In the last 24 hours, a winter storm has dropped over 3.5 feet of snow throughout the park causing authorities to close all roads leading into and out of the park and evacuate visitors and employees who have been without power for several days.
Highways 41 (Wawona Road), 120 (Big Oak Flat Road), and 140 (El Portal Road) into Yosemite National Park are closed due to snowy and icy conditions. Additionally, Caltrans has temporarily closed Highway 140 outside of the park boundary between El Portal and Mid Pines due to mud slides, rockfall, fallen trees and the downed power lines forced Yosemite Valley hotels to resort to backup generators.
Additionally, the Badger Pass Road and the Hetch Hetchy Road were also closed due to treacherous condtions. At this time there is no expected opening date for any of Yosemite’s roads.
The winter storm is just one in a series expected to hit the area over the next week.
For current road conditions within Yosemite National Park please call (209) 372-0200. For reservations and accommodations within the park, please call DNC at (801) 559-4884.
Photo by Andrew Hecht