Yosemite valley to close over flood threat as snowpack melts

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

2 hours ago

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Much of the famed valley at California’s Yosemite National Park will be temporarily closed starting Friday due to a forecast of flooding as rising temperatures melt the Sierra Nevada’s massive snowpack.

Park officials said Tuesday that the eastern section of Yosemite Valley will stay shut at least until May 3. Reservations for campgrounds and lodging in the eastern valley will automatically be canceled and refunded.

Other sections including western Yosemite Valley will remain open, officials said. Day hikers who have purchased wilderness permits for areas that will be off limits can have them rescheduled for alternate trailheads as space allows.

Spring weather is quickly melting huge amounts of snow that accumulated in mountains from a series of epic winter storms.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/california-floods-snowpack-yosemite-national-park-closure-78d1a81d4cd6a80014a4fd98a079fc8c

[riversedge]

1. It is a beautiful area. I have been there a few times.

[Bayard]

2. Incredible

I've been there in winter before. I'm wondering if the hotel we stayed at was affected. The fast-rolling big creek ran right under the balcony, splashing against big boulders.

It was wonderful.

[hermetic]

4. Is that it in the webcam?

https://yosemite.org/webcams/half-dome/
Looks pretty accessible. I love looking at the web cams there and do it almost daily.

[Bayard]

5. Yosemite View Lodge

[hermetic]

6. Nice!

Yeah, it's probably hard to get there right now.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. That's a trip! I've taken pics in that spot many times over the years

Cars park right up against that fence and people get out and take pics of Yosemite Falls.

In this pic the main road would've been totally impassable in a car or truck. The lower right hand corner is where road would be. Instead it's under about 3-4 feet of water.

Crazy!