Views: 0
Daily Report – Yosemite National Park
Tuesday, June 12th, 2018
Today: Sunny. Highs 83 to 89 at 5000 feet…71 to 79 at 8000 feet.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Lows 51 to 61 at 5000 feet… 41 to 51 at 8000 feet. West winds around 25 mph in the evening.
Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs 85 to 91 at 5000 feet…72 to 78 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
Mariposa Grove Week Is Here
After three years of incredible work, the Mariposa Grove Of Giant Sequoias officially opens to the public on Friday, June 15th, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. While this is a very exciting time, the opening will offer some new challenges as systems get up and running. In a continued commitment to have an informed workforce, here is some key information and communication tools for you to use in the days to come.
From Tuesday, June 12th, through Thursday, June 14th, the opening of the Mariposa Grove will be managed under an Incident Command System (ICS). Eric Scott is the Incident Commander.
While the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will not open to the public until Friday, various events will be conducted leading up to the opening including media visits, the Employee Open House, and the Mariposa Grove Dedication Ceremony. Please refer to the schedule below for information about the events on Wednesday and Thursday.
Visitors will be eager to plan their visit to the Mariposa Grove, and employees will be getting lots of questions! Visitors can be directed to the recently updated webpage about visiting the Mariposa Grove at http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mg.htm. Additionally, the upcoming Yosemite Guide (publication date of June 20, 2018) will feature the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias as the featured cover story as well as contain all the details on how to visit.
Please be advised that the opening weekend is expected to be very busy. Traffic delays at the South Entrance and Wawona area are expected.
Thank you to the entire Yosemite team, partners included, for all the work over the last three years as well as all the planning to ensure a smooth opening!
Mariposa Grove Employee Open House Schedule
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
9:00 am- 3:00 pm
8:30 am: First Shuttle leaves the Mariposa Grove Transit Depot
9:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Employees are invited to explore the Mariposa Grove at their leisure.
10:30 am: Join Sue Beatty, Kimball Koch and Schuyler Greenleaf on a one hour walk through the Mariposa Grove to learn about the Restoration project. Meet at the Lower Grove Arrival Area.
12:00 pm: Recognition Ceremony. Join Superintendent Mike Reynolds and Executive Director Frank Dean for recognition remarks and the Yosemite Partnership Award ceremony. Meet at the Lower Grove Arrival Area.
1:00 pm: Join an Interpretive Ranger on a one hour walk through the Mariposa Grove to learn about the Restoration project. Meet at the Lower Grove Arrival Area.
2:30 pm: Last shuttle departs from Lower Grove Arrival Area to Transit Depot.
3:00 pm: Mariposa Grove Transit Depot closes for the day
Mariposa Grove Dedication Ceremony Schedule
Thursday, June 14, 2018
10:00 am- 12:00 pm
8:00 am: First Shuttle leaves the Mariposa Grove Transit Depot. Plan to park at the New South Entrance Parking Area (there is no shuttle from Wawona. Parking is first come, first served)
9:00 am – 10:00 am: Pre-Event Music with Tom Bopp and gathering at the Lower Grove Arrival Area
9:45 am: Last Shuttle Leave the Transit Depot serving the Ceremony (plan to arrive early)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Mariposa Grove Dedication Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting
12:15 pm: Shuttle service resumes; Attendees are invited to explore the Mariposa Grove
2:00 pm: Last Shuttle will Leave the Lower Grove Arrival and Departure Area. Do not miss the last shuttle.
3:00 pm: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias closes until 9:00 am Friday morning for the public opening (S. Gediman)
_______________________
Yosemite Forum Today 4-5 PM (Note Special Time)
“Defining and monitoring mountain lion populations in California” by Dr. Justin Dellinger, California Department of Fish & Wildlife
Mountain lions are a top predator in California ecosystems and regulate populations of prey species such as grey foxes, ground squirrels, raccoons, and deer. Mountain lions are threatened by habitat fragmentation resulting from development and changes in forest structure. These habitat changes prompted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a Conservation Strategy to protect the species. This talk will discuss that Conservation Strategy and the recent mountain lion research that informs it. (G. Stock)
_______________________
Hooting Owl Lecture Series Tonight 6:30 PM
“Mountain Lion Ecology” by Justin Dellinger, Senior Environmental Scientist, CDFW
Come join Justin Dellinger, Senior Environmental Scientist, for a presentation on basic mountain lion ecology and the current mountain lion research that California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is undertaking. Mr. Dellinger currently serves as the statewide mountain lion and gray wolf researcher for CDFW.
This month’s Hooting Owl lecture will take place on Tuesday, June 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Wawona Community Center. Doors open at 6:00. (J. Cox)
=======================================================
RECENT NEWS
Barry Hance Award Nominations Due June 22
All NPS employees are eligible to nominate someone – you could be the one who submits the application for this year’s winner! To nominate someone you must complete the Barry Hance Award nomination form, complete a DI-451 award form, and have the nominee’s supervisor approve and sign the nomination form (email yose_superintendent@nps.gov to get the forms if you don’t already have them). Send the completed package in a blue “special attention mail” envelope labeled “Barry Hance Award Nomination” to Alan Kunz and/or Renee Madrid at the Superintendent’s Office in the Valley. (A. Kunz)
_______________________
Valley Campground Office Hours
Beginning on Sunday, June 10th, The Valley Campground Reservation Office will be open 8:30am-4:30pm daily. (S. Pyle)
_______________________
New Point Of Contact For Found Artifacts In Yosemite
Every year, visitors to Yosemite collect artifacts from around the park and turn them in to park staff, where they eventually wind up in the Archeology Office. This collection of artifacts is damaging to the park’s historic and archeological resources, especially when the objects are collected without any locational information.
The Archeology Office has set up a new email address to make it easier for park staff and visitors to get in touch regarding found artifacts: YOSE_archeology@nps.gov. If a visitor or another park employee tells you about or turns in an artifact they’ve found, please email a precise description of the location, including a GPS point if possible; a photograph of the artifact; and the name and contact information of the person who found it. As always, it is preferable that artifacts be left in place where possible for an archaeologist to assess.
Feel free to distribute this email address to visitors as necessary so they can contact Archaeology themselves. Thank you for helping keep Yosemite’s cultural resources intact! (M. Baptista)
_______________________
Call Before You Dig
Reminder: With all the continuous and ongoing construction in the park, please call USA North 811 before you dig. There are water, sewer, phone, IT and electrical lines throughout the park, even if it appears there is no service in the area. (K. Bablitch)
_______________________
Seeking Housemate In Midpines
Spacious 2000 sq. ft. house has 1 bedroom available. Large open living room, dining room, and kitchen. Two refrigerators, dishwasher, oven, microwave, dining room table set provided. Electric HVAC, swamp cooler, plus wood burning stove. Shared separate laundry room with washer and dryer. Huge deck on 2 sides of the house with views of distant hills. Storage for gear, bikes, etc.. Sits on 7+ acres of beautiful rolling hills and trees just off Colorado Road and East Whitlock, 10 min. from Mariposa. $400/month plus electric & WiFi. No smokers. Credit check. Email hodges.marcia@gmail.com or call 510-207-5951. (M. Hodges)
=======================================================