RichardInSF

I hear Yosemite Valley is open again.

abmj-jr

As of 1/12, only via SR 41 from Fresno/Oakhurst. SR 120 and 140 remain closed due to road and bridge damage. They are working frantically to get it repaired since 41 goes to a much higher elevation and can be pretty icy in winter.

RichardInSF

Oh dear. The next round of storms is supposed to arrive starting tomorrow!

CDTraveler

This.

Plus park employees have no way of knowing the skill level of the driver they're talking to. What someone experienced in winter driving conditions could safely handle is different from the foreign visitor who has never driven on snow could handle.

pon18n

Yeah, usually they try to be on the safer side because they don't know your driving background. But if you press them they never really say no. They just want to give you ample warning.

darthbimmer

Usually I can get the information I want to make an informed personal decision by pressing the question a bit, explaining that I'm an experienced driver/hiker/whatever. Having the right kind of equipment visible helps. At least 25% of the time, though, the employee just keeps saying no and adding warnings of doom that are not credible. In those cases I either have to try my luck with another employee or-- quite often-- go out and try it myself.

pon18n

To be fair, it's their job to give you ample warning. What you choose to do despite their best attempt is your own business.

Can't exactly blame them for being pessimistic.

darthbimmer

No, that's not fair. Their job should be to give me factual information. Attempting to convince me of something by other means is lazy, dishonest, or both.

CDTraveler

Nope, don't agree with that perspective at all. Their #1 job is to protect the park and/or natural resources - see their statement on nps.gov. Officially, secondary to that is making the park available for the "enjoyment, education, and inspiration" of visitors. From my brief stint working in Yellowstone, I will tell you many park service employees say the biggest, and hardest, part of the job is protecting visitors from their own stupidity.

Say you call to ask about road conditions in Yosemite. The person answering the phone doesn't necessarily have up to the minute data on the roads because getting that at all times just ins't possible. Snow may still be falling, roads not plowed or treated. There are many areas that have frequent snow/rock/mud slides. There's a major temperature change predicted that will impact road conditions. Yosemite is a large park ranged across steep mountains and hidden valleys; there is no way they can tell you exactly what is happening on every part of the roads during winter so they may give you their best understanding of both current conditions and probably short term changes, and they're probably praying they don't have a fool on the phone who will try the mountain roads in the dark, without chains, etc. Yes, they may try to deter you from certain actions, but the park service's concern is the big picture - your welfare, the safety of the employees who have to try to rescue people who get into dangerous situations, and preservation of park resources.

Calling their actions "lazy, dishonest, or both" is just over the top nasty.

pon18n

This.

TWA884

Please let's get back on topic, that is Yosemite National Park road conditions and closures.

Thank you,

TWA884
Moderator, California

darthbimmer

Nice story, bro, but not what I was responding to.

Coming up with a new hypothetical situation and portraying that as what I was discussing is... well, lazy, dishonest or both.

TWA884

Reminder:

In case that I was not clear, do not post anything in this thread that is not directly related to Yosemite National Park road conditions and closures.

If you wish to argue about park rangers job descriptions, please feel free to take that discussion to OMNI.

Future off topic messages will be summarily deleted. Repeated violators will earn time off without further warnings.

Thank you for understanding.

TWA884
Moderator

abmj-jr

SR 41 from Fresno to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park is now closed completely, as of February 21, 2017, due to a washout of the road surface between Fish Camp and the Park entrance. Repairs expected to take a minimum of a week but could be much longer. More storms coming in this week.

All travelers on Highway 41 bound for Yosemite are being detoured at Oakhurst onto Highway 49 to Mariposa and the SR 140 route.

abmj-jr

Just heard this morning that Highway 120 to Yosemite is now also closed for storm repairs.

This means that as of February 23, the only open route to Yosemite is via Highway 140.