Yosemite openings - 2016
 

As of 4/19, Glacier Point Road is set to open this week. The GP store will remain closed until next month.

Tioga Pass still closed, probably until late May.

Mariposa Grove still closed.

FWIW, the Valley waterfalls are already pretty full and nice and should be really booming by May. Wildflowers are nice now. Poppies are fading but Dogwoods and Redbud are coming in nicely.

That's great news. Will folks be able to hike from Glacier Point to the valley by early May?

That really depends on the weather. We could still get snow between now and then but I would guess that trail will be doable. I'd suggest checking the weather and snow conditions as the date gets closer.

Where to stay?? Should it be the Majestic Yosemite Hotel or the Yosemite Valley Lodge? This name change debacle is just ridiculous. Next thing you know Delaware North will also lay a claim to Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and El Capitan. Then we'll all have to go take a look at Frickin' Huge Falls, Hemisphere Rock, and Tennile's Former Partner Rock...

My husband is planning to hike the Panorama Trail the first weekend in May, starting at Glacier Point and hiking down. Glacier Road is now open so that is a big step forward in being able to do so. The logistics of travel are such that he needs to leave his car near the end of the trial and take the bus to Glacier Point. Information on the bus says that service begins in late May. Does it ever begin earlier? How does he manage the logistics of transportation if it does not?

Hitchhike?

One of the truisms of off-season Sierra camping and hiking is that transport can become complicated. Services can be limited before and after the normal season. Without that bus tour to GP, he might need to bring a friend who can drive the car down from his start point to the bottom. Or modify his plan - perhaps change to a circle hike that starts and ends at the same point.

I don't know what else to suggest. I did a lot of solo hiking back in "the olden days" so am familiar with the problem. It can be frustrating.

Glacier Point Road has closed again due to snow and ice.

The bus tour to Glacier Point had begun but is now paused. Our money for the bus tour today was refunded. There was no email notice. They only learned when they went to take the tour.

I spoke to my husband this morning. As an aside, Verizon has some coverage in Yosemite Village. T-Mobile has none. They plan to hike up Panorama Trail for several miles, then hike down.

Yes, I wondered about that. We had quite the stormy week here in the Valley and the mountains caught it as well. Extreme weather and flash flood warnings in Fresno usually equate to something pretty harsh up the hill.

Sorry to hear Mother Nature rained on hubby's parade. ;-) Sounds like they came up with a good alternative. They should still get up to some very nice viewpoints - and it will be down hill all the way back!

Glacier Point Road reopened today.

Tioga Pass Road opening today (5/18) at noon for travel in both directions.