
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Kudos to Valley B&G and Mounted Patrol for Ansel Adams Stamp Event
A huge thank you to Daniel Buskeness and the Valley B & G Crew for their amazing work prepping, setting up, and taking down for the huge Ansel Adams First Day of Issue Stamp Event ceremony last week! Daniel and his crew put it extra effort to make sure the
event area looked great, and helped above and beyond. The event was a huge success and the Valley B & G crew did a great job!! Also, huge kudos and thanks to Clif Ashley and the Rangers that rode with the Mounted Patrol for the event! Clif and his team went
above and beyond to get the horses here in time for the event, and getting them prepped and ready for the big day. Clif and his crew worked hard and tirelessly to prep the horses for the event. They did a GREAT job, and considering this was the first event
of the year, it was truly miraculous. The Mounted Patrol did such an amazing job!! And, many thanks to many others that helped with the event. It was a huge success, in large part to so many who helped. Beyond proud to have coworkers such as all of you who
jumped in to help dedicate the Ansel Adams Forever Stamp First Day of Issue Ceremony! A proud day in Yosemite! (S. Gediman)
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Paid Internship Opportunity with Yosemite’s Volunteer Program, September 2024 to August 2025
Please check out and pass along this exciting announcement: Yosemite National Park - CVA Announcement The Community Volunteer Ambassador position is a 50-week internship in YNP’s Volunteer Program, starting in early September 2024. It’s a dynamic and fun opportunity for someone relatively early in their career, interested in exploring a future with the National Park Service. Top candidates will be good communicators, team players who love to bring people together, advocates for equity and inclusion in our park system, and flexible folks willing to take on all different kinds of work over the course of the year. The position comes with an Americorps education stipend upon successful completion, as well as Public Land Corps hiring status. (S. Martinez)
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Mariposa Rental Available
3 Bed/2 Bath house available in Mariposa. $2250/month. Send a text to 209-617-0631 for more information. (T. Darcy)
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Kudos for Cassandra Harris
Kudos to Cassandra Harris for her truly impressive work in Fees with remits! Her knowledge and skills are a true asset to the fee team, and she is an amazing trainer. Thank you, Cassandra! (L. Lyon)
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Painting Project - El Portal Maintenace Complex
Contractors will begin work painting the circular stairwells in the El Portal Maintenance Complex. The project will begin on Tuesday (5/21), with the stairwell by the Warehouse/Loading Dock. The contractors will be painting the ceiling, walls, and floors. They will then move to the stairwell by the Trails/Forestry Shops, where they will paint the ceiling and walls. Please use alternate stairways or the elevators to access the second floor. The foyer areas will still be available for access to the first floor. This project should not impact picking up packages from the warehouse. The project is expected to take two weeks. Thanks for your patience during this improvement project. Reach out to Carrie Toepper if there are any questions. (C. Toepper)
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ONGOING PROJECTS
Pole Assessments in El Portal
PGE will be performing UAS flights in El Portal for pole assessment. Flights will occur daily May 20th through June 4th between the hours of 0800-1700 from the Waste Treatment Plant East to Crane Creek Rd/140. Thank you, direct all questions to Andrew Davenport. (A.
Davenport)
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Shuttle Service and Road Construction Updates in east Yosemite Valley
From now until June 3, roadways and shuttle bus stops remain under construction in Curry Village and on the Happy Isles Loop. Service is suspended at Stops 14 (Curry Village/Orchard Parking eastbound), 15 (Upper Pines), 16 (Mist Trail), 17 (Mirror Lake), 18 (Lower Pines), and 19 (Curry Village Orchard westbound). Shuttle service is terminated at Curry Village Registration. During the ongoing period of construction, Yosemite Hospitality will operate the Valley-wide – or green route – service only. The East Valley Shuttle – or purple route – is discontinued as a service line, effective today, until construction is completed. Park visitors and employees are advised to board green route buses to reach any and all destinations. Construction will be completed by June 3, when shuttle service will resume regular East Valley and Valley-wide operations. Thank you for your patience and understanding during construction. (J. Donovan)
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Shuttle Stop Construction on Happy Isles Loop, at Lower Pines Campground
Beginning Monday, May 20, travel on Happy Isles Loop at Lower Pines Campground will be subject to one-way traffic controls using a single lane. Project site construction requires the removal of asphalt pavement and replacement with curbing and concrete surfaces. The westbound travel lane will remain closed during excavation and construction, and for a period of time allowing the concrete to cure. The duration of work and traffic controls will be three to four weeks. (J. Donovan)
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Historic Preservation Crew - Post Office
The Yosemite Historic Preservation Crew will be performing stabilization work on the Yosemite Valley Post Office beginning May 6. The project will repair damaged and broken windows, repair cracks in the masonry, and perform preservation carpentry on log elements. There will be no impact on Post Office operations. Please direct all questions to Kevin Brothers ([email protected]). (K. Brothers)
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Expect delays: North Side Drive between El Capitan Woodlot to Pohono Bridge
Hazardous fuel reduction is taking place on Northside Drive from El Capitan Woodlot to Pohono Bridge. This work is being conducted in preparation of prescribed fire and provide a safer place for fire fighters to work if a wildfire burns up the Merced River Canyon. The 2018 Ferguson Fire reached Cascades Falls and crossed both Wawona and Glacier Point Roads in a single run. Roads are our primary location to stop wildfires and implement prescribed fire. Personnel will be removing small trees and dead and down material. Wood will be transported to Ackerson Meadow where it will be mixed with fill as part of a massive gully restoration project will the aim of restoring one of the largest mid-elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada. Mixing the wood with the soil sequesters the carbon and increases the water holding capacity of the soil creating a wetter, more productive meadow.
Please watch for workers and drive slowly through the work zone. Traffic holds are 15 minutes while workers remove woody material. Delays may be expected Mon-Fri, 06:00-16:00 through June 20th. Thank you for your support and understanding. (G. Dickman)
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Caltrans Announces Improvement Project on State Route 140: Cathey’s Valley to Mariposa
On Monday, April 29, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will begin a maintenance project to improve State Route 140 (SR-140) between Cathey’s Valley and the town of Mariposa. Work will include pavement preservation with hot-mix asphalt, and removal and installation of guardrails, culverts, dikes, shoulder backing, signage, and corner curb ramps at seven intersections. Crews will work night shifts for approximately 170 working days, Sunday through Thursday, with alternating lane closures on eastbound and westbound SR-140. Project completion is expected in December 2024. The contractor’s work schedule is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment and materials, and construction-related issues. Please drive carefully and watch for laborers and equipment in roadways. (J. Donovan)
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Valley Forestry Through May
Valley Forestry will be performing residential tree trimming and hazard removal in Old El Portal, Rancheria and Yosemite Valley through the end of May. Workers will be entering yards for tree inspection and trimming. Email [email protected] for more information or work requests. (B. See)
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Wawona Hotel Roof Replacement Project
The Wawona re-roofing project is underway and the Contractor, Southwest Property Management, continues to work at the hotel phasing demolition and reroofing in sections progressively. Without unforeseen discoveries, the completion should occur in the fall of this year. Contact Steve Dunakoskie, YOSE SPPM Project Manager, for more information. (S. Dunakoskie)
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Dispatch Expansion Project
The Dispatch Expansion project is converting most of the El Portal Warehouse lobby into additional office space for the Emergency Communications (Dispatch) Center. The lobby stairs are no longer walled off, but the stairwell and adjacent entrance will periodically need to be temporarily closed as work dictates. When the stairs and entryway are blocked off, Warehouse occupants and visitors will need to use alternate means of ingress/egress. Do not enter through the RMS building unless you work there. To access the Dispatch office area, follow the signs in through the Trails area door just inside the fence/gate. Contact Alyssa Sharp, YOSE Project Manager, for more information. (M. Vantzelfden)
