Views: 2
Daily Report – Yosemite National Park
Tuesday, April 30th, 2019
Today: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the morning, then chance of snow showers in the afternoon, slight chance of showers in the morning, then chance of showers in the afternoon. Near the crest, a 20 percent chance of snow showers. Windy. Snow level above 8000 feet. Highs 53 to 61 at 5000 feet… 39 to 49 at 8000 feet. Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts to around 75 mph over higher elevations.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers in the evening. Near the crest, mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Over higher elevations, southwest winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts to around 60 mph in the evening. Breezy. Lows 35 to 43 at 5000 feet…23 to 31 at 8000 feet.
Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs 56 to 64 at 5000 feet…43 to 53 at 8000 feet.
Additional Point Forecast Weather Links:
Yosemite Valley | Wawona | Tuolumne Meadows | Glacier Point | Big Oak Flat | Hetch Hetchy | El Portal | Mariposa | Badger Pass
=======================================================
NEW AND HAPPENING TODAY
El Portal Community Hall Meeting Thursday 4:30
On Thursday, May 2nd at 4:30pm there will be a community meeting in the El Portal Community Hall to discuss Mountain Lions in Yosemite.
The Sierra Nevada region is mountain lion habitat, and there have recently been mountain lion sightings in many of the communities in and around Yosemite. Last week a dog was injured by a mountain lion in El Portal. Resources Management and Science Division wants you to understand both what the NPS is doing in the park to monitor mountain lion activity and behavior as well as learn about what you can do to help reduce mountain lion conflicts with people. Staff from NPS wildlife management will present about mountain lion biology, research, and management in Yosemite, and will be available to answer any questions. (C. Lee-Roney)
_______________________
Horse Trail / John Muir Trail Closure
Trail Crew will be temporarily closing the John Muir trail at the Mist trail junction to Clark Point on Wednesday May 1st. This closure is to ensure public safety during hazard mitigation. Any questions contact Remo Fickler at 209-742-3734. (R. Fickler)
_______________________
Valley Kennels and Boarding
Valley Kennels and Boarding operations will not run this summer due to the High Sierra Camps being closed. The close ties between these two operations make it challenging to run the pet kennels and horse stable without the High Sierra Camps. (H. Fetzer)
_______________________
Research Library Closed April 30-May 2
The Research Library will be closed April 30 – May 2, 2019 while Virginia Sanchez is attending the Archives Practicum in El Portal. Research requests may be sent to yose_library@nps.gov. (V. Sanchez)
=======================================================
RECENT NEWS
John Muir Trail/Ice Cut Open
The John Muir Trail between Clark Point and Nevada Fall (“ice cut”) is open. Hikers should be prepared to hike through standing water at the ice cut. Hikers should not walk on the rock wall. (J. Trust)
_______________________
North Pines Backpacker Camp Access
Until further notice, access to Backpacker Camp at the back of North Pines is only via the trail from either Mirror Lake or the Majestic. (E. Bissmeyer)
_______________________
Power Outage For Yosemite Valley, El Portal, Badger Pass, Chinquapin May 3
There will be a planned power outage from PG&E to repair equipment on Friday May 3rd from 0700 to 1500. All of El Portal, Yosemite Valley, Badger Pass and Chinquapin will be without normal commercial power during this time. Typical emergency generation will be provided to only critical systems. Please plan accordingly. For outage questions, please contact Heather Gonzales, PG&E Planned Outage Coordinator, at 726-5588. (K. Bablitch)
_______________________
Yosemite Conservancy Grant Proposals Due May 6
2020 YC Grant Proposals are due on Sunday, May 6 to U:\Yosemite Conservancy Proposals\2020 YC Proposals. Complete proposal packages must be in their own folder and include at least 4 files: 1) Grant Proposal Form, 2) Budget Form, 3 and 4) at least two high resolution images (in addition to any images embedded in the proposal). If you have additional information useful for grant reviewers, you may include a “[GrantName] ReadMe” Word doc in the folder as well.
For forms, timelines, and further process information, go to U:\Yosemite Conservancy Proposals\2020 YC Proposals or contact heather_boothe@nps.gov, 209-372-0238. (H. Boothe)
_______________________
Change in Ranger Walks May 1
As of May 1st there will only be 10am ranger walks on Monday and Saturday in Yosemite Valley. There will be 3pm NPS ranger walks about bears at the Lower Pines Campground amphitheater. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. These changes are noted in the Yosemite Guide, but can sometimes cause confusion with visitors. Please spread the word. (S. Miyako)
_______________________
El Portal Sewer Phase 2 Project Update
Barium Mine Road (from Foresta Road to the first set of apartments) will be closed to all vehicular traffic from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon (04/30 to 05/03) for sewer main repair work. (R. Pasten)
_______________________
Hetch Hetchy Day Use Hours
Starting May 1st, the Hetch Hetchy Road will be open from 7am to 9pm through Labor Day. Wilderness permits and bear canisters are available at the entrance station from 7am to 5pm. (C. Flores)
_______________________
Yosemite Medical Clinic Closed Friday May 3, 12:00-2:30
Yosemite Medical Clinic will be closed from Noon till 2:30 PM on Friday May 3 so employees can attend a Visitor and Resource Protection Division meeting where the results of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey will be discussed. As usual, ambulance response will be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by calling 911. (C. Griffin)
_______________________
Yosemite’s Mountain Lions – How Do We Manage Them?
Yosemite and the surrounding areas are great mountain lion habitat. Within Yosemite, there have been as many as 100 reported sightings of mountain lions in a single year. Although there are no records of a mountain lion injuring a human in Yosemite, people have been severely injured and even killed by mountain lions in other parts of California. The high number of park visitors to Yosemite, the existence of park development in lion habitat, and numerous in-park residents all contribute to the possibility of confrontations between lions and humans. This possibility increases when visitors and residents leave food where wildlife can get it, feed wildlife, or do not properly control their pets.
In order to track mountain lion activity, wildlife management records every reported mountain lion sighting in the park and looks for trends. If there is a cluster of sightings, information is distributed in that area to help educate people about mountain lions. When more concerning sightings or encounters occur, including injuries to pets, the park works closely with California Department of Fish and Wildlife in order to make sure proper actions are taken. This includes considering the need for a tracker or trapper to remove the lion. If you would like more information about how we manage mountain lions, you can find “Yosemite National Park Directive #21: Management of Lion Threats to Human Safety” on the sharepoint site:
You can help by reporting all mountain lion sightings to yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov, or by calling park dispatch. The more details you can provide about the sighting the better! You can also help by keeping your dogs and cats with you on a leash when they are outside, and making sure you store your food properly. Feel free to email yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov if you have additional questions. (C. Lee-Roney)
_______________________
Yosemite National Park Hosts 7th Annual Law Day – Yosemite News Release April 25, 2019
The 2019 ceremony is focused on the 4th Amendment in the 21st Century Digital Age
Yosemite National Park is proud to host the 7th Annual Law Day to commemorate and celebrate our national ideals of liberty, justice, equality and the importance of the rule of law. Over 300 eighth grade students from Yosemite’s local gateway communities will be in attendance, including students from Mariposa, Lake Don Pedro, Coarsegold, Greeley Hill, Fresno and more.
This special ceremony will take place at Half Dome Village in Yosemite Valley on Friday, May 3, 2019 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.
The Honorable Jeremy Peterson, Magistrate Judge for United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Yosemite Division will be joined by judges from across California to celebrate the law and this year’s student Law Day Essay Contest Winners. Students submitted essays on the topic of “What is Unreasonable Search and Seizure in the Digital Age?” The top three winning essays will be read in person and awards will be presented to the winning writers.
This year’s keynote speaker is Antigone Peyton, a Virginia attorney specializing in the intersection of law and technology, who will be discussing the ways in which the technological marvels of our fast-paced digital age may be dramatically eroding personal privacy rights.
The program will also feature Yosemite National Park’s Mounted Patrol presenting the colors, Lauren Boone’s solo National Anthem, and the Clovis High School Jazz Band.
Law Day was first proclaimed in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Today, schools and courtrooms across the United States take time on May 1 each year to honor and celebrate the study of the law and the legal profession. Yosemite National Park is proud to partner with the San Joaquin Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Yosemite Hospitality, Yosemite Conservancy, McCormick Barstow, LLP, and many other organizations for this great event. (J. Richards)
======================================================
CONSTRUCTION & TRAFFIC DELAYS
Temporary Road Closures April 29-May 2
Due to necessary hazard tree mitigation work, temporary road closures will be in effect on Tioga Road from Crane Flat Junction to the NatureBridge Campus at Crane Flat beginning on Monday, April 29 through Thursday, May 2, 2019. The road will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic, including all bicycle traffic, with the exception of authorized administrative vehicles, for the duration of the forestry operations.
The Tuolumne Grove and all associated parking will be closed to the public for the duration of the forestry operations. (J.. Richards)
_______________________
Full Closure Of State Route 49 North April 29-May 10
Highway 49 will be closed April 29 through May 10 to replace culverts and repair pavement following recent flood damage between Bear Valley and State Route 132 in Coulterville. An alternative route will be required for travel between Coulterville and Mariposa. (J. Donovan)