Daily Report - Yosemite National Park Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Daily Report – Yosemite National Park

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Yosemite National Park Zone Forecast

Today: Sunny. Widespread frost early in the morning. Widespread frost late in the afternoon. Highs 28 to 42. Southeast winds up to 5 mph with gusts to around 20 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Widespread frost. Lows 13 to 27. North winds up to 5 mph. Gusts up to 20 mph after midnight.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. Snow likely in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Highs 24 to 38. Northwest winds up to 5 mph increasing to west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of snow 70 percent.

Additional Point Forecast Weather Links:

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NEW & HAPPENING TODAY

Yosemite Museum Hours

The Yosemite Museum will be open from 10am – 4pm until February 6. May close for lunch depending on staffing. (E. Dayhoff)

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Barry Hance Award Ceremony 12/12
We hope you will be able to join us for the annual Barry Hance Award Ceremony and Award Presentation on Tuesday, December 12th at the Clark Community Hall in El Portal. The award presentation, which will also include Length of Service Awards, will take place at 11:00am. We will be sending out a Teams invite that will include a link to stream the award ceremony. A luncheon will follow the ceremony. As always, we encourage you to please bring your mess kits if you are able, to support the park’s Zero Landfill program. Anyone who brings their mess kit will be able to choose one of three reusable gifts, courtesy of Yosemite’s Zero Landfill Program! (Office of the Superintendent)
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The Ansel Adams Gallery will move to Winter Hours of 10am – 4pm
Beginning 11/29, hours for The Ansel Adams Gallery will be 10am – 4pm. We will resume our typical hours of 9am – 5pm at the start of next season. (I. Carlson)

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RECENT NEWS

Farewell Party for Sally Martinez/El Portal Travel Series

Come to the El Portal Community Hall on Tuesday, November 28th at 5:30 to celebrate Sally Martinez, as she moves on to her next big adventure superintendent a Honouliuli National Historic Site. After cake and drinks, join Sally at the El Portal Travel Series at 7pm! Starting in July, Sally Martinez went on detail as the Superintendent of Honouliuli National Historic Site on the island of O’ahu. Alex joined her for some travels on Kaua’i and the Big Island of Hawai’i. They will share photos and stories of boat trips, jungly hikes, cultural events, and more. Sally will also share the complicated history of Honouliuli, which was Hawai’i’s largest and longest-serving prisoner of war and civilian incarceration camp during World War II.

Sally started with the Volunteer Office in 2015. Since then she took on the role of Branch Chief of the Volunteer Office, and has served in that position for many years. During her time, Sally has not only held up one of the most complex volunteer operations in the National Park Service, but has also been a key player in Yosemite’s growing DEIA work, including creating an internship position to specifically support DEIA projects in the park. She is well respected as a supervisor who cares deeply for and supports her employees any way she can. Sally will be sorely missed by volunteers and employees, and we are excited to see her in her next awesome adventure in Hawaii. (S. Miyako)
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YNPCCC seeking interim Director

Want to be an integral part in helping the families of our small and rural community?

Yosemite National Park Child Care Center is seeking an interim director for the winter season. The director oversees all business operations and education practices for our non-profit organization- not to mention have daily fun with our infants, school agers, and everyone in between!
Position description available through inquiring.
Please email your resume and inquiries to ynpcccboard@gmail.com. (S.Platt)
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Valley Forestry Hazard Tree Removal on Southside Drive and Valley Loop

Valley Forestry will be removing hazard trees along South Side Drive and the Valley Loop starting November 27th. Work will continue into December. Anticipate 20 minute delays, and please keep speeds slow while traveling through the work zone. Thanks for your patience. (B. See)
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Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore Closure

Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Big Oak Flat Station – Closed Monday 11/27. (K. Bouchard)

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Yosemite Holiday Craft Bazaar Friday December 1

Join all the holiday fun at the Yosemite Holiday Craft Bazaar FRIDAY DECEMBER 1. From 11am-6pm, enjoy over 40 local artist vendors, a tasty taco lunch, bake sale, huge raffle and incredible silent auction packages. This festive event is in the Seven Tents Pavillion at Curry Village and is a fundraiser for the Yosemite Childcare Centers. Learn more about the event and online silent auction components on our facebook page: Yosemite Holiday Craft Bazaar. See you there! (E. Kretsch)
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PG&E crew at Cascade Substation
PG&E crews and their contractors will be completing defensible space clearing around the Cascade Substation on Monday, November 27 through Wednesday, November 29. (N. Lekch)
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“Shakespeare in Yosemite” Meeting Saturday

Interested in acting? Singing? Dancing? Hanging out with great people? Come out to the Curry Village Amphitheater on Saturday, December 2nd, at 10AM to help plan Shakespeare in Yosemite 2024. Performances will be April 25-28, 2024. Be ready to read scenes from the play. If you are musical, prepare a short song to sing or play on your instrument.

Go to https://yosemiteshakes.ucmerced.edu or email marion_roubal@nps.gov for more information. Hope to see you there! (M. Roubal)
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Mariposa Grove Road hazardous fuels reduction
Crews will be removing fallen pines, firs, and cedars (no fallen sequoias) along the Mariposa Grove Road between the grizzly giant parking lot and the bus shuttle lot in the lower grove. This work supports future prescribed burns and reduces hazardous fuel loading from the January 2021 Mono wind event that blew down thousands of trees in the grove and Wawona area, including 28 mature giant sequoias. Please watch for workers. If you have any questions, contact garrett_dickman@nps.gov (G. Dickman)

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Reminder: Yosemite Mentoring Program applications due Friday!

The Yosemite Mentoring Program provides valuable opportunities for setting and achieving goals through a year-long facilitated mentoring relationship. Participants will attend monthly professional development sessions from January 2024 through fall 2024.

The Yosemite Mentor Program is now available to all employees with supervisor approval. Is your season ending soon? Include your personal email address in your application – if you’re committed to continuing to build your networks and professional skills during your off-season, we’d love to include you in the cohort.

Applications are due THIS FRIDAY, December 1. (T. Plock)
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Rental Available
Upstairs studio apartment in a quiet Bootjack neighborhood. 10 minutes from Mariposa. 510 sq.ft. Furnished open concept plan. Full Kitchen. Bath with shower/tub. Queen bed. Walk in closet, plus storage closet. Rent includes Utilities, Trash pickup and WI-Fi. $900./mo. Plus $900. security deposit. One person only. No smoking, no pets. Taking applications. Not a vacation rental, looking for long term tenant. Email nassar@sti.net (D. Nassar)
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Clinic Hours
Nov 27 NO urgent care. Limited scheduled primary care TELEHEALTH by Dr. Irwin-Warren, RN provided care & walk-in free flu shot.
Nov 28 – 29 CLOSED for staff X-ray training
Nov 30 NO urgent care. Limited scheduled primary care TELEHEALTH by Dr. Irwin-Warren, RN provided care & walk-in free flu shot.
Dec 1 Free Flu Clinic only 9am – 12pm & 1- 3:30pm. (S. Webb)

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ONGOING PROJECTS

Wawona Road Hazardous Fuel Removal
Tribal crews and contractors are removing hazardous fuels along Wawona Road from the South Entrance to the park boundary at Mt. Raymond Road. Removing hazardous fuels in the form of small trees and previously downed logs will support fire fighters to implement an interagency prescribed fire that will ultimately lead to better protection of the Mariposa Grove and the communities of Fish Camp and Wawona from high severity fires. Delays up to 15 minutes may be expected. Please slow down and watch for workers along the road. Contact garrett_dickman@nps.gov with any questions. (G. Dickman)
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The Merced Grove is Closed for Restoration

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. 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 first. 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 grove will be closed for 2.5 months 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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Dispatch Expansion Project

The Dispatch Expansion project is converting most of the El Portal Warehouse lobby into office space for the Emergency Communications (Dispatch) Center. The lobby elevator is off-limits except in case of emergency. The lobby stairs are still blocked off and the rest of the lobby area is closed unless you are involved with the project. Warehouse occupants and visitors need to use alternate means of ingress/egress until the re-construction of the stairs is finished. 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. Apologies for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. Contact Nicole Belle Isle, Project Manager, for more information. (N. Belle Isle)

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Y8 Fuel Station Down
The Y8 gas station is currently down. For gas needs in the meantime, please call the garage from 8 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week at 209-372-1060 to schedule a fill until further notice. We’ll update when the station is back up and running. (C. Layman)

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Valley Shuttle Construction Impacts

Valley Shuttle stops 19, 4 and 2 are out of service due to construction. (C. Layman)