Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 by Julia, Mono Lake InterncloseAuthor: Julia, Mono Lake InternName: Julia Runcie Title: Mono Lake Intern About: As a native of the diminutive Green Mountains, Julia is completely in awe of the Sierra but has to admit she sometimes misses real maple syrup. After her 2010 summer internship she stayed through the winter as a Project Specialist, and is now a Mono Lake Intern for her second summer. In her free time, Julia loves to hike, cook, write, and uproot invasive weeds.See All Posts by Julia (42) Contact Julia
According to National Park Service representatives, Tioga Pass into Yosemite National Park will open this Saturday, June 18th, at 8:00am.
Due to an immense snowpack and a late, chilly spring, the road has remained closed far longer than normal, and thousands of visitors will be relieved to find their drive over the Sierra made shorter and the beautiful Tuolumne Meadows area open at last.
Please continue to check the latest road report from CalTrans, as conditions may change at any moment and we have no guarantee that the pass will actually open as planned.
For a look at the Tioga Pass opening and closing dates since 1933, check out this spreadsheet on the Mono Basin Clearinghouse.
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
The Los Angeles Times has a fascinating report on this year’s work to clear snow from the Tioga Pass road between Mono Lake and Yosemite, including photos and video. Check it out!
Thursday, October 7th, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Tioga Pass (Highway 120) reopened this morning (as of 10:30 am) on our first sunny morning of the week. Columbus Day weekend visitors will be happy to know that the drive from Yosemite to the Mono Basin does not require the longer wintertime route to the north over Carson Pass (Highway 88). (more…)
Monday, October 4th, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Tioga (Highway 120) and Sonora (Highway 108) passes closed this morning due to inclement weather. Rockslides and snow were reportedly responsible. With up to a foot of snow possible at Tioga Pass through tomorrow night, expect these passes to reopen no earlier than Wednesday. Check road conditions for the latest updates. (more…)
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
The official word is that Tioga Pass (Hwy 120 to Yosemite National Park) will open at 8 am Saturday June 5th, 2010. All facilities along Tioga Road will remain closed indefinitely. The snowpack is quite deep for this late in the season along the road.
Access to Yosemite is also free this weekend in honor of National Trails Day. Other free days this year will include August 14-15, September 25, and November 11.
Monday, May 31st, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
With warmer weather and the road open as far as Tioga Pass from Highway 395, there was quite a bit of human-powered recreation going on at Tioga Pass this weekend. Cars—many with bike racks and ski racks—were at times taking almost all the available parking spots that had been cleared of snow between Ellery Lake and Tioga Pass.
Cyclists enjoy the car-free Tioga Pass Road in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park.
Friday, May 28th, 2010 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
First the bad news:
According to Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher, Tioga Pass (Highway 120) will not open for this Memorial Day weekend. No opening date is in sight, but crews are working hard to open the road for the busy summer season. Stay tuned here to the Mono-logue and check the California Department of Transportation website for the latest news.
Sonora Pass (Highway 108) is not open. (As of 5pm it is open)
The good news:
Monitor Pass (Highway 89) has reopened today, according to the Bishop CalTrans office.
Luckily, the lower gate on the east side of Tioga Pass is now open, allowing skiers easy access to the abundant new snow in the Tioga Pass area.
Friday, May 21st, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
The lower Tioga Road gate on Highway 120, four miles from Highway 395, is open and the road is accessible as far as the Yosemite National Park entrance 12 miles up the road. As of Friday evening, Caltrans didn’t even have its Website updated yet—it was last updated for this highway on May 13th. See it here on monolake.org first!
The snow at the pass is very firm, and averages 5-10 feet deep. Watch for rocks on the road. It has newly painted lines as far as Blue Slide.
The road is still closed within the park, however efforts are being made to open it by Memorial Day weekend.
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Rumors (and at least one Yosemite blogger) are saying that the Tioga Road is open from the east to the top. Not true.
As of Tuesday May 11th, 2010 at noon, the lower gate is still closed. In addition, Mono County crews are starting to plow into the park today, Wednesday May 12th. There are less than 10 miles of snow-covered road left to clear since the NPS crews have reached pothole dome. Once clear, the road doesn’t open immediately due to additional maintenance and avalanche danger.
Tuesday May 11, 2010 at noon. Contrary to rumors triggered by a blogger with incorrect information, the lower gate is still closed. Photo by Greg Reis.
Thursday, October 15th, 2009 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Tioga Pass (Hwy 120) reopens today, Thursday October 15, 2009, at noon. It was closed since Monday due to snow. Sonora Pass (Hwy 108) remains closed, as well as the road to Bodie (Hwy 270). On the Tioga Pass Webcam there appears to be less than a foot of snow at the 9,945′ pass.
