Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Very exciting News!! (Tioga Pass opening)

Ok, kind of exciting news, or maybe slightly exciting, or perhaps pretty boring depending on your point of view. For me, anyway, this is like the coolest thing since.... ran out of a metaphore. Anyway, from the looks of it, the Tioga Pass might open this weekend! From the webcam it looks like they have plowed all the way to the Tioga entrance!! Check out the webcam.
http://meteora.ucsd.edu/cap/tioga/tioga_current.jpg

From the Yosemite NP website:

Tioga and Glacier Point Roads Plowing Update

Tioga Road progress for April 24, 2007

Starting Location: 41.6 miles from Crane Flat gate

Ending Location: 43.9 miles miles from Crane Flat gate (Tuolumne Meadows area)

Distance plowed today: 2.3 miles

Snow depth: 0 - 2 feet

Glacier Point Road progress
Plows have made it to the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point trailhead, however extremely icy conditions will prevent further progress until weather improves.

There is no estimated opening date for the Tioga Road or the Glacier Point Road.

Once plowing is completed, additional work must be completed before the road can safely be opened.

Right but, that was as of the 24th. Yesterday, the road was finally visible from the camera. So they made it the final 2 miles through to the entrance station.

To me, this is pretty sad news, the snow pack is so low that by mid-August, many streams and very good water sources will be running on empty and the fire danger and possible campfire restrictions will make it a much different back country experience this year.

Route 108 is already open. See Route 108 conditions .

The road has been visible for weeks. That says nothing at all about how far along the plowing is, when they'll finish, and when they'll open the road.

Tioga Road progress for April 25, 2007

Starting Location:43.9 miles from Crane Flat gate

Ending Location: 46 miles miles from Crane Flat Gate (Tioga Pass)

Distance plowed today: 2.1 miles

Snow depth: 1 to 5 feet

Road widening and opening of secondary roads and parking lots is ongoing.

Uggghhhheemmm, <clears throat> --- Booohhhh Yah!