Yosemite Daily Report – Yosemite National Park Thursday, May 30, 2024

Yosemite Daily Report – Yosemite National Park
Thursday, May 30, 2024

Yosemite National Park Zone Forecast
Today: Warmer, sunny. Highs 56 to 72. South winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon. Gusts up to 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 36 to 52. Northeast winds up to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs 57 to 73. Southeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southwest with gusts to around 30 mph in the afternoon

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NEW & HAPPENING TODAY

Happy Isles Art & Nature Center Closed 5/30
The Happy Isles Art & Nature Center will be closed Thursday 5/30. The kid’s art classes will not be offered on Thursday 5/30 as listed in the Yosemite Guide. We anticipate reopening on 5/31 with our normal operating hours.
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Apartment for Rent- Mariposa
Very 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 (S. Barrient)
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First Pride Event: Speaker Series on 6/5
It is the kickoff for a full month of Pride events! On June 5th, join Ella Richie Teresa Demaria in the Valley Auditorium from 7pm-8pm for program on Trans Natural: Geologies of Change and Transition. Note there is a location change, since it will not be in the Valley Girl’s Club anymore. Let your friends know it has moved to the Valley Auditorium. Program brought to you by the LGBTQ+ ERG. All are welcome! (C. Lau)
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Pride Event: First Skill Share Series Program on 6/8
Join Madi Perry on June 8th for a class on Queer Myc-art-ology to learn more about spore printing and fungi knowledge. This will be at 9:30am in the Lower River Amphitheater. For more information and RSVP, email madison_perry@nps.gov by June 6th as space is limited. Program brought to you by the LGBTQ+ ERG. All work groups are welcome. (C. Lau)

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RECENT NEWS

Return of the Glacier Point Tour
We are pleased to announce the return of the Glacier Point Tour – running from June 15 – August 15! This tour will be live and bookable beginning June 1, for more information and to book a tour, please visit https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/guided-bus-tours/ or email yosemite@aramark.com (C. Layman)
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Kid’s Art Classes Cancelled 5/29
The kid’s art classes will not be offered on Wednesday 5/29 as listed in the Yosemite Guide. As an alternative, self-guided art activities/crafts will be provided throughout the day. (L. Spielman‑Dell Isola)
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Tioga Road Update
As of 5/24, Tioga Road is now open for LIMITED Administrative Access. The following groups are allowed to access infrastructure along the Tioga Corridor:
-Roads Crew, Avalanche Team
-Buildings and Grounds
-Utilities
-Division leads with infrastructure in Tuolumne Meadows that directly impacts opening to the public (Entrance Station, Wilderness Center, Visitor Center)
-Emergency Services

Passing through will be allowed for official purposes with prior approval from the Tuolumne Sub-District Ranger or Mather District Ranger.

Please see the all-employee email sent 5/24 for more information. (S. Robinson)
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Yosemite Valley Lodge Pool Open
The Yosemite Valley Lodge Pool has opened for the season. (C. Layman)
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Kudos for South Entrance
I just wanted to give a shout out to South Entrance. I was on loan for a week plus some OT. The registers seem to have consciousness and only work when they want at times, people are aggressively speeding through the employee lane that should and shouldn’t be there causing lots of near misses, water pipes busting leaving them to scramble for a bathroom and drinking water, and The Line! The Line never seems to end. Through all of that, everyone kept a cool cucumber demeanor day in and day out and they deserve some love. (W. Gayle)

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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 (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 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 Brian_See@nps.gov 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)