Daily Report – Yosemite National Park Thursday, August 15th, 2024

Daily Report – Yosemite National Park
Thursday, August 15th, 2024

Yosemite National Park Zone Forecast
Today: Sunny. Highs 61 to 75. Southwest winds up to 15 mph.
Tonight: Clear. Lows 38 to 54. West winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southeast after midnight.
Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs 64 to 76. Southwest winds up to 15 mph.
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NEW & HAPPENING TODAY

Yosemite National Park seeks public input on draft visitor access management plan
Release Date: August 14, 2024

Media contact: Scott Gediman, (209) 742-3519 (cell); scott_gediman@nps.gov

YOSEMITE VALLEY, Calif. – Yosemite National Park is seeking the public’s input on a plan to improve visitors’ access to and experience in the busy park during its peak season.

The visitor access management plan and environmental assessment (EA) includes three approaches, called alternatives, for proactively managing visitor access to help meet long-term resource protection, visitor experience, and park operational management goals. The park’s preferred alternative is to implement a parkwide daily reservation system during peak hours.

“This is an opportunity to help shape Yosemite’s future,” said Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. “We know that the best time for many visitors to come to the park is during the summer season when the weather is optimal for outdoor adventures. We want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to enjoy the park and stay safe, and not suffer through endless traffic jams and long waits.”

The public comment period ends Sept. 30. This comment period is the third and final opportunity to provide input on the plan.

The draft management plan and EA were prepared to provide analysis and an opportunity for public comment to support informed decision-making. The draft plan and environmental assessment, as well as other plan information, are available on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at parkplanning.nps.gov/YosemiteVisitorAccess. Click “Open for Comment” to submit a response.

A virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, August 22 at 4 p.m. PDT and additional public meetings will be held in gateway communities the week of September 9. NPS staff will be on-hand to answer questions and share information. For more information, click on “Meeting Notices” in the project website.

From 2014 to 2019, the park piloted different management strategies including restricting access to East Yosemite Valley when parking lots reached capacity and actively managing parking at other popular locations. From 2020 to 2022 and again in 2024, the park piloted day-use reservation systems for the entire park.

During the first two rounds of public engagement for this plan during the winter of 2022/2023 and summer 2023, the park received around 6,000 letters. The comments helped inform the development of management concepts, refine issue statements, strategies, and concepts under consideration.

Data gathered during these periods helped inform a range of alternatives to alleviate the chronic congestion that has affected Yosemite for more than 50 years and to provide quality visitor access in the future.

You can find current information about the public comment period for the visitor access management plan our website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/yosemitevisitoraccess. (S. Gediman)
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9/15/2024 Fire Update
Middle
Location: Near the Middle Fork of the Tuolumne River, west of White Wolf Lodge
Elevation: 7,000’
Discover date: August 4th, 2024
Size: 310 acres
Containment: 75%
Cause: Lightning
Yosemite Fire crews are using a full suppression strategy using ground and air resources, including handline construction with fire crews including 1 helicopter, 2 Type 2 crews, 1 NPS wildland fire use module and 2 engines. Operations include patrol mop-up, rehab, trail closure will remain in place until lines are secure.
There are no threats to Aspen Valley currently Crews are accessing the fire from Tioga Road, so please be watchful for firefighters and equipment along the roadway when driving in the area. Smoke from the Middle Fire will may impact the White Wolf area and along Tioga Road.
Trail closures went into effect Tuesday, August 6th, impacting the trail along Long Gulch Creek, between Aspen Valley and White Wolf.
All remaining fires are being managed with a confined contained strategy/ monitor by Yosemite Fire crews.
Morrison
Location: One mile north of Morrison Creek
Discovery Date: August 4th, 2024 Size: 31 acres
Containment: 50% Cause: Lightning

Echo
Location: North of Little Yosemite Valley above Echo Valley, near Merced Lake
Discovery Date: August 2nd, 2024 Size: 0.5 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Smoke and fire may be visible from Glacier Point and other park areas. (M. Ruggiero)
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Tuolumne Grove Walk Cancelled Today 8/15
Due to staff illness, the Tuolumne Grove Walk is cancelled. (S. Miyako)

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RECENT NEWS

BIPOC ERG Art Night
Registration Needed! Join the BIPOC ERG+ for a laid-back art night at the El Portal Community Hall on Tuesday, August 27th, from 6pm-8pm! You will learn the basics of block printing in honor of one of Yosemite’s great artists, Chiura Obata. With guidance from Yosemite Conservancy instructor, Lora Spielman-Dell Isola, you’ll walk away with an understanding of simple block printing techniques and your very own Yosemite masterpiece! Supplies are included and no cost to attend! Reach out to Clarice Henry if you have questions. If the class is full, please email us at art@yosemite.org with your name and phone number to be added to the waitlist!

Limited capacity, register at: https://go.theflybook.com/book/752/EntityConfig/31063 (C. Lau)
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Come and enjoy the 28th Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival, this Saturday & Sunday, August 17 & 18.
Morning workshops and afternoon readings with music featured poets Nickole Brown, Lee Herrick, Cintia Santana, and musician Shira Kammen. The schedule: Saturday, August 17, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Poetry workshop with Nickole Brown. 2:00-3:30 p.m. Readings with featured poets and music. On Sunday, August 18, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Poetry workshop with Cintia Santana. At 2:00-3:30 p.m. Readings with featured poets and music. All are welcome. Reservation needed for peak hours entry into the park. (K. Amstutz)
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Traffic Delays: North Side Drive at Eagle Creek
Soil hauling operations will be taking place from 8:00am to 6:00pm between Wednesday (8/14) and Friday (8/15). A portion of the south lane of North Side Drive starting at Eagle Creek will be closed during that time. (T. Guardado)
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Wawona Road Work
Road crews are working on the Wawona road (41) south of the Wawona tunnel working south.
Please drive slowly and watch out for road crew and equipment in the Work Zone, expect up to 15-minute traffic delays. (B. Brantley)
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Annual Fire System Inspections
It’s time again for the annual fire system inspections. Contractors will be escorted through residences and administrative buildings to inspect and test the fire alarm and fire suppression systems.
Here is the general schedule:

August 12th – 16th – El Portal and Valley locations
August 19th – 23rd – Valley, Wawona, and Mather locations

If you are a resident in government housing, you will be notified by the housing office of the dates that the inspections will take place, additionally the district supervisors may also place notifications for your information. We would like to keep to the scheduled dates as much as possible. Please reach out the COR – Carrie Toepper, if there are any questions or concerns (carrie_toepper@nps.gov or 209-379-1089).

The contractors will need approximately 15-20 minutes in each housing location to physically identify any sprinkler heads and test any systems.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation and assistance with this annual requirement. (C. Toepper)
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Part Time Position, Yosemite Valley School and El Portal School
The Yosemite Valley School is hiring for an after school program aide position. The position may come with housing. Please apply using the link, and email jfreeman@mcusd.org
https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/1957326

El Portal Elementary School is hiring an after school program coordinator position, and an after school aide position. These positions may come with housing.
https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/1948475
https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/1948484 (S. Miyako)
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Yosemite’s Wilderness Branch is recruiting for a Wilderness Specialist!

USAJOBS – Job Announcement

It will be open though 8/28, and it is a permanent, year-round, non-supervisory GS-11 under the Outdoor Recreation Planner series (0023). The Wilderness Specialist will have core responsibilities in collaboratively developing Minimum Requirement Analyses (MRAs) for internal and external project proposals and serves as the park’s subject matter expert on the Wilderness Act and other wilderness management law & policy. Come join our dedicated supportive team in helping preserve the wilderness character of this world-renown resource, over 94% of the park! Contact David Hansen, Wilderness Manager, for any questions. (D. Hansen)
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Parkwide Sign Committee
Does your program have a need for short or long-term signage? The parkwide sign committee is here to help!
This interdivisional group establishes and implements standards for the planning, design, fabrication, installation, and inventory of all outdoor signs in the park.
We seek to foster cooperation and communication among park divisions with a goal toward improving the effectiveness and consistency of park signs.
Want to know more? Want some help? becky_latanich@nps.gov (B. Latanich)
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Mono Pass Trailhead Closure
The vault toilet located at the Mono Pass Trailhead in Tuolumne will be replaced next week (Aug. 19-23). The current building and fiberglass vault will be removed and replaced with a new concrete vault and toilet building. The trailhead parking will be prohibited. The contractor will need all of the available space for staging equipment and supplies. The parking area should be open to visitors by the end of the week. Thanks for your patience during this exciting improvement project! (C. Toepper)

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ONGOING PROJECTS

Merced Grove Restoration Closure
Giant sequoias are adapted to frequent, low-intensity fire and depend on fire for reproduction. Frequent fires reduce fire intensity by thinning the forest of small and unhealthy trees and reducing the accumulation of dead branches and trees. But over the past century, fires were suppressed, and drought and insects killed millions of trees in Yosemite creating fuels for fires. In the Merced Grove, there is limited sequoia regeneration and fuel loading has increased to dangerous levels. Currently, we cannot safely introduce fire without first mechanically removing fuels. Since 2020, wildfires have killed almost 20% of mature giant sequoias across their range due to extreme fuel loading, and we aim to prevent that outcome in the Merced Grove. Therefore, we are removing small diameter conifers, trees posing a hazard to firefighters and containment lines, and dead and downed wood to reduce wildfire risk to the sequoias and firefighters as preparation for the first prescribed fire in and around the grove. The wood will be transported to Ackerson Meadow where it will be mixed with soil and used to fill a gully that has been draining the meadow and wetlands. The carbon from the buried wood is sequestered and helps increase water holding capacity of the soil.
The grove will be closed until approximately September 20th during the restoration for visitor and worker safety. Please contact garrett_dickman@nps.gov with questions or for access. (G. Dickman)
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El Capitan Removal Action
An environmental cleanup contractor will be implementing the El Capitan NTCRA 7/29-11/8. The El Capitan site includes 13 Decision-Units (DUs) to be excavated for removal of buried waste. This former waste disposal area was used up until the 1930’s, with waste mainly coming from yosemite valley hotel/campground operations in the early part of the 20th century. The DUs are located in various depressions along the merced river and slaughterhouse meadow. Upon a satisfactory confirmation testing of these locations, the contractor will be restoring the DUs to a natural grade.

Impacts: The Valley Loop trail will be barricaded at the west end of the project site and at the entrance to the project site south of the El Capitan picnic area. A trail detour is available to hikers by walking north of the project site. The contractor will also be periodically closing the left-hand lane of Northside Drive for approximately 2500 feet west of and in front of the El Capitan picnic area in order to stage trucks for off hauling of waste/soil from the site. Please contact Moshe Calm with any questions/concerns. (C. Moshe)
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Potential Traffic Delays
Road crews are working from crane flat to the 120/140 junction clearing drainages please watch for workers and equipment, expect up to 15 minute traffic delays
(B. Brantley)
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Ackerson Meadow Restoration Project
Earth-moving for final phase of the Ackerson Meadow Restoration Project on Evergreen Road, is set to begin. Equipment mobilization will start on July 29th and with more substantial project actions to begin on August 5th. Operations are planned through October 31. Please watch for trucks on roads in the area.

The goal is to eliminate excess soil erosion, slow water loss, and reverse loss of water-loving plants and animals, especially rare/endangered species. To do this, the project team will completely fill the century-old human-caused erosion gully that is >3 miles long, and up to 14’ deep by 100’ wide. Phase 1 of the project was a huge success protecting and rewetting 78 acres of vital wetland habitat, by completing earth-moving of nearly 60,000cy of material between Aug 14 and Nov 9, 2023, and planting over 127,000 wetland container plants on the restored surface this spring. Though smaller in extent, Phase 2 requires the placement of nearly 100,000cy of combined mineral soil and woodchips. More than 290,000 container plants will be installed in May 2025 to complete the restoration project. The project is a partnership of American Rivers, Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite Conservancy, and Yosemite National Park. Learn more at: https://go.nps.gov/ackerson, or https://youtu.be/3u9TpTTcArk. For questions, contact tim_kuhn@nps.gov. (T. Kuhn)
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Mist Trail Repair July 1st – October 31st, 2024
The Lower Mist Trail – from the John Muir Trail (JMT) junction (just uphill from the Vernal Fall Footbridge) to the top of Vernal Fall – will be closed M-TH between 7:00am and 3:30pm from 7/1/24 – 10/31/24 (subject to change).
The trail will remain open Fridays, weekends and holidays. It is expected to be open overnight, however there may be certain days when trail crew is not able to make it safe to open overnight. In that case, the gates will remain closed, and signs will be posted at the two closure gates that the trail is closed.
Hikers and backpackers headed to Half Dome and points beyond from the trailhead at Happy Isles may hike uphill on the Mist Trail if they reach the Mist Trail/JMT junction by 7:00am, Monday through Thursday. Otherwise, they must hike the JMT. (W. Weaver)
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Historic Preservation Crew – Post Office
The Yosemite Historic Preservation Crew is performing stabilization work on the Yosemite Valley Post Office. 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 (kevin_brothers@nps.gov). (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. 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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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)
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Vegetation Removal and Maintenance Work in Wawona
PG&E contractors from Arborworks will be conducting vegetation removal and maintenance work in the Wawona residential area. Some traffic control may be necessary. This work will occur during a Tuesday to Friday schedule until August 30. (A.Kunz)