Tuolumne Meadows Archives

Fire Updates July 6, 2015

Posted on July 6, 2015July 6, 2015 by lbschutte

New lightning caused fires:

It’s a hot, dry summer and the fire danger is extermely high in the Sierra. Several fires were spawned by last weeks thunderstorms and are now being actively monitored.

Most of the fires are small; single tree strikes that amount to less than a tenth of an acre. The fires are in the wilderness and are being monitored by either Yosemite fire crews hiking into the fire areas or via air reconnaissance due to location, sparse fuels, and low growth potential.

At this time there are no road or trail closures and the park remains open. Smoke is staying local over the fires and has not been observed traveling to any smoke sensitive areas.

All visitors are urged to use established campgrounds for fires. In all campfires, when departing, please be sure fires are completely out.

Indian Canyon (37 47.532 x 119 35.148 – Mariposa Co. at 7200’ el., July 3). This fire is between the Tioga Rd and the Yosemite Valley. It is less than .1 acre in size. It is smoldering and creeping, with a low rate of spread, and is burning in two snags within timber and needle cast. It is an area of few recent fires.

McGurk ( No Lat x long – Mariposa Co. at 7800’ el., July 2). This fire is within the McGurk Meadow, near a trail to Dewey Point from Glacier Point Road. It has low potential for spread, and was found to be in a single green lodgepole pine. It is surrounded by green grass, and is smoldering in a short needle/lodgepole pine forest around meadow. It has little potential for spread.

Porcupine Flat (37 48.962 x 119 34.416 – Mariposa Co., at 8000’, July 3). The top of a single green red fir tree was struck by lightning. There is no ground fire, but smoke may be seen from the Tioga Road. It has low potential for growth.

Smokey Jack ( 37 49.693 x 119 41.189 – Tuolumne Co., at 8000’ el., July 3). A single tree was struck. This fire has low to moderate spread potential as it is smoldering and creeping with no visible flame lengths.

White Cascade (37 54.926 x 119 23.780 – Tuolumne Co, at 9000’ el., July 3). This is a remote fire near Glen Aulin High Sierra camp and west of Tuolumne Meadows. It poses no threat to trails and has a low spread potential. It is creeping and smoldering through surface fuels. Smoke or haze may be visible in the area.

The Mystery of Tuolumne Meadows

Posted on November 25, 2014 by lbschutte

If you’ve never been to Tuolumne Meadows then you’re missing out on one of the best parts of Yosemite, in my opinion. It’s a broad, grassy valley surrounded by sharp, knife-edged peaks and domes that makes for some very beautiful scenery. But it’s always been a bit of a mystery how the meadow and the unique mix of geological features surrounding it formed. Now researchers think they may have uncovered clues to how the meadow formed and likely it has to do with the way the Sierra Nevada itself formed.

LiveScience.com. When ice age glaciers carved Yosemite’s distinctive features, flowing ice easily scooped out the shattered granite, leaving only intact rock behind, the researchers think.

The Sierra Nevada mountains are glued together by large masses of cooled magma called plutons. Each pluton was once a blob of rising molten rock that stalled underground and slowly crystallized miles from the surface.

Several plutons form the stunning domes and steep walls of Yosemite National Park, each one overlapping the next, like a pile of sleeping puppies. One of the youngest, called the Cathedral Peak granodiorite, crosses through the Tuolumne Meadows region.

The Cathedral Peak granodiorite was shattered and cracked about 85 million years ago, when new magma pushed upward into the cooling pluton, according to earlier research by Becker’s UW colleagues. Gas or fluids from the younger magma blasted open escape routes in the older granite.

“These volatiles explosively fractured the rock,” said Becker.

The peculiar cracks, called tabular fracture clusters (TFCs), are tightly spaced within Tuolumne Meadows and few and far between elsewhere. The clusters are zones of intensely fractured rock about 3 feet to 320 feet long (3 to 100 meters), with at least four cracks within a 4-inch (10 centimeters) span. The researchers say the valley’s vanished rock was likely pulverized, too. Clumps of clusters plunge toward the meadows on rocky slopes bordering the valley. “When we go to higher elevations, we see TFCs heading straight for the valley air, so we infer that the ghost rocks were filled with TFCs as well,” Becker said.

Photo of the Day: Sunset along the Tuolumne by Mike Reeves

Posted on June 14, 2014 by lbschutte

Sometimes it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Take for example today’s awesome Photo of the Day from Mike Reeves.

Mike Reeves: Tuesday’s sunset featured great color and clouds, something we don’t often see in the high country this time of year.

I was along these rapids not expecting a sunset at all, as I was trying to make the most of overcast conditions, but the sun came through right at the end of the day. I scrambled to try to find a spot to make an interesting composition, so I went to these tumbling rapids that were near a small meadow. At nearly 9,000 feet with a full pack, I was a bit winded but had just enough time to make this image!

Be sure to check out more of Mike’s beautiful photos on Flickr or head over to his website, http://mikereevesphotography.zenfolio.com/, where you can see EVEN MORE and pick up a print.

Photo by Mike Reeves via Flickr.

Red River by Aland De Wit

Posted on September 10, 2013 by lbschutte

Remember what it was like before the Rim Fire? When red clouds in the afternoon weren’t clouds of smoke? If you don’t then take a look at today’s beautiful Photo of the Day from Aland De Wit from not so far back in June. It’s guaranteed to “fix what ail’s ya’ ” as my mom likes to say.

Be sure to check out more of Aland’s beautiful photos on his Flickr stream. You’re going to spend hours here. Trust me.

Great shot, Aland!

Photo by Aland De Wit via Flickr

Cathedral Peak and Rapids by Mike Reeves

Posted on August 16, 2013 by lbschutte

It’s Friday and we’re ending the work week on a high note with this awesome photo from Mike Reeves.

Mike: “Here is a view of sunset from along the Tuolumne River looking back toward the Cathedral Crest. The low water this year actually allowed me to get to a rock outcropping with a great view!”

Beautiful shot, Mike. Thank’s for sharing.

Be sure to check out Mike’s website (http://mikereevesphotography.zenfolio.com/) where he has lots more beautiful photos. Mike also sells prints of his stuff so you can get one for your home or office. Think of it as an early Christmas present to yourself.

Photo by Mike Reeves.

Missing Hiker Could Be in Tuolumne Meadows Area

Posted on August 2, 2013 by lbschutte

A hiker last reported in the Mammoth Lakes area just outside Yosemite’s Tioga Pass entrance may have made his way into the park and may be missing in the Tuolumne Meadows area.

Matthew Greene has been missing since he telephoned his parents two weeks ago from a campsite near Yosemite National Park in California.

Greene, 39, of Bethlehem, was in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on July 16 when he last talked with his parents, Robert and Patricia Greene of Lehighton. The avid hiker and rock climber hasn’t called or answered his cellphone since.

Greene arrived at the Shady Rest Campground in Mammoth Lakes in his car June 27. There he met up with other hikers and took several day hikes in Yosemite Park to the northwest.
Robert Greene said his son told him June 16 that his car broke down and would be in a Mammoth Lakes repair shop for a few days.

“He told people he couldn’t meet them because he didn’t have transportation,” he said. “He told me he would get public transportation. He would take a bus to the trail heads.”

Matthew Greene’s hiking friends left Mammoth Lakes around June 16, but he stayed behind to wait for his car to be repaired, his father said.
That same day, Greene made a credit card purchase in the Mammoth Lakes area; he hasn’t used the credit card since then, his father said.

Police asked Greene’s parents if they knew in which part of the 1,169-square-mile Yosemite Park he might be hiking. Robert Greene said Matthew was starting many of his hikes at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite.

“That’s where he had been going to the trail heads,” he said. “It does have a bus service to it. He could very easily have jumped on a bus and gone up there.”

Police said they notified the Mono County Search and Rescue Team that Greene is missing, but the team has not initiated a search because it doesn’t have Greene’s last known location.

If you have any information on Greene, if you saw him on trailhead in Yosemite or you saw him on a bus headed into the park please call the Mammoth Lakes Police Department at 760-934-2011 or the Mono County Sheriff’s Office at 760-932-6549, ext. 7. Any information that can help piece together a timeline of his activities is helpful. Please don’t assume someone else has already called if you have information. Everything is helpful.

Take the Bus to Tuolumne Meadows

Posted on June 21, 2012 by lbschutte

One of the best ways you can help prevent traffic congestion in the park is to take a bus. They’re a great way to get around and you don’t have to worry about how to get back to your car if you’re doing a one way trip from say, Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley.

Speaking of Tuolumne Meadows and buses, the Tuolumne Hikers Bus is in service for the season. The bus departs Yosemite Valley at 8:20 from Yosemite Lodge and arrives at the Tuolumne Lodge at 10:35. The bus returns from Tuolumne at 2:05 PM and gets back to Yosemite Lodge at 4:15 PM. For more information on the Hikers Bus call the Lodge Tour Desk at 372-1240.

Like how I did that huh? Pretty slick segue don’t you think? *wink wink nudge nudge*

An Update from the Tuolumne Meadows Rangers

Posted on April 12, 2012 by lbschutte

I really enjoy reading the reports from the rangers who choose to spend all winter sacked out in a cabin in Tuolumne Meadows. This year has been especially trying since there’s no phone or electricity to the cabin. That means no TV and no internet. But, they get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and enjoy nature at it’s most pristine.

Weather: (April 4 through April 11)
High temp: 51°F (April 9)
Low temp: -4°F (April 6)
New Snow: 3 inches
Total settled snow depth: 19 inches as of April 11, 2012

Skiing Conditions and Weather: It has been great spring skiing in the Tuolumne Meadows vicinity. The weather this week was dominated by warm, sunny days and clear, cold nights. This is the ideal formula for setting up the snowpack for Sierra corn skiing. Most aspects we’re skiing well between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm. Coverage is still good on all aspects except for due South and some wind swept high ridges. The road corridor is 100% snow covered between the Tioga Pass entrance station and Snow Creek (and westward). Highway 120 east of Tioga Pass has been maintained and was snow free between the gate and the Yosemite Park boundary. That being said, at the time of this writing it is snowing and the forecast is for continued snow through Saturday. Come prepared for changing conditions. On any given day travelers may encounter both spring and winter conditions!

The snowpack in the Tuolumne area has gone isothermal (the temperature is the same throughout the snowpack). This typically means a stable snowpack. However, there is still the potential for new snow avalanches with this week’s forecasted storms. Travelers should be cautious on slopes greater than 30 degrees that have new snow on them. Wind slabs could form, usually on North and East aspects. The refrozen old snow surface will make for a smooth and slippery sliding surface that the new snow may not bond to very well. Once the skies do clear travelers should be wary of rapidly warming temperatures and the potential for wet snow avalanches. As always, pay attention to overnight temperatures as the hazard will remain low as long as temperatures continue to freeze the snowpack overnight.

Wildlife: Flocks of Violet-green swallows were circling around rapidly melting Tenaya Lake yesterday. And, Stellar’s Jays were already looking for picnic handouts. On Sunday, the following birds were seen at Parson’s Lodge and the meadows: Common Raven, Northern Flicker, Mountain Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird, Killdeer, Clark’s Nutcracker, American Robin, Mountain Bluebird, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin, and Dark-eyed Junco. Two Red-naped Sapsuckers provided a background beat on the Lodgepole pines while the rest of the tweety birds sung along.

(via Yosemite NPS on Facebook)

Yosemite Campground Reservations Now Available Dec 15th on Recreation.gov

Posted on November 18, 2010 by lbschutte

To camp in Camp 4 you don’t need a reservation but for the campgrounds you do need a reservation for reservations will start being accepted online December 15th 2010. Photo by Eva (aka Researchgirl on Flickr).

I’d been hearing that reservations for Yosemite campgrounds would be going on sale early this year but it looks like the November 15th opening date has been pushed back a few weeks. Here’s an update from Recreation.gov on when they’ll be offering reservations for next spring.

The November 15, 2010 on-sale will be postponed until December 15. This change is required as we schedule and conduct road construction projects that are slated for the spring of 2011. Reservations for Yosemite Valley Campgrounds with an arrival date of March 15 to May 14, 2011 will be available on December 15, 2010 at 10am Eastern (7am Pacific). Please visit us on December 15 to secure your arrival and stays dates within March 15 to May 14, 2011. (Recreation.gov)

Ok. So December 15th if you’re planning on booking camping spots for early in the season.

Snow in August

Posted on August 30, 2010August 30, 2010 by lbschutte

For those of you that missed it, it snowed Saturday night in Tuolumne Meadows and many other places in the Sierra. Yes, snow in August. Enough that people got up in the morning to find snow on top of their tent.

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find any photos online of the event yet. If you were there and have photos please feel free to send them over. You can email me at loyd(at)yosemiteblog.com

Thanks!